British American Tobacco Ends Contract With Tech Firm Producing 'Low-Nicotine' Cigarettes
British American Tobacco has ended a contract with a biotechnology firm doing nicotine science with ties to the Piedmont.
FDA
Drug For 'Neglected' Chagas Disease Gains FDA Approval Amid Price Worries
U.S. doctors treating Chagas disease have long wanted FDA approval for a treatment that's widely used in Latin America. But when Martin Shkreli took interest, those doctors panicked — then mobilized.
FDA Cracks Down On Stem-Cell Clinics Selling Unapproved Treatments
The companies are "unscrupulous actors" marketing stem-cell treatments that have not been proved effective and may be dangerous, the FDA says. It took action against clinics in Florida and California.
Drug Puts A $750,000 'Price Tag On Life'
The high cost of Spinraza, a new and promising treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, highlights how the cost-benefit analysis insurers use to make drug coverage decisions plays out in human terms.
FDA Proposes Cutting Nicotine Amounts In Cigarettes, Targeting Addiction
It would be the first time in the agency's history that it has sought to regulate the amount of nicotine in cigarettes.
There's An Amazing New Drug For Multiple Sclerosis. Should I Try It?
The innovative drug Ocrevus looks as if it could be a game-changer for people with MS. But it's very, very expensive. And as with any new medication, the long-term safety risks are unknown.
'Living Drug' That Fights Cancer By Harnessing Immune System Clears Key Hurdle
An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommends the agency, for the first time, approve a new kind of treatment that uses genetically modified immune cells to attack cancer cells.
More Health Problems Reported With Hair And Skin Care Products
Manufacturers are not required to tell the Food and Drug Administration about safety issues with cosmetics or hair and skin care products. That can leave people in the dark about health risks.
Common Lead Test Can Give False Results, FDA Warns
Common blood tests for lead can give falsely-low results in certain cases, according to a new warning from the Food and Drug Administration.
Don't Give Kids Cough Syrup Or Pain Meds That Contain Codeine, FDA Says
The agency expanded its warnings about prescription cough and pain medications that contain the narcotics codeine or tramadol, saying they can cause dangerously slow breathing in some kids.