Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Warns Dollar Tree, Says Retailer Didn't Remove Tainted Applesauce
Dollar Tree failed to effectively recall lead-tainted applesauce pouches linked to reports of illness in more than 500 children, leaving the products on some store shelves for two months, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The FDA sent a warning letter to Dollar Tree this month and placed Negasmart, the Ecuadorean distributor of WanaBana apple cinnamon pouches, under import alerts after the October recall of the products found to be contaminated with 鈥渆xtremely high鈥 levels of lead and chromium. (Aleccia, 6/19)
Scientists have found microplastics in human penises for the first time, as concerns over the tiny particles鈥 proliferation and potential health effects mount. Seven different kinds of microplastics were found in four out of five samples of penis tissue taken from five different men as part of a study published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal on Wednesday. (Guy, 6/19)
For members of a large extended Colombian family, an early Alzheimer鈥檚 diagnosis is practically a grim guarantee. But new research further supports the idea that a rare genetic mutation can delay the devastating disease鈥檚 onset. (Wosen, 6/19)
Downstairs was a sensory overload: Roulette wheels spun, slot-machine chimes rang, and dealers hurried to scoop up stacks of casino chips resting in front of busted blackjack hands. Many gamblers held a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other.聽It was perhaps a strange setting for a conference about substance use treatment. But there may have been no better venue than the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for the stark warning being offered in a ballroom upstairs: America鈥檚 addiction professionals are ignoring gambling.聽(Facher, 6/19)
Two Colorado researchers looked at 205 pairs of mothers and children from non-white ethnic groups living in Massachusetts, in cooperation with scientists elsewhere. When mothers reported they鈥檇 experienced more types of racial discrimination, such as mistreatment at work or when looking for housing, their children appeared to be biologically 鈥測ounger鈥 than their chronological ages of between 3 and 7. (Wingerter, 6/18)
Most of the public鈥檚 attention is focused on skyrocketing outdoor temperatures that can cause serious medical complications such as heat stroke. But for many people, especially those who lack access to air-conditioning, temperatures inside can become dangerous, as well. ... In a recently published article reviewing the research on indoor overheating, Drexel researchers noted that many vulnerable people, including the very old and young, spend most of their time indoors 鈥 but may not be able to adequately cool their houses in a heat wave. (Whelan, 6/19)
High temperatures can make us miserable. Research shows they also make us aggressive, impulsive and dull. (Smith, 6/19)