Before becoming LegalReader's Editor-in-Chief, Jay W. Belle Isle worked as a freelance copywriter with clients on four continents. Jay has a degree in Business Administration from Cleary University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Jay has also worked as a contracts administrator for a DOD contractor specializing in vehicle armor.
7/20/2015 Last Thursday, the EEOC ruled that LGBTQ employees are protected against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission based its ruling on current federal law. This rights the wrong that 28 states and the federal government have no such laws in place. In 2012, the EEOC ruled that workplace
7/13/2015 The newest generation of anti-coagulants may free patients from the dietary restrictions and regular blood test required by Warfarin, but they present great risks for bleeding events. Unlike Warfarin, these drugs do not have an antidote to stop these life-threatening events. Until, possibly, now. Portola, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer have teamed up to create
7/10/2015 Another drug has hit the lawsuit trail for horrific side effects and manufacturer failure to warn. I just published a piece on Zithromax and SJS and now, Dilantin (generic Phenytoin) is on the hook for the same issue – causing Stevens Johnson Syndrome. It’s yet one more case of a drug potentially doing more
7/9/2015 It was only a matter of time before the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) spoke out on the issue of taking SSRI antidepressants while pregnant and birth defects. The CDC found causal link between SSRIs and birth defects. The study, led by Jennita Reefhuis, an epidemiologist in the birth defects branch of the CDC,
7/9/2015 U.S. District Judge Robert Kugler in New Jersey will handle 70 Benicar lawsuits centralized in MDL. Many people taking the blood pressure medication Benicar have filed suit claiming they’ve suffered harmful side effects such as chronic diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems. The plaintiffs claim that Benicar’s makers, Daiich Sankyo and Forest Laboratories, failed to
7/6/2015 Two Georgia warehouse workers recently made history as plaintiffs in what is believed to be the first case to go to trial under the 2008 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). Dubbed “the mystery of the devious defecator” by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg, the case revolved around the illegal testing of two employees after
7/6/2015 One of the most popular antibiotics on the market may also be one of the most dangerous. Zithromax’ unbelievably short prescription length (three days!), as well as its efficacy in treating bacterial infections such as pneumonia, tonsillitis and ear infections, is behind that popularity. However, it turns out the Z-pak is a fast but
7/6/2015 GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the biggest of the Big Pharma in the U.K., is trying to break its habit of buying doctors in the wake of a $3B settlement over its sales and marketing practices. Yet despite its sincere efforts, the company still paid U.S. doctors around $15M to learn about and promote its drugs in
6/26/2015 “Gay” marriage is dead! The Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled today on what is the most impactful civil rights issue of my lifetime. In a 5-4 split, the SCOTUS ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutionally protected right. “Gay” marriage is dead! Why not “Gay marriage is now legal!”? Simply
6/25/2015 Judge Raymond M. Cadei of the Sacramento Superior Court killed “Kill All Gays” petition when he ruled that California AG Kamala Harris did not have to give the infamous Sodomite Suppression Act an official title and summary. This ruling effectively ends the chances of the initiative making it to the California ballot. I bet