Current Health Headlines: Breakthroughs and Challenges

Recent health developments include Johnson & Johnson securing support for a $6.5-billion talc settlement, President Biden allocating $150 million to the 'Cancer Moonshot' program, and Carlyle Group's $3.8 billion acquisition of Baxter's kidney-care unit. Other headlines cover Africa's mpox emergency, Novartis' court setbacks, and Pfizer's promising RSV vaccine study.

Recent health news highlights significant developments and ongoing challenges. Johnson & Johnson has garnered enough support from claimants to move forward with its proposed $6.5-billion settlement regarding its talc products, Bloomberg reports. President Joe Biden announced $150 million in new funding for the 'Cancer Moonshot' program, aiming to advance technology for tumor removal and reduce cancer deaths by 2047.

In corporate news, the Carlyle Group has agreed to purchase Baxter's kidney-care unit Vantive for $3.8 billion, aiding Baxter in debt reduction. Africa's top public health agency has declared an mpox emergency due to a rapid virus spread, while a court ruling allowed MSN Pharmaceuticals to proceed with a generic version of Novartis' heart drug Entresto pending appeal.

Additional developments include Bavarian Nordic donating 40,000 doses of its mpox vaccine to Africa, Pfizer's RSV vaccine achieving positive results in immuno-compromised adults, and the USDA expanding bird-flu testing in beef, ensuring food safety. Finally, Illumina and the Broad Institute have partnered to develop new gene sequencing kits utilizing CRISPR technology.

(With inputs from agencies.)