By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist A drug used to treat moderate or severe cases of Alzheimer’s disease should be removed from the market immediately because of its risk of serious adverse effects and its lack of effectiveness, Public Citizen and a geriatrician from Johns Hopkins said in a petition... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist Jesse Willms and 10 companies he controls allegedly raked in more than $450 million from consumers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand by luring them into "free" or "risk-free" offers, and then charging them for products and services... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist It’s a consumer topic that has great interest for me – how to find a cheap airline ticket. My last post was about a survey Consumer Reports conducted of nearly 15,000 of its readers on airline service. Along with the survey, Consumer Reports offers... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist Comfort issues and excessive fees are sore points for air travelers and are among the major reasons many are traveling less, according to a survey of nearly 15,000 passengers by Consumer Reports. Eight of the 10 major airlines that Consumer Reports readers rated received... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist Consumers shouldn’t use some "metoo" clip-on table top chairs imported by phil&teds USA, because they put young children at risk of serious injury due to several safety hazards, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns in a statement. The commission is urging consumers to... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist About 317,000 light bulbs are being recalled by Telstar Products, doing business as Sprint International Inc. The light bulbs can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Telstar Products has received two reports of fires. In one, the fire was contained to the light... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep? Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week: My best: Getting a refund from IKEA Since I’m having company this summer, I ordered a day... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist A coalition of consumer, health, and safety groups today called on Congress to reject a bill that would diminish the effectiveness of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a law that keeps unsafe toys and products off the shelves. Passed in 2008, the act... Read more →

By Lou Carlozo, Guest Blogger Green Dad Columnist for dealnews The Kelley Blue Book folks have just named their Top 10 Green Cars for the 2011 calendar year, a seeming boon for drivers seeking eco-friendly automotive alternatives. But if you’re anything like me, you might think it’s not easy being... Read more →

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist One World Technologies Inc. is recalling about 300,000 Ryobi ¼ sheet sanders Pieces of the fan can break off from the fan assembly and be ejected from the product, posing a laceration hazard to consumers, One World Technologies said in a joint statement with... Read more →