On December 20, 2016, Greatbatch Medical recalled the Standard Offset Cup Impactor with POM-C Handle because it failed sterility testing when sterilized in a dedicated instrument case. Non-sterile surgical devices can lead to infections and other serious adverse health consequences, including death. Click title to continue reading...

On December 23, 2016, the FDA alerted physicians who care for pregnant women meeting CDC Zika virus clinical criteria and/or CDC Zika virus epidemiological criteria, that the U.S. commercial testing facility, Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), has reported some false positive results from the ZIKV Detect IgM Capture ELISA test. Click title to continue reading...

On December 23, 2016, the FDA approved Spinraza (nusinersen), the first drug approved to treat children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare and often fatal genetic disease affecting muscle strength and movement. Spinraza is an injection administered into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Click title to continue reading...

New data published by the CDC on December 16, 2016, showed that drug overdose deaths, including opioid overdose deaths, continue to increase in the United States. In 2015, more than 52,000 people died from a drug overdose. Of those, 33,091 (63.1 percent) involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Since 2000, more than 300,000 Americans have lost their lives to an opioid overdose. Click title to continue reading...

An obstetrician informed a woman that she was pregnant. Two days later, the woman experienced abdominal cramping and fever. The woman called the obstetrician’s answering service. The woman was called back by the doctor covering for the obstetrician. The covering doctor instructed the woman to go to the emergency room (ER). Upon the woman’s admission to the ER, the woman reported the date of her last menstrual period, indicating that the woman was approximately six weeks pregnant. Click title to continue reading...

A man was under the care of a primary care physician and a cardiologist after he suffered an anterior wall myocardial infarction (i.e., a heart attack). To correct a 100% blockage, the cardiologist placed a stent in the man’s left anterior descending artery. The cardiologist also prescribed Plavix (clopidogrel), a blood thinner. Approximately two years after the man’s heart attack, the cardiologist placed additional stents in the man’s coronary arteries. The man continued to take Plavix. Click title to continue reading...

Over a period of 18 years, a woman was treated sporadically by a gynecologist. A lapse of the woman’s health insurance caused gaps in treatment. The woman initially sought treatment for her first pregnancy. The woman first reported left-sided pelvic pain six years later. Click title to continue reading...

As a special feature for our Premium subscribers we have included this feature containing an illustrative Trial Memorandum on causation and damages in a malpractice action involving the plaintiff’s allergic reaction to a prescribed eye surgery drug resulting in glaucoma and blindness. Click title to continue reading...