Reuters Health News Summary

08/24/2016 16:55

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Why it's bad to skip prescribed drugs after a heart attack

Many patients who have clogged arteries or survive a heart attack don't consistently take medications prescribed to prevent life-threatening complications, a study confirms. Taking drugs at least every four out of five days lowered the odds death, heart attack, stroke or surgery to restore blood flow, the study found. But less than half of patients took their meds that often.

Texas, four other states sue over U.S. transgender health policy

Texas and four other states sued the Obama administration on Tuesday over extending its healthcare nondiscrimination law to transgender individuals, saying the move "represents a radical invasion of the federal bureaucracy into a doctor's medical judgment." Texas, along with Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kentucky and Kansas sued on behalf three medical organizations, two of which are affiliated with Christian groups.

Scientists hope new test could help contain meningitis outbreaks

A test has been developed that could help diagnose bacterial infections including meningitis in minutes, but it could take several years before a cheap testing device is available to developing countries, scientists said on Wednesday. The new test could save lives, allow treatment of disease - which is difficult to diagnose - to start much sooner and reduce the risk of life-changing after effects, an international team of researchers led by Imperial College London said.

Florida announces Zika case hundreds of miles from Miami

Florida officials on Tuesday announced the first case of Zika transmitted by mosquitoes in Pinellas County, located some 265 miles (425 km) from Miami, where the first locally transmitted U.S. cases were reported. Steve Huard, acting spokesman for Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, said the case involves a woman without a significant travel history, indicating the virus was contracted locally.

Study shows extent of brain damage from Zika infections

A report released on Tuesday shows in graphic detail the kind of damage Zika infections can do to the developing brain - damage that goes well beyond the devastating birth defect known as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than normal. The current Zika outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil, where the virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly, which can cause severe developmental problems.

Drug price hikes can damage company reputations: White House

The White House on Wednesday said pharmaceutical firms risked damaging their reputations with big price hikes, but it sidestepped commenting directly on Mylan NV's decision to raise the price of its severe allergy treatment drug EpiPen. "I'm obviously not going to make specific comments to specifically second guess the pricing strategy ... of one private enterprise," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing.

Over 14,000 women took Sanofi epilepsy drug despite fetus risk: ministry

More than 14,000 pregnant women in France took Sanofi's anti-epilepsy drug Depakine between 2007 and 2014 even though the risk of fetus malformation was known, according to a study released by France on Wednesday. Health Minister Marisol Touraine said in a statement that a second part of the study, yet to be released, would focus on the impact on children whose mothers took the drug.

Pfizer to buy antibiotics business from AstraZeneca

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to sell its small molecule antibiotics business to Pfizer Inc in a deal that could be valued at more than $1.5 billion. AstraZeneca, which saw off a $120 billion takeover attempt by Pfizer in 2014, said the sale would allow it to focus on developing new medicines in its main areas of cancer, and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Doctors may miss ADHD in nonwhite kids

African-American and Latino children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be much less likely to receive a diagnosis or treatment than their white peers, a small U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on almost 4,300 children whose parents participated in surveys about ADHD symptoms, diagnosis and treatment when the kids were in fifth, seventh and tenth grades.

Clinton calls for lower price on allergy drug EpiPen

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called on pharmaceutical company Mylan NV to voluntarily drop the price of its severe allergy treatment drug EpiPen, which has increased in price by more than 400 percent in the past decade. "That's outrageous - and it's just the latest troubling example of a company taking advantage of its consumers," Clinton said in a statement. "It's wrong when drug companies put profits ahead of patients, raising prices without justifying the value behind them."

08/24/2016 16:55