Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
U.S. judge reinstates North Carolina ban on late-term abortions
A federal judge on Wednesday reinstated a decades-old North Carolina ban on abortions performed after 20 weeks of gestation, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision allowing states to freely regulate procedures to terminate pregnancy. Although so-called late-term procedures are rare, abortion rights proponents said Wednesday’s ruling chips away at reproductive healthcare access in one of the last Southern states where abortion has remained relatively unencumbered.
U.S. CDC plans to focus on public health response after pandemic failings
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it will prioritize its public health response in a revamp of its structure after months of criticism over its handling of the COVID-19 and monkeypox pandemics. A briefing document provided by the agency on Wednesday said an external report into its response found public guidance had caused confusion, while important information were sometimes released too late to inform federal decisions.
Plaintiff in first Zantac lawsuit set for trial drops case
The plaintiff in the first lawsuit over the heartburn drug Zantac scheduled to go to trial has agreed to drop his case, according to his attorney and drugmakers named as defendants. Tuesday’s news came days after shares of GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Sanofi SA, Pfizer Inc and Haleon Plc were hit by mounting investor concern about thousands of lawsuits claiming the drug, which U.S. regulators pulled from the market in 2020, causes cancer.
Bluebird’s $2.8 million gene therapy becomes most expensive drug after U.S. approval
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved bluebird bio’s gene therapy for patients with a rare disorder requiring regular blood transfusions, and the drugmaker priced it at a record $2.8 million. The approval sent the company’s shares 8% higher and is for the treatment of beta-thalassemia, which causes an oxygen shortage in the body and often leads to liver and heart issues.
South Carolina top court puts abortion ban on hold as it hears challenge
South Carolina’s highest court on Wednesday blocked enforcement of a state law banning abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy while it considers a challenge to the law by a Planned Parenthood affiliate and other abortion providers. In a unanimous order, the five justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court did not express any opinion on whether Planned Parenthood is ultimately likely to prevail. However, they said the ban could conflict with the state’s constitution.
Sanofi trial failure halts work on breast cancer treatment amcenestrant
Sanofi has stopped further work on amcenestrant, a treatment once seen to have strong commercial potential in breast cancer, after a second trial failure dealt a major blow to the French healthcare company’s development prospects. The move weighed on shares and mounted pressure on Sanofi to bolster its pipeline of drug candidates as it becomes increasingly dependent on its multi-billion best seller, fast-growing eczema and asthma treatment Dupixent.
CVS, Walmart and Walgreens ordered to pay $650.6 million to Ohio counties in opioid case
Pharmacy operators CVS, Walmart and Walgreens must pay a combined $650.6 million to two Ohio counties to address the damage done by the opioid epidemic, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. The order by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in Cleveland marks the first time pharmacy chains have been ordered to pay money in an opioid lawsuit. It comes after a jury last November concluded that the companies helped create a public nuisance in Lake and Trumbull counties by over-supplying addictive pain pills, many of which found their way onto the black market.
FDA says faulty Philips device reports accelerating as CEO departs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said reports of faulty Philips ventilators and sleep apnea machines had risen in the past quarter, underlining problems facing the Dutch company, which has just announced plans to replace its CEO. Philips says it is approximately halfway through a recall of 5.5 million such devices in the United States due to the threat posed by a foam part they contain — a problem that has alarmed customers damaged the company’s reputation and helped wipe $30 billion off its market capitalization.
Valneva: U.S. Dept of Defense ends Ixiaro vaccine supply deal
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has ended an encephalitis vaccine supply contract with Valneva, said the French drugmaker, adding that a slowdown in global travel activity, mainly affecting Asia, had led to lower demand. The development, which Valneva said had no impact on this year’s financial guidance, dragged down the company’s shares in early session trading by around 1%.
Germany’s constitutional court upholds measles vaccine mandate for children
The German constitutional court upheld the country’s measles vaccine mandate for children on Thursday, ruling against a challenge brought by parents. In its final decision on the matter, the court in Karlsruhe said that while the mandate interfered with the rights of children and their parents, this was justified due to the high infection risk with measles and potential for serious illness.
(With inputs from agencies.)
