By Chloe Reichel
1) On February 11, the FDA will launch its “Real Cost,” anti-smoking campaign. The $115-million campaign is geared toward discouraging teenagers from smoking by emphasizing the “personally relevant” effects of smoking.
2) Lawsuits against the manufacturer of Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim, have revealed internal documents about the dangers of the drug. The drug, a blood thinner, has been associated with over 1,000 deaths.
3) By October 2014, CVS will no longer sell tobacco products. CVS has decided to implement this ban because, increasingly they see their role as providing health care, and tobacco products cause negative health effects.
4) Naxolone, a drug that is used to reverse the effects of opiate overdoses, is now available to patients in California through their doctors. Prior to the creation of this law, the drug was much less widely available–primarily it was administered in emergency rooms.
6) This Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration released regulations to guarantee that infant formula is safe for consumption. The regulations stipulate that certain nutrients are included in the product, and require tests for pathogens.
