Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Merck steps up U.S. measles vaccine production with increased demand
Merck & Co said on Wednesday it has increased production of the measles vaccine to meet an uptick in demand in the United States in the midst of the country’s biggest outbreak in 25 years. Merck, the sole U.S. supplier of measles vaccines, said the increased demand was noticeable, but did not amount to a surge, and has not required a significant increase in distribution across the country.
Trump, Democratic leaders to meet on drug prices soon: White House
U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with congressional Democratic leaders soon to discuss drug prices, the White House said on Tuesday following infrastructure talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. The White House said in a statement that the three agreed to meet “in the near future” over the health issue and that Trump “feels there is a long way to go” to lower drug costs, without elaborating.
U.S. environment agency says glyphosate weed killer is not a carcinogen
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Tuesday that glyphosate, a chemical in many popular weed killers, is not a carcinogen, contradicting decisions by U.S. juries that found it caused cancer in people. The EPA’s announcement reaffirms its earlier findings about the safety of glyphosate, the key ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup. The company faces thousands of lawsuits from Roundup users who allege it caused their cancer.
FDA permits sale of Philip Morris IQOS tobacco-heating alternative to cigarettes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said it would allow Philip Morris to sell a heated tobacco product called IQOS in the United States, a major victory for the international tobacco giant as it looks to sell more alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Following a review of about two years, the FDA determined that authorizing the device for sale in the U.S. market was “appropriate for the protection of public health” because the products produce “fewer or lower levels of some toxins than combustible cigarettes.”
Alternative medicine practitioners may market bogus celiac tests, treatments
Looking online for alternative medicine providers to diagnose or treat celiac disease is a bad idea because many websites market unproven or ineffective tests and treatments, researchers say. “We know that complementary and alternative medicine is widespread, and people seek out acupuncture, homeopathy and naturopathy for a variety of reasons, and we also know that avoidance of gluten and the popularity of the gluten-free diet has exploded in recent years, far out of proportion to the prevalence of celiac disease,” said senior study author Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl, director of clinical research at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York City.
Mallinckrodt shares drop after U.S. joins cases over expensive drug
The U.S. Justice Department has joined a pair of whistleblower lawsuits alleging a drugmaker now owned by Mallinckrodt Plc improperly promoted an expensive multiple sclerosis treatment and paid kickbacks to doctors who prescribed the drug. News of the department’s decision to intervene in the lawsuits after conducting an investigation into the whistleblowers’ allegations sent the stock price of Mallinckrodt Plc down nearly 14 percent on Tuesday.
FDA declines to approve Nabriva’s antibiotic for urinary tract infections
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday declined to approve Nabriva Therapeutics Plc’s antibiotic for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), even as the nation grapples with the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The FDA has asked Nabriva to address issues relating to manufacturing deficiencies at one of its contract manufacturers, before the agency can approve the drug, the company said.
Pediatricians explain viral ‘croup’ that often affects young children
Croup, a common upper respiratory tract infection in young children under age 6, can become severe and require hospitalization, doctors say in a new patient resource published in JAMA. Best known for the distinctive hoarse cough it produces, croup is caused by a virus and is typically contagious during the first few days of the infection. Its spread can be prevented through good hand hygiene and good cough hygiene, the authors write.
Teens with chronic pain may find support on YouTube
Teens with painful chronic illnesses may find that YouTube can provide a support network, a new study suggests. Comments on YouTube videos directed at youth with chronic pain were supportive and encouraging, researchers found. And the information was generally reliable.