Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
‘Tootsie Tanner’ Radiation Can Harm Skin, Eyes: FDA
People using the Tootsie Tanner portable foot tanning device are at risk for an overdose of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that may cause immediate and delayed serious skin and eye injuries, warns the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The label on the device says it can be used for 30 minutes and the timer control permits 30-minute exposures. However, FDA testing indicates a maximum exposure of 20 minutes.
In addition, the product fails to display prominent warnings about the need for protective eyewear, the agency said.
The FDA sent a warning letters to Texas-based manufacturer IPCH but since learned that the company is no longer in business. This means that there will be no refunds available for the estimated 3,000 devices sold and the devices will not be replaced or updated with the correct labeling.
Individuals and businesses who own these devices should stop using them, remove the lamps and safely discard all components according to local environmental standards, the FDA recommended.
To date, the FDA has not received any reports of injuries associated with the Tootsie Tanner device.
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380,000 Pounds of Deli Meats Recalled
Possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes has prompted the recall of about 380,000 pounds of deli meat products sold at Walmart stores across the United States, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Listeria infection can cause headache, fever and chills, upset stomach and vomting. There are no reported illnesses associated with the recalled products made by Zemco Industries in Buffalo, N.Y., MSNBC.com reported.
The recall covers the following products:
- 32.67-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches VIRGINIA BRAND HAM With Natural Juices, MADE IN NEW YORK, FULLY COOKED BACON, SANDWICH PICKLES, SANDWICH PEPPERS” with the number 17804 1300.
- 28.49-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches HOT HAM, HARD SALAMI, PEPPERONI, SANDWICH PEPPERS” with the number 17803 1300.
- 25.5-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches BLACK FOREST HAM With Natural Juices Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17800 1300.
- 25.5-pound cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches ANGUS ROAST BEEF Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17805 1300.
All the packages bear vendor number “398412808” and the USDA mark of inspection, MSNBC.com reported. The products were produced between June 18 and July 2, 2010, and have “Use By” dates ranging from August 20 to September 10, 2010.
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Joint Replacement Company Warned About Illegal Marketing: FDA
A company that makes joint replacements has been warned about the illegal marketing of two products, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In a letter to Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., the FDA notified the company that it is marketing its Corail Hip System for two unapproved uses and promoting those uses in an online brochure, the Associated Press reported.
The agency also warned Warsaw, Ind.-based DePuy about its TruMatch Personalized Solution System, which uses software and scans to provide a detailed, 3-D view of a patient’s knee to help surgeons properly place knee implants. The system has not been approved by the FDA.
DePuy must halt sales of the hip system for unapproved uses and provide information required for approval of the software system, the FDA told the company.
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Doctors Puzzled Over Muscle Damage to Oregon Football Players
A case involving 19 Oregon high school football players who suffered muscle damage after a preseason camp is “very weird,” according to one of the doctors trying to find answers.
Dr. Craig Winkler said that all 19 of the McMinnville High School players had elevated levels of the enzyme creatine kinase (CK), which is released by muscles when they’re injured, ABC News and the Associated Press reported.
If not properly treated, high CK levels can lead to kidney failure. High CK levels can be caused by vigorous exercise or the use of certain medications or food supplements.
“To have an epidemic like this is very weird,” said Winkler, of Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville.
In addition, three of the players also were diagnosed with possible cases of “compartment syndrome,” a rare soft-tissue condition that caused soreness and extreme swelling in their triceps. They had to undergo surgery to relieve the pressure, CBS/AP reported.
Five of the players were treated in the emergency room and sent home while 11 were hospitalized. As of Sunday, 10 were still in hospital but were in good condition and were expected to be released Monday, according to a hospital official.
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