Health News Roundup: Mpox Outbreak, MS Therapy Approval, and More

This roundup covers various health news highlights including the mpox outbreak in Africa and vaccine distribution issues, the U.S. FDA's approval of Roche and Eli Lilly's new drugs, Walgreens' settlement for prescription fraud, the WHO's new mpox vaccination scheme, China's efforts to boost birth rates, mammography findings linked to heart disease, and Pfizer's lung cancer treatment developments.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Rich nations have millions of mpox shots as Africa's outbreak spreads; Will they share?

Rich countries have several hundred million doses of vaccines that could help fight an mpox outbreak in Africa, where donated shots fall far short of what is needed, according to a Reuters tally of public statements, documents and estimates from non-governmental organizations. The shots have been stockpiled for years by countries such as Japan, the United States and Canada in case smallpox, an eradicated disease that is the more dangerous cousin of mpox, ever makes a comeback. Some of the vaccines were used outside of Africa in 2022 when mpox spread globally.

US FDA approves injectable version of Roche's multiple sclerosis therapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Roche's under-the-skin injection to treat patients with multiple sclerosis. The subcutaneous or under-the-skin therapy called Ocrevus Zunovo has the potential to expand treatment options to centers unable to administer the IV version.

Walgreens paying $106.8 million to settle US prescription billing fraud charges

Walgreens Boots Alliance agreed to pay $106.8 million to settle charges it fraudulently billed the U.S. government for prescriptions that were never dispensed, the Department of Justice said on Friday. The Justice Department said Walgreens violated the federal False Claims Act between 2009 and 2020 by submitting payment claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other healthcare programs for prescriptions it processed but which were never picked up.

WHO clears Bavarian Nordic's vaccine for mpox, sets up access scheme

The World Health Organization and partners on Friday set up a scheme to help bring mpox vaccines, tests and treatments to the most vulnerable people in the world's poorest countries, similar to efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, after earlier approving the first shot for the fast-spreading disease. Both steps should make it easier for badly-hit African countries to access the vaccine, as a new type of the mpox virus spreads from the Democratic Republic of Congo to its neighbours. The WHO has declared the outbreak a global public health emergency.

China's top health body urges marriage, childbirth at 'appropriate ages'

China's National Health Commission will focus more efforts on advocating marriage and childbirth at 'appropriate ages', an official said, as authorities struggle to boost a declining birth rate that is shrinking its population. Yu Xuejun, deputy head of the National Health Commission (NHC), said the NHC would also call for shared parenting responsibilities to guide young people towards 'positive perspectives on marriage, childbirth and family,' state-backed Global Times reported on Thursday.

US FDA approves Eli Lilly's drug for eczema

Eli Lilly said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its eczema drug for use in adults and children above 12 years old. The drug, which is an injectable medicine and branded Ebglyss, will be available in the next few weeks, the company said.

Health Rounds: Benign mammography finding linked with heart disease

Hello Health Rounds Readers! Today we report on studies that might lead to a closer look at mammography findings involving clogged arteries. We also feature a study that might lead to greater use of video visits by healthcare providers seeking to improve quality of life for patients near the end of life, and a review that takes a new look at the risks of treatment with a powerful blood cancer therapy. Mammography finding in arteries could indicate heart disease

Uganda's mpox caseload rises to ten - official

The number of mpox infections in Uganda has risen to ten and all of the patients have a strain of the virus, clade 1b, that is more transmissible between people, a health official said on Saturday. The country borders the Democratic Republic of Congo where the current outbreak began in January 2023, making Uganda a particular focus point for health officials.

Nebraskans can vote on competing abortion ballot measures, top court rules

Competing proposals to amend Nebraska's constitution, one to guarantee abortion rights and the other to restrict them, can appear on ballots in November's election, the state's highest court ruled on Friday. One proposed amendment, sponsored by a coalition of pro-abortion rights organizations including a Planned Parenthood affiliate, would establish a 'fundamental right' to abortion up to fetal viability, and to protect the mother's life or health after that.

Pfizer pushing BRAF lung cancer mutation testing to grow market for Braftovi

Pfizer is trying to increase doctor awareness of and testing for a rare lung cancer mutation to help boost use of its drug Braftovi, which the pharmaceutical maker anticipates could grow to become the standard of care. The company presented three-year follow-up data from a Phase 2 study on Saturday looking at patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who received Braftovi and another Pfizer drug, Mektovi, as a first treatment. The study showed they had a median of over two-and-a-half years of progression-free survival, a measure of how long treated patients live before their cancer gets worse.

(With inputs from agencies.)