Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Independent experts to review hepatitis B vaccine data after CDC delays vote

A group of independent U.S. vaccine experts said on Thursday it plans to review existing data on administering the hepatitis B shot at birth, months after a federal panel postponed a vote on delaying its first dose. The Vaccine Integrity Project, an initiative dedicated to safeguarding vaccine use in the U.S., said it plans to complete the review of the data supporting long-standing recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination by early December.

China lifts Brazilian poultry imports ban over bird flu

China lifted a ban linked to Brazil's avian influenza outbreak, the country's General Administration of Customs said in a notice released on Friday. China issued a countrywide embargo on all imports of poultry and related products from Brazil over a bird flu outbreak in May.

US FDA places clinical hold on Tenaya gene therapy trial for rare heart disease

Tenaya Therapeutics said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has placed a clinical hold on its trial of an experimental gene therapy for a type of rare inherited heart disease. Shares of the company slipped more than 20% in extended trading.

Diageo has considered external candidates for CEO role, FT reports

Diageo, the world's top spirits maker, has considered external candidates for its chief executive role including outgoing GSK CEO Emma Walmsley, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the situation. Walmsley has not engaged with Diageo or its board on this matter and has "zero interest in the position," a person close to GSK told Reuters.

James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA's double helix, dead at 97

James D. Watson, the brilliant but controversial American biologist whose 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA, the molecule of heredity, ushered in the age of genetics and provided the foundation for the biotechnology revolution of the late 20th century, has died at the age of 97. His death was confirmed by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, where he worked for many years. The New York Times reported that Watson died this week at a hospice on Long Island.

India's Lupin posts surge in quarterly profit on strong respiratory drugs demand

Indian drugmaker Lupin posted a 73.3% jump in second-quarter profit on Thursday, driven by strong demand for its respiratory drugs. The firm, which produces complex biosimilars drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients, reported consolidated net profit of 14.78 billion rupees ($168.16 million) for the quarter ended September 30, from 8.53 billion rupees a year ago.

Microsoft launches 'superintelligence' team targeting medical diagnosis to start

Microsoft is forming a new team that wants to build artificial intelligence that is vastly more capable than humans in certain domains, starting with medical diagnostics, the executive leading the effort told Reuters. Called the MAI Superintelligence Team, the project follows similar efforts by Meta Platforms, Safe Superintelligence Inc and others that have begun targeting technical leaps while garnering skepticism for their ability to deliver, absent new breakthroughs.