Health News Roundup: Trump administration restricts e-cigarette flavors; Mental health declining among U.S. adults and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Trump administration restricts some e-cigarette flavors

The Trump administration on Thursday announced a ban on some popular e-cigarette flavors, including fruit and mint, to curb rising teenage use of vaping products, allowing only menthol and tobacco flavors to remain on the market. The ban came under immediate criticism from public health advocates who said it does not go far enough.

Mental health declining among older U.S. adults, poor hardest hit

(Reuters Health) - Many older Americans have experienced more days of poor mental health in recent years, particularly individuals with limited income and education, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on 2.4 million people aged 60 and older who participated in annual surveys between 2003 and 2017, answering questions about their general health and the number of days they experienced poor physical or mental health. Overall, 41% had household income of no more than $35,000 a year and 10% lacked a high school education.

Polish bird flu outbreak spreads, with four more cases

Four more outbreaks of bird flu have been reported across Poland, authorities said on Friday, bringing the total number of incidents in Europe's largest poultry producer to six this week. Outbreaks were confirmed in Wolka Orlowska and Olchowiec Kolonia, both in the Lubelskie region of Poland, a spokesman for the governor of the Lubelskie region said on Twitter.

Bulgaria to cull 24,000 pigs in African swine fever outbreak

Bulgarian veterinary authorities said on Friday they would cull 24,000 pigs after detecting an outbreak of African swine fever at a pig farm in the northeast of the country. The outbreak is the first at an industrial farm since August when the virus hit six breeding farms in the Balkan country, forcing the vet authorities to cull over 130,000 pigs.

Democrats ask U.S. Supreme Court to save Obamacare

The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and 20 Democratic-led states asked the Supreme Court on Friday to declare that the landmark Obamacare healthcare law does not violate the U.S. Constitution as lower courts have found in a lawsuit brought by Republican-led states. The House and the states, including New York and California, want the Supreme Court to hear their appeals of a Dec. 18 ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that deemed the 2010 law's "individual mandate" that required people to obtain health insurance unconstitutional.

China seeks to identify cause of mystery pneumonia infecting 44

Chinese health authorities are trying to identify what is causing an outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan, officials said on Friday, as the tally of cases rose to 44 and Singapore said it would screen arrivals on flights from there. Authorities this week said they were investigating 27 cases of infection after rumors on social media suggested the outbreak could be linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

UK tobacco shares rise on U.S. e-cigarette ban exemptions

Shares in British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands Plc rose on Friday after the U.S. health regulator exempted menthol and tobacco from a list of popular e-cigarette flavors that it has banned under new guidelines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said e-cigarette makers will be banned from selling pod-based e-cigarette flavors, including fruit, dessert, and mint, in the United States from February.

More January U.S. price hikes take 2020 tally to over 330 drugs with higher cost

AbbVie Inc on Thursday raised the cost of rheumatoid arthritis treatment Humira, the world's top-selling medicine, joining other drugmakers that have now hiked U.S. prices of more than 330 prescription drugs for 2020, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. That is currently below the average of 371 drug price increases in the first two days over the past five years. However, more price hikes could still be announced, including some that would be effective as of Jan. 1, 3 Axis said.

Novartis, Merck, and Allergan join those raising U.S. drug prices for 2020

Novartis AG, Merck & Co Inc and Allergan Plc were among companies that raised U.S. prices on more than 100 prescription medicines on Friday, bringing the tally to 445 drugs that will cost more in 2020, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. That is above the average of 404 drug price increases in the first three days of January over the past five years. Nearly all of the price increases are below 10%, with the median price increase around 5%, according to 3 Axis.

Novo Nordisk to offer free insulin to U.S. patients in immediate need

Novo Nordisk said on Thursday it would offer free, one-time supply of insulin to people in immediate need and at risk of rationing the medication, the rising price of which has attracted fierce criticism from lawmakers and regulators. Novo said https://prn.to/36kkhaq patients with prescription can get a free, one-time supply of up to three vials or two packs of pens of its insulin, after which they should find a longer-term solution from its other affordability offerings.