FDA Warns Of High Lead Levels In Some Cinnamon
The FDA said ground cinnamon sold at discount stores including the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar contains potentially unsafe levels of lead — particularly for children. Meanwhile, a lab found high levels of cancer-causing benzene in acne treatments.
AP:
Ground Cinnamon Sold At Discount Stores Is Tainted With Lead, FDA Warns
Ground cinnamon sold by U.S. discount retailers is contaminated with high levels of lead and should be discarded, federal health officials said Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said cinnamon sold by stores including the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar contains lead at levels that could be unsafe for people, particularly children, with prolonged exposure to the spice. The agency urged suppliers to recall the products voluntarily. Cinnamon products included in the agency’s safety alert include the La Fiesta brand sold by La Superior and SuperMercados; Marcum brand sold by Save A Lot stores; MK brands sold by SF Supermarket; Swad brand sold by Patel Brothers; El Chilar brand sold by La Joya Morelense; and Supreme Tradition brand sold by Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores. (Aleccia, 3/6)
Reuters:
Cancer-Causing Chemical Found In Clinique, Clearasil Acne Treatments, U.S. Lab Reports
High levels of cancer-causing chemical benzene were detected in some acne treatments from brands including Estee Lauder’s Clinique, Target’s Up & Up and Reckitt Benckiser-owned Clearasil, said independent U.S. laboratory Valisure. Benzene was also detected in Proactiv, PanOxyl, Walgreens’ (WBA.O), opens new tab acne soap bar and Walmart’s (WMT.N), opens new tab Equate Beauty acne cream among others, according to Valisure. (3/6)
North Carolina Health News:
A Study Shows Increased PFAS Risks To Firefighters As Gear Ages
Firefighters are regarded as heroes because they often put themselves in harm’s way when responding to emergency calls. They are able to carry out heroic deeds, in large part, because of the safety shield provided by their protective equipment or “turnout” gear. However, a growing body of research suggests that the gear that protects firefighters could also be risking their health. (Atwater, 3/7)
The Washington Post:
East Palestine ‘Controlled Burn’ Could Have Been Avoided, NTSB Chair Says
The decision to conduct a controlled burn of five derailed tank cars that unleashed a plume of toxic chemicals last year in East Palestine, Ohio, was based on flawed and incomplete information, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board testified Wednesday at a Senate hearing. Jennifer Homendy, facing questioning from Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), testified that contractors employed by the Norfolk Southern railway company “lacked the scientific background” to decide that a vent-and-burn was necessary. (Goodwin, 3/6)
Surgeons Are Finding Plastic Particles Lodged In Patients’ Arteries
In one study, 58% of 304 patients who underwent procedures in their neck had microscopic and nanoscopic pieces of “jagged-edged” plastic in the plaque lining the blood vessel. Other news is on HIV, exercise, and ketamine.
Reuters:
Plastic Lodged In Arteries May Be Linked To Higher Risk Of Heart Disease And Death
Minuscule pieces of plastic lodged in the fatty deposits that line human arteries may be linked with higher risks for heart disease, strokes, and death, Italian researchers reported on Wednesday. Among 304 patients who underwent procedures to clear a major artery in the neck, 58% were found to have microscopic and nanoscopic “jagged-edged” pieces of plastic in the plaque lining the blood vessel, including polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride containing chlorine, Dr. Raffaele Marfella at the University of Campania in Naples and colleagues reported. (Lapid, 3/6)
ABC News:
4 Children Surpass A Year Of HIV Remission After Treatment Pause: Study
Four children born with HIV were able to live virus-free for more than a year after their HIV medication was paused, according to results of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The results of the P1115 study were announced on Wednesday at the 2024 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), in Denver, Colorado. The study explored the effects of early intensive antiretroviral therapy on achieving HIV remission in babies who acquired the virus before birth. (Salzman, 3/6)
NBC News:
After Decades Of Failures, Researchers Have Renewed Hopes For An Effective HIV Vaccine
The world needs an HIV vaccine if it ever hopes to beat a virus that still infects over 1 million people a year and contributes to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Despite 20 years of failures in major HIV vaccine trials — four this decade alone — researchers say recent scientific advances have likely, hopefully, put them on the right track to develop a highly effective vaccine against the insidious virus. But probably not until the 2030s. (Ryan, 3/6)
The Washington Post:
For Longevity, Women Need Only Half As Much Exercise As Men, Study Finds
It’s well-established that exercise can help you live a longer and healthier life. Now, a new study suggests that women may require less exercise to get similar longevity benefits as men. The finding is striking because physical activity guidelines for American adults are the same for men and women. But partially because of differences in size, muscle mass and lean body mass, it appears that women can make big gains in longevity while doing about half the exercise men need to do to get the same benefit. (Soong, 3/6)
KFF Health News:
When It Comes To Ketamine, Meta’s Posting Policy Is No Party To Decipher
People keep talking about ketamine. The drug has become a favorite of celebrities, billionaires, and ordinary patients, many of whom view it as a potential miracle drug for depression and other mental health conditions. Whether on Facebook or Instagram, patients and clinics alike are giddy about the possibilities. But it is a drug that can be abused and can be deadly. Thus, ketamine is the latest challenge for Meta, the social media platforms’ parent company, which for years has struggled to moderate posts and ads touting health-related products like weight loss supplements and dodgy covid-19 cures. (Tahir, 3/7)
