Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawsuits Claim Acetaminophen During Pregnancy Harms Fetuses
Bloomberg: Walmart, CVS Face Suits Blaming Common Painkiller For Autism
Dozens of lawsuits are challenging the long-standing belief that pregnant women can safely take acetaminophen, an over-the-counter drug used in Tylenol and generic pain medications. (Feeley, 9/29)
Fox News: Acetaminophen During Pregnancy May Be Linked To Attention And Sleep Problems In Young Children: New Study
Taking the pain medication acetaminophen, also known under the brand name of Tylenol, during pregnancy may be associated with child behavioral issues at three years old. That's according to a new report published in the journal PLOS Medicine. (Sudhakar, 9/29)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
Bloomberg: Illumina Delivers $200 Genome With New DNA Sequencing Machine
Illumina Inc. says it can read a person’s entire genetic code for as little as $200 with its new sequencing machine, bringing the company within reach of its long-promised goal of the $100 genome. (Peebles, 9/29)
USA Today: Wonder Pill, Sold On Amazon, Walmart, Recalled For Tadalafil
Certain lots of a daily dietary supplement called Wonder Pill sold by Walmart and Amazon are being recalled because lab tests detected the presence of tadalafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, according to an announcement on the Food and Drug Administration website this week. (Mayorquin, 9/29)
KHN: Pharma-Funded FDA Gets Drugs Out Faster, But Some Work Only ‘Marginally’ And Most Are Pricey
Dr. Steven-Huy Han, a UCLA liver specialist, has prescribed Ocaliva to a handful of patients, although he’s not sure it helps. As advertised, the drug is lowering levels of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase in their blood, and that should be a sign of healing for their autoimmune disease, called primary biliary cholangitis. But “no one knows for sure,” Han said, whether less enzyme means they won’t get liver cancer or cirrhosis in the long run. “I have no idea if the drug will make them better,” he said. “It could take 10, 20, or 30 years to know.” (Allen, 9/30)
Stateline: Health Groups Urge States To Spend Juul Settlement Dollars On Tobacco Prevention
Major medical groups are urging states that won a $438.5 million settlement earlier this month in a case against electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc. to use the money for tobacco prevention and cessation programs, particularly those aimed at young people. (Vestal, 9/28)
