Health News Roundup: Exercise reduces failing risk for older adults; Health Minister, ban on vamping product advertising and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Exercise reduces falling risk for older adults

Older adults who exercise may reduce their risk of falls by more than a third compared to sedentary peers, a research review suggests. Workouts that focus on improving balance, coordination, mobility and flexibility all may help reduce the risk of falls more than getting no exercise at all, the study found. And getting a variety of different types of exercise may have the greatest effect, regardless of whether individuals start out with a low or high risk for falls.

Canada health minister proposes bans on vaping product advertising

Canada's minister of health, Patty Hajdu, on Thursday proposed banning promotion and advertising of vaping products in public spaces, convenience stores and online, in an effort to curb youth use of e-cigarettes. Hajdu also announced new mandatory health warnings on vaping product packaging.

U.S. appeals court sidesteps major Obamacare ruling

A U.S. appeals court ruled on Wednesday that a component of the Obamacare law is unconstitutional, but dodged a major ruling by stopping short of declaring that the rest of the landmark 2010 healthcare statute must also be struck down. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on a 2-1 vote that the law's individual mandate that directed Americans to obtain health insurance - a provision already gutted by Republican-backed legislation passed in Congress - was unlawful. Considering Veganuary?

Take B12 and beware vegan junk, scientists say

People switching to a vegan diet - for January or for good - could reap health benefits such as weight loss and lower cholesterol, but should beware vegan junk food with little nutritional value, scientists are warning. Plant-based food enthusiasts should also take supplements of vitamin B12, nutrition experts say, since evidence shows that while a vegan diet is generally healthy, B12 deficiency is common among vegans and can lead to a condition known as neuropathy that causes nerve numbness.

Special Report: FDA targets e-cigs those hook teens but don't help smokers quit

E-cigarette makers face an existential threat. By May, they must submit applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proving that their products provide a net benefit to public health. If a company fails to make its case, the FDA has the power to order its products off the market. The agency will judge that benefit with a two-part test: Are e-cigarettes effective in getting smokers to quit? And, if so, does that benefit outweigh the health damage to new e-cigarette users - including teenagers - who never smoked in the first place?

FDA grants accelerated approval for Astellas, Seattle Genetics' bladder cancer drug

U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday it approved Astellas Pharma Inc and Seattle Genetics' experimental drug to treat advanced bladder cancer, about three months ahead of schedule. Shares of Seattle Genetics were up 6% at $119.05 after the bell.

Novartis plans to give away world's costliest therapy to some patients

Novartis aims to give away 100 doses of its $2.1 million-per-patient Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in 2020 in a free-drug program that one patient group worried was a "health lottery" that could neglect some babies. Starting Jan. 2, Novartis's AveXis unit which developed Zolgensma will allocate 50 doses of the world's costliest single-dose treatment through June for babies under 2 years old, Novartis said on Thursday, with up to 100 total doses to be distributed through 2020.

Trump proposes rule for importing drugs from Canada; industry says it won't cut costs

The Trump administration on Wednesday said it is proposing a rule to allow states to import prescription drugs from Canada, advancing a plan announced in July that the president has said will bring cheaper prescription drugs to Americans. The importation of drugs from Canada to lower costs for U.S. consumers has been considered for years. Alex Azar, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), called the move "a historic step forward in efforts to bring down drug prices and out-of-pocket costs."

Israel avoids health crisis with last-minute new drug budget

Israeli ministers on Thursday averted a health care crisis by passing a last-minute allocation of 500 million shekels ($143 million) to pay for new lifesaving medicines for thousands of patients. Israel is without a permanent government and has no state budget for 2020, meaning its ministries by law revert to the previous year's budget with no new spending.

U.S. vaping-related deaths rise to 54, hospitalizations to 2,506

U.S. health officials said on Thursday two more deaths occurred since last week from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping, taking the total toll to 54. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also reported 97 more hospitalized cases from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories, as of Dec. 17. The number of people hospitalized now stands at 2,506.