A massive Johnson & Johnson recall of over-the-counter drugs including pain relievers Tylenol, Motrin and St Joseph, a children's aspirin, was extended to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a warning from the U.S. drug agency, a local business journal reported Sunday.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a unit of the U.S. pharmaceutical giant J&J, said it was voluntarily recalling some 500 batches of the products from the UAE, the Americas and Fiji after customers reported an "unusual, moldy" odor that had been linked to gastrointestinal disorders, including stomach pain, nausea and diarrhoea, according to Arabian Business.
Consumers who have an item on the recall list have been urged to stop using the product and contact the company for a refund, the report said.
The drugmaker said it believed that the smell was related to a chemical on wood pallets used to transport and store product packaging material.
"The health effects of this chemical have not been well-studied, but no serious events have been documented in the medical literature," the company was quoted as saying in a statement.
It will stop using the pallets to ship products with the same chemicals, it added.
The recall followed a "warning letter" from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Friday, which accused the firm of failing to investigate the contamination of some of its popular over-the-counter drugs. The FDA said McNeil knew of the problem inearly 2008 but made only limited inquiries.
The move expanded an earlier recall of the Tylenol arthritis pill that was initiated in December last year after customers reported an unusual smell emanating from the products, Arabian Business said.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Swine flu was as elusive as WMD. The real threat is mad scientist syndrome
Let me recap. Six months ago I reviewed the latest bit of terrorism to emerge from the government’s Cobra bunker, courtesy of Alan Johnson, home secretary. Swine flu was allegedly ravaging the nation. The BBC was intoning nightly statistics on what “could” happen as “the deadly virus” took hold. The chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, bandied about any figure that came into his head, settling on “65,000 could die”, peaking at 350 corpses a day.
Donaldson knew exactly what would happen. The media went berserk. The World Health Organisation declared a “six-level alert” so as to “prepare the world for an imminent attack”. The happy-go-lucky virologist, John Oxford, said half the population could be infected, and that his lowest estimate was 6,000 dead.
The “Andromeda strain” was stalking the earth, and its first victims were clearly scientists. Drugs were frantically stockpiled and key workers identified as vital to be saved for humanity’s future. Cobra alerted the army. Morgues were told to stand ready. The Green party blamed intensive pig farming. The Guardian listed “the top 10 plague books”.
Donaldson knew exactly what would happen. The media went berserk. The World Health Organisation declared a “six-level alert” so as to “prepare the world for an imminent attack”. The happy-go-lucky virologist, John Oxford, said half the population could be infected, and that his lowest estimate was 6,000 dead.
The “Andromeda strain” was stalking the earth, and its first victims were clearly scientists. Drugs were frantically stockpiled and key workers identified as vital to be saved for humanity’s future. Cobra alerted the army. Morgues were told to stand ready. The Green party blamed intensive pig farming. The Guardian listed “the top 10 plague books”.
Friday, 15 January 2010
5 ways to avoid H1N1 swine flu
Fortunately, the following five steps can help you stave off swine flu.
1. Wash Your Hands
Hand-washing is the best way to stay flu-free. Even if your hands are exposed to swine flu, the germs won't have a chance to enter your system if you wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. It's especially important to wash your hands after being out in a public area.
Experts recommend scrubbing your hands with soap and lukewarm water for at least 20 seconds. If you can't get to a sink, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to eliminate harmful bacteria.
2. Get the Swine Flu Vaccine
One way to virtually guarantee you won't get swine flu is to get the swine flu vaccine. For healthy adults, only one dose will be required; children will require two doses of the vaccine, given three weeks apart. The vaccine is due out in October.
At-risk groups are encouraged to get the swine flu vaccine as early as possible. These groups include:
* Pregnant women
* Caregivers to children younger than 6 months
* Health care workers
* Healthy people ages 6 months to 24 years
* People ages 25-64 with underlying medical conditions
Remember: The seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the swine flu. You'll need two different vaccines: one for the seasonal flu and another for the H1N1 strain.
3. Boost Your Immune System
Keeping your immune system firing on all cylinders is an important part of staying healthy. Even if you come in contact with swine flu germs, a vigorous immune system can defend against them and keep you flu-free.
Here are a few simple ways to give your immune system a shot in the arm:
* Get a good night's rest. Adequate rest relaxes your body and boosts your defenses.
* Eliminate stress. Stress wears down the immune system and makes you more susceptible to swine flu and other illnesses.
* Exercise. A brisk walk or bicycle ride can energize your immune system and fight off illness.
* Get plenty of vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can do wonders for your immune system.
4. Avoid Sick People
This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you see someone coughing or sneezing, steer clear. Airborne swine flu particles can travel as far as ten feet, so it's possible to become infected by breathing in someone else's harmful germs. If someone in your family is sick, limit your contact with them. Spray surfaces they touch with disinfectant and help them get over their illness faster.
