Looking out for consumersThe Tribune is committed to consumer watchdog reporting, such as our story about disease outbreaks linked to leafy greens. Browse this page for our consumer columnists, latest stories on consumer topics and archives of past reports. |
Starting Tuesday, it will be illegal in the U.S. to sell or even donate a crib that fails to meet the toughest crib safety rules in the world.
The medical error that killed Genesis Burkett began with the kind of mistake people often make when filling out electronic forms: A pharmacy technician unwittingly typed the wrong information into a...
To help protect their brains, athletes are now given preseason computer tests that assess memory, concentration and reaction time. Some players don helmets with "concussion reduction technology" or...
Just as Chicago consumers get the hang of reusable grocery bags, a new movement has sprouted to make local grocery shopping even greener: reusable containers.
Now that organic beans sprouts grown in Germany have been pinpointed as the likely source of the European E. coli outbreak, consumers must confront growing doubts about the vegetable.
Just in time for cookout season, some unsettling news arrives for guacamole and salsa lovers: Federal testing turned up a wide array of unapproved pesticides on the herb cilantro — to an...
When a team of activists wearing white hazmat suits showed up at a Chicago grocery store to protest the sale of genetically modified foods, they picked an unlikely target: Whole Foods Market.
When Jennifer Quinn springs into the air at Xtreme Trampolines, the 35-year-old feels like a kid again.
The process of donating used clothing used to be pretty straightforward, with most of it going to big charities like the Salvation Army, Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul.
On Dr. Joseph Mercola's popular website, women are warned against getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer.
At 3:15 p.m. on a weekday, the busy eighth floor of Chicago's St. Joseph Hospital is buzzing with noise. Alarms beep incessantly. The elevator dings each time the doors open. During the shift change,...
The Federal Trade Commission has filed suit against 10 companies the agency says are using fake news websites to market acai berry weight-loss products.
The government has published data about things that can go wrong in hospitals — falls, objects left behind during surgeries, serious bed sores and more.
Day after day, the delivery trucks arrived at the building on Chicago's North Side, bringing walkers, hospital beds and wheelchairs to residents.
The nation's largest organization of pediatricians is telling members and parents that children riding in cars should remain in rear-facing child safety seats until they are at least 2.
Homeopathic remedies are popular among holistic-minded consumers but scorned by scientists and most Western-trained doctors.
BioRay's claims offer a cautionary tale for consumers whose hope and money fuel the $25 billion supplement industry.
Equipment meant to prevent powerful drains from causing people to drown in pools and hot tubs is being used across the country despite undergoing flawed safety evaluations.
Skin creams do moisturize, but as for other claims, few studies have been published in medical journals to show the products work as advertised or are safe to use.
Experts say there's little evidence that immobility leads to better outcomes for women at risk of preterm labor. It also can be a physical, emotional and financial nightmare.
Labels on Girl Scout Cookies and other sweets can claim the products contain 0g trans fats even if a serving has up to 0.5 grams. Activists want clearer rules.
Accidental poisonings are largely preventable, but many parents make common mistakes such as leaving medications and cleaners where kids can reach them.
Federal research finds a common product is the source of dangerous levels of chemicals tracked into homes.
Attorney general's office's request on crib bumpers comes in wake of Tribune report about suffocation risk to infants.
The Illinois attorney general's office is warning parents not to use crib bumper pads in nurseries because they pose suffocation and strangulation hazards for babies.