The Food and Drug Administration is issuing what amounts to a “hey, hey, not so fast, guys,” to the makers of a new inhalable caffeine product called AeroShot Pure Energy. They’ve been under the FDA’s eye for awhile, since Sen. Chuck Schumer brought up his concerns that the canisters could be used as a kind of party drug. [More]
Food & Personal Care
Should The FDA Inspect Non-Meat Food Plants More Than Once A Decade?
By 3.5.12
Back in the day, slaughterhouses were the ones grabbing the attention when it came to health concerns and the need for inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a regular basis to ensure food was safe. Now, the Food and Drug Administration checks in on most of what we eat — and they only inspect plants around once a decade, says one report. [More]
CVS Hands Kids Breast Cancer Drugs Instead Of Fluoride Pills
By 3.5.12
For almost two months, some children in New Jersey were taking breast cancer drugs instead of fluoride pills for their teeth. CVS made a big whoopsie, as parents were picking up tamoxifen unbeknownst to them, and handing it out to their kids at home. [More]
Judge: Graphic Cigarette Warning Labels Violate Right To Free Speech
By 2.29.12
Remember those graphic, sometimes gory, cigarette warning labels the FDA came up with? Well, a U.S. District Judge has sided with the tobacco companies and ruled that the warnings violate cigarette-makers’ right to free speech. [More]
FDA Adds Diabetes & Memory Loss Warnings To Statins
By 2.28.12
Widely used cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release), Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe) and many others will now have additional warnings on their packaging, according to an announcement from the Food & Drug Administration. [More]
Yum Brands CEO Wants To Hug The World, Feed Them Pizza Hut, Taco Bell & KFC
By 2.27.12
If the CEO of Yum Brands has anything to say about it, the definition of world cuisine will be comprised of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. It’s great that he wants to feed everyone, but is fast-food really the way to do it? [More]
Pepsi Thinks You Might Want Just A Few Calories In Your Soda
By 2.23.12
If full-calorie soda dumps too much sugar into your system and diet drinks just don’t have the punch you want, Pepsi wants to woo you with its new 60 calorie-per-can offering, Pepsi Next. It’s been years since they’ve launched a major product, so perhaps the name “Tada!” would’ve been a fun choice. Just sayin’. [More]
The United Arab Emirates Will Not Stand For The Grocery Shrink Ray
By 2.22.12
When Coke and Pepsi cans sold in the United Arab Emirates were shrink rayed from 355 milliliters (about 12 ounces) to 300 mL (about 10 ounces) while the price remained the same, it wasn’t just customers who complained. The government noticed, too, and is removing the offending cans from store shelves. Those wacky foreigners! [More]
FDA Green Lights Imports Of Cancer Drugs To Ease Shortages
By 2.22.12
Of all the agonies that confront cancer patients, an unnecessary shortage of drugs they need must be among the more frustrating. The Food and Drug Administration is showing some compassion for the sick by easing import rules for two crucial cancer drugs in order to bulk up supply. [More]
Papa John’s Heart-Shaped Pizza Looks More Like Anatomical Heart
By 2.22.12 — Updated: 2.14.17
Everyone knows that “heart-shaped” items don’t look anything like the big lump of muscle in mammals’ chests that pumps blood around. But heart-shaped things are cute. Every year, Papa John’s tries to produce a heart-shaped pizza. And every year, it’s a heart-clogger shaped more like an actual anatomical heart. Dough is an unforgiving medium. [More]
FDA Will Give Another Look To Weight Loss Pill Said To Cause Birth Defects, Heart Problems
By 2.20.12
Qnexa, a diet pill that some researchers say increases risks of birth defects and heart problems, is getting a second shot at making its way to the market. After rejecting the drug in 2010, the Food and Drug Administration will review Qnexa again Wednesday. [More]
FDA Warns About Potential For Chipped Teeth, Eye Injuries From Crest/Arm & Hammer Spinbrush
By 2.17.12
If you ever looked at an Arm & Hammer Spinbrush (formerly the Crest Spinbrush) and thought “a toothbrush with all those moving parts could potentially wreak havoc if something goes wrong,” the folks at the Food & Drug Administration have confirmed your concerns. [More]
The First Ski-Thru Starbucks Keeps Snow Bunnies & Bums Caffeinated On The Slopes
By 2.16.12
How many times have you been shooting down a ski slope, totally shredding some awesome powder (if that’s a thing?) and thought, “Man, I could really go for a latte right about now”? Enough people have felt that way, apparently, as Starbucks has opened its first ski-thru location. [More]
That Free Pizza Will Be $1.49 Plus Tax, Tip, And Delivery, Please
By 2.16.12
There is no such thing as a free pizza. Alisha knows this, and she’s bright enough to know that the courtesy coupon for a “free” pizza from Papa John’s would not, in fact, result in a pizza showing up on her doorstep without any money changing hands. She just didn’t expect to be charged $1.49 for the free item. “Silly Alisha, that’s the delivery fee!” you might say. No. It’s not. She had to pay sales tax and the delivery fee as well. [More]
Got Lipstick? There's Probably Some Lead In It
By 2.15.12
Back in 2007, the Food & Drug Administration did a small sample test on 33 lipsticks and found varying levels of lead in two-thirds of them. As a follow-up, the FDA requested testing of a significantly larger sampling and has now announced that it found at least trace amounts of lead in 400 varieties. [More]
Guarantee She'll Run Away Screaming By Asking Her To Marry You With A Pizza Hut Proposal Kit
By 2.10.12
If you envisioned the one you love crying and hurling insults at you after you propose to her, you might want to check out Pizza Hut’s “Tie the Knot with the Dinner Box” proposal kit. Perfect for the Valentine’s Day you want to ruin by proffering her your love, devotion and a box full of pizza and breadsticks. [More]
No One Is Allowed To Love Meat On Their Pizza Unless It's From Pizza Hut
By 2.8.12
Pizza Hut doesn’t want you meat lovers to be loving up on any meat on any pizzas that aren’t produced by them. To that end, they’re threatening a small pizza shop with legal action for using the term “meat lovers.” [More]
