Health Headlines: Global Developments and Regulatory Moves

Current health news covers Gilead's withdrawal of a cancer drug, Texas' lawsuit against a doctor for providing gender-affirming care, Getinge's financial issues, rising bird flu deaths in California, CVS replacing its CEO under investor pressure, a proposed Novo Holdings deal opposed by consumer groups, slow mpox vaccine rollout in Congo, a promising RSV antibody from Merck, a bird flu outbreak in Bulgaria, and WHO's new food labeling guidelines.

In recent health sector updates, Gilead Sciences announced it is pulling its urothelial cancer drug Trodelvy from the U.S. market following discussions with regulatory bodies. This move impacts patients with previously treated forms of this type of cancer.

Texas has filed a pioneering lawsuit against University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center's pediatrician, May Lau, relating to the prescription of testosterone to transgender minors, contravening state laws against gender-affirming medical care. Attorney General Ken Paxton contends that such actions pose risks to minors' health.

Meanwhile, Getinge has reported disappointing Q3 financial results amid ongoing delivery and quality challenges. Despite a positive trajectory in order intake, these logistical hurdles have consequently affected profitability.

Additionally, a troubling rise in bird flu is causing extensive cow deaths in California, complicating waste management as carcasses are left unprocessed, potentially exacerbating viral spread and health risks.

In corporate news, CVS Health has undergone leadership changes, appointing David Joyner to replace CEO Karen Lynch, as investor dissatisfaction grows regarding the company's performance and repeated profit forecast reductions.

In regulatory affairs, consumer groups are calling on the FTC to block Novo Holdings' acquisition of Catalent over competition concerns in weight-loss medications and gene therapy sectors. The $16.5 billion deal poses potential risks, according to letters from several advocacy bodies.

Regarding international health, the mpox vaccination campaign in Congo is experiencing delays, necessitating increased public awareness to enhance uptake in the eastern regions.

Merck has announced advances in RSV treatment with its experimental clesrovimab antibody, which shows over 60% effectiveness in preventing certain infections in infants.

Furthermore, Bulgaria is facing an avian flu outbreak on poultry farms, stirring fresh alarms across European poultry industries during the seasonal surge of the virus.

The WHO is urging for more accessible nutritional labeling on food packaging to combat global obesity, advocating for clearer health impact information but stopping short of implementing warning labels.

(With inputs from agencies.)