Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA approves Eisai, Biogen Alzheimer's drug; Netherlands to require negative COVID test from China travellers and more

The requirement, which will be active as of Tuesday, follows recommendations made by the European Union earlier this week, which were already adopted by a range of countries including neighbouring Belgium and Germany. U.S. FDA approves Eisai, Biogen Alzheimer's drug The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the Alzheimer's drug lecanemab developed by Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc for patients in the earliest stages of the mind-wasting disease.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Uzbekistan arrests four over Indian cough syrup deaths

Uzbekistan has arrested four people in an investigation into the deaths of 19 children who consumed cough syrup made by Indian drug maker Marion Biotech, the Uzbek state security service said on Friday. Two of the detained were senior employees of the Scientific Center for Standardization of Medicines, who circumvented the proper testing procedures for the Doc-1 Max cough syrup, it said.

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 accounts for 27.6% of U.S. COVID cases - CDC

The Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, is estimated to account for 27.6% of COVID-19 cases in the United States for the week ending Jan. 7, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Friday. The CDC revised its estimate for the week ended Dec. 31 to say XBB.1.5 made up 18.3% of cases, not about 40% of cases.

Macron warns of more healthcare woes as he flags reforms

The struggles of France's health system will probably get worse before things improve, President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged on Friday, as he pledged to improve working conditions and hire more medical assistants for administrative tasks. France, like many other European countries, is facing a shortage of healthcare staff, particularly in rural areas, with many hospitals overstretched, the population ageing, high number of doctors and nurses retiring and the system snarled in red tape.

Exclusive-China in talks with Pfizer for generic COVID drug - sources

China is in talks with Pfizer Inc to secure a licence that will allow domestic drugmakers to manufacture and distribute a generic version of the U.S. firm's COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid in China, three sources told Reuters. China's medical products regulator - the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) - has been leading the talks with Pfizer since late last month, one of the sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Now able to sell abortion pill, U.S. pharmacies weigh if they should

Pharmacies across the United States are weighing whether to sell mifepristone, a pill used in medication abortions, following the Food and Drug Administration's announcement earlier this week that they can now do so. What they decide is primarily based on where they are located given that almost half the states ban or restrict abortion after the Supreme Court overturned its landmark Roe v Wade ruling, though some pharmacists told Reuters the local culture and attitudes or their own personal beliefs on abortion is what guides them.

Travel curbs rack up as COVID-hit China readies reopening

More countries around the world are demanding that visitors from China take COVID tests, days before it drops border controls and ushers in an eagerly awaited return to travel for a population that has been largely stuck at home for three years. From Sunday, China will end the requirement for inbound travellers to quarantine, the latest dismantling of its "zero-COVID" regime that began last month following historic protests against a suffocating series of mass lockdowns.

EU commission approves delay in medical devices law to avert shortages

The European Commission said on Friday it approved delaying the deadline for companies to comply with a new law regulating medical devices in order to prevent shortages of lifesaving equipment. The proposal now must be adopted by the European Parliament and Council through an accelerated process, the EU executive said in a statement.

Netherlands to require negative COVID test from China travellers

The Netherlands will require travellers from China to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test before they are allowed into the country, the Dutch government said on Friday. The requirement, which will be active as of Tuesday, follows recommendations made by the European Union earlier this week, which were already adopted by a range of countries including neighbouring Belgium and Germany.

U.S. FDA approves Eisai, Biogen Alzheimer's drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the Alzheimer's drug lecanemab developed by Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc for patients in the earliest stages of the mind-wasting disease. The drug, to be sold under the brand Leqembi, belongs to a class of treatments that aims to slow advance of the neurodegenerative disease by removing sticky clumps of the toxic protein beta amyloid from the brain.

CureVac says COVID vaccine produced immune response in early-stage trial

Germany's CureVac AG said on Friday its second-generation COVID-19 vaccine produced virus-neutralizing antibodies against the BA.1 subvariant of Omicron, based on preliminary data from an early-stage trial. The vaccine maker's U.S.-listed shares jumped 11% to $7.08 in premarket trading.

(With inputs from agencies.)