Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bill Meant To Tell Consumers Where Drugs Were Made Is Weakened Ahead Of Senate Vote
ProPublica: Clear Labels Act Stripped Of Critical Drug Safety Provisions
Landmark legislation designed to alert consumers to where their drugs were made is headed for a full Senate vote, but safety experts say the transparency bill has been stripped of two of its most critical provisions. The Clear Labels Act was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., after lawmakers and drug safety experts called for more transparency in the industry. Last year, a ProPublica investigation revealed that the U.S. kept importing generic drugs from foreign factories after inspectors had identified quality and safety lapses at the sites, including leaks, mold and contaminated water. (Roy, 9/18)
Also —
The Hill: EPA Launches Drinking Water Study Looking For Traces Of Abortion Pills
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a drinking water quality study that will for the first time look for traces of abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol — something anti-abortion activists, attorneys general and lawmakers have been lobbying the agency to do for years. The agency stopped short of making mifepristone an official water contaminant that would require regulation, but abortion opponents are hopeful the move is a precursor to restricting access to the drug, or at a minimum influencing a debate about its safety. (Weixel, 9/21)
Stat: Radiopharma Companies Merge After One Receives Surprise FDA Rejection
ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE and Telix Pharmaceuticals, two leading companies in the burgeoning radiopharmaceuticals field, are merging in a deal worth at least $1.65 billion. (DeAngelis, 9/20)
MedPage Today: Trial Supports New Method For Easing IUD Insertion Pain
Intrauterine instillation of the anesthetic mepivacaine significantly reduced pain during intrauterine device (IUD) insertion, a Swedish randomized trial showed. (Robertson, 9/18)
CIDRAP: Analysis Finds That Teens Who Receive Injectable HIV Treatment Manage The Condition Better
Teens who got an every-other-month injection for their HIV treatment, and therefore didn't have to take a daily pill, did better at managing their viral load, according to new research published yesterday in The Lancet. The study involved 476 adolescents, aged 12 to 19, living in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. All had well-controlled HIV with undetectable viral loads, and nearly all were born with the condition. (Boden, 9/18)
The Marshall Project: Taking GLP-1 Shots In Prison? Yes, But It’s Complicated.
Like many Americans, I’ve struggled with weight for much of my life. I’ve tried dieting, working out, and changing my lifestyle, all with little success. The potential health consequences have started to catch up with me. Earlier this year, in an examination room at Eastern NY Correctional Facility, in upstate New York, my doctor delivered a stern message: If I wanted to avoid having a heart attack, I needed to start eating healthier. (Giordano, 9/18)
