Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Arsenic Contamination Causes Recall Of Beech-Nut Infant Rice Cereal
CBS News: Beech-Nut Recalls Infant Rice Cereal Due To Arsenic Concerns
Beech-Nut Nutrition is recalling some infant rice cereal sold nationwide because samples of the product showed excessive levels of arsenic. The baby food maker also says it will stop selling the product over worries it won't be able to comply with federal limits on levels of arsenic and other toxic substances that are called heavy metals. (Gibson, 6/9)
In news about pregnancy —
Fox News: Placenta May Help Predict Pregnancy Complications As Early As First Trimester, Study Finds
Scientists say the placenta can provide key signals for whether a woman will develop pregnancy complications beginning as early as the first trimester. Using mouse models, the St. John’s College, University of Cambridge team isolated endocrine cells and profiled the placenta to create a "map of hormonal proteins" which was then compared to datasets from studies of the human placenta. (Hein, 6/9)
The New York Times: What Is The Phexxi Birth Control Method, And Who Owns It?
If you’re a woman aged 18 to 34, you may have seen a Phexxi ad during a commercial break on Hulu. Or you could have come across the product — a non-hormonal contraceptive gel that women can use within an hour before having sex — while scrolling through Instagram, somewhere between a recipe for Paleo bagels and an ode to body positivity. Phexxi went on sale in September in the United States, after receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Prescriptions for Phexxi are in the low thousands, according to its publicly traded parent company, Evofem — about 17,280. This is puny compared to the estimated 8.6 million women who have undergone female sterilization or the 6.6 million women on the Pill. (Safronova, 6/10)
Fox News: TikTok Revealing Dentist Can Detect Pregnancy By Looking At Patient's Mouth Stuns Users
A dental student has gone viral on TikTok after revealing that a dentist might be able to tell whether a patient is pregnant just by looking at their mouth. TikTok user @thatdentalgal_ who boasts nearly 14,000 followers, has been sharing tips about what a dentist can detect, including eating disorders, sinus infections, and whether someone is a smoker. Sukhmani, who identifies as a fourth-year dental student on her TikTok profile, has garnered over 75,000 likes on her "Part 3" of the video series, which explains that there are a few indicators in a patient’s mouth that may reveal a pregnancy, including nausea and enamel erosion and "pregnancy gingivitis," which she said is seen in up to 30-50% of expectant women. (Hein, 6/9)
