Reuters - Health Report

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Thursday, November 30, 2017

GSK starts big African study of injectable drug to prevent HIV

(Reuters) - ViiV Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline Plc's HIV unit, said on Thursday it started an African study to evaluate long-acting injectable drug for the prevention of HIV infection in sexually active women.

New vaccine, long-acting drug trials buoy hopes in HIV fight

LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers announced the launch of two big studies in Africa on Thursday to test a new HIV vaccine and a long-acting injectable drug, fuelling hopes for better ways to protect against the virus that causes AIDS.

Sign-up pace much slower in week 4 of 2018 Obamacare enrollment

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of people signing up for individual insurance under Obamacare slowed significantly during the fourth week of 2018 enrollment, as nearly 37 percent fewer people signed up for the healthcare plans than in the previous week, a U.S. government agency reported on Wednesday.

FDA moves to speed nicotine replacement product development

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday it is considering measures to speed development of products that help people quit smoking, including easing requirements for approval of over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies.

U.S. says patient charity helped drugmakers, revokes approval

(Reuters) - One of the largest U.S. patient assistance charities may close after the federal government revoked its authorization, citing findings that the group, mainly funded by pharmaceutical companies, enabled drugmakers to influence prescriptions.

Insecticide resistance spreads in Africa, threatens malaria progress

LONDON (Reuters) - The largest genetic study of mosquitoes has found their ability to resist insecticides is evolving rapidly and spreading across Africa, putting millions of people at higher risk of contracting malaria.

Sanofi expects $120 million hit as dengue vaccine hits major snag

PARIS (Reuters) - Use of Sanofi's dengue vaccine, the world's first approved shot against the mosquito-borne virus, is to be strictly limited due to evidence it can worsen the disease in people who have not previously been exposed to the infection. The French drugmaker said in a statement on Wednesday that as a result it would book a charge in its fourth-quarter results of around 100 million euros ($118.57 million).

Health secretary nominee Azar says lowering drug prices a top priority

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Alex Azar, a former drug industry executive and lobbyist nominated to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, promised on Wednesday to lower drug prices and said he was unaware of any efforts to sabotage the healthcare law passed under former President Barack Obama.

Forecast predicts over half of U.S. children will be obese by age 35

(Reuters Health) - Nearly three in five children in the U.S. today are destined to be obese when they reach their 35th birthday, according to a new projection.

Smartphone pics may be sharp enough for dermatology diagnosis

(Reuters Health) - With a few exceptions, a dermatologist was just as accurate in diagnosing children’s skin conditions from smartphone photos taken by parents as the doctors who saw the kids in person, a small U.S. study found.