The Alfacell Corporation is working on a promising new drug said to kill Mesothelioma cancer cells while sparing other cells in the body. Onconase passed the first test, and Alfacell will reduce expenses in other areas of their business to fund further clinical trials. This is a big gamble, putting their eggs in one basket. We hope the drug is a success and can help Mesothelioma victims.
Earlier this week, a motorcyclist was killed by an 18 wheeler. State Police booked the driver of the 18 wheeler that struck the motorcyclist. I have handled motorcycle cases and often hear from the vehicle driver that “the motorcycle came out of nowhere” or “I didn’t see them”. I have represented families of motorcycle victims and 18 wheeler collisions with rapid response to preserve the evidence. While the victim’s family is grieving, the evidence can be lost. Take steps to preserve the evidence on the roadway and from the 18 wheeler before it disappear.
Nine FDA scientists who admitted to being forced by FDA higher up’s to approve high-risk medical devices have now found themselves at the center of a criminal investigation. In a letter to President Obama (which was published in the New York Times, the scientists said:
“It has been brought to our attention that F.D.A. management may have just recently ordered the F.D.A. Office of Criminal Investigations (O.C.I.) to investigate us rather than the managers who have engaged in wrongdoing!”
Given my involvement on behalf of injured consumers in pharmaceutical litigation for over 20 years, this development, while troubling, is no surprise. Our regulatory safety nets have failed us and the industry refuses to police itself. Hopefully, the new administration will employ the “yes we can” mantra and begin to address this critical problem.
Raised in a family that was supported by offshore workers it is great to hear U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar predict more oil drilling in the Gulf in the future. I know what it’s like when rigs are stacked and jobs are hard to come by. For those of you who have been laid off or fear it in the future this article provides hope that jobs will be abundant in the future for those of us who work on the water.
Hang in there!
Wes Gralapp, Captain’s son turned lawyer.
Raised on the water, Fed on the dock.
A third law suit has been filed in Alabama Federal Court in the aftermath of the tragic helicopter crash that claimed 8 lives. This latest suit was filed on behalf of one of the pilots against Sikorsky, the company that built the helicopter.
The suits that have been filed in Terrebonne Parish, where the accident happened, were filed against Petroleum Helicopters, the company who owned the aircraft.
The pilot who filed suit against Sikorsky did not file against PHI. That’s because under Louisiana Law, you can only make a claim against your employer for workers compensation benefits.
In perhaps a shorter list, the Peanut Council of America has posted a list of peanut products that have not been linked to the salmonella woes caused by Peanut Corporation of America’s Georgia plant.
To check to see what foods are still safe, click here.
Louisiana State police have charged the driver of an 18-wheeler with negligent homicide after a wreck that claimed the life of a motorcycle rider.
The victim, who died at the scene, was traveling eastbound on LA 19 in Helena Parish when the tractor-trailer crossed the middle line and struck his cycle. The driver of the 18-wheeler escaped uninjured.
I have successfully represented clients in injury and death claims against large trucks and tractor trailers over the past 17 years. This type of prosecution is necessary to get truckers’ attention. Too often tragedy strikes innocent victims and their families as a result of negligence by operators of these behemoth vehicles. Truckers need to know that their negligence has real consequences.
Government officials as protectors of the people must strike back to fight negligence rolling down hill on America’s highways. I commend the swift and just actions of our leaders in prosecuting drivers whose carelessness results in horrible injuries and death. Keep up the good work.
Stay Safe Out There!
Wes Gralapp
Officials at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the Georgia peanut plant that has been linked to 8 salmonella-related deaths knowingly shipped tainted products 12 times within the past year.
Health officials were unaware of the problem as companies are currently not required by law to disclose internal product tests. However, inspections over the past few years uncovered serious sanitation concerns. The director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition could not say whether the company could face criminal charges. Officials investigating the plant discovered four different strains of salmonella at the facility. Currently, Salmonella typhimurium is the only strain involved in the nationwide outbreak.
Hundreds of products were recalled, 8 people died and possibly thousands of people (mostly children) were sickened in the aftermath of the now international salmonella outbreak. Now, we come to find that the whole thing was completely avoidable. Was it worth it, Peanut Corporation of America? Really?
For up-to-date listings of salmonella-related recalls, click here.
All this talk about peanut butter has given me a hankerin’ for a taste of the sweet stuff. (Which is probably the opposite effect the FDA was going for) Unfortunately, with the recall-a-minute pace we are at now, the goodies are flying off the shelves at warp speed and leaving many to wonder what is safe.
Fortunately for those of us that have an unquenchable peanut butter craving, the Girl Scouts have come to the rescue! Girl Scout products DO NOT contain peanut butter or peanut paste from Peanut Corporation of America, making them safe to eat!
Here at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault, we are proud to support Brownie Troop #298, and are helping them meet their goal. Please support your local Girl Scout organization & get yourself some SAFE peanut butter!
Release from the FDA:
Clif Bar & Company and Abbott Laboratories announced a voluntary recall of CLIF(R), LUNA(R) and ZonePerfect bars that contain peanut butter. These products contain peanut butter that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The following Clif Bar & Company products with “Best By/Sell By” dates ranging as shown below, in all sizes and packages, are included in the recall:
Clif Bar Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch
BEST BY/SELL BY: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09, and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09
Clif Bar Crunchy Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09, and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09
Clif Bar Peanut Toffee Buzz
BEST BY/SELL BY: only 13SEP09
ZBaR Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 07JUL09 to 05SEP09, and 12NOV09
Clif Builders Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 19JUL09 to 30SEP09, and 05NOV09 to 18NOV09
Luna Nutz over Chocolate
BEST BY/SELL BY: 29JUL09 to 03OCT09, 11NOV09 to 14NOV09
Luna Peanut Butter Cookie
BEST BY/SELL BY: 02OCT09 to 03OCT09, and 11NOV09 to 14NOV09
All Clif Mojo Bars
BEST BY/SELL BY: 30APR09 to 21JUN09
The ZonePerfect products affected are:
ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars, all sizes and quantities
ZonePerfect Peanut Toffee bars, all sizes and quantities
NutriPals Peanut Butter Chocolate nutrition bars, all sizes and quantities
These products were sold in grocery, warehouse and other retail stores throughout the United States.
