48 On October 1, 2017, Las Vegas was shocked to its core when an active shooter opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 country music fans, resulting in the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. In 2017 in the United States, there were around 400 mass shootings, where at least four people were shot. Mass shootings are now an everyday event. With acts of violence on the rise, having an exit strategy is essential. No one wants to think about the worst, but your response can be a lifesaver. If you ever find yourself in an active shooter situation, the Nevada Highway Patrol and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Team (ALERTT) of Texas State University say remembering to avoid, deny and defend may increase survival. What to Do in an Active Shooter Situation AVOID You must act fast. Pay attention to your surroundings, formulate an exit plan and move away from the threat quickly and safely. DENY If getting away from the attacker is impossible, keep your distance, create barriers to protect yourself, and, if indoors, turn off the lights, remain out of sight and stay quiet. DEFEND If you’re unable to get away or hide from a shooter, it’s time to put your survival instincts in full gear to protect yourself. Be aggressive, committed and do not fight fairly. Although your odds of being involved in an active shooting event are small, you can improve your chances of survival by practicing your response at home, work and other places you frequent. Walk around, get familiar and look for different ways to escape and hide if necessary. Doing these drills without stress before anything happens will go a long way to help you and your loved ones stay safe. 49 FDA approval does not guarantee safety. Each drug and medical device has the potential to cause life-threatening side effects. Too many people suffer injuries — and some have died — because manufacturers fail to adequately warn of the risks associated with the medicines and devices they market. Criminal and civil penalties against Big Pharma have escalated in the past several years, but their financial gains from illegal activities outweigh the punishment. This results in bad behavior literally being part of their business model. Recent investigations disclose the extent individual doctors are on the take from Big Pharma, receiving payments as speakers and consultants. Yet, considering how many new drugs and medical devices have been approved, only a comparative handful have been questioned as dangerous. But when a drug or device harms people and they coordinate to sue the company responsible for damages, that’s called a mass tort. For nearly 40 years, the Richard Harris Law Firm has represented people injured by dangerous drugs and medical devices. Here are 6 mass tort national lawsuits we are working on. For a complete list, visit our website at RichardHarrisLaw.com. HERNIA MESH Hernia mesh is commonly used in hernia repair and other surgical procedures. Some synthetic mesh products have negative effects when they come into contact with live tissue and have been shown to cause significant risk of complications. ONGLYZA Onglyza is used in treatment for type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, the drug has been linked to heart failure, pancreatitis and cancer. TALCUM POWDER Talcum powder is a seemingly innocuous product. However, continuous use has been linked to deadly ovarian cancer. PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS Hundreds of thousands of people who took proton pump inhibitors such as Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid and Protonix for stomach acid are suing the drugs’ makers because of kidney damage, disease and failure. WHEN OUR MEDICINE FAILS ZOFRAN Zofran has been hailed as one of the most prescribed treatments for morning sickness, but the FDA never approved the drug for that use. Now the families of children who suffered birth defects after mothers took Zofran are suing the manufacturer for failing to warn of the risks. IVC FILTER The retrievable IVC filter was developed in the early 2000’s to improve blood flow during medical conditions. Unfortunately, the longer the filter is in place, the more complex the removal becomes. Both permanent and retrievable filters are a potential risk. 49