Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Menthol Vapes Don't Help People Quit Smoking, FDA Says
The FDA said Logic Technology Development聽didn't show its menthol聽products聽are more likely聽than non-flavored聽products to help people quit or reduce smoking. Combined with the risk of enticing youth vapers who like menthol vapes, the agency rejected the company's marketing of聽Logic Pro and Logic Power menthol e-liquid packages. (Alltucker, 10/26)
In other pharmaceutical news 鈥
Weeks after Valeria Schenkel took an experimental drug named after her, the daily seizures that had afflicted her from birth became less frequent. But the drug caused fluid to build up in her brain, and a year later, she died at age 3. The drug was given to only one other child, and she experienced the same side effect and nearly died last year. (Hayden, 10/26)
Initial home sample collection kits will target vitamin D, Lyme disease, sexually transmitted infections and thyroid function with a plan to expand early next year, executives told Fierce Healthcare. In addition to the kits, users will have access to a platform that transmits test results and resources for understanding them. (Gliadkovskaya, 10/26)
"We have not reached a final agreement with the Ohio Attorney General. We continue to dispute his allegations and are honored to have delivered access to more affordable prescription medications for the Ohio Bureau of Workers鈥 Compensation and Ohio taxpayers,鈥 said Andrew Krejci, spokesperson for the company. (Wu, 10/26)
There are more than 100,000 people in the United States waiting for an organ transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, known as UNOS. (Morabito, 10/26)