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What We're Reading: Heartburn Medication Recall; Juul Labs CEO Steps Down; Amazon Launches Virtual Health Clinic
The Sandoz unit of Novartis has expanded its recall of its heartburn medications containing ranitidine; Juul Labs announced that their chief executive offer is stepping down and that the company would not lobby the Trump administration on its impending ban of flavored vaping products; Amazon has launched a virtual medical clinic for its employees in Seattle.
Novartis Expands Recall of Heartburn Medication
A week after recalling its heartburn medications in European countries and Canada in response to regulators disclosing the capsules may contain high levels of a carcinogen, the Sandoz unit of Novartis has expanded its recall of the medications containing ranitidine and is pulling the products from the United States. A spokesman for Novartis told STAT News that testing found N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) levels above those established by the FDA in batches of its capsules. The spokesman added that the drug maker has yet to receive any reports of adverse events related to the medicine. NDMA was also detected in a class of blood pressure pills last year.
Juul Labs CEO Steps Down, Company Says it Will Comply With Administration's Ban on Flavored Vapes
As Juul Labs announced that their chief executive offer (CEO) would step down, the company also announced that the company would not lobby the Trump administration on its impending ban of flavored vaping products. Even further, the company said it will suspend all broadcast, print, and digital advertising in the United States, reported Politico. Longtime Altria executive K.C. Crosthwaite will step in as CEO. Crosthwaite joined Altria when it was still Philip Morris in the 1990s and until recently, had headed its growth division.
Amazon Launches Virtual Medical Clinic for Employees
Amazon has launched Amazon Care, a virtual health clinical for in-home follow-ups for its employees in Seattle. The clinic offers both telemedicine and in-person services, with virtual offerings included an “in-app video with a doctor, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse…for advice, answers, diagnosis, treatment or referrals.” According to CNBC, employees will have an option to see a provider via mobile app or website and they can text a nurse on any health optic. If an employee needs follow-up care, the clinic can arrange for an at-home visit with a nurse.
Stuck in Prior Auth Purgatory: The Hidden Costs of Health Care Delays
June 19th 2025Delays, denials, and endless paperwork—prior authorization isn’t just a headache for providers; it’s a barrier for patients who need timely care, explains Colin Banas, MD, MHA, chief medical officer with DrFirst.
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Report Reveals Mounting Burdens of Drug Shortages on US Health System
June 27th 2025Vizient's 2024 survey reveals a sharp rise in drug shortages across US health care, with pediatric care hit especially hard and labor costs soaring—but the true impact may go far beyond limited medication access, threatening to disrupt the very foundations of how health systems operate.
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