Health News Roundup: FDA delays decision on BeiGene's cancer drug on China COVID curbs; EU adds severe allergies as side effect of Novavax COVID vaccine and more

The EU executive aims to extend 20-year-old rules to include babies born from medically assisted reproduction and donors, including the 15 million who give blood, as well as over 34,000 stem cell donors and more than 39,000 egg donors every year. High-pressure oxygen shows promise in long COVID; earlier Omicron infection may protect against subvariants The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

EU seeks to upgrade safety rules for blood, tissue, cell donations

The European Commission proposed on Thursday updated rules on blood, tissue and cells to provide greater protection to donors and recipients and to increase access to innovative transfusion and transplant therapies. The EU executive aims to extend 20-year-old rules to include babies born from medically assisted reproduction and donors, including the 15 million who give blood, as well as over 34,000 stem cell donors and more than 39,000 egg donors every year.

High-pressure oxygen shows promise in long COVID; earlier Omicron infection may protect against subvariants

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. High-pressure oxygen treatment may help long COVID

Spain responsible for violence against woman in C-section case, UN body finds

Spain should offer reparations to a woman who underwent a caesarean section without her consent with her arms strapped down, a United Nations committee found on Thursday. Madrid was found to be responsible for "obstetric violence" against an unnamed Spanish woman who said medics at a public hospital in Donostia, Spain induced her labour prematurely, without her consent, the committee said.

State abortion bans prevent women from getting essential medication

Annie England Noblin, a 40-year-old resident of rural Missouri, had never had a problem filling her monthly prescription for methotrexate until this week. On Monday, Noblin's pharmacist said she could not give her the drug until she had confirmed with Noblin's doctor that the medication would not be used to induce an abortion.

FDA delays decision on BeiGene's cancer drug on China COVID curbs

China-based drug developer BeiGene said on Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has delayed a decision on its cancer drug as COVID-19 curbs in the country prevented the regulator from conducting inspections. The FDA was expected to decide on the drug, tislelizumab, by July 12 but has now delayed its move until the inspections are complete, the company said.

EU adds severe allergies as side effect of Novavax COVID vaccine

The European Medicines Agency on Thursday identified severe allergic reactions as potential side effects of Novavax Inc's COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was authorized by U.S. regulators on Wednesday, and its product label in the United States warns against administering the shot to people with a history of allergic reactions to any components of the shot.

Some Beijing travelers asked to wear COVID monitoring bracelets, sparking outcry

Some Beijing residents returning from domestic travel were asked by local authorities to wear COVID-19 monitoring bracelets, prompting widespread criticism on Chinese social media by users concerned about excessive government surveillance. According to posts published on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning on microblogging platform Weibo, some Beijing residents returning to the capital were asked by their neighbourhood committees to wear an electronic bracelet throughout the mandatory home quarantine period.

India reports first case of monkeypox

India reported its first confirmed case of monkeypox on Thursday, a 35-year old man with a history of travel to the Middle East, government officials said. The man, who travelled from the United Arab Emirates to the southern Indian state of Kerala on July 12, was in stable condition and had been isolated at a hospital, the state's health minister, Veena George told reporters late on Thursday.

Canada clears Moderna's COVID vaccine for children under 5

Canada on Thursday authorized Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for babies as young as 6 months old, making it the country's first vaccine against coronavirus for children under 5, Health Canada said. Canada had been offering Moderna's Spikevax vaccine to children above 5 since March, and the latest authorization means some 1.7 million more children are now eligible for inoculation against COVID, according to Health Canada.

Fresh COVID wave sweeps Asia, New Zealand warns of pressure on hospitals

A new wave of coronavirus infections is rapidly spreading through Asia, prompting warnings for residents from New Zealand to Japan to take precautions to slow the outbreak and help prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. The renewed surge in cases, mostly of the BA.4/5 Omicron variants, provides a further challenge for authorities grappling with the economic fallout of earlier waves of the pandemic while trying to avoid extending or reintroducing unpopular restrictions.