Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Acting Chief On Vaping: 'In Retrospect, The Agency Should Have Acted Sooner'
The Wall Street Journal: FDA’s Acting Chief Says Agency Acted Too Slowly To Avoid Vaping Crisis
The Food and Drug Administration’s acting commissioner said that the agency moved too slowly to avoid the vaping health crisis, which has been linked to hundreds of lung injuries and some deaths. “In retrospect, the agency should have acted sooner,” said Ned Sharpless, the FDA’s acting commissioner since the departure earlier this year of Dr. Scott Gottlieb. “We’re going to catch up.” His comments on Wednesday came after members of Congress and state health officials criticized the FDA as too slow to act against e-cigarettes at a hearing of a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. (Burton, 9/25)
The Hill: FDA Chief: Agency 'Should Have Acted Sooner' To Curb Teen Vaping
Sharpless said the agency is working to finalize guidance that will force e-cigarette manufacturers to submit their flavored products for review. When that happens, all current flavored e-cigarettes — except tobacco— will be removed from the market. (Weixel, 9/25)
Stat: FDA Chief: Agency ‘Should Have Acted Sooner’ On E-Cigarettes
The expected guidance will mark a pivot from the agency’s previous stance on e-cigarettes. The FDA has authority over cigarettes and smokeless tobacco under federal law. In 2016, the agency determined that e-cigarettes also fell under that umbrella and asked companies to file applications to market their products by August 2018. But in 2017, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb rolled out a new plan to curb nicotine levels in traditional cigarettes — and noted that e-cigarettes could play an important role in that plan by giving adult smokers an alternative to conventional cigarettes. (Thielking, 9/25)
CQ: House Democrats Press FDA On E-Cigarette Rules
House Democrats who are concerned about teen vaping are pressuring the Food and Drug Administration to keep its commitment to regulate e-cigarettes more aggressively, despite the industry’s efforts to demonstrate that it is policing itself. Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., suggested Wednesday that more FDA oversight of vaping devices would help authorities understand what is driving a lung illness outbreak tied to e-cigarettes that has killed at least eight people. (Siddons, 9/25)
The Hill: FDA Under Pressure To Move Fast On Vaping
The Trump administration is under pressure to implement new restrictions on flavored e-cigarettes. Lawmakers initially applauded when President Trump and federal health officials made the announcement two weeks ago to restrict the sale of all nontobacco flavors of e-cigarettes but have since called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to move quicker. (Weixel, 9/25)
Bloomberg: Vaping Health Risks, Early Illness Signs Were Missed Or Ignored
Scientists, regulators and e-cigarette proponents missed, ignored or downplayed signs that vaping could significantly damage the lungs for nearly a decade, a review of medical literature, government documents and interviews with doctors shows. At least 15 incidents of lung injuries linked to vaping occurred prior to this year’s epidemic, a review by Bloomberg News found. The cases — spanning the globe from Guam to Japan to England to the U.S. — include reports of mysterious pneumonia and fatal bleeding from tiny air sacs. (Langreth and Etter, 9/25)
