Articles by Matthew Perrone

After Recalls and Infections, Experts Say Safer Eyedrops Will Require New FDA Powers

When you buy eyedrops at a U.S. store, you might assume you’re getting a product made in a clean, well-maintained factory that’s passed muster with health regulators. But repeated recalls involving over-the-counter drops are drawing new attention to just how …

Communities Can’t Recycle or Trash E-Cigarettes. So What Happens to Them?

With the growing popularity of disposable e-cigarettes, communities across the U.S. are confronting a new vaping problem: how to safely get rid of millions of small, battery-powered devices that are considered hazardous waste. For years, the debate surrounding vaping largely …

FDA Chief Says Opioid Review Still in the Works

A long-awaited review of prescription opioid medications, including their risks and contribution to the U.S. overdose epidemic, is still underway at the Food and Drug Administration, the agency’s commissioner said Tuesday. Dr. Robert Califf wrote in a blog entry that …

FDA Chief Struggles to Explain Slow Response on Baby Formula

The head of the Food and Drug Administration faced bipartisan fury from House lawmakers May 25 over months of delays investigating problems at the nation’s largest baby formula plant that prompted an ongoing shortage. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf laid out …

FDA Details Problems at Plant Behind Recalled Baby Formula

Baby formula maker Abbott failed to maintain sanitary conditions and procedures at the Michigan manufacturing plant recently linked to a cluster of infant illnesses, according to findings released Tuesday by federal safety inspectors. The Food and Drug Administration posted its …

FDA Finalizes Stronger Safety Warnings on Breast Implants

U.S. health regulators this week finalized stronger warnings for breast implants, including a new requirement that people receive detailed information about their potential risks and complications before getting them. The Food and Drug Administration announced the new regulations mainly aimed …

Fears of ‘Wild West’ as Unregulated COVID-19 Tests Hit the Market

Blood tests for the coronavirus could play a key role in deciding whether millions of Americans can safely return to work and school. But public health officials warn that the current “Wild West” of unregulated tests is creating confusion that …

States Questioning How Juul’s Vaping Device Became So Popular with Teens

E-cigarette giant Juul Labs is facing mounting scrutiny from state law enforcement officials, with the attorneys general in Illinois and the District of Columbia investigating how the company’s blockbuster vaping device became so popular with underage teens, The Associated Press …

Vaping Firms Sue Seeking to Further Delay FDA Review of e-Cigarettes

A vaping industry group sued the U.S. government last week to delay an upcoming review of thousands of e-cigarettes on the market. The legal challenge by the Vapor Technology Association is the latest hurdle in the Food and Drug Administration’s …

FDA Says Risks Do Not Warrant Ban on Breast Implants at This Time

U.S. health authorities will allow a type of breast implant linked to a rare form of cancer to stay on the market, saying its risks do not warrant a national ban. But the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it …