Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Resurgent health insurer stocks face test at Democratic debates

Shares of U.S. health insurers that have rebounded in the past two months could come under pressure this week as Democrats square off in their first presidential debates, with healthcare policy reform potentially high on the agenda. Support for government-run "Medicare for All" plans from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and other left-leaning politicians and candidates shook the stocks earlier this year, and has contributed to the overall sector's underperformance, despite the recent recovery. Glyphosate use will eventually end, Merkel says

Use of Bayer's contested weedkiller glyphosate, the subject of more than 10,000 lawsuits in the U.S. over claims it causes cancer, will eventually die out, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the country's lower house on Wednesday. Merkel's view is seemingly at odds with that of Bayer, which acquired the pesticide along with its takeover of U.S. seed maker Monsanto, which earlier this month said it saw a future for the product. Study shows major real-world impact of cervical cancer vaccines

Vaccination against the virus that causes almost all cervical cancer is having a major impact on stopping infections and should significantly reduce cases of the disease within a decade, researchers said on Wednesday. Presenting results of an international analysis covering 60 million people in high-income countries, scientists from Britain and Canada said they found "strong evidence" that vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) works "to prevent cervical cancer in real-world settings". Vets with PTSD at increased risk of death from suicide, accidents

U.S. veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more likely than typical Americans to die of causes including suicide and accidental injuries, a recent study suggests. PTSD has previously been linked to increased risk for chronic health problems like heart disease, diabetes and immune disorders as well as a greater risk of premature death, researchers note in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. But studies to date haven't offered a clear picture of what causes might be driving higher mortality rates among veterans with PTSD. Chemical in soaps, hand sanitizers tied to osteoporosis

Women exposed to triclosan, a chemical often found in soaps and hand sanitizers, may be more likely to develop osteoporosis than women who don't have this exposure, a new study suggests. Triclosan has been widely used for years as an antimicrobial agent in consumer goods and personal care products including soaps, hand sanitizers, toothpaste and mouthwash, researchers note in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Fate of opioid litigation hinges on government 'police power'

The fate of thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold drugmakers responsible for fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic hinges in part on a thorny legal question: Can a company use a bankruptcy to stop lawsuits from cities and states? U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross is expected in July to decide whether to halt more than 160 active lawsuits brought by state attorneys general, cities and counties against opioid manufacturer Insys Therapeutics Inc. When it filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware earlier this month, Insys requested the cases be paused. Switzerland aims to legalise medical marijuana

The Swiss government aims to make it easier for patients to get medical marijuana, proposing on Wednesday to allow prescriptions for cannabis to treat people suffering from cancer or other serious conditions. The proposal, separate from a Swiss government push to allow some cities to experiment with recreational marijuana, would replace the current system, in which those seeking medical cannabis must apply for an exception from the Federal Health Office to get what is otherwise an illegal drug. U.S. states unsure how to halt online sales of abortion pills amid clinic crackdown

American women faced with new restrictions on abortions passed by a dozen U.S. states this year are turning to abortion pills from foreign online suppliers, and the states say there is little they can do to stop it. In the year before many of these new restrictions passed Republican-controlled state legislatures, over 20,000 U.S. women sought the pills online from providers willing to defy U.S. federal rules over sale of the drugs that induce miscarriage. FDA approves expanded label for Regeneron/Sanofi's Dupixent

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA's drug Dupixent to treat nasal polyps, marking the third major use for the injectable medicine. The expanded label, which could significantly boost annual sales, is for use with other medicines to treat patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, the companies said in a joint statement. Democrats clash on healthcare, border in scrappy first U.S. presidential debate

Democratic presidential contenders battled over healthcare coverage and border policy on Wednesday during a surprisingly heated first debate that laid bare the party's divisions on whether to abolish private insurance and shift to a Medicare-for-All system. In the first round of back-to-back debates, several of the lesser-known candidates vied for attention in the crowded race to take on President Donald Trump, shouting over one another to grab the spotlight and prove they are capable of standing up to the Republican in the November 2020 election.