Consumer Awareness

Volkswagen’s CEO has apologized for cheating on emission standards of various models that it claimed had “clean diesel” engines that delivered better performance and low emissions, when, in fact, the car maker was accused last week of defrauding environmental regulators. Martin Winterkorn issued the statement Sunday (Sept. 20, 2015), adding that VW is cooperating with authorities and has commissioned an external probe, according to The Wall Street Journal. The German car maker also reportedly has…

It is being reported that Coumadin, the popular prescription blood thinning drug, is a particular problem in nursing homes and requires careful calibration in that too much can cause uncontrolled bleeding and too little threatens the development of life-threatening clots. A story in the Washington Post reported that at least 165 nursing homes residents were hospitalized or died following errors from ingesting Coumadin or its generic version, warfarin, from 2011 to 2014. The reporter, Charles…

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that reportedly kills up to 15,000 Americans every year. And it’s still legal to put it in products. But is was a bit surprising to find asbestos in children’s crayons, according to tests commissioned by EWG Action Fund, a 501(c0(4) organization. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) Action Fund’s mission is to protect the health of people and the environment by educating the public and lobbying on a wide range of…

Consumer Reports 2015 rankings is considered a place to start when looking at hospital safety. Recently, the publication released its rankings of what it considers to be the safest hospitals in the state. Consumer Reports uses data from various state and federal sources to rate patient safety at Illinois’ 176 hospitals; however, for some, insufficient data existed. The safety scores are on a 100-point scale for key measures regarding patient safety such as hospital-acquired infections,…

The United States is the largest medical device market in the world with sales expected to reach $133 billion by 2016. In most cases, medical devices save and improve lives. Unfortunately, not all devices undergo the same rigorous review process before hitting the market. A number of new medical devices can and do bypass scrutiny by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through a fast-track approval process called the 510(k) program. If a manufacturer…

With all of the massive recalls going on in America among car manufacturers, it is important to be very cautious and do your homework before buying a new or used car. Here are some interesting statistics: Lemons – Approximately 1 percent of all NEW cars sold each year are lemons, but estimates vary greatly and may be low, as manufacturers are not required to report lemons. Consumer Reports collects data on more than a million…

Lemons are frustrating, and in some cases, dangerous to drive. A lemon most commonly refers to new cars with a substantial defect that is not fixable even after a reasonable number of repair attempts. Every state in the country has its own lemon laws that protect consumers from lemons. Federal law also provides additional protection by detailing guidelines for coverage by the manufacturer’s warranty. The BIG catch, however, is that the burden of proof is…

The Illinois state legislature House lawmakers approved a bill that bans the sale of crib bumper pads. They also endorsed a bill that would set state standards for the crib padding. The bumpers are intended to keep baby’s limbs from getting caught between crib bars and to protect them from bumping their heads against side rails. The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that crib bumpers can cause suffocation. House Bill 3761 passed the chamber…

Almost eight million cars have now been recalled because of the potentially deadly Takata air bag defects. Consumer Reports explains the problem with step-by-step actions you should take now. To view this important information on what cars are affected and other important Q and A’s on this topic as well as the latest updates regarding the Takata air bag, click here. Four fatalities and more than 100 injuries have been linked to these airbags. It…