Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Robitussin Maker Will Stop Saying Medicine Is 'Non-Drowsy'
Reuters: Robitussin Maker Settles Lawsuit In US Over 'Non-Drowsy' Claim
The maker of Robitussin settled a consumer lawsuit that claimed its "non-drowsy" cough and flu medicine causes drowsiness, agreeing to pay $4.5 million and remove the "non-drowsy" claim from its packaging and marketing. (Stempel, 7/22)
The Wall Street Journal: J&J Allies With Mass-Tort Specialists To Seal $8 Billion Talc Settlement
Johnson & Johnson is closing in on one of the largest settlements of mass-tort lawsuits in history. Its strategy is to divide and conquer the trial lawyers. The healthcare-products company is nearing a resolution of the long-running lawsuits over its talc products, offering a settlement to roughly 100,000 women who allege the company’s iconic baby powder caused them to develop gynecological cancers. If J&J wins enough of their support, it will try to use a bankruptcy filing to carry out its settlement plan, worth roughly $8 billion over time. (Scurria, Mulvaney and Gladstone, 7/23)
On marijuana —
Stat: Marijuana Rescheduling Proposal Divides Medical Professionals
The Biden administration’s proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana is dividing some of the nation’s top medical professionals. The nation’s largest and most powerful doctors group, the American Medical Association, has raised multiple concerns with the move, which is known as rescheduling. (Florko, 7/23)
CNN: Prenatal Marijuana Use Linked To Serious Risks For Mother During Pregnancy, Study Finds
Women who use marijuana before they learn of their pregnancy are at higher risk for potentially life-threatening complications like preeclampsia, a new study finds. (LaMotte, 7/22)
In other pharmaceutical news —
KFF Health News: Why Millions Are Trying FDA-Authorized Alternatives To Big Pharma’s Weight Loss Drugs
Pharmacist Mark Mikhael has lost 50 pounds over the past 12 months. He no longer has diabetes and finds himself “at my ideal body weight,” with his cholesterol below 200 for the first time in 20 years. “I feel fantastic,” he said. Like millions of others, Mikhael credits the new class of weight loss drugs. But he isn’t using brand-name Wegovy or Zepbound. Mikhael, CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Olympia Pharmaceuticals, has been getting by with his own supply: injecting himself with copies of the drugs formulated by his company. (Allen, 7/23)
AP: Too Many Pills? How To Talk To Your Doctor About Reviewing What’s Needed
Swallowing a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, from young adults coping with anxiety to older adults managing chronic conditions. Overall, 13% of people in the U.S. take five or more prescription drugs. For those 65 and older, that number is 42%. If you’re taking multiple meds, it’s smart to be aware of potential problems. One pill can lead to a side effect, leading to another pill and another side effect in what experts call a “prescribing cascade.” (Johnson, 7/22)
FiercePharma: Insulet Drops Song Using All The Sounds Of An Omnipod 5 Pod Swap
There’s a new contender for song of the summer out now, and it comes from none other than diabetes tech maker Insulet. Insulet, maker of the Omnipod series of insulin pumps, has released “The Pod Drop (Pod Change Theme Song),” an undeniably catchy tune made solely from the sounds of an Omnipod 5 insulin pod change. Available now on popular streaming services, “The Pod Drop” was made by YouTuber and musician Andrew Huang, well known for his “Song Challenge” series of videos making music out of foods, toys and other random, non-instrument items. (Park, 7/22)
