Topic: Margaret Hamburg

Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Hamburg, the FDA Commissioner, is scrutinized for her background and the agency's approval of controversial drugs like Chantix. The hosts compare the current FDA environment to the era when aspartame was approved under political pressure. Reports indicate Pfizer is planning an "ad blitz" to counter negative scrutiny regarding Chantix's safety profile, which the hosts characterize as a legal drug trade.

The FDA and New York City health officials are launching a "National Salt Reduction Initiative" to cut sodium levels in food by 25%. A Fox News report by Brian Wilson is played, which includes a controversial jab at British cuisine, claiming UK food is so bad that salt is required to "choke it down." The Salt Institute defends sodium as a natural preservative and essential element, while the hosts view the initiative as government overreach.

In a significant policy reversal, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced concerns regarding the safety of Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic bottles and food packaging. The agency now warns that BPA may affect the brain and prostate glands of infants and children, despite declaring it safe in 2008. Mothers are advised to limit exposure by avoiding scratched plastics and not heating liquids in BPA-containing vessels.

The FDA, under Commissioner Margaret "Peggy" Hamburg, issued a warning against the use of Zicam, claiming it causes a permanent loss of smell. Following the announcement, Matrixx Initiatives shares dropped over 70%. The hosts suggest the move may be a coordinated effort by Big Pharma to eliminate competition from homeopathic cold remedies.