By Kimberly Vlach -
In Wednesday’s rounds, CVS notifies some doctors it will no longer fill their prescriptions for narcotics; Duval County sees a 33% increase in HIV cases in the first half of 2011; the Obama administration appeals a court’s decision to block graphic cigarette labels on tobacco; and a study finds arsenic levels in some fruit juices exceed federal standards.
CVS notifies some doctors it will no longer fill their prescriptions for narcotics: The new policy appears to be limited to Florida, but it’s unclear what criteria CVS uses to determine which doctors can have their prescriptions filled. “This situation highlights the lunacy we’ve gotten ourselves into; we’re talking about dangerous narcotics that are not safe as prescribed…and some pharmacies just don’t feel comfortable doing it anymore,” said Larry Golbom, a Clearwater pharmacist who hosts a radio show on prescription drug abuse. (Health News Florida)
Duval County sees 33% increase in HIV cases in first half of 2011: “It’s really not acceptable,” said Dr. Bob Harmon, the county’s Health Department director. “This disease is ruining lives, and it’s still killing people, especially low-income people who don’t get tested enough and who don’t get treated early.” Several HIV/AIDS advocates in Jacksonville criticized sex education in schools that emphasized abstinence. The mentality is that HIV/AIDS is not an issue here, several advocates said. (CNN)
Obama administration appeals court’s decision blocking graphic warning labels on tobacco: The appeal had been widely expected after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon earlier this month sided with tobacco companies and granted a temporary injunction blocking the requirement. He said the companies would likely succeed in their lawsuit challenging the new graphic warnings as unconstitutional because it compels speech in violation of the First Amendment. (Reuters)
Study finds arsenic levels in some fruit juices exceed federal standards: There’s no federal arsenic threshold for juice or most foods, though the limit for bottled and public water is 10 ppb. The Food and Drug Administration, trying to reassure consumers about the safety of apple juice, claimed that most arsenic in juices and other foods is of the organic type that is “essentially harmless.” But an investigation by Consumer Reports shows otherwise. (Consumer Reports)
This reporter can be reached at kvlach@wusf.org.