Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Warns Lawmakers That Cases Of Vaping-Related Illnesses Will Only Increase
The Associated Press: US Official Expects 'Hundreds More' Cases Of Vaping Illness
The number of vaping-related illnesses in the U.S. could soon climb much higher, a public health official said Tuesday. Dr. Anne Schuchat, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a congressional subcommittee that she believes “hundreds more” lung illnesses have been reported to health authorities since last Thursday, when the CDC put the tally at 530 confirmed and probable cases. “We are seeing more and more cases each day and I expect the next weekly numbers will be much higher,” Schuchat said. (Perrone, 9/24)
The Wall Street Journal: CDC Reports Rising Incidence Of Vaping Injuries
Dr. Schuchat called youth vaping an epidemic affecting nearly all U.S. states, with half of all cases appearing in people 25 and younger. Most of the products involved in the reported injuries or illnesses are believed to be black-market ones that include THC, a psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, though she said that chemical isn’t necessarily the culprit. She also said three out of four such patients are male. (Burton, 9/24)
NPR: If E-Cigs Were Romaine Lettuce, They'd Be Off The Shelf, Vaper's Mom Tells Congress
A top official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned federal lawmakers Tuesday that a new generation of e-cigarettes now on the market is "even more addictive," than early versions of vapes, and the number of vaping-related lung diseases is continuing to rise. "We are seeing more and more cases each day," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told lawmakers at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that is looking into the recent national outbreak. (Aubrey, 9/24)
Kaiser Health News: At Raucous Hearing, No Unity On Vaping Issues
Opposing views on e-cigarettes, witnesses interrupting members of Congress and even a wink. A hearing Tuesday on the epidemic of respiratory injuries linked to vaping was one unusual show. ... Yet even these rising numbers [of lung illness cases] and stark warnings didn’t unify the often-contentious party lines at the House subcommittee hearing on vaping. Ostensibly about public health, the hearing grew tense and political at unexpected moments. (Bluth, 9/25)
The Hill: Mystery Vaping Deaths In House Spotlight
“As we focus on the tragic outcomes of this lung disease outbreak, we must view is as another chance to come together to protect the public health,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), chairman of the panel’s Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee. (Hellmann, 9/24)
How did doctors and health officials identify the epidemic and what are they doing to stem the tide? News outlets report —
Kaiser Health News: Meet The Health Officials Who Alerted The World To The Alarming Vaping Illness
The epidemic has prompted outrage about federal oversight of vaping, but there is also a local public health success story to be told. Doctors and regional officials in Wisconsin, Illinois and elsewhere pieced together that this mysterious illness was much larger than it appeared. It’s a tale of teamwork, communication and long-serving public health officials tapping into their networks in an era of limited public health funding, diminished public health infrastructure and high turnover. It’s surprising in some ways that Wisconsin became ground zero for uncovering the link. The state has ranked near the bottom nationwide for per-person spending on public health until a huge boost of $588 million more was greenlighted for the next two years. Wisconsin is also home to Juul vaping pod manufacturing sites, and one of its U.S. senators, Republican Ron Johnson, credits his win to vaping advocates. (Weber, 9/25)
The Washington Post: Black-Market Vaping Products Are Potential Culprits In Mystery Lung Illnesses
Doorways chained shut and “Members Only” signs warn casual passersby against stopping along this five-block stretch of downtown known as the “Cannabis District.” This gritty corridor is a major hub for the estimated $9 billion black market for the state’s illicit cannabis products. Products sold here, including a flood of counterfeit vape materials from China, are coming under scrutiny as federal authorities investigate the mysterious vaping-related lung illness that has sickened at least 530 people in 38 states and claimed nine lives. (Kuznia and Sun, 9/24)
Stat: 'Do You Vape?' With Rise In Lung Illness, Doctors Start To Ask New Questions
A recent rash of vaping-related illnesses has sickened hundreds in the United States, sparked a sweeping public health investigation, and generated a flurry of legislative measures to curb the e-cigarette industry. But in exam rooms, the illnesses have prompted a less-noticed but equally significant shift: Doctors, particularly pulmonologists, are asking patients whether they vape, even when they’re not presenting symptoms of the mysterious illness. (Thielking, 9/24)
CQ: CDC Says Surveillance Upgrades Would Help Vaping Investigation
Outdated health surveillance infrastructure is making it more challenging to solve the mystery of lung illnesses that appear to be linked to vaping, a top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told a House panel Tuesday. The warning from Anne Schuchat, the deputy CDC director, came as the number of illnesses and deaths associated with vaping continues to climb. “The epidemic is moving faster than our data gathering,” she told the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. (Siddons, 9/24)
The escalating crisis is forcing changes at Juul —
The New York Times: Juul Shake-Up: C.E.O. Steps Down
The chief executive of Juul Labs, the dominant e-cigarette company that has been the target of public and regulatory outrage over the soaring use of teenage vaping, stepped down on Wednesday. The executive, Kevin Burns, will be replaced by K.C. Crosthwaite, an executive from Altria, the major tobacco company that owns a 35 percent stake in Juul, the San-Francisco-based company. (Kaplan and de la Merced, 9/25)
Politico: Juul CEO Steps Down, Company Promises To Follow Trump Ban
Juul announced this morning that its CEO would step down and that the company would not lobby the Trump administration on its looming ban of flavored vapor products. The nation's largest e-cigarette maker also said it will suspend all broadcast, print and digital product advertising in the United States. ... The company said it will fully support and comply with the policy, which is expected in the coming weeks. (Owermohle, 9/25)
The Wall Street Journal: Juul Prepares Staff Shake-Up Amid U.S. Crackdown
Juul Labs Inc. is preparing a staff restructuring, as the e-cigarette maker braces for slower sales following a mysterious vaping-related illness and a proposed U.S. ban on flavors that make up more than 80% of its sales. The move underscores the pressure faced by one of the country’s most valuable startups. The San Francisco company, which employs about 3,900 people, has been adding hundreds of staff as it expands in the U.S. and abroad. It had about 225 employees at the end of 2017. (Maloney, 9/24)
