Weekly Health Digest: Doctors v. NRA, Opioid Lawsuit, Monsanto Trial

Doctors Revolt After N.R.A. Tells Them to ‘Stay in Their Lane’ on Gun Policy

Matthew Haag

Recently, a lot of doctors have been firing back to the NRA’s tweet telling “anti-gun” doctors to stay in their lane regarding the gun control debate. Emergency room physicians have been outraged by the NRA’s tweet because they see how many people are affected by gun violence in their everyday work. Dr. Marianne Haughey says that she has seen incidents ranging from a child who found a gun at home to a store owner who was ambushed at work in her 25 years working in Bronx hospitals.

Florida sues Walgreens, CVS over opioid sales

Terry Spencer

The state of Florida is suing Walgreens and CVS for allegedly overselling painkillers and being careful to stop illegal sales. They are being added to an ongoing lawsuit filed this past spring against several opioid distributors, including the maker of OxyContin. Florida’s Attorney General, Pam Bondi, stated that these two companies “played a role in creating the opioid crisis” and this seems to be the state of Florida’s first step in pursuing legal actions against these companies. In  response to the lawsuit, a CVS spokesman defended the company’s scrupulous training protocol and Walgreens did not comment on the pending lawsuit.

The FDA’s new tobacco rules are a victory for public health

Editorial Board

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced new rules regarding flavored e-cigarette liquids that require age restrictions on access any flavors beyond menthol, mint, or tobacco. This is done in an effort to curb the high rates of e-cigarette usage among youth. The agency is also proposing a ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

California judge orders next Monsanto weed-killer cancer trial for March

Tina Bellon

Last Thursday, a California judge expedited the trial for the case of a couple in the state who  is sued Bayer AG’s Monsanto unit, claiming their cancer was caused by the company’s glyphosate-containing weed killer Roundup. The company denies the claims that their glyphosate-based herbicides caused plaintiffs’ cancers, though they faces over 9,300 glyphosate lawsuits. Glyphosate is the world’s most widely-used weed killer.