Health News Roundup; WHO warns of growing resistance to GSK's HIV drug; Patients or payroll? US healthcare hack creates hard choices and more

The New Haven, Connecticut-based lab has also filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, calling on the regulator to recall the products, conduct an investigation and revise industry guidance. US to accelerate some payments to hospitals after UnitedHealth hack The U.S. government said on Tuesday it will accelerate Medicare and Medicaid payments to some hospitals hurt by a hack at insurer UnitedHealth's technology unit Change Healthcare.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Cancer-causing chemical found in some acne treatments, US lab reports

High levels of cancer-causing chemical benzene were detected in some acne treatments of brands including Estee Lauder's Clinique and Target's Up & Up, independent U.S. laboratory Valisure said on Wednesday. The New Haven, Connecticut-based lab has also filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, calling on the regulator to recall the products, conduct an investigation and revise industry guidance.

US to accelerate some payments to hospitals after UnitedHealth hack

The U.S. government said on Tuesday it will accelerate Medicare and Medicaid payments to some hospitals hurt by a hack at insurer UnitedHealth's technology unit Change Healthcare. The cyberattack on Change, disclosed on Feb.21, was perpetrated by hackers who identified themselves as the "Blackcat" ransomware group and has had a knock-on effect on players across the U.S. healthcare system. Disruptions triggered by the attack have impacted electronic pharmacy refills and insurance transactions.

WHO warns of growing resistance to GSK's HIV drug

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday resistance to GSK's HIV drug dolutegravir has exceeded levels observed during its trials, citing observational and survey data received from a few countries. Resistance ranged from 3.9% to 8.6% and reached 19.6% among people who have received and transitioned to a dolutegravir-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen to combat high HIV viral loads.

Patients or payroll? US healthcare hack creates hard choices

Nearly two weeks after the ransomware attack on UnitedHealth's Change Healthcare unit that has disrupted claims processing across the U.S., doctors are beginning to face a no win choice - stop treating patients or stop paying staff. The attack, which was disclosed on Feb. 21, shut down the system that many doctors depend on to verify insurance coverage, file claims and get paid, sparking a campaign by hospitals and doctors for the U.S. government to provide financial relief as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Novo kidney trial finds Ozempic cuts cardiac deaths in diabetics

Novo Nordisk's widely used diabetes drug Ozempic delayed progression of chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients, a large late-stage study found, cutting the risk of death from that and major cardiac events by 24%. The trial results are the latest indication that drugs from the GLP-1 class, which suppress appetite by mimicking gut hormones, have medical benefits for conditions beyond type 2 diabetes and weight-loss, their initial purposes.

US FDA clears use of first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the use of Dexcom's device, making it the first continuous glucose monitor to be available over the counter, the health regulator said on Tuesday. Dexcom's shares rose 2.2% in extended trading.

Grifols shares drop 15% after new Gotham City Research report

Shares in Spanish drugmaker Grifols fell nearly 15% in early trading on Wednesday following the publication of a new report by Gotham City Research questioning the Barcelona-based company's "transparency, integrity and ethical conduct". Since early January, the short-sheller has repeatedly accused Grifols of manipulating its financial accounts, wiping billions of euros off the firm's market value.

World Bank, Gates, UN pledge close to $600m to end cervical cancer

Global health donors pledged nearly $600 million towards eliminating cervical cancer on Tuesday, at the first global forum dedicated to fighting the disease. The World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.N. children's agency UNICEF said in a joint statement that the funding would go towards expanding access to vaccination, screening and treatment worldwide.

US Senate committee takes up bill targeting China's BGI, WuXi Apptec

A bill in the U.S. Senate that would restrict business with China's BGI, WuXi Apptec and other biotech companies on national security grounds faces its first big test in Congress on Wednesday. The draft legislation, which is designed to keep Americans' personal health and genetic information from foreign adversaries, will be discussed in a committee meeting and could be changed and either moved forward for a vote or held back for more discussion.

Ozempic reduces severity of liver disease in people with HIV, study shows

A weekly injection of semaglutide was safe and reduced the amount of fat in the liver by 31% in people with HIV and a type of liver disease, data from a mid-stage study funded by the National Institutes of Health showed. Data from the study was first released on Monday at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Denver, Colorado.