Latest news with #safetyprotocols
Fox News
4 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
More than 20 GOP attorneys general call on RFK Jr, FDA to reinstate safeguards for abortion drugs
Print Close By Landon Mion Published August 13, 2025 EXCLUSIVE: More than 20 Republican attorneys general are demanding that the Trump administration reinstate safety protocols for the abortion drug mifepristone, saying it poses "serious risks to women." In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, 22 attorneys general called on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drugs Administration head Martin Makary to bring back safeguards for the pills that were scrapped by the Obama and Biden administrations. "Recent comprehensive studies of the real-world effects of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone report that serious adverse events occur 22 times more often than stated on the drug's label, while the drug is less than half as effective as claimed. These facts directly contradict the drug's primary marketing message of 'safe' and 'effective,'" the letter reads, citing studies published earlier this year by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPA), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group. The EPPA report claims the pill presents harm to women, causing 1 in 10 patients to experience a "serious adverse event," including hemorrhage, emergency room visits and ectopic pregnancy. FDA CHIEF HAS 'NO PLANS' FOR ABORTION PILL POLICY CHANGES BUT CONTINUES SAFETY REVIEW The letter, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, comes after Kennedy Jr. asked Makary to review the latest data on mifepristone and its safety. "Based on that review, the FDA should consider reinstating safety protocols that it identified as necessary as recently as 2011 in its issuance of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone, but which were removed by the Obama and Biden administrations," the letter reads, adding that the drug should be taken off the market if safeguards cannot be put in place. "Alternatively, in light of the serious risks to women who are presently being prescribed this drug without crucial safeguards, and in the event the FDA is unable to reinstate the 2011 safety protocols for mifepristone, the FDA should consider withdrawing mifepristone from the market until it completes its review and can decide on a course of action based on objective safety and efficacy criteria," the attorneys general wrote. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., also sent a letter to Kennedy Jr. last month urging him to take immediate action to reinstate safety guardrails on mifepristone following the secretary's commitment to conducting a safety review of the drug. Makary had previously said that he had no plans to modify policies surrounding mifepristone but that the FDA would act if the data suggested there was a safety issue. Mifepristone, which is taken with another drug called misoprostol to end an early pregnancy, was first approved by the FDA in 2000 after "a thorough and comprehensive review" found it was safe and effective, according to the agency's website, which noted that periodic reviews since its approval have not identified new safety concerns. Last year, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge targeting the drug's availability. The plaintiffs had sought to restrict access to mifepristone across the country, including in Democrat-led states where abortion remains legal. The court did not rule on whether the FDA acted lawfully when it moved during the Obama and Biden administrations to ease the rules for mifepristone's use that had been established during the Clinton administration. Medication abortions made up more than half of all abortions in the U.S. health care system in 2023, according to a study by the Guttmacher Institute. MEDICAL GROUPS URGE FDA, KENNEDY TO REEXAMINE BROAD APPROVAL OF ABORTION DRUGS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Currently, a woman can obtain a mifepristone abortion by participating in only one telehealth visit with any approved healthcare provider (not necessarily a physician), ordering the drugs through a mail-order pharmacy, and self-administering them," the attorneys general wrote. "And the prescriber is only required to report an adverse event if he or she becomes aware that the patient has died." "The FDA's removal of these crucial safety protocols in 2016 (and in 2023) that only five years before the FDA considered necessary begs the question of whether the removal was motivated by considerations other than the safety of patients … The current FDA's dedication to the health and wellbeing of all Americans is encouraging, as is the much-needed review of mifepristone that Secretary Kennedy has promised," the letter concludes. Print Close URL
CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Oakland school district hires first-ever school safety executive director
The Oakland Unified School District hired its first-ever executive director of school safety just ahead of the new school year. Nelson Alegria is taking on the role of the newly created position after more than a decade working in school safety and emergency preparedness. He began his role on July 29, the district said. "The great thing about this role, and even though there are new things kind of across the district, is that safety has always been a really big priority for the district," Alegria said. Alegria will be tasked with creating and updating safety protocols, managing security teams, and assessing safety risks. He told CBS News Bay Area that the district's emphasis on race relations and social justice attracted him to the job. "There is a clear correlation between school, prison pipeline, and its effect on race," Alegria said. "And with that elimination, we've been able to really add the other systems that support our students." The new role is an expansion of the George Floyd Resolution drafted back in 2020. The resolution removed campus police from Oakland schools in an attempt to reduce arrests and limit violence against students of color. But this year, Alegria says Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have added another layer for him to consider. "We know it's been a top-of-mind for families last year," Alegria said. Alegria said that law enforcement isn't allowed on school sites outside of emergencies, but school staff are still training for potential interactions with ICE agents. Zach Norris, a parent of two daughters at Oakland schools, said he is encouraged by Alegria's position, but still has concerns. "What we're seeing in terms of like children being taken from their parents, parents being taken from their children is of a huge concern, and it's a concern in the Black community as well," Norris said. Alegria said he is working to include the community in any actions he takes. "Our students have a right to attend school, and we will continuously work on keeping our students safe."
