Health News Roundup: EU to renew herbicide glyphosate approval for 10 years; US FDA staff flags concerns about Merck's chronic cough drug and more

Elizabeth Hanna said the ADA "sold the good name of the organization" to sponsors like Splenda maker Heartland Food Products Group, "in violation of its own guidelines and standards of care on nutrition," in a lawsuit filed in state court in Bergen County, New Jersey. US FDA staff flags concerns about Merck's chronic cough drug The U.S. health regulator's staff on Wednesday flagged concerns that data on Merck's chronic cough drug might not be enough to prove the treatment's meaningful benefit, documents released ahead of a meeting of independent experts showed.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

EU to renew herbicide glyphosate approval for 10 years

The European Union will extend glyphosate's authorisation for 10 years, even though its member states failed to agree over the active ingredient in Bayer AG's Roundup weedkiller. Glyphosate has proved divisive since the World Health Organization's cancer research agency concluded in 2015 that it was probably carcinogenic to humans. Other agencies around the world, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EU agencies, have classified it as non-carcinogenic.

Ex-director accuses American Diabetes Association of 'pay to play' with sweetener Splenda

A former director of nutrition for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) sued the non-profit organization on Wednesday, accusing it of firing her for objecting to what she called a "pay to play" scheme to promote the no-calorie sweetener Splenda. Elizabeth Hanna said the ADA "sold the good name of the organization" to sponsors like Splenda maker Heartland Food Products Group, "in violation of its own guidelines and standards of care on nutrition," in a lawsuit filed in state court in Bergen County, New Jersey.

US FDA staff flags concerns about Merck's chronic cough drug

The U.S. health regulator's staff on Wednesday flagged concerns that data on Merck's chronic cough drug might not be enough to prove the treatment's meaningful benefit, documents released ahead of a meeting of independent experts showed. The drugmaker's shares were marginally down in afternoon trade.

German watchdog considers Ozempic export ban amid Europe shortages

German regulator BfArM is considering banning Ozempic exports as Europe's health systems grapple with shortage of the diabetes drug, which is in high demand for its weight-loss benefits. Use of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic for weight loss has caused shortages across Europe, where Britain and Belgium have temporarily banned its use for weight loss to secure availability for diabetics.

Eli Lilly plans new 2 billion euro German plant -source

U.S. pharmaceuticals company Eli Lilly plans to build a new plant in western Germany, sources close to the matter told Reuters, with one putting the investment at 2 bln euros ($2.17 billion).

US FDA approves CorMedix's drug for bloodstream infections

The U.S. health regulator on Wednesday approved CorMedix's antimicrobial drug for reduction of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) in patients with kidney disease, allowing the company to launch its first commercial product. The company plans to ready the drug for commercialization by end of the first quarter of 2024, CorMedix CEO Joe Todisco told Reuters.

US FDA approves Bristol-Myers' lung cancer drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Bristol-Myers Squibb's lung cancer drug that was acquired as part of the company's $4.1 billion buyout of Turning Point Therapeutics last year. The drug, to be sold under the brand name Augtyro, is set to compete in a crowded market for lung cancer treatments that includes Bristol Myers' other cancer treatment Opdivo and rival cancer drugs from Roche, Merck and AstraZeneca.

U.N. human rights chief says widespread disease, hunger inevitable in Gaza

The United Nations human rights chief said on Thursday widespread outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed "inevitable" in Gaza after weeks of Israeli assault on the densely populated Palestinian enclave. Speaking at an informal briefing to states at the United Nations in Geneva after visiting the Middle East, Volker Turk said the depletion of fuel would have a "catastrophic" impact across Gaza. It would lead to the collapse of sewage systems, healthcare and end the scarce humanitarian aid being supplied.

Amazon says unapproved eye drops being removed from its platform

Amazon said on Wednesday it was in the process of removing seven unapproved eye drops from its e-commerce platform following a warning letter from the U.S. health regulator earlier this week. The products in question have been investigated and are in the process of being removed, a company spokesperson said.

UK authorises gene therapy for blood disorders in world first

Britain has authorised a gene therapy that aims to cure sickle-cell disease and another type of inherited blood disorder for patients aged 12 and over, the country's medical regulator said on Thursday, becoming the first in the world to do so. Casgevy is the first medicine to be licensed that uses the gene-editing tool CRISPR, which won its inventors the Nobel Prize in 2020, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

(With inputs from agencies.)