Current Events in May 2016

A New Zealand study finds that smokers who used a nicotine inhaler were twice as likely to quit smoking as smokers using a placebo inhaler. The study also found that adding a nicotine inhaler to a nicotine patch doubled the chances of quitting over using a nicotine patch alone.

"There is considerable debate about whether inhaled nicotine is helpful for people who wish to stop smoking," said Julian Crane, a professor at the University of Otago, Wellington. "This is the first study to show that inhaled nicotine from a metered dose inhaler in the context of a smoker wanting to stop doubles their chances of quitting."

Crane says the findings are the first evidence that inhaled nicotine from a simple inhaler is highly effective and substantially increases a smoker's chances of quitting compared to the best current nicotine replacement treatment.

"Currently most smokers use nicotine patches to help them stop smoking. This study shows that if you add a nicotine inhaler to a nicotine patch, it doubles the chances of quitting over a nicotine patch alone," Crane said.

Inappropriate use less likely

The results of the New Zealand study funded by the Health Research Council appear in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

Crane said an advantage of the nicotine inhaler is that, unlike electronic cigarettes, it has no physical associations with the act of smoking.

"It also has benefits in that it is much less likely to be used inappropriately to administer other drugs given that it is a completely sealed unit," notes Crane.

The researchers are currently looking at how to make the inhaler available to all smokers who would like to use it.

Real estate experts surveyed by Zillow believe the real estate market would perform better under Hillary Clinton as President, rather than Donald Trump, even though Trump has spent his career in real estate.

While the survey covered a wide range of economic topics, the real estate professionals and economists in the survey had fairly uniform views of how each presidential candidate might impact home values.

"As the presidential election nears, candidates' individual plans for the economy are increasingly under scrutiny," said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. "Many of the candidates' proposals sounds [sic] appealing to voters, but a closer look through the panelists' economic lens reveals the potential impact of those proposed policies on our economy.”

Favor predictable, centrist candidate

Gudell says the results indicate a predictable, centrist candidate would be best for the economy as a whole and for the real estate market in particular. The panelists saw the more polarizing political leanings of Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders, should he secure the Democratic nomination, as having a negative effect.

Should either man become President, the panelists said they would lower their projections for both home value appreciation and economic growth. Clinton, meanwhile, received mostly positive marks from the panelists for the market and the economy.

While home values have been increasing, at least half the panelists credit the price acceleration to tighter inventories of homes for sale, instead of more people being able to buy homes. While mortgage rates remain low, many people still cannot meet the new tighter mortgage qualification standards.

Home prices won't keep rising

As for prices, the experts don't expect the recent increases to continue, and predict they might even slowly start to decline in the years ahead.

After adjusting for expected inflation, the expert panel's forecast for national home value appreciation averages 1.7 percent annually through 2020.

All the public service announcements, all the lectures, and all the traffic tickets don't seem to have made a dent in texting-while-driving cases. At least, not yet.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 3,100 people died in traffic accidents in 2014 as the result of distracted driving, and Beverly Shirk, pediatric trauma coordinator at Penn State Children’s Hospital, says texting behind the wheel was undoubtedly a factor in most of those accidents.

“People sending or receiving a text have four seconds or more that their eyes are off the road,” Shirk said. “If you’re traveling 55 miles per hour, that’s the length of a football field. Your reaction time might not allow for you to stop.”

Shirk is well-acquainted with the problem because every year she works closely with teens in workshops on safe driving. She says it's a challenge to make teens understand the many distractions present in the car and why it calls for making good choices.

Other distractions

Besides talking or texting, she says teens tell her that today's sophisticated infotainment systems can be a distraction, as well as operating navigation systems. Eating behind the wheel is still a major distraction, she says.

Shirk says many teens feel compelled to respond to messages from their friends instantly, even if they are in heavy traffic. The way around that, she suggests, is setting a phone to silent and stowing it out of sight while the vehicle is moving.

To alleviate anxiety over not being able to respond instantly, she recommends downloading an app that automatically responds to incoming contacts with a message that the recipient is driving and will respond shortly.

More accountability

With the tools available to reduce cellphone distractions, more and more safety advocates are pushing to hold drivers accountable when they don't take advantage of them and cause accidents. Deborah Becker, co-founder of Distracted Operators Risk Casualties (DORCs), says accountability works.

