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Expert Panel Recommends New Standards for Testing Products for Asbestos

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A government panel from the US Food and Drug Administration now says that higher asbestos testing standards is necessary. These standards would be above what has been in place currently.

A New Report

One of the most important recommendations is that all mineral products that are found in beauty and health products should be considered as possibly harmful even if they haven’t been classified as asbestos. These minerals could still be breathed in and end up in the lungs.

According to experts, these minerals can cause the same outcomes to the system as asbestos. It doesn’t matter how they are categorized. The panel also supports the stance of the World Health Organization that no exposure to asbestos is safe. They advocated for the most sensitive testing methods for cosmetics and talc powders.

The recommendations the panel gave are markedly different from what other advisors have suggested. As recent as 2018, many experts in a meeting sponsored by the FDA played down any possible hazards from asbestos in talc or similar minerals. Scientists and other experts criticized the reports that came from the meeting.

According to the FDA, the panel didn’t work with or get recommendations from manufacturers in the cosmetic industry or other groups. A spokesman for Johnson & Johnson said they would be glad to review the information for the best way to test for the presence of asbestos and other minerals in talc.

Danger in Beauty Products?

Asbestos had been found in Johnson & Johnson baby powder back in October 2019. Around 33,000 bottles were recalled. It was the first time in the history of the company that such a recall had occurred. The manufacturer hired an independent lab to test the product and no asbestos was reported to be found. According to Johnson & Johnson, 155 tests were conducted with state of the art methods and no asbestos were found.

Currently, no testing of talc products is required even though talc and asbestos are often found in the same place in the ground. Instead, regulators allowed companies to develop their own safety regulations.

Nothing has changed officially with the report, but the FDA will use it to decide if standardized testing methods are necessary. However, they haven’t announced a deadline for the review. Experts do say the recommendations themselves could be used in court cases and to influence other scientific practices.

Asbestos and similar minerals are possible carcinogens, which can cause cancer with prolonged exposure. These tiny particles get breathed in and trapped inside the lungs where they can’t escape. Over time, they can scar the lungs and lead to permanent damage, even death.

The significance of the information from the panel may not be fully known until after the FDA has had time to review, but it does lead the way to long-term changes by cosmetics companies that have failed to address the issue in the past. At the very least, it will encourage them to take more responsibility for providing safe products.

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Glyphosate Toxic When Combined with Other Ingredients

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According to government scientists, glyphosate is only toxic when combined with other ingredients. Scientists with the National Toxicology Program have been doing testing on glyphosate and formulations with this chemical as one of the active ingredients. These formulations have been found to be potentially damaging to humans.

Dangers of Glyphosate Formulations

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the well-known weedkiller, Roundup, manufactured by Bayer AG and marketed under the Monsanto brand. Claims have been made that exposure to these products have caused cancer. Monsanto has long refuted these claims, saying the products don’t cause cancer in users.

The NTP is part of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The agency has been running tests on nine formulations, which all contain glyphosate. Separate testing has been done on glyphosate alone. Based on preliminary results, pure glyphosate doesn’t lead to cell death or cause cancer. It doesn’t change DNA based on the tests ran by the NTP. However, most people aren’t exposed to pure glyphosate. Weedkillers and other products containing glyphosate include formulations with other ingredients.

Testing showed that the toxic effects come from formulations that include what is known as surfactants. These chemicals help plants be able to absorb glyphosate. Other toxic chemicals include mesotrione, diquat dibromide and metolachlor. These ingredients are found in some weedkilling products.

The challenge with this information is that it’s difficult to tell which formulations can cause cancer because the manufacturers aren’t required to list the surfactants because they are considered to be confidential for the business and may be labeled simply as other ingredients.

The NTP says more testing of these formulations and chemicals is needed. According to a spokesperson for Bayer, most of the tests had negative results for toxicity. Currently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and other agencies list glyphosate as carcinogenic or a probably human carcinogen.

While the EPA has agreed that glyphosate is safe, it hasn’t tested the formulated product to determine safety. One of the key formulations in Roundup products is glyphosate and polyethoxylated tallow amine (POEA). POEA was banned in Europe in 2016.

Claims have been made that Monsanto has not done nearly as much testing on formulations as on glyphosate alone. The EPA requested reports from studies done on the formulations in 2016.

Another Study on Pesticides and Children

Another study shows that exposure to pesticides and other toxins can lead to learning disabilities and developmental issues in children. It can also cause impairments to behavior. The study was conducted by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. It analyzed the exposure to several toxic chemicals, including flame retardants and other household products as well as pesticides. Ingredients in pesticides can impact the thyroid. The results of this study were published in the Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology journal.

While controversy still exists over the dangers of glyphosate, it’s apparent that some formulations may have a negative impact on those who are exposed. Long-term damage is possible as more testing reveals new information.

