FDA News Digest April 7, 2003 ________________________________________________________________ FDA Acts Against Illegal Marketing of Street Drug Alternatives FDA has taken actions against companies that are marketing street drug alternative products, some of which contain ephedra or other sources of ephedrine. The agency has sent warning letters to eight businesses as part of its efforts to protect consumers from products claiming to be dietary supplements that may actually pose serious health risks. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00889.html ________________________________________________________________ Expanded Use of Human Papillomavirus Test Approved FDA has approved wider use of a laboratory test for women that can identify 13 high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. HPV can cause cell changes in the cervix that can lead to cancer in some women. The test, the HC2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test, was initially approved in 2000 for the limited indication of testing women with abnormal Pap test results to determine if they need further examination. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00890.html ________________________________________________________________ New Rule Streamlines Adverse Event Reporting for Animal Drugs A new FDA regulation streamlines requirements for reporting adverse events associated with animal drugs. The reforms reduce certain reporting burdens while assuring that collected information maintains high standards for protecting the health of animals and the public. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2003/ANS01206.html ________________________________________________________________ RECALLS The following products have been recalled for the reasons shown. Go to the linked page for more information: Turkey Hill Cookies 'N Cream Ice Cream (undeclared peanuts) -- http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/turkeyhill04_03.html J.V. Trading Glendale Ltd. Hot Sauce (undeclared peanuts) http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/jvtrading04_03.html Macknight Smoked Foods Long Sliced Smoked Salmon (potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes) -- http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/macknight04_03.html Hammi Inc. Homerun Ball Korean Crackers (undeclared eggs) -- http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hammi03_03.html Hammi Inc. Lotty Lorry Korean Crackers (undeclared eggs) -- http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hammi_lotty03_03.html ________________________________________________________________ TEXTS OF RECENT SPEECHES FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan, M.D., to: Food and Drug Law Institute (April 1) http://www.fda.gov/oc/speeches/2003/fdli0401.html Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (March 28) http://www.fda.gov/oc/speeches/2003/phrma0328.html National Food Processors Association's Food Safety Summit (March 20) http://www.fda.gov/oc/speeches/2003/nfpa0320.html ________________________________________________________________ PUBLIC MEETINGS FDA Commissioner McClellan to be Featured at 2003 Science Forum FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan, M.D., will headline the 9th Annual FDA Science Forum in Washington, D.C., April 24-25. Open to the public, the forum brings FDA scientists together with industry, academia, consumers, and others to share information about the science-based mission of the agency. Discussion topics for this year include risk assessment, cancer treatments, and public health initiatives in the wake of 9/11/01. http://www.dcscienceforum.org For a list of upcoming FDA meetings, seminars, and other public events, go to http://www.fda.gov/opacom/hpmeetings.html. ________________________________________________________________ How's your knowledge of health-related topics such as menopause, smallpox, and asthma? Find out by taking our 9-question quiz at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/quiz/onlinequiz10_js.html. ________________________________________________________________ Thanks for subscribing to the FDA News Digest. Our next posting will be April 14. To leave this list at any time, send an e-mail to LISTSERV@xxxxxxxxxxxx In the body of the message, write SIGNOFF FDA-NEWSDIGEST-L
