Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Ebola case confirmed in rebel-held Congo area far from outbreak's epicentre

A case of Ebola has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province, hundreds of kilometres from the outbreak's epicentre, the rebel alliance that controls the area said on Thursday. The case, in a rural area near the provincial capital Bukavu, signals the spread of an outbreak that experts believe circulated undetected for ​around two months in Ituri province, several hundred kilometres to the north, before being identified last week.

US HHS launches AI initiative to detect fraud and waste in health programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday it has launched a new AI-led initiative to review annual ​audits to strengthen oversight across federally funded health programs amid concerns around widespread fraud. The program, called the Audit Enforcement and Risk Oversight initiative, or AERO, will review at least five years of ‌audit records of HHS-funded programs ​across all 50 states, the department said.

WHO Africa head warns against underestimating risk of Ebola spread

It would be a mistake to underestimate the risk posed by the Ebola outbreak, the WHO regional director for Africa said on Friday, warning that just one case could spread the virus beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The outbreak has resulted in 160 suspected deaths out of 670 suspected cases, and 61 of the cases have been confirmed, according to DRC health ministry data published on Thursday. Two cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.

UN sends emergency funds and staff to tackle Congo Ebola crisis

The United Nations is releasing around $60 million from an emergency fund to help contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and deploying more staff, its aid chief said on Friday. "We need to get ahead of this Ebola outbreak," said Tom Fletcher on X. "These are tough operating environments for lifesaving work. We face conflict and high population movement."

Ebola ‌likely circulating in Congo for two months, outbreak to grow, WHO says

The Ebola outbreak linked to more than 130 deaths in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo likely started two months ago and is expected to continue to grow, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. The outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine, was declared last Friday and has alarmed experts because of how long it went undetected while spreading across a densely populated area, making it difficult to trace and isolate the contacts of infected individuals.

India's top condom maker may hike prices on war-linked oil surge

India's Mankind Pharma may raise condom prices if the Middle East conflict drags on further and keeps oil prices elevated, its chief executive told Reuters on Thursday. The company, which makes Manforce condoms and is the market leader with a share of about 30%, has enough stock to last for a few months if the war persists, CEO Sheetal Arora said, but warned that Mankind may have to pass some of the higher costs to customers if oil prices remain elevated.

Kelun, Merck's lung cancer combo improves survival in late-stage China trial

Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical said on Thursday its experimental treatment combined with partner Merck's Keytruda improved progression-free survival in patients with advanced lung cancer, meeting the main goal of a late-stage study. Shares of Merck rose nearly 4% in after-hours ‌trading.

Cencora revises forecast for 2026, approves $2 billion share buyback

U.S. drug distributor Cencora on Thursday raised the lower end of its fiscal 2026 earnings forecast citing recent share repurchases, and also approved a new $2 billion stock buyback plan. It now sees adjusted earnings per share of $17.70 to $17.90 for fiscal 2026, compared with its earlier view of $17.65 to $17.90.

Indian drugmaker Torrent Pharma posts lower quarterly profit on acquisition costs

Indian drugmaker Torrent Pharmaceuticals reported a 21.9% fall in fourth-quarter profit on Friday, as acquisition-related costs from its deal with J.B. Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals offset strong revenue growth. Consolidated net profit fell to 3.89 billion rupees ($40.65 million) for the ‌quarter ended March 31, from 4.98 billion rupees a year earlier

Volunteers go door-to-door in Congo to tackle Ebola rumors, aid network says

Volunteers are going door-to-door to combat misinformation about Ebola in the area at the centre of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Friday. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, was declared an emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization on Sunday.

Moderna, Merck cancer combo cuts melanoma spread risk at five years

Moderna and Merck's combination therapy for skin cancer helped reduce risk of cancer spreading to another part of the body by 59% after five years of follow-up, data from a mid-stage trial showed Thursday. The study tested Moderna's experimental personalized cancer vaccine intismeran autogene, in combination with Merck's blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda, in melanoma patients after surgery to assess whether the combination prevented their cancer from returning. The trial enrolled 157 patients from 2019 to 2021.

India's Sun Pharma posts profit beat on specialty drug demand, shares slide on cost pressures

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' fourth-quarter profit edged past estimates, helped by robust demand for its specialty drugs, although increasing cost pressures squeezed margins and sent shares lower on Friday. The drugmaker's shares fell as much as 3.1% after results before closing 2.5% lower for the day.

Factbox-Bundibugyo Ebola vaccines and treatments in development

Global health authorities are racing to identify medical options to help contain an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there are no approved vaccines or treatments ⁠for Bundibugyo.

Lower cost Novo, Lilly weight-loss pills ​draw patients from compounded drugs, doctors say

Lower prices for weight-loss pills from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are prompting patients to switch from compounded medications to branded Wegovy and Foundayo, according ⁠to Reuters interviews with nine U.S. doctors. Prices for the lowest doses of both Novo's oral Wegovy and Lilly's Foundayo tend to be lower than for their injected obesity medicines, and at par with those offered by pharmacies that mix the ingredients themselves and make compounded versions.

EMA backs Novo's Wegovy pill, first oral weight-loss drug for Europe

The European Medicines Agency recommended approval for Novo Nordisk's weight-loss pill Wegovy, the regulator said on Friday, clearing its path to become the first oral weight-loss drug in Europe, ahead of U.S. rival Eli Lilly. The recommendation comes as competition between Novo and Lilly intensifies, with both companies seeking to grow their share of the booming obesity drug market—expected by analysts to reach $150 billion annually in the next decade—by expanding into oral treatments.

