Health News Roundup: Lilly migraine drug, repeat mental health

U.S. FDA approves Lilly migraine drug; price same as rivals

Eli Lilly and Co on Thursday said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its migraine drug Emgality, marking the third approval from a promising new class of treatments for the often debilitating headaches. Lilly said it plans to sell the drug, known chemically as galcanezumab, at a list price of $6,900 a year, or $575 month. That is identical to the list prices for the other new migraine treatments, Aimovig from Amgen Inc and Novartis AG, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's Ajovy.

Most firefighters who die from cardiac arrest turn out to have narrowing of the heart arteries or structural damage in their hearts, a recent study suggests. When firefighters become suddenly incapacitated on the job, it endangers their lives. It may also put other lives at risk as they work to rescue people from burning buildings or douse flames before they spread, researchers note in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Adults need a regular bedtime, too

Adults who have a regular bedtime are likely to weigh less than those who don't, to have lower blood sugar and to face a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to a U.S. study. Although scientists have talked about the importance of getting enough sleep and getting quality sleep, it matters how regular your sleep schedule is as well, the researchers write in Scientific Reports.

Fall risk may increase after heart attack patients leave the hospital

Three in five patients hospitalized for heart attacks or other serious cardiovascular problems have at least a moderate risk of falling after they go home, and this risk is tied to higher odds of premature death, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on 2,456 people hospitalized for heart attacks, heart failure, or a heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation. Within one year of the hospitalizations, 362 patients died, for a one-year mortality rate of 15 percent.

Pfizer's lung cancer drug gets FDA approval

Pfizer Inc said on Thursday that its once-daily oral drug to treat a rare form of lung cancer received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The drug, Vizimpro, will look to treat previously untreated patients with a form of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Childhood secondhand smoke exposure tied to arthritis in adulthood

Women exposed to secondhand smoke as children may be more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than people who didn't breathe cigarette fumes growing up, a French study suggests. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disorder that causes debilitating swelling and pain in the joints. It's less common than osteoarthritis, which happens when cartilage on the ends of bones wears down over time.

FDA halts imports from China's Huahai after heart drug recall

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it will no longer allow imports of drug ingredients or medicines made with ingredients produced by China's Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, after a recall of one of its drugs that contained a probable carcinogen. The Chinese bulk manufacturer of the high blood pressure treatment valsartan recalled the product from consumers in the United States in July because an impurity linked to cancer had been detected.

Minority doctors in US residency programs routinely face racism

Minority doctors in training routinely deal with bias, sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, a new study suggests. Researchers found that resident physicians from racial and ethnic minorities face a daily barrage of microaggressions as well as overt prejudice, according to the study published in JAMA Network Open.

Peer support tied to fewer repeat mental health hospitalizations

Adults who have been hospitalized for psychiatric problems may be less likely to be readmitted when they get support from other patients who went through similar experiences, a UK study suggests. Researchers followed 441 patients for one year after they were discharged from the hospital. All of them received personal recovery workbooks to help them manage their own care. Half of them also received 10 sessions with a peer support worker with a history of mental illness.

Novartis strikes deal with a Chinese firm to make Kymriah

Novartis has enlisted Chinese manufacturer Cellular Biomedicine (CBMG) to make its $475,000 gene-modifying cancer treatment Kymriah as the Swiss drugmaker intends to win approval for the therapy in the world's most populous country. Local regulations require that Novartis manufactures Kymriah in China if it wants to treat the country's patients with the drug.

(With inputs from Reuters)