Chiropractor Jeffery Sullivan is accused of "unprofessional" conduct.

Washington State Department of Health has announced that its Chiropractic Commission has charged chiropractor Jeffery Allen Sullivan with unprofessional conduct. Sullivan, alleges the agency, refused to comply with a requirement to keep adequate patient records and ignored a condition of a previously imposed probationary requirement to have a female assistant present while he treated a female patient.

In the Commission’s formal Statement of Charges against Jeff Sullivan, investigators say that during a compliance audit, which was related to a previously imposed probation issue, they pulled some patient records of six female patients and found multiple violations related to how Sullivan documented his services.

Officials also allege that in one case, Sullivan recruited a woman identified only as Patient G through social media. When Patient G showed up for the appointment she allegedly found the chiropractic clinic closed and deserted except for Sullivan. The patient was treated by Sullivan, who then reportedly filed no paperwork at all about the visit. Additionally, there was no female assistant with them in the treatment room.

This is by no means Sullivan’s first trouble in regard to how he interacts with women. In 2008 he pled guilty in Benton County Superior Court to a charge of Communication with A Minor For Immoral Purposes in a case involving a pre-teen female. The Commission found at the time that while kissing a 12-year-old is–in its words–“inappropriate and a boundary violation”, it did not constitute sexual abuse. And because the child had not yet become an actual patient, it also did not constitute an abuse of power.

Jeffery Sullivan’s chiropractic license (CH00002853) expired in August and is listed as “Expired” on the Agency’s website as of this morning.

The formal Statement Of Charges against chiropractor Jeffery Sullivan, from Washington’s Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission.

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Water Pik recalls electric toothbrushes after multiple reports of the charging bases overheating.

Water Pik, Inc. has announced a recall of two models of its Sonic-Fusion® Flossing Toothbrush because, says the company, it has received multiple reports of the base, which acts as a charger for the toothbrush, overheating and partially melting.

That, said the company in its recall notice, could expose users to burns or electric shocks.

Image of recalled Sonic-Fusion model SF-01 provided by the company.

The exact products being recalled are:

• Sonic-Fusion, model SF-01, with production codes running from SF01 17 06 01 through SF01 18 06 28
• Sonic-Fusion, model SF-02, with production codes running from SF02 17 06 01 through SF01 18 06 28

Image of recalled Sonic-Fusion SF-02 toothbrush provided by Water Pik.

Water Pik says that around 3800 of these could be in use in the U.S. and Canada. They were sold nationwide to the public and were distributed through trade shows and similar events.

Despite multiple reports of malfunctions, the company said Friday that it had still not received any reports of any user actually being injured.

If you think you might have a recalled model, unplug your unit and turn its base over to look at the bottom, as seen in this photo from Water Pik:

How to find the production codes on your Sonic-Fusion electric toothbrush.

And if you do find that you have a recalled unit you are urged to stop using it, immediately unplug it, and return it. You’ll get complete instructions on how to do that by calling 1-800-674-7718 or by emailing SonicFusion-Return@Waterpik.com.

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There's a new blackmail scam involving FDA and FTC warning letters.

Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, issued a warning to consumers about phony FDA warning letters that are apparently being send to people who bought (or tried to buy) prescription medications online. The fake letters, said the agency in its press release about the matter, are possibly part of a worldwide attempt to blackmail consumers.

FDA warning letters are, of course, very real–as anyone who reads LisaBarger.com regularly knows. But FDA typically sends such warnings to companies accused of wrongdoing. The agency rarely contacts the customers of such companies.

If you have purchased medications from an online pharmacy and get a formal warning letter from FDA it is almost certainly a scam, says FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “Consumers who aren’t involved in manufacturing or distributing FDA regulated products should be on alert that if you get an FDA warning letter, it’s probably fake, and probably a scam,” he says.

Gottlieb also took a moment to remind consumers that online sellers of prescription medications are almost always buying from a company that is running an illegal business. “We understand the temptation to buy online, and there are ways to do it safely, including only buying from U.S.-licensed pharmacies that require a prescription,” he added.

And it isn’t just the FDA’s name that’s being invoked. Some letters have claimed to be from the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC. Some of the bogus warning letters have claimed to be issued as a joint FDA/FTC investigation.

