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Widely Used Pills Recalled for Deadly Flaw, FDA Yet to Act

The AHA! Team — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 05:39:14 +0000

Patrick Tims via NaturalHealth365 – An alert has been issued cautioning consumers against using a popular potassium chloride pill. The pills were recalled after a potentially fatal flaw was discovered. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to act. This lack of immediate oversight raises serious concerns about the regulatory framework to protect public health. With millions of lives potentially at risk, the issue demands urgent attention. Potentially deadly flaw in commonly used pills all consumers should know about Official records reveal that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals issued over half a dozen recalls for its potassium chloride pills. The pills fail to properly dissolve when contacting moisture, such as saliva and other water, in the human body. This failure to dissolve has the potential to lead to pain, hospitalization, and death. The shocking twist is that the FDA has dragged its feet on investigating the Glenmark Pharmaceuticals drug factory’s flawed operations. To date, there has been no government inspection of the drug factory. The FDA is aware that the pills have the potential to cause deadly potassium spikes, yet it refuses to take meaningful action. The pills were produced at a single factory in India. If our federal government were the watchdog it claims to be, it would have prevented Glenmark Pharmaceuticals from shipping pills produced at the Mumbai factory to the rest of the United States. Why the potassium chloride pills have the potential to kill healthy people There is a widespread misconception that potassium chloride is entirely safe simply because it has been on the market for decades. The drug is frequently prescribed to address issues with muscle and nerve function and is particularly valued for its benefits to heart health. While potassium chloride pills are effective for individuals with low potassium levels, they can pose significant risks under certain conditions. Excessive amounts of the drug can have lethal consequences. High doses of potassium chloride can result in complete heart failure, a risk that cannot be ignored. This danger is so pronounced that potassium chloride is a key component in lethal injections used for executions in several states. This reality highlights just how deadly the drug can be when misused or improperly formulated. Is a recall of the drug enough? The danger of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ potassium chloride pills became apparent in May when the Indian drugmaker recalled nearly 47 million capsules. The extended-release medication’s failure to dissolve prompted the FDA to issue its own recall of the defective product. Shockingly, the FDA was already aware of manufacturing issues at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ facilities at the time of the recall. Over the previous eight months, the Mumbai-based drugmaker had been responsible for four separate recalls. In the months following, two more recalls were issued, each citing the same critical flaw: the pills’ inability to dissolve properly. While recalls play a crucial role in protecting consumers, they are far from sufficient in addressing systemic issues. The FDA has failed to prevent Glenmark from continuing to distribute potentially dangerous pills to the American market. Even more troubling is the agency’s failure to thoroughly investigate the root cause of the problem. Despite the glaring risks, the FDA has not conducted an on-site inspection of Glenmark’s Mumbai facility since its last review – more than four years ago. This glaring oversight raises serious concerns about the FDA’s capacity to enforce meaningful accountability and ensure the safety of imported drugs. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals: A case study in corporate negligence It seems we have drifted too far toward a laissez-faire economy, where corporate greed often goes unchecked. Within a single year, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals issued seven recalls for medications that failed to dissolve as intended, yet no significant government action has been taken to address the underlying issues. Glenmark’s public relations team has acknowledged three deaths and several hospitalizations linked to their defective products. FDA records corroborate these reports, confirming the dangers of potassium chloride pills. However, the FDA appears reluctant to formally attribute these deaths and hospitalizations to the drug, allowing Glenmark’s pursuit of profit to continue virtually unimpeded. The time has come for a comprehensive overhaul of the FDA. The agency currently lacks the resources and authority to effectively oversee the manufacturing, distribution, and recall of generic medications produced in factories outside the United States. If the FDA were fulfilling its intended role, it would immediately take decisive action against Glenmark. Sources for this article include: IPDpharma.com Childrenshealthdefense.org To read the original article click here.

