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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week that the number of patients affected by the recent salmonella outbreak has risen to 370, and incidents have been reported in 42 states. The CDC and FDA are asking consumers to refrain from eating all jars of Peter Pan peanut butter, along with certain lots of Great Value peanut butter (product code starting with 2111) that are produced at the same Georgia facility.

Although the first patients fell ill as far back as August, the majority of cases have occurred in the past three months and as recently as two weeks ago. According to the CDC, most patients infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours after infection, and the effects usually last four to seven days. Although most people recover without treatment, the elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more susceptible to severe illness.
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Former FDA Chief Receives SentencingLester M. Crawford, the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA), was fined almost $90,000 and put on three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in October to misdemeanor charges of conflict of interest and false stock reporting. The sentence was tougher than either prosecutors or defense attorneys had expected, and it also includes 50 days of community service.

U.S. Attorney Howard Sklamberg told Judge Deborah Robinson at the sentencing hearing this week that although there was “no giant fraud scheme,” Crawford had been “indifferent,” “callous,” and “arrogant” about ethics rules.
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Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, has introduced new legislation that would put tobacco regulation in the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act would give the FDA control over all cigarette sales and advertising and would also place some significant restrictions on how the products are marketed.

Dr. Ron Davis, president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA), came out in full support of the measure. “The AMA urges Congress to protect the health of Americans, especially children, by passing this legislation, which would give the FDA needed regulatory authority over tobacco products,” Dr. Davis said in a statement. “Each day, approximately 4,000 kids will try a cigarette for the first time, and another 1,000 will become new, regular, daily smokers. One-third of these kids will eventually die prematurely as a result. To discourage youth from taking up smoking, some of the provisions in the bill would stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children; restrict tobacco marketing, especially to children; ban fruit and candy flavorings in cigarettes; and require more informative health warnings.”
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