Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

eSwatini to ease ban on South African meat after foot and mouth outbreak

The Kingdom of eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland, said on Tuesday it would partially lift a ban on some meat and dairy products from South Africa after its neighbor took steps to contain an outbreak of highly contagious foot and mouth disease. The disease, which causes lesions and lameness in cattle and sheep, was detected in cattle in a northern part of South Africa's Limpopo province, the agriculture department announced last week.

French court cancels Monsanto weedkiller permit on safety grounds

A French court canceled the license for one of Monsanto's glyphosate-based weedkillers on Tuesday over safety concerns, placing an immediate ban on Roundup Pro 360 in the latest legal blow to the Bayer-owned business. Germany's Bayer, which bought Monsanto for $63 billion last year, faces thousands of U.S. lawsuits by people who say its Roundup and Ranger Pro products caused their cancer.

China has culled more than 900,000 pigs due to African swine fever

China has culled 916,000 pigs after around 100 outbreaks of African swine fever in the country, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday, as the disease continues to spread to new regions and larger farms. The disease has reached 24 provinces and regions since the first outbreak in August, roiling trade in the world's top pork market and related sectors. China slaughtered almost 700 million pigs in 2017.

Public mistrust after Congo election raises Ebola epidemic anxiety

Global health teams battling the world's second largest Ebola epidemic in Democratic Republic of Congo fear an election dispute may deepen public mistrust and allow the epidemic to run out of control. Fostering confidence in health authorities is essential when fighting a disease that can spread furiously through communities where local services are scant and patients are often scared to come forward to government or international response teams.

European nations weigh impact of Brexit on drug supplies

Germany's drug safety regulator has concluded that Brexit will not put its patients at risk of losing access to essential drugs, while Ireland has drawn up a list of 24 medicines whose supply would be most vulnerable if Britain fails to conclude a divorce deal. Between 60 and 70 percent of the 4,000 medicines on the Irish market either come from or transit through the United Kingdom.

Just one or two experiences with marijuana may alter teen brains

Teens who use pot just one or two times may end up with changes to their brains, a new study finds. There were clear differences on brain scans between teens who said they had tried cannabis a couple of times and those who completely eschewed the drug, researchers reported in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Family behind Purdue Pharma pushed opioid marketing, Massachusetts says

Members of the wealthy Sackler family behind Purdue Pharma LP personally pushed the company to boost sales of OxyContin and other opioid products even as questions emerged about the extent its painkillers were being abused, Massachusetts' attorney general alleged on Tuesday. Attorney General Maura Healey filed an amended lawsuit against Purdue and current and former officers and directors of the drugmaker that drew on internal records to reveal new details about family's involvement in the company.

Hundreds of FDA staff return to work amid shutdown: Commissioner

About 400 U.S. Food and Drug Administration staffers have returned to their posts from furlough, including some food inspectors and support professionals, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a tweet on Tuesday. Gottlieb's comments come as the longest U.S. government shutdown, triggered by President Donald Trump's demand for $5.7 billion from Congress to fund a wall on the border with Mexico, reached its 25th day.

Walgreens and Microsoft partner to develop digital healthcare services

Drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday they have entered a seven-year agreement to research and develop new methods of delivering healthcare services through digital devices. As a part of the deal, the companies will focus on virtually connecting people with Walgreens stores and provide services on therapeutic areas ranging from preventative self-care to chronic disease management.

Edward Lifesciences pays Boston Scientific $180 million to end patent row

Edwards Lifesciences Corp has paid rival Boston Scientific Corp $180 million as part of a settlement to end long-standing patent disputes between the two medical device makers. Boston Scientific and Edwards Lifesciences have been embroiled in a number of legal cases for several years involving heart valve replacement systems, including transcatheter aortic valves, in the United States and Europe.