Reuters - Health Report

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Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Novartis says biosimilar rituximab accepted for review by FDA

ZURICH (Reuters) - Novartis AG said on Tuesday its biosimilar rituximab to treat blood cancers and immunological diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis was accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

France eyes legalizing assisted reproduction for gay women in 2018

PARIS (Reuters) - The right of lesbian couples and single women to have access to assisted reproduction was "a matter of social justice" and will likely be legislated next year, a French government minister said on Tuesday.

AbbVie says deaths in arthritis trial not linked to drug

(Reuters) - AbbVie Inc said on Monday two patients died in a late-stage trial of its rheumatoid arthritis drug but that the deaths were not linked to the drug, which met the study's main goals.

U.S. tribal patent deal could have big impact on generic drug market

(Reuters) - A groundbreaking deal between Allergan Plc and a Native American tribe to shield the company's patents in administrative proceedings could also be used be to protect them from challenges in federal court, legal experts said, potentially dealing a blow to generic competition.

Cancer immunotherapy proves itself in earlier-stage disease

MADRID (Reuters) - Cancer doctors are widening the net for immunotherapy, a hot new class of drugs that enlist the body's defenses in the fight against tumors.

Roche shares hit by trial flops, fears over biosimilar defense

ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche shares fell in early trading on Monday after trial failures added to the Swiss drugmaker's challenge of replacing patent-expired medicines with lucrative new drugs.

Child injuries in ATVs dropped after age-restriction law

(Reuters Health) - Restricting use of off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), for younger children and teens may help curb the number of youth who get seriously injured in crashes, a U.S. study suggests.

Sitting most of the day may lead to an early grave

(Reuters Health) - Adults who are inactive much of the day may be more likely to die prematurely than people who don’t sit around a lot, regardless of their exercise habits, a U.S. study suggests.

Shire says trial shows new HAE drug significantly reduces attacks

LONDON (Reuters) - London-listed drugmaker Shire said on Monday it had successfully tested a new medicine that prevents attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE), a rare genetic disease that causes swelling of extremities, the gastrointestinal tract and upper airways.

Northern China smog cuts life expectancy by 3 years versus south: study

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Air pollution caused by coal-fired winter heating has slashed life expectancy in northern China by more than three years compared with the south, according to a new study, underlining the urgency of Beijing's efforts to tackle smog.