The Environmental Protection Agency took an unusual step last week: It opened a new period in which the public can comment on its proposed asbestos ban. The agency had gotten new information, officials said, including a series of ProPublica reports on dangerous working conditions in factories that use asbestos to make chlorine. Asbestos has been … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2023
Breast Implant-Associated Lymphoma: PROFILE Registry; Update on Number of Cases
From this recent FDA Safety Communication "UPDATE: Reports of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) in the Capsule Around Breast Implants" we get the following information about the new reporting system for cases of breast implant-associated lymphoma -- the shorthand term for breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL): As of March … [Read more...]
A Gelatinous Pleural Effusion as a Diagnostic Clue
Pleural effusion is a common presentation of several pathologies, and the determination of its cause is facilitated by macroscopic, biochemical, microbiological, and cellular analysis. A systematic approach to analyzing the fluid allows for a reduction in clinical diagnoses. Only a select number of diagnoses can be established definitively by … [Read more...]
Firefighter Protective Gear Made With Toxic Chemicals PFAS
Firefighter bunker gear and turnout gear -- the uniforms worn by firemen when going out to fight a fire -- contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a highly toxic class of chemicals. Here are two important facts from a February 2021 article, "Firefighters face lies, ‘phony’ studies on PFAS exposure": All protective firefighting … [Read more...]
EzriCare and Delsam Products Recall: March 2023 Update
Here is the most recent information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the EzriCare and Delsam products recall for case reports associated with bacterial contamination: As of March 1, 2023, CDC, in partnership with state and local health departments, identified 64 patients in 13 states (CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, NJ, NM, … [Read more...]