Feb 05 FDA head to step down, chief scientist taking over By Matthew Perrone and Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — From food safety to tobacco and politically charged drug approvals, Margaret Hamburg reset the course of the embattled Food and Drug Administration, an agency that had often been seen as ineffective. Continue reading
Feb 03 Watch 5:40 Store-bought herbal supplements may not be what they advertise By PBS News Hour An investigation into store-bought herbal supplements found at many major retailers’ determined that four out of five products tested had no trace of the ingredients listed on the label. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joins Gwen Ifill to discuss… Continue watching
Dec 31 Majority of Americans favor calorie postings in restaurants, vending machines By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — More than half of Americans say they already have enough information at restaurants to decide whether they are making a healthy purchase. But they want even more. Continue reading
Dec 23 LGBT advocates say FDA gay blood donor policy revision is long overdue, but ‘not enough’ By Joshua Barajas The FDA said in a statement that it will "recommend a change to the blood donor deferral period for men who have sex with men from indefinite deferral to one year since the last sexual contact."… Continue reading
Dec 23 FDA targeting sellers of pure caffeine powder By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press The Food and Drug Administration is building a legal case against companies that sell pure powdered caffeine, which can be fatal even in small doses. The FDA warned consumers to avoid pure powdered caffeine this summer after the death of… Continue reading
Nov 25 Watch Will labeling calorie counts on menus bring down America’s obesity rates? By PBS News Hour Food chains, including restaurants, cafes and even some vending machines, will soon be required to list calorie counts clearly on their menus. Margaret Hamburg of the FDA, the group responsible for the new law, speaks with Judy Woodruff on the… Continue watching
Nov 25 New FDA rules will require calorie counts in food establishments By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Whether they want to or not, consumers will soon know how many calories they are eating when ordering off the menu at chain restaurants, picking up prepared foods at supermarkets and even eating a tub of popcorn at… Continue reading
Sep 14 FDA considers ban on electric shock devices used to curb self-harm By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press Self-injury is one of the most difficult behaviors associated with autism and other developmental or intellectual disabilities, and a private facility outside Boston that takes on some of the hardest-to-treat cases is embroiled in a major debate: Should it use… Continue reading
Aug 05 New FDA ‘gluten-free’ regulation rolls out By Anna Christiansen Starting this week, all food products marked as “gluten-free” can only make the claim if they contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Continue reading