Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Not all low-carb, low-fat diets help you live longer

People who follow low-carb or low-fat diets may not live longer - unless they're also careful to avoid junk food and sweets, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers followed 37,233 adults for two decades starting when they were 50 years old, on average. During the study, 4,866 people died, or about 13% of participants. Horizon's prices thyroid eye disease therapy at $14,900 per vial

Horizon Therapeutics Plc on Tuesday priced its treatment for thyroid eye disease at $14,900 per vial following the U.S. FDA approval and said the drug would be available in the United States in the coming weeks. Shares of the company rose 4.2% in extended trading after the drug regulator said Tepezza is the first approved treatment for the vision-threatening autoimmune disorder, in which the muscles and fatty tissue behind the eye become inflamed and expand. U.S. kids getting more well-child checkups, having fewer sick visits

Children in the U.S. have been getting more preventive checkups and having fewer sick visits in recent years, a new study suggests. Researchers examined data on more than 71 million pediatric primary care visits from 2008 to 2016 for children with private health insurance. During the study period, overall visits decreased 14.4%, driven by a decline in sick visits, researchers report in JAMA Pediatrics. U.S. Supreme Court lets Flint, Michigan residents sue over water contamination

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday let residents of Flint, Michigan pursue a civil rights lawsuit against the city and government officials that accused them of knowingly allowing the city's water supply to become contaminated with lead. The justices turned away two appeals by the city and the state and local officials of a lower court ruling that allowed the lawsuit to move forward. The lower court rejected a demand for immunity by the officials, finding that they violated the residents' right to "bodily integrity" under the U.S. Constitution by providing the tainted water after switching water sources in a cost-cutting move in 2014. Cathay says cabin crew can wear masks on mainland China flights due to virus

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd will allow cabin crew to wear a surgical mask while operating mainland China flights due to concerns over a new coronavirus, and passengers to Wuhan to change or cancel flights without charge through Feb. 15. The airline's flight attendant had on Tuesday called for permission to wear masks on all flights globally as cases have also been confirmed in the United States, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. JUUL use more than doubled among U.S. teens, young adults in one year

Between 2018 and 2019, use of JUUL vaping devices doubled among U.S. young people aged 18 to 20 and more than tripled among those aged 21 to 24, a new study finds. Among 18-to-20-year-olds, JUUL use went from 11.9% to 23.9%. Among 21-to-24-year-olds, use went from 5.6% to 18.1%, researchers report in JAMA Pediatrics. U.S. Supreme Court declines to fast-track Obamacare appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a bid by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and 20 Democratic-led states to fast-track consideration of their appeal seeking a definitive ruling that the Obamacare healthcare law does not violate the U.S. Constitution. The brief order means that the court, even if decides to take up the case at a later date, is almost certain not to hear arguments or issue a ruling in its current term, which ends in June. The court's refusal to intervene on an expedited basis means that the fate of Obamacare, which has helped millions of Americans obtain medical insurance, will remain uncertain for an extended period of time - at least until after the Nov. 3 presidential election. Men's military service may shape wives' experience of widowhood

Among older widows, wives of military veterans are less likely to say they feel lonely and more likely to report having strong social support, a small U.S. study suggests. Researchers analyzed survey data from more than 400 older women, about two-thirds of whom had been married to men who had ever served in the U.S. military. The study team found that having supportive friendships before and after the death of their husbands seemed to explain lower rates of loneliness in the military widows. China virus death toll rises to nine as pandemic fears mount

The death toll from a new flu-like coronavirus in China rose to nine on Wednesday with 440 confirmed cases, Chinese health officials said as authorities stepped up efforts to control the outbreak by discouraging public gatherings in Hubei province. Another 2,197 people who came into contact with infected people were isolated, with 765 so far released from observation, National Health Commission vice-minister Li Bin told reporters, adding that there was already evidence that the virus was being spread through "respiratory transmission". Sunscreen ingredients really do seep into the blood. Is that bad?

Scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have shown that active chemicals in sunscreens can readily soak into the bloodstream, confirming the need for more testing on whether these products are safe, the researchers said on Tuesday. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, replicates findings of a pilot study by FDA scientists in May. That touched off a flurry of questions over the safety of sunscreens, Dr. Adam Friedman, chairman of dermatology at George Washington University, said in a telephone interview.