News You Can Use 3.2.16

NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 3/2/16
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Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
1. Moisture Seeping Into Air-Bag Inflator Is Causing Failure
Adapted from Washington Post, 2/23/16
Researchers confirmed moisture is causing the Takata airbag ruptures that can spray shrapnel into
the passenger compartment. The results were based on tests performed by aerospace manufacturer
Orbital ATK. In order for a rupture to occur, three elements must be present: poor design, high
atmospheric temperatures with wide ranges, and the absence of water-absorbing chemicals in the
inflators, said former NHTSA acting administrator David Kelly. The lack of water-absorbing chemicals
allows moisture seeping in from the atmosphere to build up in the inflator. The inflators that fail need
long-term exposures to climates with high humidity and large differences in day and nighttime
temperatures, Kelly added. The test results apply specifically to inflators with ammonium nitrate that do
not incorporate a moisture-absorbing chemical. The results may help accelerate the pace of repairs.
Unless Takata can demonstrate the safety of ammonium nitrate, NHTSA may decide all Takata inflators
containing the chemical must be recalled.
2. 87% Of Drivers Engage In Unsafe Behaviors While Behind The Wheel
Adapted from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety press release, 2/29/16
Over the last month, about 87% of drivers committed at least one risky behavior while driving,
according to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These unsafe behaviors included
speeding, running red lights, not wearing a seatbelt; and driving while distracted, drowsy or impaired.
Previous research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates distracted
driving is a factor in at least 3,000 fatalities annually, while speed is a factor in nearly 10,000 deaths.
3. J&J Must Pay $72 Million For Cancer Death linked To Talcum Powder
Adapted from Reuters, 2/23/16.
A Missouri jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $72 million in damages to the family
Jacqueline Fox. Her death from ovarian cancer was allegedly linked to her more than thirty-five-year use
of the company’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower talcum products. The award included $10 million
in actual damages and $62 million in punitive damages. Lawyers for the family said the case is the first in
which a jury awarded damages in claims against J&J over its talcum products. The company faces several
hundred lawsuits alleging it failed to warn consumers over potential links between talcum powder and
ovarian cancer.
4. Researchers determine driver risks using large-scale, crash-only naturalistic database
Adapted from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute press release, 2/23/16
Drivers engage in distracting activities more than 50% of the time, according to estimates from the
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. For drivers, doing something that requires them to take their eyes
off the road more than doubles their crash risks. Driver-related factors such as distraction, error, fatigue,
and impairment were present in almost 90% of higher severity crashes involving injury or property
damage, researchers reported.

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5. FDA Seeks New Details In Approval Of Xarelto
Adapted from N.Y. Times, 2/23/16
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating whether a potentially faulty blood-testing
device used during the clinical trial for blood thinner Xarelto (rivaroxaban) may have compromised the
results. The clinical trials, which involved more than 14,000 patients worldwide, took place from 2006-
2010. During the trial, the INRatio blood device was used to help doctors determine if patients were
receiving the correct dosage of warfarin, a cumbersome blood thinner that was the standard treatment
for decades. That device was later recalled in 2014 because it could underestimate some patients’ risk of
bleeding. Even during the trial, some doctors apparently voiced concerns the devices might be
malfunctioning. Inaccurate readings could have led doctors to prescribe the wrong dose of warfarin for
patients, raising their risk of bleeding and giving an unfair advantage to Xarelto. Investigations by both
the Duke Clinical Research Institute and the European Medicines Agency found the device did not alter
the results of the trial, but some medical experts have criticized the results and said there are still
unanswered questions about the clinical trial.
6. World’s Largest Dialysis Equipment Maker Agrees To Settle A Lawsuit For $250 Million
Fresenius Medical Care, the largest provider of kidney dialysis equipment and services in the world,
has agreed to pay $250 million to settle thousands of lawsuits claiming its GranuFlo product caused
heart problems and fatalities. The company circulated an internal memo to doctors in its own dialysis
centers warning them that failing to properly use the product appeared to increase the number of
sudden deaths from cardiac arrest. Fresenius only warned outside dialysis centers after a copy of the
memo was anonymously sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A spokesperson for the
company said the initial memo was inaccurate and contradicted by later analysis. He further noted the
warning language added to the product’s was later removed. In a news release, Fresenius said 97% of
the plaintiffs must agree to the settlement by July in order for it to go into effect.
7. Gas Leak Capped After Four Months
On February 18, California officials announced the massive natural gas leak near the Porter Ranch
community had finally been plugged. The leak, which was discovered on Oct. 23, spewed tons of
methane into the air. It took so long for Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) to plug the leak because
they had to drill a relief well to intercept the leaking gas. The noxious odors from the leak prompted
more than 6,000 families to flee the area, mostly at the utility’s expense. Residents had complained of
health problems such as nosebleeds, nausea and vomiting. Health officials stressed the levels of
methane in the atmosphere never reached dangerous levels, and said testing showed air quality had
returned to normal. Still, many residents remain fearful and some are pushing for the permanent
closure of the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility.

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8. City of Chicago Sued Over Lead Levels
Adapted from Wall Street Journal, 2/19/16
On February 18, three residents sued the city of Chicago, alleging that water-main replacement
projects have exposed people to higher levels of lead in drinking water. These projects, which have
occurred over the last several years, typically involve only the partial replacement of lead service lines
that run between the main lines and homes. Gary Litherland, a spokesperson for the Chicago Dept. of
Water Management, defended the safety of the city’s water supply, noting the city had programs to
protect its water from lead contamination.
9. Judge Dismisses Bulk Of Environmental Suit
Adapted from L.A. Daily Journal, 2/22/16
After six years of litigation, a judge has partially dismissed with prejudice a mass tort alleging
environmental contamination beneath a low-income housing project in L.A. At its height, the case
sought $500 million in damages on behalf of more than 1,000 named plaintiffs who alleged they had
suffered illnesses caused by toxins discovered in the soil beneath their low-income housing. In 2009,
state regulators ordered a cleanup of the Ujima Village Apartments. Plaintiff experts could not prove
chemicals had migrated from the dirt into the air inside the apartments. Property damage claims against
former site owner Exxon Mobil Corp. can move forward. Exxon’s predecessor company stored
petroleum at the site from the 1920s to the 1960s.
10. Prison Error Leads To Settlement For Ex-Inmate
Adapted from L.A. Daily Journal, 2/18/16
On February 16, an inmate who was wrongfully imprisoned for nearly 18 months—518 days—due to
errors settled for more than $500 per day. The settlement could be a harbinger of things to come, as the
man’s attorneys, Jossen and Steven Archer of Kisel Law LLP, are working on a pending class action suit
on behalf of 5,200 people who were allegedly overdetained for 80,386 days combined from 2008-2012.
11. Parents Of Slain Man Sue City
Adapted from L.A. Times, 2/19/16
On February 18, the parents of a man allegedly killed by an off-duty L.A. police officer sued both the
officer and city. The complaint alleges Officer Henry Solis of subjecting Salome Rodriguez Jr. to assault
and battery, excessive force, and unreasonable search. It further asserts both Solis and the L.A. police
department violated Solis’ civil rights. Solis has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial. After the
shooting, he allegedly fled to Mexico and was eventually apprehended in Juarez, Mexico. He was fired
by the department shortly after the shooting.

News You Can Use 3.2.16

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