Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Digest

Talk of the day

By TIMES WIRES
Published March 22, 2007

ST. LOUIS

Ruling lets Anheuser-Busch raise a cold one

Another round in the centurylong dispute between Anheuser-Busch Cos. and Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar is settled, with the win going this time to the American beer maker. Anheuser-Busch said Wednesday an Italian appeals court ruled in its favor, ordering cancellation of three registered trademarks held by Budejovicky Budvar, including two for Budweiser Budbrau and one for Budweiser Budvar. The Court of Appeals of Rome ruled that Budvar does not have the right to use Budweiser as a protected geographic indication in Italy, Anheuser-Busch said.

NEW YORK

Support dries up for inhaled insulin

Pfizer's stab at giving diabetics insulin without needles is getting more praise than prescriptions. Exubera, a powdered form inhaled through a special device, was introduced last year in a targeted launch to specialists, a debut analysts deemed disappointing. While doctors applaud Pfizer Inc.'s effort to find a new way to deliver insulin, some are concerned about the drug's long-term effects on the lungs, cost and insurance coverage. "I think Pfizer will wish they had never gotten into this. I doubt they'll regain their investment," said Dr. John Buse, president-elect of the American Diabetes Association, who participated in Exubera's trials. "There is no advantage to Exubera and there may be a safety risk. I see it as my job to talk people out of (using) it."

WASHINGTON

These Fords are really hot trucks

Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday told dealers to temporarily stop selling certain 2008 F-series Super Duty diesel pickups after receiving reports of flames shooting out of the vehicle's tailpipe. Ford said it was recalling 37,400 F-Series Super Duty trucks with 6.4-liter diesel engines. Most of the pickups - 29,000 - were on dealer lots, the automaker said. Dan Jarvis of Ford said it received three reports of flames coming from the truck's tailpipe, caused by leaking fuel that ignited in the exhaust system's diesel particulate filter near the tailpipe. There have been no injuries or vehicle fires connected to the recall.

DES MOINES, Iowa

Maytag, Samsung recall washers

Maytag announced the voluntary recall of 250,000 front-load washing machines and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea recalled 20,000 machines, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday. The machines made in South Korea were sold in department stores and appliance retailers nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200. They can catch fire when water leaks into an electrical connection, igniting a circuit board. The CPSC said consumers should stop using the machines.

[Last modified March 22, 2007, 01:20:12]