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Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Hypertension, Cancer, & Early Death

The AHA! Team — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:16:23 +0000

Lance D Johnson via Natural News – Study Exposes Hidden Dangers of Modern Diet In a world where convenience trumps nutrition, a groundbreaking study exposes the deadly consequences of ultra-processed foods—linking them to skyrocketing rates of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. Presented at the ACC Asia 2025 conference in Singapore, the research analyzed data from 8.2 million adults across four continents, revealing a disturbing trend: the more ultra-processed foods people eat, the faster their health deteriorates. Key points: A new study reveals that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. Every additional 100 grams consumed daily raises the risk of digestive diseases by 19.5% and all-cause mortality by 2.6%. Researchers warn of hidden additives, synthetic ingredients, and nutrient-deficient formulations in mass-produced foods. Governments and health officials urged to enforce stricter labeling and promote whole-food alternatives. The silent killers in your pantry Ultra-processed foods—those factory-made products loaded with synthetic additives, refined sugars, and industrial seed oils—are not just empty calories. They are engineered for addiction while stripping away essential nutrients. According to Dr. Xiao Liu, a cardiologist at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, these foods disrupt metabolism, gut health, and even mental well-being through: Blood lipid imbalances Gut microbiome destruction Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress Insulin resistance and obesity Common offenders include: Sugar-laden cereals (high-fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes) Packaged cookies and candy (hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers) Processed meats (sodium nitrites, MSG) Soda and energy drinks (aspartame, phosphoric acid) A dose-dependent health crisis The study found that for every 100 grams of ultra-processed food consumed daily (roughly a small bag of chips or a sugary drink), the risks climb: 14.5% higher hypertension risk 5.9% increased cardiovascular events 19.5% spike in digestive diseases 2.6% greater chance of early death Even more alarming? The GRADE assessment confirmed high-to-moderate certainty in these findings—meaning the evidence is undeniable. Where did the term “ultra-processed food” come from? The term “ultra-processed food” (UPF) was introduced by Brazilian nutrition researcher Carlos Monteiro and his team in 2009 as part of the NOVA food classification system. This system categorizes foods based on their level of processing rather than just their nutritional content. The NOVA classification divides foods into four groups: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk). Processed culinary ingredients (e.g., sugar, salt, butter, oils). Processed foods (e.g., canned vegetables, cheese, cured meats). Ultra-processed foods (e.g., sodas, chips, fast food, packaged snacks). Monteiro’s research highlighted how UPFs are linked to obesity and chronic diseases, leading to global awareness of their health risks. How do ultra-processed foods differ from processed foods? Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially manufactured products containing numerous additives, artificial flavors, and minimal whole food content. Unlike processed foods—such as canned beans, cheese, smoked fish, and bread—which are altered mainly for preservation or taste and retain recognizable ingredients, UPFs (like soda, candy, instant noodles, chicken nuggets, and frozen pizza) rely on artificial colors, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and preservatives. While processed foods may still provide some nutrients despite often being high in salt, sugar, or fat, UPFs are typically calorie-dense, loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, and lack fiber and essential nutrients. The primary purpose of processed foods is to extend shelf life or enhance flavor, whereas UPFs are engineered for hyper-palatability, convenience, and long shelf life, prioritizing low cost and mass appeal over nutritional value. Why are ultra-processed foods considered addictive? Research suggests UPFs may trigger addictive-like eating behaviors due to: Hyper-palatability – High levels of sugar, fat, and salt stimulate brain reward pathways. Artificial additives – Flavor enhancers (e.g., MSG) and sweeteners (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup) may increase cravings. Rapid digestion & absorption – Refined carbs and fats cause blood sugar spikes, leading to overeating. Marketing & convenience – Easy access and aggressive advertising reinforce habitual consumption. Studies comparing UPFs to addictive substances (like nicotine) suggest they may lead to loss of control over eating, similar to substance dependence. The solution to this is simple; making America healthy again won’t come from the top down. Individuals have to decide that their life is worth living and they have to choose to eat real foods, and maybe grow some of their own! Sources include: ScienceDaily.com ACC.org ACC.org To read the original article, click here

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Kansas Sues Pfizer for Misleading the Public About the Risks of its mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

