By Chloe Reichel
This Thursday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed new regulations for the sale of e-cigarettes. These regulations would prohibit sales to minors and make health warnings on packages mandatory.
This Wednesday a law was passed in Vermont that requires the labeling of genetically modified foods. Vermont is the first state to pass such a regulation.
Estimations for state spending on Medicaid have been reduced by the Congressional Budget Office. The office is now predicting that the cost of Medicaid expansion will be $46 billion, compared with their previous estimate of $70 billion.
Researchers at King’s College London have grown human skin in the lab from stem cells. Animal rights proponents herald these developments as a potential end to testing on animals.
Sovaldi, a medication for hepatitis C that costs $1,000 for one day’s dosage, has had the most successful drug launch ever. From its FDA approval in December to March 31, its manufacturer sold $2.27 billion worth of the drug, though the drug has faced criticism for its high price.
The FDA is considering banning electrical stimulation devices, used to discourage aggressive behavior in people with disabilities. Students from the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center testified against the use of these devices, though some parents of children at the Center and administrators there defend the use of these devices.
Following an audit of Illinois Medicaid expenditures, it was found that the program paid $12 million for medical services for dead people. These findings have led some to support stricter scrutiny in determining Medicaid eligibility.
Pervasive use of pesticides and genetically modified seeds in Hawaii has led to unrest among the state’s residents. Groups have been organizing to prevent the cultivation of genetically modified crops, and in Hawaii County such a law has already been adopted.
