Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lion's Share Of E-Cigarettes Weren't Approved For Sale In US, Analysis Finds
CIDRAP: Public Health Alerts: Sales Of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes In The United States, December 2025
More than two-thirds of US sales of e-cigarettes are illicit, with most targeting young people, according to a Public Health Alerts report today. The report’s authors—scientists from the CDC Foundation—analyzed retail scanner data from Circana, a market research company that collects point-of-sale data, to estimate the proportion of unauthorized sales of e-cigarette products in US stores last December. (Wappes, 8/11)
HealthDay: Study Finds Undisclosed Chemicals In Most Personal Care Products
A new study finds 98% of shampoos, sunscreens, baby lotions and other personal care and cleaning products contain at least one undisclosed chemical, many with known or suspected health risks. (8/11)
CNN: The Hidden Risks Of Common Disinfectants
When mice at Patricia Hunt’s lab at Washington State University began losing fetuses with devastating birth defects — facial deformities and missing hindquarters — or failed to reproduce at all, Hunt immediately put on her detective hat. She had seen a similar mystery before. (LaMotte, 8/9)
On aging —
Stat: Stopping Statins At 75 May Be Safe For Healthy Adults, Lancet Study Says
Not long after guidelines shifted to considering statin therapy as early as age 30, new research from France suggests there may be no harm in stopping the cholesterol-lowering drugs at age 75 in people with no history of cardiovascular disease. The lessons, however, may not translate elsewhere. (Cooney, 8/11)
HealthDay: Real-World Study Confirms Safety Of Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab
A new Duke University study finds the real-world safety and effectiveness of Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab (Leqembi) closely match clinical trial results, with about 80% of early-stage patients staying on treatment for at least a year despite risks of brain swelling and bleeding (ARIA). (Thompson, 8/11)
NBC News: These 3 Health Factors Can Delay Dementia For 13 Years, Long-Term Study Finds
It may be possible to ward off or prevent one of the most common types of dementia, a new long-term study suggests. The risk of cognitive decline increases as we get older, with about 42% of Americans over the age of 55 expected to develop dementia during their lives. The research, published Wednesday in the journal Neurology Open Access, found that people who avoid three vascular risk factors in middle age — high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking — had about 13 more dementia-free years. (Alvino, 8/7)
In other health and wellness news —
Newsweek: GLP-1 Use Could Boost Risky US Plastic Surgery Demand
GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have helped millions of people shed significant amounts of weight. But for many, the next step isn’t losing more pounds—it’s addressing the aesthetic changes that can follow rapid weight loss. (Surles and Falkenberg-Hull, 8/12)
The Wall Street Journal: A Herbal Product Sold At Gas Stations Is Being Blamed For An Addiction Crisis
Kielee Rustici lay face down on her bedroom floor in Ammon, Idaho, unresponsive. On her dresser sat three, 8-ounce bags of powder: one empty, one unopened and one half-full. (Reddy, 8/11)
KFF Health News: Years After He Quit Smoking, A Lung Cancer Scan Saved His Life
Dennis Schmidt started smoking as a teenager, when that was so unexceptional that his Catholic high school designated outdoor “senior smoking quarters,” where students in their final year could take cigarette breaks. He smoked a pack of menthols daily for nearly 40 years. As a registered nurse at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and a former Air Force medic, he knew this was a bad idea. “I made a couple of attempts to quit and they failed miserably,” said Schmidt, now 75. (Span, 8/12)
