Reuters Health News Summary

09/21/2016 0:57

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China Vitamin C price-fixing verdict voided by U.S. appeals court

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday threw out a $147.8 million price-fixing verdict against two Chinese companies that were accused of conspiring to raise prices and lower supply of vitamin C sold to U.S. purchasers. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said the case should not have gone to trial after China, in a "historic act," formally advised that its laws required the vitamin C makers to violate the Sherman Act, a U.S. antitrust law.

Senate Republicans seek probe of Mylan EpiPen oversight

Mylan NV faced new scrutiny over price hikes for its anti-allergy EpiPen on Tuesday, with U.S. lawmakers calling for a probe of oversight of the company's rebates to government healthcare plans, while West Virginia said it was investigating whether Mylan defrauded its Medicaid department. Mylan is grappling with a growing backlash from U.S. consumers, lawmakers and prosecutors over EpiPen prices, which have risen from about $100 in 2007 to more than $600 for a pair of the devices. The EpiPen delivers a dose of epinephrine, an antidote to a severe and potentially deadly allergic reaction to anything from nuts to bee stings.

Just going on vacation may change gene activity

In a new study comparing a meditation retreat with just relaxing in the same locale, both options improved stress regulation, immune function and other cellular markers in the blood. Researchers measured gene activity, blood markers and reported wellbeing during the vacation and months afterward, and found a large and immediate "vacation effect" in all participants. For those who continued meditating, benefits were seen even 10 months later.

Allergan to buy Tobira in push for fatty liver disease drugs

Botox maker Allergan Plc, in its third acquisition this month, said it would pay up to $1.7 billion for Tobira Therapeutics Inc to get a leg up in the race to develop therapies for NASH, an incurable fatty liver disease closely linked to obesity. Just hours later on Tuesday, Allergan announced it would also pay $50 million upfront and make future milestone payments for Akarna Therapeutics Ltd, a privately held company that is planning early-stage studies of a treatment for NASH.

Giving babies eggs and nuts early may avert allergies

Infants who get a taste of eggs and peanuts starting when they're as young as 4 months old may have a lower risk of developing allergies to those foods than babies who try them later, a research review suggests. With eggs, giving babies that first spoonful between 4 and 6 months was associated with 46 percent lower odds of egg allergies than waiting to introduce this food later.

Wearable activity trackers may not boost weight loss

For young adults on a long-term healthy diet and exercise program, tracking activity with a wearable device may not lead to additional weight loss, according to a new study. Over 24 months, people who used wearable activity trackers lost 2.4 kilograms (5.29 pounds) less than a group on a similar program but using a website to track their progress.

Amgen cholesterol drug reduces arterial plaque buildup: study

Amgen Inc said on Tuesday its potent new cholesterol fighter, Repatha, met the primary and secondary goals of a study designed to show it can decrease plaque buildup in heart arteries of patients already taking widely used statin drugs, such as Lipitor. The biotechnology company, whose shares were up 1.6 percent, will present detailed data from the study at a major heart conference in November.

Are U.S. public schools prepared for an emergency?

More than a fifth U.S. school districts lack comprehensive plans to respond to natural disasters, epidemic diseases or other emergencies, a new report finds. While almost 80 percent of school districts nationwide have plans to help students and staff with special needs during an emergency situation, only about 68 percent have protocols to reunite children with their families after disaster strikes, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Drugmakers pledge to clean up antibiotic factories, curb overuse

Thirteen leading drugmakers promised on Tuesday to clean up pollution from factories making antibiotics and take steps to curb overuse of the medicines as part of a drive to fight the rise of drug-resistant superbugs. The industry announcement coincides with a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance as part of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

GlaxoSmithKline names insider Emma Walmsley as new CEO

GlaxoSmithKline said on Tuesday it had chosen its head of consumer healthcare, Emma Walmsley, as its new chief executive, after several months reviewing internal and external candidates. She will become the first woman to head a top global pharmaceutical company and will bring the number of female chief executives in Britain's FTSE 100 index to seven.

09/21/2016 0:57