Petrie-Flom Intern’s Weekly Round-Up: 12/1-12/8

By Chloe Reichel

1) Following orders from FDA, 23andMe will no longer market genetic tests using health analyses. The company will, however, continue to sell genetic tests related to ancestry.

2) Families with children who have seizure disorders are flocking to Colorado. There, these children can legally receive medications containing extracts from marijuana, which are believed to reduce the occurrence of seizures.

3) A bill is being debated in the New York City Council that would ban the use of electronic cigarettes in public spaces. Supporters of the ban say that electronic cigarettes pose a public health risk, while opponents say that they are harmless.

4) Chemotherapy will not be forced on an Amish girl with lymphoblastic lymphoma. The family decided to stop treatment because of the side effects, and the court-appointed guardian of the girl has decided to drop the case against her parents because they are not locatable.

5) Error rates for those who filled out enrollment forms on the Healthcare.gov online insurance marketplace were at 25 percent for October, although representatives say that these error rates have since declined.

6) Legislators who are opposed to the Affordable Care Act are planning to utilize funds allocated by the federal government for Medicaid expansion to instead purchase private health insurance plans for people who are of low socioeconomic status. This Friday, Tom Corbett, governor of Pennsylvania announced this plan, and Arkansas legislators have already enacted an analogous plan.

The Petrie-Flom Center Staff

The Petrie-Flom Center staff often posts updates, announcements, and guests posts on behalf of others.

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