At-home neurological disorder diagnosis project receives major funding
$1M grant from The Weston Family Foundation will pave the way for earlier intervention in REM sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson鈥檚 disease
REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is an often debilitating condition that causes people to act out in their sleep, sometimes violently. What鈥檚 worse, people with the disorder often go on to develop Parkinson鈥檚 disease.
Categories: Global Health Feed
An alarming surge in ransomware attacks is putting the world鈥檚 healthcare infrastructure at critical risk, endangering patient safety and destabilising health systems, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday, as the Security Council convened to discuss strategies to counter the growing threat.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: The Coming Cancer Wave; Ketamine鈥檚 Surge Among Gen Z; and A Moment That Calls for Cuteness
November 7, 2024
A breast cancer patient speaks with doctors at a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, on April 2, 2014. Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty
The Coming Cancer Wave
Cancer deaths worldwide will nearly double by 2050, driven mostly by large increases in LMICs, .
And the much greater surge in LMICs? Chan blames the 鈥淲esternisation of populations,鈥� including rising obesity rates and poor diets.
What鈥檚 needed? 鈥淗igher-quality health care and universal health insurance coverage would help prevent, diagnose and treat cancer around the world,鈥� the researchers noted, .
Study details: An international team led by University of Queensland researchers drew on cases and death rates for 36 types of cancer across 185 countries and used UNDP population projections to estimate future cases and deaths. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The first cluster of illnesses outside of Africa caused by the new, more infectious mpox variant has been identified in the U.K.; four members of the same household are being treated in a London hospital.
Major global food companies peddle less-healthy products in low-income countries than those sold in high-income countries, from the Access to Nutrition Initiative鈥攚hich split the assessment into low- and high-income countries for the first time this year.
Eight countries made commitments to ban corporal punishment ahead of today鈥檚 UN conference on the issue; Panama, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda, Burundi, Sri Lanka, and the Czech Republic have pledged total bans, while Gambia and Nigeria said they would enforce a ban in schools.
The UN has launched the first-ever to improve infrastructure for walking and cycling across the continent鈥攚hich accounts for 鈥攁nd prevent 41 million tons of carbon emissions over the next decade. U.S. Election News R.F.K. Jr. Lays Out Possible Public Health Changes Under Trump 鈥�
鈥楪o wild, Robert鈥�: what Trump鈥檚 victory means for global health 鈥�
Election reveals voters' abortion disconnect 鈥�
Trump won. Is the NIH in for a major shake-up? 鈥� SUBSTANCE USE Ketamine鈥檚 Surge Among Gen Z
In England and Wales, ketamine usage among 16鈥�24-year-olds has more than tripled, mirroring trends in the U.S. and U.K.
Related: We checked up on the states that promise transparency on opioid settlement funds 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Ending 鈥楽ex Normalization鈥� Surgeries in Serbia
Kristian Randjelovic was born intersex, but underwent 鈥渟ex normalization鈥� surgery as an infant. After a childhood spent grappling with the fallout of his doctors鈥� decision, he received sex reassignment surgery at age 19.
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Moment That Calls for Cuteness
In a week ruled by election anxiety for many, it seems the pachyderm gods knew just what was needed: another insanely cute pygmy hippo named after a meat product.
We may not know where the world is headed right now, but if it鈥檚 in the direction of more Moo Dengs 鈥� well, that鈥檚 no bad thing.
Related: He鈥檚 fast, feisty and could play Quidditch. Meet the bat that won a beauty contest 鈥� QUICK HITS Beyond Burns International leads campaign on burn awareness in Ghana 鈥�
An Improved Alert System for Emerging Infectious Diseases 鈥�
U.S. diabetes burden grew since 2000 鈥�
South African study finds high risk of TB infection in kids 鈥�
Are Schools With Armed Police Actually Safer? 鈥�
Snakebite envenoming in Africa remains widely neglected and demands multidisciplinary attention 鈥�
In Vermont, where almost everyone has insurance, many can't find or afford care 鈥�
Phone therapy aids refugee children, study shows 鈥� Issue No. 2811
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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You can or .
Cancer deaths worldwide will nearly double by 2050, driven mostly by large increases in LMICs, .
- Annual cancer deaths are expected to increase by 90% to 18.5 million cancer deaths by 2050 from 9.7 million in 2022.
- Cancer deaths in LMICs by 2050 will increase by 146%, while the increase in high-income countries will be 57%, according to the estimates.
- Cancer cases and deaths in Africa are projected to increase at a rate 5X that of Europe.
And the much greater surge in LMICs? Chan blames the 鈥淲esternisation of populations,鈥� including rising obesity rates and poor diets.
What鈥檚 needed? 鈥淗igher-quality health care and universal health insurance coverage would help prevent, diagnose and treat cancer around the world,鈥� the researchers noted, .
Study details: An international team led by University of Queensland researchers drew on cases and death rates for 36 types of cancer across 185 countries and used UNDP population projections to estimate future cases and deaths. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The first cluster of illnesses outside of Africa caused by the new, more infectious mpox variant has been identified in the U.K.; four members of the same household are being treated in a London hospital.
Major global food companies peddle less-healthy products in low-income countries than those sold in high-income countries, from the Access to Nutrition Initiative鈥攚hich split the assessment into low- and high-income countries for the first time this year.
Eight countries made commitments to ban corporal punishment ahead of today鈥檚 UN conference on the issue; Panama, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda, Burundi, Sri Lanka, and the Czech Republic have pledged total bans, while Gambia and Nigeria said they would enforce a ban in schools.