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Teen and Young Adult Juuling Doubles

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Vaping with JUUL products doubled or tripled for teens and young adults between 2018 and 2019. A study shows that use among people between 18 and 20 years old doubled while those between 21 and 24 who were using tripled.

For the teens, the percentage of users went from 11.9 percent to 23.9 percent while stats show that use among those in their early 20s went from 5.6 percent to 18.1 percent. These aren’t the only two groups to show an increase, but it was the most dramatic. Use among those between 25 and 34 increased from 3.2 percent to 8.2 percent.

These statistics aren’t the only ones that are concerning. The frequency of use is also disturbing. The study shows that more people who are vaping do so at least 10 days each month. The percentage increased from 26.1 percent to 37.6 percent.

Many agencies, including those in public health, are concerned about the rate of use for youth, and they are calling it an epidemic. One reason for the concern is that use among those between the ages of 18 and 20 is the highest, and they are most susceptible to developing an addiction.

How JUUL Compares

One of the unique features of this study is that it not only focuses on e-cigarettes in general but on JUUL products in particular. As the industry leader, JUUL has a strong customer base. In fact, while use of e-cigarettes overall increased by 22.8 percent from 2018 to 2019, use of JUUL products went up by almost 83 percent.

Use of JUUL vaping products for those between 21 and 24 years of age increased twice the rate of e-cigarettes in general. For those between the ages of 25 and 34, the results are staggering. Use of e-cigarettes went up by 22.9 percent. Use of JUUL vaping devices was up by an astounding 245.4 percent.

Combine totals to get an increase of just over 12 percent for all users with e-cigarettes while JUUL users went up by nearly 124 percent. While the results may be shocking and even alarming, they shed a light on what is happening. Experts say that any policies on e-cigarettes must focus on JUUL products.

JUUL appeals to the younger age ranges because it offered fruity flavors and mint along with the traditional nicotine products. These other flavors enticed new users who enjoyed using these vaping devices. Even though JUUL stopped selling those products in the US, the device itself is modern and stylish. It’s so small that it’s barely noticeable, which makes it easy to bring into school or carry anywhere else. In fact, the JUUL devices became somewhat of a status symbol.

While many people are advocating for laws to restrict usage, some experts say that these laws must consider the problem of addiction. If the users no longer have access to JUUL products and other e-cigarettes, they may turn to other products. Addiction treatment must be included in these new laws, say experts.

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Excedrin Discontinued Temporarily

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The popular medicine for headaches and other aches and pains is being discontinued temporarily until it is determined to be safe for use again. GlaxoSmithKline is the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Excedrin products, and it has announced the temporary recall.

The Reason Behind the Halt in Production

The products include Excedrin Extra Strength in caplets and gel tabs as well as Excedrin Migraine. The reason for the discontinuation is for inconsistencies in handling of the ingredients that go into the products. A spokesperson claims they have discovered inconsistencies in how the ingredients are weighed and transferred. However, they claim they do not believe the product poses a safety risk.

The halt of production is expected to be only temporary as everything is reviewed. However, many say that other products don’t work as well as Excedrin for migraine sufferers, which leads to concern among consumers on how long production will be down on these products.

The manufacturer recommends consumers to talk to their pharmacists about possible alternatives until production can resume. No timeline has been given for when production will start up again.

Medications for tension headaches and PM meds are still being produced and sold. The main ingredients in the Excedrin medications for migraine include acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine. While other products contain similar ingredients, the dosage may be different. It’s important to talk to a pharmacist who can recommend a product similar to Excedrin.

Generic versions of the medicine aren’t impacted by the halt in production. Many stores carry the generics next to the brand name, and these products contain the same ingredients.

Excedrin Works

Migraine sufferers may try a variety of products and treatments to get relief only to find they don’t work. For those who suffer from migraine headaches on a regular basis, they understand how debilitating it is. Some say that only Excedrin products will work, which has them concerned about how long production will be stopped and how it will impact their ability to function without the medication.

While prescription migraine medications are available, they are often chosen only as a last resort because of the side effects associated with the drugs. Many migraine sufferers are unable to work or function when a headache comes on. While the list of active ingredients in products like Excedrin Migraine are simple, it’s the unique combination and the amount included that seem to provide the most effective relief.

Both acetaminophen and aspirin reduce pain and increases the amount your body can tolerate. Caffeine narrows the blood vessels, which widen when you have a headache. It essentially increases the effectiveness of the other ingredients for faster and more noticeable improvement.

Migraines are more than just a headache; they can be debilitating and last for up to 72 hours. They often include throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head, causing nausea and sensitivity to sound or light. While the effects of the medication on migraine headaches isn’t completely understood, research shows that the combination of ingredients work together better than when they are taken alone.

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