The Food and Drug Administration announced a plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The agency said the flavoring makes it easier for people to become addicted and is touting the ban as part of a larger effort to prevent tobacco-related disease and death. (The New York Times)
In his address to Congress on Wednesday, President Biden proposed the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. The agency would be charged with developing breakthrough treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and diabetes. (STAT)
CVS is piloting a new program to bring mental health counseling services to some of its retail locations. The program is currently operating in stores in Houston, Philadelphia and Tampa, with plans to expand to 34 stores this year. (NPR)
Merck CEO Ken Frazier, who will be leaving the company in June after 29 years, shared that revenue declined 1% in the first quarter of the year. In January, Merck announced it is dropping its COVID-19 vaccine programs. (Endpoints News)
As it experiences a third COVID-19 surge, Turkey has entered its first full lockdown of the pandemic. The country had until this point avoided a more serious lockdown, relying instead on partial restrictions. (CNBC Weekly)
