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Atorvastatin pills may not dissolve properly, reducing effectiveness

Nearly 142,000 bottles of atorvastatin calcium tablets recalled nationwide
Faulty dissolution may limit drug absorption and cholesterol control
Seniors urged to check bottles and consult doctors before stopping medication

Pills may not deliver full benefit

The Food and Drug Administration has announced a nationwide recall of atorvastatin calcium tablets, a generic version of the widely used cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor, after lab tests showed the pills may not dissolve properly potentially reducing their effectiveness.

The recall covers multiple strengths (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg) and approximately 141,984 bottles distributed by Ascend Laboratories, LLC, and manufactured by Alkem Laboratories, Ltd. in India. The issue affects bottles with expiry dates ranging from mid-2026 to early 2027.

Regulators said a large quantity of the tablets failed to meet dissolution specifications, meaning the pills did not break down as expected in lab testing. As a result, the body may absorb less of the active ingredient, lowering the drugs cholesterol-fighting impact.

The FDA classified the incident as a Class II recall, indicating that while serious harm is unlikely, temporary or medically reversible health effects are possible.

Why seniors are at greater risk

Older adults are among the most frequent users of statin therapy, and experts warn that any loss of potency in atorvastatin could undermine cardiovascular protection:

• High reliance on statins: Many seniors use atorvastatin to lower cholesterol, reduce plaque buildup, and prevent heart attacks or strokes. If the drug doesnt dissolve properly, the risk of heart events could rise.

• Compounded health factors: Seniors often take multiple medications. An underperforming statin could complicate treatment plans and increase the need for closer monitoring.

• Silent danger: Because cholesterol control doesnt produce immediate symptoms, patients might not realize their medication isnt working until a major event occurs.

• Prescription confusion: Those using mail-order refills or multiple pharmacies may need to double-check bottles for affected lot numbers and NDC codes.

What to do if your tablets are affected

Health officials stress that patients should not stop taking their statin without first consulting a healthcare provider.

• Check your bottle: Compare your medications lot number and expiration date against the recall list, available through pharmacies and the FDA website.

• Consult your doctor or pharmacist: If your bottle is part of the recall, ask for a replacement or alternative statin from a different manufacturer.

• Continue monitoring: Keep watch for symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath and report changes promptly.

• Keep records: Maintain a simple list of your medications, manufacturers, and refill dates to make future recalls easier to verify.

A quiet but serious issue

While this recall is not considered a medical emergency, it highlights a critical vulnerability in generic drug quality control and a reminder for millions of seniors who depend on statins to verify that their medication is working as intended.

For full recall details, consumers can review the FDA notice or the official Ascend Laboratories recall letter available through state pharmacy boards and the companys website.

However, there are some things you can do about it

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Higher fuel and infrastructure costs are driving up electricity and gas prices nationwide.

• Extreme weather and aging grids are forcing utilities to invest heavily in upgrades and repairs.

• Consumers can offset rising bills through energy efficiency, smart usage habits, and new incentive programs.

Across much of the country, utility customers are opening their monthly bills to find higher charges sometimes much higher than last year. The reason isnt a simple one, but rather a combination of economic pressures, infrastructure challenges, and climate realities that are reshaping how utilities deliver power.

1. Fuel costs are soaring

At the heart of the price hikes are higher costs for the fuels that generate most of our electricity natural gas, coal, and oil. Global demand for energy remains strong, and geopolitical tensions have disrupted supply chains. Even as renewable energy grows, the U.S. grid still relies heavily on natural gas plants to meet daily demand. When the cost of fuel rises, those increases often get passed along to consumers through rate adjustments approved by state regulators.

2. Climate impacts and grid upgrades

Extreme weather from hurricanes and wildfires to heat waves is battering energy infrastructure more often. Utilities are responding by investing billions in grid modernization: hardening power lines, building new substations, and improving energy storage. These upgrades are necessary to prevent outages and maintain reliability, but they also drive up operational costs that end up on consumer bills.

3. Inflation and labor costs

Beyond fuel, inflation has affected everything from the cost of transformers and copper wire to labor and transportation. Construction and maintenance projects that once cost millions now require much more funding. Since utilities operate under regulated profit structures, they typically seek permission from state utility commissions to raise rates and recover those costs over time.

