HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

February 5, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Haleon to recall batches of some adult cough syrups due to contamination (Reuters)
• Dangers of Marijuana: How high-potency weed & oil can damage the teenage brain  (10 News)
• South America dengue spike prompts vaccination drive as bug spray runs out (Reuters)
• COVID levels are up to 19 times higher than reported, WHO says as it warns of the potential dangers of repeat reinfection: ‘We don’t know everything about this virus’ (MSN)
• The EPA is proposing that 'forever chemicals' be considered hazardous substances(NPR) 

SCIENCE AND TECH

• San Diego researcher lands prestigious scientific award  (KPBS)
• Musk's X aims to hire 100 content moderators in Austin by end of year  (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

Haleon to recall batches of some adult cough syrups due to contamination (Reuters)

Haleon is recalling some lots of its adult cough syrup Robitussin because of microbial contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said. The consumer healthcare company is recalling the cough syrup, sold under the brand name "Robitussin Honey CF Max Day Adult" in 4-ounce and 8-ounce doses, along with its 8-ounce nighttime version.

Dangers of Marijuana: How high-potency weed & oil can damage the teenage brain  (10 News)

Marijuana is not what it used to be. The legal retailers are making power-packed versions of THC oils, gummies and even sodas that doctors say they are now finding are highly addictive and causing actual brain damage in teenagers and young adults.

South America dengue spike prompts vaccination drive as bug spray runs out (Reuters)

South America is seeing a surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease dengue during the southern hemisphere summer, prompting Brazil to roll out a novel vaccine campaign, while in Argentina many stores have run out of bug spray …Brazil this month has started spraying insecticide from trucks as the disease rips through previously unaffected regions, while hospitals in Paraguay have set up night clinics to attend to the sick due to elevated dengue activity.

COVID levels are up to 19 times higher than reported, WHO says as it warns of the potential dangers of repeat reinfection: ‘We don’t know everything about this virus’ (MSN)

COVID levels are 2 to 19 times higher than numbers being reported around the world, a WHO official said Friday, citing wastewater data. The news comes as the organization warns of the yet unknown dangers of repeat COVID infection, which can occur without symptoms.

The EPA is proposing that 'forever chemicals' be considered hazardous substances(NPR) 

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing that nine PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," be categorized as hazardous to human health.  The EPA signed a proposal Wednesday that would deem the chemicals "hazardous constituents" under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act…. The agency cited various studies in which forever chemicals were found to cause a litany of "toxic effects" in humans and animals, including, but not limited to cancer, a decreased response to vaccinations, high cholesterol, decrease in fertility in women, preeclampsia, thyroid disorders and asthma….The proposed rule will be open for public comment once it is uploaded to the Federal Register (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/search), under docket number EPA-HQ-OLEM-2023-0278.

SCIENCE AND TECH

San Diego researcher lands prestigious scientific award  (KPBS)

Kimberly Prather, a UC San Diego atmospheric chemist, is among 20 researchers being honored by the [National Academy of Sciences] specifically for her work on aerosols — tiny airborne particles that impact the world around them.

Musk's X aims to hire 100 content moderators in Austin by end of year  (Reuters)

Social media company X is in the process of hiring 100 content moderators for a new office in Austin, Texas that will focus on fighting child abuse content, a goal it hopes to complete by the end of the year, an X executive said on Saturday. The Elon Musk-owned company announced the new "Trust and Safety center of excellence" ahead of a U.S. Senate hearing on Jan. 31 about online child sexual exploitation.