Current Health News Headlines: Key Developments in Abortion Laws, Novo Nordisk Scrutiny, and More

Recent health news highlights significant events such as Poland's rejection of an abortion law amendment, scrutiny on Novo Nordisk for discontinuing Levemir insulin, links between Ozempic and dementia risk, a court upholding Tennessee's birth certificate policy, and the impact of Congo conflict on child malnutrition.

The Polish parliament took a significant stance on Friday, rejecting a bill aimed at easing the country's stringent abortion laws. The proposed legislation sought to eliminate penalties for those assisting with abortions, reflecting internal coalition conflicts over one of Europe's most restrictive laws.

In the United States, Novo Nordisk faces intense scrutiny from Democratic Senate aides after announcing its plan to discontinue Levemir insulin by the end of 2024. The decision has sparked concern among legislators, scheduled to discuss the issue with company executives on Tuesday.

An Oxford University observational study has linked Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug, Ozempic, to a potentially reduced risk of dementia. Published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine journal, the research analyzed over 100 million U.S. medical records, comparing Ozempic with other common antidiabetic medications.

A U.S. federal appeals court upheld Tennessee's longstanding policy preventing amendments to the gender identity on birth certificates. The 2-1 ruling stated that the Constitution does not mandate such changes, impacting transgender individuals born in the state.

The European Medicines Agency issued a caution for patients on weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, advising them to inform doctors before surgery due to possible respiratory complications. These GLP-1 receptor agonists prolong feelings of fullness and could pose surgical risks.

WHO reported that escalating violence in Congo has placed over one million children at acute risk of malnutrition. The ongoing conflict between Congolese forces and the M23 militia has exacerbated displacement and humanitarian needs, particularly in North Kivu.

Three presumptive human cases of bird flu were reported in Colorado among poultry workers, according to the CDC. These infections occurred amid efforts to cull infected birds in response to an outbreak at a poultry facility.

(With inputs from agencies.)