Browsing: Health

SACRAMENTO: A new analysis of California residue testing data found that 37% of conventional fruits and vegetables grown in the state carried residues from PFAS pesticides, adding new attention to a class of chemicals that has become a major issue in food and environmental oversight. The Environmental Working Group said it reviewed 930 state-tested samples from 78 types of California-grown produce collected in 2023 and found PFAS pesticide residues in 348 samples, spanning 40 of the produce categories examined. The crops with the highest detection rates were stone fruits and berries. The analysis said more than 90% of sampled nectarines, plums and peaches…

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating a multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese made by Raw Farm LLC of Fresno, California, after seven confirmed illnesses were reported in three states. Federal health officials said two people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. The outbreak involves five cases in California and one case each in Florida and Texas, with illnesses beginning between Sept. 1, 2025, and Feb. 13, 2026. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than half of the illnesses are in children younger than 5,…

CALIFORNIA: Researchers reported an experimental nasal-spray vaccine that protected mice against multiple respiratory viruses, bacteria and an allergen for at least three months, according to a study published Feb. 19 in the journal Science. The intranasal formulation, called GLA-3M-052-LS+OVA, was tested in mice exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, as well as the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii. The study also evaluated responses to a protein from house dust mites, a common trigger for allergic asthma. The vaccine was designed to stimulate immunity in the lungs by combining two immune-activating compounds that target toll-like receptors with a model antigen, ovalbumin, an egg protein…

CALIFORNIA: A California jury has awarded $25 million, to a U.S. man who said he developed a chronic lung disease after years of using a butter flavored version of PAM cooking spray. The verdict was returned Feb. 4 in Los Angeles County Superior Court in a case involving Conagra Brands, the maker of PAM, and claims that inhalation of cooking spray fumes containing a butter flavoring chemical contributed to his illness. Jurors found Roland Esparza suffered bronchiolitis obliterans, sometimes called “popcorn lung,” and concluded the PAM butter flavored cooking spray failed to perform as safely as an ordinary consumer would expect when used…

GENEVA: The World Health Organization has granted prequalification to an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2, expanding the pool of quality assured vaccines that can be bought for international immunization programmes and deployed in outbreak settings. WHO said the decision confirms the vaccine meets its standards for quality, safety and efficacy and enables procurement through United Nations agencies, including UNICEF, for use by countries and partners responding to poliovirus transmission. Prequalification is a gatekeeping step used by global health agencies to guide large scale purchases and support regulatory decision making in lower income and emergency contexts. WHO said the newly prequalified vaccine is designed…

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declined to accept for review Moderna’s application to license its seasonal influenza vaccine candidate mRNA-1010, issuing a refusal-to-file letter that stops the agency’s formal review process at the filing stage. Moderna said the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research sent the notice on Feb. 3, and the company disclosed the decision on Feb. 10. Moderna shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading after the disclosure. Moderna said the refusal-to-file letter cited a single issue, the choice of comparator used in a pivotal late-stage study, and did not raise safety or effectiveness concerns about mRNA-1010. The company…

MENA Newswire, WASHINGTON: U.S. regulators have classified a recall affecting more than 80,000 single serve coffee pods made for Keurig brewers after a labeling error raised concerns for consumers who avoid caffeine. The action covers McCafé Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup pods distributed by Keurig Dr Pepper, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recall listing. The FDA categorized the action as a Class II recall on Jan. 23, 2026. A Class II classification is used when use of or exposure to a product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or when the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences is remote.…

INDIANAPOLIS, December 12, 2025: Eli Lilly and Co. announced that its next-generation obesity drug, retatrutide, achieved significant weight loss and reduced knee pain in a late-stage Phase 3 trial, underscoring its potential as a major advance in obesity and osteoarthritis treatment. The TRIUMPH-4 study evaluated retatrutide, a triple-hormone receptor agonist that activates GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon pathways, in adults with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. Participants receiving the highest dose of the drug lost an average of 28.7 percent of their body weight after 68 weeks of treatment, equivalent to approximately 71 pounds. Those receiving placebo lost an average of 2.1 percent…

Glenmark recalls 11000 Ziac bottles after FDA finds contamination with cholesterol drug ezetimibe, classifying it as a low-risk Class III recall.

FDA widens recall of imported cookware after lead found to leach into food, urging U.S. consumers to stop using contaminated pots and pans.