Latest news with #Lipitor
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists sound alarm over troubling health risk lurking in children's candy: 'We never stop to think'
Experts studying the health risks of talc have prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reevaluate its presence in candy, other foods, and medications. There is a prevalence of talc in our food and prescriptions in America despite its potential to cause cancer. As Chemical & Engineering News reported, the FDA convened a nonpartisan panel to discuss the cancer and other health risks of talc. Manufacturers use talc to prevent moisture absorption and caking on products. Since it's been linked to ovarian cancer, talc has been removed from most cosmetics and body powders. However, it still remains in chewing gum — that white powder keeping stick gum from sticking to the wrapper — and many commonly prescribed medications like Lipitor and Nexium. During the panel, the doctors and scientists discussed how it's unclear whether some rice and flour makers might be including talc since they would not need to disclose it under current laws, citing how it has been used in these products in other countries. "Talc is in candy that children eat," said FDA commissioner Marty Makary, a surgeon and professor who generally had bipartisan support in his appointment to the post. "It's in food." In addition to cancer risks, scientists on the panel also warned of talc's connection to chronic inflammation and expressed concern about talc's often being used as a food processing aid. Foodmakers aren't required to disclose the ingredients in their processing aids, so it's unclear which foods actually contain talc. Talc has been a known carcinogen for over 40 years. "Yet," Makary said, "we're feeding it to our nation's children. I'm amazed that we scratch our heads asking, why are we seeing GI cancers go up in young people, and we never stop to think about the existing body of scientific evidence that has been there." Although the U.S. has largely eliminated talc from body products, it still remains a significant issue in what Americans routinely consume. The FDA found that talc in Johnson & Johnson baby powder was contaminated with asbestos, which led to an $8.9 billion settlement. Talc mining poses a risk for asbestos contamination, according to the FDA, because "both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals that may be found in close proximity in the earth." Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, the editorial board criticized Makary for fueling plaintiff attorneys' lawsuits on food and drug manufacturers with alleged talc claims. However, the science behind talc's health risks is undeniable. And just as the FDA banned Red 3 food dye while encouraging brands to stop using all other synthetic dyes, the common thread is that there are risks with no nutritional benefits. Similar to PFAS, or forever chemicals — used in things like packaging and nonstick cookware — talc may make some things "easier" or more convenient in the short term, but if the tradeoff is increased cancer risks, the government needs to play a role in banning or at least regulating safe exposures with penalties to deter violations. With cases like these, it often takes many scientists' testimonies and organizations to petition before widespread bans are finally approved to make products safer and our environment cleaner. Panel members urged the FDA to further investigate talc in the American food and drug supply and share findings with the general public. Clinical trials to study the impacts of talc on the human body have been discussed. The burden is now on the FDA to work with regulators to reconsider talc's widespread use. Fortunately, safer alternatives to talc exist, and there is international momentum also to ban talc in other countries for public health reasons. On that note, one of the panelists was Malcolm Sim, emeritus professor of planetary health at Monash University in Australia, who said he intended to help with uniting the countries' efforts to address talc. As an individual, you can keep harmful substances out of your body by supporting eco-friendly brands and companies that sell products with plastic-free packaging. If you are concerned about talc exposure, look for mentions of talc or magnesium silicate on product labels, and choose products that explicitly state they are talc-free when possible. You can also research manufacturers who make products you regularly buy to assess if they have conducted asbestos testing. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Map Reveals States Where Americans Spend Most on Health Care
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Residents of five southern states pay the highest share of their household income on health care, according to data collected by WalletHub. The differences between medical costs across the U.S. largely come down to household income, because as cost of individual health care services vary within each state, the overall costs end up taking a larger percentage out of bank accounts in states where the median income of its residents are lower than others. Why It Matters Health care costs can create significant financial and mental strain on populations and can often lead to people having to file for "medical bankruptcy." The GOP budget proposal, which just passed the House, could lead to over 7 million people having their access to Medicaid impacted—including people in Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Oklahoma—if it becomes law. What To Know The state where the highest share of household income, 18.66 percent, goes to health care costs is Mississippi, followed by Louisiana, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, where the median household pays above 16 percent of their income on essential medical visits and medicine. Maryland residents pay the least percentage of their income, on average, for health care, as health services take up 9.03 percent of household earnings in the state. Mississippi has the lowest average income in the country, at $54,915, meaning health care costs can quickly add up to take up a larger percentage of a household budget. Although Mississippi is the 38th most expensive state to see a doctor in, it is the 12th most expensive state to see a dentist in, and the 16th most expensive state for the heart drug Lipitor, per WalletHub data. The five states where the highest percentage of income goes toward health care costs, are also among eight poorest states in the country. The five states where the lowest percentage of household income goes to seeing a doctor are among some of the richest states in the country. This