Reuters - Health Report

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Friday, November 17, 2017

Injured defector's parasites and diet hint at hard life in North Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - Parasitic worms found in a North Korean soldier, critically injured during a desperate defection, highlight nutrition and hygiene problems that experts say have plagued the isolated country for decades.

Pope denounces healthcare inequality in rich countries

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis condemned on Thursday inequality in healthcare, particularly in rich countries, saying governments had a duty to ensure the common good for all its citizens.

Trump administration proposes Medicare rules aimed at opioids, drug costs

(Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday proposed changes to Medicare drug plans including limits on opioid prescriptions and rules aimed at reducing drug costs for seniors, such as requiring health insurers to pass on discounts to consumers.

Johnson & Johnson wins California lawsuit claiming asbestos in talc caused cancer

(Reuters) - A California jury on Thursday ruled in favor of Johnson & Johnson in a lawsuit by a woman who said she developed the cancer mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos in the company's talc-based products including J&J's Baby Powder.

Japan health ministry to water down proposal on restaurant smoking: media

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's health ministry is likely to drastically water down a proposal restricting smoking in restaurants, media said on Friday, a move that risks Tokyo becoming one of the unhealthiest hosts of the Olympic Games hosts in years.

Johnson & Johnson hit with $247 million verdict in hip implant trial

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal jury in Dallas on Thursday ordered Johnson & Johnson and its DePuy Orthopaedics unit to pay $247 million to six patients who said they were injured by defective Pinnacle hip implants.

Billionaire founder of Insys pleads not guilty to opioid bribe scheme

BOSTON (Reuters) - The billionaire founder of drugmaker Insys Therapeutics Inc pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe a fentanyl-based spray to treat pain in cancer patients.

Endo unit cleared of liability in first testosterone replacement trial

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal jury in Chicago said on Thursday that Endo International's Auxilium unit was not responsible for the heart attack a man suffered while using the company's testosterone replacement drug Testim.

FDA expands approval for Pfizer cancer drug Sutent

(Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the use of Pfizer Inc's cancer drug Sutent to help prevent kidney cancer from returning following surgical removal of a kidney.

Roche hemophilia drug wins FDA nod, with a warning

ZURICH (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Roche's Hemlibra, a new medicine for hemophilia A that the Swiss drugmaker is counting on to help to offset eroding sales of older medicines going off patent.