• California: Meta has agreed to a $16.7 billion settlement with U.S. states in a lawsuit that alleged Facebook and Instagram were designed in ways that harm children. Under the settlement, Meta agreed to provide compensation to states for different public health initiatives, including crisis intervention services, after-school programs, outdoor activities, and youth mental health programming. The company also agreed to limit users who are under 18 to two hours per day on Facebook and Instagram, block their access to the platform from midnight to 6 a.m., and limit notifications during school hours. In an open letter, Meta called for TikTok and YouTube to also commit to making changes their platforms to help children. "We want to ensure teens benefit from this new industry standard, but we cannot do it alone," the company wrote. "[…] All platforms should empower parents and support teens in these ways because we know that when teens are restricted on one app, they simply move to another. For meaningful progress to happen, we urge our peers to join us." (Bomey, Axios, 8/26)
• Maryland: FDA has added a boxed label warning for the iron replacement injection Injectafar to warn for the risk of symptomatic hypophosphatemia. Injectafar helps to treat iron deficiency anemia in patients ages one and older who can't tolerate or don't fully response to oral injection and adults with certain health conditions like non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease and heart failure. FDA previously updated the treatment's label to include warnings about the risk of hypophosphatemia in February 2020 and May 2023. This year, an assessment found that symptomatic hypophosphatemia continues to be an issue with Injectafar, with some patients experiencing hospitalization and needing phosphate replacement therapy. FDA has advised patients to talk to their healthcare providers about any new or worsening symptoms of low phosphate levels, which include muscle weakness or pain, fatigue, and cardiac arrythmias. Providers should also inform patients of the risk of hypophosphatemia with Injectafar and treat any pre-existing hypophosphatemia before using the drug. (Bassett, MedPage Today, 9/1)
• New York: During 9/11 and the days after, fumes and debris, which included asbestos, benzenes, and other known carcinogens, filled the air and may have contributed to health issues that first responders and other people developed later on. According to a Washington Post analysis of reports from the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, the number of 9/11 survivors who are receiving aid for cancer has roughly tripled over the last five years, going from 8,870 in 2021 to 27,300 in 2026. Of the approximately 54,000 survivors enrolled in the health program, 51% are now receiving aid for cancer, up from 35% in 2021. The most common cancers among 9/11 survivors are breast, lung, and prostate cancer. However, 9/11 survivors were diagnosed with breast cancer around four years earlier than the national average and had a higher proportion of more aggressive breast cancer. "I don't know if we've hit our peak yet," said Raja Flores, chair of the department of thoracic surgery at a private New York medical school. "These cancers can take 20, 30, 40 years to develop. … I think we're going to be seeing more." (Wu/Hacker, Washington Post, 9/9)

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