Byetta is one among the many newer drugs which treat Type 2 diabetes, in a class known as incretin mimetics. Approved by the FDA in 2005, over thirty reports came into the FDA regarding adverse health events within the next two years. Those thirty people developed pancreatitis after taking Byetta; twenty-two of those had symptoms severe enough to result in hospitalization. Over half of these people saw their symptoms alleviated once Byetta was discontinued. Since that time there have been at least two deaths attributed to Byetta, and more reports sent to the FDA. Research has pointed to a link between Byetta and thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis, and while the drug has not been recalled, the number of lawsuits against the manufacturer of Byetta has been steadily increasing.

Although the Stryker ABGII and the Rejuvenate are not “true” metal-on-metal hip implants in that they do not implement a femoral head and acetabular cup, the necks are nonetheless manufactured of cobalt and chromium and the stems are titanium coated. The design is known as a modular design and gives surgeons additional options during implantation to fit the hip implant to the patient’s specific anatomy. Additionally, there is a metal-on-metal neck juncture and metal trunnions located on either end of the neck. This means that the ABGII has many of the same risks of metallosis and metal toxicity as other metal-on-metal hip implants. Both the ABGII and the Rejuvenate were recalled in July of 2012, after an urgent safety alert was issued to hospitals and surgeons just three months earlier advising them of potential risk factors.

The DePuy Pinnacle hip implant gained FDA approval in 2000, and five years later the DePuy ASR received FDA approval based on the contention by DePuy that it was substantially equivalent in design to the Pinnacle. Under the FDA’s 510(k) approval process, this was sufficient to approve the ASR even though the Pinnacle had already had some issues of its own. 

It is believed that over 200,000 women receive mesh implants each year, however as the number of implants has continued to rise, so has the number of complications reported by recipients. In fact, some estimates place the number of women who have suffered complications from their vaginal mesh implant as high as ten percent. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one or more pelvic organs shifts downward, in some cases intruding into the vaginal canal. As many as 25% of all women in the United States suffer some degree of pelvic organ prolapse and as the Baby Boomers continue to age it is believed the number of pelvic organ prolapse surgeries will continue to rise.