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Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Colombia’s cannabis industry in crisis over regulatory, political hurdles
More than 17 acres of land owned by a Colombian-Canadian company near Bogota were once meant to grow 25 varieties of cannabis, but over the past year weeds have overtaken greenhouses and 200 of its 218 employees have been fired. The company is a victim of long-running problems for Colombia’s legal marijuana industry, which attracted huge investment after cannabis was legalized for medicinal use in 2017. At the time, Colombia was one of the first countries in Latin America to pass such legislation and held out the promise of legalizing marijuana sales for recreational use next.
Clene says FDA finds ALS drug data not enough for accelerated nod
Clene said on Thursday data on its therapy to treat a type of neurological disease did not meet the U.S. drug regulator’s target for accelerated approval. Shares of the biotech company fell 35.9% to 33 cents before the bell.
Ukrainian lawmakers back legalisation of medical cannabis
Ukrainian lawmakers voted to legalise the medical use of cannabis on Thursday after activists and supporters called for the step in order to treat millions of people including soldiers wounded in the war with Russia. The bill was backed by 248 lawmakers, senior lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak wrote on Telegram messenger. Selling or supplying cannabis for recreational use would remain a criminal offence.
Enrollment for 2024 Obamacare plans 33% higher than last year
More than 15.3 million Americans have signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for 2024, a 33% increase from this time last year, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wednesday. The Biden-Harris Administration said preliminary data also projects that over 19 million people will enroll in 2024 through the ACA marketplace.
French drugmaker Servier ordered to pay $471 million for Mediator scandal
Drugmaker Servier must pay more than 430 million euros ($471 million) in connection with weight-loss pill Mediator, a French court ruled on Wednesday, saying the company was guilty of fraud and other charges because it knew the drug was potentially harmful when selling it. The Paris court of appeals ordered the unlisted French pharmaceutical group to reimburse 415.6 million euros to social security services. The company was also ordered to pay criminal fines of close to 9 million euros, 1 million euros in damages and 5 million in legal costs.
US FDA declines to approve Merck’s chronic cough drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declined to approve Merck’s drug for chronic cough, the company said on Wednesday, marking the second rejection in less than two years. The health regulator concluded the company’s application for the drug, gefapixant, did not meet substantial evidence of effectiveness for treating refractory chronic cough and unexplained chronic cough.
Bird flu set to spread in Antarctic causing huge damage, report says
Bird flu is likely to spread further in the Antarctic region, causing immense damage to wildlife, according to experts on the highly contagious disease that has killed hundreds of millions of birds worldwide in recent years. The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly called bird flu, to the remote southern region has raised concerns for isolated populations of species including penguins and seals that have never been exposed to the virus.
US FDA approves Sweden-based Calliditas’ kidney disease drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval to Swedish drugmaker Calliditas Therapeutics’ drug to treat rare kidney disease IgA Nephropathy (IgAN), the company said on Wednesday. The company’s U.S.-listed shares rose 29% after the bell.
India’s big hospital chains think small to expand in booming market
India’s prominent hospital chains are shifting their focus to smaller centres and facilities as they chase growth in the booming healthcare market while coping with higher real estate costs and a dearth of land space in its cities. Though healthcare facilities are still in short supply in most parts of India, and especially so in its towns and smaller cities, patients in the world’s most populous nation are showing a greater preference for specialised-but-accessible amenities in the post-COVID pandemic era.
Sanofi to end cancer research programme evaluating tusamitamab ravtansine
French healthcare company Sanofi on Thursday said it was ending a programme evaluating tusamitamab ravtansine related to the treatment of types of lung cancer.
(With inputs from agencies.)
