Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Charlie Gard to be Moved to Hospice: Judge
A British court has ruled that terminally-ill U.K. infant Charlie Gard will be transferred from Great Ormond Street Hospital to a hospice to die unless his parents and the hospital create an end-of-life plan for the 11-month-old.
The judge gave Charlie's parents and the hospital until noon Thursday to agree on a care plan for the infant's final hours or days, the Associated Press reported.
"It is in Charlie's best interests to be moved to a hospice and for him at that point to be moved to a palliative care regime only," High Court Judge Nicholas Francis said.
Charlie has a rare, fatal genetic disease which has caused brain damage and left him unable to breathe on his own. On Monday, his parents halted a legal challenge to force the hospital to let Charlie go to the United States for experimental treatment, the AP reported.
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Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Papayas
A salmonella outbreak linked to papayas has killed one person in New York City and sickened 46 others in 12 states, federal health officials say.
Twelve people have been hospitalized so far, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
The cause of the outbreak is believed to Maradol papayas from Mexico, and the FDA said consumers should avoid all Caribena brand Maradol papayas.
There have been 13 cases of illness in New York, 12 in New Jersey, six in Virginia, five in Maryland, and four in Pennsylvania. Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas and Utah each have had one reported case, according to the AP.
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Opioid Addiction Treatment During Pregnancy Can be Safe
Treatment for opioid addiction during pregnancy can be safe, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says.
It was believed that such treatment during pregnancy was too risky for both the mother and fetus, posing threats such as stillbirth and fetal stress, CNN reported.
However, the opioid crisis in the United States prompted the ACOG to take another look at what is called medically assisted treatment (MAT), which slowly weans addicts off opioids with the aid of other medications and behavioral therapy.
While there is some risk to the pregnant woman and her unborn baby, MAT has been associated with better prenatal care, fewer complications during pregnancy, and improved compliance to addiction treatment, CNN reported.