Drunk driving is down, she says, because drunk drivers are facing much stiffer penalties. These days, she says a fatal car crash is most likely to be caused by someone looking at their cellphone.

"When people were held accountable for drunk driving, that's when positive change occurred,” she said. “It's time to recognize that distracted driving is a similar impairment, and should be dealt with in a similar fashion.”

Becker's group is backing proposed legislation that would have drivers submit their phone to roadside testing to see if it were in use at the time of an accident or traffic stop.

Shirk says it all comes down to making good decisions. If you are driving and you need to use your phone, load music into the infotainment system, or pull up a map, simply pull off the road while you are doing it.

Inventory shortages and faster price growth notwithstanding, sales of previously-owned homes rose for a second consecutive month in April.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports total existing-home sales -- completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops, -- rose 1.7% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million. Sales are now up 6.0% from the same month a year ago.

“Primarily driven by a convincing jump in the Midwest, where home prices are most affordable, sales activity overall was at a healthy pace last month as very low mortgage rates and modest seasonal inventory gains encouraged more households to search for and close on a home,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Except for in the West -- where supply shortages and stark price growth are hampering buyers the most -- sales are meaningfully higher than a year ago in much of the country.”

Prices, inventory and mortgage rates

The median price for all types of existing homes last month was $232,500, up 6.3% from April 2015, marking the 50th consecutive month of year-over-year gains. The median is the point at which half the prices are higher and half are lower.

Total housing inventory at the end of April was up 9.2% to 2.14 million previously-owned homes available for sale, but it is still 3.6% lower than a year ago. Unsold inventory is at a 4.7-month supply at the current sales pace, versus 4.4 months in March.

“The temporary relief from mortgage rates currently near three-year lows has helped preserve housing affordability this spring,” Yun noted. However, he stated that “there's growing concern a number of buyers will be unable to find homes at affordable prices if wages don't rise and price growth doesn't slow.”

According to Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell from 3.69% in March to 3.61% in April -- the lowest since May 2013, when it was 3.54%.

Sales by region

• Existing-home sales in the Northeast climbed 2.8% last month to an annual rate of 740,000, and are now 17.5% above a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $263,600, up 4.1% from April 2015.
• In the Midwest, sales shot up 12.1% to an annual rate of 1.39 million for a year-over-year gain of 12.1%. The median price was up 7.7% to $184,200.
• Sales in the South fell 2.7% to an annual rate of 2.19 million, but are still 4.3% above a year earlier. The median price was $202,800, up 6.5% from a year ago.
• Previously-owned home sales dipped 1.7% in the West to an annual rate of 1.13 million and are down 3.4% from a year ago. The median price rose 6.5% to $335,000.

Rocky Mountain Bicycles of Canada is recalling about 78,000 bicycles in the U.S. and Canada.

An open quick release lever on the bicycle’s front wheel hub can come into contact with the front disc brake assembly, causing the front wheel to come to a sudden stop or separate from the bicycle, posing a risk of injury to the rider.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves all 2003 through 2016 models of Rocky Mountain bicycles equipped with front disc brakes and a black or silver quick-release (QR) lever on the front wheel hub. Bicycles that do not have disc brakes are not included in this recall.

When the front QR is fully opened, if there is less than 6 mm -- or the width of a #2 pencil -- between the QR and disk brake rotor on the wheel, the bicycle is included in this recall.

The bicycles, manufactured in Canada, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, were sold at Rocky Mountain bicycle dealers nationwide and online at www.Bikes.com (Rocky Mountain Bicycles), www.Ems.com (Eastern Mountain Sports), www.JensonUsa.com, www.MikesBikes.com and www.PerformanceBike.com from May 2002, through April 2016, from between $250 and $15,000.

What to do

Consumers should stop using the recalled bicycles immediately and contact an authorized Rocky Mountain retailer for free installation of a new quick release on the front wheel.

Consumers may contact Rocky Mountain toll-free at 800-663-2512 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email at info@bikes.com or online at www.bikes.com and click on Safety/Recall at the bottom of the page.

SCOTT USA of Salt Lake City, Utah, is recalling about 1,600 SCOTT bicycles with SYNCROS seat posts in the U.S. and Canada.

The seat post can break, posing a fall hazard to the rider.

