Health compromised by North Carolina plant

Debris in syringes ignored by FDA

More alarming news -- An Angier, N.C. company called AM2PAT has been named in a criminal investigation by the FDA. However, complaints about the company were received months before the FDA actually began investigating the company for sediment and debris in medicine.

AM2PAT sold tainted syringes of heparin and saline that have been linked to five deaths. At least 100 more people were sickened, often after receiving the medicines during chemotherapy, kidney dialysis and other intravenous procedures.

The company's "chief microbiologist" was a teenager who dropped out of high school.

Moral of the story? Question authority. Or at least consider researching any medicine/company with which you interact.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bills on illegal immigration cover employers, benefits

ARKANSAS: Smoking in cars with minors could be banned by legislators

FLORIDA: Lt. Gov. Kottkamp faces ethics complaint over travel expenses

GEORGIA: Bill introduced to require gov't employees to live in cities, counties in which they work

KENTUCKY: Budget impact of video slots bill debated

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal warns that debt will hurt next generation

MISSISSIPPI: Inventory tax reduction considered in state Senate

NORTH CAROLINA: Lottery sales to reach $3 billion this week (in less than three years)

SOUTH CAROLINA: SC DNR says all counties in the state are in drought

TENNESSEE: State may reject stimulus aid for unemployed

VIRGINIA: Congressional delegation reacts to President Obama's speech

FROM THE OPINION PAGES:
What part of 'stimulus' don't they get?
"What makes these bad decisions worse is that they are little more than political posturing by rising Republican stars, like Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina. This behavior reinforces the disturbing conclusion that the Republican Party seems more interested in ideological warfare than in working on policies that get the country back on track."

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org