Current Events in October 2019

Aviation officials said on Tuesday that Boeing 737 Max jets are still undergoing safety reviews, meaning the aircraft likely won’t return to service before November. 

Since being pulled from service in mid-March following two fatal crashes, regulators have been carrying out various safety assessments with the aim of resuming flights as soon as possible. 

Boeing said earlier this year that it’s taking a “comprehensive, disciplined approach” to resolving the safety issues, but it repeatedly stated that it hoped the aircraft would be cleared for reintroduction to flight schedules in the fourth quarter. However, U.S. and European Union regulators said this week that they’re still in the process of reviewing the revisions made to the aircraft. 

No firm return-to-service date

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it doesn’t have a firm date for completing its review. The agency said it’s working closely with other aviation authorities during the safety review process and European Union regulators said they are in “continuous contact” with Boeing and the FAA regarding the matter, according to Reuters. 

“We do not at this stage have any specific concerns resulting from that assessment that would mean that we could not agree to a coordinated return to service. We are in continuous contact with both the FAA and Boeing,” a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) spokeswoman told the publication. 

Implementing software revisions

The two crashes that took place within five months of each other were found to be linked to problems with the flight-control system. Boeing said it will be modifying the software in the aircraft’s flight-control system to allow it to receive input from both angle-of-attack sensors in the anti-stall system instead of just one.

The aircraft can’t be reintroduced to flight schedules until the FAA reviews a lengthy “final system description” document from Boeing, according to Reuters. Regulators will also need to conduct an “integrated system safety analysis,” as well as pilot workload management scenarios.

In May, Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told the Seattle Times that the process “takes as long as it takes” and that the aircraft “will fly again when we have gone through all of the necessary analysis to determine that it is safe to do so.”

DataPath, Inc., a company engaged in technology solutions to help employers administer health benefits, has announced an agreement to add HealthPoint Plus telehealth services to its cloud-based Summit platform.

More than a simple business deal, the move reveals a trend that is occurring more and more in health care. HealthPoint Plus is a subscription-based service that provides unlimited monthly access to live doctors for participants and their families via video conferencing using the patient’s smartphone or tablet.

"A routine visit to the doctor is time-consuming, disruptive to a family, and can cost hundreds of dollars,” said Greg Licata, chief product officer at DataPath. “Employers that offer this service can lower their total claims costs through their group carrier.”

Patients in under-served communities

It is no doubt a cost-saver for the employer, but what about the patient? Is seeing a doctor electronically just as effective as sitting in their office?

As telemedicine becomes more sophisticated, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) says its quality has improved. That may be especially important in rural, under-served communities -- even more so when patients need to see a specialist.

In a post on the AAFP blog last month, Tate Hinkle, M.D., a family physician in Alexander City, Ala., said his local hospital had great difficulty obtaining the services of subspecialists. 

“So, our hospital partnered with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, which had already developed a tele-intensivist program with another hospital in our state,” Hinkle wrote. “This collaboration allowed me and other physicians who round at our hospital to consult an intensivist at UAB on any patient we need extra assistance in managing, 24/7, via a small cart we roll into patients' rooms. This helps us to better manage complex patients, and local physicians are more comfortable managing such patients knowing we have backup just a click away.”

Staying closer to home

The payoff, Hinkle says, is that fewer patients are transferred from their local hospital, allowing them to receive the care they need closer to home.

Telemedicine may play a bigger role in Medicare in the future. Last month, 22 members of the U.S. Senate signed a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar asking that his agency provide guidance to states and providers on any money available under Medicare to pay for Project ECHO telemedicine programs. 

“Ultimately, as states and the federal government pursue delivery system reforms to achieve better patient outcomes and value, we recognize the need to improve access to high-quality, cost-effective specialty care,” the lawmakers wrote.

While previous studies have explored the countless ways stress affects the body, a new study conducted by researchers from King’s College London has discovered how the stress felt by expectant mothers can also affect their newborns. 

The study found that babies’ brain development could be compromised due to their mothers’ stress both before and during pregnancy. 

“It is not diagnosed as often as it should be during pregnancy and we are trying to emphasise that maternal mental health during pregnancy can impact the baby’s brain development which may impact on their outcomes later in life,” said researcher Alexandra Lautarescu. “No one is asking these women about stress and hence they don’t receive any support.” 

Developing brain health

The researchers evaluated over 250 premature babies and their mothers to determine how stress levels affected development.

