Health News Roundup: US plans for hundreds of million COVD tests; WHO says safety comes first and more

Latin American nations seek more time to join WHO vaccine plan Several Latin American countries have informed the World Health Organization (WHO) they intend to request more time to sign up for its global COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan known as COVAX, an official at the WHO's regional branch said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. plans for hundreds of millions of cheap, fast COVID-19 tests

U.S. manufacturers are sharply increasing production of cheap, fast - but less accurate - COVID-19 tests, aiming for 100 million per month by year end that will enable schools and workplaces to significantly expand testing. Manufacturing and government sources tell Reuters that more than half a dozen so-called antigen tests will likely be authorized by the end of October. U.S. regulators in recent months have authorized antigen tests from Abbott Laboratories, Becton Dickinson & Co, Quidel Corp and LumiraDX.

WHO says safety comes first as over 170 nations join COVID-19 vaccine plan

The World Health Organisation said that more than 170 countries had joined its global plan to distribute vaccines fairly around the world, but cautioned that a race to develop shots could lead to public fears about safety. Trials of a vaccine in Britain were paused earlier this month following an illness in a participant, while Russia has dismissed criticisms from Western experts warning against early use of its vaccine candidate.

Latin American nations seek more time to join WHO vaccine plan

Several Latin American countries have informed the World Health Organization (WHO) they intend to request more time to sign up for its global COVID-19 vaccine allocation plan known as COVAX, an official at the WHO's regional branch said on Thursday. Countries have until midnight on Friday to formalize legally binding commitments to COVAX, a mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of eventual vaccines.

In 12 U.S. states, at least 35% are obese, 2019 CDC data shows

Adult obesity is rising in the United States, with a greater impact on racial and ethnic minorities, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report showed, at a time when the health condition is seen causing heightened risk for severe COVID-19. In 2019, at least 35% of the adult population were obese in 12 states, up from nine in 2018, based on data taken from a telephone survey by the CDC and the state health departments.

Global coronavirus cases surpass 30 million: Reuters tally

Global coronavirus cases exceeded 30 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing. India was firmly in focus as the latest epicentre, although North and South America combined still accounted for almost half of the global cases.

Silicon Valley startup Visby's portable COVID-19 test gets FDA approval

Silicon Valley medical equipment startup Visby Medical has received Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a portable PCR COVID-19 test kit, the first company to do so, according to the FDA on Thursday. PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, rapidly replicates DNA or RNA and is considered an accurate diagnostic tool used in labs for infectious diseases. Traditionally, PCR testing uses a machine the size of a large microwave and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Pfizer vaccine trial bets on early win against coronavirus, documents show

Pfizer Inc is betting that its coronavirus vaccine candidate will show clear evidence of effectiveness early in its clinical trial, according to the company and internal documents reviewed by Reuters that describe how the trial is being run. In recent weeks, Pfizer has said it should know by the end of October whether the vaccine, developed together with Germany's BioNTech SE, is safe and effective. If the vaccine is shown to work by then, Pfizer has said it would quickly seek regulatory approval. It has not said what data it would use.

Moderna to seek limited emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine if data shows high efficacy

If Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine proves to be at least 70% effective, the company plans to seek emergency authorization for its use in high-risk groups, the company's chief executive told Reuters. Moderna's vaccine candidate - mRNA-1273 - is nearing the finish line in its push to enroll 30,000 individuals in a late-stage trial of a novel coronavirus vaccine. As of Wednesday night, Moderna had enrolled 25,296 participants.

Exclusive: France won't buy vaccines through WHO's COVAX scheme - ministry source

France will provide funding for an initiative led by the World Health Organization to buy potential COVID-19 vaccines, but will not source shots through the programme, an official at the French health ministry said on Thursday. The decision by one of the U.N. agency's biggest supporters is a big blow to its strategy aimed at uniting governments around the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic together.

Johnson & Johnson charged by New York with civil insurance fraud over opioid claims

New York state filed civil charges on Thursday accusing Johnson & Johnson of insurance fraud for downplaying the risks of opioid painkillers, including to doctors and elderly patients. J&J and its Janssen Pharmaceuticals affiliate were accused of targeting elderly patients for opioid treatment despite the risks of side effects such as falls, fractures and neuropsychiatric symptoms.