Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Pre-deployment insomnia linked to increased risk of PTSD for soldiers

Soldiers who have insomnia before deployment may be more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or experience suicidal thoughts than service members who don't struggle to sleep before they deploy, a U.S. study suggests. For the study, researchers surveyed U.S. Army soldiers one to two months before they deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, right after they returned from deployment, and again three months and nine months later.

J&J loses bid to have $4.7 billion talc verdict set aside, vows to appeal

Johnson & Johnson failed to persuade a Missouri trial judge to set aside a July verdict awarding a record $4.69 billion to 22 women who blamed their ovarian cancer on asbestos in the company's Baby Powder and other talc products. The healthcare company faces thousands of lawsuits over the safety of talc in its Baby Powder, a fixture of its consumer products division that has been core to J&J's reputation as a family-friendly company. (Read the Reuters investigation https://reut.rs/2rAz2TO)

Healthcare providers should be ready for nerve agent attacks, experts say

Recent attacks in the UK and elsewhere using powerful nerve agents show that U.S. healthcare providers don't need to be near a battlefield to find themselves dealing with similar emergencies, researchers argue in a commentary that offers advice on what to do and who to call. "Nerve agents are among the most lethal agents of chemical warfare, and exposure requires rapid recognition and treatment," said lead commentary author Dr. Arthur Chang of the Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Indian regulator orders J&J to stop using raw material to make Baby Powder in India: source

India's drugs regulator has ordered Johnson & Johnson to stop manufacturing its Baby Powder using raw materials in two of its Indian factories until test results prove they are free of asbestos, a senior official said on Thursday. The official at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), who declined to be named citing the sensitivity of the matter, said a written order had been sent to the U.S. company telling it to stop using the "huge quantities" of raw materials stocked in its plants in northern and western India.

As Ebola threatens mega-cities, vaccine stockpile needs grow

Doubts are growing about whether the world's emergency stockpile of 300,000 Ebola vaccine doses is enough to control future epidemics as the deadly disease moves out of rural forest areas and into urban mega-cities. Outbreak response experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and at the vaccines alliance GAVI are already talking to the leading Ebola vaccine manufacturer, Merck, to reassess just how much larger global stocks need to be.

U.S. FDA approves new protocol for study on Bayer's birth control device

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a new protocol for a post-marketing study of Bayer AG's Essure birth-control device, as the regulator seeks more information on the device's safety. The study would now monitor https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm628957.htm women implanted with the devices for five years, up from three years, and would need additional blood tests.

Keep off teething necklaces, FDA urges parents after reported death

Stay away from necklaces and bracelets used to relieve teething pain in infants, the U.S. health regulator warned parents and caregivers on Thursday, after reports of a death and several serious injuries. Known as "teething jewelry", these products come in various shapes and are used by parents and caregivers to relieve infants' teething pain and other ailments.

Supernus Pharma's ADHD drug meets main goal in study on adolescents

Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Thursday its drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder met the main goal in a late-stage trial on adolescents, weeks after results from trials testing the drug on children failed to impress investors. At daily doses of 200 mg and 400 mg, the drug, SPN-812, showed statistical significance in improvement in symptoms such as hyperactivity and lack of attention among 12-17 year olds, Supernus said.

ER visits for physical ailments tied to self-harm risk

Teens and young adults who visit emergency rooms for injuries or physical illnesses may be more likely to harm themselves afterward, a U.S. study suggests. Emergency room (ER) visits for mental health disorders or substance misuse have long been linked to an increased risk for self-harm and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teens and young adults. The current study focused on teens and young adults, ages 15 to 29, who visited an ER for more common reasons: physical illnesses and injuries. It found that these individuals were much more likely to harm themselves after being treated for a wide range of conditions including epilepsy, back pain, headaches and dental problems.

Sierra Leone fruit bats infected with Ebola-like Marburg virus

Scientists in Sierra Leone have found live bats infected with Marburg virus, a deadly hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola and so far undetected in West Africa, a U.S. government statement said on Thursday. The African fruit bat is the reservoir host of the virus, which has caused at least 12 outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever on the continent.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)