The study had two parts: first, the mothers reported on their stress levels by filling out questionnaires regarding how frequently they experienced a wide spectrum of stressful events. Following childbirth, the researchers analyzed images of newborns’ brains to better understand how stress affected their neural development.

The researchers found that the presence of more high-level stressors during pregnancy led to more babies born with deficiencies to a white matter tract in the brain known as uncinate fasciculus. When functioning normally, white matter works to send and receive messages between brain cells. When that tract is compromised, the researchers discovered that it can create an increased risk of several mental health disorders, including bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorders, depression, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions. 

Overall, the researchers are hoping that these findings bring to light a serious issue plaguing pregnant women that is going undetected more times than not. If properly assessed, the researchers say mothers and their babies could benefit greatly from increased support.

“Antenatal services need to be aware that it is important to think about the stress of the mums and we need to have some kind of support there for the mums who identify that they are stressed,” said Lautarescu. “If we try to help these women either during the pregnancy or in the early post-natal period with some sort of intervention this will not only help the mother, but may also prevent impaired brain development in the baby and improve their outcomes overall.” 

These days, when Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks, nearly everyone listens.

Powell gave a speech in Denver on Tuesday, signaling two potential changes in short-term Fed policy that could affect interest rates. 

For starters, he suggested that the Fed’s Open Market Committee is more open to further interest rate cuts, beyond what was telegraphed at last month’s Fed meeting. In prepared remarks, Powell said he and other central bankers are leaving their options open for another interest rate cut later this month.

Powell says the overall U.S. economy is solid but is vulnerable to global shocks. He cited the uncertainties that exist around trade and Britain’s scheduled exit from the European Union, which so far has been far from orderly.

Action could affect some consumer rates

Currently, the Fed’s federal funds rate is between 1.75 percent and 2 percent. That rate, which is what banks pay the fed for overnight loans, is closely tied to credit card and auto loan rates. When it goes down, those interest rates usually follow suit.

Also during the speech, Powell announced that the Fed will soon start expanding its balance sheet to avoid the sorts of disruptions to the short-term capital markets that occurred last month when banks ran short of cash.

When Powell says the Fed may “expand its balance sheet,” it means the central bank will purchase more Treasury bonds. The Fed loaded up on bonds after the financial crisis of 2008 to keep the financial system afloat. Over the last couple of years, it has been reducing its balance sheet by selling those bonds.

But Powell went to great pains during a question and answer period following his speech to draw a distinction between actions during the crisis -- known as quantitative easing -- and what the Fed is considering now.

Short-term fix

Powell says expanding the Fed’s balance sheet now as a short-term fix for a malfunctioning credit market -- in particular the overnight “repo market.” The current problem, he said, is caused by an outflow of funds due to an unusual surge in companies’ financial needs. That lack of funding caused overnight loan rates to skyrocket, threatening the stability of the Fed’s federal funds rate target.

“This volatility can impede the effective implementation of monetary policy, and we are addressing it,” Powell said. “Indeed, my colleagues and I will soon announce measures to add to the supply of reserves over time.”

The desired result would be lower and more stable short-term interest rates, hopefully adding stability to the financial markets.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 113 model year 2017 Volkswagen Passats, model year 2018 Tiguan LWBs, model year 2007-2009 Jetta Sedans, model year 2011-2013, 2015 & 2019 Jettas, model year 2013 Jetta Hybrids, model year 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagens, model year 2015 Golf Sportwagens, model year 2013 Golfs, model year 2008-2010 & 2012-2013 Beetles & Beetle Convertibles and model year 2008-2010 Beetles & Beetle Convertibles.

Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause them to be out of compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.

If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

What to do

Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the recalled vehicles.

The recall is expected to begin on November 22, 2019.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at (800) 893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7/01D8.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 11,463 model year 2011-2018 Jeep Wrangler right hand drive vehicles.

The driver's seat belt buckle mounting strap may fracture and separate from the seat frame.

A separated or severed seat belt buckle strap will result in an inoperable seat belt, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt buckle free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin November 15, 2019.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler 's number for this recall is VA6.

A study published Monday is the first to connect e-cigarette vapor with several types of cancer in mice. Researchers say the results of the study suggest that vaping is also harmful to humans. 

Understanding the carcinogenic effect of e-cigarettes on humans could take another ten years, the study authors said. However, the latest research appears to strongly suggest that the products pose health risks that warrant further examination.

