Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As More Kids Fall Ill From Lead, FDA Screens Imported Cinnamon
AP: The FDA Is Screening US Cinnamon Imports After More Kids Are Sickened By Lead-Tainted Applesauce
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is screening imports of cinnamon from multiple countries for toxic lead contamination after growing reports of children who were sickened after eating pouches of applesauce and apple puree. Cinnamon from a manufacturer in Ecuador is the “likely source” of high levels of lead found in recalled pouches of applesauce puree linked to illnesses in at least 34 children in 22 states, the FDA said Friday. (Aleccia, 11/17)
CBS News: Why Is There Lead In Some Applesauce? FDA Now Screening Cinnamon Imports, As Authorities Brace For Reports To Climb
The Food and Drug Administration has begun screening incoming shipments of cinnamon from multiple countries, the agency announced this week, as reported illnesses have climbed to 34 in the investigation of lead poisonings linked to pouches of cinnamon-flavored applesauce. The FDA has ramped up its investigation in recent weeks, after authorities in North Carolina first warned of the possible link to applesauce when investigating cases of lead poisonings in the state. (Tin, 11/17)
Meanwhile, salmonella is also sickening people —
AP: Salmonella In Cantaloupes Sickens Dozens In 15 States, U.S. Health Officials Say
U.S. health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain whole and cut cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit products linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning. At least 43 people in 15 states have been infected in the outbreak announced Friday, including 17 people who were hospitalized. Several brands of whole and pre-cut cantaloupes and pre-cut fruit have been recalled. They include Malichita brand whole cantaloupe, Vinyard brand pre-cut cantaloupe and ALDI whole cantaloupe and pre-cut fruit products. (Aleccia, 11/17)
The Hill: Dozens Sick From Salmonella Poisoning Linked To Cantaloupes, Health Officials Say
Impacted fruit includes whole cantaloupes sold between Oct. 16 and Oct. 23 and pre-cut Vinyard brand cantaloupe sold between Oct. 30 and Nov. 10. The risk also includes Aldi brand whole and pre-cut cantaloupe sold between Oct. 27 and Oct. 31 in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The CDC has asked consumers to throw out recalled fruits and to wash their food carefully. (Robertson, 11/18)
In other public health developments —
The Washington Post: Why The Phrase ‘Profound Autism’ Has Parents And Advocates At Odds
Against a backdrop of a burgeoning neurodiversity movement portraying wide variations in human behavior as differences, not deficits, many autistic adults have come to see their traits as a gift and source of pride. Yet parents such as Maria Leary, the mother of two autistic, nonverbal sons — one of whom frequently injured himself and others before his death in 2018 — fear the neurodiversity revolution is leaving her family behind. (Ellison, 11/18)
CNBC: AMR: A Hotter World Makes It Harder To Stop The Spread Of Superbugs
Already recognized as one of the leading public health threats facing humanity today, it is feared that a warming world is making it harder to stop the insidious spread of drug-resistant superbugs. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which the World Health Organization has referred to as the “silent pandemic,” is an often overlooked and growing global health crisis. (Meredith, 11/20)
USA Today: Why Suicide Hotline Number 988 Is Still Not Running At Full Capacity
While the 988 Lifeline has likely helped millions of people in crisis since its launch in July 2022, mental health experts say the nationwide public health program is far from perfect. The lack of stable funding, lack of awareness and the absence of mental health resources have prevented the lifeline from realizing its full potential, experts say. “It’s an entry point for people who haven’t had access before, but it’s ultimately still limited,” said Angeleena Francis, ...executive director of AMFM Healthcare (Rodriguez, 11/20)
Also —
KFF Health News: Extra Fees Drive Assisted Living Profits
Assisted living centers have become an appealing retirement option for hundreds of thousands of boomers who can no longer live independently, promising a cheerful alternative to the institutional feel of a nursing home. But their cost is so crushingly high that most Americans can’t afford them. (Rau, 11/20)
