White House Makes Progress On Limits For PFAS In Tap Water

Politico: Biden Admin Advances First-Ever PFAS Limits For Tap Water
The Biden administration is one step closer to finalizing landmark nationwide limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water. The White House this week wrapped up its review of EPA's final regulation requiring water providers to reduce concentrations of PFAS, according to the Office of Management and Budget. The rule would be one of the most significant new drinking water regulations in decades. (Willson, 3/28)

Politico: RFK Jr.'s Vice Presidential Pick Calls IVF ‘One Of The Biggest Lies Being Told About Women's Health’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate ... Nicole Shanahan has for years denounced IVF — calling it "one of the biggest lies that’s being told about women’s health today." At the same time, she has also been a vocal proponent of and financial backer for unconventional research into the possibility of helping women having children into their 50s and exploring no-cost interventions to help women conceive, such as exposure to sunlight. (Gibson, 3/28)

The Hill: Breyer Predicts Supreme Court Will See ‘More And More And More’ Abortion-Related Cases
Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer predicted Wednesday that the high court will see a jump in abortion-related cases in the future. Breyer told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that the “harmful” decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade — ending the federal right to abortion access — would not reduce the number of abortion-related cases brought before the high court. (Sforza, 3/28)

Reuters: Trader Joe's Lawsuit Over 'Heavy Metals' In Chocolate Is Largely Dismissed
A U.S. judge dismissed most of a lawsuit accusing Trader Joe's of misleading and endangering consumers by failing to disclose that its dark chocolate bars contained harmful levels of "heavy metals" such as lead and cadmium. In a decision on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro in San Diego said consumers in the proposed class action failed to adequately plead that the grocery chain's chocolate posed an unreasonable safety hazard or were unfit to eat. (Stempel, 3/28)

Also —

Reuters: Exclusive: China's WuXi AppTec Shared US Client's Data With Beijing, US Intelligence Officials Told Senators
U.S. intelligence officials in late February told senators working on a biotech security bill that Chinese pharmaceutical firm WuXi AppTec (603259.SS) had transferred U.S. intellectual property to Beijing without consent, according to two sources. The U.S. government is concerned that certain Chinese biotech companies are contributing technology or research and development for use by China's military, and the proposed legislation would restrict U.S. government funds going to those Chinese companies. (Martina, Erman and Freifeld, 3/28)

In other administration news —

Reuters: US CDC Alerts Healthcare Providers Of Increase In Meningococcal Disease
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory on Thursday alerting healthcare providers about an increase in invasive meningococcal disease and urging them to ensure necessary vaccinations against the deadly disease. Meningococcal disease, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, is a serious bacterial infection that commonly affects the brain, spinal cord and bloodstream. (3/28)

Reuters: US FDA Extends Review Of Applied Therapeutics' Genetic Disease Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extended its review of Applied Therapeutics' (APLT.O) experimental drug to treat galactosemia, a rare genetic metabolic disease, the company said on Thursday. The health regulator will now give its decision by Nov. 28, 2024, compared with its previous action date of Aug. 28. Galactosemia results in an inability to metabolize the simple sugar galactose, causing it to build up to toxic levels in the blood. (3/28)

CIDRAP: BioMerieux Receives FDA Clearance For Rapid Respiratory/Sore Throat Test
French diagnostics company bioMerieux announced yesterday that it has received US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance for a rapid respiratory/sore throat panel that company officials say will help clinicians make more informed decisions about antibiotic prescribing. The panel, Biofire Spotfire, is a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test capable of detecting and identifying nucleic acids from up to 15 of the most common bacteria, viruses, and viral subtypes that cause respiratory or sore throat infections in about 15 minutes. (Dall, 3/28)