Consumer Catch-up: Third-party rent, salmonella outbreak, Essure birth control discontinued

Third-party rent bill

A measure that would require landlords to accept third party rent is moving forward. The proposed bill just passed the Senate floor.

Lawmakers say many tenants get help from family members or nonprofits that offer to pay rent for them. Often, landlords may refuse those payments.

Advocates for the bill say it is a tactic landlords use to evict residents and raise rents.

Apartment associations in the state are strongly against the measure.

CDC announces salmonella outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is alerting consumers about a salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey products. The disease has sickened 90 people in 26 states, with six cases reported in California alone.

The CDC is warning people to handle raw turkey carefully and make sure it is thoroughly cooked before eating.

Now Consumer Reports is questioning why the CDC waited so long to issue a warning. Cases have been identified since last November, right around Thanksgiving.

Jean Halloran from Consumers Union, the advocacy division of Consumer Reports, called it "surprising" that the CDC waited to issue a warning.

Laura Gieraltowski, Ph.D., leader of the CDC foodborne outbreak response team, says the delay was partly because a specific source for the outbreak has not been identified.

You can find more informaiton about the CDC warning here. See the response from Consumer Reports here.

Essure birth control discontinued

By the end of the year, Bayer will no longer sell or distribute the Essure permanent birth control device.

The decision comes after action by the Food and Drug Administration in April, which restricted sales of Essure.

The permanently-implanted device has been linked to health problems like persistent pain, allergic reactions, and even piercing of the uterus or Fallopian tubes.

At the time, the FDA said some women were not aware of Essure's risks before getting the device implanted.

Patients who currently have the device implanted and are having problems should contact their doctor for appropriate steps.

Click here for a look at more stories by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.

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