Health News Roundup: With positive combo meningococcal vaccine data, GSK eyes US approval; Exodus of healthcare workers from poor countries worsening, WHO says and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

With positive combo meningococcal vaccine data, GSK eyes US approval

GSK on Tuesday said that late-stage data showed its experimental combination meningococcal vaccine was as effective as two of its existing vaccines that target different strains of the bacteria behind the sometimes life-threatening infections. If approved, the combo vaccine could simplify the immunisation schedule in the United States and likely expand GSK's already dominant market share there for vaccines used to prevent illnesses caused by meningococcal bacteria. The bacterial infection can lead to severe, and sometimes deadly, bloodstream infections as well as severe swelling in the brain and spinal cord.

Exodus of healthcare workers from poor countries worsening, WHO says

Poorer countries are increasingly losing healthcare workers to wealthier ones as the latter seek to shore up their own staff losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes through active recruitment, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. The trend for nurses and other staff to leave parts of Africa or Southeast Asia for better opportunities in wealthier countries in the Middle East or Europe was already under way before the pandemic but has accelerated since, the U.N. health agency said, as global competition heats up.

US VA to cover Eisai, Biogen Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi

Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc said on Monday that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will provide coverage of their Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi to veterans at an early stage of the memory-robbing disease. The VA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a document on its website shows that the agency added Leqembi to its list nonformulary drugs, making it available provided patients request it, receive prior approval, and meet strict inclusion criteria for the drug's use.

Mask-free Monday comes to Japan as government eases COVID guidelines

The smiles and screams at Tokyo Disneyland may be more obvious on Monday as the amusement park and much of Japan relaxes face mask norms that have defined the three-year COVID-19 pandemic. Disney park operator Oriental Land Co, East Japan Railway Co and cinema operator Toho Co are among the major companies allowing patrons to go maskless starting Monday, based on revised government guidance announced last month.

Switzerland detects case of atypical mad cow disease

Switzerland reported a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the eastern region of Grisons, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Tuesday, citing Swiss authorities. The 12-year-old cow was sampled on Feb. 27 at slaughter as part of the BSE surveillance program. Brain stem material tested positive for the disease and the case was classified as "atypical", the Paris-based WOAH said.

US sues Rite Aid for missing opioid red flags

The U.S. government on Monday sued Rite Aid Corp, accusing the pharmacy chain of missing "red flags" as it illegally filled hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids. In a complaint filed in Cleveland federal court, the Department of Justice said Rite Aid repeatedly filled prescriptions from May 2014 to June 2019 that were medically unnecessary, for off-label use, or not issued in the usual course of professional practice.

Bristol Myers, Pfizer, AbbVie drugs likely to face U.S. price negotiation

The blood thinner Eliquis from Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer's breast cancer drug Ibrance and AbbVie's leukemia treatment Imbruvica are likely to be among 10 big-selling medicines subject to U.S. price negotiations for 2026, according to five Wall Street and academic analyses shared with Reuters.

Last year Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), giving the U.S. government power to start the first price negotiations over prescription drugs for its Medicare health program covering more than 60 million Americans, most over age 65.

Pfizer looks past COVID with $43 billion deal for cancer drug maker Seagen

Pfizer Inc on Monday struck a $43 billion deal to acquire Seagen Inc and its targeted cancer therapies as it braces for a steep fall in COVID-19 sales and generic competition for some top-selling drugs. Seagen marks Pfizer's largest purchase in a string of recent acquisitions utilizing a once-in-a-lifetime cash windfall from its COVID-19 vaccine and treatment. It will add four approved cancer therapies with combined sales of nearly $2 billion in 2022.

U.S. FDA places Mersana's cancer drug trial on hold following death

Mersana Therapeutics Inc said on Monday the U.S. drug regulator had placed on hold an early-stage trial testing its experimental cancer drug after the death of a participant. The death was of a patient enrolled at the initial dose level in the dose escalation portion, the company said.

Novo Nordisk plans to cut insulin prices in U.S. by up to 75%

Drugmaker Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday it would cut list prices for several insulin drugs by up to 75% in the United States, starting Jan. 1, 2024. With the move, Novo joins U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co, which recently said it would cut list prices for its most commonly prescribed insulin products by 70%, beginning from the fourth quarter of this year.