The firm has received 11 reports of broken seat posts outside of the U.S. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves model year 2016 SCOTT men’s and women’s road bicycles with SYNCROS FL 0.1 seat posts. Bicycle models included in the recall are: Addict CX 10 disc, Addict SL, Addict Team Issue, Addict 10, Addict 15, Addict 20, Addict Gravel disc, Solace Premium disc, Solace 10 disc, Frame set Addict 10 (HMF), Frame set Addict CX 10 disc (HMX) mech / Di2 and Seatpost Syncros FL1.0 Carbon Offset 27.2mm. “SCOTT” is printed on the bicycle down tube and “SYNCROS” is printed on the seat post.

The bicycles were sold in black, grey and white with yellow, orange, green or blue decals. A complete list of serial numbers included in the recall can be found at http://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/company/safety-and-recalls. The serial number is printed on a white sticker and embossed on the underside of the bicycle frame near the pedals.

The bicycles, manufactured in Taiwan, were sold at authorized SCOTT dealers nationwide and online from June 2015 through March 2016 for between $3,300 and $9,700.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop riding the recalled bicycles and return them to an authorized SCOTT dealer to have a free replacement seat post installed.

Consumers may contact Scott USA toll-free at 888-607-8365 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at recall@scott-sports.com or online at www.SCOTT-Sports.com and click on “Safety” at the bottom of the page, then “Recalls” for more information.

The Transportation Department has issued a final rule banning battery-powered electronic smoking devices – primarily e-cigarettes – from checked bags aboard commercial aircraft.

The government said it is taking the action as a safety precaution.

“Fire hazards in flight are particularly dangerous, and a number of recent incidents have shown that e-cigarettes in checked bags can catch fire during transport,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, who called the ban a “prudent and important safety measure.”

The move was not unexpected. Back in October the agency issued an interim rule to the same effect, opening it to an extended comment period.

The final rule does allow passengers to carry e-cigarettes in the cabin of the aircraft, but it does not allow them to charge the devices during a flight.

Lithium ion batteries

Batteries, as a rule, make aviation officials nervous. There have been instances of lithium ion batteries in laptop computers and smartphones overheating, with some catching fire. Officials have long worried what would happen if a computer, packed in a suitcase and stowed in the body of a jetliner, caught fire.

In 2014 a plane in Tel Aviv had to be evacuated after the lithium-ion battery powering a passenger's iPhone 5 caught on fire, filling the cabin with smoke. A decade earlier a California teenager suffered second-degree burns when her cell phone caught fire without warning, with investigators pinning the blame on the lithium ion battery.

Granted, the batteries powering e-cigarettes are much smaller, but officials say it only takes a tiny spark to create a catastrophe.

“This final rule is the next step in hazardous materials safety standards following our interim final rule issued last October,” Marie Therese Dominguez, a Transportation Department officials, said. “The rule addresses the risk of fire brought about by carrying these electronic devices in checked baggage or charging them on board aircraft.”

The rule, however, does not stop people from carrying other devices powered by lithium ion batteries -- like computers, phones, and cameras -- in checked bags. It also does not stop a passenger from carrying battery-powered devices in carry-on luggage.

Back in 2012, LinkedIn said a data breach had exposed about 6.5 million users' passwords. Now it says the number is more like 117 million and it's advising users to change their passwords.

The latest discovery came about when cybersecurity types noticed a posting on a cybercrime forum offering to sell account information on 117 million LinkedIn users, according to the Krebs on Security blog. 

Shortly after the 2012 breach, LinkedIn forced password resets on 6.5 million accounts, but this time around it's just advising users of the situation and suggesting they change their passwords to ensure they have "the best experience possible."

Users around the world found emails like this in their in boxes the last few days: 

The predicament may not be all that dire for most users. LinkedIn is primarily a business-oriented network and users don't generally reveal too much actionable information. There's also the little matter of how many signed-up users ever bother to log in to their accounts.

LinkedIn claims it has more than 400 million users, but analysts say only about 25 percent of them sign in on a monthly basis.

Consumers have been warned that using debit cards is inherently more dangerous than credit cards. If thieves manage to steal your debit card information, they can clean out your bank account.

There have been numerous accounts of identity thieves planting “skimmer” devices on ATMs and gasoline pumps. These fake keypads usually fit over the real key pad and record PINs as they steal account information.