"Tobacco smoke is among the most dangerous environmental agents to which humans are routinely exposed, but the potential of E-cig smoke as a threat to human health is not yet fully understood," said Moon-Shong Tang, the study’s lead researcher, in a statement.

“Our study results in mice were not meant to be compared to human disease, but instead argue that E-cig smoke must be more thoroughly studied before it is deemed safe or marketed that way."

More research needed

Published Monday in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and funded by the National Institutes of Health, the study found that 22 percent of mice exposed to e-cigarette smoke with nicotine for 54 weeks developed lung cancer. 

By contrast, none of the 20 mice that were exposed to the same e-cigarette smoke without nicotine developed cancer -- a “statistically significant” figure, Tang said. The researcher and his team also found that 23 of 40 mice exposed to e-cigarette smoke developed precancerous lesions on the bladder and genetic changes that make cells more likely to multiply. 

The study authors estimated that the amount of smoke the mice were exposed to was equivalent to what a human would inhale in three to six years’ worth of regular vaping. 

The results of the study highlight the need for more research on the health effects of e-cigarettes. In the meantime, the researchers said the findings suggest that e-cigarette makers should refrain from marketing the products as safer than combustible cigarettes.

"Our results support the argument that the nicotine-derived DNA adducts are likely the main causes for carcinogenesis in mice exposed to E-cig smoke," said study author Dr. Herbert Lepor. "Our next step in this line of work will be to expand the number of mice studied, to shorten and prolong E-cigarette exposure time, and to further investigate the genetic changes caused by E-cigarette smoke."

The study comes as federal health officials continue to investigate a rise in lung illnesses linked to e-cigarette use. As of last week, the CDC said there were 805 confirmed and probable cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette use in 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. At least sixteen deaths have now been linked to e-cigarette use.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently warned in a private-industry notification (PIN) that companies could be vulnerable to attacks that bypass multi-factor authentication systems, ZDNet reports. 

“The FBI has observed cyber actors circumventing multi-factor authentication through common social-engineering and technical attacks,” the agency said in a September advisory. “The primary methods are social-engineering attacks which attack the users, and technical attacks which target Web code.”

The FBI offered several examples of techniques used by attackers. In one instance, a malicious actor would use stolen credentials to bypass a bank’s two-factor authentication system.  

“When reaching the secondary page where the customer would normally need to enter a PIN and answer a security question, the attacker entered a manipulated string into the Web URL setting the computer as one recognized on the account,” the FBI said. “This allowed him to bypass the PIN and security-question pages and initiate wire transfers from the victims’ accounts.”

Using SIM cards

SIM swapping tactics have also been observed by the FBI. For this technique, an attacker using a stolen phone number would dupe a company’s customer service representative into providing additional information needed to execute the swap. 

“Once the attacker had control over the customers’ phone numbers, he called the bank to request a wire transfer from the victims’ accounts to another account he owned,” the FBI said. “The bank, recognizing the phone number as belonging to the customer, did not ask for full security questions but requested a one-time code sent to the phone number from which he was calling. He also requested to change PINs and passwords and was able to attach victims’ credit card numbers to a mobile-payment application.”

The FBI stressed in its advisory, however, that multi-factor authentication “continues to be a strong and effective security measure to protect online accounts as long as users take precautions to ensure they do not fall victim to these attacks.” 

Microsoft has published a resource detailing different MFA solutions and compared how well each solution protects against MFA-bypass attacks. ZDNet notes that the solutions listed at the bottom of the table on this page are the most effective.

As part of a plan to revive its business, Toys “R” Us has relaunched its website in partnership with Target. Shoppers using the site will be redirected to Target’s website to complete their purchase after clicking “Buy.” 

Richard Barry, CEO of Toys "R" Us parent Tru Kids, told CNBC that Target was chosen to power the latest iteration of its website because of its strong supply chain and clear “understanding of the [toy] category.”

“We spoke to a lot of different folks as we went through this process,” Barry said. “What inspired me about Target was their investment in the category.”

Online shopping benefits

The new ToysRUs.com, which went live on Tuesday, displays toy reviews suggested gift guides, videos, and printable activities. 

Consumers who make a purchase through the website will be able to take advantage of some of the benefits offered by Target, including free two-day shipping, same-day curbside or store order pickup, same-day delivery with Shipt, Target Circle loyalty benefits, easy in-store returns, and 5 percent off when using a Target REDcard. 