includes New Jersey, which boasts the highest average earnings in the U.S. Higher wages can often result in better health insurance from an employer, less fear about medical debt and less reliance on state and federal health care services like Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid activists wait to enter the House Energy and Commerce markup of the Fiscal 2025 budget resolution in Rayburn building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Medicaid activists wait to enter the House Energy and Commerce markup of the Fiscal 2025 budget resolution in Rayburn building on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Tom Williams/AP Photo How Medicaid Cuts Could Affect Health Care Costs The House-passed GOP budget calls for a reduction of $700 billion in Medicaid spending over the next decade and the implementation of work requirements, which are a mandated 80-hour-per-month community engagement for Medicaid recipients. Proponents of work requirements say they encourage workforce participation, but opponents say that many people on Medicaid already have jobs but they are so low-income that they still qualify for state health care. Approximately one in five Americans are enrolled in Medicaid. Cuts to Medicaid could not only impact those who rely on its services but could also increase health care costs for Americans overall. "Most likely the prices [of health care] will go up because when people lose their health insurance coverage they still need care and few of them have the money to pay the high cost of medical care so each of us have to dig deeper into our pockets to pay for the health care we receive," Gerard Anderson, Professor of Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University, told Newsweek. He also noted that "Medical professionals caring for current Medicaid recipients will feel the greatest impact [of the cuts]," as although payments from Medicaid is not high, it is more than nothing at all which is what they will receive from fully uninsured patients." People losing access to Medicaid could also lead to other issues within the health care complex, including longer wait times. "If people without Medicaid are not able to receive preventive care they will access care in the emergency department, leading to longer wait times for everyone," Jennifer Wolff, Professor of Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University told Newsweek. Anderson also discussed proposed work requirements on Public Health on Call. "This might make sense in theory, but not in practice: If people are able to work, they should be able to get off Medicaid," he said. "But the fact is that many of these people work very low-wage jobs, so they would still qualify for Medicaid. "Many people on Medicaid live in rural areas where there aren't any jobs. In order to get a job, they would need to move to another community, likely in a more affluent area where they can't afford to rent." Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents Louisiana, one of the most costly states for health care in the country, said that the work requirements for Medicaid included in the GOP budget have a "moral component" to them, as they encourage young men to get jobs. One-third of the residents in Johnson's district in Eastern Louisiana are currently on Medicaid. Demonstrators protesting cuts to Medicaid and U.S. Capitol Police officers outside a House Energy and Commerce Committee markup on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025. Demonstrators protesting cuts to Medicaid and U.S. Capitol Police officers outside a House Energy and Commerce Committee markup on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025. Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images What People Are Saying Professor of Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University, Gerard Anderson told Newsweek told Newsweek: "[All Americans] will be impacted [by Medical cuts] because the prices for their health care services, and their health insurance premiums will increase. Someone must pay for the services the people without health insurance receive." Professor of Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University, Jennifer Wolff told Newsweek: "Families will incur higher out of pocket costs and/or may need to exit the workplace if Medicaid is no longer able to cover home and community-based long-term care and nursing facility care is not supported by the program." Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on Face the Nation: "If you are able to work and you refuse to do so, you are defrauding the system. You're cheating the system. And no one in the country believes that that's right." What Happens Next The proposed GOP budget is heading to the Senate for a vote. If passed via the Senate and signed by President Donald Trump, it has been projected to increase health care costs and possibly impact millions of Medicaid recipients.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mercer County Commission looks at keeping jail bill paid
princeton – Mercer County's share of money from a court settlement against the company making the medication Lipitor is being used to help keep the county's regional jail bill paid until its new budget is prepared. The daily cost of keeping an inmate in West Virginia's regional jail system recently grew from $45.97 to $57.46, an increase of almost $12. To meet the extra cost, the Mercer County Commission met Thursday in special session to see how to pay the county's April jail bill in full. In March, the county's jail bill was $127,474.81. By April, it had grown to $146,985.60, according to county records. 'We had already fixed our budget for the previous year based on the previous rate,' County Commission President Bill Archer said. 'We've already worked on our budget for the coming year, but that increase was not included in it immediately, so now we have to make some adjustments in order to get through this one month and the coming months will be in better shape in terms of that.' On April 30, West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey announced that cities and counties were sharing nearly $3.5 million from a settlement agreement with Pfizer, Inc., Ranbaxy, Inc. and related companies concerning the cholesterol drug Lipitor. The lawsuit alleged the two companies conspired to delay the introduction of a cheaper generic Lipitor for 20 months. Mercer County received $50,000 from this settlement. Archer said that unlike money from settlements against opioid manufacturers, the counties are not limited by how they can spend it. Archer proposed using that money to help pay the jail bill. 'We can use those to plug a hole immediately, and that's what we decided to do,' Archer said. Commissioners Brian Blankenship and Greg Puckett voted with Archer to use $43,000 of the Lipitor funds to help pay off the April jail bill. Paying the monthly jail bill will be addressed in the new county budget which starts July 1, he said. This new budget will be adjusted with the new daily inmate rate in mind. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mercer County looking at paying bigger jail bills
