Archive for February 6th, 2009
Women’s prescription vitamins in voluntary recall
(CNS): A significant number of prescription prenatal vitamin products manufactured by Ethex Corporation have been recalled. The Cayman Islands Medical Officer of Health, Dr Kiran Kumar, said he is alerting consumers of the voluntary recall, which includes a wide range of vitamins, because the products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice.
Ethex Corporation is a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceutical Company in the United States. According to a statement issued by the company, persons who may have these products in their possession should continue to take them in accordance with their prescriptions as the risk of suddenly stopping needed medications may place patients at risk. Anyone who experience any problems that may be related to taking or using any prenatal products manufactured by Ethex Corporation should immediately contact their physician.
The recall announcement is posted on www.kvpharmaceutical.com
The list of Prescription Prenatal Vitamin and Iron supplement Products being recalled is as follows:
Advanced NatalCare® Tablets
Advanced-RF NatalCare® Tablets
Cal-Nate™ Tablets
CareNatal™ DHA Tablets
ComBgen Tablets
ComBiRx™Tablets
NataCaps Capsules
NatalCare Gloss Tablets
NatalCare PIC Tablets
NatalCare PIC Forte Tablets
NatalCare Plus Tablets
NatalCare Rx Tablets
NatalCare Three Tablets
NataTab FA Tablets
NataTab RX Tablets
NutriNate® Chewable Tablets
NutriSpire™ Tablets
Prenatal MR 90 FE Tablets
Prenatal MTR w/Selinium Tablets
Prenatal Rx 1 Tablets
Prenatal Z, Advanced Formula Tablets
Ultra NatalCare Tablets
Anemagen Caplets
Anemagen Forte Caplets
Conison™ Capsules
Fe-Tinic™ 150 Forte Capsule
UK agrees on Constitution
(CNS): Updated Friday 1:55pm. The UK government has agreed to most of constitutional proposals presented by the Cayman delegation. Gillian Merron said today that she welcomes the draft constitution for the Cayman Islands. The UK Foreign Office Minister for Overseas Territories said she was delighted over what she described as the successful conclusion of the Cayman Islands Constitutional Talks. The third and final round of negotiations with the UK and the Cayman delegation took place in London this week chaired and hosted by Merron.
“I am delighted that we have been able to work together to produce a draft new constitution for the people of the Cayman Islands, for whom this will be an important step forward,” Merron added. Despite the controversy and concerns of the Human Rights Committee on the limitations to the Bill of Rights Merron said she welcomed its inclusion as a first step in raising awareness of and strengthening respect for and the protection of human rights. “I congratulate the Cayman Islands delegation on their determination to secure the best deal for the people of the Cayman Islands, whilst retaining their links to theUK,” she said.
“Finally, after what has been a tortuous eight year struggle, we have a draft constitution which has been approved by the UK and, except for the HRC, by all stakeholders at the table. It will provide a modern constitutional framework which will serve Cayman well for many years to come,” he said.
He added that the late and controversial proposal by the opposition to constitutionalise a hiatus for senior civil servants leaving their post to run for elected office had been removed, not least because of the strong written representation by the Civil Service Association and the opposition’s agreement to withdraw the provision.
“We pretty much got what we asked for in the end,” McLaughlin said. “And more importantly, this is not a government document, this is as a joint effort. The opposition has contributed widely to the provisions in the document as have the other stakeholders.” He explained that they had succeeded in ensuring that an opposition member will also form part of the National Security Council (NSC), among other concessions.
He explained that yesterday’s talks began with just three outstanding issues — the bill of rights, the power of the NSC and the issue of consulting the CI government over the governor’s appointment. McLaughlin said that while the UK would not agree to consultation over the governor it was not something that the negotiations would have hung on.
“We got agreement that the Security Council would have decision making powers unless it would prejudice the UK,” he said, explaining that the council would be concerned with policy and governance of the police, not day to day operational issues or personnel.
He reported that Gillian Merron, the Overseas Territories Minister who chaired the talks, said it was quite clear that Cayman had worked very hard to create a unique bill of rights that met with the UK’s expectations and obligations but was a reflection of Caymanian concerns. Merron said it met the UK’s minimum expectations and in some cases exceeded them.
However, McLaughlin did acknowledge that the HRC still had very deep concerns about the non-discrimination clause in the bill, which was the only right which would not stand alone but apply only to the constitution. He said they also disagreed with the decision that the bill of rights is to be adopted with a preamble and with language that is to guarantee a wide range of citizen rights without specifying rights based on sexual orientation.
“Sarah Collins made a passionate and powerful submission,” McLaughlin said, adding that Merron noted the HRC’s valid concerns but pointed out that it was a first step and it opened the possibility for advancement in the future once a human rights culture had developed in the Cayman Islands.
According to reports in other media, Leader of the Opposition McKeeva Bush, although agreeing to the document, has said he did not think that it was the best deal for Cayman.
The final agreed document is expected to arrive on island sometime next week and will go before the people of the Cayman Islands at a referendum in May