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News Articles: FDA

Drugs and medical devices for pets and other animals go through approval processes through the FDA. Staff handling parts of this work lost their jobs in the recent round of firings from the Trump administration.

FDA staff handling drug safety for pets and livestock lost jobs in Trump firings

The fired staffers were tasked with making sure medications given to animals work well and are safe.

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By:
  • Will Stone and
  • Sydney Lupkin
Employees at the National Institutes of Health are among those at several health agencies who received termination letters this past weekend as part of the Trump administration's push to cut federal employees.

Health agencies lose staff members in key areas as Trump firings set in

As the dust settles from the first wave of firings at health agencies, here's how many people got cut and the impact of the roles that were lost.

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By:
  • Will Stone and
  • Pien Huang
A federal judge ordered pages that were deleted from websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal health agencies to be restored.

Judge orders restoration of federal health websites

The pages that are set to be revived include information for patients about HIV testing and HIV prevention medication, guidance on contraceptives and data on adolescent and youth mental health.

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By:
  • Will Stone
The FDA has upgraded a recall of over 6,000 bags of Frito-Lay Lay's Classic Potato Chips to a Class I recall, the agency's highest level of severity.

FDA upgrades recall of Lay's potato chips to most serious level

The problem ingredient identified was "undeclared milk," which poses a risk to those with severe sensitivities or allergies.

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By:
  • Manuela López Restrepo
Key guidance to industry on enhancing diversity in clinical trials of cancer drugs disappeared from the Food and Drug Administration website.

The FDA pulls key DEI initiative for cancer studies from its website

A Food and Drug Administration project to promote diversity in clinical studies of cancer treatments was removed from the agency's website, as the Trump administration halts DEI initiatives.

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By:
  • Sydney Lupkin
The Department of Health and Human Services, which has some 90,000 employees, is putting a freeze on most public communications as of Tuesday.

Federal health agencies told to halt all external communications

In a memo obtained by NPR, acting Health Secretary Dorothy Fink forbade staff from public communications on most matters until Feb. 1, unless they get express approval from "a presidential appointee."

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By:
  • Gabrielle Emanuel,
  • Selena Simmons-Duffin,
  • and 1 more
Containers of Zyn, a smokeless nicotine pouch, are displayed for sale among other nicotine and tobacco products at a newsstand in New York on Feb. 23, 2024.

Zyn nicotine pouches can be marketed in the U.S., the FDA says. What does this mean?

The FDA said "an extensive scientific review" found the products were found to pose lower risks of cancer and other serious health conditions compared to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products.

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By:
  • Jaclyn Diaz
Red dye 3 is a petroleum based color additive that's been used for decades, to give foods and drinks bright, flashy coloring.

FDA bans the food dye Red No. 3

The food colorant has been linked to behavioral problems in children, including inattention and hyperactivity. California passed a law to ban it last year. It's also linked to cancer in lab rats.

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By:
  • Allison Aubrey

Lower nicotine requirements in cigarettes could be coming soon

The FDA is expected to propose a new rule Wednesday that would mean cigarettes have lower nicotine limits to make them less addictive.

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By:
  • Yuki Noguchi
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of Zepbound for adults with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.

FDA approves weight loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea

The FDA said studies have shown that by aiding weight loss, Zepbound improves sleep apnea symptoms in some patients.

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By:
  • Juliana Kim
Federal regulators have cracked down on mushroom edibles containing Amanita muscaria — also known as fly agaric — after mounting safety concerns.

The FDA restricts a psychoactive mushroom used in some edibles

The Food and Drug Administration has told food manufacturers the psychoactive mushroom Amanita muscaria isn't authorized for food, including edibles, because it doesn't meet safety standards.

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By:
  • Will Stone
At issue in the case before the Supreme Court Monday is the manner in which the FDA regulates e-cigarettes.

FDA battles vaping industry at the Supreme Court

The justices will hear arguments about the FDA's rejection of some e-cigarettes. High schoolers are at the center of the case.

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By:
  • Nina Totenberg
The Supreme Court heard arguments on the FDA's refusal to approve flavored e-cigarettes over public health concerns.

At Supreme Court, vaping may be frowned upon, but that could change with Trump

The focal point of the case is 2009 law enacted by Congress that gives the Food and Drug Administration a mandate to curb the availability of nicotine products for minors.

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By:
  • Nina Totenberg
President-elect Trump has made his choices for three top health positions in his next administration.

What to know about Trump's picks for CDC, FDA and surgeon general

In a flurry of picks on Friday evening, Trump named three choices for top health jobs. Together they would help the incoming president shift the priorities of agencies that are key to public health.

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By:
  • Will Stone
A Tom's of Maine sign is seen at the manufacturing plant in Sanford, Maine, on March 28, 2006.

The FDA says it found bacteria and a 'mold-like' substance at a Tom's of Maine plant

The agency is requiring Tom's to submit several documents, including assessments and remediation plans for its operations, contamination hazards, testing methods and more.

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By:
  • Ayana Archie