Author: Ring of Fire Staff

By Virginia Buchanan November 21st, 2012  2:00pm A researcher from one of the world’s most respected hospital affiliates, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has released the findings of a meta-analysis of 31 autopsy-based studies in which it was demonstrated that as many as 28% of adults who die each year in the intensive care unit die with a misdiagnosis. Moreover, nearly 1 in 10 die with a potentially fatal “major missed diagnosis” such as pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction. Dr. Bradford Winters, MD, Ph.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at John Hopkins, led the...

Today Red Bull drinks are sold in over 160 countries and have sales of approximately four billion cans per year.  The popular energy drink, composed of Glucuronolactone, Taurine, Sucrose, Caffeine (80mg), Glucose, B-Group Vitamins and Alpine spring water, can be purchased in sizes ranging from a small eight ounce can, to the larger twenty-ounce can.  According to the company website, a key ingredient in Red Bull is Alpine spring water and the consumption of the product gives consumers wings and a zest for life. Recently, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) released reports of injuries citing possible links to...

BP and the United States have announced an agreement to resolve all federal criminal charges against BP.  In the agreement, BP agreed to pay a record fine of $4 billion and an additional $525 million to resolve federal securities violations.  As part of the agreement, BP agreed to plead guilty to 14 criminal charges including eleven charges of manslaughter for each of the eleven men killed in the casualty, one charge pertaining to violations of the Clean Water Act, one charge pertaining to violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and one charge of Obstruction of Congress. The Obstruction...

By Virginia Buchanan November 13th 2012  10:00am An emergency suspension has been ordered by the Florida Department of Health to a Florida compounding company, Rejuvi Pharmaceuticals, based out of Boca Raton, Florida. Rejuvi had violations in the past, dating back to 2009 and 2010, including failing to label compounded drugs with lot numbers and expiration dates, two extremely serious issues for patients who would have difficulty tracing recalled lots of drugs or assuring that the drugs they were taking were still potent and effective. In the wake of more than 400 reported cases of fungal meningitis and 31 deaths...

By Virginia Buchanan November 11th, 2012  10:00am Further investigation into the Meningitis outbreak shows that Colorado officials complained to the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy of safety violations in July, months before the meningitis outbreak.    As a result, the director of the  Board, James Coffey, has been removed for failing to act on the complaints. Generally, an investigation is ordered by the Director of the Board when serious safety complaints are brought to the Pharmacy Board’s attention.  Not so in this case. Susan S. Martin,  an inspector for the Colorado State Board became alarmed about violations she saw when she...