Pyrrhic Victory for Johnson & Johnson

A Dallas judge’s ruling resulted in a pyrrhic victory for Johnson & Johnson. The latest and possibly last chapter in a long-lasting court case came to a close at the beginning of January. For two years, Johnson & Johnson had been fighting six plaintiffs’ accusations of negligence. At the forefront of the drama was a


Can Your Heart Device Be Hacked?

Heart device users beware. The Homeland Security Department and FDA recently issued warnings about a cybersecurity flaw in one of St. Jude’s medical devices, an implantable heart device. The warning was issued upon discovering that hackers could potentially “take control of a person’s defibrillator or pacemaker” remotely. As if that’s not bad enough, this flaw


Economics and the Price of Health Care

How much of the price of health care is really what health care costs? That seems like a silly question, but it’s worth asking since it determines how much you end up paying. With medical costs rising, learning how prices are determined is the first step in keeping care affordable. The price of health care,




Study Discovers Longer ER Waits for the Mentally Ill

One would think that in the year 2017, we would have proper services available to the mentally ill, including ensuring that they’re not being pushed aside and forced into longer wait lines in the ER. Unfortunately, in many emergency rooms throughout Massachusetts, this is the reality that mentally ill patients have to endure day in


Freedom Ain’t Free: Agent Orange’s Toll

In 1961, the United States was more than shoulder-deep in the Vietnam war. Forests, dark and thick, sheltered the enemy. Something had to be done to clear the way. The military recruited Agent Orange, a dioxin-based herbicide, spraying down the foliage to reveal the hidden positions of the Viet Cong. The poison helped during the


New Paper Shines Spotlight On Popular Morning Sickness Drug

For many women, pregnancy is one of those magical times full of excitement. Unfortunately, pregnancy also doles out one particular unpleasant side effect to many moms to be — morning sickness. Morning sickness is one of the more common side effects of pregnancy and impacts an estimated 75% of women. About 1% of women experience


Review Panels for Medical Malpractice Claims?

Last week we discussed tort reform and Republican plans to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. A part of their plans may include a controversial proposal led by Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who has recently been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to become the top health official in the nation. His controversial proposal would fund “state-run