The AHA! Team — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:06:39 +0000

Cassie B. via Natural News – The state of Kansas has filed a consumer protection lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, accusing it of misleading the public when it comes to both the safety and efficacy of its highly controversial mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. According to the suit, Pfizer knew that its vaccine came with significant adverse effects and manipulated its safety trials in order to deceive the public, violating Kansas’s consumer protection laws as well as previous consent judgments. The suit cites a slew of supporting evidence, including scientific and government research, press releases, interviews, and news reports demonstrating Pfizer’s misdeeds. According to the suit, Pfizer knew that its vaccine came with significant adverse effects and manipulated its safety trials For example, they cited a paper from the New England Journal of Medicine and an FDA memo to support the allegation that Pfizer purposely destroyed the control group of a COVID vaccine trial by providing participants with access to the jab. This made it impossible to fairly evaluate the safety of the vaccine by comparing a vaccinated group to one that was not vaccinated, the lawsuit alleges. In addition, they cited two articles from the British Medical Journal indicating that Pfizer delayed the release of vaccine trial data intentionally and only tested healthy patients in its vaccine trials in a marked departure from what is considered protocol. They cited two articles from the British Medical Journal indicating that Pfizer delayed the release of vaccine trial data intentionally To support their allegation that the company purposefully misrepresented the vaccine’s safety, they included press releases from Pfizer and interviews with CEO Albert Bourla in which the vaccine is presented as safe and effective. The lawsuit also refers to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by the watchdog group Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency in America with the FDA, through which they obtained information about the vaccine. From this FOIA suit, the group acquired an internal Pfizer database listing adverse events that was never shared with the public and contained far more incidents than those listed in the public-facing Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. In total, the internal database showed nearly 160,000 adverse events, along with more than 1,200 fatalities among the millions of people who received the vaccine as of February 2021. Heart problems and pregnancy complications weren’t disclosed to public The lawsuit also focused on specific health issues that have been coming to light since the vaccine rollout, such as heart problems. Not long after the vaccine started being administered to young people, it became apparent that it was having an adverse effect on their hearts, particularly young men. Myocarditis, which occurs when the middle layer of the heart’s wall becomes inflamed, can weaken the organ and has the potential to cause heart failure. The lawsuit alleges: “Pfizer said its COVID-19 vaccine was safe even though it knew its COVID-19 vaccine was connected to serious adverse events, including myocarditis and pericarditis, failed pregnancies, and deaths. Pfizer concealed this critical safety information from the public.” Another point of concern cited by the lawsuit is the dangers of the vaccine in pregnant women. It maintains that the company knew from a study that rat fetuses had trouble getting pregnant and implanting embryos and that their fetuses suffered malformations yet insisted to the public that the jab did not present any risk to pregnant women. The rat study was another revelation from the FOIA lawsuit, but the Kansas lawsuit also notes that Pfizer’s own data showed that tens of thousands of women experienced menstrual irregularities after getting the jab as of spring 2022. Kansas attorney general Kris Kobach told the National Review in an interview that the state’s Consumer Protection Act is designed to prevent consumers from being deceived by companies like Pfizer. “They had extraordinary success marketing their vaccine in the state of Kansas and more generally across the globe, and I think that had consumers had this information, many of them might have made a different choice,” he asserted. Sources for this article include: ArmageddonProse.Substack.com NationalReview.com To read the original article, click here: https://www.naturalnews.com/2024-09-20-kansas-sues-pfizer-misleading-public-risks-vaccines.html

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Prevalence of Nicotine Pouch Use Found to be Low Among U.S. Adults

The AHA! Team — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 04:45:40 +0000

