Latest news with #Food and Drug Administration
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
Medicare and Medicaid Fail a Basic Scientific Test
Critics of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act claim that, because it would slow the growth of federal Medicaid spending from 4.5% to 2.7% annually, thousands will die. Yet evidence for this is wanting. If Medicaid were a drug, the federal government wouldn't approve it—and could penalize its salesmen with prison time for claiming it saves lives. When President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law in 1965, he announced that one of the goals was 'to improve the health of all Americans.' Around the same time, Congress barred pharmaceutical companies from introducing or making health claims about new drugs absent 'substantial evidence' that 'the drug will have the effect it purports,' which the Food and Drug Administration defined as at least one, but usually two, successful randomized, controlled trials.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
F.D.A. Panel to Reassess Hormone Therapy Warnings
Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, will convene an expert panel on Thursday that he said will 'set the record straight' about hormone therapy for menopause, a treatment that he champions despite mixed findings about its risks and benefits. Although there is no public agenda, the panel is expected to discuss whether the risks have been overstated, deterring women who might benefit. All menopause treatments containing the hormone estrogen carry a black box warning that the medication should not be used to prevent cardiovascular disease or dementia, and that it increases the risk of strokes, blood clots and probable dementia. The label also warns of the possibility of breast cancer. But proponents like Dr. Makary say there's evidence that hormone therapy — approved for the treatment of symptoms like hot flashes — may prevent cognitive decline, heart disease and some cancers, in addition to conferring benefits that are not in dispute, like reducing osteoporosis-related fractures. Dr. Makary has dismissed findings of a heightened risk of breast cancer in women who took combined estrogen and progestin, saying the research caused a 'breast cancer scare' that has deterred women from getting a useful treatment. 'There's probably no medication that improves the health outcomes of a population more than hormone replacement therapy for women who start it within 10 years of the onset of menopause,' except perhaps antibiotics, Dr. Makary said on a podcast. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Trump says Coca-Cola agreed to use ‘real' cane sugar in US products
Donald Trump announced that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its US products, claiming it would be a significant improvement. Currently, Coca-Cola in the US is made with high-fructose corn syrup, whereas cane sugar is utilized in other countries, including Mexico. A Coca-Cola representative responded by stating they appreciate Trump's enthusiasm and would soon share details on new innovative offerings, without directly confirming the cane sugar agreement. This move aligns with a broader 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative, which aims to combat chronic illness through wholesome food and environmental toxin elimination. Kennedy intends for the Food and Drug Administration to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation's food supply, as seen in a recent pledge made by 40 US ice cream producers.
