A heart defibrillator remotely controlled by a villainous hacker to trigger a fatal heart attack? It may only happen in the movies, but the Government Accountability Office (GAO) doesn’t want to take any chances.
Safety
Meningitis Cases Rise in Outbreak Linked to Tainted Steroid Shots
Health officials expect yet more cases of fungal meningitis related to contaminated steroid shots
Keep the Kids Off the Trampoline, Pediatricians Warn
Parents should be discouraged from letting kids bounce on trampolines at home, according to an updated policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Household Hazard: Kids Swallowing Laundry Detergent Capsules
Kids will put just about anything in their mouths, including potentially toxic single-dose laundry detergent gel packs — the small, soft and colorful capsules that tend to draw children’s interest.
Johnson & Johnson to Remove Formaldehyde, Other Chemicals from Products
Johnson & Johnson announced plans this week to remove a laundry list of potentially harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde, from its personal care products by 2015. It’s the first such move by a major manufacturer of consumer …
TIME’s Mobile Tech Issue: Three Myths About Cell Phones
Are cell phones really more addictive than crack? A skeptic’s guide
Buckyballs Ban: U.S. Files Suit to Stop Sales
Last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a safety warning about Buckyballs, the high-powered magnetic desktop toys for adults that many young children also find irresistible. Kids end up swallowing the …
Peg Perego Recalls 223,000 Strollers for Strangulation Risk
If you’ve got a Peg Perego stroller, check the model number. The stroller manufacturer recalled 223,000 strollers on Tuesday
Injury Prevention Report Card: Nearly Half of U.S. States Score Low
Many states are failing to enforce proven strategies to prevent injury, such as requiring bike helmets for kids or enacting primary seat belt laws.
Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for Overweight Passengers?
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecasted that 42% of Americans could be obese by 2030. Our expanding waistlines constitute not only a medical crisis, but according to a recent story in the New York …
Is Spring Cleaning a Health Risk?
It’s time for spring cleaning, but before you pull out the spray bottles and solvents, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) say you should double-check what you’re using to sanitize.
Toxins Found in Nail Polishes Claiming to Be ‘Non-Toxic’
Nail polish manufacturers are under the heat lamp after chemical regulators in California found that many polishes claiming to be free of a “toxic trio” of chemicals actually contained high levels of the toxins.
Ouch! FDA Warns an Electric Toothbrush Might Break Your Teeth
Your toothbrush is supposed to help you maintain those pearly whites, not chip them or cut up your gums.