What consumers can do

While no single household can reverse national energy trends, there are ways to ease the impact:

• Energy audits: Many utilities offer free or discounted home energy assessments to identify waste.

• Efficiency upgrades: LED lighting, smart thermostats, and improved insulation can lower usage significantly.

• Off-peak habits: Running dishwashers or laundry at night can reduce bills if youre on time-of-use rates.

• Renewable programs: Community solar or green power programs let consumers support cleaner energy, sometimes at lower costs.

In short, utility rates are rising because companies are being squeezed by the same economic and environmental forces affecting everyone else higher costs, volatile fuel markets, and a changing climate. The investments being made today may lead to a more reliable and cleaner energy system in the future, but for now, consumers are bearing much of the cost.

Attorney General Ken Paxton echoes Trumps unproven claims linking drug to autism

Paxton accuses Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue of hiding safety risks
Suit follows Trumps statements that Tylenol use in pregnancy causes autism
Medical experts say science remains inconclusive and warnings could harm maternal care

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, the makers of Tylenol, alleging that the companies concealed potential risks of the drugs use during pregnancy on childrens brain development.

The lawsuit claims the companies knowingly withheld evidence linking acetaminophen, Tylenols active ingredient, to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A.D.H.D.). It also asserts that Johnson & Johnson spun off Kenvue in 2023 to shield itself from liability related to the drug.

The case echoes claims made by President Trumpthat Tylenol use in pregnancy could cause autism.

Scientific debate and political overtones

Medical experts and regulators say there is no proven causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. While some studies have shown correlations, others have found no connection once factors like genetics and maternal health are considered.

A recent scientific review from Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Mount Sinai found that more than half of 46 studies showed a correlation but none proved causation. Major health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, have concluded that the evidence remains inconclusive.

The FDA recently announced it was considering adding a label warning about possible neurodevelopmental effects, a move Kenvue said it would oppose.

We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims, said Melissa Witt, a spokeswoman for Kenvue, in a New York Times report. We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen.

Public health officials warn that spreading fear about Tylenol could have unintended consequences. Medical groups note that acetaminophen is often the only safe pain reliever during pregnancy, particularly for treating high fevers that could endanger both mother and baby.

While hundreds of families nationwide have sued the companies over similar claims, federal courts have largely dismissed the cases for lack of scientific proof. Paxtons new case filed in a conservative Texas county takes a different approach, focusing on alleged consumer deception under state law.

Households dilute cleaners, cut detergent use and even buy half a cow to save money

Consumers find creative ways to stretch every dollar amid inflation fatigue
Companies like Procter & Gamble report lower sales as shoppers use less
Many say the frugality is here to stay even if prices eventually fall

A new wave of household thrift

Saddled with ever-rising grocery and cleaning costs, a consumer in Mississippi began adding water to her Dawn dish liquid and Clorox floor cleaner, and switched to refillable bottles so she could stretch her supplies further. She even considered watering down her Sensodyne toothpaste, but drew the line instead squeezing out every last bit.

She is part of a growing number of Americans embracing creative frugality diluting products, cutting doses, and shopping secondhand to cope with stubbornly high prices. From Facebook Marketplace to backyard gardens, many are finding ways to reduce what they buy rather than simply switching to cheaper brands.

Companies feel the pinch

The shift is starting to show up in corporate earnings. Procter & Gamble reported a 2% volume decline in its home and fabric care division last quarter, which includes brands like Tide, Dawn and Swiffer. But private-label brands havent seen a matching bump meaning consumers arent just trading down, theyre using less overall.

Consumers are a little bit more cautious, said Andre Schulten, P&Gs chief financial officer, in a Wall Street Journal story highlighting the shift to household frugality.They are trying to be more thoughtful on usage.

Schulten said the behavior reflects paycheck-to-paycheck stress. Consumers who want to make it to the next paycheck tend to squeeze a bit more out of the bottle, or skimp a little bit on dosing.

