GE Healthcare Recalls Potentially Fatal Ventilators

General Electric (GE) has been recalling its ventilators since April due to the potential of the systems to deliver a fatal overdose of anesthesia.  GE has not reported the number of units that are covered by the Class I recall, nor have they indicated the potential number of patients that may have been impacted by these devices.

Source:  FDA

J&J’s Alzheimer’s Drug Stumbling?

Interesting article on Bloomberg this morning regarding Alzehimer’s disease.  The article notes that J&J’s bapineuzumab for plaque eradication may be stumbling, notably there are some very severe side effects (including brain swelling), with no reported associated cognition benefits (even if plaque levels are retarded).  Of course, this was anecdotal, but it does not bode well for a struggling class of therapy and the millions who are impacted by the disease.

Next week’s Alzheimer’s meeting will be interesting (sadly, I won’t attend this year).  Coincidentally, I’m also very interested in a couple of upcoming studies to be published in the August issue of Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Are we close to a new enhanced understanding of Alzheimer’s?