Reuters Health News Summary

The healthcare conglomerate, which owns health insurer Aetna, said it expects to add at least 800,000 members to its Medicare Advantage plans this year, versus its previous forecast of adding 600,000 people in 2024. US FDA to allow Florida to import cheaper drugs from Canada Florida on Friday won authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to directly import prescription drugs from Canada, the first state to get such approval for a strategy that could lower prices for medicines.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

India orders new drug-making standards after overseas deaths

Indian pharmaceutical companies must meet new manufacturing standards this year, according to a government notification released on Saturday, although small companies have asked for a delay, citing their debt load. Jolted by a string of overseas deaths linked to Indian-made drugs since 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has stepped up scrutiny of pharmaceutical factories to clean up the image of the $50 billion industry.

Florida abortion rights measure gets enough signatures to go before voters

A state constitutional amendment that would protect abortion access in Florida has received enough signatures of support to appear on ballots in the November election, but a challenge by the state's attorney general could still block it. The measure would ban laws that "prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider." Abortions are currently illegal after 15 weeks in Florida.

Wegovy, Ozempic not linked to increase in suicidal thoughts, US study finds

A large U.S. study found no evidence that taking Novo Nordisk's Ozempic or Wegovy is tied to an increase in suicidal thoughts, researchers reported on Friday. Both Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and the obesity treatment Wegovy have the same active ingredient, semaglutide.

Spanish regions reintroduce mask wearing in medical centres amid flu spike

Five Spanish regions have announced the reintroduction of rules making the use of face masks compulsory in health facilities following a spike in flu and COVID-19 cases over the festive season. The region of Valencia saw its rate of respiratory infections rise to 1,501 cases per 100,000 inhabitants between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 - the second-highest reported caseload in the country for that week, after Castilla-La Mancha.

CDC says JN.1 variant accounts for about 62% of COVID cases in US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday that COVID subvariant JN.1 accounts for about 62% of cases in the U.S. as of Jan. 5, according to the agency's projections. The agency said JN.1, which is an offspring of BA.2.86, is now the most widely circulated variant in the U.S. and globally.

CVS raises expectations for enrollment in some Medicare plans

CVS Health said on Friday it expects enrollment in its fast-growing Medicare Advantage plans for people aged 65 and above to exceed its previous targets in 2024 helped by strong new sales and member retention. The healthcare conglomerate, which owns health insurer Aetna, said it expects to add at least 800,000 members to its Medicare Advantage plans this year, versus its previous forecast of adding 600,000 people in 2024.

US FDA to allow Florida to import cheaper drugs from Canada

Florida on Friday won authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to directly import prescription drugs from Canada, the first state to get such approval for a strategy that could lower prices for medicines. Drug costs in the U.S. are higher than in Canada and other countries where government-run healthcare systems negotiate prices for individual prescription drugs.

Ligand Pharma's at-home viral skin infection treatment gets US approval

Ligand Pharmaceuticals' topical treatment for a viral skin infection has received the U.S. health regulator's approval, the company said on Friday, making it the first at-home medication for the condition in the country. The gel, Zelsuvmi, is expected to be available in the U.S. in the second half of 2024.

Late M&A bonanza stokes healthcare dealmakers ahead of JPMorgan conference

Healthcare dealmakers are making their way to San Francisco for a major industry conference, optimistic that more deals are in the offing after a wave of biotech company takeovers at the end of last year. The four-day JPMorgan Healthcare Conference beginning on Monday is expected by organizers to attract over 8,000 people, including delegations from the world’s largest drugmakers, a signal of a return to business as usual after fewer participants were invited last year over COVID-19 concerns.

US Supreme Court to rule on Idaho's strict abortion ban in medical emergencies

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday let Idaho enforce its near-total abortion ban in medical-emergency situations while also agreeing to hear the fight between state officials and President Joe Biden's administration over the legality of the Republican-backed measure. The justices granted a request by Idaho officials to temporarily lift a federal judge's ruling that blocked the state's abortion measure after concluding it must yield to a federal law that ensures that patients can receive emergency "stabilizing care."