Making it last longer

In Virginia Beach, a Navy veteran abandoned Tide Pods in favor of generic laundry powder and uses half the recommended amount, boosting it with vinegar. He dilutes his dish soap, buys Febreze overstock on Facebook Marketplace, and recently purchased half a cow from a North Carolina farmer for $2,500 about 300 pounds of beef to last two years.

Ive realized you dont need as much as you think, he said. There are so many ways to make the suds stretch further.

In Atlanta, an entrepreneur grows okra, kale and broccoli in her backyard to feed her family. Shes trading down from Publix to Aldi, swapping Iams for store-brand dog food and even mixing in cat food when stretching the last bag.

Frugality as a long-term habit

While companies like P&G expect thriftiness to fade once inflation cools, many consumers say the habit is sticking. One person quoted in the WSJ report said she has cut her familys grocery bill by more than $400 a month, to $1,265 from a July peak of $1,696.

Her daughters are banned from grocery runs and from doing laundry. She now monitors Tide powder in a glass jar, using one scoop per load instead of two, and even splits paper towels in half for packed lunches.

Whether inflation stays high or not, Americas new thrift economy one diluted bottle at a time seems likely to last.

But oil prices are also higher, pulling the average gas price back to $3 a gallon

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The national average price for regular gasoline rose 2.5 cents last week to $3.00 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data.

• Diesel prices climbed 4.7 cents to $3.64 per gallon, marking a continued upward trend.

• A refinery fire in the Midwest and new U.S. sanctions on Russia contributed to higher fuel costs.

After weeks of relative calm at the pump, U.S. drivers are seeing gas prices tick upward once again. However, the price increase was largely confined to one region.

The national average price for regular gasoline increased by 2.5 cents per gallon over the past week, reaching $3.00, according to GasBuddys survey of more than 150,000 stations nationwide. Despite the rise, prices remain 10.8 cents lower than a month ago and 7.4 cents below where they stood at this time last year.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said the increase was largely driven by a refinery fire in the Midwest, which temporarily disrupted supply and sent wholesale gasoline prices soaring in the region.

While the spike in prices in affected areas was significant, relief is likely in the weeks ahead as the situation stabilizes, De Haan noted in the companys blog.

He added that a potential U.S.-China trade deal could temporarily buoy oil prices.

Optimism about increased trade could keep the national average slightly above the $3 mark for a couple more weeks before dipping below $3 ahead of Thanksgiving, De Haan said.

Global factors push oil prices higher

Oil prices also edged higher last week after President Trump imposed new sanctions on Russia, prompting major buyers like China and India to reduce imports. The result: tighter global supply and solid gains for crude.

At the start of the week, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 3 cents to $61.53 per barrel, up sharply from $57.03 a week ago. Brent crude followed suit, rising to $65.96 per barrel from $60.72.

UBS commodities analyst Giovanni Staunovo said the full impact will depend on whether countries like India and Turkey cut their purchases of Russian oil and how quickly Russia finds alternative buyers.

Supplies tighten

The latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report showed modest drawdowns across key fuel inventories. Oil stockpiles dropped by 1 million barrels and now sit about 4% below typical seasonal levels. Gasoline inventories fell by 2.1 million barrels, while distillates (including diesel and heating oil) dropped by 1.5 million barrels.

Refinery utilization rose to 88.6%, but gasoline demand slipped slightly to 8.45 million barrels per day a sign that consumers may already be adjusting to higher prices.

The most common gas price nationwide is $2.89 per gallon, unchanged from last week, while the median price climbed to $2.87. Some drivers are paying much more the top 10% of U.S. stations are averaging $4.38 per gallon, compared to $2.41 at the cheapest 10%.

Lowest state averages:

• Mississippi: $2.54

• Louisiana: $2.56

• Oklahoma: $2.57

Highest state averages:

• California: $4.55

• Hawaii: $4.43

• Washington: $4.29

Michigan saw the largest weekly spike (+16.6), while Ohio drivers enjoyed the biggest drop (-12).

While geopolitical tensions and refinery disruptions are keeping prices elevated for now, analysts expect a modest retreat in the coming weeks. As refinery operations stabilize and seasonal demand wanes, motorists could see prices fall back below $3 per gallon before the Thanksgiving travel rush.