Bridgett Brown, a resident of California, developed breast cancer from using brand-name and generic versions of the antipsychotics Risperdal (risperidone) and Zyprexa (olanzapine) says a bold new lawsuit from the Wisner Baum law firm.

Neither Brown or her two prescribing physicians knew or “had reason to know” that the drugs could cause breast cancer since the drug manufacturers “obfuscated and disclaimed such risks while promoting these dangerous, expensive drugs over safer, more affordable alternatives.”

Brown suffered disfigurement, physical injury, pain and emotional distress and demands a jury trial, says the suit. Drug giants Johnson & Johnson or J&J (who marketed Risperdal) and Eli Lilly (who marketed Zyprexa) are among the suit’s major defendants along with J&J subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals (who marketed Risperdal) and Lilly German partner Cheplapharm Arzneimittel Gmbh.

Off-Label Prescriptions Versus Off-Label Marketing

This article first appeared on Reel Time with Richard

While much of the world is rightfully concerned about what’s going on in Gaza, the northeast African country of Sudan may be the site of even greater misery, if only because its population is far larger. After years of dictatorships, military coups, rebellion and civil war, its people—those who haven’t fled—find life a daily struggle.

The documentary Sudan, Remember Us is a record of the ways young Sudanese rebels tried to head off the current situation by fighting repression and pushing for change. These protesters are remarkable for the courage they display, but also for their creativity, as they often use poetry and other forms of art to make their points.

Written and directed by French-Tunisian filmmaker Hind Meddeb, the doc begins with scenes of military strife in Khartoum in 2023, representing the beginning of the civil war that still engulfs the country. It then flashes back four years to the spring of 2019, when a rebellion has ended the long reign of dictator Omar Al-Bashir.

State Rep. Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) will be hosting a Prevent, Listen, Act, Navigate (P.L.A.N.) town hall with several other state legislators Tuesday, August 19th at 9:15am at the Hilltop Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. This event engages community members in a conversation about gun violence, firearm safety, survivor support, and legislative actions.

Also planning to attend are State Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus), State Rep. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus), and State Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus). 

The P.L.A.N. Ohio initiative aims to:

• Prevent gun violence through education and firearm safety.
• Listen to what the community needs when it comes to life-saving trauma response techniques.
• Act through advocacy and civic engagement; and
• Navigate resources for mental health, youth programming, and victim support.

House Democrats are hosting P.L.A.N. Ohio events across Ohio to help spread awareness about gun violence, provide resources for constituents, and create safer communities for all Ohioans.

P.L.A.N. Ohio events are free and open to the public.