Keck School of Medicine of USC via News-Medical – A new study found that the prevalence of nicotine pouch use was low in U.S. adults despite a 641% increase in sales of the products between 2019 and 2022. Researchers say the findings raise questions about who is using the millions of nicotine pouches sold in the U.S. and why. Nicotine pouches, a new commercial tobacco product, contain a crystalline powder with nicotine, flavorings (including fruit, mint or candy) and other additives. They do not cause respiratory harm and are perceived by some as an alternative to help adults who smoke tobacco quit. Nicotine pouches have recently gained attention over concerns that their flavors and trendy social media marketing campaigns are attracting youth users. However, limited data on usage among adults has been collected since the new products entered the market. Now, a study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the University of Nebraska Medical Center analyzed nicotine pouch use in a nationally representative sample of 39,557 U.S. adults. The study found that 2.9% of adults had ever used nicotine pouches, with 0.4% reporting current use. The majority of adults currently using pouches also currently smoke cigarettes. Additionally, 5.2% of those who attempted to quit smoking in the past year and had relapsed back to smoking reported using pouches to help with their cessation efforts. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was just published in JAMA. “The low prevalence of nicotine pouch use in adults surprised us, given the rapid increase in sales. But it’s also possible that the sales are being diverted to adolescents, who were not represented in this survey.” – Adam Matthew Leventhal, PhD, study coauthor, professor in the department of population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine and executive director of the USC Institute for Addiction Science Patterns of pouch use Data for the study were collected through the Current Population Survey (CPS) Tobacco Use Supplement in September 2022. The CPS is a monthly survey of U.S. adults that uses rigorous research methods to ensure its participants represent an accurate cross-section of the country’s population, making the results reliable enough to influence important policy decisions. The Tobacco Use Supplement includes straightforward questions about cigarette smoking, attempts to quit smoking and-;for the first time in September 2022-;the use of nicotine pouches. Of 39,558 survey respondents, 2.9% had ever used nicotine pouches, and 0.4% were currently using them. Adults who currently smoked (10.8%) or formerly smoked (6.7%) were more likely to report ever using nicotine pouches compared to people who had never smoked (1.1%). Current use of nicotine pouches was also higher among adults who currently smoked (1%) and formerly smoked (0.7%) compared to those who had never smoked (0.2%). Pouch use, both past and present, was lower in adults under 65, but higher in males and non-Hispanic whites. Among those who currently smoked who tried to quit in the past year, more reported trying to switch to e-cigarettes (21.6%) than nicotine pouches (5.2%) to help them quit. One question raised by the findings is whether adults who use nicotine pouches may be using them to “top off” nicotine in situations where they cannot smoke or use other tobacco products, Leventhal said, rather than as a way to quit smoking. Instead of reducing the health risks of cigarette smoking, that use pattern could actually make nicotine dependence more severe. Based on the study results, Leventhal estimates that of all U.S. adults who currently used nicotine pouches in 2022, about 35% had previously smoked cigarettes and 25% were currently smoking cigarettes. The remaining 40% of adult pouch consumers had never regularly smoked cigarettes and could be at risk for developing nicotine dependence. “In summary, we didn’t see a large population of adults using nicotine pouches, and fewer appear to be using them in a fashion that would potentially reduce their harm from smoking cigarettes,” Leventhal said. Regulating nicotine pouches New nicotine products typically go straight to market before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews marketing applications and decides whether to authorize or ban each product. That decision involves weighing potential public health benefits, such as whether a product provides a safer alternative for adults who smoke, against risks, such as whether it may increase nicotine dependence among youth. Applications from major manufacturers of nicotine pouches are currently under review by the FDA. “Regulators can take our data and put it into that equation,” Leventhal said. “What our study suggests is that there’s not a large population of adults who smoke who are using these products to quit.” This study is part of the USC Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, one of seven national centers supported by the NIH and FDA to collect evidence that can inform tobacco product regulation. In collaboration with the University of Michigan and other institutions, USC researchers are also conducting a parallel study to investigate adolescent use of nicotine pouches. They are looking at how pouch use relates to shifting teen usage patterns of other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes. About this research In addition to Leventhal, the study’s other author is Hongying Daisy Dai from the College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha. This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute [U54CA180905] and the National Institute on Drug Abuse [R21DA058328]. Source: Keck School of Medicine of USC Journal reference: Dai, H. D., et al. (2024). Prevalence of Nicotine Pouch Use Among US Adults. JAMA. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.10686. To read the original article click here.

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Will COVID-19 Become a Seasonal Virus?

