Consumers Union Says Medical Devices, Implants Need to Carry Warnings like Those for Pharmaceuticals

On Monday, the Consumers Union, which publishes the highly popular Consumer Reports, announced that it has filed a petition with the FDA in which it requests that the federal agency require all advertisements for implantable devices -- including knee, hip, and heart valve replacements, cosmetic implants, and heart stents -- carry a warning about the possibility of dangerous infections or failures of the devices that could happen after the devices have been implanted.