But these skimmers are now old fashioned, and consumers have been cautioned to inspect key pads before they punch in their PINs. So some thieves have become more clever and diabolical. They hijack the ATM itself, turning it into one big skimmer.

Security company Kaspersky Lab says one of its teams recently made the discovery while investigating an incident report at an unnamed bank. The team found traces of Skimer malware on one of the bank's ATMs. The cybercriminals had planted it sometime earlier, but had not activated it.

Backdoor.Win32.Skimer

The Kaspersky team believes the thieves gained access to the bank's ATM system, either physically or by hacking into the bank's network. After that, they installed Backdoor.Win32.Skimer, malware that infects the core of the ATM, which controls the ATM's interaction with the banking infrastructure, including cash processing and credit cards.

Even though the cybercriminals have full control over the compromised ATMs, Kaspersky says they move slowly and deliberately, not wanting to raise suspicions. They no longer need the fake card readers that are getting easier to spot. Instead, when they throw the switch, they turn the entire ATM into a skimmer.

The malware allows the thieves to withdraw all the money in the ATM, or to intercept data from all debit cards used at the machine, which will continue to work perfectly.

Obvious problem

The problem is fairly obvious. There is no way for a consumer to tell whether the machine they're using to withdraw money is stealing their card's data.

The security firm says most cybercriminals successfully breaching an ATM won't steal money directly. Rather, they'll use the software to steal debit card data, because they can do it for months before their scheme is uncovered.

They make duplicate cards using the stolen data and use those cards in uninfected ATMs to withdraw large amounts of cash.

Countering the threat isn't easy, but Kaspersky recommends banks undertake regular AV scans and upgrade security systems and policies. The company said its investigation is ongoing, and that it is sharing intelligence with the banking industry.

Financial losses due to skimming continue to mount. A year ago FICO Card Alert Service reported a 173% year-over-year increase in card and PIN skimming points at bank-owned ATMs. At the same time, it said compromised merchant debit card transaction points had declined sharply.

Ajinomoto Windsor, with facilities in Fort Worth, Texas; Los Angeles, Calif.; Carthage, Mo.; and Portland, Ore., is recalling approximately 47,112,256 pounds of not-ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions

The following heat-treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable meat and poultry items, produced between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2016, are being recalled:

