Reuters - Health Report

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Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Opioid makers paid millions to advocacy groups: U.S. Senate report

(Reuters) - Five opioid manufacturers including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP have paid more than $10 million to advocacy groups and doctors tied to them, many of whom amplified industry messages supporting the use of the painkillers, a U.S. Senate report said on Monday.

U.S. woman found with eye worm previously known only in cattle

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Oregon woman has become the first person worldwide known to have had an eye infestation by a tiny worm species previously seen only in cattle that is spread by flies that feed on eyeball lubrication, U.S. government researchers said on Monday.

Boxing fever grips Thailand's boys but doctors raise health concerns

BURIRAM, Thailand (Reuters) - Loud cheers erupt as two boys trade punches at a boxing ring in Thailand's northeastern province of Buriram.

Novartis gains U.S. approval for delayed MS drug

ZURICH (Reuters) - Novartis's Sandoz division has won U.S. approval for a larger dosage of its Glatopa drug for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, ending a costly delay that allowed rival generics makers to beat it to market.

France's Cellectis wins U.S patents for gene editing technology

PARIS (Reuters) - The United States has granted French cell therapy group Cellectis two patents to deploy a technology known as CRISPR in T cells, which play a key role in the immune response to cancer, the company said on Tuesday.

India cuts stent prices by more than 7 percent

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has cut prices of some stents by about 7.6 percent, a government body said on Monday, in the latest setback for the country's $5 billion medical device industry.

Food allergy sufferers win apology over 'Peter Rabbit'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Movie studio Sony Pictures apologized on Monday for a scene in its "Peter Rabbit" children's film after an online outcry from sufferers of food allergies.

Mild shock therapy may ease anxiety and depression, but not chronic pain

(Reuters Health) - People with anxiety and depression might feel a little better after they get mild electric shock therapy, but it’s unclear how much it will help or whether this treatment might ease other conditions, researchers say.

U.S. progress against sleep-related infant deaths is stalling

(Reuters Health) - While a nationwide push to get babies to sleep on their backs initially produced steep declines in unexplained and sleep-related infant deaths, U.S. progress against these fatalities has been minimal in recent years.

OxyContin maker stops promoting opioids, cuts sales staff

(Reuters) - OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP said on Saturday that it has cut its sales force in half and will stop promoting opioids to physicians, following widespread criticism of the ways that drugmakers market addictive painkillers.