RFK Jr. attends health summit in Charlotte to address chemical exposure from food packaging
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Future health policies are potentially being made in Queen City.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at a Chemicals of Concern Policy Summit in Charlotte Wedneday afternoon.
The invitation-only event was held to address chemical exposure from food packaging.
Local leaders were in attendance — including the president of a packaging maker — who said they are looking forward to working with RFK.
Addressing issues regarding toxic chemicals and food packaging are a part of Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' mandate.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
16 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Celldex Presents Data Demonstrating Profound Long Term Improvement in Angioedema in Barzolvolimab Phase 2 Study in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria at EAACI 2025
77% of patients (150 mg Q4W) treated with barzolvolimab who had angioedema at baseline were angioedema free at Week 52 (150 mg Q4W) Data further support barzolvolimab clinical benefit to patients with CSU HAMPTON, N.J., June 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLDX) today announced data demonstrating that barzolvolimab profoundly improves angioedema at 52 weeks in the Company's Phase 2 clinical trial in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Angioedema, characterized by swelling of the deeper dermal layers of the skin and mucous membranes, is a painful, debilitating symptom of CSU that has significant impact on quality of life. It commonly affects the face (lips and eyelids), hands, feet, and genitalia but can also involve the tongue, uvula, soft palate, and pharynx1. The data were presented today by Dr. Martin Metz, Professor, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Head of Translational Research and Deputy Head of Clinical Trials at Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, in an oral presentation at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Congress 2025. Celldex previously announced that the Phase 2 study in CSU met its primary and secondary endpoints at 12 weeks with clinically meaningful and statistically significant decreases in UAS7 (weekly urticaria activity score) compared to placebo across multiple dose groups, including improvements in quality of life and angioedema measurements, and demonstrated a favorable safety profile. The data presented today further support these results by demonstrating improvements in AAS7 (weekly angioedema activity score) and additional measures of angioedema control over the 52 week treatment period. AAS7 measures the frequency and intensity of angioedema episodes, where higher scores indicate increased angioedema activity. 'The majority of patients with severe CSU suffer with angioedema, which is often extremely painful and causes disfigurement, dramatically impacting quality of life,' said Diane C. Young, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Celldex Therapeutics. 'Consistent with previously reported clinical outcomes, we observed rapid, profound angioedema relief with barzolvolimab treatment and this benefit continued to improve over 52 weeks of therapy for patients. These data add to the unprecedented 76 week efficacy and safety data we presented yesterday at EAACI and continue to support barzolvolimab's potential to redefine the treatment landscape and meet the goals of CSU therapy—rapid, profound, durable complete response and improved quality of life across a broad patient population.' Summary of Key Findings: Patients on study had severe CSU. Over 70% of patients had a weekly urticaria activity score (UAS7) greater than 28 at baseline and reported very high rates of angioedema at baseline. Barzolvolimab demonstrated rapid, robust and durable improvements in angioedema symptoms over the treatment period. At Week 52, an 86% mean reduction from baseline was reported for 150 mg Q4W arm and an 82% reduction was reported for the 300 mg Q8W. Up to 77% of patients treated with barzolvolimab who had angioedema at baseline were angioedema free (AAS7=0) at Week 52. Patients treated with barzolvolimab were angioedema free up to 72% of the time over the 52 week treatment period. Up to 87% of patients reported clinically meaningful improvement ( > 8 point) in AAS7 at Week 52. 1 DermNet . About Barzolvolimab Barzolvolimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT with high specificity and potently inhibits its activity. KIT is expressed in a variety of cells, including mast cells, which mediate inflammatory responses such as hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. KIT signaling controls the differentiation, tissue recruitment, survival and activity of mast cells. In certain inflammatory diseases, such as chronic urticaria, mast cell activation plays a central role in the onset and progression of the disease. Barzolvolimab is currently being studied in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU), prurigo nodularis (PN), eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) and atopic dermatitis (AD), with additional indications planned for the future. About the Phase 2 CSU Study The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group Phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety profile of multiple dose regimens of barzolvolimab in patients with CSU who remain symptomatic despite antihistamine therapy, to determine the optimal dosing strategy. 