Health Headlines: From HIV Drug Fines to Measles Surge

A federal judge ordered a Johnson & Johnson unit to pay $1.64 billion for illegal HIV drug promotion. In other news, Latin American women are shunning traditional motherhood roles; a measles outbreak intensifies in Texas and New Mexico; and the WHO plans budget cuts due to U.S. withdrawal.

In a landmark ruling, a Johnson & Johnson unit has been fined $1.64 billion by a federal judge. This comes after allegations of illegal marketing practices around HIV drugs Prezista and Intelence, as indicted by a whistleblower lawsuit. The ruling reflects ongoing efforts to regulate pharmaceutical marketing practices.

Meanwhile, a demographic shift sees Latin American women opting out of motherhood, challenging age-old gender roles. The region now shows the steepest decline in birth rates globally since the mid-20th century, signaling a transformative cultural shift.

Also, Texas and New Mexico report a 20% increase in measles cases within three days, raising public health concerns as the outbreak spreads. With 270 cases in Gaines County alone, health officials are on high alert, reinforcing vaccination campaigns to contain the virus.

(With inputs from agencies.)