Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Gilead posts profit, says HIV prevention drug on track for mid-June

Gilead Sciences on Thursday reported a first-quarter profit, but revenue was flat, as higher sales of drugs for HIV and liver disease, along with expense tightening, offset lower cancer drug sales. The company's shares fell about 3% to $102.75 in after-hours trading.

Germany's Merck says in late-stage discussions to buy SpringWorks for $3.5 billion

Germany's Merck KGaA said on Thursday it is in late-stage talks to acquire U.S.-based SpringWorks Therapeutics for about $3.5 billion, a deal that could give it access to a recently approved rare disease drug and expand its portfolio of experimental cancer treatments. Merck said that the companies are in discussions on the basis of a price of around $47 per share, which gives a valuation of roughly $3.5 billion, according to Reuters calculations.

Measles cases in Texas rise to 646, state health department says

The Texas health department reported 646 cases of measles in the state on Friday, an increase of 22 cases from three days ago, as the United States battles one of its worst outbreaks of the childhood disease. There have been three confirmed deaths from measles this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.

Roche seeks US tariff relief in direct talks with Trump administration

Swiss drugmaker Roche is petitioning the U.S. government in direct talks for import tariff exemptions, arguing the products it ships into the United States are offset by its exports of U.S.-made drugs and diagnostics. "As long as we produce the same amount in the U.S. as we import ... we would not be impacted by tariffs. That's kind of the discussion we are trying to have with the U.S. government," CEO Thomas Schinecker said in a media call after the release of first-quarter sales figures.

Roche Q1 sales up 7% on drugs Phesgo, Vabysmo

Swiss drugmaker Roche said on Thursday its first-quarter sales rose a forecast-beating 7% driven by breast cancer drug Phesgo, eye drug Vabysmo and allergy treatment Xolair. Quarterly group revenues came in at 15.44 billion Swiss francs ($18.64 billion), slightly above average market expectations of about 15.4 billion cited by analysts.

Novo Nordisk's stellar Wegovy-fuelled run of hiking sales guidance could be ending

Since launching its wildly popular weight-loss drug Wegovy in 2021, Novo Nordisk has raised its annual sales guidance several times a year. But recent weak U.S. prescription data is leading some investors and analysts to question whether that stellar run, which helped make Novo Europe's most valuable listed company worth $615 billion at its peak, is coming to an end.

US at tipping point for return of endemic measles

The United States is at a tipping point for the return of endemic measles a quarter century after the disease was declared eradicated in the country, researchers warned on Thursday. At current U.S. childhood vaccination rates, measles could return to spreading regularly at high levels, with an estimated 851,300 cases over the next 25 years, computer models used by the researchers suggest.

Ozempic copies restricted after US judge denies injunction

A U.S. judge on Thursday rejected a bid by compounding pharmacies to keep making copies of Novo Nordisk's popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy while a legal challenge over drug shortages unfolds, court records showed. The decision came in response to a February lawsuit from a compounding industry group against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision that there was no longer a shortage of the medicines' active ingredient, semaglutide.

Sanofi's quarterly profit boosted by Dupixent and newer drugs; forecast unchanged

France's Sanofi reported first-quarter profit that beat analysts' expectations on Thursday, boosted by strong demand for its anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent, as well as newer treatments and vaccines. However, the company left its full-year profit and sales forecasts unchanged, with Chief Financial Officer François-Xavier Roger flagging a "a volatile world where a number of things are difficult to predict."

US business lobby in China: Some pharma firms reporting tariff exemptions

Pharmaceutical companies in China are reporting that they have been able to import some drugs over the past week with tariff exemptions, the Beijing-based American Chamber of Commerce said on Friday. The move, if confirmed, could be a sign that Chinese authorities are prepared to be flexible to try to mitigate the impact of an ongoing U.S.-Chinese trade war. China's commerce ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

European pharma companies push for higher drug prices in EU amid U.S. tariff threats

European drugmakers are urging the EU to allow higher medicine prices, warning that without stronger investment incentives, the bloc would fall further behind the U.S., where tariff threats have triggered a wave of pharma investment announcements. AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot said that just like Europe has stepped up its defense spending, it now must do the same and invest more to protect its health sovereignty amid a shifting world order.

Four states have asked USDA to let them ban soda, candy from food assistance program

Four Republican states have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to let them ban soda, energy drinks and other food items from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, according to an agency spokesperson. President Donald Trump's administration has said it will hastily approve such waivers submitted by states as part of its agenda to "Make America Healthy Again," a slogan popularized by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his supporters.

Amgen to expand Ohio biotech manufacturing plant

Amgen on Friday announced a $900 million expansion of its Ohio biotech manufacturing facility, becoming the latest in a string of drugmakers pledging to increase U.S. capacity amid Trump administration threats of potential import tariffs. Amgen, based in Thousand Oaks, California, said the plans bring its total investment in central Ohio to more than $1.4 billion, creating 750 jobs.

As FDA delays Novavax' COVID vaccine approval, credit card loans patients fight back

Thousands of Americans campaigning for the Novavax COVID-19 booster got some good news this week: the FDA signaled it might still win approval after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr cast doubt on its efficacy. The Novavax vaccine is the only COVID-19 booster in the United States that does not use messenger RNA technology - which some states have begun to ban - and the only option for many people who cannot or will not take an mRNA vaccine.

