Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Illinois Plaintiff Drops Zantac Case; GSK Asks To Appeal Delaware Cases
The Wall Street Journal: GSK Says Individual Plaintiff In Latest Zantac Case Dropped Claim
GSK said that a plaintiff in an Illinois lawsuit against the company voluntarily dismissed her case, one of many legal disputes alleging its discontinued drug Zantac caused cancer. The British pharmaceutical giant said late Monday that the trial was scheduled to start yesterday in Illinois, adding that it didn’t reach a settlement nor made any payments in exchange for the voluntary case dismissal. (Smolak, 6/11)
Reuters: GSK Asks To Appeal Delaware Ruling Allowing Zantac Cases To Go Forward
GSK and other drugmakers on Monday asked a Delaware court for permission to appeal a ruling allowing more than 70,000 lawsuits claiming that heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer to go forward. If Judge Vivian Medinilla of Delaware Superior Court grants the petition, which is also joined by Pfizer, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim, the appeal will go directly to the Delaware Supreme Court. If she denies it, GSK said, the companies will ask the Supreme Court directly to hear the case. (Pierson, 6/11)
In other news from across the country —
Chicago Tribune: Palos Clinic Brings Recovery Closer For Lung Transplant Patient
A double lung transplant has given Michelle Knight, of Oak Forest, a new lease on life when she might have given up. Even with the sometimes grueling recovery period, which included being on a ventilator right after surgery, intense rehabilitation and taking 25 pills daily to ward off rejection and infection, Knight, 64, is upbeat about the entire experience. (Neumann, 6/10)
The Colorado Sun: A Colorado Girl Lives Because Of Another Family’s Loss
After 2-year-old Mateo died from drowning, his donated organs saved other people’s lives. His family found solace in knowing that his liver went to an infant and his kidneys to two adults. The heart, though, felt like the most powerful gift. Because they can hear it, still. (Brown, 6/10)
Axios New Orleans: As Conservative Media Pushes Raw Milk, Louisiana Set To Legalize Its Sale
Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill to remove the state's total ban on raw milk sales, joining the majority of the country where the product is already available, if and when Gov. Jeff Landry signs the legislation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that consuming raw milk comes with big health risks, and that concern is growing as avian flu infects America's dairy cows. (Brasted, 6/10)
St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Advocates Of Radiation Compensation Are Frustrated
Missouri advocates for a federal program compensating people who became sick after exposure to radiation from World War II-era nuclear weapons programs are frustrated and outraged over a congressional stalemate. (Rosenbaum and Grumke, 6/10)
Missouri Independent: Planned Parenthood Asks Missouri Judge To Toss Bailey Lawsuit
Planned Parenthood is asking a Missouri judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general alleging the clinic is transporting minors out of state for abortions. The lawsuit was filed based on an undercover video filmed by a man affiliated with a right-wing group pretending to be the uncle of a 13-year-old in need of an abortion whose parents couldn’t know. (Spoerre, 6/11)
Chicago Tribune: Loyola Medicine Offers Specific Treatment Plans To Female Athletes
When Faith Comas started wrestling in high school, she was one of just two girls on her team. The 18-year-old Cicero teen, who has dreams of wrestling in college, said that often meant everyone supporting her through her sport –– teammates, coaches and trainers –– was male. “When I got hurt a couple years ago, we had a male physical therapist, and he was really lax about it,” Comas said. “He just told me I’m ‘good to go.’ Having an environment for women would’ve been a lot more comfortable and better for healing the injury long term.” (Kalra, 6/11)
Also —
The New York Times: Baltimore City Council To Hold Hearings On Drug Overdoses
Baltimore City Council members said Monday they would hold a series of hearings on the city government’s response to its overdose epidemic, following an examination by The New York Times and The Baltimore Banner. The public safety and health committees announced they would meet at least four times on the topic in the coming months, starting in July. (Sullivan, Thieme, Zhu and Willis, 6/10)
The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore City Wins $45M Settlement Against Allergan
Baltimore went its own way and has won part of a potentially billion-dollar lawsuit against opioid distributors. Pharmaceutical company Allergan will pay the city a $45 million settlement within 30 days for its role in the opioid epidemic, the mayor’s office said in a news release Monday. (Mullan, 6/10)