“With Target's same-day pick-up and delivery options, Toys’R’Us customers will be able to get their online purchases faster than ever – an online order can be ready for pickup or delivery to most U.S. households in as soon as one hour,” the company said in a statement.

The relaunch of Toys ‘R’ Us’ website comes more than a year after the retailer was forced to close all of its stores. Earlier this year, the chain announced a plan to revitalize its business and re-open some stores in the U.S. 

Toys "R" Us’ parent company, Tru Kids, is planning to open two new stores in the U.S. this holiday season -- one in Houston, Texas and another in Paramus, New Jersey. The first stores will be smaller than the original Toys “R” Us stores, at 6,500 square feet compared to 30,000 under the previous format. 

"We have an incredible opportunity to entirely reimagine the Toys "R" Us brand in the US," Barry said in a statement in July.

With wearable wellness tech on a meteoric rise -- currently at 825.9 million users and growing by close to 10 percent each year -- consumers are going to see more and more marriages of convenience between health insurers and tech companies. 

Enter Devoted Health, a start-up insurer focused on the private Medicare plan market. CNBC reports that Devoted Health will become the first health insurer with private Medicare plans to offer a discounted Apple Watch as a benefit.

For some, the Apple Watch is already a lifesaver -- literally. And thanks to a wearable’s capability of tracking, analyzing, and, soon, sharing health information with physicians, it’s a product primed to move from trend to essential.

“In various parts of the country, there are local examples of organizations dramatically improving healthcare outcomes and bringing down costs,” said Bill Frist, a medical doctor, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, and member of Devoted’s board. "What makes Devoted so exciting is that they have the team, operating model, technology, and capital to scale this kind of performance nationwide."

And when Frist says Devoted has the capital, he’s serious. Already ponying up with $300 million is Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm whose portfolio holdings have included Skype, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

The win-win

The Apple-Devoted Health partnership has the potential for both companies to reap some rewards. 

For Apple, the move can put it further ahead of FitBit in the fitness wearables race. For Devoted Health, it allows the company to start claiming its original goal of becoming “a new model of health care: a tech-enabled ‘payvidor’” -- a healthcare company that has the technology infrastructure to evolve quickly. 

Medtech nuances that Devoted already has in play are tele-visits for urgent care and arranging for transportation to and from medical appointments.

Devoted has the game to themselves -- for now

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Mindy Payne Farnsley, a benefits specialist with Preferred Benefits, who confirmed that Devoted seems to be the leading -- and only -- dog in this race at the moment.

“As far as Medicare, I am not seeing anyone jumping on the train yet with certain devices on the Medicare side,” Farnsley told ConsumerAffairs. 

“Humana does incorporate their Go 365 Wellness program on their Medicare Advantage Plans that does allow the member to track their activity and be rewarded for it like they do on commercial group side. I hope to see more carriers jump on board with these type of programs in the future. Apple does a deal with Aetna but again it is only the commercial group side.”

A new study conducted by researchers from Penn State found that high fevers could be a sign of infection for young infants. The team says that parents should take necessary precautions to mitigate these risks. 

“Parents bring children of all ages to the emergency room with high fevers because they are concerned and it can be uncomfortable for the children,” said researcher Dr. Joshua Davis. “Fever height isn’t as concerning in older children, because their bodies are more equipped to fight off serious bacterial infections.” 

Monitoring temperature

The researchers analyzed results from over 4,800 infants by utilizing data from the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network, . 

For the purposes of the study, the researchers focused on three specific criteria for infants who had one recorded fever to see if any would have on effect on their likelihood of later developing an infection. These included the location of where the temperature was taken, what the temperature was, and how long the fever lasted. 

The researchers classified any temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit as a fever, with anything under that figure just considered a higher temperature and not cause for concern. 

The study revealed that of the three factors tested, only the reading on the thermometer was associated with an increased risk of bacterial infection. The findings showed that over 20 percent of infants with higher fevers later developed this type of infection. Conversely, just over nine percent of infants who had temperatures under the 100.4 degrees benchmark were diagnosed with bacterial infections. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that these findings can play a role in how infants are treated in hospitals, as typically invasive, painful procedures are needed to test for bacterial infections. While Dr. Davis explained that a fever “isn’t enough to rule in or out of a serious bacterial infection,” it is certainly a viable avenue for physicians to explore before moving to more serious measures. 

“Young infants have underdeveloped immune systems and are susceptible to infection,” said Dr. Davis. “Those with serious bacterial infections can experience a rapid decline in their condition if they are not diagnosed within an appropriate amount of time.”  

