Approval marks first time the agency has approved sale of a nicotine pouch
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Tourette syndrome is not being diagnosed promptly in women with the condition. Women with Tourette syndrome are less likely to receive a diagnosis for the disorder, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 15 in the journal Neurology. They also take longer to be diagnosed with the disorder, and typically are older than boys at time of diagnosis, researchers found. “These results suggest that health care professionals and parents should be screening female individuals with tics and seeking care for them to give them a better chance of managing tics over time,” lead researcher Dr. Marisela Dy-Hollins, a pediatric neurologist with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. Tourette causes people to suffer from tics — sudden and difficult-to-control repetitive movements and sounds. For example, people with Tourette might suffer the irresistible urge to blink their eyes, hum, shrug their shoulders, clear their throat, or blurt out unusual sounds or offensive words. Tourette syndrome is currently diagnosed about three times more frequently in boys than girls, researchers said in background notes. For the study, researchers analyzed data from a set of people recruited for genetics research into tic disorders. They identified more than 2,100 people with Tourette syndrome, and nearly 300 others with a separate condition called persistent motor or vocal tic disorder. About 61% of females in the group had been…  read on >  read on >

Stressed-out teenagers appear to be dragging down the U.S. economy, a new study says. Teenagers suffering from anxiety or depression are less likely to enter the workforce as young adults, and more likely to earn lower pay when they do, researchers reported in a study published today in the journal PLOS Medicine. The economic impact is so great that $52 billion in U.S. budget savings could occur over 10 years if efforts are made to help even 10% of teens at risk for stress, researchers estimate. “Our new research finds that, at the scale of the United States economy, improvements in adolescent mental health may bring many billions of dollars of federal budget benefits over ten years, potentially offsetting the costs of policy change that could cover critical services for young people,” lead researcher Nathaniel Counts, chief policy officer for The Kennedy Forum in Brigantine, NJ, said in a news release. For the new study, researchers analyzed data on more than 3,300 participants in an ongoing Bureau of Labor Statistics study that is following children as they progress into adulthood. The research team analyzed data gathered in 2000, when participants were 15 to 17, to check their mental health as teenagers. They looked specifically at questions that assessed anxiety and depression among the teens. Researchers then looked at data gathered a decade later, in 2010,…  read on >  read on >

A rather historic U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal aims to make cigarettes and other tobacco products far less addictive by reducing their nicotine content. The move could help millions of Americans quit smoking while preventing many more from becoming addicted. The proposed rule, published Wednesday in a 334-page report, would cap nicotine levels in cigarettes and other tobacco products, potentially, to levels so low they would no longer sustain addiction. FDA officials believe the policy, if finalized, could save millions of lives over the coming decades. However, the proposal is unlikely to be enacted anytime soon, as it comes in the final days of President Joe Biden’s term. President-elect Donald Trump has not yet commented on the policy, leaving its future uncertain. “This action, if finalized, could save many lives and dramatically reduce the burden of severe illness and disability,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf told the Associated Press. Details of the proposal The rule proposes a maximum nicotine level of 0.7 milligrams (mg) per gram of tobacco — a significant decrease from current levels, which can range anywhere from 6 mg to 28 mg per gram. The limit would apply to cigarettes, pipe tobacco, and cigars, but not to e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, or other products. Research shows that low nicotine levels make it much harder for smokers to maintain their addiction and…  read on >  read on >

Grabbing a quick snack might soon come with a little extra clarity. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule requiring bold, easy-to-read nutrition labels on the front of food and beverage packages. These labels, which would highlight content of sugar, salt, and saturated fat, aim to make it easier for shoppers to make healthier choices in the grocery aisle — helping to tackle the rising rates of obesity and conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, a media report from The New York Times states. These chronic illnesses affect over 60% of American adults and contribute to an estimated $4.5 trillion in annual health care costs, according to the FDA. “Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the food we eat,” Dr. Robert Califf, the commissioner of the FDA, said in a statement released by the administration. “It is time we make it easier for consumers to glance, grab and go.” The black-and-white labels would appear on the front of products, unlike the current back-of-package Nutrition Facts panel, which lists dietary facts such as calorie counts, serving sizes, and ingredients. The new proposal is the result of three years of research by FDA scientists, who studied similar front-of-package labeling systems used in countries like Canada,…  read on >  read on >