Author: Margaret Moses Branch




Harvard Study Links Avandia To Increased Risk of Heart Attack

A soon-to-be-published report by the American Diabetes Association has found that the number of heart attacks by diabetic patients who took Avandia is double that of those who took a different oral diabetic medication. In the study, Harvard University researchers analyzed clinical data from more than 26,375 patients from 2000 to 2006 in the Boston… read more


New Mexico Medical Devices – Studies Link Pain Pumps To Cartilage Deterioration

On January 22, an Oregon jury awarded a chondrolysis patient nearly $5.5 million in compensation. According to New York Times, more than 150 such lawsuits are currently making their way through the court system. Chondrolysis is a rare ailment in which joint cartilage dies, resulting in bone grinding on bone. Many times this surgery affects… read more



New Mexico Dangerous Drugs – Wyeth v. Levine Should Apply To Generic Drugs

In a victory for consumers, last Friday the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the lower court that individuals may sue generic drug makers in state court for the “failure to warn” consumers of potentially dangerous side effects from taking their drugs. This decision shadows last March’s Supreme Court decision in Wyeth v. Levine,… read more


Government To Study Effects Of Toxic Burn Pits In Iraq And Afghanistan

Changing his previous stance, Dr. Craig Postlewaite, the U.S. military’s senior health protection official has recently admitted that some “servicemembers might suffer long-term medical problems as a direct result of exposure to smoke and fumes from open-air pits scattered throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.” Further, after repeated denial by the U.S Military of any ill effects… read more


New Mexico Medical Device Law – Passing The MDSA Is Crucial To Patient Safety

The Medical Device Safety Act of 2009 (the “MDSA”) is one of this year’s top pieces of consumer rights legislation. This crucial legislation seeks to protect patients from dangerous and defective medical devices by reversing the effect of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Riegel v. Medtronic. Riegel provides blanket immunity from liability to some medical… read more


New Mexico Trucking Accidents – Excessive Hours Of Service and Log Book Violations Put Too Much At Risk

Driving a truck can be a dangerous job. In the last few weeks, weather conditions have created hazardous driving conditions all across New Mexico. Drivers need to be alert and focused to handle the perils of the road. Unfortunately, in an effort to increase profits, some trucking companies push their drivers to exhaustion, violating hours… read more