90,000 Ibuprofen Bottles Recalled; ACIP Disbanding? Trump Pardons Health Fraudsters

Note that some links may require registration or subscription.

Strides Pharma recalled nearly 90,000 bottles of children’s ibuprofen for the potential presence of a foreign substance. (USA Today)

Following an influx of calls to HHS protesting animal testing, a rogue staffer at the department changed the number’s voicemail message to, “Thanks for calling Domino’s Pizza!” (The Hill)

Meanwhile, just 20% of HHS staff are satisfied with their jobs, a Politico survey found.

The FDA approved a new indication for setmelanotide (Imcivree) to include treatment of patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals announced.

In the wake of a judge’s ruling against changes to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the subsequent overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule, HHS is considering whether to disband the current ACIP and find new members or appeal the ruling, according to the Wall Street Journal.

And in other legal news, 24 states sued the Environmental Protection Agency for the repeal of the endangerment finding, the scientific basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. (AP)

The meningitis outbreak in southeast England has continued to spread, with 27 students now sick and two dead, according to U.K. health officials. (USA Today)

Here are some of the indirect benefits of vaccines we could lose if vaccination rates fall too low. (STAT)

With Novo Nordisk on the verge of losing patent protection in certain parts of the world, semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) is about to go generic for billions in India, China, and several other nations. (New York Times)

There’s a problem with obesity drug trials: patients can quickly tell if they’re on placebo and drop out of to get cheap effective options. (Bloomberg via MSN)

Only about a third of researchers whose federal grants were cut or delayed had their funding fully restored, despite court orders and Congress maintaining NIH funding levels, a survey found. Researchers detailed the human toll of these cuts. (STAT)

Some conservative state lawmakers are pushing legislation drafted by an anti-abortion advocacy group to increase protections for crisis pregnancy centers. (KFF Health News)

Despite new guidelines that make no mention of the association, a majority of Americans are aware of the link between alcohol and elevated cancer risk, according to a Annenberg Public Policy Center survey.

More than 100 rare disease advocates carrying a coffin staged a “funeral” at FDA in protest of regulatory delays that could lead to lives lost. (Fierce Biotech)

The Trump administration is escalating its fight against fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, but President Trump has pardoned a number of executives convicted of healthcare fraud. (New York Times)

Heavy social media usage appears to contribute to a drop in well-being among young people, especially girls, the World Happiness Report found. (Reuters via MSN)

The Department of Homeland Security violated longstanding agency guidelines for how to treat pregnant women in immigration detention, a New York Times investigation found.

Meanwhile, a Canadian mother and her 7-year-old daughter with autism were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas. (The Guardian)