Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Invest in health for global security and growth, Gates urges donors

Donating billions of dollars to global funds that fight poverty and disease is one of the best investments governments can make to boost security and economic growth, philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates said on Thursday. Ending epidemics of infectious diseases such as malaria, polio, HIV and malaria is proving tough, they said, but dramatic progress made by global aid mechanisms recent decades means the world's people are now healthier and more productive.

Lilly's cancer therapy Lartruvo fails study, shares drop

Eli Lilly and Co said its cancer treatment Lartruvo failed to meet the main goal in a late-stage trial and it expects to take a charge in the first quarter of 2019, sending its shares down more than 2 percent in early trade. The treatment was being tested in patients with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma.

Too little sleep tied to increased heart disease risk

People who sleep less than six hours a night may be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who sleep seven to eight hours, a Spanish study suggests. In the study, 3,974 bank workers wore activity trackers to measure sleep for one week and also had 3D heart ultrasounds and cardiac CT scans to look for heart disease.

Immunomedics' cancer treatment fails to win accelerated approval from the FDA

Immunomedics Inc said on Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declined to grant accelerated approval for its breast cancer treatment, sacituzumab. The company said it will request a meeting with the agency and work closely with the health regulator in its effort to launch the treatment as soon as possible.

Japan Tobacco ratchets up smokeless war with new products

Japan Tobacco Inc on Thursday unveiled two "heat-not-burn" products, as it races against market leader Philip Morris International Inc for a larger share of the vaping space with conventional cigarettes steadily falling out of favor. Despite commanding 60 percent of the local cigarette market, Japan Tobacco has been caught on the wrong side of the rising popularity of heat-not-burn (HNB) alternatives and has lagged in the category in its own backyard versus the Marlboro maker.

Long-lasting menopause symptoms may be tied to slightly higher breast cancer risk

Women who experience symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes or night sweats, for many years may be slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than women who never had these symptoms, a U.S. study suggests. But while women with long-lasting menopausal symptoms may have a slightly higher risk for breast cancer, they are not more likely to die from the disease, the study found.

Junk food ads disproportionately target black and Hispanic kids: report

Television advertising in the U.S. for candy, fast food, sugary drinks and other unhealthy treats continues to target mostly black and Hispanic youth, according to a new report that suggests this contributes to health disparities. Overall spending on TV ads by restaurant, food and drink companies declined from $11.4 billion in 2013 to $10.9 billion in 2017, the report found. Even though TV viewing by children and teens also declined during this period, young people in the U.S. continued to view approximately 10 food-related TV ads per day in 2017.

FDA advisory panel split over Sanofi-Lexicon diabetes drug

An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was divided over whether to recommend approval of a treatment for type 1 diabetes developed by Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc and France's Sanofi SA. The panel on Thursday voted 8-8 when asked to assess the once-daily oral medicine, sotagliflozin, an add-on to insulin therapy.

Scientists reveal 'ideal diet' for peoples' and planet's health

Scientists have unveiled what they say is an ideal diet for the health of the planet and its populations - including a doubling of consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and a halving of meat and sugar intake. If the world followed the "Planetary Health" diet, the researchers said, more than 11 million premature deaths could be prevented each year, while greenhouse gas emissions would be cut and more land, water and biodiversity would be preserved.

Doctors explain misconceptions about penicillin allergy

Most patients who report having a penicillin allergy are not really allergic to this highly effective antibiotic, and they may be missing out on the best treatment for their condition as a result, according to a new patient resource published in JAMA. Although 1 in 10 patients has a penicillin allergy noted in their medical record, many were misdiagnosed as children or are no longer allergic, the authors write.