Consumer Awareness

For the automotive industry, 2014 was the year of the recall. You couldn’t pick up a newspaper, turn on the evening news or check your favorite news site without hearing about another new and alarming recall. And unfortunately for car owners everywhere, recalls show no sign of letting up. What’s even more concerning is a lapse by automakers and federal regulators in responding soon enough to reports of serious injury and death. Visit Fatal Flaws:…

According to a new study conducted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, the main mechanism for tracking and documenting serious side effects associated with medications is deeply flawed, according to The New York Times (“Drug Maker’s Data on Side Effects Is Called Lacking in a Report,” Feb. 2, 2015). The study found that this problem is attributable to drug manufacturers themselves, alleging that these companies are submitting incomplete information in the reports to the…

Dr. G on Choosing Healthy Games Yes? No? Maybe? Unsure how to monitor your kids’ video game choices and use? Dr. G shares three tips for choosing healthy games and three ways to use them as educational resources. View video. Guide to Kids Video Games, Ages 7 to 11 FunDrop is an E-rated video game rental service for kids. The company’s YouTube channel features a four-part series that first walks parents through selecting the right…

Video Game Cheat Sheet for Parents The video game exploded into mainstream entertainment nearly 40 years ago and is still going strong today. Game sales ($24 billion annually) regularly outpace movie box office sales ($10 billion per year). Gaming is also now more of a family affair than it was in the beginning. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 89 percent of parents are involved in their kids’ gaming. The association notes, “In barely more…

For the second time in less than three weeks, two drivers of an Uber ride sharing service have been charged separately with assaulting passengers in the Chicago area. The relatively new taxi service, which has become popular in many large cities through downloading an app on one’s mobile device, has been criticized by many, including senior partner at Clifford Law Offices, Robert Clifford, for its lack of safety precautions, background checks and insurance coverage. The latest…

Learn How Uber Connects Riders With Drivers Uber is a transportation networking company (TNC) that connects riders directly with drivers through a downloadable smartphone app and other advanced technologies. See how it works on the Uber YouTube channel. View video. “Who’s Driving You” Takes On Ridesharing “Who’s Driving You” is an initiative of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association that opposes unregulated ridesharing services, such as Uber, and highlights the risks for passengers, drivers and…

$10 Billion after just five years in business- Uber is expected to hit $10 billion in annual revenues by the end of 2015. Uber’s take is 20 percent after paying drivers, or an estimated $2 billion. Uber is now available in more than 200 cities in 53 countries. But rapid growth has also fueled an anti-Uber backlash throughout the world. “F” Rating Uber recently received an “F” from the Better Business Bureau, stemming from 200…

Controversy Grows With Popularity of Uber Uber created a better mousetrap in the world of for-hire transportation. Its technology seamlessly links riders and drivers through a smartphone app that is one-tap easy to use. Becoming an Uber driver is almost as effortless, allowing people from all walks of life to earn money with their personal vehicle. The results have been staggering: Raving fans have propelled Uber from a tiny San Francisco startup in 2009 to…

Forty-one novel medicines were approved in 2014 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, fourteen more than in 2013, according to Reuters. While the FDA does not develop or test products, their experts review testing performed by manufacturers and grant approval when they determine that the overall benefit of the product outweighs the risks of the intended use, the Science Times Reported. This number is second only to the…