Reuters - Health Report

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Thursday, September 21, 2017

Republicans plan healthcare vote; Obama and TV host denounce bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans announced plans to vote next week on their latest bid to scuttle Obamacare even as a popular comedian who has become part of the U.S. healthcare debate denounced the bill and former President Barack Obama on Wednesday warned of "real human suffering."

Exclusive: Africa to get state-of-art HIV drugs for $75 a year

LONDON (Reuters) - Makers of generic AIDS drugs will start churning out millions of pills for Africa containing a state-of-the-art medicine widely used in rich countries, after securing a multi-million dollar guarantee that caps prices at just $75 per patient a year.

Merck KGaA, Pfizer's cancer drug Bavencio gets EU nod

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - European regulators on Thursday granted market approval for Merck KGaA and Pfizer's immuno-oncology drug Bavencio to treat a rare and aggressive type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma.

CDC issues guidance on storm recovery

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been using multiple channels to get the word out about post-storm safety to residents of areas still reeling from the effects of recent hurricanes.

Alnylam's RNAi drug succeeds in key study, shares soar

(Reuters) - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc's RNAi-based drug that targets a rare genetic disease met the main goal of a key study, in a breakthrough for the new class of medicines that works by blocking disease-causing proteins.

Nestle to cut jobs at French skin health R&D center

ZURICH (Reuters) - Nestle plans to cut up to 450 jobs at a Galderma research and development center in southern France, the Swiss company said on Thursday, as it seeks to make the underperforming skin health business more efficient.

Attorney General Sessions says marijuana still illegal

(Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday criticized the legalization of marijuana in multiple states and warned that the federal law banning use and sale of the drug "remains in effect," remarks that could stoke fears of a federal crackdown.

Novartis's Rydapt wins EU approval for AML, other diseases

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis on Wednesday won European Union approval for Rydapt to be used against a mutated form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other rare diseases, adding to U.S. approvals the medicine secured in April.

Graham says U.S. Senate to consider healthcare bill next week: NBC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Wednesday the Senate would take up the Obamacare replacement bill he co-sponsored next week, an NBC reporter said on Twitter.

Sanofi tests three-in-one antibody to treat or prevent HIV

LONDON (Reuters) - A three-pronged man-made antibody, created by French drugmaker Sanofi and U.S. scientists, could offer a new way to treat or prevent HIV, following successful tests in monkeys.