At the urging of the Food and Drug Administration, the drugs Vioxx and Bextra have both been voluntarily withdrawn from the market by their manufacturers. Studies show that these drugs, part of a family of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) known as COX-2 inhibitors, may be linked to increased chances of heart attack or stroke.
Since these two drugs were heavily prescribed for treatment of arthritis pain and inflammation, many users have suddenly found themselves without their prescription medication and without relief. The automatic response to this might be to reach for a traditional anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Alternatively, patients may opt to take the lone remaining prescription drug in the COX-2 family of NSAIDs, Celebrex.
Before reaching for that over-the-counter pain reliever, patients would be well-advised to do some further research, or, on newer bottles, read the label. While the majority of the news reports regarding NSAIDs have covered Bextra and Vioxx, the FDA warnings include all NSAIDs, including the over-the-counter varieties, which include naproxen and ibuprofen. These drugs are now required to have a “black box” warning on the bottle, which outlines the fact that patients taking these medications may be at increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Many physicians in the medical profession are quick to point out that the warnings come as a result of a rather limited study, and that further studies are necessary to fully determine the degree of risk that one assumes when taking these medications. Such studies will be done, but in the meantime, the warnings on the label should not be taken lightly. Patients should be aware that taking such medications either in large doses or over prolonged periods of time could pose certain risks. As always, patients who have questions regarding these or any medications should consult with their physician.
Home Loans – Identity Theft Protection Could Hurt Home Sales
Identity theft has been a hot topic in the news during the last few years. Just a month or so ago, forty million credit card numbers were compromised due to a computer attack on a credit card processor. Consumers are rightly concerned, as it can take years to unravel the problems created when someone’s identity is stolen. New legislation in Texas and California, also proposed elsewhere, is designed to protect consumers by letting them put a “freeze” on their credit reports. Those in the real estate industry are worried, however, that doing so may make it difficult for some people to buy homes.
Debt Consolidation – How to Protect Your Credit Accounts from Theft
Last week, a security exploit at CardSystems Solutions, Inc, a credit card processor, may have allowed thieves to obtain as many as 40 million credit card numbers from unsuspecting victims. The theft was brought about though a virus introduced into the CardSystems that allowed external hackers to obtain access to the account information. Adding to the problem was the fact that CardSystems wasn’t supposed to have the account information at all. It appears that CardSystems “inappropriately” held onto the information after clearing the credit card transactions. At that point, the account information should have been deleted. CardSystems held onto the account information for supposed “research purposes.” Fortunately for those involved, the compromised information only included account numbers and not Social Security numbers, which would have assisted the thieves in identity theft scams. This latest security breach at a credit card processor outlines how anyone can be vulnerable to account or even identity theft. Is there anything that can be done about it?
New Bankruptcy Law – Targeting the Wrong People?
Last April, President Bush enthusiastically signed into law the oddly-named Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act. This bill, representing the biggest overhaul of bankruptcy law in twenty-five years, was written in order to discourage “bankruptcy of convenience.” Proponents of the bill, which included the credit card industry, say that the bill is necessary in order to stop an avalanche of bankruptcy filings by drug users and compulsive shoppers and gamblers. The law makes it harder to have debts wiped away, requires credit counseling for those considering bankruptcy, and holds attorneys responsible for paperwork errors by their clients in bankruptcy cases. The net result will probably be chaos, as fewer attorneys will handle bankruptcy cases, credit counselors will raise their fees, and more consumers with problem debt will be clueless as to what they should do next. Adding to the confusion are some new statistics that suggest that a large number of bankruptcies that are thought to be personal are actually business bankruptcies. As a result, the new law may be unfairly targeting consumers for punishment when they are not actually the biggest part of the problem. Worse, it could be harming small businesses.
