Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Alcohol Safety Study Stirs Controversy Ahead Of New Dietary Guidelines
Roll Call: Dietary Guidelines Become Mired In Row Over Alcohol Safety
Lawmakers and industry players are asking the Department of Health and Human Services to put a stop to a controversial study on alcohol and health that could inform the next round of U.S. nutrition recommendations. Specifically, they’re taking issue with a committee housed within HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration focused on underage drinking. (DeGroot, 10/16)
The New York Times: In a Bid to Feed More Families, WIC Diversifies Its Menu
The program, which provides free groceries to millions of women and children nationwide, now covers naan, soy milk, teff and more. (Schmall, 10/17)
Los Angeles Times: Are Baby Food Pouches Healthy? Here's What Experts Say
While the occasional pouch can be part of a healthy diet, doctors and nutritionists are raising concerns that an overreliance on pouches can interfere with nutrition, long-term food preferences, dental hygiene and even speech and language development. And marketing practices can leave parents confused about what’s actually inside the packages. “Pouches are highly processed foods,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. “They certainly serve as a quick snack, but we need to make sure that pouches don’t make up too much of a toddler’s diet. We want kids to learn to chew and eat foods like meat, and fruits and vegetables that are not processed.” (Gold, 10/17)
Stat: FDA Signals Flexibility In Evaluating Smoking Cessation Therapies
Food and Drug Administration leaders are signaling new flexibility in the agency’s approach to evaluating new therapies to help people stop smoking. In a perspective paper published with the National Institutes of Health this week, the agency labeled the effort to help Americans quit smoking a top priority and said it was willing to consider broader endpoints in clinical trials of smoking cessation products. (Lawrence, 10/16)
CBS News: Saint Vincent College Study Drills Down On Relationship Between Fracking Chemicals And Adverse Birth Outcomes
A new national study from Saint Vincent College digs into whether certain chemicals used in fracking could affect a baby's weight and whether they're born early. "There is something that is increasing the preterm birth rate nationally," said Mary Regina Boland, an associate professor at Saint Vincent College. Boland managed to drill down into data at a county level across the United States, and she found counties with more fracking wells that use chemicals that target certain hormones had higher amounts of preterm births and low birth weights. (Guay, 10/16)
USA Today: 14-Year-Old Sirish Subash Named America’s Top Young Scientist For 2024
Sirish Subash, an ninth grader from Snellville, Georgia, was the first-place winner for the 3M and Discovery Education competition, the nation’s premier middle school science competition, in St. Paul, Minnesota. In his presentation, Subash used data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that said 70.6% of produce items contain pesticide residues. ... “My project is called PestiSCAND. What it is, is the device that allows everybody to check for pesticide residues on their produce at home,” Subash told USA TODAY. (Forbes, 10/16)
