Health Report: June 26, 2017

Trump reaches out to lawmakers on healthcare as another says 'no' WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump made calls to fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Friday to mobilize support for their party's healthcare overhaul while acknowledging the legislation is on a "very, very narrow path" to passage.

South Africa imposes countrywide ban of sale of live hens to contain avian flu CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa has placed a general ban on the sale of live hens throughout the country in a bid to control an outbreak of highly contagious H5N8 bird flu, but no humans have been affected, the government said on Monday.

USDA finds abscesses, unidentified material in raw Brazil beef: USDA CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has found repeated import violations in raw Brazilian beef, including abscesses and unidentified foreign material, a top agency official said, explaining reasons for a U.S. ban on imports of fresh Brazilian beef.

Roche says new hemophilia drug cuts bleed rate by 87 percent ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche's investigational hemophilia drug emicizumab cut the bleed rate by 87 percent in patients who had developed resistance to standard treatment, compared with those who instead got bypassing agents, the Swiss company said on Monday.

Health insurers says Senate bill's Medicaid cuts to hurt states NEW YORK (Reuters) - Health insurers are concerned about the U.S. Senate's plans to cut the Medicaid program for the poor and the impact such a move would have on state governments, the industry's largest lobbyist said on Friday.

Novartis breast cancer drug Kisqali wins European panel backing ZURICH (Reuters) - A European Medicines Agency (EMA) panel recommended on Friday approving Novartis's Kisqali drug, bolstering the Swiss drugmaker's bid to challenge rival Pfizer's Ibrance against tough-to-treat breast cancer.

High hopes ride on marijuana painkillers amid opioid crisis (Reuters) - A handful of drugmakers are taking their first steps toward developing marijuana-based painkillers, alternatives to opioids that have led to widespread abuse and caused the U.S. health regulator to ask for a withdrawal of a popular drug this month.

Saudi crown prince donates $66 million to fight Yemen cholera epidemic DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince has donated $66.7 million to combat a cholera epidemic in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting in a war blamed for causing a humanitarian disaster.

United Nations stresses for support for Haiti cholera fight PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - The United Nations stressed on Thursday its support for eradicating cholera in Haiti, an epidemic it accidentally started, although the government said residents would be better served if aid funding was channeled through it.

Portola shares soar after FDA approves clot preventing drug WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new oral blood-thinner made by Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms in acutely ill patients who are not undergoing surgery.