• 14.2-oz packages containing “Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 01/02/2015 to 10/27/2017.
• 14.2-oz packages containing “Tai Pei Pepper Beef” with best-by dates ranging from 11/02/2015 to 10/19/2017.
• 12-oz packages containing “Tai Pei Combination Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 11/06/2015 to 10/27/2017.
• 12-lb cases containing 32-oz packages of “Fred’s Jalapeño, Corn & Bacon Cornbread Pop” with product code 0945137.
• 2-lb boxes containing “InnovASIAN Cuisine CHICKEN FRIED RICE” with best-by dates ranging from 5/15/2015 to 4/09/2017.
• 20-oz packages containing “Trader Joe’s Chicken Fried Rice” with case codes ranging from 261231 to 281211.
• 18-oz. bags containing “InnovASIAN Cuisine CHICKEN FRIED RICE” with best-by dates ranging from 05/01/2015 to 04/29/2017.
• 18-oz. and 24-oz. packages containing “Simmering Samurai Orange Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 5/12/2015 to 3/18/2017.
• 20-oz. packages containing “HyVee chicken fried rice” with best-by dates ranging from 7/11/2015 to 3/03/2017.
• 20-oz. packages containing “First Street Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 7/11/2015 to 3/15/2017.
• 54-oz. packages containing “Yakitori Chicken with Japanese-Style Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 6/28/2015 to 5/2/2017.
• 18-oz. packages containing “Simmering Samurai Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 8/11/2015 to 3/18/2017.
• 18-oz. packages containing “Simmering Samurai Hibachi Seasoned Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 8/11/2015 to 11/16/2016.
• 18-oz. packages containing “Simmering Samurai Spicy Hibachi Seasoned Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 8/13/2015 to 11/16/2016.
• 18 oz. and 24-oz. packages containing “Simmering Samurai General Tso’s Chicken Fried Rice” with best-by dates ranging from 8/18/2015 to 12/26/2016.
• 1.53-kg packages containing “Arroz Frito Estilo Japones Con Pollo Yakitori” with best-by dates ranging from 1/22/2016 to 1/03/2017, exported to Mexico.
• 1.53-kg packages containing “Yakitori Chicken with Japanese-Style Fried Rice (Poulet Yakitori Avec Riz Frit A La Japonaise)” with best-by dates ranging from 1/21/2016 to 3/7/2017, exported to Canada.
• 30-oz. packages containing “Daily Chef Chicken Poblano Firecrackers” with packaging dates between 8/10/2015 to 1/25/2016.
• 12.5-lbs packages containing “Golden Tiger SANTA FE BRAND CHICKEN EGG ROLLS” with packaging dates between 8/22/2014 to 11/6/2015.
• 6.25-lb packages cases containing “Jade Mountain SOUTHWEST CHICKEN EGG ROLL TWISTS” with packaging dates between 6/3/2014 to 3/23/2016.
• 30-oz packages containing 30 pieces of “Petite Cuisine CHICKEN POBLANO Hand Made Firecrackers” with packaging dates between 7/15/2014 to 1/15/2016.
• 6.25-lbs. cases containing “Golden Tiger Firecracker Southwest Brand Chicken” with packaging dates between 6/2/2014 to 3/23/2016.
• 7.5-lbs. packages containing “Posada Southwest Brand CHICKEN EMPANADA” with packaging dates between 5/12/2014 to 3/8/2016.
• 8-oz packages containing 8 pieces of “The Original Appetizer Company CHICKEN POBLANO Handmade Appetizers (Firecracker) with packaging date of 11/4/2014.
• 30-oz packages containing 30 pieces of “Petite Cuisine SOUTHWEST CHICKEN Handmade Firecrackers” with packaging dates between 10/9/2014 to 11/6/2014.
• 8-oz packages containing 8 pieces of “Taste of Inspirations Chicken Poblano Firecrackers” with packaging dates between 8/12/2015 to 2/26/2016.
• 6.89 kg. cases containing packages of “Golden Tiger SOUTHWEST SPICY CHICKEN SPRING ROLLS” with packaging dates between 5/7/2014 to 3/31/2016.
• 8-oz. packages containing “archer farms Chicken Poblano Firecrackers” with packaging dates between 7/15/2014 to 3/21/2016.
• 1.15-kg packages of “Molly's Kitchen Mini Chicken Pot Pie Empanadas” with packaging dates between 6/4/2014 to 1/7/2015.
• 7.5-lb packages of “CASA SOLANA SOUTHWEST BRAND CHICKEN EMPANADA MADE IN CALIFORNIA” with packaging dates between 11/4/2014 to 2/16/2016.
• 15-lbs packages of “Perkins SOUTHWEST STYLE CRISPY ROLL” with a packaging date of 3/11/2015 and date code 5255070.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 21225,” “EST. 9281,” “EST. 1623A” or “EST. 18356” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped nationwide and to Canada and Mexico.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not to consume them, but throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm's consumer affairs office at (855) 742-5011.

phil&teds of Fort Collins, Colo., is recalling about 870 phil&teds dash strollers in the U.S. and Canada.

The hinge used to fold the dash v5 stroller can become damaged while opening and closing the stroller, posing a pinch hazard to the consumer.

The firm has received one report of the stroller hinge joint separating. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves phil&teds dash v5 buggy-style strollers with serial numbers ranging between PTRV 0715/0746 and PTRV 0815/2525. The serial number is printed on the lower left rear cradle, next to the identification label.

Colors and models included in the recall are:

The strollers, manufactured in China, were sold at Baby Street, Dainty Baby, Mega Babies and other baby product and specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, diapers.com and philandteds.com from August 2015, through April 2016, for about $550.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the dash v5 stroller and contact phil&teds to have the stroller frame replaced free of charge.

Consumers may contact phil&teds toll-free at 855-652-9019 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) Monday through Friday or online at www.philandteds.com and click on “Support,” then “Upgrades” and “Recalls” for more information.

Frontier Co-op is recalling its Organic Hojicha Tea which may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been associated with these products to date.

The following product, sold nationwide from December 13, 2014 – April 21, 2016, is being recalled:

The four-digit lot code on the foil bulk packages follows the item number (#2920) on the front label directly above the UPC code.