208 patients were randomly assigned on a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous injections of barzolvolimab at 75 mg every 4 weeks, 150 mg every 4 weeks, 300 mg every 8 weeks or placebo during a 16-week placebo-controlled treatment period. After 16 weeks, patients then entered a 36-week active treatment period, in which patients receiving placebo or the 75 mg dose were randomized to receive barzolvolimab 150 mg every 4 weeks or 300 mg every 8 weeks; patients already randomized to the 150 mg and 300 mg treatment arms remained on the same regimen as during the placebo-controlled treatment period. After 52 weeks, patients entered a follow-up period for an additional 24 weeks. Barzolvolimab achieved the primary efficacy endpoint of the study—a statistically significant mean change from baseline to Week 12 in UAS7 (weekly urticaria activity score) compared to placebo at all dose levels. For additional information on this trial (NCT05368285), please visit About the Phase 3 Program Celldex is currently conducting a global Phase 3 Program for barzolvolimab in CSU, consisting of two Phase 3 trials (EMBARQ-CSU1; NCT06445023 and EMBARQ-CSU2; NCT06455202) designed to establish the efficacy and safety of barzolvolimab in adult patients with CSU who remain symptomatic despite H1 antihistamine treatment. The studies also include patients who remain symptomatic after treatment with biologics. Enrollment is underway. About Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) CSU is characterized by the occurrence of hives or wheals for 6 weeks or longer without identifiable specific triggers or causes. The activation of the mast cells in the skin (release of histamines, leukotrienes, chemokines) results in episodes of itchy hives, swelling and inflammation of the skin that can go on for years or even decades. Current therapies provide symptomatic relief only in some patients. About Celldex Celldex is pioneering new horizons in immunology to deliver life-changing therapies. We are relentless in our pursuit of novel antibody-based treatments that engage the human immune system and directly affect critical pathways to improve the lives of patients with allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Visit Forward Looking Statement This release contains 'forward-looking statements' made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are typically preceded by words such as 'believes,' 'expects,' 'anticipates,' 'intends,' 'will,' 'may,' 'should,' or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct or that those goals will be achieved, and you should be aware that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, our ability to successfully complete research and further development and commercialization of Company drug candidates, including barzolvolimab (also referred to as CDX-0159), in current or future indications; the uncertainties inherent in clinical testing and accruing patients for clinical trials; our limited experience in bringing programs through Phase 3 clinical trials; our ability to manage and successfully complete multiple clinical trials and the research and development efforts for our multiple products at varying stages of development; the availability, cost, delivery and quality of clinical materials produced by our own manufacturing facility or supplied by contract manufacturers, who may be our sole source of supply; the timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals; the failure of the market for the Company's programs to continue to develop; our ability to protect the Company's intellectual property; the loss of any executive officers or key personnel or consultants; competition; changes in the regulatory landscape or the imposition of regulations that affect the Company's products; our ability to continue to obtain capital to meet our long-term liquidity needs on acceptable terms, or at all, including the additional capital which will be necessary to complete the clinical trials that we have initiated or plan to initiate; and other factors listed under 'Risk Factors' in our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We have no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company ContactSarah CavanaughSenior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Administration(508) 864-8337 [email protected]
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Seed oils are toxic, says Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – but it's not so simple
Before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump Administration, he joined a whole host of health influencers in proclaiming that widely used cooking oils such as canola oil and soybean oil are toxic. T-shirts sold by his 'Make America Healthy Again' campaign now include the slogan, 'make frying oil tallow again' – a reference to the traditional use of rendered beef fat for cooking. Seed oils have become a mainstay of the American diet because unlike beef tallow, which is comprised of saturated fats that increase cholesterol levels, seed oils contain unsaturated fats that can decrease cholesterol levels. In theory, that means they should reduce the risk of heart disease. But research shows that different seed oils have varying effects on risk for heart disease. Furthermore, seed oils have also been shown to increase risk for migraines. This is likely due to their high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. These fats can increase inflammation, a heightened and potentially harmful state of immune system activation. As a family physician with a Ph.D. in nutrition, I translate the latest nutrition science into dietary recommendations for my patients. When it comes to seed oils, the research shows that their health effects are more nuanced than headlines and social media posts suggest. Seed oils — often confusingly referred to as 'vegetable oils' — are, as the name implies, oils extracted from the seeds of plants. This is unlike olive oil and coconut oil, which are derived from fruits. People decrying their widespread use often refer to the 'hateful eight' top seed oil offenders: canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and rice bran oil. These oils entered the human diet at unprecedented levels after the invention of the mechanical screw press in 1888 enabled the extraction of oil from seeds in quantities that were never before possible. Between 1909 and 1999, U.S. consumption of soybean oil increased 1,000 times. This shift fundamentally changed our biological makeup. Due to increased seed oil intake, in the past 50 years the concentration of omega-6 fatty acids that Americans carry around in their fatty tissue has increased by 136%. