Reuters Health News Summary
With just 56 days until Britain leaves the EU, Jo Elgarf has begun stockpiling food in case politicians fail to strike an exit deal, but she says she cannot do the same with vital drugs her disabled daughter needs. Four-year-old Nora has cerebral palsy and epilepsy and relies on imported Epilim and Keppra daily to stop her suffering seizures. Elgarf wants to stock up on the drugs in case supplies are hit but she can't because they are only available on a monthly prescription. EU to send inspectors to Poland over suspect meat
The European Commission said on Friday it will send a team of inspectors to Poland, a beef exporter, after a TV report showed a company killing sick cows and selling the meat for human consumption. Poland produces about 560,000 tonnes of beef a year, with 85 percent exported to countries within the European Union including Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany. U.S. government proposes rule overhauling drug industry rebate system
The U.S. government on Thursday proposed a rule to end the industry-wide system of after-market discounts called rebates that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) receive from drugmakers, a practice that has been under increased scrutiny. If finalized, the rule would change a system that has been in place for decades and that has been criticized for obfuscating the real price of prescription medicines. Teva's migrane drug gets EU panel nod
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said a European Medicines Agency (EMA) panel on Friday recommended approving migraine treatment Ajovy, a drug that the company has been counting on to revive its fortune. Ajovy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September last year and the company had said it was seeing "a very strong launch" of the treatment. Cancer patients in poor countries needlessly denied pain relief: WHO
Cancer patients in developing nations are being denied basic pain relief, often because of excessive fears about opioid abuse, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday. Two-thirds of industrialized countries have oral morphine, an opioid widely used to lessen severe pain, available in more than half of their pharmacies, against only 6 percent of poor countries, WHO expert Dr Cherian Varghese said. Exclusive: Teva's generic EpiPen launch stalls months after approval
Many of the largest U.S. pharmacies and drug distributors do not have Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's generic version of the life-saving EpiPen allergy treatment five months after it was approved for sale in the United States, pharmacy chains and a group that tracks drug shortages told Reuters. The short supply represents a missed opportunity for Teva to compete with Mylan NV in a roughly $750 million a year U.S. market. Mylan's EpiPen dominates that market, but has been in short supply since May, leaving many patients and their families keen for alternatives. Missouri Supreme Court suspends second talc cancer trial in weeks
The Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday halted an upcoming trial in a case brought by women who claim talc supplied by Imerys Talc America for use in Johnson & Johnson products gave them cancer, saying it wanted to consider a jurisdictional challenge by Imerys. It is the second major talc case the Missouri high court has stayed in recent weeks on jurisdictional grounds. Both were in the St. Louis' 22nd Circuit Court, which has issued several large verdicts against J&J and Imerys, including one for $4.7 billion in July. Exclusive: Canada budget to include limited coverage for prescription drugs - sources
Canada's Liberal government will propose a limited expansion to the country's universal healthcare system in the spring budget to cover part of the cost of prescription drugs, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The modest broadening of the healthcare program is set to become one of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's key campaign promises ahead of the October election, which is shaping up to be a close fight.
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