Third death

Georgia has had its third reported death from the Mysterious Vaping Illness — someone with “a history of vaping nicotine for a few years.” At least 25 more Georgians have been treated for it.

The most health officials can say at this point is that the condition seems to be related to black-market THC cartridges, possibly those that have been cut with vitamin E oil. But no one is sure.

Today’s reason for drinking coffee

It’s good for your gut bacteria. (Here at Buzz, we recommend Death Wish Coffee for your caffeine needs.)

GPhF needs your help today to fund scholarships

The Georgia Pharmacy Foundation needs your help to help student pharmacists at all four Georgia schools of pharmacy. Will you consider giving $50 or $100 today? Your donation of any size can change lives. Donate now at GPhA.org/foundation2019

UGA prof exposes penicillin (non) allergies

UGA College of Pharmacy clinical associate professor Christopher Bland found that many people who think they’re allergic to penicillin aren’t — and that means a lot of unnecessary, more more powerful antibiotics are being used. When questioned or tested, Bland found that a lot of people can be removed from the ‘penicillin-allergy’ rolls.

“We’re finding out that what most of these patients think is an allergic reaction is really only a side effect that may have happened once and might never happen again. Patients tell us that they became dizzy or nauseated after taking penicillin years ago or that their father was allergic to penicillin, so they thought they were allergic as well.”

In fact, he said, “penicillin often gets blamed when it may not be the culprit.”

The latest in the J&J talcum powder kerfuffle

J&J said, “Our baby powder is safe.” Two days later, the FDA reported it had found teeny traces of asbestos in it. Embarrassing, right?

So J&J did more tests on the powder, and it says yes, there was asbestos detected, “but after an investigation by the lab the contamination was found to be coming from a portable air-conditioner in the room.”

Wait on the ACE inhibitors says study

A study of hypertension meds “unprecedented in scale” has found that there are some key differences in how well different classes work.

One key finding was that thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics are better at preventing heart attack, heart failure, and stroke than ACE inhibitors, while also being safer than ACE inhibitors.

Bad news for kids

Since 2016, a lot more of them have lost health coverage — that’s 400,000 more children without insurance.

Roughly 4.1 million children were uninsured in 2018, up from a low of 3.6 million in 2016, according to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, citing US Census Bureau data. Their uninsured rate jumped to 5.2% last year, up from 4.7% in 2016.
Another Census study shows a similar increase, with the uninsured rate for kids increasing to 5.5% last year, up from 5.0% two years earlier.

Georgia had worse numbers — only Tennessee saw a higher percentage of kids drop out of coverage, and the state already had one of the lowest coverage rates in the nation.

The state [Georgia] in 2018 had an uninsured rate among children of 8.1 percent, up from 6.7 percent two years before. Only Tennessee’s rise of 1.5 percentage points was a greater increase in the U.S. over that time.

APhA wants to know your immunization champs

It announced that its 2020 nominations for six categories of “immunization champion” are open:

• Community Outreach
• Corporation / Institution
• Friend of Pharmacy
• Individual Practitioner
• Pharmacy Team Member
• Travel Health

Click here for more info on the categories and to submit a nomination — you only have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, November 25 to submit one.