Health Summary: Marijuana not tied to opioid deaths; Sleeping with lights tied to obesity

Medical marijuana no longer tied to fewer opioid deaths

Legalizing medical marijuana no longer appears to be linked with a drop in fatal opioid overdoses, according to a new U.S. study that calls into question the potential for cannabis to help fix the opioid crisis. In recent years, many advocates for legalizing marijuana - including some doctors and public health officials - have cited a pivotal 2014 study that found lower rates of fatal opioid overdoses from 1999 to 2010 in the states that legalized medical marijuana.

Roche's combo lymphoma treatment wins U.S. FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted earlier-than-expected approval to Roche Holding AG's antibody-drug conjugate Polivy for treatment of patients with advanced lymphoma. Polivy was approved in combination with Roche's older drug Rituxan and a chemotherapy agent for adult patients with advanced diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) whose cancer has worsened despite at least two previous lines of therapy.

Abbott device helps in cutting blood sugar in type 2 diabetics: study

(The June 8 story corrects the first paragraph to clarify that the study compared patients with type 2 diabetes before and after using Abbott's device; In paragraph 4, clarifies that the patients used insulin injections every day over an average of more than 8 years.) Insulin-dependent patients with type 2 diabetes saw a significant drop in their blood sugar levels after wearing Abbott Laboratories Inc's continuous glucose monitoring system for three months compared with when they were not using the device, researchers said on Saturday.

Sleeping with lights or TV on tied to obesity

For middle-aged and older women, sleeping with the television or lights on has been linked with higher odds of becoming obese, in a recent U.S. study. While a high-calorie diet and sedentary behaviour are the most commonly cited explanations for obesity, some previous research has also linked exposure to artificial light at night to an increased risk of weight gain, researchers note in JAMA Internal Medicine.

China to tighten rules on foreigners using genetic material

China said on Monday it will tighten regulations on human genetic material, putting checks on the passing of it abroad and insisting that any foreign companies or institutes wanting to use it in their work do so with a Chinese partner. The cabinet, the State Council, said the new regulations would take effect from July 1, and were aimed at promoting the proper use of such material, ranging from DNA to human organs, blood and tissue.

Patients give more '5-star' ratings to hospitals with fewer services

Compared to smaller facilities, hospitals that provide complex care for critical illness or serious injury may find it harder to make patients happy, a U.S. study suggests. Patients may be more likely to give top '5-star' ratings to hospitals that don't offer many commonly sought-after services like emergency rooms and intensive care units, the study found.

U.S. measles outbreak spreads to Idaho and Virginia, hits 1,022 cases

The United States' worst measles outbreak in a quarter-century spread to Idaho and Virginia last week as public health authorities on Monday reported 41 new cases of the highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease. The U.S. has recorded 1,022 cases of the diseases this year as of June 6, in an outbreak blamed on misinformation about vaccines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Missouri's only abortion clinic to stay open after injunction issued

The only abortion clinic in Missouri can stay open after a St. Louis judge issued a preliminary injunction on Monday saying the state must make an "official" decision on the facility's license before it can be reviewed, a court document showed. Women's healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood sued Missouri two weeks ago after state health officials refused to renew the license of the Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis.

Experimental drug delays type 1 diabetes onset in a mid-stage trial

In people at high risk for type 1 diabetes, 14 days of therapy with the experimental drug teplizumab delayed development of the disease by a year or more, according to results from a mid-stage study presented Sunday. The 76 study participants, who ranged in age from 8 to 49, faced a high risk of type 1 diabetes in part because their relatives had the autoimmune disease, which kills the beta cells in the pancreas that make and release insulin. Also, the volunteers all had tests showing diabetes-related autoantibodies that attack the pancreas, plus unhealthy blood sugar levels.

Postpartum depression in new dads often missed

While many people can pick up on signs of postpartum depression in new mothers, the same signs are often mistaken for something else or missed entirely in fathers, a British study suggests. There needs to be greater awareness that the mental health disorder can occur in either parent for up to a year after the birth of a child, researchers say.

(With inputs from agencies.)