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EVERYTHING
Tylenol Maker Rejects Autism Warning Label Request
What: The maker of Tylenol, Kenvue, opposed a petition from an anti-vaccine group that asked the FDA to add an official warning that using the drug during pregnancy raises autism risk. The company said acetaminophen is one of the most studied drugs in the world, and generally safer than other painkillers. The petition was originally filed the same day Donald Trump publicly claimed a connection between autism and acetaminophen, a claim scientists dispute.
Key Line: “Tylenol’s maker, Kenvue, commented on the petition, calling the proposed changes ‘arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law.'”
My Take: Like so many Trump administration endeavors, this one will likely play out (for a long time) in the courts. In the meantime, though, expect to see Trump and his health officials push hard to see what they can get away with.
Source: Scripps News
Tia Cuts Nearly a Quarter of Staff
What: Women’s health startup Tia, backed by Melinda French Gates, laid off 23% of its employees. The company runs clinics focused on women’s primary and reproductive care in locations including Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. CEO Felicity Yost said the layoffs were in response to feedback they received from potential investors, and that company “underperformance” forced Tia to seek additional funding before running out of cash.
Key Line: “The demise of similar healthcare startups like former Silicon Valley darling Forward has shown how hard tech-enabled healthcare can be to scale; even Amazon owned-health clinic company One Medical has struggled with profitability.”
My Take: The cost of providing health care in America has increased every year, often faster than inflation. Tech can help but until it eliminates the actual people required to do the health care, labor costs are always going to be among the biggest challenges. (And beyond some admin work, that seems a long, long way off. But let me know if I’m wrong!)
Source: Business Insider via AOL
FERTILITY
Trump’s IVF Drug Deal Highlights Party Divide on Pricing and Coverage
What: Stat points out that the recent deal over IVF medications between the Trump administration and drugmaker EMD Serono shows the sharp contrast between Republican and Democratic strategies on drug pricing and insurance coverage. And the current plan (of course labeled “TrumpRx”) raises questions about how it differs from existing discount platforms from drug manufacturers.
Key Line: As reporter John Wilkerson writes: “The administration is making a lot of promises about TrumpRx. I invite help sorting out the difference between that website and others that already offer cash discounts.”
My Take: We may find out a few months (or weeks) from now that the discounts don’t really matter when compared to what manufacturers already offered, but real savings wasn’t the point so much as performing the cost savings. Or…more reporting will show the Trump cuts actually do save some people money.
Source: STAT News
MENOPAUSE
Starting Estrogen Therapy Earlier May Cut Later Health Risks
What: An analysis of over 120 million patient records found that women who began estrogen therapy during perimenopause and continued for at least 10 years before menopause had about 60% lower odds of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke, compared to women who started after menopause or not at all. Starting after menopause was linked to slightly lower breast cancer and heart attack risk but a 5% higher stroke risk. Researchers say early use may bring more benefit, though more studies are needed to confirm these observational results.
Key Line: “’The findings of this study suggest lower risk and potentially greater benefit of estrogen-based therapy when started in perimenopause. While the observational study design is subject to known potential biases such as healthy user bias, these results may pave the way for additional research on the risks and benefits of hormone therapy when initiated earlier in the menopause transition,’ says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.”
My Take: The effects of estrogen on women throughout their lifetimes seems like one of the most critical (and effective!) things to study and spread credible information about it.
Source: Menopause Society
MENTAL HEALTH
‘Girl, Take Your Crazy Pills!’ Antidepressants Recast as a Hot Lifestyle Accessory
What: The Wall Street Journal looks at how some women on TikTok and podcasts are reframing antidepressants like Lexapro as trendy, everyday wellness tools rather than medical treatments. They follow Corinne Byerley, a woman who saw positive posts from influencers and was able to get Lexapro just days later via a telehealth company. TLDR: The story highlights how social media has turned mental health medication into a kind of lifestyle conversation.
Key Line: “Byerley, 34, touted benefits of the medicine, but later felt emotionally numb, had brain fog and a loss of libido, she said. Byerley held off telling followers for months, reluctant to acknowledge her faded sex life and embarrassed about gaining weight. The nurse practitioner who prescribed the medication had told Byerley initially that ‘any side effects are generally mild and usually subside quickly.’ At first, Byerley made light of some of the side effects, telling TikTok followers that, ‘overall, I feel like I’m doing really well.'”
My Take: Audience capture when it comes to antidepressants is not good. Just because people are interested in watching a video about something and that signals the algorithm to promote similar videos does not mean one drug or another is right for everybody watching.
Source: Wall Street Journal
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