The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a ban on the manufacture and sale of mobile infant walkers because of the risk of injury and death from their use. Over three million baby walkers are sold in the United States annually, and between 55 percent and 92 percent of infants use a baby walker, while approximately…
In 2012, a study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that 48 percent of 150,000 women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s using statin drugs to lower cholesterol were more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than those not taking the drugs. Another large study, known as JUPITER, found a 27 percent increase…
Researchers have recently reported increased prescription drug safety issues since 1992, when the Prescription Drug User Fee Act was implemented. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) was designed to accelerate the drug approval process at the Food and Drug Administration to make drugs more readily available by imposing user fees on Pharmaceutical companies to…
While owning a forest offers many benefits, major responsibility comes with forest ownership. The use of heavy equipment and chainsaws, especially during fire season, increases the risk of landowner and operator liability for the costs of fire suppression. Under Oregon law, forest landowners are responsible for controlling and extinguishing wildfires that occur on their land….
Each year three to five million people in the United States and its territories participate in parasailing, a recreational activity that is dependent on the skill of the parasail operator and condition of the equipment. Yet, there are no federal regulations or guidelines for training or certifying parasailing operators, no requirement for inspection of equipment,…
The Portland Police Bureau’s Youth Services Division invited local kids to bring their bikes and helmets to its second annual Bicycle Safety Fiesta on Saturday, July 19th at the Rosewood Initiative, 16126 SE Stark Street, Portland. Co-sponsored by Providence Health & Services and Walmart and featuring refreshments, cultural dancers, and chances to win a free…
Ignited July 14th by multiple lightning strikes and fanned by hot, dry windy conditions for days, over a dozen wildfires blazed in Oregon and Washington, threatening lives, homes and livestock, making the Pacific Northwest the nation’s number one wildfire priority with over 800,000 acres burning. Governor Kitzhaber Declares State of Emergency To mobilize the Oregon National…
Many of those who missed the deadline to sign up for Obamacare through the exchanges and are not eligible for expanded Medicaid have chosen to sign up for short term health plans through private insurers, thinking they will receive the same benefits as under the Affordable Care Act. Short Term Health Plans Are Not What…
April 1, 2014 was the deadline for 8,000 hip replacement patients suing Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy unit over its recalled ASR metal-on-metal hip implant to opt-in or opt-out of a $4 billion settlement offered by the medical device manufacturer. Thousands of hip replacement patients have sued DePuy for complications allegedly caused by the recalled ASR…
The Affordable Care Act has made health care available to millions of Americans who previously were excluded from insurance coverage due to pre-existing illnesses. Because no one can be turned away and charged extra, insurance companies have become more proactive in detecting and managing diseases such as diabetes, requiring regular monitoring and care. Insurers Target…