Latest news with #HerbConaway
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers Press FDA to Target Knockoff Weight-Loss Drugs
(Bloomberg) -- Dozens of lawmakers are urging US health regulators to crack down on the booming market for knockoff weight-loss drugs amid mounting concerns over their potential safety risks. Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US The High Costs of Trump's 'Big Beautiful' New Car Loan Deduction Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Sanctuary City Policy On Friday, a group of more than 80 bipartisan lawmakers asked the US Food and Drug Administration to stop counterfeit and copycat versions of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound from flooding the market — a problem that emerged over the last year. 'We are concerned about recent reports revealing a surge in illegal and counterfeit anti-obesity medications,' they wrote in a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. 'Undoubtedly, illegal counterfeit medications pose an increased risk to patient safety with sometimes fatal consequences.' The group — spearheaded by Representatives Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Herb Conaway of New Jersey — asked the agency to ramp up enforcement over illegally imported weight-loss drugs. They suggested issuing warning letters and better monitoring non-compliant online retailers and so-called compounding pharmacies that sell the medicines. The lawmakers also said the FDA should work in tandem with US Customs and Border Patrol agents to stop Chinese entities from shipping unsafe weight-loss drugs into the US. They requested an update on the FDA's efforts by July 30, given the 'urgency' of the situation. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency will work with the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide a 'complete and thorough' response to the issues raised in the lawmakers' letter. 'Any effort to undermine America's supply of safe medicines is an issue that FDA takes seriously,' the spokesperson said. 'And we are deeply committed to strengthening the oversight of imported products at US ports of entry.' In recent years, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has led to an explosion of copycats and counterfeits made by companies seeking to capitalize on the hype. State-licensed pharmacies were temporarily allowed to make copies of the drugs during a supply shortage, but are no longer permitted to do so after Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. boosted production. Still, some pharmacies have refused to wind down their operations while others have pivoted to selling the drugs in lower doses in order to avoid regulatory scrutiny. Counterfeit drugs are made by unregistered entities typically using illegally imported ingredients. As recently as April, there continue to be instances when counterfeit Ozempic pens covertly enter the drug supply chain undetected. Some patients are also purchasing ingredients directly from online sellers in an attempt to make the drugs themselves at home. In both cases, the medications don't go through the same rigorous approval process as brand-name drugs made by Novo and Lilly. Experts worry the lack of oversight is putting patients at risk. The FDA has said it's aware of hospitalizations potentially linked to the copycat drugs, but that adverse events are likely being underreported. 'We support the bi-partisan call for the FDA to crack down on counterfeit and illegally sold weight-loss drugs,' said a spokesperson for Hims & Hers Health Inc., one of the telehealth firms that sells compounded GLP-1s. 'We appreciate lawmakers' recognition that legitimate compounded medications dispensed by state-regulated pharmacies are not counterfeit. Patient safety must always come first.' Novo and Lilly have discouraged consumers from using compounded and counterfeit products, including suing telehealth firms that sell the copycat versions and working with border agents to seize illegal shipments. Under the Biden administration, the companies repeatedly urged the FDA to take action, but the agency mostly limited its actions to issuing consumer warnings — even as its top drug official publicly acknowledged safety concerns. Under the Trump administration, the HHS has also focused more heavily on other issues, such as banning food dyes and examining vaccine schedules. Meanwhile, lawmakers are ramping up their calls for action. State attorneys and other lawmakers have sent letters to the FDA and Federal Trade Commission advocating for greater transparency around the treatments and more scrutiny around marketing practices. (Updates with statement from FDA in sixth and seventh paragraphs.) 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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers Press FDA to Target Knockoff Weight-Loss Drugs
(Bloomberg) -- Dozens of lawmakers are urging US health regulators to crack down on the booming market for knockoff weight-loss drugs amid mounting concerns over their potential safety risks. Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US The High Costs of Trump's 'Big Beautiful' New Car Loan Deduction Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Sanctuary City Policy On Friday, a group of more than 80 bipartisan lawmakers asked the US Food and Drug Administration to stop counterfeit and copycat versions of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound from flooding the market — a problem that emerged over the last year. 'We are concerned about recent reports revealing a surge in illegal and counterfeit anti-obesity medications,' they wrote in a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. 'Undoubtedly, illegal counterfeit medications pose an increased risk to patient safety with sometimes fatal consequences.' The group — spearheaded by Representatives Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Herb Conaway of New Jersey — asked the agency to ramp up enforcement over illegally imported weight-loss drugs. They suggested issuing warning letters and better monitoring non-compliant online retailers and so-called compounding pharmacies that sell the medicines. The lawmakers also said the FDA should work in tandem with US Customs and Border Patrol agents to stop Chinese entities from shipping unsafe weight-loss drugs into the US. They requested an update on the FDA's efforts by July 30, given the 'urgency' of the situation. A spokesperson for the FDA said the agency will work with the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide a 'complete and thorough' response to the issues raised in the lawmakers' letter. 'Any effort to undermine America's supply of safe medicines is an issue that FDA takes seriously,' the spokesperson said. 'And we are deeply committed to strengthening the oversight of imported products at US ports of entry.' In recent years, the popularity of GLP-1 drugs has led to an explosion of copycats and counterfeits made by companies seeking to capitalize on the hype. State-licensed pharmacies were temporarily allowed to make copies of the drugs during a supply shortage, but are no longer permitted to do so after Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. boosted production. Still, some pharmacies have refused to wind down their operations while others have pivoted to selling the drugs in lower doses in order to avoid regulatory scrutiny. Counterfeit drugs are made by unregistered entities typically using illegally imported ingredients. As recently as April, there continue to be instances when counterfeit Ozempic pens covertly enter the drug supply chain undetected. Some patients are also purchasing ingredients directly from online sellers in an attempt to make the drugs themselves at home. In both cases, the medications don't go through the same rigorous approval process as brand-name drugs made by Novo and Lilly. Experts worry the lack of oversight is putting patients at risk. The FDA has said it's aware of hospitalizations potentially linked to the copycat drugs, but that adverse events are likely being underreported. 