Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Vitamin E Oil Eyed As Culprit In Vaping-Related Lung Illnesses, But Some Health Officials Remain Doubtful
The New York Times: New York State Suspects Vitamin E May Have Played A Role In Vaping Illnesses
Health officials in New York State said on Thursday that they are investigating a possible cause of a recent surge in severe vaping-related illnesses: a compound called vitamin E acetate. The state Department of Health said in a news release that “very high levels” of the compound had been found in 13 samples from eight of 34 patients who have gotten ill in New York. The samples were analyzed as part of an investigation by the Wadsworth Center, a state laboratory. (Richtel, 9/5)
The Washington Post: Vitamin E Acetate In Marijuana Vaping Products Is Linked To Lung Illness, FDA And State Labs Find
The chemical is an oil derived from vitamin E. Investigators at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the oil in cannabis products in samples collected from patients who fell ill across the United States. FDA officials shared that information with state health officials during a telephone briefing this week, according to several officials who took part in the call. That same chemical was also found in nearly all cannabis samples from patients who fell ill in New York in recent weeks, a state health department spokeswoman said. (Sun, 9/5)
The Wall Street Journal: New York Identifies Vitamin E Oil In Vaping Samples
Vitamin E acetate is a common dietary supplement and frequently used in skin creams. It isn’t known to be harmful when used in those ways, but the department and other experts believe that inhaling the oil could be a factor. Previous reports suggested that the patients could be suffering from lipoid pneumonia, a reaction to inhaling fats or oils, or a type of allergic reaction that causes inflammation. “When you inhale it, it gets deep into the lungs,” said Howard Zucker, the commissioner of the health department. “You get an inflammation, and the lungs cannot do their job.” (Abbott, 9/5)
Politico: Vitamin E Named As Primary Culprit In Vaping Illness, But Feds Urge Caution
But CDC Director Robert Redfield said it was "probably important for us to keep an open mind that it may be a cause or may be causes," of the vaping illness outbreak. "People need to realize that it is very probable that there are multiple causes." The FDA also stressed this point. "No one substance, including Vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples tested," the agency said in a news release. "Importantly, identifying any compounds that are present in the samples will be one piece of the puzzle but will not necessarily answer questions about causality." (Young and Owermohle, 9/5)
NPR: Vitamin E Suspected In Serious Lung Problems Among People Who Vaped Cannabis
Vitamin E is not an approved additive for vape products approved by New York's medical marijuana program, and Zucker says the cartridges they tested appear to be "black-market" products purchased off the street — not in medical dispensaries. "This is a situation of people buying products that have been laced with markedly elevated amounts of vitamin E," Zucker says. (Neel and Aubrey, 9/5)
CNN: Vitamin E Chemical Is 'Key Focus' In Vaping-Related Illness Investigation, Health Officials Say
"The cases of pulmonary illnesses associated with vaping are continuing to rise across New York State and the country," New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a written statement on Thursday. "We urge the public to be vigilant about any vaping products that they or any family members may be using and to immediately contact their health care provider if they develop any unusual symptoms. In general, vaping of unknown substances is dangerous, and we continue to explore all options to combat this public health issue," he said. (Howard and Gumbrecht, 9/5)
USA Today: Vitamin E Oil A 'Key Focus' In Investigations Of Vaping-Related Illnesses
New York's 34 lung injuries are mostly in people aged 17 to 30, who started showing up at emergency rooms in July after vaping tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC, the psychoactive element of marijuana. Some of them also were vaping nicotine, but the probe has narrowed in on cannabis use as the culprit, doctors and state health officials said. It’s part of at least 215 vaping injuries being investigated across the country, prompting federal officials to issue alerts against vaping nicotine or marijuana until a cause is determined. (O'Donnell and Robinson, 9/5)
NBC News: Vitamin E Now A Focus Of The Investigation Into Some Vaping Illnesses
Four other cases have been documented before the current spate of illnesses — all seemingly rare cases that concerned physicians enough to write about them in medical journals. “These cases may just be the tip of the iceberg,” Eissenberg said. “There could be many unreported cases that have passed below the clinical radar simply because the person treated themselves by abstaining from e-cigarettes and never went to the hospital.” (Edwards, 9/5)
CBS News: Vaping Illnesses Could Be Linked To Vitamin E
CBS News spoke to one young man who nearly died from vaping. "I'm getting better now that I'm off oxygen. When I first got here it was like a baby bear was on my chest," said 18-year-old Adam Hergenreder. When he got to the Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Illinois, on Saturday, Hergenreder was feverish, vomiting and gasping for breath. From what doctors know of his case, vaping nearly killed him. (9/5)
Bloomberg: Vaping Lung Illness Tied To Cannabis Products, New York Says
The lung illnesses are a threat to the e-cigarette industry, which has grown rapidly as a way for people to switch from traditional cigarettes, which are responsible for 480,000 deaths a year in the U.S. Some people use the devices to inhale cannabis and THC, and a variety of bootleg cartridges and pods are available for use with the devices. (Edney, 9/5)
The Hill: Investigators Identify Vitamin E In Vaping Products As Common Thread In Lung Illnesses
State officials didn't identify one particular brand linked to the illness, noting that all patients have reported recent use of various products. (Hellmann, 9/5)
Meanwhile, in other vaping news —
The Hill: House Dem Accuses Juul Of Illegally Advertising As A Way To Quit Smoking
A House Democrat accused e-cigarette company Juul of making false and misleading advertising claims, and called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) said Juul has been marketing itself as a tool to help people quit smoking, claiming its pods are safer and healthier than traditional cigarettes. (Weixel, 9/5)
CNN: Lawmaker Asks FDA To Crack Down On Juul's 'Fraudulent' Medical Claims
Krishnamoorthi's letter follows a two-day hearing in July, after which the committee concluded that "JUUL appears to be violating FDA regulations against making unapproved express and implied claims that its product helps users stop smoking cigarettes and is safer than cigarettes." At the subcommittee hearing in July, several people testified that the company was directly marketing to children in high school, to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and to smoking cessation groups. (Christensen, 9/5)
Bloomberg: Juul’s Claims It Helps Smokers Quit Questioned By Lawmaker
Juul has become popular among underage vapers due in part to an early social-media campaign that appealed to kids and teens. Juul executives have said their e-cigarettes have always been intended to help adults quit cigarettes, though the FDA hasn’t approved any of the company’s products as smoking-cessation tools. (Edney, 9/5)