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that control inflammation. While omega-6s tend to produce molecules that boost it, omega-3s tend to produce molecules that tone it down. Until recently, people generally ate equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. However, over the past century, this ratio has changed. Today, people consume 15 times more omega-6s than omega-3s, partly due to increased consumption of seed oils. In theory, seed oils can cause health problems because they contain a high absolute amount of omega-6 fatty acids, as well as a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Studies have linked an increased omega-6 to omega-3 ratio to a wide range of conditions, including mood disorders, knee pain, back pain, menstrual pain and even preterm birth. Omega-6 fatty acids have also been implicated in the processes that drive colon cancer. However, the absolute omega-6 level and the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in different seed oils vary tremendously. For example, safflower oil and sunflower oil have ratios of 125:1 and 91:1. Corn oil's ratio is 50:1. Meanwhile, soybean oil and canola oil have lower ratios, at 8:1 and 2:1, respectively. Scientists have used genetic modification to create seed oils like high oleic acid canola oil that have a lower omega-6 to 3 ratio. However, the health benefit of these bioengineered oils is still being studied. Part of the controversy surrounding seed oils is that studies investigating their inflammatory effect have yielded mixed results. One meta-analysis synthesizing the effects of seed oils on 11 inflammatory markers largely showed no effects – with the exception of one inflammatory signal, which was significantly elevated in people with the highest omega-6 intakes. To complicate things further, genetics also plays a role in seed oils' inflammatory potential. People of African, Indigenous and Latino descent tend to metabolize omega-6 fatty acids faster, which can increase the inflammatory effect of consuming seed oils. Scientists still don't fully understand how genetics and other factors may influence the health effects of these oils. A review of seven randomized controlled trials showed that the effect of seed oils on risk of heart attacks varies depending on the type of seed oil. This was corroborated by data resurrected from tapes dug up in the basement of a researcher who in the 1970s conducted the largest and most rigorously executed dietary trial to date investigating the replacement of saturated fat with seed oils. In that work, replacing saturated fats such as beef tallow with seed oils always lowers cholesterol, but it does not always lower risk of death from heart disease. Taken together, these studies show that when saturated fats such as beef tallow are replaced with seed oils that have lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, such as soybean oil, the risk of heart attacks and death from heart disease falls. However, when saturated fats are replaced with seed oils with a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, such as corn oil, risk of death from heart disease rises. Interestingly, the most highly purchased seed oil in the United States is soybean oil, which has a more favorable omega-6 to 3 ratio of 8:1 – and studies show that it does lower the risk of heart disease. However, seed oils with less favorable ratios, such as corn oil and safflower oil, can be found in countless processed foods, including potato chips, frozen dinners and packaged desserts. Nevertheless, other aspects of these foods, in addition to their seed oil content, also make them unhealthy. A rigorous randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for clinical evidence – showed that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids, hence low in seed oils, significantly reduced the risk of migraines In the study, people who stepped up their consumption of omega-3 fatty acids by eating fatty fish such as salmon experienced an average of two fewer migraines per month than usual, even if they did not change their omega-6 consumption. However, if they reduced their omega-6 intake by switching out corn oil for olive oil, while simultaneously increasing their omega-3 intake, they experienced four fewer migraines per month. That's a noteworthy difference, considering that the latest migraine medications reduce migraine frequency by approximately two days per month, compared to a placebo. Thus, for migraine sufferers — 1 in 6 Americans — decreasing seed oils, along with increasing omega-3 intake, may be even more effective than currently available medications. Overall, the drastic way in which omega-6 fatty acids have entered the food supply and fundamentally changed our biological composition makes this an important area of study. But the question of whether seed oils are good or bad is not black and white. There is no basis to conclude that Americans would be healthier if we started frying everything in beef tallow again, but there is an argument for a more careful consideration of the nuance surrounding these oils and their potential effects. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Mary J. Scourboutakos, University of Toronto Read more: Ultraprocessed foods – like cookies, chips, frozen meals and fast food – may contribute to cognitive decline How Crisco toppled lard – and made Americans believers in industrial food Migraine sufferers have treatment choices – a neurologist explains options beyond just pain medication Mary J. Scourboutakos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Highline Lake State Park can't confirm giardia was found in its water
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – After social media posts circulated online about the presence of giardia found in Highline Lake, officials responded to the claims. They said although they cannot confirm that giardia was contracted from the lake, they discourage drinking any untreated water, especially from lakes and streams. Giardia is a naturally occurring microorganism, that when swallowed, can cause illness. Officials encourage residents to wash their hands or shower after coming into contact with untreated water. The park tests lake water every week for E. coli, but it does not test for microorganisms, such as giardia, that are typically found in untreated water. All E. coli tests have returned under a threshold of concern, officials said. If a test shows too much E. coli, officials said they would immediately close the swim beach and post park alerts. 'We take the safety of our visitors seriously and encourage anyone who thinks they may be unwell to seek medical attention,' officials said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
