Health News Roundup: GSK's injectable HIV drug shows promise over daily pills; United Therapeutics starts litigation with FDA over rival Liquidia's drug application and more

United Therapeutics alleged that Liquidia skirted long standing FDA rules, precedents and procedures when it filed its application for an inhaled dry powder of treprostinil for pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD). South Korea doctors to keep up protests as hospitals turn patients away The emergency departments at three of South Korea's biggest hospitals were on red alert on Thursday as trainee doctors vowed to stay off the job in protest at government plans to increase medical school admissions to boost the healthcare sector.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

GSK's injectable HIV drug shows promise over daily pills

British drugmaker GSK said on Wednesday its long-acting injectable HIV therapy showed promise in keeping the viral load suppressed compared to daily oral treatment, especially in individuals facing challenges with pill intake. The interim analysis of a late-stage trial on the therapy known as Cabenuva demonstrated superior efficacy in maintaining viral load suppression compared to daily oral therapy in individuals with a history of adherence challenges to oral antiretroviral treatment, which is used to suppress and mitigate the progression of the disease.

Why are South Korean trainee doctors on strike over medical school quotas?

Almost 8,000 trainee doctors have walked off the job in South Korea to protest a government plan to admit more students to medical schools, and more are expected to join them. Trainee doctors say the government needs to address pay and working conditions first before boosting the number of physicians, while authorities say more staff are needed to increase healthcare services in remote areas and meet the growing demands of one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies.

United Therapeutics starts litigation with FDA over rival Liquidia's drug application

United Therapeutics said on Wednesday it had filed a case with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, alleging that due procedure was not followed in allowing rival Liquidia's application for a blood pressure drug. United Therapeutics alleged that Liquidia skirted long standing FDA rules, precedents and procedures when it filed its application for an inhaled dry powder of treprostinil for pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD).

South Korea doctors to keep up protests as hospitals turn patients away

The emergency departments at three of South Korea's biggest hospitals were on red alert on Thursday as trainee doctors vowed to stay off the job in protest at government plans to increase medical school admissions to boost the healthcare sector. The protest by almost two-thirds of the country's young doctors, which began this week, has forced hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures, raising fears about further disruptions to the medical system should the dispute drag on.

Change Healthcare network hit by cybersecurity attack

UnitedHealth Group-owned Change Healthcare said on its status page that it was hit by a cybsecurity attack on its systems on Wednesday, saying the disruption will last at least through the day. The Tennessee-based company, which is a national provider of healthcare cost transparency and consumer engagement solutions, said it was facing enterprise-wide connectivity issues that started at 05:05 ET (10:05 GMT).

Teladoc slides on 'anemic' 2024 sales forecast

Shares of Teladoc Health slumped 20% after the biggest publicly listed telehealth firm forecast 2024 sales below expectations on sluggish demand for its online mental health platform. At least two analysts said while the company managed to improve its margin in the fourth quarter, the weaker sales forecast for this year highlighted continued challenges in demand for its online mental health platform, BetterHelp.

More than half the world faces high measles risk, WHO says

More than half the world's countries will be at high or very high risk of measles outbreaks by the end of the year unless urgent preventative measures are taken, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday. Measles cases have been increasing across most regions mainly due to missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 years when health systems were overwhelmed and fell behind on routine vaccinations for preventable diseases.

South Korea emergency units turn back patients as doctors protest

South Korea's biggest hospitals cancelled procedures and turned away patients seeking emergency care on Wednesday after thousands of trainee doctors walked off the job in protest at a government plan to boost medical school admissions. One hospital, the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, put up a sign saying its emergency unit was only handling cardiac arrest cases. The emergency departments at the other four hospitals were also on "red alert", according to a government bulletin, meaning they were running out of beds.

US FDA warns against using smartwatches to measure blood glucose

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Wednesday against using smartwatches or smart rings that claim to measure blood glucose levels without piercing the skin, regardless of manufacturer or brand. The health regulator said it was working to ensure that manufacturers, distributors and sellers do not illegally market unauthorized gadgets that claim to measure blood glucose levels.

Republican US presidential candidate Nikki Haley says embryos are babies

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on Wednesday she believed frozen embryos created through in-vitro fertilization were babies, in comments seen as backing a controversial ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court. Haley addressed the issue in a pair of TV interviews hours apart, days after Alabama's high court said that frozen embryos in test tubes should be considered children, rattling doctors and patients in reproductive medicine as well as raising legal questions.

(With inputs from agencies.)