Dr. Howard Smith Reports

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/PodTR5NHaMs   The CPSC and Carter’s are recalling Carter’s Infant Yellow Footed Fleece Pajamas with Animal Graphics.   Small metal wire pieces have gotten into the pajama fabric creating puncture and laceration hazards for young children wearing these garments.   About 50,800 of these pjs were sold in the US and about 200 were sold in Canada at Carter’s, Kohl’s, Macy’...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/v4yKwMruIZ4   The CPSC and the Professor Puzzle company are recalling Professor Puzzle Rainbow Stacking Toys.   The information label on this toy may detach and create a choking hazard.   About 2,350 of these toys ere sold in the US and about 600 were sold in Canada at Home Goods, Homesense, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Winners stores nationwide.   Immediately take these s...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/SUvedB0y1eQ   The CPSC and Polaris Industries issue yet another recall for Polaris Snowmobiles.   This time the recall covers model Year 2021-2023 MATRYX, 2015-2022 AXYS, and 2013-2014 Pro-Ride Snowmobiles.   An electrostatic discharge within the fuel tanks of these snowmobiles can trigger vapor ignition, an explosive tank burst, fires, and burns.   About 138,000 of t...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/ZojwdCSiZug   Amazon has cooked up yet another plan for providing healthcare.   This time it’s called Amazon Clinic, and its a web-based platform that will broker a hookup between patients with common problems and providers willing and able to treat them.   The problems they treat include: acne, dandruff, erectile dysfunction, male balding, tobacco overuse, sinusitis,...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/qfLY8JWVBm4   One in every 5 American diabetics has been forced to ration insulin due to its exorbitant cost.   Public health officials have appropriately tagged this strategy as “penny-wise and pound-foolish” since it leads to devastating medical and economic consequences.   The response from the pharmaceutical industry: crickets.   The bellwether state of California...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/xeK8CJm3t7U   Austin Texas-based Shani Biotechnologies has partnered with University of Texas-Arlington to create a point-of-care sensor that accurately measures blood oxygen and serum hemoglobin levels in patients with pigmented skin.   Rather than utilizing the infrared sensors employed in most pulse oximeters, the Shani devices incorporates green-blue light and a p...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/IoLt-p4pK70   An experimental vaccine developed at the University of Houston successfully blocks the psychological “high” induced by fentanyl.   Tested in mice, the vaccine only blocks fentanyl while permitting other therapeutic narcotics such as morphine, oxycodone, and methadone to work effectively when needed for management after surgery, trauma, and recovery from...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/SfP3br735Mk   The brain is surrounded by a barrier that protects it from blood-borne toxins.   Usually a benefit, it complicates the treatment of brain tumors.   Columbia University neurosurgeons have now developed a catheter and pump combo that bypasses this blood-brain barrier and pumps cancer-killing chemo directly into a cancer’s depths.   This permits the safe pe...

  Vidcast: https://youtu.be/GfBoXFF-skk   Molecular biochemical researchers at the University of Southern California have identified a so-called chaperone molecule GRP78 that potentiates CoVid replication and may serve as the basis for a universal CoVid drug.   Taking this information, they have developed monoclonal antibodies and other compounds such as HA15 and YUM70 that inhibit the production...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/zasupNfmc10   A small but significant preliminary study shows that use of Paxlovid during pregnancy is well-tolerated by mother and fetus alike.   Neonatologists at the University of Connecticut studied 7 women prescribed Paxlovid for mild to moderate CoVid infections.   Four of the subjects were vaccinated and boosted, 2 were only vaccinated, and 1 was unvaccinated....

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/i7b3amrLyzM   One commonly prescribed, non-narcotic cough medicine is a danger to any family with children under 10.   That drug is benzonatate, previously marketed as Tessalon and Zonatuss, and now sold as the generic.   The drug is indicated for cough suppression in those 10 years or over.     The FDA is now warning all parents and their pediatricians that the cases...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/jtnUIScwUQs   Babies consuming increased amounts of breastmilk containing one particular micro-RNA molecule enjoyed a lower risk of skin, food, and respiratory allergies.   Penn State pediatricians studied 163 mothers who planned to breastfeed 4 months or more.   Samples of their breastmilk were collected over that time period and analysed for microRNA.   The analysis...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/GUuxYlY1pOg   A multi-site meta-analysis by Australian obstetricians provided the necessary statistical power to demonstrate the superior safety profile of balloon cervical dilatation over prostaglandin drug cervical ripening.   The investigators analyzed the data from 5460 women who participated in 12 studies.   While use of balloon cervical dilatation did not produc...

    Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/zk7Z0hbeK7I   Strokes don’t occur often in young adults, but having Type A blood increases your risk of having a debilitating early onset stroke 16% while having type O blood reduces that risk by 12%.   Epidemiologists at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine draw these conclusions from their meta-analysis of 16,927 stroke victims who participated in 48 di...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/ducLJcCo1Zo   A CoVid reinfection more than triples your risk of hospitalization and more than doubles your risk of death.   The St. Louis VA Clinical Epidemiology Center reports these sobering results after reviewing the records of 40,947 vets who experienced two or more bouts of CoVid and compared them with more than 400 thousand experiencing only one infection and...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/mepxRv-lF70   The CPSC and Generac Power Systems are recalling Generac, HomeLink, and DR 6500 Watt and 8000 Watt portable generators.   The handles on these units can pinch fingers against the generator frame causing finger crushes and amputations.   About 321,160 of these generators were sold in the US and about 4575 were sold in Canada at major home improvement and...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/x_6A4mCn1uA   The CPSC and the Hunter Fan Co. have recalled 41 models of Hunter lighting fixtures from the Devon Park, Astwood, Highland Hill, Kerrison, and Van Nuys lighting collections.   The internal wiring in these fixtures is defective and creates shock hazards.   About 2600 recalled fixtures were sold online at hnterfan.com and at other websites.   Stop using th...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/61NZQYMTUt8   The CPSC and Mockingbird LLC are recalling Mockingbird Single-to-Double Strollers.   This stroller’s frame may crack causing child occupants to fall with scratches, cuts, and bruising.   The affected lot #s including those between 20091 and 22602.   About 149,000 of these strollers were sold at Target stores nationwide and online at hellomockingbird.com,...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/VCdjQGQbR-w   The FDA and Nestlé USA are recalling Nestlé Toll House Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Tubs.   Three batches of the dough were found to have soft plastic film in them.   Ingestion of this material is a choking hazard.   The affected product has batch codes of 22135554RR, 22145554RR, and 22155554RR with Best By dates of 1/28-30/2023.   No other NESTLÉ®...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/ZY5kWoKb4Gw   The FDA and the Kalera Public Limited Company are recalling Kalera Fresh Lettuce Products.   These lettuce products are contaminated with salmonella.   This bacterium causes serious and sometimes life-threatening gastroenteritis and systemic infections in the very young, in older frail persons,   and in those with weakened immune systems.   This lettuce...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/yYUWmEXQBfM   The FDA and Adam’s Polishes, LLC are recalling Adam’s Polishes Hand Sanitizer.   This 75% isopropyl alcohol-based hand sanitizer is contaminated with methanol.   Anyone accidentally consuming the product is at risk for methanol poisoning with coma, seizures, permanent blindness, permanent damage to the central nervous system, or death.   The product is s...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/Q2LPbUyhCsg   The FDA and Comercializadora PepsiCo are recalling Gamesa Arcoiris (ARCO-IL-IS) Marshmallow Cookies.   This product is contaminated with salmonella.   This bacterium causes serious and sometimes life-threatening gastroenteritis and systemic infections in the very young, in older frail persons, and in those with weakened immune systems.   The affected pro...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/InVFescGAIw   The FDA and Seven Seas International USA, LLC are recalling Giant Food Private Label Sockeye Smoked Salmon.   This fish is contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.   This bacterium causes serious and sometimes life-threatening infections in the very young, in older frail persons,   and in those with weakened immune systems.   It can also trigger miscarr...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/oh_JQiPfRDM   I told you about an RSV vaccine for prospective moms that protects their newborn infants.   Now AstraZeneca and Sanofi have partnered to create, test, and market a drug that squelches newborn RSV infections after they occur.   The new pharmaceutical, the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, blocks RSV’s fusion protein so that the virus cannot enter human cell...

  Vidcast:   https://youtu.be/-DYHjyQ5S3g   A full 78% of US hospitals and healthcare systems complain that their relationships with commercial health insurers are tanking.   The chief culprit: mandatory pre-authorizations for surgery, imaging, lab testing, and pharmaceuticals.   Ninety-five percent of hospitals resent wasting ever-increasing time and money dealing with these pre-auths.   Why a wa...