Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Jury Finds J&J Liable In Baby Powder Cancer Case, Awards $966M
Bloomberg: J&J Must Pay Record $966 Million In Talc Baby Powder Cancer Case
Johnson & Johnson was told by a California jury to pay $966 million to the family of a deceased woman who blamed her cancer on life-long use of the company’s baby powder in the largest verdict for a single user in the 15-year litigation. The Los Angeles state court jury late Monday found J&J liable for Mae Moore’s mesothelioma — a cancer tied to asbestos exposure — and awarded her $16 million in compensatory damages and $950 million in punitive damages. Moore died in 2021 at age 88. The award will go to her family, who alleged J&J hid the health risks of its iconic powder. (Feeley, 10/7)
More pharma and tech news —
Stat: Ex-FDA Regulator Peter Marks Joins Eli Lilly
Peter Marks, the former top vaccine regulator at the Food and Drug Administration, has joined Eli Lilly to oversee molecule discovery and infectious diseases — a move that quickly drew criticism for the revolving door between the agency and industry. (Lawrence, 10/7)
Modern Healthcare: Zimmer Biomet Completes Monogram Technologies Acquisition
Zimmer Biomet announced on Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of orthopedic robotics company Monogram Technologies. When the proposed deal was announced in July, Zimmer Biomet said it would acquire all outstanding shares of Monogram stock for $4.04 per share in cash, which is worth an estimated $177 million in equity value and $168 million in enterprise value. (Dubinsky, 10/7)
The Guardian: Scientists Develop First ‘Accurate Blood Test’ To Detect Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Scientists say they have developed the world’s first blood test to diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). There is currently no test for the condition and patients tend to be diagnosed based on symptoms, which means many can go undiagnosed for years. (Gregory, 10/8)
The Baltimore Sun: New Protein Reverses Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
A new engineered molecule shows promise as an antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning with fewer side effects than other remedies currently being tested, according to research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. (Hille, 10/7)
CNN: Commonly Used Opioid Tramadol Not That Effective For Easing Chronic Pain, New Study Finds
Tramadol, a potent synthetic opioid, has been widely used to treat moderate to severe pain, but a new study suggests that the medication’s potential risks outweigh its “limited” benefits for chronic pain and that the use of it should be minimized. (Howard, 10/7)
The New York Times: Taking Too Much Tylenol Has Proven Risks. Trump Didn’t Talk About Those
President Trump went far beyond the science when, based on an unproven link and inconclusive studies, he warned last month that taking the pain reliever acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy caused autism. But for decades, doctors and scientists have sounded an alarm about a different risk associated with acetaminophen products that is well established: liver damage from accidentally overdosing on the drug. (Robbins, 10/7)
