Health News Roundup: Obesity explains almost 1 in 20 cancer cases globally; Pre-deployment insomnia linked to increased risk of PTSD for soldiers

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Pre-deployment insomnia linked to increased risk of PTSD for soldiers

Soldiers who have insomnia before deployment may be more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or experience suicidal thoughts than service members who don't struggle to sleep before they deploy, a U.S. study suggests. For the study, researchers surveyed U.S. Army soldiers one to two months before they deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, right after they returned from deployment, and again three months and nine months later.

Healthcare providers should be ready for nerve agent attacks, experts say

Recent attacks in the UK and elsewhere using powerful nerve agents show that U.S. healthcare providers don't need to be near a battlefield to find themselves dealing with similar emergencies, researchers argue in a commentary that offers advice on what to do and who to call. "Nerve agents are among the most lethal agents of chemical warfare, and exposure requires rapid recognition and treatment," said lead commentary author Dr. Arthur Chang of the Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Indian regulator orders J&J to stop using raw material to make Baby Powder in India: source

India's drugs regulator has ordered Johnson & Johnson to stop manufacturing its Baby Powder using raw materials in two of its Indian factories until test results prove they are free of asbestos, a senior official said on Thursday. The official at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), who declined to be named citing the sensitivity of the matter, said a written order had been sent to the U.S. company telling it to stop using the "huge quantities" of raw materials stocked in its plants in northern and western India.

U.S. FDA approves new protocol for study on Bayer's birth control device

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a new protocol for a post-marketing study of Bayer AG's Essure birth-control device, as the regulator seeks more information on the device's safety. The study would now monitor https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm628957.htm women implanted with the devices for five years, up from three years, and would need additional blood tests.

Obesity explains almost 1 in 20 cancer cases globally

Excess body weight is responsible for about 4 percent of all cancer cases worldwide and an even larger proportion of malignancies diagnosed in developing countries, a recent study suggests. As of 2012, excess body weight accounted for approximately 544,300 cancers diagnosed annually around the world, researchers report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. While overweight and obese individuals contributed to just 1 percent of cancer cases in low-income countries, they accounted for 7 to 8 percent of cancers diagnosed in some high-income Western countries and in Middle Eastern and North African nations.

Keep off teething necklaces, FDA urges parents after reported death

Stay away from necklaces and bracelets used to relieve teething pain in infants, the U.S. health regulator warned parents and caregivers on Thursday, after reports of a death and several serious injuries. Known as "teething jewelry", these products come in various shapes and are used by parents and caregivers to relieve infants' teething pain and other ailments.

U.S. Farm Bill opens door on hemp; FDA to consider new cannabis policy

The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it will consider creating new policy regarding the marketing and sale of cannabis after President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill, which legalized commercial production of hemp in the United States. The FDA said in a statement that it hopes to make more efficient "pathways" for companies to introduce and market cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including cannabidiol (CBD) into interstate commerce.

Two lawmakers question EPA on asbestos after Reuters report

Two Democratic U.S. lawmakers have called on the Environmental Protection Agency to answer questions about asbestos exposure after Reuters reported that documents showed Johnson & Johnson knew for decades of the mineral's presence in its popular baby powder. Whether asbestos in the talc supply in Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder caused cancer has been the subject of litigation for years.

China agriculture ministry says Hunan county hit by swine fever lifts restrictions

China's agriculture ministry said on Friday that the government of Baojing County in the southern province of Hunan has lifted swine fever restrictions. Baojing, in the western part of the province, reported China's 50th case of the deadly disease in November.

U.S. body says gene therapy may be more cost-effective for spinal muscular atrophy

Biogen Inc's Spinraza treatment for spinal muscular atrophy and Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's experimental gene therapy are both expensive, but the gene therapy could be more cost effective once more is known about its U.S. price and long-term success rates, a preliminary report from an independent U.S. nonprofit organization said on Thursday. Boston-based Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), whose assessments of the value of new medicines are increasingly influential in U.S. drug price negotiations, calculated a measure known as "quality-adjusted life year" to evaluate the drugs.

(With inputs from Reuters)