Fortunately, the authors of these letters are just as sloppy, or as ignorant of basic grammar and spelling, as the scammers behind those Nigerian inheritance scam letters. They may or may not include your actual name and are often rife with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

FDA is warning customers of illegal online pharmacies to look out for blackmailers sending phony FDA and/or  warning letters.

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Saje Natural Wellness Splish Splash Gentle Baby Wash is recalled after bacteria is found in a sample.

Saje Natural Wellness has issued a warning to its customers urging them not to use its Splish Splash Gentle Baby Wash in either the 8.5 ounce size or the 1.7 ounce size. The products, said the company in its press release about the recall, may be contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is what doctors call an “opportunistic pathogen”; it lives in or on us harmlessly most of the time but can cause life-threatening blood infections in people whose immune systems are weakened. (It is, for example, a leading cause of pneumonia in cystic fibrosis patients.)

Only one lot code of Splish Splash Gentle Baby Wash is covered by this recall but 2 SKUs are affected. Those products are:

• Saje Natural Wellness Splish Splash Gentle Baby Wash, SKU 700552, 8.5 fl. oz. size with lot code 814020
• Saje Natural Wellness Splish Splash Gentle Baby Wash (from the Wee and Well Gentle Baby Care Kit), SKU 700561,  1.7 fl. oz. size with lot code 814020

This recall covers all expiration dates.

Neither Saje nor the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have acknowledged receiving any reports of anyone becoming sickened after being exposed to the product.

Photo of the Wee and Well Gentle Baby Care Kit that also contains the possibly contaminated Saje body wash.

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Indiana has the first case of H3N2 "swine flu" in the US so far this year.

Health officials in Indiana say they have confirmed a case of H3N2 influenza in a person. This is the first case of this variant of “swine flu” in the state in 5 years and the first confirmed human case in the U.S. so far in 2018.

This case, which was confirmed by CDC officials Friday, has prompted the Indiana State Department of Health, or ISDH, and the Indiana Board of Animal Health, or BOAH, to issue statements urging folks to protect themselves as they visit fairs, livestock shows and other events where pigs will be. (Citing patient privacy concerns, doctors have released no information about the patient other than the disclosure that he or she became ill after having contact with pigs at a recent county fair.)

“Seeing animals is one of the highlights of going to the fair, but it’s important to remember that animals can carry diseases that can make people sick,” said Kris Box in ISDH’s press release about the case.

Box, who is State Health Commissioner, cautions fairgoers to wash their hands thoroughly after exposure to livestock. The agency also cautions against eating, drinking or even smoking inside barns and arenas. And parents of young children are advised not to bring along bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups or strollers. (Small children, the elderly and anyone with a compromised immune system should avoid even entering such areas.)

H3N2 variant influenza in humans is, say experts, most often the result of contact with pigs. It is not, however, spread through the consumption of pork or foods made with pork ingredients.

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Photo: Mr. Pig by Amauri AM of Unsplash

Prescript-Assist contains multiple, major allergens, says company.

Update: The Prescript-Assist recall has been expanded to cover all lot codes that are still within their expiration dates. Following is our story from July 02, 018, about the original recall:

LL’s Magnetic Clay says that it is recalling multiple lots of its Prescript-Assist probiotic supplement. In the press release announcing the recall it was revealed that several different food allergens had been found in the product:

• Almonds
• Shellfish
• Dairy and casein
• Eggs
• Peanuts

All of these components fall under the umbrella of the so-called “Big 8” food allergens.

The affected lot codes cover products that will not expire for months. The codes to look out for are:

• 1356300 (exp. 01/2019)
• 1405700 (exp. 03/2019)
• 17A128 (exp. 03/2021)
• W00103 (exp. 06/2019)

The company says the lot numbers are printed somewhere on the bottle. Your number may be printed directly on the bottle or on the label.

There have been no reports of anyone using the supplements and being sickened or injured.

Obviously, if you have any Prescript-Assist covered by the recall you should not use it. You can return your remaining supply to LL’s Magnetic Clay and receive a full refund. And if you need more info, you can call the company directly at 1-800-257-3315 during normal business hours.

The recalled probiotics were available nationwide and through the internet. The company did not provide a list of retail stores known to stock the supplement or any names of its distributors.

It did, however, supply a representative label:

The discovery of multiple, hidden food allergens prompts a recall of Prescript-Assist’s probiotic supplement.

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