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Health officials in the state of New York announced Thursday that they were investigating a possible cause of a recent spurt of serious diseases related to vaporization: a compound called Vitamin Acetate E.
The state health ministry said in a press release that "very high levels" of the compound had been found in 13 samples from eight of the 34 sick patients in New York. The samples were analyzed as part of a survey conducted by the Wadsworth Center, a state laboratory.
This discovery in no way puts an end to the search for the cause of the diseases, especially since Vitamin E acetate has not been confirmed as a factor in the majority of patient cases. sick in New York.
"It's the best theory, or hypothesis, we have right now," said Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State Health Commissioner, in an interview. "We have not ruled out that there is nothing else in the vaping equipment."
Michael Felberbaum, a spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, said in a statement that "more information is needed to better understand if there is a relationship between specific products or substances and diseases." declared ".
The agency tests 100 samples for a "wide range" of chemicals, he added.
"No substances, including vitamin E acetate, have been identified in all tested samples," he said. "It is important to note that the identification of the compounds in the samples will be part of the puzzle, but will not necessarily answer the questions of causality."
Since mid-June, about 215 diseases have been reported nationwide and two deaths, mostly among otherwise healthy people, whose severe lung inflammation appeared to be related to spraying. The complexity of products and the geographic distribution of patients in two dozen states left health officials confused and searching for answers.
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Gary Ginsberg, a toxicologist from the State of New York, said that during recent calls with investigators from different states, federal officials The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have stated that vitamin E acetate is one of the substances they are exploring.
Dr. Ginsberg said the illness appeared to come from an "adulterant" in the vaping devices.
Health Commissioner Zucker said all products containing Vitamin E Acetate are "on the black market" and not part of New York's medical marijuana program. York.
34 cases of serious illnesses reported in New York have been reported in patients ranging from age 15 to 46; In each case, the patient had used "at least one" cannabis-related product, the official press release said. However, the release also states that patients reported using more than one vaping product, suggesting that the focus on vitamin E acetate might indicate a cause, but not an exclusive cause.
The state said the vitamin E compound had been found in tests on cannabis productionts, but not in the nicotine-based products that he's tested, a consistent finding with doctors' reports that many diseases have been linked to people using a marijuana vaping device.
"As a result, vitamin E acetate is now a key part of the Department's investigation into the potential causes of pulmonary disease associated with vaping," New York State said in its statement. "Vitamin E acetate is a commercially available nutritional supplement that is not known to be harmful when it is ingested as a vitamin supplement or applied to the skin. However, the Department continues to study its health effects when inhaled, as its oil-like properties might be associated with the observed symptoms. "
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