Medical examiners have found that the crib bumpers have been linked to at least 35 deaths across the country. But the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission health science team keeps rejecting the rulings. Other news coming out of federal agencies focuses on a panel that helps consumers navigate alternative medical approaches and questions about how medical research is being used.
The Washington Post: Crib Bumpers Tied To Dozens Of Infant Deaths. Regulators Haven’t Acted.
A paralyzing conflict inside the nation’s product safety regulator has prevented the agency from taking action against a popular baby product that studies have linked to at least 48 infant deaths over 27 years and that public health officials say should be banned, according to a Washington Post investigation. The cause of the breakdown is a small team inside the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that does not believe the product — padded crib bumpers — played a role in most, if any, of the infants’ deaths, derailing the agency’s attempts to regulate or ban crib bumpers. (Frankel, 11/23)
The Washington Post: Agency Shows Which Alternative Medical Approaches Are Useful And Safe — And Which Ones Aren’t
Elderflower syrup. Turmeric milk. Cannabidiol oil. Natural health trends come and go. So how should you decide which ones to chase? The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health can help. Part of the National Institutes of Health, the agency is devoted to determining what complementary and alternative medical approaches are useful and safe — and which ones aren’t. (Blakemore, 11/23)
The Wall Street Journal: Questions To Ask About How Your Medical Data Could Be Used By Researchers
When research participants sign up for studies that are federally funded, they have to go through a process known as informed consent. That means the researchers must brief them on the risks and benefits of participating, like who might have access to their data or what they might be able to find out about their health, if anything, by joining a study. Traditionally, research has focused on gaining insights that can improve public health, rather than the health of the individuals who provide their data. (Hernandez, 11/24)
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