Eleven oil rig workers are still missing after what appeared to be a blowout explosion on a Transocean oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night. Teams of rescue workers continue to search 2,000 square miles of sea around the blast site, covering the area a dozen times by air and 5 times by boat.
Most people assume generic versions of medication are just the same as the brand name but at a lower price. But don't be fooled. While generics are reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine whether the active ingredient is comparable to the brand name drug, those generics can contain different inactive ingredients, such as fillers, dyes and the like, that some people may be allergic or sensitive to.
After a night of running in the top 10, Grant Enfinger finished 3rd in the 150 mile ARCA race at Texas Motor Speedway Friday night. While most racers would be celebrating a podium finish, Grant was disappointed he could not put the BeasleyAllen.com car in victory circle. Grant led 20 laps toward the end of the race, but old tires could not hold off the machines of Steve Arpin, who won the race, and Craig Goess, who squeezed Grant out for the runner up position.
The cholesterol medicine Vytorin (ezetimibe/simvastatin) has updated the Warnings and Precautions section of its safety label to include a risk of muscle disease and breakdown, according to a patient safety notice issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The osteoporosis drug Fosamax has updated the Warnings, Adverse Reactions, and Patient Information sections of its safety label to revise information on Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) and upper gastrointestinal adverse reactions, as well include post-marketing experiences on ONJ and thigh fractures, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Toyota announced it will recall about 9,400 model-year 2010 Lexus GX 460s to reprogram the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), which is typically referred to outside of Toyota as electronic stability control (ECS). The decision to recall the sport utility vehicles follows a global sales and production suspension announced last week, triggered by a Consumer Reports "don't buy" warning.
J.G. Martin had been taking Keppra, a brand of the medication levetiracetam to treat his seizures since April 2007. Two months later, his pharmacist refilled the prescription with a generic version of the drug without his consent. Assuming the generic was just as good as the brand name product that was controlling his seizures, Martin took the medication. But a week later, he began suffering from debilitating migraines.
Antiepileptic drugs lamotrigine and levetiracetam are among the most effective in treating seizures in older adults with epilepsy, according to research published in the April issue of the medical journal Archives of Neurology. Lamotrigine, made by GlaxoSmithKline, is marketed as Lamicital. Levetiracetam is made by UCB, Inc., and sold under the brand name Keppra. It is also available in generics such as ANDA by Mylan Pharmaceuticals, and other generic forms made by other drug manufacturers.
Toyota announced today that it will suspend production of its Lexus GX 460 sport utility vehicle following a Consumer Reports test that found the vehicles are too unstable and prone to rollover in certain conditions. The announcement comes after the automaker announced yesterday that it would suspend GX 460 sales in the U.S.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Eastwind Industries, Inc., announces a voluntary recall of Kuuma IR Stow and Go Grills. The recall affects about 4,600 unites, which were manufactured in Thailand and are sold exclusively at West Marine stores. If the fuel container is not completely threaded on the regulator during installation, the propane tanks can leak fuel, posing a burn hazard to consumers.
