A new report from the Democratic members of the Senate Commerce Committee finds that Takata, the manufacturer of defective airbags that have killed several users, was aware, or should have been aware, of serious safety and quality control lapses in its manufacturing plants as early as 2001.
Leaked TPP Text Reveals Increased Corporate Control of Access to Medicines
Democracy Now! reports that WikiLeaks has published another section of the secret text of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement — this one about public healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry. The draft shows that the TPP would give major pharmaceutical companies more power over public access to medicine and weaken public healthcare programs.
US Hospitals Distributing Infant Formula Packs to Breastfeeding Mothers declines
A new report in Pediatrics found that the distribution of infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers declined markedly from 2007 to 2013. The percentage of hospitals distributing infant formula discharge packs to breastfeeding mothers was 72.6% in 2007 and 31.6% in 2013, a decrease of 41 percentage points.
Added Sugar on the Nutrition Facts Label
The Union of Concerned Scientists has released a new fact sheet summarizing public comments on the FDA proposal to include a line for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label on food packaging.
New film: The Yes Men are Revolting
A new film, The Yes Men are Revolting, shows activists using humor and spoof to fight corporate greed in villages in Uganda, toxic oil fields in Canada, and elsewhere by taking on big oil, lobbyists, and the U.S. government.
Rising drug prices trigger civil war
A new study by the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy showed that pharmaceutical spending in the U.S. per capita reached $1,010 in 2012, almost double the per capita cost of Germany, the next highest spender. The Hill reports that price hikes have led the U.S. insurance industry to pick a fight with pharmaceutical companies over the rising cost of specialty drugs.
WHO calls for action against illicit tobacco trade on World No Tobacco Day
Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of US$ 31 billion for governments, improve public health, help cut crime and curb an important revenue source for the tobacco industry. Those are the key themes of World No Tobacco Day when WHO urged Member States to sign the “Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products”.
Takata doubles faulty airbag recall to 34 million
BBC reports that Japanese airbag maker Takata recalled almost 34 million cars with defective airbags, the largest recall in US automotive history, affecting models from 11 carmakers. The number is double previous estimates for faulty air bags from the manufacturer. US regulators said Takata has still not found the cause of the defects.
Move Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to FBI?
Following an investigation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, the Center for American Progress released a report that outlines the challenges that the bureau faces in combating gun crime and regulating the gun industry. The report concludes that to improve federal enforcement of gun laws and industry regulation, ATF should be merged into the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Pay Big Pharma to Develop New Antibiotics
A new report commissioned by UK Prime Minister David Cameron urges the government to fund big drug makers to develop new antibiotics to combat drug resistance.
Corporations and Health Watch 