Patients Warned as Maker Halts Sale of Heart Implant Part

The nation's largest maker of implanted heart devices, Medtronic, said yesterday that it was urging doctors to stop using a crucial component in its most recent defibrillator models because it was prone to a defect that has caused malfunctions in hundreds of patients and may have contributed to five deaths.

A New Study Links Pain Pumps with the Devastating and Painful Loss of Cartilage Following Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

Hundreds of individuals across the country use high volume pain pumps to cope with the incredible pain that often follows shoulder surgery. Now a new study suggests that the pumps may deliver too much medicine causing a loss of cartilage that can lead to lifelong pain and suffering.

FDA Conducts Safety Review of Bone Building Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it's conducting a safety review of bone-building drugs to see if there's a link to atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder.

Diabetes Try Green Tea Instead

If you suffer from diabetes, drink plenty of green tea every day. It's just as effective - and far safer - than the world's leading anti-diabetes drug Avandia, which also increases the risk of heart attack by 43 per cent.

Verdict Against Walgreens in Misfilled Prescription Case

A jury has awarded $25.8 million to the family of a cancer patient who was given a wrong prescription, had a stroke and died several years later.

Breast Cancer Victims Accuse Wyeth in Court Testimony

When Pamela Forrester went to her doctor in 1994 complaining of menopausal symptoms, hot flashes and trouble sleeping, she didn't think twice when he told her to start taking hormone replacement drugs, she testified today.

Study Shows Damaged Cartilage Linked to Shoulder Pain Pump

Patients who undergo shoulder arthroscopy generally think they will feel much better following the procedure, but if they use a shoulder pain pump to help regulate their pain, they may wind up feeling much, much worse in the long term.

Women Claim Ignorance on Drug Risks

When Pamela Forrester went to her doctor in 1994 complaining of menopausal symptoms, hot flashes and trouble sleeping, she didn't think twice when he told her to start taking hormone replacement drugs, she testified Monday.

Congress Acts to Improve Drug Safety

Congress overhauled the government's drug-safety system yesterday, giving the Food and Drug Administration sweeping new powers in a bid to better protect patients from harm caused by drugs such as the painkiller Vioxx.

Avandia in Perspective

People with diabetes face hazards aplenty, among them twice the normal risk of heart disease and stroke and up to four times the chance of a fatal heart-related event.