NCL Calls on FDA to Ban Red No. 3 From the Food Supply

Contact: National Consumers League – Lisa McDonald, lisam@nclnet.org, 202-207-2829

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League anxiously awaits FDA’s final action on a citizen petition to ban Red No. 3 from the food supply, something that has been too long in coming. Red No. 3 is a petroleum based color additive known to cause cancer in laboratory animals and is now banned for used in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. Yet, the food dye is still widely used in foods and beverages consumed by children who are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals in foods. The bigger problem is that the FDA has been impeded for years in taking action against additives like Red No. 3 because Congress has not given the agency the same authority as the Environmental Protection Agency has to make safety decisions about chemical safety, nor has it appropriated the funds for the FDA to respond effectively. At a time when more than 10,000 food chemicals are allowed in foods and beverages, it is time for Congress to make food additive safety a priority and give the FDA the authority it needs.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL) 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Millions would benefit as Biden Administration expands coverage for anti-obesity medications under Medicare and Medicaid

November 26, 2024

Media contact: National Consumers League – Lisa McDonald, lisam@nclnet.org, 202-207-2829

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Consumers League applauds the action by President Joe Biden to allow millions of Americans on Medicare and Medicaid to have coverage for new and very effective anti-obesity medicines (AOMs), thereby removing one of the biggest obstacles impeding access to quality obesity care in the country.

At a time when obesity has become the nation’s most widespread chronic disease, it worsens the outcomes of more than 230 other chronic diseases, and is responsible for an estimated 400,000 premature deathsannually, the proposed rule issued by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has the potential to save lives and improve the health outcomes of 7.4 million Americans. This includes approximately four million adult Medicaid enrollees who would gain new access to anti-obesity medicines and an estimated 3.4 million Medicare beneficiaries whose treatment with AOMS would be covered, reducing their out-of-pocket costs by as much as 95 percent.

The cost of new anti-obesity medicines is an obvious concern to organizations like NCL, the public health community, and policymakers. However, CMS’s proposed expansion of Medicare and Medicaid coverage for a new class of injectable GPL-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor) agonists that can achieve a substantial weight loss (up to 20 percent) represents an important investment in the improved health of Americans.

“Today’s proposed action is a major step forward in ensuring that adults with obesity get the same quality care and access to treatments as those with the 230 chronic conditions where obesity is a significant factor,” says Nancy Glick, National Consumers League Director of Food and Nutrition Policy. “Today, only 10 percent of people with obesity get help from medical professionals, meaning the disease remains largely undiagnosed and undertreated. If CMS’s proposed rule is implemented, it will go a long way towards closing this obesity treatment gap, especially since health insurance companies closely align coverage decisions with Medicare policy.”

In January 2024, NCL worked with the National Council on Aging and leading obesity experts to issue the first Obesity Bill of Rights for the nation, which establishes eight essential rights so people with obesity will be screened, diagnosed, counseled, and treated according to medical guidelines. The Right to Coverage for Treatment is one of these essential rights and will become a reality for millions of Americans on Medicare and Medicaid if CMS’s proposal goes into effect.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL) 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL applauds competition regulators for centering consumers and workers in 2023 Merger Guidelines

December 19, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released their final merger guidelines, describing how the agencies will review mergers and acquisitions. The agencies improved upon existing guidelines by recentering marketplace competition and federal antitrust law, a break from previous enforcement regimes that allowed waves of consolidation to occur economy-wide with few repercussions.

“The 2023 Merger Guidelines mark a historic return toward these agencies’ original mandates—to protect the public from predatory corporations,” said National Consumers League Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg. “Decades of rubber-stamping harmful deals have allowed anti-consumer and anti-worker practices to run wild. NCL welcomes the updated guidelines and appreciates that the Commission and Department have signaled an intention to examine proposed deals holistically. Strong enforcement of our antitrust laws is key to combatting price gouging, privacy violations, wage suppression, and other noxious practices.”

NCL strongly supports the application of antitrust laws to protect consumers, workers, and our democracy. NCL’s comments to the DOJ and FTC on the 2023 Merger Guidelines can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

National Consumers League urges swift confirmation of FTC nominees

July 7, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Consumers League (NCL) today urged leaders in the Senate to restore the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to its full complement of Commissioners by swiftly confirming Utah Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak and Virginia Solicitor General Andrew Ferguson, who were nominated by President Biden on July 3 and FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who was renominated to a second term on February 13.

The following statement is attributable to NCL Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg:

“The FTC operates best when it is at full strength. NCL therefore welcomes the nomination of these three outstanding public servants whose key skills, experience, commitment, and expertise will serve them well in fulfilling the agency’s critical consumer protection and competition promotion mission. We look forward to working with Commissioner-designate Holyoak, Commissioner-designate Ferguson, Commissioner Slaughter, and all the leaders of the FTC to fulfill the important mandate of this independent consumer protection agency.”

NCL Executive Director testifies before the DC Council in support of the Sunshine in Litigation Act

December 9, 2022

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 703-298-2614

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sally Greenberg, NCL’s Executive Director, testified before the D.C. Council Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety yesterday to express support for the “Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2022.

Read her full testimony here.