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Yahoo
SJI International resumes overseas trips amid ongoing probe into student's death in Maldives in 2024
SINGAPORE – St Joseph's Institution (SJI) International has resumed its outdoor education expeditions, about a year after its 15-year-old Singaporean student Jenna Chan died on one of these trips in the Maldives. This comes as investigations into the incident on Nov 8, 2024, are ongoing. An internal review of the school's overseas trip protocols and safety processes, commissioned soon after the tragedy, is still under way. Reports indicated the SJI International student was fatally struck by the propeller of a running boat while snorkelling near Alif Dhaalu Atoll's Dhigurah island, where she was participating in a research project with charity Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme. In a written reply to The Straits Times on July 10, Dr Michael Johnston, principal of SJI International, said the Maldivian authorities hold primary investigative powers. No findings have been shared with the school despite attempts to engage them, the related organisations and the boat crew, he added. He said officers from the Maldives Police Service, assisted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), came to the school in May 2025 to interview students and a teacher who had been on the trip. ST contacted the Maldivian authorities, but did not receive a reply. In response to queries, a Ministry of Education (MOE) spokeswoman on July 15 said the ministry has been in touch with the school's board of governors, and that it will not be investigating its management. The school had followed its safety processes for overseas trips, she added. The Singapore authorities do not have legal jurisdiction to investigate incidents abroad, she said, adding that the SPF has been assisting the Maldivian authorities with the case. Parents of students at the school, speaking on condition of anonymity, are calling for more transparency and updates as expeditions have resumed. The trips, set to be held in November, are compulsory for Grade 9 students, which is equivalent to the Secondary 3 level. In briefing slides seen by ST, which were presented to parents and students in May, students were given nine options. These include a biodiversity and research programme in Kinabatangan, Sabah; a pilgrimage trek in Japan; a Himalayan rafting expedition in Dehradun, India; sea kayaking in Langkawi; and the only local option, a sailing and rainforest exploration in Singapore. On the 2024 incident, the parent of a Grade 9 boy said the school failed to clearly outline safety measures taken, acknowledge missteps, or explain next steps. He said he would like more reassurance that the school has 'toughened up' the way it evaluates service providers. 'I'll be lying if I told you we were not worried.' A retiree in her 50s, who has a daughter in Grade 10, said she was expecting a follow-up review for parents to give their feedback on these expeditions, discuss their objectives, and where the school's safety procedures should be improved. Some parents acknowledged the benefits of outdoor programmes but wanted more information about the service providers chosen by the school. During a session in May, parents asked about the school's vetting processes, emergency and safety procedures, and details like staff-to-student ratio. The school should be open about the number of service providers it vets, its selection and risk assessment process, said a parent of a 16-year-old student. The 53-year-old, who works in the healthcare industry, added: 'It is not enough to say that a provider was 'well-regarded' or had been used before.' Dr Johnston said the school had applied the same checks it uses for all trips before approving the Maldives expedition. This included reviewing the provider's safety procedures and doing its own risk assessment of the activities. He added that the school is working closely with other international schools and MOE to strengthen safety standards and share lessons across the sector. Mr Alan Chan, Jenna's father, told ST he hopes that MOE can also have greater oversight over the operations of privately funded schools in areas related to student welfare and reporting of serious incidents. Mr Chan, 59, who is retired, said: 'I'm focusing on this gap because it seems the most straightforward to fix. It's too late for my family, but I hope to prevent the same fate from befalling others.' The MOE spokeswoman said that privately funded schools, including SJI International, are for international students and locals who prefer an alternative schooling option. 'These schools are outside the mainstream school system and have autonomy over their operations, policies and governance.' MOE engages such schools to share practices, including overseas trip planning and safety measures. Jenna's incident has reinforced the need for strong safety guidelines when organising overseas trips, said Mr Delane Lim, secretary-general of the Outdoor Learning & Adventure Education Association. In January, the association published guidelines detailing training and certification requirements to ensure activities are conducted safely and proficiently. While the guidelines are designed for local programmes, Mr Lim said schools can refer to them when vetting operators abroad and evaluating programme safety, especially in unfamiliar settings. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Bloomberg
09-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
California Lawmaker Pushes to Require AI Companies to Release Safety Policies
A California lawmaker is making another effort to regulate artificial intelligence in the state after legislation that would have held large companies liable for harm caused by their technology was vetoed last year by Governor Gavin Newsom. State Senator Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, has introduced a bill that would require companies developing AI models above a certain computing performance threshold to publicly release safety and security protocols that assess the potential catastrophic risks to humanity from the technology. Under the law, AI companies also would need to report any 'critical safety incidents,' such as theft of sensitive technical details, to the state attorney general. Companies that may be affected by the proposed legislation include OpenAI, Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Anthropic.
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-07-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lion Attacks Woman in Australian Zoo, Severely Injuring her Arm
A woman has sustained severe injuries to an arm when she was attacked by a lion at an Australian zoo. The Darling Downs Zoo in Queensland state said the 50-year-old woman was watching animal keepers working in the zoo's carnivore precinct before opening hours Sunday morning when she was attacked. She was flown by helicopter from the rural town of Pilton to the state capital Brisbane where she underwent surgery. Her condition was stable, the zoo said in a statement Sunday. Several news media reported the woman lost the injured arm. The zoo said staff were working with government workplace safety investigators to determine how the incident happened. The state government confirmed an investigation was underway. 'Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it,' the zoo statement said. 'At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public.' The woman was not a staff member but a 'much loved member' of the zoo's 'family,' the statement added, according to The Associated Press. She had watched keepers at work many times over the past 20 years and was 'well versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals,' the zoo said. Staff at the 48-hectare (119-acre) zoo declined media interviews on Monday. The zoo planned to reopen Tuesday for the first time since the attack. 'The animal will definitely not be put down or punished in any way,' the statement said. Five years ago, two lions mauled and critically injured a keeper inside their enclosure at the Shoalhaven Zoo in the state of New South Wales.
