Health News Roundup: Poland hit by bird flu; Drugmakers from Pfizer to GSK to hike drug prices in U.S. and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Poland hit by bird flu outbreak on turkey farms

Bird flu has been detected in turkeys in eastern Poland, authorities said on Wednesday, and local media reported that the outbreak could require up to 40,000 birds to be slaughtered. Poland, Europe's largest poultry producer according to data from Eurostat, has not had an outbreak of bird flu since 2017.

Exclusive: Drugmakers from Pfizer to GSK to hike U.S. prices on over 200 drugs

Drugmakers including Pfizer Inc, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and Sanofi SA are planning to hike U.S. list prices on more than 200 drugs in the United States on Wednesday, according to drugmakers and data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. Nearly all of the price increases will be below 10%, and around half of them are in the range of 4 to 6%, said 3 Axis co-founder Eric Pachman. The median price increase is around 5%, he said.

More drugmakers hike U.S. prices as new year begins

Drugmakers including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Gilead Sciences Inc, and Biogen Inc hiked U.S. list prices on more than 50 drugs on Wednesday, bringing total New Year's Day drug price increases to more than 250, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. Reuters reported on Tuesday that drugmakers including Pfizer Inc , GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Sanofi SA were planning to increase prices on more than 200 drugs in the United States on Jan. 1.

Chinese officials investigate cause of pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan

Chinese health authorities said they are investigating 27 cases of viral pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan, after rumors on social media suggested the outbreak could be linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Of the people infected, seven were in critical condition and 18 were in stable condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said on Tuesday on its Weibo social media account. The condition of two other patients had improved to the point where they would be discharged soon, it said.

U.S. vaping-related deaths rise to 55, cases of illness to 2,561

U.S. health officials said on Tuesday one more death occurred since last week from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping, taking the total toll to 55. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also reported 2,561 cases from the illness associated with use of e-cigarettes, or vaping products, as of Dec. 27.

Brother John rhyme helps teach children hand hygiene

Singing the steps of good handwashing technique to the tune of a popular nursery rhyme may help young children learn the process and fend off common infections picked up in school, a small Canadian study suggests. Dr. Nisha Thampi and colleagues adapted the tune of the song Brother John, also known as Frere Jacques, replacing its lyrics with a six-step handwash practice prescribed by the World Health Organization.

Trump says vaping decision coming shortly, hopes flavors can return to market fast

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his administration would be unveiling a decision shortly on vaping, and said certain flavors would still come off the market but hopefully then return soon. "We have to protect our families. At the same time, it's a big industry, we want to protect the industry," Trump told reporters.

U.S. appeals court upholds risk payments to health insurers

A U.S. appeals court upheld the validity of a federal program governing the payment of billions of dollars to insurers under the Affordable Care Act, reversing a lower court ruling that had prompted the White House to temporarily suspend payments. Tuesday's 3-0 decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is a victory for insurers that feared the Feb. 2018 lower court ruling and payment suspension could drive up premium costs and cause market turmoil.

Study finds Google system could improve breast cancer detection

A Google artificial intelligence system proved as good as expert radiologists at detecting which women had breast cancer based on screening mammograms and showed promise at reducing errors, researchers in the United States and Britain reported. The study, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, is the latest to show that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the accuracy of screening for breast cancer, which affects one in eight women globally.

(With inputs from agencies.)