AHA Publisher — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 07:00:15 +0000

Interview conducted by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. via News-Medical Net – In this News-Medical interview, Dr. Hadi Yassine and Dr. Hassan Zaraket speak about their research efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their research into whether COVID-19 will become a seasonal virus. What provoked your research into the current COVID-19 pandemic? The question of whether COVID-19 will become seasonal and just wane in summer has been of interest since the beginning of the pandemic. Therefore, we decided to review the current knowledge on seasonality of respiratory viruses including common cold coronaviruses as well as drivers of seasonality and build on that evidence to project whether COVID-19 will follow suit of other seasonal respiratory viruses. Can you describe what is meant by a ‘seasonal virus’ and what are the common seasonal patterns observed? Seasonal viruses are those viruses that tend to circulate and peak during specific seasons (months) in the year. Respiratory viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial viruses, and common cold coronaviruses are known to spread and peak during cold months in countries with a temperate climate. Why do respiratory viruses follow seasonal patterns in temperate regions but not in tropical regions? This is not fully understood. Many factors affect seasonality including host susceptibility and behavior, and virus stability. Although respiratory viruses tend to circulate year-around in tropical regions, the peak activity is usually associated with the rainy season. Research has shown that for instance for influenza viruses low and high humidity promotes viral transmission, while moderate humidity does not promote transmissibility. It is worth noting here that transmission could be either by direct contact with infected persons/contaminated objects or airborne. These modes of transmissions are determined by temperature and humidity. For example, higher relative humidity will result in the formation of a large viral particle, which settles down on surfaces much faster, and hence, transmission occurs mostly through direct contact of contaminated surfaces. This could be one reason for the different seasonal patterns of respiratory viruses observed in tropical and temperate regions. How did you carry out your research into SARS-CoV-2 potentially becoming a seasonal virus? What did your results show? We reviewed existing knowledge on the seasonality of respiratory viruses and the current knowledge about SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesized that COVID-19 will continue to circulate year-round until herd immunity is achieved. In your research you stated that COVID-19 could become a seasonal virus but only when herd immunity is reached. Why is this? As population immunity builds up, the transmission rate of the virus will drop making it more susceptible to environmental factors that govern seasonality. How could herd immunity be reached for SARS-CoV-2? Ideally, vaccination and natural infections and cross-immunity with common cold coronaviruses can also contribute to reaching herd immunity. Why is it so critical that public health measures are introduced to help control the virus? The majority of populations are still susceptible to the infection. With the absence of effective vaccines and antivirals drugs, public health measures remain the only way to mitigate the pandemic. We have seen a tremendous rise in cases in many countries after the ease of restrictions. Do you believe that if strong public health measures are introduced, we could potentially manage the virus and prevent it from becoming a seasonal respiratory virus? It is difficult to say. Public health measures reduce COVID-19 transmission anyway, so it will be difficult to tell whether the reduction in virus activity is affected also by seasonal factors. Since 2000, four new coronaviruses appeared in the human population: one was controlled in about two years (SARS-Cov-1; 2002-2004), two became seasonal (HKU1 and NL63; 2005-ongoing), and one still causing sporadic cases, mostly in the Gulf States (MERS-CoV; 2012-ongoing). On the other hand, we experienced rapid and worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2. We expect the virus to continue to spread until herd immunity is achieved and mostly become seasonal like HKU1 and NL63. On a related subject, FLU viruses have shown diminished circulation in most countries, even after the start of the fall season. This could be partially attributed to the social measures being applied (no big gathering, no schools, etc) in the community that have some level of immunity to the virus. What are the next steps in your research into COVID-19 and viruses? We will be monitoring respiratory viral infection including COVID-19 to determine any potential interferences among them. We will also monitor changes in the SARS-CoV-2 that might lead to evading the immune response. Where can readers find more information? https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.567184/full About Dr. Hadi Yassine Dr. Yassine is an associate professor of infectious diseases and the section head of research at the Qatar University ‎Biomedical Research Center‎. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Ohio State University in 2009 and worked for five years at the Vaccine Research Center of NIH before he joined Qatar University in 2015. He published more than 70 articles and contributed to several patents on viral vaccines. About Dr. Hassan Zaraket Dr. Zaraket is an assistant professor of virology and assistant laboratory director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research at the Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut (AUB). He has 14 years’ experience working on respiratory viruses including influenza. Before joining AUB, he worked at the Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, USA. His work included studying emerging influenza viruses with pandemic potential such as H5N1 and H7N9.

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