Health News Roundup: Africa CDC hopeful Aspen will get COVID vaccine orders; GSK, Sanofi and Haleon shares slump on Zantac litigation concerns and more

Unvaccinated children have higher long COVID risk Spain asks EMA to allow 'dose-sparing' for monkeypox vaccine Spain has asked the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for permission to give more people a smaller dose of monkeypox vaccine, an approach known as "dose-sparing" to distribute limited supplies as far as possible, the health ministry said.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Britain's healthcare backlogs grow to record levels

The number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has risen to the highest level since records began 15 years ago, while victims of crime are facing long delays for their cases to be heard in court. As Conservative Party members chose a new leader to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson this summer, the problems his successor will have to deal with are stacking up.

GSK, Sanofi and Haleon shares slump on Zantac litigation concerns

Shares in GSK, Sanofi and Haleon fell sharply on Thursday, following declines earlier this week, amid growing investor concerns about U.S. litigation focused on a heartburn drug that contained a probable carcinogen. GSK shares were down just over 10%, Sanofi's stock had sagged about 3.3% and Haleon's shares had slipped nearly 5% at the close of trading on Thursday.

Senate Finance Committee looks at Amgen taxes, widening drugmaker probe

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee is widening its investigation into the tax practices of U.S. drugmakers to include Amgen Inc, according to a letter sent on Thursday by the committee's chairman, Senator Ron Wyden. Amgen is already in the crosshairs of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service over its tax practices, particularly how it allocates profits between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Africa CDC hopeful Aspen will get COVID vaccine orders

Africa's top public health body said on Thursday it was hopeful South African pharmaceutical firm Aspen Pharmacare would get orders for its own brand COVID-19 vaccine. Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said last month that it is in detailed discussions with buyers to generate demand for Aspen's COVID-19 vaccine Aspenovax.

FDA chief backs alternate method for injecting Bavarian Nordic's monkeypox shot

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration chief on Thursday defended a plan to administer Bavarian Nordic's monkeypox shot intradermally after the company raised doubts about the safety of the method, citing a lack of data. The company had on Tuesday said there was some evidence that a shot of Jynneos between the layers of the skin could result in increased reactions compared to the approved method of injecting it underneath the skin.

Several cities in China add COVID curbs as millions still under lockdown

Several COVID-hit Chinese cities from the country's east to west imposed fresh restrictions and lockdowns on their populations on Thursday to contain flare-ups that are again threatening to disrupt local economies. Reducing people's unnecessary movement for a few days - a softer type of lockdown - as soon as dozens of new cases emerge is a key practice of China's "dynamic COVID-zero" strategy. The aim is to avoid turning efforts to halt an outbreak into the extended nightmares seen in Shanghai and Wuhan.

Long COVID risk up for unvaccinated children; at-home antibody test shows promise

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. Unvaccinated children have higher long COVID risk

Spain asks EMA to allow 'dose-sparing' for monkeypox vaccine

Spain has asked the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for permission to give more people a smaller dose of monkeypox vaccine, an approach known as "dose-sparing" to distribute limited supplies as far as possible, the health ministry said. The country has the world's second-largest number of monkeypox infections outside the areas where it is endemic.

110,000 hens to be slaughtered after bird flu found on German farm

About 110,000 chickens are to be slaughtered after an outbreak of H5N8 bird flu on a farm in north Germany, authorities said on Thursday. The disease was confirmed on an egg-producing farm in Langwege in the Vechta district in the northern state of Lower Saxony, the Vechta district council said.

U.S. CDC no longer recommends students quarantine for COVID-19 exposure

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer recommend quarantines or test-to-stay programs at schools or daycare centers for people exposed to COVID-19, the agency said in updated guidelines on Thursday. The agency also said it was no longer recommending unvaccinated people quarantine after exposure as around 95% of the U.S. population has either been vaccinated, had COVID-19 already, or both.

(With inputs from agencies.)