Reuters - Health Report

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Friday, June 2, 2017

L.A. health officials misstated some cases of childhood lead exposure

New York (Reuters) - Los Angeles County overstated the number of local children with elevated lead tests in recent years, internal emails show, making it harder to track the public health burden of lead exposure in one of the country’s most densely populated areas.

Breastfeeding linked to lower endometrial cancer risk

(Reuters Health) - Women who breastfeed their babies for the recommended six months may also be lowering their own risk of developing endometrial cancer, a new study suggests.

EU approves Biogen's Spinraza for lead genetic cause of infant death

(Reuters) - Biogen Inc on Thursday said its drug, Spinraza, had secured European Union approval to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a leading genetic cause of death in infants.

Strict bedtime rules can help kids get enough sleep

(Reuters Health) - Parents who stick to a set bedtime schedule and enforce rules for nighttime routines may be more likely to have children who get enough sleep during the week than people who are more relaxed about putting kids to bed, a recent Canadian study suggests.

Tiny blood vessel damage tied to depression among older adults

(Reuters Health) - Keeping tiny blood vessels healthy may be one way to ward off depression later in life, suggests a new analysis of existing research.

Metals and nutrients in baby teeth tied to autism risk

(Reuters Health) - Differences in exposure to certain metals and nutrients like lead and zinc in the womb and in early childhood may affect a child’s risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), researchers say.

Online access to abortion pill may be safe alternative to clinics

(Reuters Health) - Women who don’t have access to reproductive health clinics can safely use telemedicine services to consult with a doctor and get drugs to terminate their pregnancy without surgery, suggests a study of Irish women.

Indonesia tobacco bill would open tap for ads aimed at kids, health official says

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A proposed Indonesian tobacco law will roll back regulations to discourage smoking in a country that already has one of the highest smoking rates in the world and open the floodgates to advertising aimed at teenagers, a health ministry official said.

Philips in deals with U.S. hospitals on use of its gene data platform for cancer research

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch healthcare technology company Philips said Thursday it had reached deals with New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare for them to use its genomics platform for cancer research and treatment.

Mylan may have overcharged U.S. for EpiPen by $1.27 billion: HHS

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government may have overpaid drugmaker Mylan N.V. by as much as $1.27 billion between 2006 and 2016 for its EpiPen emergency allergy treatment, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Wednesday.