Health News Roundup: 'Fluoro Friday' in Sydney; U.S. measles vaccine production increased

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Sydneysiders find their happy place catching a wave on 'Fluoro Friday'

The sun is rising over Sydney's Bondi Beach and surfer Grant Trebilco, clad in a colorful striped long-sleeved shirt and bright yellow shorts with black polka dots, has just caught his first wave. Whether he catches one wave or a hundred, this salt water therapy, as Trebilco calls it, is where he finds his happy place.

Merck steps up U.S. measles vaccine production with increased demand

Merck & Co said on Wednesday it has increased production of the measles vaccine to meet an uptick in demand in the United States in the midst of the country's biggest outbreak in 25 years. Merck, the sole U.S. supplier of measles vaccines, said the increased demand was noticeable, but did not amount to a surge, and has not required a significant increase in distribution across the country.

U.S. environment agency says glyphosate weed killer is not a carcinogen

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Tuesday that glyphosate, a chemical in many popular weed killers, is not a carcinogen, contradicting decisions by U.S. juries that found it caused cancer in people. The EPA's announcement reaffirms its earlier findings about the safety of glyphosate, the key ingredient in Bayer's Roundup. The company faces thousands of lawsuits from Roundup users who allege it caused their cancer.

Alternative medicine practitioners may market bogus celiac tests, treatments

Looking online for alternative medicine providers to diagnose or treat celiac disease is a bad idea because many websites market unproven or ineffective tests and treatments, researchers say. "We know that complementary and alternative medicine is widespread, and people seek out acupuncture, homeopathy and naturopathy for a variety of reasons, and we also know that avoidance of gluten and the popularity of the gluten-free diet has exploded in recent years, far out of proportion to the prevalence of celiac disease," said senior study author Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl, director of clinical research at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York City.

Patients' drug costs surge for some neurologic conditions

Many patients with neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson's diseases have seen steep increases in their out-of-pocket costs for drugs in recent years, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on out-of-pocket drug costs from 2004 to 2016 for more than 912,000 people with private health insurance who had multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, epilepsy, dementia or Parkinson's disease.

The Caribbean nation of St. Lucia quarantines cruise ship over measles case

The Caribbean nation of St. Lucia has imposed a quarantine on a visiting cruise ship, barring any passengers or crew from leaving the boat while in port, after a case of measles was diagnosed on board, the island's chief medical officer said. Dr Merlene Frederick-James said in a video statement posted to YouTube on Tuesday that the St. Lucia Ministry of Health ordered the restriction after conferring with the Pan American Health Organization and others about the risk of exposure to islanders.

Paediatricians explain viral 'croup' that often affects young children

Croup, a common upper respiratory tract infection in young children under age 6, can become severe and require hospitalization, doctors say in a new patient resource published in JAMA. Best known for the distinctive hoarse cough it produces, croup is caused by a virus and is typically contagious during the first few days of the infection. Its spread can be prevented through good hand hygiene and good cough hygiene, the authors write.

Sanofi wins U.S. approval to sell dengue vaccine but with major restrictions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday gave Sanofi SA's dengue vaccine Dengvaxia a very narrow approval as the company continues to suffer from the evidence that its vaccine, which took 20 years to develop, can cause severe infections in some people. The FDA says the drug may only be given to people aged 9 through 16 who have laboratory-confirmation of previous dengue infection and live in areas where the disease is prevalent, such as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Teens with chronic pain may find support on YouTube

Teens with painful chronic illnesses may find that YouTube can provide a support network, a new study suggests. Comments on YouTube videos directed at youth with chronic pain were supportive and encouraging, researchers found. And the information was generally reliable.

Medication use drops when local drugstores close

People are less likely to take their heart medicine when their local pharmacies close, and the drop-off persists for at least a year, according to a U.S. study. The effect is especially noticeable in neighbourhoods with fewer pharmacies, including rural and lower-income areas, and when the local pharmacy was not part of a chain or network, the study authors note in JAMA Network Open.