Health News Roundup: Mental health in spotlight in Hong Kong after violent attacks; Exclusive-Indian firm used toxic industrial-grade ingredient in syrup - sources and more

Abortion providers, led by Planned Parenthood, last month won a court order temporarily blocking the law from taking effect until their lawsuit challenging it could be heard by the South Carolina Supreme Court. US FDA declines to approve Regeneron's higher-dose Eylea, shares tumble U.S. health regulators on Tuesday declined to approve a higher-dose version of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals' drug Eylea for treatment of a disease that is leading cause of blindness among the elderly, the company said as shares fell on the setback to its effort to defend the blockbuster treatment against a fast-gaining rival.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Mental health in spotlight in Hong Kong after violent attacks

A series of brutal attacks in Hong Kong is shining a light on mental health in a city that has suffered from particularly acute strains while lacking sufficient resources to provide proper care for all who need it, mental health groups say. Violent crime is rare in the financial hub but this month two women were stabbed to death in a busy shopping mall by an attacker who police reported had a history of mental illness.

Exclusive-Indian firm used toxic industrial-grade ingredient in syrup - sources

The Indian manufacturer of cough syrups that Uzbekistan said last year had poisoned 19 children used a toxic industrial-grade ingredient rather than the legitimate pharmaceutical version, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The company, Marion Biotech, bought the ingredient — propylene glycol (PG) — from trader Maya Chemtech India, as reported by Reuters. But Maya did not have a licence to sell pharmaceutical-grade materials and "dealt in industrial-grade only," according to a source at the firm with knowledge of the Marion investigation.

New scheme aims to get vaccines to outbreaks faster - Gavi

Three global health bodies are teaming up to investigate stockpiling experimental vaccines for rare infectious diseases so the shots can be tested more quickly when outbreaks happen, a top official from vaccine alliance Gavi told Reuters. The initiative will be led by Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and is likely to be announced later on Tuesday after Gavi's board approved it at a meeting earlier in the day.

South Carolina top court appears open to upholding new abortion ban

South Carolina's highest court on Tuesday appeared open to upholding a new state law banning abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, months after it blocked a similar ban. Abortion providers, led by Planned Parenthood, last month won a court order temporarily blocking the law from taking effect until their lawsuit challenging it could be heard by the South Carolina Supreme Court.

US FDA declines to approve Regeneron's higher-dose Eylea, shares tumble

U.S. health regulators on Tuesday declined to approve a higher-dose version of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals' drug Eylea for treatment of a disease that is leading cause of blindness among the elderly, the company said as shares fell on the setback to its effort to defend the blockbuster treatment against a fast-gaining rival. Regeneron's shares closed down 8.6% at $715.9.

Reckitt creates 'air sanitizing spray' effective against coronavirus

Reckitt's Lysol disinfectant brand said on Tuesday that it would start selling in the U.S. an "air sanitizing spray" that kills 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria. The spray, which Reckitt said helps reduce the spread of airborne pathogens such as cold, Influenza and Coronavirus, has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

EU must prevent medical devices for children from disappearing, say doctors groups

Brussels must act to prevent essential medical devices for children from disappearing in the European Union in the next year, by correcting a new law that is inadvertently causing the problem, the European Academy of Paediatrics warned on Tuesday. The academy and 22 other medical associations wrote that the unintended consequences of the law will likely harm children's health in a July 27 letter to EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

J&J's $8.9 billion talc settlement faces US bankruptcy test

Johnson & Johnson's proposed $8.9 billion settlement of thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc products cause cancer faces a crucial hurdle this week as a U.S. bankruptcy judge in New Jersey considers whether or not a J&J subsidiary may resolve them by filing for bankruptcy a second time. J&J subsidiary LTL Management's first attempt to do that was dismissed in April after a U.S. appeals court ruled that it was not in sufficient financial distress to be eligible for bankruptcy protection.

Canada invests C$35 million in medical isotopes for cancer treatment, imaging

The Canadian government on Tuesday announced an investment of up to C$35 million ($26.6 million) to bolster the development and production of medical isotopes in the country. Medical isotopes are radioactive substances used in diagnostic imaging and treatment of health conditions such as heart diseases and cancer. They are produced using nuclear reactors and particle accelerators.

Obesity drug Wegovy's popularity has US employers rethinking insurance coverage

Shawnte struggled with her weight for years before she was prescribed Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss in 2020, helping the former music industry professional from New York lose more than 50 pounds over two years. But last year, the 46-year-old, who asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her privacy, was told her health insurance would not cover her weight loss treatment. She said she was directed to take cheaper weight-loss medications, which aren't as effective.