Chinese Drywall Defects Across the U.S.

While Florida seems to be the most effected area, with more than 36,000 homes damaged, it is estimated that more than 300,000 homes across the country may have been built with the defective drywall from China, even if they have not yet experienced problems. The Southeastern United States is the most affected region by these defects due to the humidity and moisture, but states such as Nevada and Arizona have also been listed as having severe problems as well.
Following the 2005 hurricanes, millions of pounds of defective drywall were imported into the U.S. between 2002 and 2007, after the hurricanes caused a shortage of U.S.-made drywall due to the housing boom and construction surge. Houses rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina have also been affected. It is said that building materials may have exceeded 500 million pounds during this four-year period of soaring home prices.
Researchers are still uncertain as to what causes the reaction, but there are several theories as to why this happening. Some believe that fumigants are sprayed on the drywall and material inside it, and claim that the drywall is made with a coal by product that is less refined than what is used in the U.S. The dry wall, which have been linked to strontium and elemental sulfur, release a strong rotten-egg stench, intensifies when exposed to heat and humidity. This can destroy air conditioners, corrode electrical wiring and copper, ruin other appliances, blacken jewelry and silverware, and sicken people. Symptoms include: respiratory irritation, headaches, eye irritation, nose bleeds, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Please contact someone at Messa and Associates for more information.

CVS Now Offers On-Line Client Prescription History

In addition to fulfilling other pharmaceutical needs, CVS now offers consumers an alternative and secure way to fill their prescriptions, and add their medication history to their online medical records directly from CVS.com.CVS and Google Health have recently announced the expansion of its partnership by allowing CVS/pharmacy customers the ability to download their prescription and medication histories to their Google Health Account.
Since May 2008, CVS Caremark has been a Google Health partner, and consumers using CVS Caremark for pharmacy benefit management services can already store, organize, and manage their prescription history information online using Google Health. MinuteClinic, the retail-based health clinic subsidiary of CVS Caremark, can also securely import their visit summaries into their Google Health Accounts.
"We now offer all of our consumers the ability to download their prescription and medication history into their Google Health Personal Health Record, whether they are CVS/pharmacy customers, CVS Caremark plan participants or visitors to our MinuteClinic locations," said Helena Foulkes, Executive Vice President at CVS Caremark. "By enabling patients to download their prescription information directly into their personal health record, we are helping to close the gap in today's fragmented health care system and provide a full view of a patients health." (Source: CVS, April 6, 2009)

Pistachio Recall

The FDA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating Salmonella contamination in pistachio products sold by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc, Calif. Already, many people have been diagnosed with salmonella across the US, and more are expected to occur.
The FDA first learned of the problem on March 24, when it was informed by Kraft Foods that it’s Back to Nature Trail Mix was found to be contaminated with Salmonella. The pistachios were traced to a huge batch of pistachio nuts from the Setton Pistachio Company, which were then sold in large quantities to 36 different wholesalers across the U.S. It is not yet known whether any of the Salmonella strains found in the pistachio products are linked to an outbreak.
The company has stopped all distribution of processed pistachios and will issue a voluntary recall involving approximately 1 million pounds of its products. Because the pistachios were used as ingredients in a variety of foods, it is likely this recall will impact many products. In addition, the investigation at the company is ongoing and may lead to additional pistachio product recalls. So far, 64 products sold fewer than 21 brand names by six companies have been recalled. The most recent recalls are Kraft Planters brand products containing pistachios and Back To Nature brand products containing pistachios. Frito-Lay has recalled its Salted Pistachios (in shell).
The contamination involves multiple strains of Salmonella, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. The FDA is conducting genetic testing of the samples to pursue all links.