'We support the bi-partisan call for the FDA to crack down on counterfeit and illegally sold weight-loss drugs,' said a spokesperson for Hims & Hers Health Inc., one of the telehealth firms that sells compounded GLP-1s. 'We appreciate lawmakers' recognition that legitimate compounded medications dispensed by state-regulated pharmacies are not counterfeit. Patient safety must always come first.' Novo and Lilly have discouraged consumers from using compounded and counterfeit products, including suing telehealth firms that sell the copycat versions and working with border agents to seize illegal shipments. Under the Biden administration, the companies repeatedly urged the FDA to take action, but the agency mostly limited its actions to issuing consumer warnings — even as its top drug official publicly acknowledged safety concerns. Under the Trump administration, the HHS has also focused more heavily on other issues, such as banning food dyes and examining vaccine schedules. Meanwhile, lawmakers are ramping up their calls for action. State attorneys and other lawmakers have sent letters to the FDA and Federal Trade Commission advocating for greater transparency around the treatments and more scrutiny around marketing practices. (Updates with statement from FDA in sixth and seventh paragraphs.) Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash Confessions of a Laptop Farmer: How an American Helped North Korea's Wild Remote Worker Scheme It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBS News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
New Jersey's Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to be used for immigrant detention
Congressional democrats in New Jersey are condemning the U.S. Defense Department for agreeing to a request by the Department of Homeland Security to set up temporary immigrant detention facilities at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The military facility is in both Burlington and Ocean counties. A defense department spokesperson said the timeline will depend on operational requirements and coordination with DHS. New Jersey Congressman Herb Conaway posted a video on Facebook denouncing the plan. The video's caption reads in part, "I received a letter from Secretary Hegseth that Joint Base McGuire in NJ is opening a ICE detention center on its base. First they made Alligator Alcatraz. Now… it's the Garden State Gulag. Our military's forces should not be carrying this burden. It's an inappropriate use of military resources and an escalation of an immigration policy that has seen inhumane conditions of detaining undocumented immigrants. The last thing I want to see are these kinds of conditions in our state." "Every criminal alien we arrest on the street before we deport them, they need a bed. Because it takes several days, several weeks, several months actually to move them," said White House Border Czar, Tom Hohman, earlier on Friday, telling the media he wants 100,000 beds. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Governor's Office said Gov. Phil Murphy also stands against the temporary immigrant detention plan at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. "The Governor opposes any effort by the Trump Administration to use Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as an immigration detention center. He believes this is a gross misuse of U.S. military resources."
Bloomberg
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
New Jersey Base Set to House Migrant Detainees, Pentagon Says
The Trump administration will temporarily house migrants at military bases in New Jersey and Indiana, according to a letter sent to Congress, deepening the Pentagon's role in a historic expansion of immigration enforcement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed off on a plan allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst — southeast of Trenton — to house migrants, according to a letter sent to Representative Herb Conaway, whose district includes the installation.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigrant detainees to be held at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
LAKEHURST - The Department of Defense intends to house detained undocumented immigrants at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, according to federal officials. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the department's intentions in a July 15 letter to U.S. Rep. Herb Conaway (D-3), who sits on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and whose district includes portions of the 42,000-acre facility. The decision was first reported by NJ Spotlight News. "I certify that the provision of Department of Defense real property at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, for temporary use by the Department of Homeland Security to house illegal aliens will not negatively affect military training, operations, readiness, or other military requirements, including National Guard and Reserve readiness," Hegseth wrote. Representatives for Conaway did not immediately return a request for comment. According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, or TRAC, the Department of Homeland Security currently houses about 1,000 detained undocumented immigrants at two facilities in North Jersey — Delaney Hall in Newark and the Elizabeth Detention Center. TRAC is a nonpartisan research center that analyzes federal documents. Delaney Hall, one of the largest immigrant detention centers in the Untied States, has been a regular site for protests since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January. In May, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-10) were arrested following incidents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers outside the facility. The case against Baraka was dismissed, but McIver was indicted on charges that she assaulted, resisted, impeded and interfered with federal officers. More: NJ Rep. LaMonica McIver makes court appearance for assault charges in Newark ICE incident It was not immediately clear how many undocumented immigrants would be detained at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. A spokesperson for the base and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return requests for comment. In February, the New York Times reported that the Trump Administration planned to hold undocumented immigrants at numerous military facilities across the country, specifically citing Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. That initiative got a huge boost this month when Congress passed a spending bill that authorized $168 billion for immigration enforcement, a nearly fivefold increase from current spending. More: See how ICE targets immigrants appearing at routine court hearings Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is the only tri-service military installation in the country, operated jointly by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force. It was created in a 2009 realignment that combined the operations of Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst. The base is perhaps best known as the site of the 1937 Hindenburg disaster. Mike Davis is an investigative reporter with the Asbury Park Press, where he's covered local news, politics, transportation and the cannabis industry. His work has changed laws, prompted government investigations and even won a few awards, which make his parents very proud. Contact him at mdavis@ @byMikeDavis on social media platforms or send an encrypted message via Signal @bymikedavis.22. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Feds: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to hold immigrant detainees Solve the daily Crossword
