In another example that demonstrates the hidden influence of Big Pharma on tobacco treatment policy and the extent to which many defenders of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are going to hide their conflicts of interest, an article (letter to the editor/reply) defending NRT from criticism that was published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology fails to …
FDA Issues New Draft Guidance on Regulation Compliance for Certain Types of E-Cigarettes; CDC Comments
The FDA took steps yesterday to clear a big point of confusion that has arisen concerning a subset of electronic cigarettes on the market. Due to novel technology that allows nicotine to be extracted in concentrated form from potatoes, a number of e-cigarette companies have switched to using potatoes as a source of nicotine for their e-liquids. Several companies have …
FDA and CDC are Lying About the Most Basic of Facts; How Can We Trust Them on More Complex Issues?
Donald Trump is not the only one who needs some fact-checking. My analysis of the September 22 article by the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products reveals that these agencies are misleading the public by lying to them about the most basic of facts: namely, whether or not electronic cigarettes contain tobacco.According to …
American Lung Association Tells Public that Smoking May Be No More Hazardous than Vaping
Despite the abundance of scientific evidence, including clinical studies, which demonstrate that vaping is much safer than smoking, the American Lung Association – as recently as last week – told the public that smoking may be no more hazardous than vaping.A UPI article quoted the American Lung Association’s senior scientific advisor as stating: “We have no idea what the long-term …
FDA Violated Ethics Rules to Censor Dissenting Opinions about Its E-Cigarette Regulations
According to a shocking exposé in the October 16th issue of Scientific American written by Charles Seife, the FDA censored dissenting opinions about its e-cigarette regulations by prohibiting journalists covering the release of these regulations from speaking with anyone who might oppose them.The FDA’s e-cigarette regulations were initially released on April 24, 2014. On April 23, the FDA’s Center for …
Helena Miracle? Not So Much; New Study Casts Doubt on Conclusions of Anti-Smoking Groups
For many years, anti-smoking groups have been claiming that smoking bans result in an immediate and dramatic decline in hospitalizations for heart attacks. This claim is based on studies like that conducted in Helena, in which the authors concluded that there was a 40% reduction in heart attack admissions within 6-18 months after a bar and restaurant smoking ban was …
FDA-Induced Crumbling of E-Cigarette Market Begins: NJOY Files for Bankruptcy
It didn’t take long after the FDA enacted its deeming regulations for the first of many e-cigarette companies to lose their ability to stay in the market. Just one and a half months after the FDA’s deeming regulations went into effect, NJOY – one of the largest independent e-cigarette manufacturers in the U.S. – has filed for bankruptcy.While a major …
Deciding Vote in FDA Advisory Committee Recommendation to Remove Black Box Warning for Chantix is Cast by Pharmaceutical Company President; FDA Review Process is Badly Tainted
Last Wednesday, a pair of FDA advisory committees – meeting jointly – voted 10-9 to recommend that the FDA remove the black box warning for Chantix (varenicline). Currently, the black box warns about the potential for severe psychiatric side effects of Chantix, including depression and suicidal ideation. The recommendation is not binding, and the FDA is free to follow or …
Pfizer Study of Psychiatric Risks of Chantix Marred by Financial Conflicts of Interest and Under-Reporting of Adverse Events
According to a briefing document for today’s joint meeting of the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee and Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee to discuss the black box warning for Chantix (varenicline), Pfizer’s study of the potential serious psychiatric side effects of Chantix, which reported no significant increased risk of adverse events, was marred by financial conflicts of interests …
Unlike Samsung Galaxy, FDA Regulations Don’t Allow E-Cigarette Companies to Fix their Exploding Batteries
Last week, Samsung temporarily took its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone off the market while it works to solve the problem of exploding batteries, which occurred while the devices were charging. A Samsung investigation found that the problem was a battery cell made by one of its two battery suppliers. The problem stemmed from a defect in the manufacturing process, which …