Health News Roundup: Too early for China to seek 'coexistence' with COVID - govt expert; Roche teams up with research institutions for new Alzheimer's trial and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Too early for China to seek 'coexistence' with COVID - govt expert It is still too early for China to consider easing its stringent coronavirus restrictions, with the highly infectious Omicron strain still capable of causing large numbers of deaths, said Liang Wannian, head of an expert group on COVID-19 prevention.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Too early for China to seek 'coexistence' with COVID - govt expert

It is still too early for China to consider easing its stringent coronavirus restrictions, with the highly infectious Omicron strain still capable of causing large numbers of deaths, said Liang Wannian, head of an expert group on COVID-19 prevention. Describing China's so-called 'dynamic clearance' strategy as a "magic weapon", Liang said in an interview with China's state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday that "coexisting" with the virus was still not an option. He said Omicron was still significantly more deadly than influenza and capable of putting great strain on the country's medical resources.

Roche teams up with research institutions for new Alzheimer's trial

Roche Holding is launching with three research institutions a new late-stage clinical trial of its gantenerumab treatment in Alzheimer's disease, the Swiss drugmaker said on Thursday. The trial aims to evaluate the potential of gantenerumab to slow disease progression in people with the earliest biological signs of Alzheimer's disease before too much permanent neurological damage is done, it said in a statement.

Japan set to extend coronavirus limits, ease border rules

Japan is set to loosen border controls to allow more people to enter the country, especially students, while extending infection control measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus in several areas, including Tokyo. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will raise the number of people who can enter Japan to 7,000 a day from 5,000 at present, while students will be exempted from the daily intake and considered in a separate category, media reports said.

Civica aims to launch low-cost insulin in U.S. by 2024

Non-profit drugmaker Civica said on Thursday it expects to launch lower-cost versions of insulin in the United States by 2024, to help diabetic patients struggling with high prices for life-sustaining medicine. Civica, launched in 2018 to make generic drugs, said it would produce three copycat versions of insulin, and make them available at roughly the same price for all customers, once approved by U.S. health regulators.

Drugmakers, device companies say sanctions may hinder medical supplies to Russia

Western drugmakers and medical device companies warn their plans to keep selling products to Russia may be complicated by economic sanctions targeting the country and its major banks in punishment over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions levied by the United States, Britain, Europe and Canada against Russia do not apply to medicine and medical equipment, and the industry has a responsibility under international humanitarian law to continue supplying these products, industry trade groups, policy experts, and company officials said. International aid groups are pushing to keep critical medicines flowing into Ukraine, where Russian troops are seeking to wrest control of major cities, prompting more than 870,000 Ukrainians to flee their country and millions to seek shelter from airstrikes. Already, pharmacies are reporting shortages of medical supplies.. Many Western companies said they will stop selling everything from cars to movies in Russia. Transactions related to medicine and medical devices, as well as food, have been authorized despite U.S. and EU sanctions.

Moscow drops QR codes, other COVID-19 restrictions

Russian capital Moscow will no longer require locals to use QR codes to prove they are vaccinated or immune to COVID-19 and is dropping all restrictions at entertainment and sports venues, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Thursday. The situation in the city is gradually normalizing with fewer infections and hospitalizations reported, Sobyanin wrote on his blog.

Hong Kong transport operators, supermarket cut services as COVID surges

Hong Kong's subway operator, bus and ferry companies, and one of its biggest supermarket chains are cutting back services due to a worsening COVID-19 outbreak that has seen daily infections explode since early February. The surge in cases and mixed messages from government officials have triggered an exodus of people from the global financial hub, where authorities are clinging to a "dynamic zero" coronavirus strategy that seeks to stamp out all outbreaks.

WHO sees little impact on COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Africa from Ukraine war

The World Health Organization does not expect any immediate impact on vaccine supply to Africa from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, senior officials on the continent said on Thursday. Russia's Sputnik vaccines are part of an effort by wealthier countries to plug the COVID-19 vaccine gap in Africa, but so far they remain a minimal component of imports to the continent.

Novo Nordisk more than doubles sales target for obesity drugs

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk has more than doubled its target for sales of obesity drugs by 2025 after overwhelming demand for its new Wegovy drug. Novo Nordisk now aims to generate annual obesity drug sales of more than 25 billion Danish crowns ($3.72 billion) by 2025, the company said at its capital markets day on Thursday.

COVID vaccine passport rules to be lifted in France on March 14 - BFM TV

Rules requiring people to show a COVID-19 vaccine passport to access venues will be lifted in France on March 14, reported BFM TV, as the country gradually eases COVID health protocols amid signs that the fifth wave of the virus is receeding in France.