Reuters Health News Summary


Reuters | Updated: 07-03-2019 18:28 IST | Created: 07-03-2019 18:28 IST
Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. FDA finds asbestos in three Claire's cosmetics products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration called on Congress to modernize rules for cosmetics safety on Tuesday after it issued an alert warning consumers not to use three cosmetics products sold by Claire's Stores Inc because they tested positive for asbestos, a known carcinogen. The FDA said it would work with Congress to update the regulatory framework that the agency has been operating under for more than 80 years for cosmetics. It said there are currently no legal requirements for any cosmetic manufacturer selling goods to American consumers to test their products for safety. U.S. FDA chief tough on e-cigarettes steps down abruptly

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said on Tuesday that he plans to step down next month, a sudden resignation that calls into question how the agency will handle issues such as surging e-cigarette use among teens and efforts to increase competition in prescription drugs. Gottlieb was well regarded by public health advocates and won bipartisan support for his efforts to curb use of flavored e-cigarettes by youths, speed approval times for cheap generic medicines to increase competition and bring down drug prices, and boost the use of cheaper versions of expensive biotech medicines called biosimilars. China reports new African swine fever outbreak in Guangxi region

China on Thursday confirmed a new outbreak of African swine fever in the Guangxi Autonomous Region, in the country's south, as the highly contagious disease spreads through the world's largest hog herd. The outbreak in the city of Guigang killed 20 animals on a farm of 3,172 pigs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on its website. J&J prices ketamine-like depression treatment at $590-$885 for two doses

Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday its nasal spray depression treatment, called Spravato, will be priced at $590 for a 56 mg dose and $885 for 84 mg. During the induction phase of the therapy, which lasts for a month, patients will be treated twice a week with either dose, resulting in a wholesale acquisition cost or list price in the range of $4,720 to $6,785, Janssen spokesman Greg Panico said in an email statement. Allergan depression treatment fails studies, shares slip

Allergan Plc said on Wednesday its experimental add-on treatment for depression failed three late-stage studies, casting doubts over its drugs pipeline and sending the Botox-maker's shares down nearly 4 percent after the bell. The failure comes as the company faces increasing pressure from activist shareholders such as billionaire hedge fund manager David Tepper, who has urged the drugmaker to consider selling itself. EU food agency must release glyphosate studies: court

The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) must disclose details of studies on the toxicity and carcinogenic properties of glyphosate, EU judges ruled on Thursday, cheering campaigners who want the weedkiller banned. In a statement, the European Court of Justice's General Court said the public interest in accessing the information related not only to knowing what is or could be released into the environment, but to understanding the impact of those emissions. WHO chief unveils reforms, with more science, apps and an academy

The World Health Organization unveiled a landmark reform on Wednesday that targets billions of people around the globe and puts a stress on primary care for all rather than "moonshot" projects like eradicating diseases. The reform firmly reshapes the Geneva-based U.N. health agency with the manifesto of its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian who is the first African in the job. He was elected in 2017 promising to focus on "universal health coverage" (UHC). Battle against Ebola being lost amid militarized response, MSF says

The battle against Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo is failing because ordinary people do not trust health workers and an overly militarized response is alienating patients and families, the medical charity MSF said on Thursday. Last week Medecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) suspended medical activities at the focal point of the epidemic after two of its facilities were torched by unidentified assailants. World's second man cleared of AIDS virus invigorates quest for cure

Scientific investigation into the world's second man cleared of the AIDS virus is zooming in on a gene and a treatment side-effect, as newly-enthused researchers strive to find a cure for the disease that has killed millions. Known as the "London Patient", the man had HIV and a type of blood cancer called Hodgkin's lymphoma. He responded successfully to a bone marrow transplant from a donor with rare genetic resistance to HIV infection. U.S. bolsters 'Beagle Brigade' to sniff out deadly hog virus

The U.S. government will employ more dogs to sniff out illegal pork products at airports and seaports in an effort to keep out a contagious hog disease that has spread across Asia and Europe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. The disease, African swine fever, can kill hogs in just two days, but is not harmful to people. China, home to the world's largest hog herd, has reported more than 100 cases of the disease in 27 provinces and regions since August. Efforts to contain the fever have disrupted Chinese pork supplies.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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