Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Exclusive-Pfizer to stop selling Premarin hormone therapy in Canada

Pfizer will no longer sell its hormone replacement therapy Premarin, which has been available as a vaginal cream and three strengths of oral tablets, in Canada following an internal review. Premarin vaginal cream, used to treat symptoms of menopause, has been in shortage in Canada since June and no further batches will be supplied, Pfizer Canada confirmed ​to Reuters on Thursday.

Amgen's Sjogren's drug cuts disease activity in trial

Amgen said on Wednesday a detailed late-stage trial data showed its experimental drug for the Sjogren's disease significantly reduced disease activity in patients. This builds on the initial results reported by the company in September for the ​drug, dazodalibep

Chinese traditional medicine firm Neautus ends 72% higher in Hong Kong debut

Shares of Sichuan Neautus Traditional Chinese Medicine closed 71.6% higher in their Hong Kong market debut on Wednesday after the ‌company raised HK$262 million ($33.4 ​million) in an initial public offering. The shares of the Chinese traditional medicine manufacturer opened at HK$51.3, up 27.6% from their HK$40.20 offer price, and hit a high of HK$88.1

Cellular atlas created for the basal ganglia, a key brain region

Scientists have assembled a cellular atlas of a crucial brain region called the basal ganglia involved in functions such as movement, decision making, emotions and habit formation — an accomplishment that could help guide new treatments for several devastating diseases. The researchers mapped the cell types and cellular gene activity in the basal ganglia, an interconnected set of structures deep within the brain, in humans as well as in mice and in macaque and marmoset monkeys. Basal ganglia dysfunction is associated with conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, schizophrenia, Tourette's syndrome, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction.

Five US states join FTC suit against Hims & Hers over privacy practices

Five US states have joined the Federal Trade Commission in a lawsuit that alleges telehealth ‌company Hims & Hers Health engaged in deceptive and unlawful privacy practices, the FTC said on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleges the company shared consumers' sensitive health information with third-party advertising platforms including Meta Platforms and Snap, despite claiming its services maintain consumers' privacy.

Hungary eases abortion rules in women's rights overhaul

Hungary's government will ease access to emergency contraception and roll back a controversial abortion rule as part of a broader package of women's rights reforms, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Thursday. The measures, which also include stronger protections for victims of abuse and ratification of an international treaty on violence against women, mark a sharp break with the policies of former premier Viktor Orban.

India's P&G Hygiene and Health profit drops as costs bite

Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care reported a 7% decline in quarterly profit on Thursday as the Indian consumer goods maker battled raw material and energy cost inflation brought on by the Middle East crisis. The fallout from the conflict has driven up energy and freight costs, raised commodity prices and strained supply chains, with corporates globally jacking up prices to counter the margin squeeze.

Belgian court sets aside Pfizer-linked seizure of Polish air traffic funds

A Belgian court has set aside an order that deprived the agency that runs Poland's air traffic control of fees equivalent to over 80% of its income after Pfizer sued Poland ‌for payment for COVID-19 vaccines. The seizure was made in connection with a Belgian court ruling in an ongoing dispute brought by Pfizer against Poland over €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) in payments

Analysis-Drugmakers tap China AI app boom to reach doctors as crackdown upends marketing

Drugmakers in China are seizing on a boom in digital assistants that has opened up a new — and potentially more efficient — way to connect with doctors after a sweeping graft crackdown disrupted traditional engagement channels. A wave of AI-powered apps similar to OpenEvidence — a sort of ChatGPT designed specifically for doctors, which is not available in China — has entered the market ‌this year from companies including online healthcare giants Alibaba Health and JD Health.

Zealand Pharma seeks partners for rare-disease assets as obesity focus grows

Danish biotech Zealand Pharma has resumed talks with potential partners for rare-disease drug glepaglutide as it focuses investment on its obesity pipeline, the company's finance chief told Reuters on Thursday. The renewed efforts follow a positive European regulatory recommendation in September, offering a potential route to market after US regulators rejected the drug in December 2024 and requested another clinical trial.

Attacks on health workers hamper Congo Ebola fight, Africa CDC warns

Attacks on health workers and facilities are increasingly hindering efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed more than 5,400 people, Africa's top public health agency said on Thursday. The incidents included four armed attacks, 16 assaults on responders and 11 health facilities that were burned or otherwise targeted, Africa CDC's Wessam Mankoula said at a press briefing on Thursday

Swiss woman with Ebola released from hospital, statement says

A Swiss woman who was treated for Ebola in Geneva after being medically evacuated from Nigeria has been released from hospital, according to a statement from the hospital sent to Reuters on Thursday. "After the medical team confirmed her full recovery, the cantonal physician authorized the patient being treated for Ebola virus disease to leave the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) on November 11, 2026," HUG stated.

American Cancer Society calls for routine prostate cancer screening in guideline change

Routine prostate cancer screening is now advised for many men, the American Cancer Society announced on Thursday in a major guideline change, saying it believes the possible benefits now outweigh potential harms ⁠given medical advances and accumulating evidence. Its previous ​guideline issued in 2010 advised men to decide whether to undergo screening after discussing possible advantages and disadvantages with healthcare providers.

Novo commits $200 million to the World Diabetes Foundation

Novo Nordisk ⁠said on Wednesday it will commit $200 million to the World Diabetes Foundation over 10 years starting 2027, supporting the organization's work to strengthen diabetes prevention and care in low- and middle-income countries. Here are some details:

Exclusive-US FDA shelves commissioner's voucher program for speedy drug reviews, sources say

The US Food and Drug Administration has shelved the fast-track drug review initiative launched during the Trump administration by former Commissioner Marty Makary, according to six sources familiar with the matter and internal documents. Launched in June 2025, the Commissioner's National Priority Voucher program aimed to slash drug review timelines to just one to two months for therapies addressing national priorities, such as urgent unmet health needs. However, critics pointed to possible preferential treatment for companies meeting demands of President Donald Trump, like offering drugs ⁠at lower prices.

