Monsignor Dale Fushek, founder of the popular Life Teen movement in the Catholic Church will go to trial on for sex abuse charges. Fushek, a former pastor of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church in Mesa, is charged with engaging teen boys in sexually explicit conversations, inappropriately touching them and exposing himself.
Monthly Archives: April 2006
FDA Says Throw Out ReNu with MoistureLoc
Bausch & Lomb, the maker of contact lens solution ReNu with MoistureLoc may have acted hesitantly when it failed to voluntarily pull its product off store shelves but not so for the FDA. Yesterday, the FDA issued a statement that consumers should immediately stop using the product and discard any remaining product they have in their posession. The FDA announcement comes on the heels of the news that seven people in Tennessee have been confirmed to have fungal keratitis. Six of them had been using MoistureLoc, The Associated Press reported Friday. Three of the patients needed corneal transplants to save their vision.
FDA & CDC Still Looking for Source of ReNu Fungus
The US FDA and the Centers for Disease Control are still looking for the source and cause of the fusarium keratitis fungus that forced Bausch & Lomb to halt shipments of its once popular contact lens solution ReNu with MoistureLoc. Bausch & Lomb’s chief medical officer, Brian Levy, stated that “I think there’s more than one factor for sure.” The comments were part of the company’s thoughts concerning the origin of the fungus.
Infección Ocular y la Solución ReNu con MoistureLoc hecho por la compania Bausch & Lomb
Infección ocular por hongos puede causar vision borrosa, dolor en los ojos, e irritación. El hongo fusarium se encuentra comúnamente en las plantas y la tierra de regiones tropicales (como Florida). Sin el tratatamiento de gotas oftálmicas que puede durar de dos a tres meses la infección puede dejar cicatrices en la cornea y cegar a sus victimas.
La mayoria de las victimas de esta infección estaban usando la solución ReNu con MoistureLoc para limpiar sus lentes de contacto. Si ud. estuvo usando ReNu con MoistureLoc y esta experimentando problemas con sus ojos, llame a su medico o mejor oftalmologo. Si esta herida, llameme por una consulta gratis.
Vermont Catholic Church Settles Lawsuit
The Catholic Diocese of Burlington http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=4790947&nav=menu183_2 settled a sexual abuse lawsuit on the eve of trial against a serial predator priest, Fr. Edward Paquette. The settlement is considered the largest settlement in the history of the rural diocese. In a statement after the settlement, the Diocese acknowledged that it had made mistakes in handling allegations against the former priest.
Los Angeles Cardinal Rebuffed by Supreme Court
Roger Cardinal Mahony lost his bid to keep secret correspondence between his office and priests accused of child abuse. Mahony had argued that such documents were protected by the First Amendment. The US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal effectively letting stand a California appellate court’s decision to reject the consitutional appeal. This is good news for prosecutors as well as those interested in protecting children form sexual predators.
ReNu Contact Lens Solution Update
While the investigation is ongoing, we know thus far that of 30 cases in the US studied by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 patients wore soft contact lenses and 26 had used the Bausch & Lomb ReNu brand contact lens solution in the month before the onset of the infection. Eight patients required corneal transplantation.
In Singapore, of those 39 reported cases of fungal corneal infection, 34 used ReNu contact lens solution.
FDA Continues its Bausch & Lomb Investigation
In an effort to locate the source of the fungal infection in suspected cases of Fusarium keratitis, the FDA is continuing its investigation of Bausch & Lomb plants. Of the 30 cases that have been reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 people reported using a Bausch & Lomb ReNu brand contact lens solution or a generic made by the same company.
Fusarium Fungus and Your Eyes
Last week, Bausch & Lomb told consumers not to use their eye contact solution ReNu with MoistureLoc after serious eye infections resulted. A fungus called Fusarium has been identified as the cause of the reported infections. As of April 9, there were 109 cases of suspected Fusarium keratitis under investigation by the CDC and health authorities in 17 states. The risk of contracting contact lens-related infection from the fungus, which is commonly found in soil, tap water and many plants. Eight patients have already required corneal transplants, The New York Times reported.
Clusters of the same infection were reported among contact lens users in Asia beginning in November 2005.
In February 2006, Bausch & Lomb voluntarily suspended sales of the ReNu multipurpose solutions in Singapore and Hong Kong, according to the FDA.
ReNu Being Removed From Shelves-What’s Next?
As the Bausch & Lomb contact solution is being removed from store shelves all across the country, users of the ReNu with MoistureLoc can do several things: 1) they need to monitor the health of their eyes ie. beware of symptoms including blurry vision, pain or redness, excessive discharge and increased sensitivity to light, 2)obtain legal & medical advice promptly.