Health News Roundup: Sanofi, Regeneron drug gets FDA nod, H5N6 bird flu outbreak and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Sanofi, Regeneron skin cancer drug gets FDA nod

Sanofi SA said on Friday its skin cancer drug, made in partnership with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The drug, Libtayo, is used to treat a rare form of skin cancer, in patients whose condition has not improved following surgery or chemotherapy.

Heart disease common among firefighters who die of cardiac arrest

(Reuters Health) - Most firefighters who die from cardiac arrest turn out to have narrowing of the heart arteries or structural damage in their hearts, a recent study suggests. When firefighters become suddenly incapacitated on the job, it endangers their lives. It may also put other lives at risk as they work to rescue people from burning buildings or douse flames before they spread, researchers note in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Childhood secondhand smoke exposure tied to arthritis in adulthood

Women exposed to secondhand smoke as children may be more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than people who didn't breathe cigarette fumes growing up, a French study suggests. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disorder that causes debilitating swelling and pain in the joints. It's less common than osteoarthritis, which happens when cartilage on the ends of bones wears down over time.

China reports H5N6 bird flu case on poultry farm in Guizhou province

China has reported a case of H5N6 avian bird flu on a poultry farm in southwestern Guizhou province, the nation's agriculture ministry said on Saturday. Local authorities culled 32,352 birds at the farm following the outbreak, according to a statement published on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

FDA halts imports from China's Huahai after heart drug recall

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it will no longer allow imports of drug ingredients or medicines made with ingredients produced by China's Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, after a recall of one of its drugs that contained a probable carcinogen. The Chinese bulk manufacturer of the high blood pressure treatment valsartan recalled the product from consumers in the United States in July because an impurity linked to cancer had been detected.

China removes restrictions where first African swine fever outbreak found

China has removed restrictions on an area in Shenyang, Liaoning province, where the nation's first African swine fever outbreak was found last month, the agriculture ministry said on Saturday. The infected area had been sealed off for six weeks after the highly contagious disease was reported there, the statement said.

Insmed's treatment-resistant lung disease drug gets FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Insmed Inc's lead drug to treat a rare, chronic lung disease, making it the first approved treatment in the United States for the condition. The drug's label contains a boxed warning - the FDA's strictest — of increased risk of respiratory conditions, including inflamed lungs and tightening of the airway, the agency said.

(With inputs from agencies.)