Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Patient Dies Of Mysterious Lung Illness Linked To Vaping As Cases Tick Up Across The Country
Reuters: CDC Flags One Death And Nearly 200 Cases Of Lung Illnesses In U.S., Possibly Tied To Vaping
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it had identified 193 potential cases of severe lung illness tied to vaping in 22 states as of Aug. 22, including one adult in Illinois who died after being hospitalized. The CDC has been investigating a "cluster" of lung illnesses that it believes may be linked to e-cigarette use, although it has not yet been able to establish whether they were in fact caused by vaping. (8/24)
USA Today: Illinois Officials Claim Possible First Death From Vaping-Related Illness; Investigation Ongoing
"This tragic death in Illinois reinforces the serious risks associated with e-cigarette products. Vaping exposes users to many different substances for which we have little information about related harms – including flavorings, nicotine, cannabinoids, and solvents," Dr. Robert R. Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a statement Friday. (Hauck, 8/23)
The New York Times: First Death In A Spate Of Vaping Sicknesses Reported By Health Officials
Many patients, including some in Illinois, have acknowledged vaping of tetrahydrocannabinol, or (T.H.C.), the high-inducing chemical in marijuana, according to statements from federal and state health agencies. But officials don’t know whether the ailments have been caused by marijuana-type products, e-cigarettes, or some type of street concoction that was vaped, or whether a contaminant or defective device may have been involved. (Richtel and Kaplan, 8/23)
The Associated Press: Illinois Patient's Death May Be First In US Tied To Vaping
The illnesses have been reported since late June, but the total count has risen quickly in the past week. That may be partly because cases that weren't initially being linked to vaping have begun to be grouped that way. Among the newest reports are two in Connecticut, four in Iowa and six in Ohio. Health officials are asking doctors and hospitals to tell state health officials about any possible vaping-related lung disease cases they encounter. (Babwin and Stobbe, 8/23)
The Hill: One Person Dead After Experiencing Vaping-Related Lung Illness, Health Officials Say
The CDC also has not identified a specific product or manufacturer and said it is still early in its investigations. "Even though cases appear similar, it's not clear if they have a common cause," said Ileana Arias, acting deputy director for noninfectious diseases for the CDC. (Hellmann, 8/23)
The Washington Post: Vaping Death: Person Who Used E-Cigarettes Died After Severe Lung Illness, Illinois Officials Say
While some of the cases appear similar, officials said they don’t know whether the illnesses are associated with the e-cigarette devices themselves, or with specific ingredients or contaminants inhaled through them. Health officials have said patients have described vaping a variety of substances, including nicotine, marijuana-based products and do-it-yourself “home brews.” (Sun, 8/23)
The Wall Street Journal: Illinois Death Could Be First Linked To Vaping
“The severity of illness people are experiencing is alarming and we must get the word out that using e-cigarettes and vaping can be dangerous,” Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said in a statement. Doctors are searching for answers and turning to some previous cases for help. At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, specialists have treated seven patients over the past couple of weeks who developed pulmonary illnesses after vaping, “and we think there may be a couple more,” said Alison Morris, division chief of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine. (McKay and Ansari, 8/23)
Bloomberg: First Death From Lung Ailment Heightens Alarm Over Vaping
The patient appears to have a viral infection -- with a fever, headache, muscle pain and an upset stomach -- that quickly progresses into what appears to be pneumonia. But testing turns up no signs of an infection. Instead, the condition continues to progress, with increasing inflammation in the lungs to the point that they stop functioning properly. Several patients have been treated in the intensive care unit and even needed a ventilator to help them breathe. (Edney and Cortez, 8/23)
Georgia Health News: State Probes Lung Illnesses Possibly Linked To Vaping Amid National Concern
Georgia has joined other states in investigating possible cases of severe respiratory illness that may be linked to vaping. Vaping is the use of e-cigarette devices, which mimic cigarettes but produce inhalable vapors instead of smoke. The devices are marketed as alternatives to smoking, but health experts say they cause problems of their own. The CDC said it’s aware of about 190 cases of severe lung disease in 22 states that could be caused by vaping. (Miller, 8/23)
The Washington Post: Vaping Illness: Acute Respiratory Failure Nearly Killed Alexander Mitchell And Doctors Blame E-Cigarettes
Within days, Alexander Mitchell had gone from being a 20-year-old hiking enthusiast to being kept alive by two machines forcing air into and out of his lungs and oxygenating his blood outside of his body. “He went from being sick to being on death’s door in literally two days,” recalled his father, Daniel Mitchell, as he struggled to grasp the unthinkable. “The doctor said he was dying. In all honesty, I was preparing to plan a funeral for my child. I wept and wept for this boy.” (Sun, 8/24)
Related KHN Coverage: Years Ago, This Doctor Linked A Mysterious Lung Disease To Vaping
