Russell Powell wondered for years after he returned from Iraq why he couldn’t run even short distances without wheezing. Following his yearlong tour of duty that ended in 2004, he coached his son’s Little League team, but had to stop because it exhausted him. The 34-year-old, who was able to…
Two years after several environmental groups sued, a Houston energy company has agreed to clean up mercury contamination around its natural gas wells in the Monroe area. EnerVest Operating LLC will decontaminate land in Ouachita, Union and Morehouse parishes and replace about 400 leaky mercury meters the company uses to…
Has a Zicam nasal cold remedy robbed you of your sense of smell, and possibly the ability to taste? If so you have probably been stricken with a condition called anosmia – loss of sense of smell, sometimes accompanied by loss of sense of taste – related to the presence…
Federal and state officials plan to interview about 100 Midlothian residents next week as part of an environmental study to see whether a link exists between industrial pollution and human and animal health problems, including birth defects. Midlothian, southeast of Fort Worth, has 10 cement kilns, one of the largest…
Side effects of Zicam Nasal Gel and Nasal Swabs, marketed as an over-the-counter cold remedy, have been associated with the loss of sense of smell and taste, which can be an extremely devastating injury. In June 2009, the FDA required that three Zicam Cold Remedy products be pulled from the…
Roche Holding AG, the world’s biggest maker of cancer drugs, is pulling its Accutane acne medicine from the U.S. market after juries awarded at least $33 million in damages to users who blamed the drug for bowel disease. Roche notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today that it was…
In Texas, Asbestos been used in the petroleum industry in everything from pipe insulation to gaskets to the clothes workers wore. Asbestos causes cancer when breathed into the lungs, often in the form of Mesothelioma. The fire benefits of asbestos were such that their use in Texas did not stop…
FDA has required the manufacturers of the smoking cessation aids varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Zyban and generics) to add new Boxed Warnings and develop patient Medication Guides highlighting the risk of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients using these products. These symptoms include changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal…
The Yaz® birth control pill has been on the market since 2006. Yaz is taken orally once daily to prevent pregnancy. Yaz differs from other birth control methods because it contains a progestin hormone called drospirenone, which can increase potassium levels in the bloodstream. Yaz has been linked with serious…
Ever since the issue of MRI health risks began circulating, Gadolinium kidney failure has been debated—especially with its link to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) and increased risk for MRI and kidney failure when used in association with MRI for persons with compromised kidneys. However, a new study casts a certain…