In an effort to catch colorectal cancer as early as possible, many physicians begin testing patients on a regular basis when they reach age 50. 

Now, researchers have determined that this may not be the best method. They explain that those who aren’t at an increased risk of colorectal cancer could experience undue stress from the various testing methods, while the benefits from performing such tests are limited. 

“Based on benefits, harms, and burdens of screening, the panel inferred that most informed individuals with a 15-year risk of colorectal cancer of 3 percent or higher are likely to choose screening, and most individuals with a risk of below 3 percent are likely to decline screening,” wrote the panel of researchers. “Given varying values and preferences, optimal care will require shared decision making.” 

What are the benefits and harms of screening?

Age is one of the biggest risk factors for colorectal cancer. For many consumers, age 50 is when their physician recommends being screened for the disease on an annual or biannual basis, regardless of whether or not they possess any of the other risk factors. 

However, the researchers are calling into question the regularity with which older consumers are being tested for the disease, as the risk for colorectal cancer for the majority of consumers at age 50 is between one and two percent. 

In weighing the benefits and risks associated with screening patients for the disease, the experts determined that a three percent risk was the benchmark consumers should keep in mind; those who have a three percent risk or higher of developing colorectal cancer within 15 years should consult with their doctors about the best screening method for them. 

However, for those with less than a three percent risk, screening isn’t always necessary. Undergoing medical procedures can bring on a great deal of anxiety for many consumers, and patients are also exposing themselves to the risk of something going medically wrong during the screening process. When the risk of disease is low, these factors are completely avoidable by opting out of testing altogether. 

Ultimately, the researchers recommend patients consult with their doctors before making any concrete decisions to determine what route best suits their overall health as they approach their later years. 

The union representing pilots for Southwest Airlines has filed suit against Boeing, claiming problems with the 737 MAX 8 aircraft have resulted in lost wages.

The MAX aircraft was grounded in March after the second fatal accident in five months. The aircraft has remained grounded while Boeing attempts to develop an acceptable modification of the plane’s flight control software.

Out of all U.S. airlines, Southwest -- which flies the Boeing 737 aircraft exclusively -- has been most affected by the grounding of 737 MAX aircraft. Because flights using the aircraft have been canceled, the pilots claim they have lost $100 million in wages.

But in a statement, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) said it is not trying to put pressure on Boeing to recertify the aircraft as safe.

“As pilots, there is nothing more important to us than the safety of our passengers,” said Captain Jonathan L. Weaks, President of SWAPA. “We have to be able to trust Boeing to truthfully disclose the information we need to safely operate our aircraft. In the case of the 737 MAX, that absolutely did not happen.”

Southwest is the most affected airline

Southwest operates 34 737 MAX 8 jets, more than any other U.S. airline. It also has even more on order. The lawsuit claims that Southwest pilots agreed to fly the aircraft type based on Boeing’s assertions that the aircraft is safe. The union says those representations were false.

“Boeing’s errors cost the lives of 346 people, damaged the critical bond between pilots and passengers, and reduced opportunities for air travel across the United States and around the world,” the union said in a statement.

‘Meritless’

A Boeing spokesman called the lawsuit “meritless” and said the company will vigorously defend against it in court.

Boeing has come under increased pressure because of the two crashes and the resulting grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft type. But recent reports -- including one from the New York Times Magazine -- have suggested the two crashes were more likely the result of poor training of the flight crew. 

A recent Associated Press report cites a whistleblower who accuses Ethiopian Airlines, one of the carriers that lost a Boeing 737 MAX 8, of “a pattern of corruption that included fabricating documents, signing off on shoddy repairs and even beating those who got out of line.”

Recent turmoil in the financial markets has had an unexpected benefit for people hoping to buy a home and current homeowners who may want to refinance. Mortgage rates have dropped sharply in just the last few days.

While the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.75 percent in late September it dropped to  3.62 percent late last week. That might not sound like much of a decline but according to CNBC, it could save about $225 a month on a $300,000 mortgage.

That makes homes, which are still going up in price, a little more affordable than they might be otherwise. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) says that’s led to an uptick in mortgage applications.

“Borrowers responded to these lower rates, leading to a 14 percent increase in refinance applications," said Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of Economic and Industry Forecasting. "Although refinance activity slowed in September compared to August, the months together were the strongest since October 2016. The slight changes in rates are still causing large swings in refinance volume, and we expect this sensitivity to persist."