princeton – Seeing the daily cost of housing an inmate jump by $12 is leading to a special Mercer County Commission meeting Thursday about how to keep the county's regional jail bill paid until the fiscal year ends this July. The Mercer County Commission's special meeting starts at 2 p.m., Thursday at the county courthouse. The commission will discuss the regional jail bill for April 2025 and the Glenwood Lake Dredging Project. Last March, the West Virginia Regional Jail system was holding 163 Mercer County inmates. In April, there were 129 county inmates. The daily cost of keeping each inmate started growing in April when an increase the Legislature passed in March 2023 went into effect, County Commission President Bill Archer said Tuesday. 'Because of the increases, the jail bill has gone up astronomically,' Archer said. In March, the county's jail bill was $127,474.81. By April, it had grown to $146,985.60, according to county records. 'So it's just been climbing constantly and we're having to look at some of the potential other funds in order to be able to do it,' Archer said. Archer flipped through an inmates list. 'It's all the people from around this area whether it was inmates taken in from the state police, from the county deputies and both the cities of Princeton and Bluefield,' he said. 'The county is responsible for those inmates. I understand it's a major increase but they (regional jail authority) are having space challenges there and that kind of thing and, of course, they went through that lawsuit of the inmates against the regional jail system.' The special meeting is for discussing how the county commission can pay the jail bill until the current fiscal year ends on June 30. Archer said a recent settlement in an antitrust lawsuit between West Virginia and a drug manufacturer could provide extra funding. Mercer County was among the counties and municipalities across West Virginia that shared nearly $3.5 million raised as part of a settlement agreement involving the cholesterol drug Lipitor, according to West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey announced May 1. The settlement was from an antitrust lawsuit against Pfizer Inc. and related companies and Ranbaxy Inc. The lawsuit alleged the two companies conspired to delay the introduction onto the market of a cheaper generic version of Lipitor for 20 months. Lipitor's original patent expired on March 24, 2010. Mercer County received $50,000 from the settlement. Raleigh County also received $50,000 from the settlement while McDowell County and Fayette County each received $30,000. Unlike funds raised by West Virginia's settlements with opioid manufacturers, counties have flexibility with how they spend their Pfizer settlements, Archer said. This means the funds could help cover the county's jail expenses for the rest of the fiscal year. Adjusting the county's budget is on the commission's May 13 meeting agenda. The budget is still being compiled Tuesday. 'It's really difficult times and that kind of hit us,' Archer said about the jail bill. 'That's expected, but unexpected in how draconian it is. Thankfully we've got good people in the county clerk's office who are constantly looking at the funds we have coming in and constantly looking at ways we can make adjustments so we can meet our requirements. It's a day-to-day right now. We're having to clamp down on stuff. This is a challenge; again, we'll talk about that next Tuesday.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
If You'd Invested $10,000 in Pfizer Stock 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today
Few would dispute that Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is an icon within the pharmaceutical world. And, giving credit where it's due, the drugmaker largely led the charge against the COVID-19 pandemic with both a vaccine and treatment. Anyone keeping tabs on this ticker of late, however, likely knows it's also been a disappointment since its contagion-driven peak. Indeed, thanks to more than a 60% pullback from its late-2021 high, investors that committed $10,000 to a position in Pfizer 10 years ago -- when its anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor, arthritis-fighting Enbrel, pneumonia vaccine Prevnar, and nerve pain and epilepsy treatment Lyrica were still firing on all cylinders -- would now be holding just a little over $7,000 worth of this pharmaceutical stock. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Things get measurably better when factoring in any reinvested dividends paid in the meantime, though, as the chart below illustrates. The position becomes a net winner, in fact, albeit a small one. All told, reinvesting all the dividends in more shares of this stock as they were paid would leave you with just a tad over $10,600 for the 10-year time frame, although this still trails the broad market's total returns for this stretch by a country mile. Obviously, most of the setback here was suffered just since early 2022, when this position would have been worth a little more than $18,000. The market has clearly reacted to slowing sales of its COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid and its COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty, which hasn't been offset by equally sized growth from other drugs in its portfolio. Just don't jump to conclusions about a stock's probable future based on its recent (and not-so-recent) past, even when that historical weakness is as dramatic and prolonged as Pfizer's has been. In this particular instance, the bears have arguably overshot their target, ignoring Pfizer's newer growth prospects, especially on the oncology front. The stock's forward-looking dividend yield of 7.5% makes a new position in this company even more compelling if you are confident of the company's future. Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Pfizer wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $594,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $680,390!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 28, 2025 James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. If You'd Invested $10,000 in Pfizer Stock 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
