A report released Tuesday by the Reagan-Udall Foundation (RUF) recommended an overhaul of FDA's food safety program, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, Maryland, and Michigan.

• California: Juul Labs on Tuesday announced that it had reached to an agreement to settle around 5,000 lawsuits in a Northern California court for an undisclosed amount—a move that will resolve personal injury, consumer class action, government, and Native American tribe cases. The plaintiffs had claimed they were not aware of risks associated with e-cigarettes and that Juul's products were attractive to young people. Juul did not admit to any wrongdoing in the agreement. "These settlements represent a major step toward strengthening Juul Labs' operations and securing the company's path forward to fulfill its mission to transition adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes while combating underage use," a Juul spokesperson said. (Jewett, New York Times, 12/6)

• Maryland: A report released Tuesday by RUF recommended an overhaul of FDA's food safety program. The report, which was commissioned by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf in July, evaluated the agency's Human Foods Program. The report argues the program is too slow and risk-averse, which "compromises the agency's willingness to act in enforcement or policy development." In addition, the report said agency employees seemed reluctant to take enforcement action "unless they feel that, with certainty, the action could withstand legal challenges." In the report, RUF made several suggestions to fix the agency's issues, including restructuring the agency, establishing a culture that uses scientific evidence to make decisions, and improving transparency, timeliness, and predictability. Califf said he will review the report and consult with internal and external stakeholders before making final decisions about the agency's food program. (Reiley, Washington Post, 12/6; Weixel, The Hill, 12/6; Brown, Politico, 12/6; Jewett, New York Times, 12/6)

• Michigan: Children's Hospital of Michigan (CHM) and Detroit Medical Center (DMC) on Monday announced that Kathy Donovan—who is CEO of CHM and COO of DMC—will step down on Dec. 23 "for personal reasons." Donovan became CEO of CHM in June 2020 and became COO of DMC in November 2021. "We thank Kathy for her contributions," DMC said. Currently, CHM is conducting a national search for a new CEO. Archie Drake, COO for Tenet Healthcare's Valley Baptist Medical Center, will serve as DMC's interim CEO. (Aguilar, Detroit News, 12/5)