Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Raids Maker of Poppers, A Party Drug HHS Chief Suggests Causes AIDS
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reportedly targeted a manufacturer of poppers, an inhalant drug that has gained increasingly mainstream popularity as an adjunct to clubbing and sexual activity. The drug has long been sold in convenience stores under a legal loophole.聽Double Scorpio, an Austin-based poppers manufacturer, issued a statement on its website Thursday stating that the company had 鈥渟topped all operations following a search and seizure at our offices by the FDA.鈥澛(Ryan, 3/14)
U.S. health officials are tracking a rise in injuries tied to the misuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, including some brands that are sold in small canisters containing flavors like blueberry, strawberry and watermelon. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned consumers that inhaling the gas for its euphoric effects can cause dangerously low blood pressure, leading to loss of consciousness and injuries. (Perrone, 3/14)
The results of a small randomized controlled trial in Italy suggest that probiotics may be helpful in treatment of children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), Italian researchers reported today in JAMA Network Open. (Dall, 3/14)
Pfizer had a problem. Doctors weren鈥檛 prescribing its migraine drug Nurtec because they assumed insurance coverage would be too much of a hassle. So last year the company created a phone line for doctors and patients to call Pfizer directly for help. Pfizer now credits that and other changes for a 31% increase in Nurtec鈥檚 U.S. sales last year. (Hopkins, 3/17)
It鈥檚 easy to make a medical case for blockbuster weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, which have been shown to prevent heart attacks and strokes and save lives. But for the employers and government programs being asked to pay for the medications, the financial case for them is less clear. Are the drugs鈥 benefits worth their enormous cost? The answer right now is no, according to a new study published on Friday in the journal JAMA Health Forum, by researchers at the University of Chicago. (Robbins, 3/14)
