Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Wisconsin reports second child death linked to measles outbreak

Wisconsin health officials on Friday reported the death of a second child linked to an ongoing measles outbreak in the state.

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.

Novo's haemophilia ​drug gets EU approval

Novo Nordisk said on Friday the European Commission has granted approval for its treatment to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in ‌adults and children with haemophilia ​A, a rare blood disorder. Here are more details:

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.

Novo Holdings-backed Windward Bio valued at $1 billion as shares rise in Nasdaq debut

Novo Holdings-backed Windward Bio was valued at $1.07 billion after its shares opened above their IPO price in their Nasdaq debut on Friday. Shares opened at $18.35 after the Basel, Switzerland-based company priced its IPO at $17 per share within its marketed range of $16 to $18, raising $175 million.

Six-year-old Gaza burn victim caught in Israeli ‌dispute over aid

The excruciating burns run around the side of Masa Yassin's tiny face, behind her ear, over her scalp and down her neck. Since her family's tent burst into flames when a nearby cooking gas tank exploded in July, part of the 6-year-old girl's treatment has been a clear plastic 3D-printed mask, which helps manage swelling and control the scars on her face.

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.

US measles cases rise to 5,412, CDC says

The US CDC on Friday reported 5,412 measles cases in the country as of November 12, up by 230 from the previous update, as the country battles its worst outbreak of the viral infection in decades. Here are key details:

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.

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.

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.

Pennsylvania reports seventh measles-linked death as cases rise

Pennsylvania health officials on Friday reported the state's seventh measles-associated death this year as the worst outbreak in decades spreads across the US. Pennsylvania, the epicenter of the outbreak, has recorded 1,542 confirmed cases as of November 13, including 305 hospitalizations, the state health department said.

Nigeria ends 21-day Ebola contact monitoring with no secondary transmission

Nigeria has completed the 21-day monitoring period for all 62 contacts linked to the country's reported Ebola case with none of them falling ill, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said on Friday. Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20 ⁠in a Swiss woman who had travelled to Uganda and then returned to Nigeria. She and her husband were evacuated to Switzerland where she recovered fully and has been discharged from hospital.

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.

EU panel ​backs AstraZeneca hypertension drug baxdrostat

AstraZeneca said on Friday a European medicines committee had backed its hypertension pill baxdrostat, branded as Baxfendy, for marketing authorisation, potentially making it the first drug of its class to reach patients in the European Union. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, recommended baxdrostat for adults whose hypertension is insufficiently controlled by at least two medicines

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"

AstraZeneca cuts 600 sales jobs in US, Bloomberg News reports

AstraZeneca has cut about 600 jobs from its respiratory and immunology commercial teams in the US as part of its three-year cost-savings initiative, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The cuts follow the UK-based drugmaker's late-October announcement that it planned to save about $1.5 ⁠billion ​annually and reinvest in its drug pipeline.

Novo Holdings-backed Windward Bio raises $175 million in US IPO

Novo Holdings-backed Windward Bio said on Thursday it had raised $175 million in its US initial public offering after selling about 10.3 million shares at $17 apiece. The IPO price was within its marketed range of $16 to $18.

Health Rounds: Blood-brain barrier discovery could lead to new Alzheimer's disease approach

Today we feature an exciting discovery about how the blood-brain barrier allows beneficial proteins to reach the brain, which could lead to new therapeutic approaches. We also cover a small trial that could be very good news for people with diabetic foot ulcers that won't heal, and a cautionary study for pregnant women who may be exposed to wildfire smoke. THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER IS ACTUALLY A FILTER

Bavarian Nordic beats Q3 revenue expectations on travel health strength

Danish vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic reported better-than-expected third-quarter revenue on Friday, boosted by a continued strong performance in its travel health business. CFO Henrik Juuel told Reuters Bavarian does not see any signs that the market for the rabies vaccine - one of its biggest revenue drivers - will decline anytime soon.

Bavarian Nordic beats Q3 revenue expectations

Danish vaccine maker Bavarian ⁠Nordic reported higher than expected revenue for the third quarter on Friday, boosted by a continued strong performance in its travel health business. Bavarian's outlook increasingly hinges on whether strong rabies demand proves durable and whether newer products such as Vimkunya can offset volatility in the preparedness-vaccine business.

US CDC confirms six measles-related deaths in 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed six measles-related deaths in the US this year, according to the agency's website on Thursday, as the country grapples with its worst resurgence of the virus in ⁠decades. The updated figure doubles the death toll recorded in 2025 and underscores the continuing spread of the highly contagious viral disease, which was declared eliminated in the ⁠United States in 2000.

Respiratory illnesses rise in Gaza with worst to come as winter floods arrive, WHO says

The World Health Organization warned on Friday of surging respiratory illnesses in Gaza, with worse expected after heavy rains flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians. “The numbers already show the pressure. Acute respiratory infections are 33,000 cases higher than at the same time last year,” Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told reporters in Geneva from Jerusalem.

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.