Reuters Health News Summary

Federal lawmakers urged the Biden administration to further contain the virus' spread as tests showed one in five U.S. commercial milk samples contained remnants of the virus, suggesting the outbreak is more widespread than previously thought. Biden administration delays plan to ban menthol cigarettes The Biden administration on Friday delayed its plan to ban menthol cigarettes, a move that reflected the potential for a political backlash from Black voters in an election year.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

US tests show pasteurized milk safe as bird flu spreads to Colorado

Additional tests of milk showed that pasteurization killed the bird flu virus, federal health officials said on Friday, as Colorado became the ninth U.S. state to report an infected dairy herd. Federal lawmakers urged the Biden administration to further contain the virus' spread as tests showed one in five U.S. commercial milk samples contained remnants of the virus, suggesting the outbreak is more widespread than previously thought.

Biden administration delays plan to ban menthol cigarettes

The Biden administration on Friday delayed its plan to ban menthol cigarettes, a move that reflected the potential for a political backlash from Black voters in an election year. For decades, menthol cigarettes have been in the crosshairs of anti-smoking groups who argue that they contribute to disproportionate health burdens on Black communities and play a role in luring young people into smoking.

Wiping out polio 'not guaranteed', support needed, Bill Gates says

Success in the fight to wipe out polio is not guaranteed, according to tech billionaire turned philanthropist Bill Gates, whose foundation has poured billions into the effort. Gates warned against complacency in tackling the deadly viral disease as he welcomed a $500 million pledge from Saudi Arabia on Sunday to fight polio over the next five years, bringing it in line with the U.S. as one of the biggest national donors.

Ex-McKinsey partner sues firm, claims he was made opioids 'scapegoat'

A former McKinsey & Co partner sued the global consulting firm on Friday and accused it of defaming him and making him a "scapegoat" to distract attention from its work advising OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and other manufacturers of opioid pain medications. Arnab Ghatak, who was fired in 2021, filed the lawsuit in New York state court just two days after Reuters and others reported that the U.S. Department of Justice was conducting a criminal investigation of McKinsey's role in the U.S. opioid epidemic.

Drugmaker AbbVie expects Humira volume erosion to worsen

AbbVie expects a drop in sales volumes of its blockbuster arthritis drug Humira to deepen after recent changes by U.S. pharmacy benefit managers and as patients shift to other drugs. Its shares were down nearly 5% in afternoon trade on Friday, after the company forecast U.S. Humira sales would fall 32% in the second quarter.

US food regulator gathering information on Indian spices after alleged contamination

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is gathering information on products of Indian spice makers MDH and Everest after Hong Kong halted sales of some of their products for allegedly containing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide. "The FDA is aware of the reports and is gathering additional information about the situation," an FDA spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.

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