Health News Roundup: Portugal approves preventive monkeypox vaccination for risk groups; Britain launches plan to ease doctor waiting lists and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Portugal approves preventive monkeypox vaccination for risk groups

Portugal's health authority widened its monkeypox vaccination strategy to include preventive shots for groups most at risk and approved the use of smaller doses, an approach known as "dose-sparing", due to limited supplies, it said on Wednesday. The country has been one of the hotspots of monkeypox infections in Europe, with 908 confirmed cases, most of them men under the age of 40. No deaths have been reported so far.

Britain launches plan to ease doctor waiting lists

Britain's health minister on Thursday will set out a plan to cut waiting times for doctors' appointments by using pharmacies and volunteers to alleviate pressure from the National Health Service (NHS) without resorting to extra funding. Britain's state-funded NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point of use since 1948, has seen the COVID-19 pandemic increase demand from patients and create backlogs for elective care while facing its worst ever staffing crisis with thousands of vacancies.

Moderna exec: 'eager' to collaborate with China on supplying COVID vaccines

Moderna Inc Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said on Wednesday the company is "eager" to collaborate with China on supplying its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines to the country. The comments follow those of Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel, who last week in Tokyo said the company has held talks with the Chinese government about supplying vaccines but no decision has yet been made.

Federal investigators recommend changes to FDA's EUA policy for tests

Federal investigators on Wednesday recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revise its emergency use authorization (EUA) policies for tests to ensure better availability and quality during future infectious disease outbreaks. The recommendations were made by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services after conducting a review of FDA's EUA activities and decision-making for COVID-19 tests in the early months of the pandemic.

Canada to contribute C$1.2 billion to health fund to fight AIDS, malaria

Canada would contribute C$1.21 billion ($898.9 million) to a global health fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and support health services that have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Canadian government said in a statement on Wednesday. The funding commitment to the Global Fund is a 30% increase over Canada's last pledge to the initiative and brings the country's total contributions to the fund to nearly C$4 billion.

Taiwan eyes mid-October end to COVID quarantine on road to re-opening

Taiwan aims to end its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine for arrivals from around Oct. 13 and will ease other restrictions from next week as it continues to re-open to the outside world, the government said on Thursday. Taiwan has kept some of its entry and quarantine rules in place as large parts of the rest of Asia have relaxed or lifted them completely, though in June it cut the number of days required in isolation for arrivals to three from seven previously.

Biogen says ALS drug shows clinical benefit in new data analysis

Longer-term use and early initiation of Biogen Inc's experimental treatment for an inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was effective in slowing disease progression, according to a new analysis by the company published on Wednesday. The Biogen drug, tofersen, is currently under priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with an approval decision expected by Jan. 25.

U.S. CDC expects Omicron COVID boosters for kids by mid-October

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COVID-19 vaccine boosters targeting circulating variants of the virus to be available for children aged 5-11 years by mid-October. The CDC said in a document released on Tuesday that it expects to make a recommendation in early- to mid-October on the use of the new bivalent vaccines in the group if they are authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Malaria and diseases spreading fast in flood-hit Pakistan

The death toll from malaria and other diseases tearing through Pakistan's flood-ravaged regions reached 324, authorities said on Wednesday, and actress Angelina Jolie said she feared many people she had met during visits to flood-hit areas this week would "not make it" if more aid did not arrive.

Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the floods were living in the open. Stagnant floodwaters, spread over hundreds of kilometers, may take two to six months to recede. Already they have led to widespread cases of skin and eye infections, diarrhea, malaria, typhoid and dengue fever. (Graphic: )

World leaders pledge billions to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria on UN sidelines

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria on Wednesday reached $14.25 billion pledged as world leaders seek to fight the killer diseases after progress was knocked off course by the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. President Joe Biden, who hosted the conference in New York on the sidelines of the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, said the funding is crucial to combating the diseases.

(With inputs from agencies.)