Health News Roundup: Juul warned by FDA over marketing practices; Xeris Pharma's low blood sugar treatment wins FDA approval

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

UK fears crisis as 11.5 million get potentially addictive drugs

More and more Britons are being prescribed potentially addictive medicines including sleeping pills, opioids and other painkillers, raising the risk of a drug crisis like the one in the United States, health officials said on Tuesday. In a government-commissioned report, researchers at Public Health England (PHE) said evidence showed that "since at least 10 years ago more people are being prescribed more of these medicines and often for longer".

Four cholera cases confirmed in Sudan, three die of acute watery diarrhoea

At least four cases of cholera have been confirmed in Sudan's Blue Nile state and three people with acute watery diarrhoea have died, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, The ministry said it had identified 37 people with acute watery diarrhoea between Aug. 28 and Sept. 8 and that three of them have died. It was not immediately clear when they died or if they had cholera.

New York governor proposes ban on flavored e-cigarettes

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed legislation on Monday to ban flavored e-cigarettes statewide in an effort to protect young people from the unknown consequences of vaping. "Common sense says if you don't know what you're smoking, don't smoke it," Cuomo told reporters at a news conference. "And right now, we don't know what you're smoking in a lot of these vaping substances," he said.

'It is time to stop vaping': Kansas reports sixth U.S. death linked to mystery illness

A Kansas resident was the sixth person to die in the United States of a mysterious respiratory illness related to vaping, state officials said on Tuesday, as public health officials scrambled to understand a nationwide health problem. "It is time to stop vaping," Kansas State Health Officer Dr. Lee Norman Norman said in a statement. "If you or a loved one is vaping, please stop."

Not so fast: CDC isn't ready to blame illicit 'street vapes' for illnesses

U.S. health investigators are casting a wide net to understand what is sickening hundreds of vapers across the country and still have not ruled out any product on the market, even as vaping industry officials highlight the potential role of illegal cannabis products. Dr Dana Meaney-Delman is leading the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's investigation into the culprit behind at least five confirmed deaths and 450 reported cases of lung illness linked with use of the devices.

China cabinet wants large pig farms to make up 58% of total by 2022

China's state council said on Tuesday it wants large-scale pig farms to make up 58% of the total by 2022 to help improve stability of pork supplies. It did not say how it defines large farms or what the current level is.

U.S. tells cannabis companies not to advertise disease treatments without science

The top U.S. consumer and trade regulator said on Tuesday it had warned three companies selling products infused with cannabidiol that it was illegal to advertise that such products could fight disease without providing credible scientific evidence. In recent years, the chemical derived from the cannabis plant, commonly called CBD, has been touted as alleviating countless physical ailments.

Juul warned by FDA over marketing practices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Juul Labs Inc on Monday for marketing its e-cigarettes as safer than traditional cigarettes, the latest move by the agency to curb the use of vaping devices that have become extremely popular among teens. Juul has already come under scrutiny for its marketing initiatives, including its use of social media influencers to promote its vaping devices, with the Federal Trade Commission launching an investigation last month.

Where the top Democratic U.S. presidential candidates stand on 'Medicare for All'

All of the Democratic presidential candidates debating on Thursday say universal healthcare is a top priority. They disagree, however, on the best path to achieve it. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has championed the ambitious goal known as "Medicare for All," which would replace the current patchwork healthcare structure with a single-payer system. The plan would provide government coverage to everyone based on the existing federal Medicare program for Americans 65 and older and would effectively eliminate private insurance.

Xeris Pharma's low blood sugar treatment wins FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xeris Pharmaceuticals Inc's glucagon therapy that aims to treat severely low sugar levels in diabetes patients, the drugmaker said on Tuesday. The condition, called hypoglycemia, can cause acute cognitive impairment. A mild or moderate fall in sugar levels, when left untreated, can result in cardiovascular disease, seizure, coma, and even death.

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