What to do

Customers should not consume these products and either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Frontier Co-op at 1-800-669-3275 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (CT).

Garland Ventures of Garland, Texas, is recalling approximately 114,870 pounds of chicken fried rice products.

The products may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions.

The following heat-treated, not fully cooked, not shelf stable chicken fried rice products, produced between September 24, 2015, and March 23, 2016, are being recalled:

• 20-oz. pail boxes containing AllFresh Foods “ANJOY Chicken Fried Rice.”

Case Codes associated with the “ANJOY Chicken Fried Rice” product are: 092415, 092915, 100215, 101325, 101615, 102015, 102715, 110315, 110615 and 032316.

The recalled products bear establishment number “P-31993” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and were shipped to retail distributor locations in Colorado, Georgia, Missouri and Utah.

What to do

Customers who purchased these products should not consume them, but throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Robert Cocat at (972) 485-8878.

Kiddy USA is recalling 1,429 World Plus combination forward facing child restraints that convert to a high back booster seat, model 51 100 WP, manufactured from July 2, 2012, through October 5, 2013.

The buckle/tongue on the booster seats may only partially engage. As a result, the consumer may have a false impression that the buckle is fully latched when it is not. As such, these seats fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 213, "Child Restraint Systems."

A partially engaged buckle will not adequately restrain the child in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Kiddy customer service at 1-855-92KIDDY (1-855-925-4339).

The Kroger Co. is recalling Simple Truth Organic Mixed Vegetables.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No customer illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall affects stores operating under the following names: Kroger, Jay-C, Dillons, Bakers, Gerbes, King Soopers, City Market, Fry’s, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, QFC and Smith’s.

The following product, sold in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming, is being recalled:

What to do

Customers who purchased the above product should not consume it, but return them to a store for a full refund or replacement.

Customers with questions may contact Kroger at 1-800-KROGERS, Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 12:00 am (EDT) and Saturday through Sunday 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (EST).

Rising drug costs have been a hot topic of debate recently, but a new study suggests that these are not the only medical costs that consumers have to worry about.

Researchers from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice surveyed a selection of doctors from Atrius Health – the largest ambulatory care provider in Massachusetts. The participants were asked questions related to the cost of medical tests and procedures; they were also asked about how much they believed they were responsible for controlling costs for patients.

The researchers found that while the vast majority of physicians believed they were responsible for controlling costs for their patients (92.2%), little more than a third of the respondents (36.9%) actually admitted to having an understanding of how much certain procedures and tests actually cost.

Care vs. costs

The researchers began their study in an effort to support a new initiative called “Choosing Wisely,” a campaign started in 2012 by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) that seeks to educate doctors on low-value health care services – tests and procedures that may be expensive or take a lot of time but don’t actually give much of a benefit to the patient.

A good portion of physicians in the study had strong feelings about doing their part to keep costs down. While they recognized that it actually was their responsibility to keep costs down, about one third of the respondents felt that it was unfair for doctors to have to be both concerned about costs and the welfare of their patients.

Another third of respondents said that they try not to think about costs at all while considering medical decisions, with roughly the same amount saying that they’re simply too busy to worry about costs on top of everything else.

Different pressures

However, the study also revealed that different types of doctors face different pressures when it comes to dealing with their patients and costs.

Primary care physicians, for example, reported feeling much more pressured by patients to order medical tests and screenings than medical or surgical specialists (68.3% vs. 58% and 55.8%, respectively.)

Despite these patient pressures, many of the participants stated that they were aware of the Choosing Wisely campaign. Nearly half of all physicians stated that they were aware of the program (47.2%), while medical and surgical specialists seemed less informed, with 37.4% and 27% being aware of it, respectively.

Responsibility for change

The researchers hope that extra support from the medical community can help keep medical costs low, but they also know that the responsibility for creating a tangible change is up to more than just the doctors.

“Our analysis points to the fact that there is willingness on the part of physicians to forgo low-value care services, if they have appropriate support that addresses patient demand, malpractice concerns, and other drivers of overuse,” said Dr. Carrier Colla, lead author of the study.

“But, it’s also clear that to get a meaningful reduction in the use of low-value services, we need to engage more than just physicians. The behavior and attitudes of patients, regulators and other stake holders all play a part in the consumption of these low-value services.”

The full study has been published in the American Journal of Managed Care.