Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Carts Away Thousands Of Documents After Surprise Inspection Of Juul Headquarters
The New York Times: F.D.A. Seizes Documents From Juul Headquarters
The Food and Drug Administration conducted a surprise inspection of the headquarters of the e-cigarette maker Juul Labs last Friday, carting away more than a thousand documents it said were related to the company’s sales and marketing practices. The move, announced on Tuesday, was seen as an attempt to ratchet up pressure on the company, which controls 72 percent of the e-cigarette market in the United States and whose products have become popular in high schools. The F.D.A. said it was particularly interested in whether Juul deliberately targeted minors as consumers. (Hoffman, 10/2)
Reuters: FDA Seizes Documents From Juul In Latest E-Cigarette Crackdown
The inspection, completed on Friday, followed a request in April for documents that would help the agency better understand the high rates of use and appeal among youth of Juul products. The FDA also said it conducted inspections of several of Juul's contract manufacturing units earlier this year. "We've now released over 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements," Juul Chief Executive Officer Kevin Burns said in a statement, adding the meeting with the regulator was constructive and transparent. (Mathias, Banerjee and Abutaleb, 10/2)
The Washington Post: FDA Seizes Juul E-Cigarette Documents In Surprise Inspection Of Headquarters
The Juul product, which is sleek and shaped like a USB drive, has surged in popularity, including among high school students. Critics say some of the e-liquid flavors, including mango and creme, make the product especially appealing to minors. But vaping defenders say such flavors are critical to helping adult smokers switch from more dangerous combustible cigarettes to safer e-cigarettes. (McGinley, 10/2)
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Conducted Surprise Inspection Of Juul’s Headquarters
The number of high-school students who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days has risen roughly 75% since last year to about three million, or about 20% of high-school students, according to unpublished preliminary federal data. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in September that teen use of e-cigarettes “has reached an epidemic proportion.” He announced new measures to curb teen vaping and said he was considering banning flavored products. (Maloney, 10/2)
Bloomberg: Juul Documents Seized In FDA Raid At E-Cigarette Company
“FDA has clearly recognized that there’s a crisis and that there’s a need for change,” said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, who had warned that the FDA’s action in 2017 would lead more children to take up vaping. (Edney and Zaleski 10/2)
The Hill: FDA Conducts Surprise Inspection Of E-Cigarette Maker Juul As Part Of Crackdown
Juul CEO Kevin Burns said in a statement that the episode was part of a “constructive and transparent dialogue.” “We want to be part of the solution in preventing underage use, and we believe it will take industry and regulators working together to restrict youth access,” he added. (Sullivan, 10/2)
Politico Pro: Study: Teens Who Vape More Likely To Smoke, Use Both Products More
Teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke cigarettes and increase their usage of both products over time, according to new Rand Corporation research. There has been research showing that e-cigarette use is associated with future smoking habits, but Rand researchers said this is the first study to examine how use changes for individuals over time. (Owermohle, 10/2)
