Health News Roundup: Novavax settles dispute with international vaccine group Gavi; WHO plans more evacuations from Gaza hospital as bodies buried on grounds and more

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. Dismayed South Korean patients urge resolution of doctors' protest Three days into a mass walkout by trainee doctors, patients in South Korea expressed growing worry and frustration on Thursday as hospitals nationwide delayed surgeries and emergency rooms turned away patients.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Moderna reports surprise profit, sets out road map for RSV vaccine

Moderna on Thursday reported a surprise fourth-quarter profit, helped by cost cutting and deferred payments, and set out a commercial roadmap for its vaccines in Europe and experimental respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot. Shares jumped 8% to $94.65 in early trading, still well off the record high of $497.49 hit during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2021.

South Korea health alert raised to 'severe' over doctors walkout

South Korea raised its health alert to the highest level on Friday after a mass walkout by trainee doctors this week, while the prime minister said public hospitals would extend working hours to respond to growing strains on the medical system. Almost two-thirds of the country's young doctors have walked off the job to protest a government plan to admit more students to medical schools, forcing hospitals to turn away patients and cancel procedures, and raising fears about further disruption to the medical system should the dispute drag on.

Novavax settles dispute with international vaccine group Gavi

Novavax has agreed to pay back international vaccine group Gavi at least $475 million in cash or vaccines by the end of 2028, settling a dispute over canceled orders that created financial uncertainty for the U.S. maker of COVID-19 shots. Shares of the company rose 23.2% to $4.91 on Thursday.

Three Alabama providers halt IVF after high court rules embryos are children

At least three Alabama providers of in vitro fertilization have halted treatments since the state Supreme Court on Friday said frozen embryos in test tubes should be considered children, casting doubt on future access to the procedure in the state. The ruling by the court, whose elected judges are all Republican, has left doctors and patients wondering how to legally store, transport, and use embryos in Alabama.

WHO plans more evacuations from Gaza hospital as bodies buried on grounds

Aid agencies hope to evacuate roughly 140 patients stranded in Gaza's Nasser hospital, a World Health Organization official said on Thursday, as Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli troops withdrew from the complex and then stormed it again. Medical teams had buried on the grounds of the hospital 13 patients who had died because the facility had no power or oxygen, Gaza's health ministry said.

South Korea to fully allow telemedicine at all hospitals, clinics

South Korea's health ministry said on Friday that it will fully allow telemedicine services at all hospitals and clinics to help cope with the impact of a walkout by trainee doctors. Nearly 7,900 resident and intern doctors, or nearly 70% of the total, have left the job in protest against over a government plan to expand medical school admissions.

India pharma companies develop versions of Wegovy to get in on weight-loss windfall

Indian drugmakers aiming to grab a slice of the burgeoning weight-loss treatment sales pie, both at home and abroad, have begun developing their own versions of Novo Nordisk's wildly in demand Wegovy. With some analysts predicting a weight-loss market reaching $100 billion a year or more by the end of the decade, executives at Sun Pharma, Cipla, Dr Reddy's and Lupin -- some of the world's largest generic drugmakers -- all said they have started work on Wegovy versions.

Weight-loss drugs could boost US GDP by 1% in coming years, Goldman says

The widespread use of powerful new weight-loss drugs in the United States could boost gross domestic product by 1% in the coming years as lower obesity-related complications are likely to boost workplace efficiency, according to Goldman Sachs. Some analysts have predicted the market for weight-loss drugs could reach $100 billion a year by the end of the decade, with Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro producer Eli Lilly leading the race.

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.

Dismayed South Korean patients urge resolution of doctors' protest

Three days into a mass walkout by trainee doctors, patients in South Korea expressed growing worry and frustration on Thursday as hospitals nationwide delayed surgeries and emergency rooms turned away patients. With more than 8,400 doctors staying off the job in a protest over government plans to step up medical school admissions and no immediate sign of resolution, some of the sick and hurt voiced concerns about getting treatment.