AG Paxton Announces $116.9 Million Multistate Settlement with Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon, Inc. for Deceptive Marketing of Surgical Mesh Medical Devices

AUSTIN, Texas — Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced a $116.9 million multistate settlement with Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc. for deceptively marketing transvaginal surgical mesh devices. Under the settlement, Texas will receive $8,881,481.36.


The settlement was reached after a multistate investigation, launched in 2012, found that the companies failed to adequately disclose the products’ possible side effects, which include the risk of chronic pain and inflammation, mesh erosion through the vagina, incontinence developing after surgery, painful sexual relations, and vaginal scarring. Injunctive relief was also provided in the settlement requiring full disclosure of the device’s risks to patients and medical professionals.


The multistate investigation also revealed that the companies were fully aware of possible serious

Feds announcing record lead-based paint reduction grant to Houston Health Department

FEDS ANNOUNCING RECORD LEAD-BASED PAINT REDUCTION GRANT TO HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT

WHAT: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development joins the Houston Health Department to announce a record federal grant to address lead-based paint in low-income Houston neighborhoods.

WHEN: Monday, Oct. 21, 2019 2 p.m.

WHERE: 1620 Chew Street in Houston (Home recently made lead safe.)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Hundreds more Houston homes will be made lead safe thanks to a new grant awarded to the Houston Health Department. The grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the largest the federal agency has ever awarded to a local health department for home lead-based paint hazard reduction.

Contact: Scott Packard Office: 832-393-5045 Mobile: 281-254-6403 Scott.Packard@houstontx.gov Porfirio Villarreal Office: 832-393-5041 Mobile: 713-826-5695 Porfirio.Villarreal@houstontx.gov

Pet Talk: Genetic Testing for Dogs

COLLEGE STATION, Oct. 18, 2019 – Mail-in genetic test kits are a health trend that claim to offer users remarkable access to individualized information on their health at a molecular level. You may know that a sample of saliva can reveal the secrets of your genetic code, but did you know that such kits can do the same for your dog?

These genetic tests for dogs allow pet owners to trade a sample of their pooch’s saliva for information on the pet’s breed, ancestry, health risks, and more. The concept may seem like it’s straight out of a science fiction novel, but these services are readily available at pet supply stores and online.

Dr. Gus Cothran, a professor emeritus at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVM), explains the benefits and drawbacks of such tests.

“Pet owners should always be cautious, as these tests do not actually address specific health issues

First Lady Cecilia Abbott Honored With Les Femme Du Monde Woman Of The Year Award

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott was honored yesterday evening in Dallas at the Les Femme du Monde (LFDM) Woman of the Year Award Dinner, where the organization celebrated the First Lady's charitable works and service to the state of Texas. In accepting her award, the First Lady spoke on the importance of helping others in need, and shared inspiring stories of young Texans who are leading the way in giving back through volunteerism and service. 


"I am honored to receive this award, and so grateful for the important work of Les Femme de Monde throughout the Dallas community," the First Lady said. "My hope is that by your leadership, and by the gifts you share of your hearts and hands, that you will inspire others to answer the call to service, to volunteer, and to give back. As Texans, the blessings we have are many -- and they are multiplied when we share those blessings with others."


In 2016, the First Lady launched "Texanthropy," an initiative that promotes volunteerism and service to others. The initiative also highlights entities and individuals all across Texas who are working to make our state a better place through volunteerism. Read more about Texanthropy.


Les Femme Du Monde is a women’s organization that works with the World Affairs Council (WAC) of Dallas. The organization raises money to support youth programs through WAC Dallas and the Children’s Hospital of Dallas Child Life Program.

Mars Once Had Salt Lakes Similar To Earth

Texas A&M researchers found that Mars has undergone wet and dry periods and salt lakes formed similar to some found in South America. Read on Texas A&M Today

COLLEGE STATION, Oct. 14, 2019 – Mars once had salt lakes that are similar to those on Earth and has gone through wet and dry periods, according to an international team of scientists that includes a Texas A&M University College of Geosciences researcher.

Marion Nachon, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at Texas A&M, and colleagues have had their work published in the current issue of Nature Geoscience.

The team examined Mars’ geological terrains from Gale Crater, an immense 95-mile-wide rocky basin that is being explored with the NASA Curiosity rover since 2012 as part of the MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) mission.

The results show that the lake that was present in Gale Crater over 3 billion years ago underwent a

Medicare recipients eligible for free benefits counseling from Area Agency on Aging

Open enrollment for 2020 begins October 15

Houston, Texas - Medicare beneficiaries reviewing their 2020 health and prescription drug plan options can get free help from benefits counselors with the Harris County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a division of the Houston Health Department.

Medicare open enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7. It is a period for beneficiaries to compare all their Medicare options and make changes to their health or prescription drug coverage for the following year.

“Mulling over the wide range of Medicare health care options can seem quite daunting to some seniors and people with disabilities, said Rose Ortega, a benefits counselor with AAA. “Guiding them as they evaluate their options can help them find the Medicare plans that better suit their health needs.”

Open enrollment for most beneficiaries may be the only time they can make changes to their Medicare coverage. They can:

change their Medicare health or prescription drug coverage for 2020;
decide which plan will meet their needs for 2020;
check for changes in their plan such as costs;
check drug coverage; and
check if they will be able to see their preferred doctor or pharmacy.
Medicare beneficiaries or their legal representatives can obtain benefits counseling or more information by calling AAA’s call center at 832-393-4301.

Benefits counselors do not recommend or endorse any specific insurance product, insurance company or plan. They provide information and advice so beneficiaries can make their own decisions.

People can enroll in Medicare if they are 65 or older, under 65 and have a disability or have either end-stage renal disease or ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease.

New coverage begins January 1.

DART Agrees to Shuttle Agreement with Richardson

Dallas, Texas - A three-year agreement with the City of Richardson for a Galatyn Park Station shuttle was approved on Tues., Oct. 8, by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

Providing a last-mile connection, the agreement calls for a shuttle from DART's Galatyn Park Station to the Crescent Palisades Employment District that serves the surrounding industrial park areas, corporate offices, entertainment and residential housing, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Service currently supports 118 weekday riders, but the area is going through accelerated development that includes mixed business, entertainment and residential.

Originally created by a private business, the shuttle was eventually taken over by the city. DART has been a funding partner with Richardson since 2008.