Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Biogen leans on new Alzheimer’s drug to calm investor worries
Biogen Inc on Wednesday tried to assuage investor worries by laying out a plan for its Alzheimer’s disease drug being developed with Eisai Co Ltd and promising to draw lessons from the setbacks to its treatment Aduhelm. The new drug, lecanemab, is crucial for the growth of the drugmaker as it faces competition for several of its blockbuster drugs, including multiple sclerosis treatment Tecfidera.
WHO reports 14,000 cases of monkeypox globally, five deaths in Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 14,000 cases of monkeypox worldwide, with five deaths reported in Africa, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. Most of the cases reported thus far have been found in Europe, particularly among men who have sex with men, the WHO said, although all the deaths have occurred in Africa, the region where monkeypox outbreaks have historically been found.
Merck’s Keytruda fails head and neck cancer trial
Merck & Co Inc said on Wednesday its cancer therapy Keytruda failed to meet the main goal of a late-stage trial testing it in patients with head and neck cancer. The company said Keytruda, its blockbuster cancer drug, in combination with chemoraditation therapy showed improvement in event-free survival, or the period of time a patient remains free of complications compared to a placebo.
EU drops nearly all of its order for Valneva COVID vaccine
The European Commission has dropped nearly all of its order of 60 million doses of a new COVID-19 vaccine from French firm Valneva, the EU executive said on Wednesday, in a move that all but wipes out the shot’s value for the company. The EU agreed in November last year to buy the vaccine, with the first 27 million doses to be delivered this year, but the vaccine received approval only last month after protracted delays. European countries are now well supplied with other vaccines, and vaccination programmes have slowed.
U.S. abortion ruling will not affect overseas aid – diplomat
The United States decision to end the constitutional right to abortion domestically will have no impact on how the country funds family planning services overseas, according to its global health lead. The U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized the right of women nationally to terminate pregnancies.
Japan health panel delays emergency approval of Shionogi COVID-19 pill
A Japanese health ministry panel on Wednesday delayed emergency approval for an oral treatment against COVID-19 that has been developed by Shionogi & Co. Health experts on the panel voted to support a motion that they would await more data from ongoing clinical trials and continue discussions on the drug, dealing another blow to Shionogi’s global ambitions for the antiviral pill.
Denying refugees and migrants healthcare violates rights, WHO says
Millions of migrants and refugees are being denied adequate health care and should be included in the health systems of host countries as a human right, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. In its first attempt at reviewing the implications of migration on global healthcare policy, the WHO called for urgent action to support vulnerable populations who cross frontiers.
Vaccine group invites African states to apply for malaria shot support
Nine months after the world’s first malaria vaccine was recommended for use, international vaccine alliance Gavi invited countries to apply for financial support to roll out the jab, particularly targeting young children in Africa. The World Health Organization endorsed GSK Plc’s four-dose Mosquirix shot in October last year, saying it could save thousands of lives.
Shanghai extends COVID testing order for residents to end August
Residents in China’s commercial hub Shanghai must take a nucleic acid COVID-19 test at least once a week until the end of August, a local official said on Wednesday. That extended the current order which required such tests until the end of July.
U.S. announces $1.2 billion healthcare crackdown tied to telehealth, cardiovascular tests
The U.S. Justice Department unveiled a $1.2 billion healthcare fraud crackdown on Wednesday, revealing criminal charges against 36 defendants for alleged fraudulent billing schemes tied to telemedicine, genetic and cardiovascular testing, and equipment. The criminal charges, which were unsealed across 13 federal districts between July 11 through July 20, target clinical laboratory owners, marketers, medical professionals and telemedicine executives.
(With inputs from agencies.)
