Current Events

A federal lawsuit against a manufacturer of laparoscopic power morcellators that was expected to be the first to reach a trial has been settled for an undisclosed amount, an attorney for the plaintiff said Thursday.

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Washington — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is recalling 7,700 new SUVs because of potential braking and other problems — and warning 65 owners to stop driving immediately.

The automaker issued an urgent warning telling about 65 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUV owners in the U.S. to stop driving their vehicles.

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Subaru is recalling more than 72,000 almost-new vehicles because the automatic braking system, which operates in emergencies, can fail.

The recall centers on the most recent version of Subaru's Driver Assist System, an automatic braking system designed to prevent collisions with obstacles and other cars. If one of the car's brake lights aren't working, the system could fail, according to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Medtronic Plc's Covidien unit has agreed to settle some of the more than 11,000 claims involving its transvaginal mesh devices, which patients allege caused severe and painful side effects, according to a court filing.

The filing on Tuesday in West Virginia federal court did not disclose the amount of the settlement nor how many cases would be resolved under the confidential agreement with one of the plaintiffs' law firms leading the litigation, Blasingame Burch Garrard & Ashley.

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The Food and Drug Administration said it has received more than 5,000 complaints about adverse reactions—including some deaths—among women who received a sterilization implant called Essure.

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Washington — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday it is opening an investigation into 630,000 Jeep Wrangler SUVs for an electrical problem that may cause air bags not to work properly.

The investigation of 2007-12 models follows Fiat Chrysler’s recall of about 10,000 right-hand driver Jeep Wrangler SUVs built 2008-12 after a government investigation was launched in 2011. The company also issued extended warranty coverage for the 2007 right-hand drive models. Right-hand drive Jeep Wranglers have been used on some rural U.S. Postal routes.

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The tracheostomy tubes caused breathing troubles for some.

Medtronic PLC is voluntarily recalling 70,000 tracheostomy tubes for children and babies following reports that some patients had difficulty breathing while using them.

Hundreds of adverse events involving the Covidien Shiley tube have been reported to regulators since 2012, when the device was altered to give it a wider angle. Switching back to models predating the design change seemed to address the young patients’ issues, according to a statement Tuesday from Minnesota-run Medtronic.

A spokesman for Medtronic said the company has enough supply of its pre-2012 tubes on hand to meet demand for the eight specific types of Shiley tubes that are being removed from use. The company started ­notifying hospitals on May 8 that they should stop using the tubes, including for patients who may be on home care.

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Sitting in his surgical gown inside a large medical suite in Reston, Va., a Vienna man prepared for his colonoscopy by pressing record on his smartphone, to capture the instructions his doctor would give him after the procedure.

But as soon as he pressed play on his way home, he was shocked out of his anesthesia-induced stupor: He found that he had recorded the entire examination and that the surgical team had mocked and insulted him as soon as he drifted off to sleep.

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Takata Corp. employees knew of serious safety and quality control issues as early as 2001, years before flaws in its automobile air bags surfaced, according to a U.S. Senate report released Monday ahead of a hearing.

The company also halted global safety audits to save money, the report issued by Democrats on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee said.

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The U.S. Justice Department charged 243 people, including 46 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, with defrauding the Medicare system of $712 million through false billing.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the charges Thursday in Washington, calling the case the largest sweep of individuals in the history of task forces that target such fraud.

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