Health News Roundup: Pfizer to cut stake in Sensodyne toothpaste-maker Haleon to 24%; Reckitt says many cases filed against baby formula makers and more

An Illinois jury last week ordered Reckitt unit Mead Johnson to pay $60 million to the mother of a premature baby who died of an intestinal disease after being fed the company's Enfamil baby formula. AstraZeneca to cap US out-of-pocket costs for inhalers at $35 per month AstraZeneca said on Monday it would cap out-of-pocket costs for its inhaled respiratory products at $35 per month in the United States, starting June, following a similar move by rival Boehringer Ingelheim earlier this month.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Biden pushes for expansion in women's health research

President Joe Biden will issue an executive order on Monday expanding U.S. government research on women's health, while spending $200 million next year to better understand issues including sexual and reproductive conditions. Biden is also ordering his administration to report on progress they are making to erase gender gaps in research and to study how to use artificial intelligence to improve women's health research, according to an administration document summarizing the order.

Pfizer to cut stake in Sensodyne toothpaste-maker Haleon to 24%

Consumer healthcare firm Haleon said on Monday that U.S. drugmaker Pfizer, its top shareholder, will sell down its stake in the company to about 24%. Pfizer, which currently holds a 32% stake in Haleon, said last year it planned to cut its ownership in a "slow and methodical" manner within months.

Reckitt says many cases filed against baby formula makers

Reckitt said on Monday that many cases had been filed against baby formula makers in general, and it was unclear how many directly related to its unit's Enfamil product. An Illinois jury last week ordered Reckitt unit Mead Johnson to pay $60 million to the mother of a premature baby who died of an intestinal disease after being fed the company's Enfamil baby formula.

AstraZeneca to cap US out-of-pocket costs for inhalers at $35 per month

AstraZeneca said on Monday it would cap out-of-pocket costs for its inhaled respiratory products at $35 per month in the United States, starting June, following a similar move by rival Boehringer Ingelheim earlier this month. The cap would apply to all its respiratory products portfolio, including inhalers to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), AstraZeneca said.

(With inputs from agencies.)