The FDA has announced that McNeil Consumer Healthcare has expanded its voluntary over-the-counter drug recalls to include additional types of Tylenol, as well as certain formulations of Motrin, Rolaids, Benedryl, Simply Sleep, and St. Joseph’s aspirin.  The recall includes Children’s Tylenol Meltaways and Children’s Motrin caplets and chewables.

A full list of recalled products and the lots has been posted on the FDA site.

Consumers have noticed a moldy, musty, or mildew-like smell when opening the medicines that has sometimes been associated with nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or diarrhea.  Effects have been temporary and not serious. Read the rest of this entry »

Briefly

It’s been tested, and it hurts less to rip a bandaid off fast.

NCCN has updated their guidelines for colon and rectal cancer to include testing for BRAF mutations in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

FDA announced a recall of some lots of Alka-Seltzer Plus Day and Night Cold Formula, and an aggressive program to manage respiratory infections at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has kept patients there from getting H1N1 flu. Read the rest of this entry »

Research this week finds FDG/PET able to predict response to chemotherapy even after one treatment, and chemotherapy before surgery for liver mets makes CT scan evaluation less accurate.

Finding the best imaging methods to diagnosis and monitor cancer and comparing new colorectal cancer screening technologies to current standards are among recommended priorities for comparative effectiveness research (CER).  The FDA reports new egg safety rules and the recall of a powdered dietary supplement.

Videos of cancer patients are now online discussing the emotional impact of their diagnosis in The Day I Found Out. Read the rest of this entry »

Throw out that refrigerated Nestles TOLL HOUSE Cookie Dough!  And don’t eat it raw or bake it.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced a voluntary recall of all varieties of Nestle® TOLL HOUSE® refrigerator cookie dough.  While no e. coli bacteria have been actually found in the dough, there have been a number of reports of consumers becoming ill after eating the raw dough.

Baking the cookies may not eliminate the risk of contamination because cooks may get bacteria on their hands or on other kitchen surfaces.

Nestle and the FDA emphasize that people should never eat raw cookie dough or other foods that are intended to be baked or cooked before eating.

The products involved in the voluntary recall include all varieties of Nestlé TOLL HOUSE refrigerated Cookie Bar Dough, Cookie Dough Tub; Cookie Dough Tube; Limited Edition Cookie Dough items; Seasonal Cookie Dough and Ultimates Cookie Bar Dough. A complete list is available from Nestle. It includes all varieties, not just chocolate chip.

Read the rest of this entry »

After a joint inspection by the Food and Drug Administration and the California Department of Public Health found evidence of Salmonella contamination in critical areas of the Setton  processing facility, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella has recalled all pistachios from the 2008 crop. The recall includes those nuts roasted in the shell, shelled roasted nuts, and raw shelled nuts.

FDA is advising consumers not to eat pistachios or food products containing them (such as pistachio bakery goods and pistachio ice cream) unless they can determine that the products do not contain pistachios from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc., (“Setton”).

FDA is maintaining a searchable list of recalled products that contain Setton nuts. The CAL-PURE co-op of California pistachio growers  and the Western Pistachio Association list brands that do not contain Setton pistachios.

Cancer patients, especially those on chemotherapy, may have reduced immune systems that make them particularly vulnerable to Salmonella infection.