Health News Roundup: FDA asks for COVID boosters to fight Omicron's BA.4, BA.5 subvariants; Canada to slap warning labels on sugary, salty and fatty foods and more

Data showed the combination was more effective in removing cancer cells in tissue samples taken during surgery when compared with just chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said. Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers change the design of their booster shots beginning this fall to include components tailored to combat the currently dominant Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the coronavirus.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

AstraZeneca says Imfinzi combo shows promise in late-stage lung cancer trial

AstraZeneca said on Thursday a combination of its cancer drug, Imfinzi, and chemotherapy showed promise in a late-stage trial in patients with an aggressive form of lung cancer, when given before surgery. Data showed the combination was more effective in removing cancer cells in tissue samples taken during surgery when compared with just chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said.

Factbox-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers change the design of their booster shots beginning this fall to include components tailored to combat the currently dominant Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the coronavirus. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

FDA will not require clinical trial data to authorize redesigned COVID boosters -official

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will not require companies to submit clinical trial data on COVID-19 vaccines modified to protect against the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants in order to authorize those shots, a top FDA official said on Thursday. Dr. Peter Marks, head of the agency's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, told Reuters the agency will rely on data from clinical trials vaccine makers have run on shots designed to combat the BA.1 Omicron variant, as well as manufacturing data, for emergency use authorization submissions before the fall.

Novartis leans toward spinoff of generic drugs unit - Bloomberg News

Novartis prefers a spinoff of its generic drug unit over a potential sale to private equity firms, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. A challenging macro environment for leveraged buyouts has made the sale route difficult and Novartis sees a separate listing of the Sandoz business as more likely, the report said. (https://bloom.bg/3yt7Iu2)

Africa in need of test kits, vaccines as monkeypox spreads

Africa has no vaccines for monkeypox and test kits are in short supply, international health agencies said on Thursday, warning that richer countries already appeared to be hoarding vaccines. Monkeypox is a viral disease that causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. It is endemic in parts of Africa but has also recently been reported in countries with no history of human transmission, including Ghana, Morocco and South Africa.

FDA asks for COVID boosters to fight Omicron's BA.4, BA.5 subvariants

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday recommended COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers change the design of their booster shots beginning this fall to include components tailored to combat the currently dominant Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the coronavirus. If authorized, the changes would mark the first major retooling of the COVID vaccines, but also could slow their rollout as the FDA has recommended a design somewhat different from what the companies had already tested and started producing.

Pausing methotrexate improves booster response; first-trimester of pregnancy vaccination most beneficial

The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review. Pausing immunosuppression improves COVID-19 booster response

Canada to slap warning labels on sugary, salty and fatty foods

Foods high in sugars, sodium and saturated fat will come with clear warning labels in Canada starting in 2026, the federal government said on Thursday, in an effort to promote healthier eating choices and reduce chronic health risks. "We know that it's not always easy to make healthy choices," Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters. "We need a quick and easy way of knowing exactly what options are the healthiest."

Pfizer asks for formal U.S. approval of oral COVID treatment Paxlovid

Pfizer Inc said on Thursday it is seeking full U.S. approval for its oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid, which is currently available under an emergency use authorization (EUA). Pfizer said it submitted a New Drug Application for Paxlovid to the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of COVID-19 in vaccinated and unvaccinated people at high risk of progression to severe illness.

U.S. Supreme Court nixes religious challenge to New York vaccine mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hear a challenge to New York's mandate that healthcare sector workers be vaccinated against COVID-19 brought by a group of doctors, nurses and others who objected on religious grounds. Turning away an appeal by 16 healthcare workers, the justices left in place a lower court ruling that rejected their claim that the mandate violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment prohibition against religious discrimination by the government. Most of the workers either resigned from their jobs, lost hospital admitting privileges or were fired for refusing the vaccine.

(With inputs from agencies.)