Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

US packaged food makers could help cut diet-related deaths, study shows

US packaged food companies could prevent around 150,000 diet-related deaths annually by moving sales towards healthier products in sectors including baked goods, savory snacks, cookies and candy, a study published on Thursday showed. Here are some more details:

AI tools generated nearly $1 billion in extra costs, Blue Cross insurers say

AI tools are raising health spending ​for insurers by nearly $1 billion over two years, as providers bill for more severe patient care, according to a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association study released Thursday. Between 2024 and 2025, providers more frequently billed for secondary conditions, or those stemming from a separate illness from the ​one they were treating, driving costs up by $653 million for BCBS companies during that period. Overall, more intense care contributed $942 million in costs to BCBS firms over the two-year period, when compared to ‌2023, the study added.

Scientists ​map gene activity in brain's prefrontal cortex

Scientists have created a detailed map of gene activity within a crucial part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, gaining insight into normal development and major brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. In nine separate studies, the researchers examined changes in individual types of brain cells that occur over time and made progress toward deciphering molecular processes that underlie some of the most devastating brain disorders, a step toward possible new treatments.

US FDA approves Lilly's once-weekly insulin injection for type 2 diabetes

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Eli Lilly's once-weekly basal insulin, Onswik, for adults with type 2 diabetes, the drugmaker said on Thursday, offering patients an alternative to daily long-acting insulin injections. Here are some details:

Americans navigate 'wild West' of health insurance options after dropping Obamacare plans

When Stacy Cox, a self-employed photographer in Kanab, Utah, dropped her Obamacare health insurance plan this year, routine preventive care became a ‌financial dilemma. Now she finds herself weighing $1,200 for a mammogram against survival of her business. "It's scary," the 49-year-old Cox told Reuters. "Every month we come to the table and we have a discussion. Is it time to close a business? Is it time to seek employment somewhere in the hopes of gaining health insurance?"

Nanexa shares soar on €1.17 billion Novo Nordisk deal for injection technology

Shares in Swedish drug-delivery company Nanexa more than doubled their value in early Friday trading after it signed a global licensing deal with Novo Nordisk worth up to about €1.17 billion ($1.33 billion). The agreement, announced after the market closed on Thursday, covers long-acting injectable drugs for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases.

Child malnutrition rises in Yemen as fighting intensifies, says UNICEF

The United Nations children's agency reported on Friday a rise in acute malnutrition among children in Yemen, including in the most severe cases, as fighting disrupts access to healthcare and treatment centres. “We're very concerned about a very visible increase in acute malnutrition among children,” UNICEF’s Country Representative in Yemen, Akhil Iyer, told reporters in Geneva via video link from Aden.

Fifth candidate enters race to lead WHO as nominations close

A fifth candidate has entered the race to lead the World Health Organization, the agency's website showed as the deadline for nominees closed overnight. Spain's Maria Neira joined the competition on the last ‌day for submissions on September 24, the WHO website showed.

Moving target: Congo's North Kivu province becomes new Ebola hotspot

All 29 beds were full this week at the Kitatumba Ebola treatment centre in Congos North Kivu province, where surging cases have overwhelmed health facilities even as the deadly virus shows signs of easing elsewhere. In one room, a critically ill patient lay on oxygen support, crying out as medical staff in masks, gloves and plastic aprons rushed past him at the centre in Butembo, a city of 2 million people.

Roche, Atavistik Bio sign drug-discovery deal worth up to $2 billion

Atavistik Bio said on Thursday ‌it has signed a deal with Swiss drugmaker Roche potentially worth nearly $2 billion, including milestone payments, to develop oral treatments for cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic diseases. Here are some details:

MercadoLibre launches deliveries within an hour, expands pharmacy business in Brazil

MercadoLibre launched product deliveries within an hour in Brazil, starting in the city of Sao Paulo, Fernando Yunes, the firm's executive vice president of commerce, said on Thursday. The Latin American e-commerce and fintech company also will expand its pharmacy business in the country, with its own pharmacy in Sao Paulo beginning to sell prescription products this month, Yunes said at a company event.

Anthropic says Claude AI helped discover novel enzyme system

Anthropic on Wednesday said its Claude model helped discover a novel enzyme system with properties reminiscent of mechanisms in gene-editing technology CRISPR, marking the first result from the AI startup's biology research efforts. The finding comes days after Reuters reported Anthropic had quietly established a wet lab in the San Francisco Bay Area, as the company expands its ambitions in life sciences and drug-related research beyond purely computer-based work.

Health Rounds: Genetic discovery yields clues toward reversal of Alzheimer's brain damage

Today we highlight a discovery with potentially important implications for future Alzheimer's research and treatments. We also report on an experimental Gilead therapy showing great promise against a difficult-to-treat form of blood cancer, and an interesting new method for studying cells linked to age-related disorders. EFFECTS OF ALZHEIMER’S GENE MIGHT BE REVERSIBLE

FDA nominee Overton says all US vaccines safe as senators press on shots, abortion, vaping

Dr. Heidi Overton, US President Donald Trump's pick to lead the embattled FDA, told senators on Thursday ⁠that all US vaccines are safe and ​effective, as the health committee's Republican chairman pressed her during a contentious confirmation hearing. US Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana asked Overton to affirm the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella ⁠vaccine and to keep politics out of agency decisions.

Acadia's Alzheimer's psychosis drug misses main goal of mid-stage study

Acadia Pharmaceuticals said on Thursday its experimental drug for psychosis associated with Alzheimer's disease missed the main goal of a mid-stage study, sending the drugmaker's shares down about 11%. Patients receiving a 60-milligram once-daily dose of remlifanserin showed greater improvement than those on placebo in reducing hallucinations and delusions, but the difference was not enough for the study to meet its main goal.

