Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Not Just An Impurity: Ingredient In Heartburn Drug Zantac Might Actually Change Into A Carcinogen Inside The Body
The nation's three largest pharmacy chains — Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS — have stopped selling Zantac and its generic alternative. The heartburn drug, used by millions, was pulled after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned this month it may contain a potentially dangerous impurity. But a CBS News investigation reveals that it might not be just an "impurity" — but something much more serious. At a Connecticut lab, called Valisure, researchers test drugs from its own online pharmacy to check for purity and quality. (Lapook, 10/8)
It was a typical Thursday in May 2015 for Rachel Zubrzycki. Amid the hustle and bustle of getting their four children ready for school, Rachel exchanged a quick "I love you" with her husband of 14 years before they split up to drop their children off and go to their respective jobs -- Edward a veteran detective with the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office major crimes unit and Rachel was getting back into the workforce as a part-time reading teacher. What happened next changed her life forever. (Carrega, 10/9)
In the vast, wild world of Instagram beauty influencers, there’s a new category of products on the block: masks, sprays, lipsticks and other cosmetics for…vulvas. They promise to make vulvas — the outside portion of the sex organ where clothes touch the skin — glowier, fresher and softer. (Leventhal, 10/8)
Ikea is recalling thousands of infant bibs over concerns their snaps could be a choking hazard if they detach. The recalled 7,000 MATVRÃ… infant bibs appear as a pair in a pack, and were sold in stores online and worldwide. Each pack has a red and blue bib, both of which have the store's logo printed on a white tag on the back. "The blue bib has a green seam along the outside with white polka dots. The red bib has a yellow seam along the outside with red polka dots," IKEA said. (Karimi, 10/9)
Alex Trebek has suggested in a recent interview that his tenure as "Jeopardy!" host may be nearing an end as he battles pancreatic cancer. The 79-year-old, who has hosted the show for 36 seasons totaling nearly 8,000 episodes, told CTV his skills "have started to diminish." Trebek revealed earlier this year that he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Despite learning he was near remission in May, he needed to go for another round of chemotherapy in September –– right as the new season of Jeopardy! began. He admitted taping the show is becoming more difficult. (Brito, 10/8)
