Landmark Legal Triumphs Stir Health Sector Dynamics

Abbott and Reckitt have been cleared of liability in a lawsuit over premature baby formulas, marking a legal victory in a contentious health sector battle. Meanwhile, abortion rights drive state supreme court elections after Roe v. Wade's reversal. Health guidelines evolve, impacting surgery protocols and weight-loss drugs.

Abbott Laboratories and Reckitt's Mead Johnson division have been exonerated by a jury, as they were found not liable for a child's severe intestinal disease linked to their premature baby formulas. This victory follows significant losses in prior related trials and led to a near 5% rise in Abbott shares.

A raft of U.S. state supreme court elections have become pivotal arenas in the abortion rights debate, intensifying after a landmark Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v. Wade. This realignment has resulted in 13 states banning abortion, while some voters have moved to enshrine abortion rights in state constitutions.

Additionally, evolving health guidelines are shaping the medical landscape. Notably, medical societies now advise that GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drugs do not need to be halted before surgery for most patients, a change backed by recent studies advising clear liquid diets pre-surgery.

(With inputs from agencies.)