TOKYO — The drug Gefitinib, a cancer-fighting drug made by AstraZeneca, has been linked to 39 deaths in Japan and 125 patients, including the 39 who died, have suffered debilitating lung injuries such as interstitial pneumonia, said company spokeswoman Fumiko Muramoto.
“We knew about the possibility of these side effects from our clinical trials,” Muramoto […]

WASHINGTON — The future of Harvey L. Pitt as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission is unclear because of his failure to notify other commissioners or the White House about ties between William H. Webster, the new head of an accounting oversight board, and a company that has been accused of fraud. Administration officials […]

CONCORD, NH — Tyco International will pay the state of New Hampshire $5 million to settle allegations of financial misconduct by former top officials. State officials claim shareholders and the public were hurt by alleged actions of former chief financial officer Mark Swartz and former corporate counsel Mark Belnick that included misuse of corporate funds, […]

Philadelphia — Wampler Foods today expanded the recall of all cooked deli products made from May1, 2002 through October 11, 2002 because it’s possibly contaminating with Listeria. About 27.4 million pounds of meat have been recalled.
The meat packages in question came from the plant of Franconia and contain plant number P-1351 inside the USDA […]

Olympia, WA - The Washington state Attorney General’s Office is leading a national investigation into whether Pfizer illegally marketed Neurontin, an epilepsy medication, for “off-label” uses — meaning for uses that the FDA has not approved. Assistant Attorney General David Waterbury is leading the investigation on behalf of 47 states and the District of Columbia.
Doctors […]

WASHINTON - North Korea admitted to having a nuclear-weapons development program, and notified U.S. officials that it will no longer recognize the 1994 agreement with the United States and South Korea, which stopped nuclear weapons development activity in the Korean peninsula.
White House officials refused to confirm whether the North Koreans had successfully produced a nuclear […]

California - The drug ya ba, Thai name meaning “crazy drug”, is a form of methamphetamine, and is the newest drug to hit California’s rave scene. Ya ba is said to be significantly more powerful and dangerous than Ecstasy. Ya ba was at first sold legally in Thailand, but declared illegal in 1970. Dangerous side […]

Charleston, W.V. — A West Virginia jury on Thursday found Union Carbide guilty of exposing workers to asbestos poisoning over a 35-year period, the company faces millions of dollars in potential damages. The verdict makes it possible for about a thousand plaintiffs to pursue cases against Union Carbide for injuries suffered or health problems due […]

SAN FRANCISCO - Qwest Communications International Inc. on Thursday was fined 20.3 million for switching customers’ long-distance telephone service without permission and for adding unauthorized charges on customer bills by the California Public Utilities Commission. Qwest has been ordered to provide refunds for the incidents and institute safeguards to prevent further occurrences, according to a […]

MOSCOW, Russia - Russian forces released gas just before they stormed the theater early Saturday morning, 115 hostages died of health problems caused by gas used to end siege. About 800 hostages were being held captive by a group of Chechen rebels demanding an end to the Russian war in Chechnya. Russian authorities have not […]