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The 2004 approval of the antibiotic Ketek, is a “mistake,” according to FDA safety official Dr. David Graham. Graham suggested immediate withdrawal of the controversial antibiotic, citing its toxicity and lack of adequate safety research. Over five million prescriptions have been written for Ketek,
An unidentified whistleblower filed suit in Federal District Court against medical device manufacturer Medtronic. The suit claims the company’s spinal-plant division gave doctors kickbacks to encourage the use of its products. The company settled the first of two similar lawsuits for $40M.
The Institute of Medicine performed a research study that found approximately 1.5 million people are harmed from errors in prescribing, dispensing, and taking of medication. The report stated that errors could be prevented with improved prescription technology, disclosure of drug information, and pa
A lawsuit over AT&T’s cooperation with a government surveillance program will still proceed after federal judge Vaughn Walker rejected the Bush administration’s motion to dismiss. In a separate motion, AT&T argued that their government relationship exempted them from prosecution. Judge Walker also r
Eighteen-year-old Benjamin Sutherland of Concord died Friday when he fell from the rigging of the Vineyard Haven schooner Alabama to the deck. Mr. Sunderland was in his first year as crew on the 90-foot passenger vessel. The Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Office in Providence is investigating the accid
Debt collection agencies often buy debt from established companies for only pennies on the dollar. There is growing concern among government regulators that these agencies are using aggressive and sometimes abusive tactics to collect debt even if they could not determine that the debt is valid. One
A MS couple sued Nationwide Mutual for denying an uninvestigated claim involving damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. In this and thousands of other MS cases, Nationwide has blamed the damage on water and asserts the company has “fully complied with its obligations.” The non-jury trial may pioneer fu
Trial lawyers allege that Allstate Insurance bullies policyholders with unreasonable ultimatums. The issue centers on a policy-handling scheme in which victims are given low-ball settlements or are forced to face costly, lengthy litigation. Allstate denies all charges but may face a $800M class acti
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen, otherwise known as Tylenol, can elevate liver enzyme levels. This increase suggests the presence of disease according to the study. The lead author said an overdose of aceta
Peter F. (Pete) Burns graduated from Centre College of Kentucky in 1971 where he was captain of the wrestling team and two-time conference champion. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law Cum Laude in 1975. While at Cumberland, Mr. Burns served as the Executive Editor of Cumberland Law Review an
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