Medicare Drug Price Cuts, WHO's Mpox Emergency, and FDA's Priority Reviews

Recent health news includes the Biden administration's negotiation of drug prices for Medicare, resulting in billions in savings. WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency again. Other updates include FDA's priority review for AstraZeneca's lung cancer drug, and clearance of Cresilon's gel for severe bleeding control.

The Biden administration has announced the first-ever price negotiations for 10 top-selling prescription drugs under the Medicare program. The new prices, set to save the U.S. government $6 billion in the first year, are part of President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act aimed at reducing costs for 66 million Americans reliant on Medicare.

In other significant news, the World Health Organization has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years. The declaration follows an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has since spread to neighboring countries, signaling the need for heightened global awareness and action.

Meanwhile, the FDA has granted AstraZeneca's cancer drug Imfinzi a priority review, potentially speeding up its availability for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Additionally, Cresilon's gel, designed to rapidly stop severe bleeding, has received FDA clearance, promising a new tool for emergency medical technicians and combat medics to prevent death from blood loss.

(With inputs from agencies.)