Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Global measles cases three times higher than last year: WHO
Every region in the world, except the Americas, is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of measles, a vaccine-preventable disease that can kill or disable children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. The WHO's Kate O'Brien put the blame on weak health systems and misinformation about vaccines, and called on social media outlets and communities to make sure information about preventing the highly contagious disease was accurate.
FTC probes marketing practices of e-cigarette maker Juul: source
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating the marketing practices of e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc sending shares of tobacco stocks down, a person briefed on the matter said Thursday. Shares of Altria Group Inc, which has a 35% stake in Juul, fell 4.1% to $43.96 in afternoon trading after the Wall Street Journal earlier reported the probe.
Roche immunotherapy Tecentriq gains European approval for breast cancer
Roche's Tecentriq has won European approval for use against a tough-to-treat breast cancer, helping the Swiss drugmaker to widen use of an immunotherapy that has so far been eclipsed in revenue terms by more-established rival medicines. The European Commission approved Tecentriq with Abraxane for people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer that tests positive for a protein believed to help tumors to evade attack by the body's immune system, Roche said on Thursday.
AbbVie abandons late-stage lung cancer asset Rova-T
AbbVie Inc said on Thursday it will cease to develop its experimental drug Rova-T after the treatment failed to show survival benefit in a late-stage trial for a type of lung cancer. The drugmaker acquired Rova-T through its $5.8 billion acquisition of Stemcentrx in 2016, but recorded impairment charges of about $4 billion in January after it halted enrolment of a separate study testing the therapy. An independent data monitoring committee recommended terminating the trial after an interim data analysis, the company said on Thursday.
Democrats' Medicare for All must consider union-won plans: AFL-CIO
Democratic White House hopefuls should ensure their Medicare for All proposals honor union-negotiated private insurance, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, head of the largest federation of U.S. labor unions, said on Thursday. How to best extend health coverage to millions of uninsured or under-insured Americans has been one of the early issues defining the Democratic nominating contest to take on Republican President Donald Trump in November 2020.
Uganda confirms another Ebola case
Uganda reported another case of Ebola on Thursday, a nine-year-old girl who had crossed the border from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where the haemorrhagic disease has killed at least 1,800 in a year-long outbreak. The health ministry said the girl, of Congolese origin, was identified by a screening team at Mpondwe border post as she tried to cross to Uganda with her mother on Aug. 28.
No 'gay gene', but study finds genetic links to sexual behavior
A large scientific study into the biological basis of sexual behavior has confirmed there is no single "gay gene" but that a complex mix of genetics and environment affects whether a person has same-sex sexual partners. The research, which analyzed data on DNA and sexual experiences from almost half a million people, found there are thousands of genetic variants linked to same-sex sexual behavior, most with very small effects.
U.S. FDA approves Mylan generic of Lilly lung cancer drug Alimta
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted Mylan NV tentative approval for its generic version of Eli Lilly and Co's lung cancer drug Alimta. Shares of Mylan closed up 3.9% at $19.90 on Thursday.
New Zealand measles outbreak prompts travel warning
New Zealand is asking travelers to make sure they are immunized for measles before traveling to its biggest city, Auckland, as the country faces its worst outbreak in over 22 years. "If you’re thinking of traveling into or out of Auckland, you should make sure you're vaccinated at least two-weeks before you go," Associate Minister for Health Julie Anne Genter said in a statement this week.
Vaccines group seeks $7.4 billion to save up to 8 million lives
The GAVI global vaccines alliance on Friday called on donors for $7.4 billion to help immunize 300 million children against life-threatening diseases between 2021 and 2025, and save up to eight million lives. GAVI, which is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), donor governments and others, funds immunization programs for poor nations that cannot afford to buy vaccines at rich-world prices.
