Reuters Health News Summary

Canada's Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting an "interim-interim stay" of a culling order made on December 31. Attorneys urge court overseeing Tylenol autism lawsuits to consider Trump administration's stance Families appealing the dismissal of their lawsuits alleging that Kenvue's Tylenol or generic versions of the pain-relief medication caused their children's autism are asking an appeals court to consider President Donald Trump's new advice that pregnant women avoid the pain killer as it decides whether to revive their lawsuits.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Mexico studies more actions to contain screwworm outbreak after case close to US border

Mexico is evaluating additional actions to deal with an outbreak of the flesh-eating screwworm parasite after a case of an infected animal was confirmed in the state of Nuevo Leon, which borders the United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday. The has been no change in the expectation that the U.S. will reopen the border for livestock trade with Mexico before November, Sheinbaum said during her regular press conference.

Health Rounds: Researchers find key to preventing common liver transplant complication

Researchers may have found a way to improve success rates of liver transplantation with a workaround for a well-known complication that can cause the new organ to fail, a study in mice suggests. The liver's blood supply is cut off when it is removed from the donor. When the blood supply is restored during transplantation into the recipient, the influx sparks inflammation that damages the liver, causing so-called ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Explainer-Why are autism rates rising?

Autism diagnoses in the United States have increased significantly since 2000, intensifying public concern over what might contribute to its prevalence. Recent U.S. government data shows that autism diagnoses among 8-year-olds reached record highs in 2022, affecting 1 in 31 children. The U.S. National Institutes of Health has announced awards totaling more than $50 million for research into potential causes of autism spectrum disorder and the effectiveness of current treatments. Here is what you need to know.

EU, WHO counter Trump's warnings on autism and pregnancy

European Union and British health agencies confirmed on Tuesday the safety of paracetamol during pregnancy, disputing a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump linking the popular pain medication to autism. The World Health Organization said that evidence of a link remained inconsistent and urged caution in drawing conclusions.

French court orders Sanofi to pay $177 million for anti-competitive behaviour

A Paris court on Wednesday ordered Sanofi and its Winthrop unit to pay 150.7 million euros ($177.1 million) in damages to France's national health insurance fund (CNAM) for anti-competitive practices related to its anti-clotting drug Plavix. The ruling by the Paris appeals court stems from a 2013 decision by France's competition authority that fined Sanofi 40.6 million euros for acting against generic competitors of Plavix between 2009 and 2010.

Trump's H-1B visa fee increase raises US doctor shortage concerns

The Trump administration's plan to dramatically raise fees for H-1B visas is drawing concern from U.S. healthcare groups who say the move could worsen staffing shortages as more than half of healthcare workers consider changing jobs within the next year. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reviewing policy changes that would increase the cost of applying for H-1B visas to as much as $100,000 from the current top of $4,500. The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty fields like technology, engineering, medicine, and academia.

Over 1,000 Indonesians sick from school meals in more food poisoning outbreaks

More than 1,000 children in Indonesia's West Java have suffered food poisoning this week from school lunches, authorities said, the latest in a series of outbreaks and another setback for the president's multi-billion-dollar free meals programme. The mass poisoning was reported in four areas of West Java province, its Governor Dedi Mulyadi told Reuters on Thursday, which came as non-governmental organisations issued calls to suspend the programme due to health concerns.

Healthcare firm Medline considers filing for US IPO, Bloomberg News reports

Makers of medical supplies Medline is weighing a public filing for an initial public offering as soon as late October, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters previously reported, citing sources, the company could aim to raise $5 billion, potentially valuing the company at up to $50 billion.

UniQure shares skyrocket as gene therapy slows Huntington's progression in trial

UniQure's experimental gene therapy for Huntington's disease slowed progression of the brain disorder by 75% in a key study, marking potentially breakthrough results that nearly tripled the value of its U.S.-listed shares on Wednesday. Shares of the Dutch gene therapy maker were up 196% at $40.49 in morning trading, on track to add about $1.47 billion in market capitalization, if gains hold, as investors responded to the upbeat trial data for a disease that currently has no approved treatments to slow its progression.

Acadia to stop development of rare disease therapy after trial failure

Acadia Pharmaceuticals said on Wednesday it will discontinue development of its intranasal therapy to treat a rare genetic condition after it failed to show a benefit in patients in a late-stage trial. The company's shares were down 11.7% at $20.83 in premarket trading.

WHO says there is no link between autism and paracetamol use in pregnancy

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and the use of paracetamol during pregnancy. At this time, no consistent association between autism and paracetamol use has been established, the WHO said in a statement.

Harmony Biosciences' genetic disorder drug fails to meet main goal in late-stage trial

Harmony Biosciences said on Wednesday its experimental drug for a rare genetic disorder failed to meet the main goal in a late-stage trial, sending its shares down more than 8%. The company has been studying the drug named ZYN002 in patients with Fragile X syndrome, which is the leading cause of inherited intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.

Canada pauses cull of ostrich flock that had cases of avian flu amid US push to save them

A flock of Canadian ostriches set to be culled, after two dead birds tested positive for avian flu, has been granted a last-minute stay of execution from Canada's highest court - for now. Canada's Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting an "interim-interim stay" of a culling order made on December 31.

Attorneys urge court overseeing Tylenol autism lawsuits to consider Trump administration's stance

Families appealing the dismissal of their lawsuits alleging that Kenvue's Tylenol or generic versions of the pain-relief medication caused their children's autism are asking an appeals court to consider President Donald Trump's new advice that pregnant women avoid the pain killer as it decides whether to revive their lawsuits. Ashley Keller, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, filed a letter Wednesday alerting the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to the Trump administration's stance on the alleged link between Tylenol and autism. In a news conference at the White House on Monday, Trump delivered medical advice to pregnant women, repeatedly telling them not to use acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)