Following is a summary of health news briefs from Reuters
Walgreens, Target remove all 22-ounce J&J baby powder from their shelves
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and Target Corp on Friday became the latest retailers to remove all 22-ounce bottles of Johnson & Johnson baby powder from their stores, after the healthcare conglomerate recalled some bottles because of possible asbestos contamination. “Following the national voluntary recall initiated by Johnson & Johnson, Target removed all Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder 22-ounce bottles from our stores and Target.com,” the company said.
Vaping case numbers tapering off, but U.S. outbreak may not have peaked -CDC
The number of cases reported in the epidemic of lung-related injuries from vaping appears to be leveling off or declining, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday, but it is too early to say whether the outbreak has peaked. “There may be less intensive investigation of possible cases by the health departments, fewer cases from earlier in the year reported into the public heath system, or lags in data reporting to the CDC,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, Schuchat said in a conference call with reporters.
Big U.S. retailers pull 22-ounce J&J baby powder off shelves after recall
Four major U.S. retailers, including Walmart and Target Corp, are removing all 22-ounce bottles of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder from their stores, following the healthcare conglomerate’s recall last week of some bottles due to possible asbestos contamination. J&J, which is facing thousands of lawsuits over a variety of products, said last week it was recalling around 33,000 bottles of baby powder in the United States after U.S. health regulators found trace amounts of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in samples taken from a bottle purchased online.
Tailored treatments could help athletes with eating disorders
(Reuters Health) – Athletes face an increased risk for eating disorders, and a treatment program tailored to their specific needs can help them regain a healthy relationship with food, a small study suggests. Researchers tested a program developed to focus on psychology and nutrition in helping athletes with their body image – as an athlete and in society – as well as understanding the role of food as fuel for their body, the study team writes in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Two charities to pay $6 million to resolve U.S. pharma kickback probe
Two charities will pay $6 million to resolve claims they operated as pass-throughs for seven pharmaceutical companies to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients using their high-priced medications, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. The settlements with the patient assistance charities Good Days and Patient Access Network Foundation were the first with foundations linked to an industry-wide probe that has resulted in $840 million in settlements with drugmakers.
Direct-to-consumer genetic test results may be unreliable
(Reuters Health) – Genetic tests sold online or in stores may produce false results, warn genetics experts in the UK. When one of these tests indicates a “health risk,” it doesn’t necessarily mean someone will develop the health problem, and conversely, “reassuring” results may be unreliable, they caution in the medical journal BMJ.
Buying birth control pills online may be safe, efficient
(Reuters Health) – Services based on the web or on smartphone apps are mostly safe and efficient for purchasing oral contraceptives, a small U.S. study concludes “If a woman is looking for easier access to birth control, this seems like a very reasonable option, in particular, for those struggling to find a provider or having difficulty getting into a doctor’s office,” said senior author Ateev Mehrotra of Harvard Medical School in Boston.