City Therapeutics files for US IPO as biotech listings surge

City Therapeutics filed for a US initial public offering on Thursday, joining a rush of biotech firms lining up to tap the fall IPO window. Biotech has been one of the key themes of the IPO market this year amid renewed investor ⁠interest in the industry, although fall listings have struggled to gain momentum as surging bond yields, a tightening rate environment and concerns around the AI trade weigh on risk appetite.

First US trial against TikTok to test claims platform fueled teen mental health crisis

An Alabama jury will hear the state's claims that TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance made the platform addictive to young users and misled consumers about its safety, in the first case against the company to reach trial in the sweeping litigation over social media's impact on teen wellbeing. The trial, which is scheduled to kick off Monday in Montgomery state court and expected to last two to three weeks, could provide a rare look inside TikTok, which has ​settled prior cases selected for trial and sought to keep details of its operations from public view.

India orders crackdown on nicotine pouches, citing health risks, letter shows

India's government has ordered states to crack down on the sale of nicotine pouches, which it considers a major health risk, saying globally popular brands are being widely sold illegally in the country, a letter from the health ministry shows. Nicotine pouches have emerged as one of Big Tobacco's most important bets on a future beyond cigarettes, offering rapid growth, attractive margins and, for now, lighter regulation than many rival smoking ⁠alternatives.

US CDC confirms first measles-related death of 2026, does not disclose state

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there was one US measles-related death on its website on Wednesday, weeks after Pennsylvania health officials reported the first two of four measles-associated deaths in its state. The CDC had not confirmed those deaths and raised questions about whether they were due to measles. The US has had 3,471 measles cases this year as of September 17, according to the agency.

Pope Leo voices alarm on assisted dying laws in France

Pope Leo firmly reiterated the Catholic Church's opposition to assisted dying initiatives on Friday during his visit to France, two months the country created a legal right to die for those with incurable illnesses after years of intense debate. The first US pope did not specifically mention ⁠France's new law, ​which drew heated opposition from local Catholic bishops, but criticized what he called "profit-driven ventures" such as surrogacy and assisted dying laws in a speech at the Elysee.

China's InnoCare, Eli Lilly sign collaboration deal worth up to $3.35 billion

Chinese drugmaker InnoCare Pharma said on Thursday it had entered into a research collaboration and licensing agreement with Eli Lilly worth up to about $3.35 billion. Here are some more details:

Pope Leo voices alarm on assisted dying laws in France

Pope Leo firmly set out the Catholic Church's opposition to assisted dying initiatives in a speech in France on Friday, two months after the country created a legal right to die for those with incurable illnesses after years of intense debate. The first US pope did not specifically mention France's new law, which drew heated opposition from local Catholic bishops, but criticized assisted dying alongside surrogacy and genetic manipulation, which he suggested could be promoted for profit.

India takes battle against junk food to shops near schools

India is moving closer to new regulations to restrict the sale of foods high in fat and sugar within a 50-metre radius of schools, the latest proposal to cut the consumption of junk food in a country battling growing rates of obesity, especially among children. The rule would impact family-run stores, restaurants and food stands selling ⁠everything from sugary soft drinks and salty chips to greasy samosas and fatty pizzas or burgers close to India's 1.5 million schools.

Grifols says Canada plasma license suspension has no impact on ongoing operations

Spanish drugmaker Grifols said Health Canada's decision to suspend its license to collect plasma at its Taylor Avenue facility in Winnipeg had no impact on ongoing operations. Health Canada officially suspended the facility's license to collect the blood component after the regulator expressed concerns about its quality management system following a donor's death last year, Canada's Globe and Mail reported on Wednesday.

Merck's drug for diabetes-related eye disease ⁠meets trial goal

Merck said on Thursday its injectable drug for a serious eye disease affecting people with diabetes was as effective as the current standard treatment in improving visual sharpness in ⁠a clinical trial. In the 52-week study with 984 diabetic macular edema patients, the experimental treatment, remigromig, was non-inferior to Roche's ranibizumab for mean change from baseline in a test measuring vision while using proper corrective lenses.

US eases screwworm ban on Mexican cattle, but beef prices unlikely to budge

The United States plans to reopen the biggest port for livestock inspections along the US-Mexican border on Thursday, expanding America's cattle supplies but not slashing record-high beef prices, government and industry officials said. The US Department of Agriculture said last week it will resume livestock trade at a port in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, after blocking imports from Mexico last year in an attempt to keep out New World screwworm.

ADARx Pharmaceuticals raises $446.3 million in upsized US IPO

ADARx Pharmaceuticals said on Thursday it had raised $446.3 million in an upsized US initial public offering, reflecting growing investor appetite for biotech listings. The San Diego-based drug developer sold 26.3 million shares at $17 apiece, the top end of its ‌marketed range, up from its earlier plan to sell 21.9 million shares.

Malaysia's IHH's unit appeals Tokyo court's rejection ‌of Daiichi Sankyo damages claim

Malaysia's IHH Healthcare said on Thursday its subsidiary has appealed a Tokyo court's dismissal of its damages claim against Daiichi Sankyo over the unit's acquisition of a stake in India's Fortis Healthcare. On September 10, the court dismissed the claims of Northern TK Venture (NTK), and ruled that IHH's unit shall bear the ​litigation costs. NTK had filed a petition in May 2025 seeking to revise damages from Daiichi Sankyo to up to 109.3 billion Indian rupees ($1.14 billion).