Group Action Lawyers
Latest News & Updates

injection warning
February 07, 2018
Warnings against dangerous and unapproved silicone injections

Cosmetic surgery is extremely popular, with procedures being much more common and far more accessible these days. Clinicians have been keen to take on the enlarged demand, but not all are appropriately qualified, and not all are apparently using approved materials.

There are many horror stories about people trying to ‘improve’ their breasts, faces, biceps and buttocks by having all sorts of materials injected into them. In recent years, we’ve a seen a trend in silicone injections being obtained from the black market and / or being used by questionable clinicians.

The consequences can be horrifying…
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mhra alert
February 05, 2018
Class 4 drug alert for Kyowa Kirin Bleo-Kyowa Powder Solution

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a drug alert for the Bleo-Kyowa powder over a ‘minor’ defect being reported.

The agency cites glass particles being detected in a batch of the medicine back in April 2017.

Hospitals, pharmacies and other healthcare providers are requested to take caution in using the Bleomycin Sulphate powder that acts as an anticancer chemotherapy medicine.
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e-cigarretes
February 02, 2018
Vaping and the reported health risks

A lot of people believe that using e-cigarettes instead of conventional cigarettes is much healthier because they don’t contain tar. However, vaping can still reportedly carry adverse health problems like a dry cough, throat irritation, shortness of breath and lasting implications like lung inflammation.

The chemicals used in some e-cigs are also identified as carcinogenic. So, just how safe are these alternative devices? With their growing popularity and the huge variety of flavours and tastes, from chocolate, to coffee, to fruit, is there anything to worry about? Or are the worries just diluting from the fact that they’re intended to be a suitable alternative to smoking but without the risks associated with real tobacco.
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drugs alert
January 31, 2018
Ceftazidime antibiotic concentration may deteriorate if stored at the wrong temperature

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a medical device alert over the test disc for the antibiotic ‘Ceftazidime’, warning that storing the test discs at the wrong temperature can increase the chances of false resistance results.

The antibiotic is used to treat all sorts of bacterial infections including joint infections, sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and more. In cases where the Ceftazidime test disc was not frozen between the temperatures of +2o and -20o, notably at +8o, the antibiotic’s shelf-life may have been degraded.
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fidget spinner recall
January 29, 2018
Demands for fidget spinners to be recalled over allegations of toxic lead contamination

Major retailer, Target Corporation, has recalled two of their popular fidget-spinners over reports that they contain excessive levels of toxic lead.

The heavy metal is poisonous and can cause symptoms through exposure like stomach pains, headaches, constipation, irritability, memory problems, and tingling in the hands and feet

The brain is particularly sensitive to lead exposure, and in serious cases, exposure can cause seizures, coma and even death. Survivors of lead poisoning may become anaemic and infertile
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talcum-based products reportedly contained asbestos
January 26, 2018
Colgate-Palmolive settles lawsuit over its talc-based products “containing Asbestos”

Colgate-Palmolive has agreed to settle a lawsuit over claims that a claimant developed cancer after using their talcum powder products.

Carol Schoeniger reportedly developed Mesothelioma, which is a rare and fatal form of cancer that is known to be caused by asbestos exposure. This exposure allegedly came from the talc-based products she was using that reportedly contained Asbestos.

The settlement sum was not disclosed, which may have been an effort to defer others from claiming the same, but the pay-out is likely to have been significant.
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baby products
January 24, 2018
80% of baby formula reportedly contains arsenic!

Scientific studies into baby food have allegedly found that a shockingly high-level of baby formulas tested contained arsenic.

To be precise, some 80%!

Arsenic poisoning is extremely serious as it can attack the blood cells and can be fatal. For a baby or an infant, the thought of them ingesting arsenic is literally horrifying. Not-for-profit organisation The Clean Label Project believes that the labelling of food and products should be completely transparent, and it was this organisation that reportedly tested a variety of baby foods, formulas, drinks and snacks for toddlers to see just what they contained.
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medical device alert
January 22, 2018
Thousands of patients sue 3M for allegedly causing infections

Over 4,000 patients reportedly contracted serious infections after using 3M’s warm air blower blanket post-operation that has allegedly deposited infectious bacteria into their incisions.

Most of the patients reportedly underwent joint surgery and used the blanket to keep warm during the procedure. The deep-joint infections have reportedly caused septic arthritis in some cases. The inflammation of a joint through infection can be very painful and cause swelling, requiring treatment with anti-biotics.
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January 19, 2018
Rivaroxaban recalled over rogue blister strips of reduced strength tablets

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) has announced a recall over Xarelto 20mg film-coated tablets made by Strathclyde Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Better known as Rivaroxaban, the tablets are packaged into blister strips with the weight labelled on one side.

A batch is reportedly affected by the recall following reports of rogue blister strips carrying 15mg tablets finding their way into the twin pack 20mg tablets.

The batch number in question is BXHHDR1, due to expire in September 2019. The 28-tablet packets were reportedly first distributed on 18th September 2017.
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mhra issue histamine alert
January 17, 2018
MHRA issues warning for Gentamicin Sulphate Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient over increased levels of histamine

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued an alert over batches of Gentamicin Sulphate Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) for trace contamination of histamine.

The situation is reportedly not serious enough to warrant a recall.

Gentamicin is a bactericidal used an as active ingredient for antibiotics. The MHRA was made aware that testing of the finished products has uncovered higher levels of histamine than expected. The unwanted histamine is thought to be a residual from the manufacturing process, with the potentially affected range between July 2014 and June 2017.
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January 15, 2018
Hypoallergenic moisturisers may contain toxic chemicals

A recent scientific study found that a number of moisturisers marketed as “hypoallergenic” may not actually be so hypoallergenic in reality.

A medical journal reportedly discovered that some products labelled as “fragrance free” or “hypoallergenic”, which should therefore be suitable for people suffering from sensitive skin or skin conditions like eczema, may still carry toxic chemicals that irritate the skin.

This surely goes against the whole idea of such products in the first place.
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us metro system lawsuits
January 12, 2018
U.S. Metro ventilation records may have been falsified

Lawsuits are expected to be brought against the U.S. Metro system over reportedly “deadly smoke” choking dozens back in 2015 at L’Enfant Plaza.

An internal review found that four important maintenance records for the transport ventilation systems may have been tampered with; a discovery prompting investigations into the department’s documentation practices.

An internal report confirmed that the office of Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance and Oversight (QICO) “identified several instances of maintenance record modification.”
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