JustCare

Tag: Allergic reaction

  • Beware: Some people have serious allergic reactions to feather bedding and jackets

    Beware: Some people have serious allergic reactions to feather bedding and jackets

    Winter is fast upon us. And, thousands of people will buy a new feather blanket, pillow or jacket. Beware: Wudan Yan reports for The New York Times that, in a small number of cases, feather products could cause an infection in your lower respiratory tract.

    After buying new feather bedding, one 43-year old man felt tired and out of breath all the time for three months without appreciating the cause. Fortunately, his doctor asked a lot of questions about his domestic situation. After ruling out allergies to dogs, cats and mold, the doctor asked whether the man had new feather bedding.

    A chest X-ray and blood test revealed that the man had hypersensitivity pneumonitis or lung disease. It was caused by antibodies or allergies to bird feather dust, aerosolized bacteria and fungi. That dust was in the man’s new bedding.

    This type of lung disease is uncommon. But, if left undetected, it can cause respiratory failure or scarring in the lungs.

    Should you buy a duck or goose feather jacket or bedding? Allergic reactions that lead to lung disease are rare enough that you should buy goose or duck feather products if you are so inclined. However, if you become out of breath or start coughing soon after, try staying clear of the feathers. Allergies could be the cause. You should also talk to your doctor.

    Steroids will help if you do have an allergic reaction to the feathers. Also, consider replacing your feathered items with hypoallergenic ones.

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  • Does Pfizer care about malfunctioning EpiPens?

    Does Pfizer care about malfunctioning EpiPens?

    The New York Times reports that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accused Pfizer of failing to address complaints about malfunctioning EpiPens, used to prevent serious allergic reactions. Hundreds of people are reporting that EpiPens have killed or harmed them because of a malfunction in its drug delivery mechanism. Does Pfizer care about malfunctioning EpiPens?

    Pfizer owns the patent on the EpiPen’s delivery system. The delivery system is supposed to ensure that people get the proper dose of epinephrine. That dose prevents a serious allergic reaction. If it does not work, people’s lives can be at risk.

    Pfizer claims that people who report being harmed may not have used their EpiPens properly. They are not medically trained. Needless to say, EpiPens are designed so that you do not need to be medically trained to operate them.

    Pfizer further claims that people cannot prove a “causal” link between a death and the malfunction of the EpiPen. However, after FDA intervention, including inspection of the manufacturing plant and many discussions, Pfizer did recently recall 13 lots of the EpiPen because of device malfunction in its drug delivery mechanism.

    The EpiPen has been in the spotlight this past year because of its steep price hike, as Steven Findlay reported for Just Care back in August 2016. Mylan, which manufactures the EpiPen, increased its list price almost fourfold to $608 from $165 five years earlier. The drug it dispenses is a generic, which costs almost nothing to manufacture.

    Both the malfunction and the cost of the EpiPen are two of thousands of reminders that the pharmaceutical marketplace is dysfunctional, non-competitive, and unsustainable. Everyone of us pays the price for the dysfunction, in higher insurance premiums and higher taxes. And people who use the drugs, as well as their loved ones, suffer all the more.

    If you want Congress to rein in drug prices, please sign this petition.

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