Health News Roundup: USDA says ground beef tests negative for H5N1 bird flu virus; Pfizer lifts profit forecast as CEO sees reason for optimism in 2024 and more

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) collected 30 samples of ground beef from retail outlets in the states with dairy cattle herds that had tested positive for H5N1 at the time of sample collection. Pfizer lifts profit forecast as CEO sees reason for optimism in 2024 Pfizer lifted its annual earnings forecast on Wednesday and reported a first-quarter profit above Wall Street estimates, boosted by cost cutting efforts and stronger-than-expected sales of its COVID antiviral treatment.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

USDA says ground beef tests negative for H5N1 bird flu virus

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Wednesday that all the ground beef samples sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for PCR testing were negative for the H5N1 bird flu virus. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) collected 30 samples of ground beef from retail outlets in the states with dairy cattle herds that had tested positive for H5N1 at the time of sample collection.

Pfizer lifts profit forecast as CEO sees reason for optimism in 2024

Pfizer lifted its annual earnings forecast on Wednesday and reported a first-quarter profit above Wall Street estimates, boosted by cost-cutting efforts and stronger-than-expected sales of its COVID antiviral treatment. Sales of Padcev, a treatment for advanced bladder cancer Pfizer gained through its $43 billion deal for Seagen, also came in ahead of analysts' expectations.

Denmark to restrict Ozempic, other GLP-1 drugs, to treat type 2 diabetes

Denmark will start putting patients suffering from type 2 diabetes on cheaper drugs before prescribing so-called GLP-1 drugs such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, the Danish Medicines Agency said on Wednesday. In 2023, 50% of new patients suffering from type 2 diabetes began treatment with a reimbursed GLP-1 drug without trying a cheaper alternative first, the Medicines Agency said.

UnitedHealth says hackers potentially stole a third of Americans' data

Hackers who breached UnitedHealth's tech unit in February potentially stole a third of Americans' data, the largest U.S. health insurer's CEO told a Congressional committee on Wednesday. Two Congressional panels grilled CEO Andrew Witty about the cyberattack on the company's Change Healthcare unit, which processes around 50% of all medical claims in the U.S.

US bird flu outbreak spreads to chickens, cattle, raises concerns over human infections

The outbreak of H5N1 bird flu virus has spread to dairy cows for the first time in the United States, raising concerns about it spreading to humans through the nation's milk supply. Since 2022, bird flu in the United States has infected over 90 million chickens, more than 9,000 wild birds, 34 dairy herds, one person in Texas who came in close contact with infected cattle and another after exposure to poultry.

J&J advances $6.48 billion settlement of talc cancer lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday it is moving forward with a $6.48 billion proposed settlement of tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that its baby powder and other talc products contain asbestos and cause ovarian cancer. The deal would allow it to resolve the lawsuits through a third bankruptcy filing of a subsidiary company, J&J said.

Arizona Senate repeals 1864 abortion ban, governor seen signing quickly

The Arizona Senate voted on Wednesday to repeal the state's 1864 ban on abortion, which could otherwise have taken effect within weeks. The repeal was passed by the Senate in a 16-14 vote and is expected to be quickly signed by Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat. Two Republican senators crossed party lines to vote in favor of repealing the ban.

CVS cuts annual profit forecast and flags challenges in 2025, shares fall 18%

CVS Health Corp slashed its annual profit forecast on Wednesday and flagged challenges for next year's health insurance plans for older adults, and its shares plunged more than 18% to a four-year low. The U.S. healthcare conglomerate said it now expects 2024 adjusted earnings of at least $7.00 per share, down from its prior view of at least $8.30. CVS said it anticipates the surge in medical procedures that fueled higher costs for its Aetna health insurance unit to persist through the year.

US judge blocks some North Carolina restrictions on abortion pill

A federal judge has struck down parts of a North Carolina law restricting patient's access to the abortion pill mifepristone, which has become the subject of legal battles nationwide. Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles on Tuesday struck down the state's requirements that mifepristone be prescribed only by doctors and only in person, as well as a requirement that patients have an in-person follow-up appointment. She said the requirements conflicted with federal law because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously considered and rejected them.

Emergent BioSolutions to lay off about 300 employees

Emergent BioSolutions said on Wednesday that it would cut about 300 jobs across all areas of the company and shut down several manufacturing facilities as part of a restructuring plan. Shares of the company rose about 40% to $2.7 in extended trading.

(With inputs from agencies.)