Daily Skimm: The US is getting its first-ever over-the-counter birth … – theSkimm

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The US is getting its first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill.
Yesterday, the FDA approved the oral contraceptive Opill to be sold without a prescription. Opill is a progestin-only pill that's over 90% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken daily. It's been available with a prescription since 1973. Earlier this year, two FDA advisory panels recommended Opill be available for OTC sales. Since the ‘60s, hormone-based pills have become the most popular birth control method in the US. Now, the FDA’s landmark decision will make it easier for women and girls across the country to access the contraceptive at a time when reproductive healthcare is facing restrictions.
Opill should be available in stores and online early next year. There will be no age restrictions to access the medication, but the pill’s cost is still unclear. Perrigo, which makes the pill, said it hopes to make the medication “accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages.Reproductive rights advocates and health experts applauded the FDA’s decision, and women's health groups said the move will reduce barriers for teens and women of color who may struggle to get a prescription. Meanwhile, anti-abortion organizations said the drug poses risks to women's health. Opill’s most common side effects are headaches, irregular bleeding, and dizziness.
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More than 100 countries already offer over-the-counter birth control pills. Now that the US is catching up, many hope the FDA’s decision can pave the way for other OTC birth control options.
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Aspartame. Yesterday, a World Health Organization (WHO) agency determined the artificial sweetener used in many diet sodas, sugar-free gum, and teas is a possible carcinogen. The WHO based its new classification on “limited” evidence from three studies that linked liver cancer to aspartame. However, a separate WHO committee maintained the sweetener can be consumed at safe levels and made no changes to aspartame’s daily recommended limit. For someone weighing 150 pounds, that limit would be about a dozen cans of diet soda a day — an amount that most people don’t consume. The FDA disagreed with the WHO’s new classification, saying its scientists “do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions.”
OpenAI. Earlier this week, the FTC opened an investigation into the company’s ChatGPT to see if it broke any consumer protection laws. In a 20-page letter, the agency demanded OpenAI hand over records on how the AI chatbot uses data to train language models and asked for details on a previous data leak that exposed people’s chat history and payment info. The agency wants to ensure the chatbot’s potential to make “false, misleading, or disparaging” statements isn't harming consumers. If the FTC finds OpenAI broke the law, it could hit the company with a fine or regulate how it uses data. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman tweeted that he's “confident” they follow the law and said they'll “work with the FTC.”
New York. Yesterday, an appeals court ruled the state must redraw its congressional map. NY’s current map helped Republicans flip four House seats in the 2022 midterms, adding to the GOP's ability to secure a majority in the lower chamber. Now, Democrats could flip the seats with a new map that could stay in place until 2030. Republicans said they plan to appeal the court’s decision. This is one of many redistricting cases in recent weeks that could have big impacts heading into 2024.
The crypto industry. Yesterday, Celsius Network's former CEO Alex Mashinsky pleaded not guilty to charges of securities, commodities, and wire fraud. At least two federal agencies also sued Mashinsky, accusing him of defrauding customers. Celsius Network reportedly held $25 billion in assets, but filed for bankruptcy last year after crypto prices fell. Now, Mashinsky could face decades in prison for allegedly misleading investors and manipulating the price of Celsius’s crypto token.
SAG-AFTRA. Today, the union of 160,000 actors went on strike after failed contract negotiations, joining writers on the picket line. It’s the first time since 1960 that the unions for the actors and writers are striking at the same time.
The White House cocaine investigation.
Peso Pluma.
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