• January 30, 2020

Vaping may kill you: Two deaths reported in the UK

LONDON Jan 30: There have been two deaths in the UK potentially linked to vaping, the healthcare products regulator has said.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it had received two reports of e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury (EVALI) in which the patients had died.
The regulator added that it had also received 20 reports describing 27 “serious respiratory events” linked to e-cigarettes, including pneumonia and lower respiratory tract infection.

Public Health England (PHE) said the deaths were “concerning” and it follows an outbreak of vaping-related illnesses in the US which had led to 60 deaths.

Professor John Newton, director of health improvement at PHE, said: “These two deaths are concerning and we await the outcome of MHRA’s investigation.

“We have also been working with the MHRA to be sure that any cases of respiratory illness linked to e-cigarettes are correctly identified and reported.

“The US outbreak has been strongly linked to people vaping illicit liquids containing Vitamin E acetate.

“We have not however seen a similar outbreak here in the UK.”