Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Critics of weight-loss device urge U.S. regulator to reverse approval
Lotta Bosnyak takes extra time to chew the blueberries in her yogurt. Otherwise, she said, the device she credits with saving her life will not work. The tube Bosnyak is referring to has been implanted into her stomach. She turns a valve and, standing over a toilet, drains out the yogurt.
Innovations give African leaders hope malaria can be beaten by 2030
African governments are confident malaria can be wiped out within 15 years as research innovations, including a vaccine against the disease, are developed and tested, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) said. The continent has made good progress in fighting the mosquito-transmitted disease in recent decades, slashing death rates by 66 percent overall since 2000. However Africa remains the world's worst affected region, accounting for 88 percent of new cases and 90 percent of deaths.
Too much light at night, too little in the morning tied to obesity risk
Older people exposed to high lighting in the evening, and low light in the morning are more likely to gain weight, and the opposite light exposures may encourage weight loss, Japanese researchers say. Over two years, lighting exposure was tied to abdominal weight gain regardless of other factors like calorie intake, exercise and what time people went to sleep or woke up, the study found.
Technology alone may not close disparities in medical research
Internet technologies may help underserved populations participate in medical research studies, but relying on those technologies to get broader participation isn't likely to work, a new study suggests. The study's lead author told Reuters Health it's important to get all groups of people represented in research, because medical recommendations are based on study results.
U.S. and UK form global partnership to speed new antibiotics
U.S. and British health officials have created a new alliance with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars to accelerate the development of new antibiotics and tackle the growing problem of drug resistance. The new group known as Carb-X, short for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator, brings together government, academia and industry to speed up work on new treatments and diagnostics.
New crop of robots to vie for space in the operating room
Even though many doctors see need for improvement, surgical robots are poised for big gains in operating rooms around the world. Within five years, one in three U.S. surgeries - more than double current levels - is expected to be performed with robotic systems, with surgeons sitting at computer consoles guiding mechanical arms. Companies developing new robots also plan to expand their use in India, China and other emerging markets.
Sales of flagship drug Revlimid drive Celgene profit; forecast raised
Celgene Corp raised its 2016 profit forecast and exceeded expectations for second-quarter earnings on Thursday on the strength of its flagship multiple myeloma drug Revlimid and growth in newer medicines, sparking a 2 percent jump in its shares. Revlimid sales soared about 18 percent to $1.70 billion, above Wall Street's consensus estimate of about $1.66 billion.
FDA takes steps to protect blood supply in Florida amid Zika probe
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered blood banks in Florida's two most densely populated counties to stop collecting blood as health officials determine whether Zika has begun transmission in the continental United States. Florida has been investigating four possible cases of local transmission in Miami-Dade County and Broward County. It is the first U.S. state to report cases that may not be related to travel to other countries with active outbreaks.
Stretching may ease women's depression and menopause symptoms
Stretching just 10 minutes a day might help ease menopause and depression symptoms in middle-aged women, a small study suggests. "Light-intensity exercises such as stretching have not been previously evaluated for its impact on menopausal and depressive symptoms," lead researcher Yuko Kai told Reuters Health by email.
Judge rules against nearly 1,300 lawsuits over Bayer's Mirena IUD
A New York federal judge has ruled in favor of Bayer AG against nearly 1,300 lawsuits filed by women who say they suffered internal injuries from the company's Mirena intra-uterine contraceptive device. U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel in White Plains said on Thursday that there was no way for the lawsuits to continue after her earlier ruling barring crucial testimony from plaintiffs' experts.
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