Drugmakers brace for Trump tariffs, while weighing numerous other worries

Major drugmakers were a standout on a tumultuous day of corporate earnings on Thursday, beating expectations even as they grapple with the threat of sector-specific tariffs, efforts to lower drug prices and federal layoffs that could undermine efforts to invest heavily in the U.S. in coming years. Unlike companies like airlines that drastically cut or pulled forecasts due to tariff-related uncertainty, large drugmakers have mostly been immune to the trade turmoil. Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck & Co, Sanofi and Roche all exceeded quarterly earnings expectations on Thursday, and Bristol raised its profit forecast.

US farm agency withdraws proposal aimed at lowering Salmonella risks in poultry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is withdrawing a proposal aimed at reducing Salmonella risks in poultry products for U.S. consumers, the agency said on Thursday, increasing concerns about oversight of the food supply under President Donald Trump. The withdrawal represents the administration's latest missed opportunity to protect public health, food safety experts said. It was applauded by the poultry industry, which said the measure would have imposed a financial burden on producers without doing much to reduce contamination risk.

Health Rounds: Exposure to bacterial toxin may explain earlier age colon cancer rise

Once considered a disease of older adults, colorectal cancer is now on the rise among young people in at least 27 countries. Its incidence in adults under 50 has roughly doubled every decade for the past 20 years.

Exclusive-US pharma tariffs would raise US drug costs by $51 billion annually, report finds

A 25% U.S. tariff on pharmaceutical imports would increase U.S. drug costs by nearly $51 billion annually, boosting U.S. prices by as much as 12.9% if passed on, a report commissioned by the industry's U.S. trade group and reviewed by Reuters shows. The analysis, conducted by Ernst & Young, found the United States imported $203 billion in pharmaceutical products in 2023, with 73% coming from Europe -- primarily Ireland, Germany and Switzerland. Total U.S. sales of finished pharmaceuticals that year were $393 billion.

Bristol Myers posts higher-than-expected quarterly revenue on cancer drug sales

Bristol Myers Squibb reported higher-than-expected first-quarter revenue on Thursday and raised its full-year forecast due to growth from its portfolio of drugs that spur a patient's immune system to fight cancer. The company's shares, which were off 1% in early trading on Thursday, have dropped more than 20% over the past month as investor concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats have roiled the markets.

HCA Healthcare beats profit estimates on strong demand for medical care

HCA Healthcare beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter profit on Friday, as the hospital operator benefited from sustained demand for elective procedures in the United States. Health insurance bellwether UnitedHealth Group last week flagged a surge in demand for medical care, particularly from older people, and lowered its annual outlook, a sign that the trend would continue this year.

Centene shares dip on higher Medicaid spending

Centene beat quarterly profit estimates and raised its annual revenue forecast on Friday due to strong enrolment in Obamacare plans, but the insurer's shares fell about 8% in early trading due to high costs tied to its Medicaid plans. The company's medical spending came in slightly above Street estimates, as it faces elevated costs in its government-backed Medicaid plans for lower-income groups.

India's Dr Lal Path Labs beats quarterly profit view on medical testing boom

Dr Lal Path Labs, India's largest diagnostics firm by revenue, reported fourth-quarter profit above expectations on Friday as strong demand for its bundled test packages lifted growth amid rising health awareness in the country. The company's consolidated net profit jumped 83.2% year-on-year to 1.55 billion rupees (about $18 million) in the quarter ended March 31, beating analysts' average estimate of 1.02 billion rupees, as per data compiled by LSEG.

AbbVie lifts profit forecast, downplays tariff threat

AbbVie raised its full-year profit forecast on Friday while downplaying the potential hit some analysts expect it to take from sector-specific import duties that could be imposed by the Trump administration. Drugmaker shares, including AbbVie's, have fallen over the past month due to investor concerns around a probe into pharmaceutical imports that sets the stage for U.S. levies on the sector.

Lilly requests EMA to re-examine Alzheimer's drug recommendation

Eli Lilly has requested Europe's medicines regulator to re-examine its opinion on the company's Alzheimer's drug, the agency said on Friday. Last month, the regulator had rejected the drug, Kisunla, saying that the treatment's ability to slow cognitive decline was not large enough to outweigh the risk of serious brain swelling in patients.

US FDA asks Novavax to complete new clinical trial for delayed COVID-19 shot, WSJ reports

Federal regulators have asked Novavax to complete an additional clinical trial on its COVID-19 vaccine after previously delaying approval, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of the vaccine maker fell nearly 6% to close at $6.67. The stock was down more than 1% in after-market trade.

China´s data protection rules prompt pause from major European research funders

Several of Europe´s biggest funders of scientific collaboration with China, in fields such as viruses and air quality, have put bilateral research programmes on hold due to concerns over Chinese data protection laws, funding agencies said. The suspension, which Reuters is reporting for the first time following queries to the agencies on funding, highlights the widening impact of a Chinese data protection law that has already impeded some business projects, as international institutions and companies assess how to navigate the regulations.