Health News Roundup: Industry spar over asbestos testing in talc, U.S.; Teen drug use might drop in U.S. and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. government experts, industry spar over asbestos testing in talc

For the first time in nearly 50 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration examined asbestos testing for talc powders and cosmetics at a hearing on Tuesday, after traces of the known carcinogen were found in several such products, including Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder. Citing those FDA findings, some U.S. lawmakers and consumer advocates have called for stricter safety regulations to protect public health.

Teen drug use might drop as U.S. youth smoke less

Two studies suggest that young people in the U.S. are smoking less than in the past, and this could be helping to reduce teen drug use as well, researchers say. One study published in Pediatrics examined survey data on tobacco use among middle school and high school students from 2011 to 2018 and found a drop in the proportion of youth who smoke as well as a decline in the number of daily cigarettes used by those who are current smokers.

Regeneron, U.S. health department partner to develop coronavirus treatment

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday it was partnering with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc to develop a treatment for the coronavirus, making the drugmaker the latest to join the race to develop a therapy. The move expands on a previous agreement with the company in 2017 to develop treatments for pathogens that pose significant risk to the public. Regeneron had partnered with an HHS unit to develop treatments for Ebola in 2017.

EU medicines agency to support coronavirus vaccine, drug development

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was taking steps to speed up the development of vaccines and treatments to combat the new coronavirus that has killed more than 400 people. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the flu-like virus a global emergency and experts say much is still unknown, including its mortality rate and transmission routes.

China virus claims second life off mainland, Macau casinos told to close

The coronavirus outbreak claimed its first life in Hong Kong on Tuesday, compounding the international financial center's problems after anti-government protests, and Macau, the world's biggest gambling playground, urged casinos to shut their doors. The victim in Hong Kong was a 39-year-old man with an underlying illness who had visited China's Wuhan city, the epicenter of the outbreak now under virtual quarantine.

U.S. announces more coronavirus cases, details quarantine plans for returning travelers

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday announced a second case of transmission of the new coronavirus within the United States and provided more detailed plans on how it will handle travelers returning from China as the country works to limit the outbreak. "We expect to see more cases of person-to-person spread," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a conference call that included confirmation of a handful of new cases, bringing the U.S. total to 11.

Dentists commonly over-prescribe opioids

More than half of the opioid prescriptions written by U.S. dentists between 2011 and 2015 exceeded current government guidelines for treating pain associated with dental procedures, a new study suggests. In an analysis of nearly 550,000 dental visits by adults, researchers found that opioid prescriptions were written for more than the three-day maximum recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Sanofi investigated over epilepsy drug linked to birth defects

French drugmaker Sanofi said on Tuesday it was being investigated over Depakine, an epilepsy drug that caused birth malfunctions and slow neurological development when taken during pregnancy. The Paris prosecutor had already launched a preliminary investigation into the authorization and marketing of Depakine in 2016 after France's social affairs inspection agency IGAS criticized the slow response of health authorities and Sanofi to the risks related to the drug and its derivatives.

WHO calls for improved data-sharing on virus, says sending team to China

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday urged all health ministers to improve data-sharing on coronavirus immediately and said he would send a team of international experts to work with Chinese counterparts. The U.N. agency was sending masks, gloves, respirators, and nearly 18,000 isolation gowns from its warehouses to some two dozen countries that need support, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told its Executive Board.

More evidence texting pedestrians are accidents waiting to happen

Smartphone users who text while they walk are more prone to accidents than pedestrians who just listen to music or talk on their phones, a research review suggests. Compared to people who didn't text while walking, those who did appear to look left and right less often before crossing streets, the analysis found. Texting was also associated with higher odds that pedestrians would bump into other people or things in their paths or experience near-misses.