A group of public health organizations and doctors filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday for delaying its review of e-cigarettes — a growing concern amongst parents and pediatricians due to increased reports of adolescents and teenagers picking up "vaping" or "juuling" (when using a popular brand, Juul).
Why it matters:
"Juul is an e-cigarette that looks like a USB flash drive, charges on your computer, and is sold in sweet flavors...Each pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. There are widespread reports it's being used in high schools and junior high schools...It's exactly the kind of product the FDA needs to be reviewing now and taking action to protect our kids."
— Vince Willmore, spokesperson for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), tells Axios
Aetna said Tuesday it will pass along to consumers savings from the rebates it negotiates with drug companies. The change will go into effect next year and only apply to people enrolled in some of Aetna's health plans offered by employers. Aetna's move follows an identical decision by UnitedHealthcare.
Why it matters: Applying drug rebates at the pharmacy counter will help people struggling with high drug costs, especially those in high-deductible plans, though it's unclear whether health insurers will just raise premiums to offset their lost savings.
