Today’s complex high-tech devices continue to cause cybersecurity vulnerability issues, but it’s the medical devices that live on or inside patients, like implants and pacemakers, that are posing a special challenge for the healthcare industry. The problem arises when those medical devices are recalled and the manufacturing company must track down each device to notify a patient of the potential risk.
Continue ReadingThe faster a new medical device is approved, the sooner it’s likely to be recalled, according to a new research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine. While the authors admit the data and findings have limitations, two conclusions they draw are startling: Medical devices approved by priority review were twice as likely to be recalled.
Continue ReadingWhile U.S. product recalls were relatively flat from the second to third quarter, expect an upsurge in the weeks and months to come as regulators – under growing pressure from Congress and consumer groups – turn their attention to currently unregulated categories. Part of that pressure on regulators is a result of past handling of product safety issues.
Continue ReadingPA swift and thorough product recall is the best way to mitigate any legal liability risk from a defective product, removing inventory from the market before problems become pervasive. But in many cases, product defects or dangers aren’t discovered until after harm has occurred and liability cannot be avoided. Product liability laws enable consumers to sue those parties responsible when a product causes property damage, injury or death.
Continue ReadingWhen a consumer’s smartphone spontaneously combusts, the word-of-mouth news spreads to millions within days if not hours. If a certain blood pressure medicine is contaminated with a potentially cancer-causing agent, it could take months before routine testing uncovers the defect, and weeks more before the news and notifications slowly trickle.
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