You can thank the stock market

The early October rout on Wall Street, which sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 800 points in just two sessions, may get some of the credit for lower mortgage rates. The sell-off sent Treasury bond yields lower, which in turn put downward pressure on mortgage rates since bond yields heavily influence the interest rate on mortgages.

The lower rates not only make a home purchase slightly more attractive; they also encourage homeowners to refinance their mortgages, giving them the opportunity to lower their monthly payment or take out some equity and keep their payment the same.

Mortgages News Daily reported this week that refinancing now makes sense for about 8 million homeowners due to the recent drop in mortgage rates . According to Credit Karma, refinancing an existing mortgage makes sense if you can lock in a rate that is 1 percent or more below your current rate.

More than 1 percent lower than a year ago

Consumers may be a good candidate for refinancing if they took out a mortgage last November. Just 11 months ago, the average fixed-rate 30-year mortgage had a 5 percent interest rate.

There are other considerations, including closing costs. Consumers might have to stay in their homes for another two years or more to recoup those costs with a lower rate. The lower the closing costs, of course, the more profitable it will be to refinance at a lower rate.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 10,655 model year 2020 Ford Explorers with 2.3-liter and 3.3-liter gas engines.

The wiring harness is not properly secured and may contact the air-conditioning pulley, resulting in a damaged wiring harness or damaged air-conditioning drive belt.

Over time, contact with the air-conditioning pulley may rub through the wiring harness insulation, creating the potential for contact with the unfused B+ circuit, resulting in a short circuit and possible fire.

Ford says it is not aware of any reports of accidents, injuries or fires.

What to do

The majority of affected vehicles are in dealer inventory. The issue will be remedied prior to delivery to customers.

Dealers will secure the wiring harness and repair any damage, if present.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's reference number for this recall is 19S32.

Daimler Vans USA (DVUSA) is recalling 52,004 model year 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles.

The screw connection on the upper hood catch may have been improperly tightened. As a result, factors such as the vehicle's speed, wind resistance and road conditions may cause the hood to open while the vehicle is being driven.

This can reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the screw connection, tightening it as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin November 1, 2019.

Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at (877) 762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3HAUBOSS.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is stepping up its warnings to consumers about using e-cigarettes to “vape” THC products derived from cannabis.

The FDA is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate a growing number of lung illnesses -- including deaths -- that appear to be linked to vaping certain products. 

“We're strengthening our message to the public in an updated consumer alert stating that they should not use vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of the cannabis plant,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless. 

“Additionally, consumers who choose to use any vaping products should not modify or add any substances such as THC or other oils to products purchased in stores and should not purchase any vaping products, including those containing THC, off the street or from other illicit channels.”

Last week, health officials in Virginia and New Jersey reported additional lung illness deaths that appear to be related to vaping. The deaths are part of hundreds of illnesses that have sent other consumers to the hospital.

E-cigarettes a common factor

The CDC said it knows for a fact that all patients used e-cigarettes or vaping devices prior to becoming ill; however, the exact cause of the illnesses is still under investigation.

“The specific chemical exposure(s) causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, remains unknown at this time,” the CDC said in a statement late last week. “No single product or substance has been linked to all lung injury cases.” 

Sharpless said the lung ailments are at the center of what he called a complex, ongoing, and evolving investigation. The FDA is conducting its own analyses while also reviewing published literature of third-party analyses of samples and data.

“At this time, the FDA does not have enough data to identify the cause, or causes, of the lung injuries in these cases,” Sharpless said. “Additionally, while no one compound or ingredient has emerged as a singular culprit, we do know that THC is present in most of the samples being tested.”

Stop now

The amount of uncertainty linked to these illnesses is largely why the health agency has asked consumers to immediately stop using vaping products that contain THC or that have had any substances added to them, including those purchased from retail establishments. 

“Simply put, inhaling harmful contaminants in the lungs could put a patient's health at risk and should be avoided,” Sharpless said. 

Last month, the FDA said it suspected a chemical present in many varieties of marijuana liquid vaping products may be the underlying cause of some of the lung illnesses. Most patients reported vaping THC before becoming ill. At present, no single vaping product or ingredient has been found to have been involved in all of the cases. 

“For those who choose to continue the use of vaping products, particularly those containing THC, we urge you to monitor for symptoms and promptly seek medical attention if you have concerns about your health,” Sharpless said.