Health News Roundup: U.S. government to buy 1.5 million more Novavax COVID vaccine doses; U.S. states, others weigh in on court battle over abortion pill and more

Anti-abortion groups seeking a nationwide ban on the pill sued the Biden administration in November in Amarillo, where a local order assigns 95% of federal civil cases to the lone U.S. district judge there, Matthew Kacsmaryk, an appointee of former Republican President Donald Trump. Equatorial Guinea confirms country's first Marburg virus disease outbreak -WHO Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola, following the deaths of at least nine people, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Analysis-Biotech IPOs to bloom with spotlight on startups with human trial data

Initial public offerings by small private biotech companies are poised to stage a comeback later in 2023 as the pace of interest rate hikes slows, but tougher economic conditions will make investors more inclined to pick firms which have drugs in human trials. Globally, IPOs across all sectors nosedived last year after a blockbuster 2021, as aggressive interest rate hikes by central banks to curb inflation put an end to the era of cheap money.

Spain health workers hold huge Madrid protest over state of health system

Hundreds of thousands of Spain's health workers protested in Madrid on Sunday over what they say is the destruction of the public health system by the conservative regional government. The Madrid government has been the target of criticism in recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, over poor staffing in hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Protesters say it is dismantling public health services and favouring private health providers.

U.S. government to buy 1.5 million more Novavax COVID vaccine doses

The U.S. government has agreed to buy 1.5 million more doses of Novavax Inc COVID-19 vaccine, the company said on Monday, adding that the modified agreement includes funds for development of an updated vaccine by fall this year. Sales of the company's vaccine have been hurt by a global supply glut and waning demand, with Novavax cutting its full-year revenue forecast for the shots twice last year.

U.S. states, others weigh in on court battle over abortion pill

Dozens of U.S. state attorneys general on Friday weighed in on a lawsuit seeking a court order blocking access nationwide to a drug used in medication abortion, with Republicans in support of the lawsuit and Democrats warning of "devastating consequences" if it succeeds. In the lawsuit, filed last year in Amarillo, Texas federal court, anti-abortion groups including the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine claim the U.S. Food and Drug Administration used an improper process to approve the drug mifepristone in 2000, and did not adequately consider its safety.

Analysis-Abortion pill lawsuit faces Texas judge who often rules for conservatives

A challenge to the U.S. government's approval of a pill used for abortions is one of the latest high-profile lawsuits to be filed by conservative advocates in a Texas court that essentially guarantees them a sympathetic judge, a one-time Christian activist. Anti-abortion groups seeking a nationwide ban on the pill sued the Biden administration in November in Amarillo, where a local order assigns 95% of federal civil cases to the lone U.S. district judge there, Matthew Kacsmaryk, an appointee of former Republican President Donald Trump.

Equatorial Guinea confirms country's first Marburg virus disease outbreak -WHO

Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious and deadly disease similar to Ebola, following the deaths of at least nine people, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. The small Central African country quarantined more than 200 people and restricted movement last week in its Kie-Ntem province after detecting an unknown hemorrhagic fever. Neighboring Cameroon also restricted movement along its border over concerns about contagion. In addition to the nine deaths, Equatorial Guinea has reported 16 suspected cases of Marburg virus with symptoms including fever, fatigue and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea, the WHO said.

Teen girls seeing 'dramatic' rise in poor mental health - U.S. CDC

Nearly three in five high school girls reported feeling sad or hopeless in 2021, representing a 60% increase over the past decade, and fared worse than boys of the same age across nearly all measures of mental health, U.S. government data showed. The data shows a "dramatic" rise in experiences of violence, poor mental health and suicide risk in teens, especially in girls, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said on Monday.

G1 Therapeutics to halt drug trial in colon cancer, shares plunge

G1 Therapeutics Inc said on Monday it would terminate a late-stage study of its lead drug as it was unlikely to be effective in extending survival in patients with a type of colorectal cancer, sending its shares plunging more than 50%. The decision to discontinue the trial is a setback to the company's plans to expand use of the drug, which is already approved to decrease a side effect of chemotherapy, called myelosuppression, in some lung cancer patients.

Hong Kong reports outbreak of African swine fever on farm - WOAH

Hong Kong reported an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on a farm near the border with mainland China, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Monday. Samples taken from a local pig farm tested positive for the virus and 45 pigs died because of the outbreak, WOAH said in a report, citing the Hong Kong authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)