Author: Ring of Fire Staff

By Ned McWilliams November 26th, 2012  9:00am Pradaxa, the popular and new blood-thinning medication meant to protect those with atrial fibrillation from stroke continues to generate safety concerns among doctors, patients and international regulators. Despite these growing concerns, the United States FDA has continued its defense of the drug and its decision to approve it – even going so far as to allow Pradaxa’s owner, German pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim, to promote the drug in a manner that the FDA has internally stated is of questionable scientific integrity. Pradaxa was studied and is being marketed in comparison to Coumadin...

By Virginia Buchanan November 25th, 2012  4:00pm Although politicians regularly refer to trial lawyers and what they term “out of control frivolous lawsuits” as a substantial cause of the health, business and economic woes of the country, the numbers simply do not bear that out.  In its October 2012 issue, the Journal of the American College of Surgeons published an article that summarizes malpractice claims reported to the National Practitioner Data Base for the time frame 2005 to 2009. The authors’ analysis showed that the number of overall claims for medical negligence decreased, and the payments made during that...

By: Virginia Buchanan November 25th, 2012  8:00am The ultra-conservative Democratic party of Alabama does not appear to be conservative enough anymore.  The election of Republican Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh to the Public Service Commission represents the end of an era in the state.  Political icon Lucy (“I Love Lucy”) Baxley was the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama when she was defeated by Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh attacked Baxley relentlessly throughout the campaign as an Obama supporter on all the hot button issues.  The stronghold that Democrats have maintained for years could not erase the accusations that Baxley supported same...

I’m sure one thing many of us with food allergies were grateful for this Thanksgiving was the ability to enjoy a meal without suffering a severe reaction. Amongst family and friends, those with food allergies can let it be known what they can eat and what they cannot eat in order to stay safe. With that knowledge, our family and friends will gladly prepare scrumptious and safe meals for everyone to enjoy. When it comes to food items that we buy in the grocery store, however, we must rely upon clear and accurate  labeling. I guess we as a...

With final approval of the multi-billion dollar settlement under advisement, oil giant British Petroleum continues to pay claims through the Deepwater Horizon Settlement Facility. On November 8, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier held a Fairness Hearing to determine whether the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate.  While the court heard from a few objecting parties, both BP and the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee urged the Court to issue final approval of what is one of the largest mass tort settlements in the nation’s history.  Judge Barbier did not rule from the bench or set a date for when he...