Posted on June 17, 2009 in Our Blog,Public Safety

Recently we blogged about the dangers of zinc buildup as a result of long-term use of denture creams, and now it seems zinc once again rears its ugly head! The popular over-the-counter cold remedy, Zicam, can allegedly harm or destroy a user’s sense of smell. Only the nasal products are involved. Since 1999, when Zicam… read more

Posted on May 18, 2009 in Our Blog,Public Safety

An interesting article in the New York Times explores the sad state of food safety today. As more and more food manufacturers look to global suppliers, and as the supply chain becomes more complex, safety is often overlooked or simply becomes too difficult to oversee. The article looks to the salmonella food contamination outbreak in… read more

Posted on March 12, 2009 in Our Blog,Public Safety

The Oregonian just published a story on the number of Oregon workers who died on the job. In 2008, 44 Oregonians died while working, up from 35 deaths in 2007. The largest percentage of the deaths took place in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries: 15 workers, including 7 firefighters who died in a helicopter… read more

Posted on March 6, 2009 in Our Blog,Public Safety

Plastics have revolutionized our society but not always for the better. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you no doubt are aware of the current backlash against plastic bottles. The main culprit is the chemical bisphenol A, which is in polycarbonate, and which, in turn, is used to make all sorts of things, including… read more

Posted on February 24, 2009 in Our Blog,Public Safety

In a recent post we discussed Senate Bill 311, which proposes to increase liability caps on public agencies. Well, the Oregon Senate approved the bill, and now it will head to the House for a vote. Back in August 2008, a small plane crashed into a house in the coastal town of Gearhart, killing five… read more

Posted on October 27, 2008 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Public Safety

Does the Food and Drug Administration’s fast-track policy for new medical devices help or hurt? According to an article in the New York Times from October 27, 2008, the FDA approval process for medical devices is simple at best. The FDA does not check for evidence of effectiveness but only that the device performs as… read more

Posted on October 15, 2008 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Public Safety

Well, cold season is fast upon us, and for many that means scouring the medicine aisles for cold remedies. Not so fast, my friends! Particularly for those of you who have young children, caution is the key when administering cold medication. Drug manufacturers announced plans to add a warning on labels against administering cough and… read more

Posted on September 26, 2008 in Our Blog,Public Safety

Here in Portland, Oregon, people who don’t obsessively drink coffee are in the minority (and perhaps even frowned upon). We love our coffee, and perhaps related to this is our reliance on caffeine. But how much caffeine should one person consume on a daily basis? And when should caffeine consumption begin? Teenagers and young adults… read more

Posted on September 9, 2008 in Our Blog,Patient Care,Public Safety

If the U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of barring lawsuits against Food and Drug Administration-approved medications, pharmaceutical companies will be quite pleased. Earlier this year the Supreme Court reinterpreted a 1976 amendment that had originally been intended to protect the public against dangerous medical devices by requiring the FDA to review and approve such… read more