Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Democrat Warren: Medicare for All would not raise U.S. middle-class taxes 'one penny'

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren on Friday proposed a $20.5 trillion Medicare for All plan that she said would not require raising middle-class taxes "one penny," answering critics who had attacked her for failing to explain how she would pay for the sweeping healthcare system overhaul. Warren said her plan would save American households $11 trillion in out-of-pocket healthcare spending over the next decade while imposing significant new taxes on corporations and the wealthy to help finance it.

FDA downplays risks from already recalled heartburn drug Zantac

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday downplayed the risk caused by contamination of the already recalled popular heartburn drug Zantac, and said its tests suggest it does not cause carcinogens to form after ingestion by patients. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that the levels of the probable carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) it found in ranitidine - sold under the brand name Zantac - "are similar to the levels you would expect to be exposed to if you ate common foods like grilled or smoked meats."

U.S. vaping-related deaths rise to 37, cases of illness to 1,888

U.S. health officials on Thursday reported 1,888 confirmed and probable cases and 3 more deaths from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping, taking the total death toll to 37. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 1,604 cases and 34 deaths from the illness and said the number of reported cases in the epidemic appears to be leveling off or declining.

Warren's big healthcare plan relies on big assumptions

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren's plan for universal healthcare rests on an assumption she can radically change an industry the size of Germany's entire economy without new costs for the average taxpayer. On paper, the plan by the senator from Massachusetts to use government bureaucracy to create a more efficient healthcare system gets credibility from the fact that most rich nations, including Canada and France, already do just that.

Canadian ambassador says drug imports would not lower U.S. prices

Canada does not have a large enough supply of prescription drugs to meet U.S. demand, and importing medicines from Canada would not significantly lower U.S. prices, Ottawa's acting ambassador told U.S. officials in recent meetings, according to a statement published on Friday. Kirsten Hillman, Canada's acting ambassador to the United States, said her country is “sympathetic to U.S. concerns regarding affordable prescription drugs.”

Multistate salmonella outbreak causes one death: CDC

A multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to ground beef has caused one death in California and eight hospitalizations, U.S. health officials said on Friday. A total of 10 people in six U.S. states were infected with a strain of the bacteria called Salmonella Dublin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (http://bit.ly/2N7RuPu)

Novartis says delayed telling FDA of Zolgensma concern due to 'mistake'

Novartis scientists learnt months ago about safety concerns surrounding its gene therapy Zolgensma but delayed telling the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to what the Swiss drugmaker said was a "mistake". The FDA on Wednesday placed a partial hold on a Novartis trial of the $2.1 million-per-patient gene therapy after the company informed the agency about a primate study that raised concerns of possible nerve damage or loss.

Infection amnesia: Measles 'destroys immune system memory'

Getting measles is even more dangerous than doctors had realized, because it destroys immunity that the victim has acquired to other diseases, researchers said on Thursday. The findings help to explain why children often catch other infectious diseases after having measles, and underscore the dangers of growing resistance to childhood vaccination in some countries, according to two studies published simultaneously.

Trump nominates MD Anderson oncologist as U.S. FDA Commissioner

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to nominate Dr. Stephen Hahn, chief medical executive of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to lead the Food and Drug Administration, the White House said on Friday. If confirmed, Hahn, a radiation oncologist who has been at MD Anderson in Houston since 2015, would succeed former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who stepped down from the post earlier this year. Hahn's nomination passes over Ned Sharpless, a previous director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), who is currently serving as acting FDA commissioner.

New Delhi declares public emergency as pollution at year's worst

Authorities in New Delhi declared a public health emergency on Friday and closed schools and all construction activity until next week as air pollution in the city hit its worst level this year. A thick haze has hung over the Indian capital this week caused by plumes of toxic smoke from farm fires raging in neighbouring states.