Well, it has been one long winter. I have the February blues and I am blaming that fact on my being a bit tardy with the Weekly Roundup here. While I love a good snow fall, the fact is that here in Washington, we aren’t even getting much snow. We get forecasts like “ice pellets” and things like that. No lovely vistas of snowscapes. There has also been a handy amount of dark ice. Good times. But just to cheer us all up, here is a nice close up of Marky the Cow. She is growing up so fast…
And also to cheer you up, here is a bit of what happened this week:
- FDA Launches Campaign to Reduce Youth Tobacco Use – The agency acted this week to reduce the number of people in the next generation of smokers by launching a campaign called “The Real Cost” directed to young people ages 12-17. The agency said that it was the first of several campaigns that would be launched over time. FDA says that it is using a comprehensive, multimedia approach with compelling facts and vivid imagery designed to change beliefs and behaviors over time, using several social media platforms. The campaign will be evaluated to measure its effectiveness over time and is designed to target subcategories of the audience including multicultural youth, rural youth and LGBT kids. You can view the ads on the FDA’s YouTube channel and visit the campaign web site here.
- FDA Update Requirements on Infant Formula – FDA issued an interim final rule to further safeguard the health of infants being fed infant formula. One of the interesting facts from the FDA’s press release on the issuance of this rule was that the agency cited the fact that despite the recommendation that mothers breastfeed their babies “only 75 percent of infants in the United States start out being breast fed” – and actually I was surprised to know it was that high. In any case, this interim rule amends the agency’s quality control procedures, notification and record and reporting requirements for manufacturers. The agency will be accepting comments on the interim final rule for a 45 day period.
That’s it for me – like February, today’s posting is short. Have a good weekend everyone and know that we only have a month from Monday for Daylight Savings!
Photo courtesty of Anne Becker.
