Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Set To Warn Common Sweetener Aspartame Is Possible Carcinogen
Reuters: Exclusive: WHO's Cancer Research Agency To Say Aspartame Sweetener A Possible Carcinogen - Sources
One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators. Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm, the sources said. (Rigby and Naidu, 6/29)
In other pharmaceutical news —
The Boston Globe: Head Of Drug-Pricing Watchdog Group To Step Down 17 Years After Founding The Boston Nonprofit
Steven Pearson, who 17 years ago founded a watchdog group in Boston that has wielded growing influence over what some of the world’s biggest drugmakers charge for their products, plans to step down as head of the nonprofit on Jan. 1. (Saltzman, 6/28)
Reuters: Sanofi Says It's Back To The Drawing Board On MRNA Flu Vaccines
Sanofi said that trials show the currently available mRNA technology behind the most successful COVID-19 shots will not be effective against influenza and it is already working on a next generation of shots. The French drugmaker, one of the world's largest vaccine makers, said early-stage testing on humans of its experimental influenza shot based on mRNA, or messenger RNA, showed a strong immune response against A strains of the virus but missed the mark on less prevalent B strains. (Burger, 6/29)
Bloomberg: Ipsen Gets FDA Advisers’ Backing For Rare Bone Disease Drug
Ipsen SA’s drug for a rare bone disease got support from a panel of US drug regulatory advisers, moving the first treatment for the condition closer to approval. Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted 11-3 Wednesday that the benefits of the treatment, palovarotene, outweigh its risks. The FDA isn’t required to follow the recommendations of its advisers, but frequently does. (Griffin and Kresge, 6/28)
The Wall Street Journal: Ozempic Can Make You Thin, Not Necessarily Healthy
Ozempic and Wegovy can make you thinner, but the drugs alone won’t guarantee good health. For those taking these drugs, exercise is still vital to keep your heart healthy and muscles strong. Exercise lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, according to scientific studies. And strength-training is especially important when you lose a lot of weight quickly. (Petersen, 6/28)
