STUMBLE UPON

A Toy Contaminated With 'Date-Rape' Drug

U.S. safety officials have recalled more than 4 million of the popular Chinese-made Aqua Dots bead toys. The toy's coating contains a chemical that, when swallowed, converts into the toxic drug GHB, or gamma-hydroxy butyrate.
At high doses, GHB can cause comas, seizures, and hypotonia, a condition in which all muscles become very flaccid. It has gained notoriety in recent decades from its use as a “date rape” drug.
The toys, aimed at children 4 years and older, have been selling in the U.S. retail as "Aqua Dots" and in Australia as "Bindeez Beads."
The toy was named toy of the year in Australia, and recently made Wal-Mart's list of top 12 Christmas toys.

CNN November 8, 2007

A Drug That Quadruples Your Risk of Fatal Bleeding

Prasugrel, an experimental anticlotting drug from Eli Lilly reduces the risk of heart attacks when compared with the common drug Plavix in experimental trials. But it also increases your risk of fatal bleeding by an astonishing 400 percent.
In spite of this, Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo, the drug’s co-developer, say that they are “pleased” with the results of the trials. They plan to apply for FDA approval for the drug as early as the end of 2007, which means it could be on the market by the end of 2008.
Dr. Tim Anderson, a former emergency room doctor and current drug industry analyst, was skeptical of Prasugrel. Although it has better efficacy, he noted that, “... higher bleeding, including fatal bleeding -- it’s a question mark, a serious question mark, both regulatory and commercial.”
Nonetheless, if Prasugrel is approved, worldwide sales could reach $1.6 billion a year by 2012

New York Times November 5, 2007