Experts Say Drug Transparency Bill Has Been Stripped of Critical Provisions

Landmark legislation designed to alert consumers to where their drugs were made is headed for a full Senate vote, but safety experts say the transparency bill has been stripped of two of its most critical provisions. The Clear Labels Act was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., after lawmakers and drug safety experts called for more…
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Infant Formula Manufacturers Decide Whether to Inform FDA About Possible Harm

In September 2016, a distraught mother sent infant formula maker Mead Johnson a message: “REMOVE ME FROM YOUR LIST!!!! DO NOT EMAIL OR MAIL ME ANY MORE! “It is because of your animal based pre-term artificial baby food crap that you peddle to hospital NICU’s that my son is dead from NEC.” The mother was referring to neonatal intensive care units and necrotizing enterocolitis…
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Trump Uses Full Weight of Federal Government to Restrict Gender-Affirming Care

The United States is using the full power of the federal government to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The American Psychological Association has accused the Trump administration of ignoring science and undermining mental health through its anti-trans policies. Groups including Planned Parenthood, AIDS United and the Human Rights Campaign see these tactics as a serious…
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For Second Time in 7 Months, Baby Formula Linked to Infant Botulism Is Recalled

When ByHeart infant formula was linked to a nationwide outbreak of infant botulism last fall, the company encouraged its customers to switch to another premium whole milk formula made by Nara Organics. Now Nara Organics, which has promoted the “thousands of tests” it runs on every formula batch, is recalling all of its whole milk organic powdered infant formula after the Centers for Disease…
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Congenital Syphilis Skyrockets as US Has Shortage of Drug That Treats It

The United States has a shortage of the only first-line medication recommended for pregnant women with syphilis to prevent passing it to their baby, even as congenital syphilis rates have been skyrocketing. Last July, drug manufacturer Pfizer issued a voluntary recall of brand name Bicillin L-A, or penicillin G benzathine — a long-acting injectable of the antibiotic — warning of particulates…
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Tobacco Company Gave $5M to Trump PAC Days Before FDA OK’d Flavored Vapes

It was already known that President Donald Trump pressured top health officials to allow flavored vapes to hit the market after being leaned on by Big Tobacco executives earlier this month. But The New York Times has revealed that the decision came just over a week after a massive super political action committee (PAC) donation from one of the cigarette companies looking to have the…
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