Health News Roundup: Early menopause tied to heart problems before 60; Ebola survivors battle grief and stigma in eastern Congo

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

WHO hails 'triumph' as Merck's Ebola vaccine gets European green light

The world's first Ebola vaccine was recommended for approval by European drugs regulators on Friday in a move hailed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "triumph for public health" that would save many lives. The vaccine, developed by U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co, is already being used under emergency guidelines to try to protect people against the spread of a deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Early menopause tied to heart problems before 60

Women who go through menopause earlier in life may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke before they reach age 60 than their counterparts who go through menopause later on, a recent study suggests. Researchers examined data from 15 observational studies with a total of more than 300,000 women, including almost 13,000 women who survived events like a heart attack or stroke after menopause.

U.S. vehicle crashes involving child pedestrians declining

Although motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for U.S. children, rates of crash fatalities involving kids on bikes or on foot continue to decline each year, researchers say. Based on 2000-2014 data from 26 states, crashes declined by 40% for child pedestrians and 53% for child cyclists, they found.

Johnson & Johnson to recall some baby powder as FDA finds traces of asbestos

Johnson & Johnson said on Friday it is recalling around 33,000 bottles of baby powder in the United States after U.S. health regulators found trace amounts of asbestos in samples taken from a bottle purchased online. The move marks the first time the company has recalled its baby powder for possible asbestos contamination, and the first time U.S. regulators have announced a finding of asbestos in a J&J powder. Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has been linked to mesothelioma.

Current and ex smokers may lower lung cancer risk with exercise

Men who are current or former smokers may be less likely to develop or die from lung cancer when they're more physically fit, a recent study suggests. Researchers gave treadmill tests to 2,979 men - 1,602 who were former smokers and 1,377 who were current smokers - to assess their "cardiorespiratory" fitness, or how easily the circulatory and respiratory systems can supply oxygen to muscles during physical exertion. They assessed exercise capacity using a standard measurement known as metabolic equivalents (METs) which reflects how much oxygen is consumed during physical activity.

J&J's depression drug Spravato wins European panel vote

Johnson & Johnson's nasal spray for depression won recommendation for approval from a European Medicines Agency (EMA) panel, the regulatory body said on Friday. The treatment, Spravato, which is the chemical mirror image of the often-abused anesthetic ketamine, won U.S. approval in March, making it the first new type of drug for depression in more than 30 years. Ebola concentrated in Congo mining area, still an emergency: WHO

Ebola is infecting and killing people in a gold mining area of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and the "complex and dangerous" outbreak still constitutes an international emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. The virus has infected 3,227 people and killed 2,154 of them since the outbreak was declared in August 2018 and went on to became the world's second worst outbreak, it said.

Ebola survivors battle grief and stigma in eastern Congo

Arlette Kavugho was discharged from an Ebola ward in eastern Congo in March, but her troubles did not end there. When the mother of six tried to return to work as a seamstress in her hometown of Butembo, her customers were too scared of catching the disease, despite doctors' assurances that she was no longer contagious.

Sanofi pulls Zantac from U.S. and Canada after carcinogen found

Sanofi SA said on Friday it would recall popular heartburn medicine Zantac in the United States and Canada, after the medicines were linked with a probable cancer-causing impurity. The French drugmaker said it was working with health authorities to determine the level and extent of the recall, which it called a precautionary measure being taken due to possible contamination with a substance called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

Opioids settlement could be near, lawyer for local governments says

Executives from several large healthcare companies and state attorneys general were progressing toward what is expected to be a multibillion-dollar deal to resolve the sprawling litigation over the U.S. opioid epidemic, a plaintiffs' lawyer said on Friday. "I think we can get a long way," said Peter Weinberger, a lawyer for local governments that have sued the companies, when asked by a reporter if a deal was possible on Friday.

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