5. Keep Your Home and Workspace Germ-Free
At home, the kids bring germs home from school; at work, your co-workers bring germs from their families and each other. The end result is a whole host of germy surfaces. Eliminate these germs by disinfecting any surface that is exposed to you, your family or your co-workers.
At home, use disinfectant on cupboards, tables, doorknobs, television remotes, phones, sinks and other areas you touch with your hands. At work, spray your workspace with disinfectant and wash your hands after touching doorknobs, using a public computer and especially after shaking hands.
1. Wash Your Hands
Hand-washing is the best way to stay flu-free. Even if your hands are exposed to swine flu, the germs won't have a chance to enter your system if you wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose or mouth. It's especially important to wash your hands after being out in a public area.
Experts recommend scrubbing your hands with soap and lukewarm water for at least 20 seconds. If you can't get to a sink, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer to eliminate harmful bacteria.
2. Get the Swine Flu Vaccine
One way to virtually guarantee you won't get swine flu is to get the swine flu vaccine. For healthy adults, only one dose will be required; children will require two doses of the vaccine, given three weeks apart. The vaccine is due out in October.
At-risk groups are encouraged to get the swine flu vaccine as early as possible. These groups include:
* Pregnant women
* Caregivers to children younger than 6 months
* Health care workers
* Healthy people ages 6 months to 24 years
* People ages 25-64 with underlying medical conditions
Remember: The seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the swine flu. You'll need two different vaccines: one for the seasonal flu and another for the H1N1 strain.
3. Boost Your Immune System
Keeping your immune system firing on all cylinders is an important part of staying healthy. Even if you come in contact with swine flu germs, a vigorous immune system can defend against them and keep you flu-free.
Here are a few simple ways to give your immune system a shot in the arm:
* Get a good night's rest. Adequate rest relaxes your body and boosts your defenses.
* Eliminate stress. Stress wears down the immune system and makes you more susceptible to swine flu and other illnesses.
* Exercise. A brisk walk or bicycle ride can energize your immune system and fight off illness.
* Get plenty of vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can do wonders for your immune system.
4. Avoid Sick People
This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you see someone coughing or sneezing, steer clear. Airborne swine flu particles can travel as far as ten feet, so it's possible to become infected by breathing in someone else's harmful germs. If someone in your family is sick, limit your contact with them. Spray surfaces they touch with disinfectant and help them get over their illness faster.
5. Keep Your Home and Workspace Germ-Free
At home, the kids bring germs home from school; at work, your co-workers bring germs from their families and each other. The end result is a whole host of germy surfaces. Eliminate these germs by disinfecting any surface that is exposed to you, your family or your co-workers.
At home, use disinfectant on cupboards, tables, doorknobs, television remotes, phones, sinks and other areas you touch with your hands. At work, spray your workspace with disinfectant and wash your hands after touching doorknobs, using a public computer and especially after shaking hands.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Swine Flu scare was a "false pandemic"
A leading health expert has claimed the swine flu scare was a "false pandemic" led by drugs companies that stood to make billions from vaccines.
Wolfgang Wodarg, head of health at the Council of Europe, said, major firms organised a "campaign of panic" to put pressure on the World Health Organisation to declare a pandemic.
He has branded it "one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century", and has called for an inquiry.
An emergency debate on the issue will be held by the Council later this month.
Dr Wodarg said: "It's just a normal kind of flu. It does not cause a tenth of deaths caused by the classic seasonal flu.
"The great campaign of panic we have seen provided a golden opportunity for representatives from labs who knew they would hit the jackpot in the case of a pandemic being declared.
"We want to clarify everything that brought about this massive operation of disinformation. We want to know who made decisions, on the basis of what evidence, and precisely how the influence of the pharmaceutical industry came to bear on the decision-making."
"A group of people"
He added: "A group of people in the WHO is associated very closely with the pharmaceutical industry."
Wolfgang Wodarg, head of health at the Council of Europe, said, major firms organised a "campaign of panic" to put pressure on the World Health Organisation to declare a pandemic.
He has branded it "one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century", and has called for an inquiry.
An emergency debate on the issue will be held by the Council later this month.
Dr Wodarg said: "It's just a normal kind of flu. It does not cause a tenth of deaths caused by the classic seasonal flu.
"The great campaign of panic we have seen provided a golden opportunity for representatives from labs who knew they would hit the jackpot in the case of a pandemic being declared.
"We want to clarify everything that brought about this massive operation of disinformation. We want to know who made decisions, on the basis of what evidence, and precisely how the influence of the pharmaceutical industry came to bear on the decision-making."
"A group of people"
He added: "A group of people in the WHO is associated very closely with the pharmaceutical industry."
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