Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

When Joshua Brantner was 20 years old, he attended a party that changed his life forever. He arrived as a healthy, ordinary guy but left in an ambulance with a traumatic brain injury that severely impaired his mental and physical functions.

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Burning ear candles that manufacturers claim draw ear wax and “impurities” or “toxins” out of the ear canal should not be used because they may cause serious injury even if used according to manufacturers’ instructions, according to a warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ear candles are hollow cones about 10 inches long and made from a fabric tube soaked in beeswax, paraffin or a mixture of the two. In ear candling, also called ear coning or thermal auricular therapy, a patient lies on his side while a candle is placed in the outer ear and lit.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission unanimously approved a new rule that will require manufacturers of “durable” infant and toddler products to establish a product registration program. The Commission approved the new measure on December 16, 2009.

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Concussions, injuries that fall on the mild side of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) scale, are receiving significantly more consideration these days than ever before, thanks to studies that probe and attempt to grasp the often elusive nature of TBI.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a black box warning on two separate topical testosterone gels following reports of secondary exposure to children, which can cause serious symptoms in children such as enlargement of the penis or clitoris, premature development of pubic hair, increased erections, and aggressive behavior. The two drugs listed by the FDA include AndroGel 1 % for topical use and Testim 1 % topical gel.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) would go into effect today. The new regulations are aimed at making children’s products safer and increasing consumer confidence in the marketplace. The new requirements will affect product manufacturing standards, toughen regulations about advertising children’s products, and increase fines for violations of these standards.

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said, “I will ensure that these requirements are enforced vigorously and fairly.” She urged businesses to comply.

New standards include:

• The limit for Lead Content in children’s products will be reduced from 600 parts per million to 300 parts per million.

• The limit for Lead in Paint and Similar Surface Coating Materials in children’s products also will be lowered significantly, from 600 parts per million to 90 parts per million.

• The Civil Penalties for violation of CPSC standards involving children’s products will be substantially increased.

• Manufacturers will be required to place Tracking Labels on consumer products intended primarily for children.

• Catalog Advertising for certain toys and games intended for use by young children (ages 3-6) must have stricter warnings of potential dangers.

Tenenbaum says, “By ensuring that toys and other children’s products meet strict lead limits and can be tracked in the event of a recall, I believe children will be better protected in their homes.”

For more information, visit the CPSC web site.