Health News Roundup: African swine fever hits industrial farms in Vietnam, 2.8 million pigs culled

African swine fever hits industrial farms in Vietnam, 2.8 million pigs culled

Vietnam has culled nearly 10% of its pig herd to contain an African swine fever outbreak that has started hitting large-scale industrial farms, the government said in a statement on Tuesday. Earlier outbreaks have appeared mostly at small household farms but have now started to occur at larger industrial operations, including Phu Son Farm in Dong Nai province near Ho Chi Minh City, the statement said.

Supreme Court to hear insurers' bid for $12 billion in Obamacare money

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether insurers can seek $12 billion from the federal government under a program set up by the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to previously uninsured Americans. The justices will hear an appeal by a group of insurers of a lower court's ruling that Congress had suspended the government's obligation to make such payments. The insurers have said that ruling if allowed to stand, would let the government pull a "bait-and-switch" and withhold money the companies were promised.

Akorn gets FDA warning letter related to New Jersey plant

Akorn Inc said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has raised certain issues related to its Somerset, New Jersey manufacturing facility, sending the generic drugmaker's shares down nearly 13% premarket. The FDA warning letter followed an inspection of the plant in July and August last year and is the latest in a series of setbacks for Akorn and comes months after the agency raised concerns about its manufacturing plant in Amityville, New York.

Judge allows Missouri's only abortion clinic to stay open for at least five more days

A Missouri judge ruled on Monday the state's only abortion clinic can remain open for at least five more days, but he ordered Planned Parenthood to take its fight against closure to a state arbiter. Missouri health officials on Friday refused to renew the St. Louis clinic's license on the grounds that it failed to meet their standards.

Music playlists could help dementia patients

Personalized music playlists that rekindle memories of childhood and happy moments may bring joy to dementia patients because music can activate parts of the brain not affected by the disease, experts say. "One of the biggest challenges we have in our society is that so many people are living longer and developing dementia later in life," said Andy Lowndes, deputy chair of the Playlist for Life charity in Glasgow, Scotland. The charity has so far trained 4,650 health care staff to use music to treat dementia, and it estimates that its volunteers have reached more than 21,000 people since 2015.

Oklahoma judge approves Teva's $85 million opioid settlement

An Oklahoma judge on Monday approved a revised $85 million settlement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd resolving claims by the state's attorney general that the drugmaker helped fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic. The decision by Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman in Norman, Oklahoma came after the state's attorney general, governor and top lawmakers resolved a dispute over how the money should be deposited and spent.

Novartis wins Gilenya reprieve as judge blocks generics, for now

Novartis has won a U.S. federal court order preventing rival generic makers from selling versions of the Swiss drugmaker's top-selling multiple sclerosis medicine Gilenya in the United States, at least until a patent dispute is resolved. Novartis had asked for a preliminary injunction to halt generics makers including Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Torrent Pharma and Aurobindo Pharma, among others, from making or selling a Gilenya copy in the United States until a final decision on a Novartis patent for the medicine.

Teleflex recalls breathing tubes worldwide after reports of 4 deaths

Teleflex Inc said on Monday it plans to recall some lots of its Hudson RCI Sheridan endotracheal tubes used for helping patients breathe, following reports of four deaths. The worldwide recall comes after the products were found to have an increased occurrence of being disconnected from the breathing circuit, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply, the company said.

Young women smokers at much higher risk of deadly heart attack

While smoking boosts the likelihood of heart attack in both men and women of all ages, it has a much more powerful effect in younger women, especially those under 50, a new study suggests. For women smokers ages 18 to 49, the risk of a deadly type of heart attack was more than 13 times higher than it was for non-smoking counterparts, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

FDA declines to approve Acer Therapeutics' treatment for rare genetic disorder

Acer Therapeutics Inc said on Tuesday its treatment for a severe, rare genetic disorder that can cause blood vessels to fatally rupture was declined approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The treatment, Edsivo, aims to treat vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS)- the most severe type of a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue.

(With inputs from agencies.)