Health News Roundup: French drugmaker working on coronavirus initiative; Women may claim damages in France and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

French drugmaker Sanofi working on coronavirus initiative

French drugmaker Sanofi will announce a new coronavirus initiative within the next two weeks, its chief executive said on Thursday, adding that it wants to present something concrete and not add to "fantasies". At least a dozen drugmakers are working on vaccines or antivirals to help those infected with the fast-spreading virus that has killed more than 500 people in China, but several have warned that development of treatments will take time.

Women with defective French breast implants may claim damages only in France: EU court adviser

Victims of defective breast implants made by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) may only get compensation if they had the procedure in France, an adviser at Europe's top court said on Thursday, in a potential blow to thousands of women worldwide. The opinion by Advocate General Michal Bobek at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) came after a German patient sought compensation from PIP's French insurer Allianz IARD in a German court for faulty breast implants.

China wages 'people's war' on coronavirus as cruises, companies hit

Chinese President Xi Jinping declared a "people's war" on Thursday against the fast-spreading coronavirus whose impact has been felt around the world from slowing factory floors to quarantined cruise liners. The death toll in mainland China jumped by 73 to 563, with more than 28,000 infections also confirmed inside the world's second-largest economy. Such was the anxiety that some Chinese were asking HIV patients for medicines.

Peak coronavirus? Epidemic forecasts are often wrong but can be useful

Predicting "peak virus" is often destined to fail. But that's not to say it is pointless. Many health, policy, and economic experts worldwide are now trying to do just this with the epidemic of coronavirus disease spreading from China. They are working together to map the curve of the outbreak, but warn there are too many holes in the data to reliably predict when it will reach its peak - when the number of new daily cases starts to decline consistently.

Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $750 million in New Jersey talc case: lawyer

Johnson & Johnson was ordered on Thursday by a jury in a New Jersey court to pay punitive damages of $750 million to four plaintiffs who allege that the company's Baby Powder caused their cancer, according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs. J&J said the judge was planning on reducing the damages to $185 million.

Regeneron likely to make coronavirus treatments available in few months

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc is ramping up efforts to develop a set of coronavirus treatments, which could be available for testing or use in some patients within a few months, the drugmaker said on Thursday. The drugmaker on Tuesday expanded its arrangement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate on developing a treatment, joining the race to develop a treatment for the virus that has killed more than 550 people.

Desperate for coronavirus solutions, Chinese turn to HIV drugs, gray market and traditional cures

The rapidly spreading virus in China and a shortage of medical resources are prompting people to resort to unorthodox ways to obtain treatment, with some appealing to HIV patients and unauthorized importers for medicine. Chinese health authorities have said there is not yet any effective cure for the virus, which has killed more than 500 people in China. Although there is no evidence from clinical trials, China's National Health Commission said the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir can be used for coronavirus patients, without specifying how they might help.

Corteva to stop making pesticide linked to kids' health problems

Corteva Inc will stop producing the agricultural pesticide chlorpyrifos by the end of the year, the company said on Thursday, removing the world's largest manufacturer of a chemical that has been linked to low birth weight, reduced IQ and attention disorders in children. Corteva, spun off last year after a merger of Dow Chemical and Dupont said declining sales drove its decision to end production and officials continue to believe chlorpyrifos is safe.

Dutch 'walking-bike' helps disabled people gain mobility, sit tall

Lindsey Main from Massachusetts was an active woman who enjoyed yoga, running and walking her dog, until she suffered a stroke in January 2018 and lost mobility. While starting the long, slow process of exercise and rehabilitation she spotted actress Selma Blair announcing on Instagram she had the nervous system-damaging disease multiple sclerosis.

WHO says too early to say coronavirus peaking in China

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it was too early to say that China's coronavirus outbreak was peaking, but noted that the country had recorded its first day of a drop in the number of new infections. The death toll from the virus in mainland China jumped by 73 to 563, with more than 28,000 confirmed infections inside the world's second-largest economy. That number had risen by nearly 4,000 from Wednesday to Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)