Reuters - Health Report

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Monday, June 19, 2017

Exclusive: Ahead of Modi visit, U.S. lawmakers ask India to rethink price cap on stents

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A group of U.S. lawmakers has backed medical device makers by urging India to reconsider its decision to cap prices of heart stents, raising the issue ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States later this week.

Israel's Gamida Cell raises $40 million for bone marrow trial

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's Gamida Cell, which is developing cellular therapies to treat cancer and rare genetic diseases, said on Monday it raised $40 million to finance the advanced trial of its product NiCord to facilitate bone marrow transplants.

Clovis Oncology's cancer drug Rubraca succeeds in key study

(Reuters) - Clovis Oncology Inc said its ovarian cancer drug Rubraca slowed disease progression in patients who had undergone initial treatment in a late-stage trial, paving the way for expanding the use of the therapy.

New test may turn AZ's Lynparza into precision drug for prostate cancer

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have developed a new three-in-one blood test that has the potential to turn AstraZeneca's drug Lynparza into a precision medicine for prostate cancer.

Worldwide, more than 10 percent of young teens are smokers

(Reuters Health) - Roughly 11 percent of youth aged 13 to 15 around the world use tobacco products like cigarettes and cigars, a global survey of students suggests.

California to give health clinics $20 million to counter possible Trump cuts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California on Monday will announce plans to award $20 million in emergency grants to local health and Planned Parenthood clinics in anticipation of possible U.S. healthcare funding cuts, according to State Treasurer John Chiang's office.

Nonprescription prenatal vitamins may be more potent

(Reuters Health) - Prescription prenatal vitamins may have lower doses of key ingredients like vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium than nonprescription alternatives, a recent study suggests.

China to vaccinate poultry against H7N9 bird flu next month

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has decided to vaccinate poultry from next month against the H7N9 bird flu virus, after it claimed hundreds of lives last winter and caused major damage to the industry.

Novartis throws down gauntlet to Roche with Rituxan copy

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's Novartis increased pressure on Roche's ageing stable of big-selling drugs on Monday by becoming the latest company to win European approval for a cut-price version of Rituxan for blood cancer and immunological diseases.

Sanofi chief says U.S. Supreme Court ruling on biologics has "immediate impact"

PARIS (Reuters) - The U.S Supreme Court decision to speed access to copycat biologics drugs on Monday was expected but has an "immediate impact", Sanofi Chief Executive told Reuters.