US FDA to hold expert committee meeting ⁠to review Moderna's flu vaccine

The U.S. FDA said on Thursday it would hold a meeting of outside experts next month to review Moderna's experimental flu shot. Moderna's mRNA-based seasonal flu vaccine is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after the agency rejected the company's initial application. A decision is expected by August 5.

CVC, GBL launch €10.7 billion bid for Italian drugmaker Recordati

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners and Belgian investment group Groupe Bruxelles Lambert launched a €10.7 billion ($12.4 billion) cash bid for Recordati on Friday, aiming to take the Italian drugmaker private. Italy's fragmented pharmaceutical sector has seen a flurry of dealmaking in recent months as companies seek to scale up, with Angelini announcing a $4.1 billion acquisition of U.S.-listed Catalyst Pharmaceuticals and Chiesi buying U.S.-based ​KalVista Pharmaceuticals for about $2 billion.

Congo Ebola outbreak cases are 'top of the iceberg', coalition says

A global vaccine coalition official said on Thursday that cases so far identified in the Congo Ebola outbreak represent just the top of the iceberg and it may be hard to develop a safe, effective vaccine within a target time of three months. The outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo encompasses 600 suspected cases and more than 130 suspected deaths so far, with the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency of international concern.

EU regulator recommends positive opinion of ⁠AstraZeneca's experimental breast cancer drug

A European Medicines Agency committee said on Friday it has adopted a positive opinion of AstraZeneca's experimental breast cancer drug, camizestrant. The positive opinion comes weeks after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted against the treatment, raising concerns about the design of a key late-stage trial rather than the treatment's safety or effectiveness.

Inside an African lab that helped crack the hantavirus outbreak

The call for help came in early May: a cruise ship off Cape Verde was stranded, with passengers suspected of infection by a deadly strain of hantavirus that kills about one in three of its victims. The vessel had stopped at several remote islands, and the World Health Organization needed answers. Could a biomedical research center in Senegal, an hour's flight away, support a team collecting specimens from suspected cases on board?

Biogen, Denali scrap Parkinson's drug after ⁠failure in mid-to-late ​stage study

Biogen and Denali Therapeutics said on Thursday they will discontinue development of their Parkinson's drug after it failed to meet the main goal in a mid-to-late stage study. The drug, BIIB122, did not slow disease progression compared with placebo, missing the main goal of delaying worsening of symptoms measured by a combined score of movement and daily function. It also failed to show benefit on other key measures.

Acting head of US NIH infectious disease institute has left, senators say

The acting director of the U.S. NIH's infectious disease institute has stepped down, two Democratic senators said on Thursday during a Senate hearing, even as the United States scrambles to respond to Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks. Jeffery Taubenberger became acting director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in April 2025 after President Donald Trump's administration pushed out the previous head.

US Ebola patient in Berlin hospital not critically ill, family tests negative

A U.S. citizen who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an outbreak of a rare strain has killed over 130 people, is not critically ill and his wife and four children have tested negative, the Berlin hospital where the family is being treated said on Friday. "Because the course of the illness can change, he remains under close observation and is receiving treatment," Charite university hospital ⁠said in a statement. "He is being cared for in the high-security area of the specialized isolation unit."

China adds chemicals to narcotics precursor list after Trump visit

China added three chemicals on Friday to its list of controlled precursor chemicals curbing their export to Canada, Mexico and the United States, a week after U.S. and Chinese leaders held a summit in Beijing. The National Narcotics Control Commission also issued a notice warning of eight chemicals that could be used to make synthetic drugs.

Congo protesters set fire to Ebola treatment tents in dispute over victim's body

Protesters set fire to tents for Ebola patients after Congolese ⁠authorities refused to give them the dead body of a victim they wanted to bury themselves, a beloved local footballer suspected to have died in the ongoing outbreak, Reuters witnesses said. Police ⁠fired warning shots and tear gas to defuse the incident in Ituri province which highlighted the struggle that authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo could face to enforce the safe burials of people with confirmed and suspected cases that are required to help contain the outbreak.

Early childhood screening for type 1 diabetes may be beneficial for patients

We also report on a large analysis that found little clinical anti-fracture benefit from vitamin D or calcium supplements, and a study that suggests insurers may be cutting off sleep apnea patients from their CPAP machines prematurely.

SCREEN ALL CHILDREN FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES, STUDY SUGGESTS

Families weigh moves with gender-affirming care access under assault in US

Confronted with Trump Administration threats to gender-affirming care for young transgender people, American families are weighing moves out of their states to gain access to needed healthcare, according to doctors, patients, policy experts and advocacy groups. Upon taking office for the second time, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at ‌limiting access to gender-affirming care for patients under age 19, building on legislation or rules in 27 mostly Republican-led states ‌that restrict such care. The order has been temporarily blocked by a judge but the administration continues to push new bans.

Soccer-Ebola risk minimal for World Cup fans, logistics challenges remain

The risk of Ebola affecting fans at the World Cup is low, according to Dr Oliver Johnson, a global health academic at King's College London, but ​heightened screening and travel restrictions could complicate logistics. The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)