Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
FDA approves Lexicon Pharma's carcinoid syndrome diarrhea drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it had approved Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc's oral drug to treat carcinoid syndrome diarrhea, a condition that develops in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. The drug, Xermelo or telotristat ethyl, was tested on patients unable to tolerate somatostatin analog therapy (SSA) - the standard-of-care treatment for carcinoid syndrome diarrhea from companies such as Novartis AG and Ipsen SA.
FDA to expedite review of Teva drug for movement disorder
Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted "priority review" for its SD-809 drug to treat tardive dyskinesia with a target date for approval by Aug. 30. A priority, or expedited, review allows for a faster evaluation of drug applications.
Obamacare plans' drug spending rose faster than other plans in 2016: Express Scripts
Spending on prescription drugs for health plans created under the Affordable Care Act increased last year at a rate more than three times that of other commercial plans and most government-run plans managed by Express Scripts Holding Co . Express Scripts, the largest manager of prescription drug plans for U.S. employers, on Tuesday said year-over-year spending per person for individual insurance plans sold on the Obamacare exchanges where it manages the pharmacy benefit rose 14 percent in 2016, driven by higher drug prices and utilization.
For nursing home residents, activities associated with thriving
Nursing home residents who have a range of activity options may be more likely to thrive than their peers who don't have as many choices of things to do, a Swedish study suggests. "The key issue to support resident thriving seems to be that residents have a selection and variety in activities, and that the activities are meaningful to the residents," said study author Sabine Bjork of the University of Umea.
Obese couples may take longer to conceive
Couples who are obese may take longer to achieve pregnancy than partners who aren't as overweight, a recent U.S. study suggests. Previous studies in women have linked obesity to difficulties getting pregnant. In the current study, neither male nor female obesity alone was linked to taking a longer time to conceive, but when both partners were obese, the couple took up to 59 percent longer to conceive than non-obese counterparts.
Novartis cancer division races to catch up with rivals
Novartis is making progress in its bid to catch rivals developing drugs that harness the immune system to fight cancer, one of its top research scientists and latest recruit from Harvard University told Reuters in an interview. Peter Hammerman joined the Swiss firm in late 2016, becoming the fourth leading cancer scientist to be poached in little more than year from Harvard, a short walk along Massachusetts Avenue from the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR), the company's Cambridge-based research arm.
Few people know about overlapping surgery
Most people aren't aware that surgeons are sometimes involved in multiple operations happening at the same time, and many patients might object to the practice if they knew about it, a recent U.S. study suggests. Researchers focused on what's known as overlapping surgery, when a senior surgeon performs critical components of one operation at the same that a trainee surgeon or physician assistant handles a non-critical portion of another procedure. For example, it might mean the assistant closes up an incision on one patient while a senior surgeon begins an operation on another patient.
FDA warns Pfizer over contaminated drugs at Kansas plant
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Pfizer Inc's process for manufacturing sterile injectable drugs at a plant in McPherson, Kansas was "out of control" and put patients at risk, according to a warning letter made public on Tuesday. In the Feb. 14 letter, the FDA said that several products were contaminated with multiple foreign particulates and that the injectable antibiotic vancomycin had been compromised by cardboard pieces.
Trump gives nod to Republican tax-credit proposal on Obamacare
U.S. President Donald Trump backed the use of tax credits to help people purchase health insurance in a speech to Congress on Tuesday, the first time he signaled support for a key component of House Republican proposals to replace Obamacare. Republicans, who control the White House and Congress, are united in their opposition to former Democratic President Barack Obama's signature 2010 healthcare law, but have so far failed to agree on the details of how to replace it.
Tenet CEO welcomes delays in Republican changes to Obamacare
The delays in Republican plans to overhaul Obamacare are helpful to hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp, the company's chief executive officer said on Tuesday, as the timeline shifts further out for any changes to government healthcare payments. President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, but Republican lawmakers and the administration have not yet agreed on a plan. Republicans say they do not want to pull the rug out from the newly insured and are unlikely to adopt major changes before 2019.
