Health Headlines Thursday

TRUCK THEFT PROMPTS RECALL:

JOHNSON AND JOHNSON ISSUED A RECALL FOR THREE SPECIFIC LOTS OF MEDICINES TODAY...AFTER SOMEONE STOLE A TRUCK CARRYING DRUGS FROM THEIR WAREHOUSE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

THE SEMI WAS LOADED WITH BOXES OF PROCRIT, REMICADE AND DOXIL WHEN IT WAS STOLEN ON ROUTE TO A SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTOR.

THE DRUGS ARE USED TO TREAT ANEMIA, ARTHRITIS AND CANCER.

AS A PRECAUTION...AND TO ENSURE PATIENT AND PRODUCT SAFETY...ALL DRUGS WITH THE SAME LOT NUMBERS AS THE ONES ON THE STOLEN TRUCK HAVE BEEN RECALLED AS A PRECAUTION.

NEITHER THE STOLEN TRUCK NOR IT'S CONTENTS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED.



FDA INVESTIGATES PLASTICS:

WITH ALL THE NEWS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN PLASTIC BABY BOTTLES... THE F-D-A IS NOW LAUNCHING IT'S OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CLAIMS.

SEVERAL STUDIES BY CONSUMER GROUPS SAY THAT A CHEMICAL IN THE PLASTIC BOTTLES... CALLED BISPHENOL-A...CAN POSE A DANGER TO INFANTS WHEN THEY ARE HEATED.

THE F-D-A SAYS IT IS INVESTIGATING THE SAFETY OF THE BOTTLES...BUT FOR NOW...SEES NO REASON WHY YOU SHOULD BE AFRAID TO USE THEM.

THE AGENCY SAYS THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER STUDIES WHICH SHOW THE BOTTLES ARE PERFECTLY SAFE TO USE.



SINGLES VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS:

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOUR VACCINATIONS WERE OVER... THE C-D-C SAYS YOU NEED AT LEAST ONE MORE.

THE AGENCY IS RECOMMENDING EVERYONE 60 AND OLDER GET THE SHINGLES VACCINE.

IN ADULTS... SHINGLES CAUSES A BLISTERING SKIN RASH THAT CAN LAST UP TO FOUR WEEKS.

IN THE WORST CASES IT CAUSES LONG TERM NERVE PAIN THAT CAN INCLUDE SCARRING AND A LOSS OF VISION OR HEARING.

OFFICIALS SAY EVEN IF YOU'VE "HAD" SHINGLES, YOU SHOULD GET THE VACCINE AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE



TENNESSEE DONORS TOP ONE MILLION:

THE TENNESSEE SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS CELEBRATING TONIGHT.

JUST ONE MONTH AFTER IT STARTED A NEW COMPUTERIZED METHOD OF SIGNING UP PEOPLE TO BECOMING ORGAN DONORS... IT'S HIT THE ONE MILLION DONOR MARK.

INSTEAD OF JUST SIGNING THE BACK OF YOUR LICENSE...YOU ARE ASKED TO CHECK YES OR NO WHEN YOU APPLY FOR...OR RENEW...YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE.

CHECKING YES...PUTS YOUR NAME INTO A DATABASE.

THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY LICENSE CENTER IN FRANKLIN HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SIGN-UPS... WITH 42 PERCENT OF DRIVERS AGREEING TO BECOME DONORS.