Health News Roundup: Biden administration offers U.S. households more free COVID-19 tests for winter; India says samples taken from pharma firm linked to Gambia deaths meet required standards and more

Indian health authorities announced a production halt at Maiden Pharmaceuticals' factory in Sonepat in northern India in October after a WHO report said the company's cough and cold syrups might be linked to the deaths of 69 children in Gambia. China issues plan to step up COVID control and prevention in rural areas China's will step up COVID-19 control and prevention in rural areas, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in an official notice on Friday, as infections rise following the easing of prevention measures.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Biden administration offers U.S. households more free COVID-19 tests for winter

U.S. households can order four free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government website COVIDTests.gov beginning on Thursday as part of the Biden administration's efforts to tackle coronavirus infections over the winter. The White House said it would use existing funding to pay for the tests since it has been unsuccessful so far in getting Congress to pass a bill to put more money toward the U.S. COVID-19 response.

India says samples taken from pharma firm linked to Gambia deaths meet required standards

India has told the World Health Organization that samples taken from Indian pharmaceutical company Maiden Pharma, whose products were linked to the deaths of children in Gambia, have been found to comply with the required specifications. Indian health authorities announced a production halt at Maiden Pharmaceuticals' factory in Sonepat in northern India in October after a WHO report said the company's cough and cold syrups might be linked to the deaths of 69 children in Gambia.

China issues plan to step up COVID control and prevention in rural areas

China's will step up COVID-19 control and prevention in rural areas, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in an official notice on Friday, as infections rise following the easing of prevention measures. China will strengthen the reserves of essential drugs and COVID-19 home test kits in rural areas and urges all rural areas to guarantee staffing of medical and health institutions, it said in the notice, adding it will also accelerate the vaccination of the rural population, especially among the elderly.

'Go all out': China prepares for infection spread after COVID policy U-turn

China put a priority on protecting rural communities from COVID-19 on Friday as millions of city-dwellers planned holidays for the first time in years after Beijing abandoned its stringent system of lockdowns and travel curbs. China's move last week to start aligning with a world that has largely opened up to live with the virus, followed historic protests against President Xi Jinping's signature 'zero-COVID' policies designed to stamp out COVID.

White House pushes flu, COVID vaccines as cases rise -COVID response coordinator

The White House COVID response coordinator urged Americans to get their flu vaccines and updated COVID-19 boosters on Thursday, saying there has been a significant rise in COVID cases in the last couple of weeks. "There's still a lot of flu and then COVID numbers are rising pretty significantly over the last couple of weeks," Ashish Jha said in an interview with CNN.

U.S. Parkinson's disease incidence far higher than earlier estimates -study

The annual number of new Parkinson's disease diagnoses in the United States is likely 50% higher than estimated, based on a broad analysis of insurance claims and population growth detailed in a study published on Thursday that could help increase funding and care for the disabling illness. Earlier, much smaller U.S. studies conducted in the mid-1980s had suggested roughly 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year. The number in 2020 was likely closer to 86,000 and will approach 90,000 this year, James Beck, chief scientific officer for the Parkinson's Foundation, said in an interview.

Guardant DNA blood test finds 83% of colorectal cancers in trial, shares fall 35%

Guardant Health Inc said on Thursday a pivotal trial of its DNA blood test showed it detected 83% of colorectal cancers and 13% of advanced adenomas, a cancer precursor, but the results fell short of a rival stool-based test, sending the company's shares sharply lower. The results "were much lower versus our expectations," SVB Securities analyst Puneet Souda said in a research note, adding that the findings "are likely to disappoint investor expectations."

AbbVie to leave leading U.S. drug industry trade group

AbbVie Inc is leaving Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the leading U.S. drug industry group said on Thursday. Politico, which first reported on AbbVie's exit, said the drugmaker was also leaving the industry group Biotechnology Innovation Organization as well as Business Roundtable, citing a person with knowledge of the matter.

Canada seeks to delay expansion of assisted death law to include mental illness

The Canadian government wants to push back a planned expansion of its assisted death law to include people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness, the justice minister said on Thursday. Canada passed its most recent assisted death law in 2021, excluding people whose sole underlying condition is mental illness. That exclusion was set to expire in March.

Philadelphia schools will require masks as U.S. COVID cases spike

Public school students in Philadelphia will have to wear face coverings at school for 10 days after their winter break, officials said, as communities around the country contend with another surge of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. The mandate, which will run from Jan. 3-13, is aimed at reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses after a holiday season likely filled with more social gatherings and increased exposure, the school district said in a statement on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)