Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Philip Morris Mounts Lobbying Push Against WHO's Anti-Vape Efforts
The Guardian: Philip Morris Lobbying To Stop WHO ‘Attack’ On Vapes And Similar Products
Philip Morris International (PMI), the tobacco and vaping company behind Marlboro cigarettes, is waging a big lobbying campaign to prevent countries from cracking down on vapes and similar products as part of a global treaty, a leaked email reveals. ... In a message sent by the PMI’s senior vice-president of external affairs last month and seen by the Guardian, staff were told to find “any connection, any lead, whether political or technical” before a meeting of delegates from 182 countries. He described the agenda for the meeting of the World Health Organization as a “prohibitionist attack” on smoke-free products. (Marsh, 10/12)
Reuters: US FDA Blocks Some Flavors Of British American Tobacco's Key Vape Brand Vuse
The U.S. health regulator on Thursday blocked the sale of six flavors of British American Tobacco's (BAT) main vape brand, Vuse Alto, in the market including the menthol flavor that makes up a large portion of its sales. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) marketing denial orders (MDOs) for R.J. Reynolds, owned by BAT, include three menthol-flavored and three mixed berry-flavored e-cigarette products, with each flavor being offered in three nicotine strengths. (10/12)
In other health and wellness news —
KFF Health News: Rare ‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacterium Spreads North As Oceans Warm
Debbie King barely gave it a second thought when she scraped her right shin climbing onto her friend’s pontoon for a day of boating in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 13. Even though her friend immediately dressed the slight cut, her shin was red and sore when King awoke the next day. It must be a sunburn, she thought. But three days later, the red and blistered area had grown. Her doctor took one look and sent King, 72, to the emergency room. (O'Donnell, 10/13)
Kansas City Star: Olathe High School Tests Community For TB After Exposure
Several hundred people were being tested for tuberculosis Thursday at Olathe Northwest High School after being exposed to the illness. Health officials identified around 425 people who had contact with a student who tested positive earlier this month, said Jennifer Dunlay, a spokeswoman for the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. The majority of those contacts have connections to Olathe Northwest, but some live outside Johnson County. (Klick, 10/12)
CIDRAP: Foodborne Illness Outbreak In Utah Linked To Raw Milk
Health officials in Utah are investigating a cluster of campylobacteriosis cases linked to raw milk. In a press release, officials with the Salt Lake County Health Department say they have identified 10 people in the county with campylobacteriosis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by the bacterium Campylobacter, with four additional cases reported statewide. Twelve of the 14 patients have confirmed raw milk consumption, the source of which has not yet been identified. (Dall, 10/12)
The Baltimore Sun: Bipolar Disorder Is Little Researched, But Doctors At Johns Hopkins Aim To Change That
Two months before Charita Cole Brown was supposed to graduate from college — and about two years after she experienced her first manic episode and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder — her doctors told her parents they should prepare for the likelihood that she may one day not be able to care for herself. It was March 1982 and Cole Brown had just experienced a psychotic break eerily similar to what her grandmother had experienced years earlier. Despite her doctors’ prediction that she would never lead a “normal” life, however, within a few years, a counselor had helped Cole Brown find a combination of medication and other wellness strategies that worked for her. (Roberts, 10/13)
CNN: Exercise Or Medication: Which Is Best For Depression?
When treating depression or anxiety, running may be just as effective as antidepressants, according to new research. But experts say the solution may not be so straightforward for every person. Because of the prevalence of depression and anxiety and the consequences on health, researchers from Amsterdam looked at the best way to mitigate these effects, and whether antidepressants or lifestyle intervention would have different effects on mental health as well as certain aspects of physical health. (Rogers, 10/12)
And our Halloween Haiku contest has begun! —
KFF Health News: Goody Gumdrops! It's Freakin' Time To Submit Your Scariest Halloween Health Care Haikus
Ghosts, ghouls, and readers, beware: Your health care scare is around the corner. Submissions are now open for KFF Health News’ fifth annual Halloween Haiku competition. KFF Health News has been publishing reader-submitted health care haikus for years and is dying to read how this spooky season inspires you. We want your best scary health care or health policy haiku. Submissions will be judged by a body of experts from our newsroom. We’ll share favorites on our social media channels, and members of our skeletal staff will pick the winners, announced on Tuesday, Oct. 31. (10/13)
