Health News Roundup: Social media could harm youth mental health, U.S. Surgeon General warns; WHO 'overstretched' in response to increasing health emergencies and more

WADA told Reuters it had been approached by the GEF about developing a plan around health and wellness which could alert gamers, who spend hours and even days behind screens, to the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs. U.S. asks court to dismiss ruling against travel mask directive The Justice Department on Tuesday asked an appeals court panel to vacate an April 2021 ruling that had declared unlawful a government order requiring masks on airplanes and other transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the issue was now moot because the national emergency was now over.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Social media could harm youth mental health, U.S. Surgeon General warns

Social media can profoundly harm the mental health of youth, particularly adolescent girls, the U.S. Surgeon General warned in an advisory on Tuesday, and he called for safeguards from tech companies for children who are at critical stages of brain development. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that while social media offers some benefits, there are "ample indicators that social media could also harm children's well-being."

WHO 'overstretched' in response to increasing health emergencies

A growing number of health emergencies around the world, from COVID-19 to cholera, have left the World Health Organization's response "overstretched", a senior advisor said on Tuesday. Speaking at the U.N. agency's annual meeting, Professor Walid Ammar, chair of a committee reviewing the WHO's emergency response, said funding and staffing gaps were widening in the face of ever-increasing demands.

Abortion pill maker seeks to keep challenge to W. Va. abortion ban alive

Lawyers for abortion pill maker GenBioPro Inc on Tuesday urged a West Virginia federal judge to allow them to proceed with their challenge to the state's near-total abortion ban, claiming it is invalid because it interferes with the federal government's approval of mifepristone. U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers at a hearing in Huntington, West Virginia at times seemed skeptical of claims by the state's lawyer, Jennifer Scragg Karr, that West Virginia has the power to regulate potentially dangerous drugs beyond what is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Britain plugs nursing gaps with international staff amid WHO concern

Britain recruited a record number of international nurses in the last financial year to plug hospital staffing shortages, with as many as 10% coming from so-called "red-list" countries where health staff should not be actively recruited. Britain has long hired from abroad to staff its state-run National Health Service (NHS), and its vote to leave the European Union in 2016 meant the number of EU staff has dropped sharply in recent years.

Exclusive-Doping-Education first but drug-testing in gamers' future, says WADA

Gamers who use stimulants could be frozen out of competitions after the World Anti-Doping Agency and Global Esport Federation said they will work on an education programme that could lead to signing onto the WADA Code and open the door to the Olympics. WADA told Reuters it had been approached by the GEF about developing a plan around health and wellness which could alert gamers, who spend hours and even days behind screens, to the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.

U.S. asks court to dismiss ruling against travel mask directive

The Justice Department on Tuesday asked an appeals court panel to vacate an April 2021 ruling that had declared unlawful a government order requiring masks on airplanes and other transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the issue was now moot because the national emergency was now over. In January, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in January heard arguments on the government's appeal of a U.S. district court's ruling that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lacked legal authority to issue a nationwide travel mask mandate to combat COVID-19.

Rich nations must do more to fight pandemics -WHO draft treaty

Richer countries should be asked to better pull their weight in helping the world cope with pandemics, according to a new draft of a treaty being negotiated at the World Health Organization. Countries with more "capacities and resources" should bear a "commensurate degree" of responsibility for preparing for and responding to global health threats, the document, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, suggests.

U.S. proposes new rule to increase transparency of prescription drug costs for Medicaid

The U.S. health department on Tuesday proposed a rule aimed at cutting costs of prescription drugs for the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor by increasing transparency around how much those drugs actually cost. The proposed rule would also hold drugmakers accountable for providing the correct discounts to the state-based Medicaid plans for drugs.

South Carolina lawmakers pass six-week abortion ban, send to governor

South Carolina lawmakers on Tuesday passed a ban on most abortions after fetal cardiac activity begins, around six weeks.

The hotly contested bill, which Republican Governor Henry McMaster is expected to sign, passed mostly along party lines, with the notable exception of the state senate's five women members, who opposed it.

Abbott, other formula makers face FTC investigation for collusion - WSJ

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether baby-formula makers colluded on bids for attractive state contracts, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The FTC said it is looking into whether Abbott Laboratories and other formula manufacturers have "engaged in collusion or coordination with any other market participant regarding the bidding" for state contracts, the report said, citing documents posted to FTC's website.

(With inputs from agencies.)