Health News Roundup: Abortion rights advocates, Democrats score wins in US elections; Novo Nordisk to discontinue Levemir insulin in U.S. market and more

In Ohio, a state that voted for Republican Donald Trump by 8 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election, voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights, Edison Research projected. Lilly weight-loss drug Zepbound gets US, UK approval to rival Wegovy U.S. and UK regulators both gave the thumbs up to Eli Lilly's weight-loss treatment called Zepbound on Wednesday, paving the way for a powerful new rival to Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in addressing record obesity rates.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Abortion rights advocates, Democrats score wins in US elections

Democrats and abortion rights advocates notched a string of electoral victories on Tuesday, including in conservative Ohio and Kentucky, an early signal that reproductive rights remain a potent issue for Democrats ahead of the 2024 presidential race. In Ohio, a state that voted for Republican Donald Trump by 8 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election, voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights, Edison Research projected.

Lilly weight-loss drug Zepbound gets US, UK approval to rival Wegovy

U.S. and UK regulators both gave the thumbs up to Eli Lilly's weight-loss treatment called Zepbound on Wednesday, paving the way for a powerful new rival to Novo Nordisk's Wegovy in addressing record obesity rates. The two drugs are the most effective treatments for weight loss approved to date and will compete in a global market estimated to be worth $100 billion by the end of the decade.

Factbox-What to know about Eli Lilly's new obesity drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly's keenly-awaited obesity treatment on Wednesday, introducing a powerful rival to Novo Nordisk's popular weight-loss therapy Wegovy. The once-weekly injection, which contains the same active ingredient as Lilly's big-selling type 2 diabetes treatment Mounjaro, will be sold under the brand name Zepbound. The following are key facts about the drug based on the FDA-approved label for its use and clinical trial data:

Gaza health crisis deepens for the chronically ill as war intensifies

Tahreer Azzam, a nurse at Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem, has been caring for young, desperately-ill Palestinian patients for 16 years. Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last month, she now struggles to find them.

Woman arrested for threatening to kill Texas federal judge in abortion pill case

A woman was arrested in Florida on Wednesday on charges that she threatened to kill a Texas federal judge who earlier this year suspended approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, according to court records. Alice Marie Pence placed a call from Florida to the chambers of a federal judge in Amarillo, Texas, federal court around March 12 and threatened to kill him, according to a grand jury indictment. Though he was not named in the indictment, the only federal judge in Amarillo is U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.

UK's MHRA authorises Lilly's Mounjaro for weight loss

Britain's health regulator on Wednesday authorised Eli Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro for weight management and weight loss in the UK, hours after a similar approval in the United States. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved the drug for adults aged 18 and over and added that the medicine is to be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Novo Nordisk to discontinue Levemir insulin in U.S. market

Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday it would discontinue its long-acting insulin Levemir in the United States, citing manufacturing constraints, reduced patient access and available alternatives. The Danish drugmaker said supply disruptions would start in mid-January, followed by discontinuation of the Levemir injection pen in April and of Levemir vials by the end of 2024.

Factbox-Corporate America weighs business impact of new weight-loss drugs

U.S. companies across sectors such as food and beverage makers and manufacturers of glucose monitors are facing investor questions over the risk to future sales from the growing popularity of promising weight-loss treatments. Drugs in a class known as GLP-1 such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic as well as Eli Lilly's Mounjaro have been shown to help control blood sugar and dramatically lower weight in clinical trials.

WHO warns of 'worrying trends' in disease spread in Gaza

The Gaza Strip faces an increased risk of disease spreading due to Israeli air bombardments that have disrupted the health system, access to clean water and caused people to crowd in shelters, the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday. "As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases," WHO said.

Syphilis cases in US newborns rise 10-fold over a decade

The number of newborns with syphilis in the United States surged more than 10-fold in the last decade, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Tuesday. The agency said 3,761 cases were recorded in 2022, the highest in over 30 years, up from 334 cases in 2012. The 2022 cases included 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths.