Health News Roundup: EU regulator endorses Takeda's dengue vaccine; Biden takes aim at Big Pharma, Republicans in California and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

EU regulator endorses Takeda's dengue vaccine

The European drugs regulator on Friday recommended a dengue vaccine from Japan's Takeda, paving the way for a second vaccine for the mosquito-borne disease that causes millions of infections annually. European Medicines Agency (EMA) advisors backed the use of the Takeda vaccine for those aged 4 and older to prevent any of the four so-called serotypes of dengue.

Biden takes aim at Big Pharma, Republicans in California

U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Republicans and drug companies during a stop at a California community college on Friday as he campaigned for fellow Democrats in November's midterm elections. Biden's trip includes stops in California on Friday and Oregon on Saturday as the president looks to position his party, the Democrats, as a champion of consumers and lower healthcare costs at a time that inflation ranks among voters' top concerns. The midterm elections are on Nov. 8.

U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs Novartis, allows generic versions of MS drug

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday turned down Novartis' bid to block the launch of generic versions of the company's blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya in a dispute with China's HEC Pharm Co Ltd and other generic drugmakers. Novartis had asked the justices to suspend a lower court's ruling that lifted a ban on generic versions of Gilenya, the Switzerland-based company's third highest-selling drug last year with $2.8 billion in sales.

Exclusive-NHS drafts stricter oversight of trans youth care

England's National Health Service has drafted new guidelines for treating transgender youth that would call for local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have obtained puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market, according to a copy of the guidelines reviewed by Reuters. The guidelines are part of a wide-ranging review of treatment for young transgender people seeking NHS care. The current approach, which can include medical interventions, has been criticized by some practitioners who said it rushed people onto medication, and by families who complained the service could not manage fast-growing demand.

Japan's Fujifilm stops work on Avigan as COVID drug

Fujifilm Holdings Corp has ended the development of its anti-influenza drug Avigan to treat COVID-19, the firm said on Friday, after more than two years of work on a pill once hailed as Japan's biggest contribution to the global coronavirus fight.

In March, Fujifilm had cut short enrolment in a Phase III trial, saying the emergence of the Omicron variant made it tough to measure the drug's effectiveness in preventing severe symptoms.

China says its zero-COVID policy is the best, most cost-effective, will improve

China's COVID-19 measures are the best, most cost-effective and will continue to improve, a spokesman for the ruling Communist Party said on Saturday. "We firmly believe that the light is ahead and perseverance is victory," Sun Yeli told a news conference in Beijing ahead of the party's 20th congress.

Long COVID at 12 months persists at 18 months, study shows

Most patients with COVID-19 who have lingering symptoms at 12 months are likely to still have symptoms at 18 months, new data suggest. The findings are drawn from a large study of 33,281 people in Scotland who tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of the results are in line with those from earlier, smaller studies.

Uganda introduces lockdown measures to halt spread of Ebola: President

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni said on Saturday the government was implementing an overnight curfew, closing places of worship and entertainment, and restricting movement into and out of two districts affected by Ebola for 21 days. The measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease will be introduced immediately in Mubende and Kassanda districts in central Uganda, the epicenter of the epidemic, he said in a televised national address.

China reports 1,026 new COVID cases for Oct 15 vs 1,364 a day earlier

China reported 1,026 new COVID-19 infections for Oct. 15, of which 244 were symptomatic and 782 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. That compared with 1,364 new cases a day earlier - 361 symptomatic and 1,003 asymptomatic, which China counts separately.

Abbott recalls some liquid baby formula over bottle defect

Abbott Laboratories said on Friday it was recalling some ready-to-feed baby formula liquid products including Similac-branded items due to inadequate sealing of some bottle caps. The recall, which equates to less than one day's worth of infant formula used in the United States, is not expected to impact the overall formula supply, Abbott said in a statement.