Study suggests not all obesity means ill-health

Only between a quarter and a third of people currently diagnosed with obesity should be considered as in poor health, according to a new study that joins calls to overhaul how the condition is diagnosed. The study, published in Nature on Wednesday, follows a proposal last year from experts and medical organizations to move obesity diagnosis beyond just body mass index (BMI), based on a person’s weight and height, to include body fat and broader health.

Congo Ebola outbreak still out of control after six months, MSF says

Six months into Congo's Ebola outbreak, many cases are likely being missed, transmission in hospitals in some areas is rife and the virus is still spreading out of ​control, Médecins Sans Frontières said on Thursday. With the number of confirmed cases now surpassing 11,000, the outbreak — declared in mid-May and caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which there are no approved treatments or vaccines — is the second-worst on record.

Eli Lilly becomes first drugmaker to have a GLP-1 weight-loss pill approved in China

Eli Lilly on Thursday became the first drugmaker to win approval in China for a GLP-1 weight-loss pill, giving it an early advantage over Danish rival Novo Nordisk in the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. Until now, Chinese regulators had approved GLP-1 ⁠medications for weight management only in injectable form.

Pfizer secures up to $1.5 billion from Blackstone for obesity drug development

Pfizer said on Wednesday that Blackstone would provide up to $1.5 billion through 2028 to help fund the development of an experimental monthly obesity treatment the drugmaker picked up last year with its up to $10 billion acquisition of Metsera. In exchange for the funding, Blackstone will be eligible to receive milestone-based payments, but will not get any rights or ownership in the drug, berobenatide.

Health Canada warns after bacteria found in unauthorized peptides

Health Canada on Thursday warned consumers not to inject or consume unauthorized peptides after laboratory testing found bacterial contamination in one injectable peptide product seized from an Ottawa wellness store. The product was seized from Sage & Summit Wellness Co. in Ottawa after a consumer complaint alleged the store had been selling unauthorized ⁠peptides in-store ​and on its website. The business has agreed to stop selling the products through both channels.

Barrick furloughs some employees at Congo mine as Ebola precaution, memo says

Barrick Mining is furloughing some employees and subcontractors at its Kibali gold mine in Democratic Republic of Congo after officials reported two Ebola deaths in a nearby community, according to an internal company memo seen by Reuters on Thursday. The memo, signed by Acting General Manager Jean Marc Badibanga and dated Thursday, said the deaths had been confirmed by Congo's National Institute of Biomedical Research and that Barrick was working to confirm "whether there are any links to our workforce"

US to fund new research into psychedelic drug ibogaine for veterans with PTSD

The US government will spend up to $4.9 million to prepare for clinical trials of psychedelic drug ibogaine as a possible treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday.

President Donald Trump had allocated $50 million in April for research into ibogaine.

Kenya releases last Ebola patient, starts 42-day countdown to disease-free status

Kenya discharged its last Ebola patient on Wednesday, starting a 42-day countdown to when the country can be declared free of the disease, Health Minister Aden Duale said. Kenya has reported nine Ebola cases since early October, when a Kenyan man tested ⁠positive for the disease and died after arriving from Democratic Republic of Congo, where a large outbreak was declared in May

Indian billionaire, doctors spar over $900 brain blood-flow tracker Temple

A tiny, $900 wearable device being developed by an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and showcased by some of the country's top sportspersons has sparked criticism from doctors who say its claims of tracking blood flow to the brain are exaggerated. The Temple device is less than 1 inch (2.54 cm) wide and weighs under 2 grams (0.07 oz). It sticks to the side of the head between the forehead and the ear, or the temple ⁠area.

Swiss dental startup vVardis downsizes US IPO by more than 12%

Dental health company vVardis on Thursday cut the size of its US initial public offering by more than 12%, seeking ⁠to raise up to $200 million, as a tech stock selloff heightened market volatility. The Zug, Switzerland-based firm is offering 8.3 million shares priced between $21 and $24 each, down from its earlier plan to offer 9.5 million shares and raise up to $228.6 million.

Bristol Myers to merge scientific, clinical teams under new R&D structure

Bristol Myers Squibb said on Thursday it will combine its scientific and clinical expertise teams into an end-to-end research and development department under current Chief Medical Officer Cristian Massacesi, effective January 1, 2027. Current Chief Research Officer Robert Plenge will leave in March 2027 after the transition.

Takeda launches sleep disorder pill in the US after DEA clearance removes final hurdle

Takeda said on Thursday its narcolepsy pill, the first treatment to target the underlying cause of the rare sleep disorder, is now available in the US after a Drug Enforcement Administration decision removed the final regulatory hurdle for its rollout. The DEA has classified Orzeyful as a Schedule IV controlled substance, the ‌Japanese drugmaker said, a category considered to have a low potential for abuse and dependence. Schedule II drugs face ‌stricter controls and Schedule V drugs the least.

Aspen Pharmacare wins approval for generic semaglutide in Brazil, South Africa

South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare said on Wednesday it had received regulatory approval in Brazil and South Africa for its generic injectable semaglutide, paving the way for launches in two key emerging markets. Aspen is betting on generic ​versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Wegovy, to drive growth in emerging markets and selected international markets