The UN has launched the first-ever to improve infrastructure for walking and cycling across the continent鈥攚hich accounts for 鈥攁nd prevent 41 million tons of carbon emissions over the next decade. U.S. Election News R.F.K. Jr. Lays Out Possible Public Health Changes Under Trump 鈥�
鈥楪o wild, Robert鈥�: what Trump鈥檚 victory means for global health 鈥�
Election reveals voters' abortion disconnect 鈥�
Trump won. Is the NIH in for a major shake-up? 鈥� SUBSTANCE USE Ketamine鈥檚 Surge Among Gen Z
In England and Wales, ketamine usage among 16鈥�24-year-olds has more than tripled, mirroring trends in the U.S. and U.K.
- Compared to drugs like cocaine, ketamine is widely available and cheap鈥攃osting as little as $30 per gram.
- Long-term use leads to frequent urination, incontinence, and a shrinking bladder, as well as potential renal and liver failure.
Related: We checked up on the states that promise transparency on opioid settlement funds 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Ending 鈥楽ex Normalization鈥� Surgeries in Serbia
Kristian Randjelovic was born intersex, but underwent 鈥渟ex normalization鈥� surgery as an infant. After a childhood spent grappling with the fallout of his doctors鈥� decision, he received sex reassignment surgery at age 19.
- Such 鈥渘ormalization鈥� surgeries affected many intersex infants in Serbia until as recently as a decade ago; the country鈥檚 laws still enforce binary classification at birth.
- The UN estimates that up to 1.7% of the world's population is intersex, which would translate to about 110,000 in Serbia alone.
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Moment That Calls for Cuteness
In a week ruled by election anxiety for many, it seems the pachyderm gods knew just what was needed: another insanely cute pygmy hippo named after a meat product.
- A pink-cheeked Moo Deng (meaning 鈥渂ouncy pork鈥� in Thai) kicked off an internet sensation when she was born at Thailand鈥檚 Khao Kheow Open Zoo in July.
- Coming for Moo Deng鈥檚 viral crown is Haggis (a mound of miscellaneous sheep meat), a pygmy hippo last week, sparking debate about who鈥檚 the hippest lil鈥� hippo, .
We may not know where the world is headed right now, but if it鈥檚 in the direction of more Moo Dengs 鈥� well, that鈥檚 no bad thing.
Related: He鈥檚 fast, feisty and could play Quidditch. Meet the bat that won a beauty contest 鈥� QUICK HITS Beyond Burns International leads campaign on burn awareness in Ghana 鈥�
An Improved Alert System for Emerging Infectious Diseases 鈥�
U.S. diabetes burden grew since 2000 鈥�
South African study finds high risk of TB infection in kids 鈥�
Are Schools With Armed Police Actually Safer? 鈥�
Snakebite envenoming in Africa remains widely neglected and demands multidisciplinary attention 鈥�
In Vermont, where almost everyone has insurance, many can't find or afford care 鈥�
Phone therapy aids refugee children, study shows 鈥� Issue No. 2811
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: What Trump鈥檚 Victory Means for U.S. Health; Taming an Isolating Tropical Disease; and Ditching HIV Meds Due to Stigma
What are Trump鈥檚 health priorities?
November 6, 2024
Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena on November 4 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
What Trump鈥檚 Victory Means for U.S. Health
Donald Trump鈥檚 return to power heralds potentially huge changes in the U.S. health care system, public health, and the federal agencies overseeing vaccines and medications.
After promising to let vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 鈥済o wild鈥� on health policies, Trump鈥檚 victory speech promised that Kennedy would 鈥渉elp make America healthy again,鈥� .
Trump鈥檚 health priorities, according to Trump:
Other election news: Supporters of abortion rights scored victories in ballot measures in states like Missouri, New York, Colorado, and Maryland, but ballot items expanding rights in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota fell short, .
Related:
Where Trump stands on abortion 鈥�
What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health in the 2024 U.S. Election? 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
36% of Americans mistrust the science behind COVID vaccines, according to , which also showed that people who lost a loved one to the disease were nearly 4X more likely to trust vaccine experts.
G20 leaders have launched a global coalition to strengthen countries鈥� capacity to manufacture medicines, with projects selected based on two criteria: the diseases they target and how they leverage technology to promote equitable access, according to a declaration signed in Rio de Janeiro.
Scientists in China, the U.S., and Switzerland have figured out a way to study coronaviruses that are hard to grow in the lab, ; they have added specially designed receptors to human cells that the viruses can bind to and invade the cell.
A 鈥渟ubstantial鈥� proportion of infants in LMICs were colonized with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, according to a , suggesting that health care settings and neonatal antibiotic administration may be key factors in the acquisition of these infections. NEGLECTED DISEASES Taming an Isolating Tropical Disease
Today, at least 36 million people live with the effects of lymphatic filariasis (LF), which is transmitted by mosquitoes and manifests later in life in conditions like elephantitis and extreme swelling of tissue (lymphoedema) or the scrotum (hydrocele).
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Ditching HIV Meds Due to Stigma
Nearly a million Malawians, ~8% of the East African nation鈥檚 population, live with HIV鈥攐ne of the highest rates globally.
Despite achieving the (95% aware of their HIV status, 95% receiving treatment, and 95% with suppressed viral loads), Malawi struggles to reach the remaining 5%.
Stigma remains a major barrier: Myths about HIV persist, particularly in rural areas, leading some patients to discard their medications rather than risk social ostracism.
The financial burden of managing HIV treatment鈥攊ncluding transportation costs and the need for family 鈥済uardians鈥� to care for patients in under-resourced hospitals鈥攊s another barrier. The fear of losing income can also deter people from seeking care.
QUICK HITS Highly potent synthetic opioids are already in Europe鈥檚 drug supply chains 鈥�
How cigarettes and chocolates helped to tackle a TB epidemic 鈥�
FDA requires manufacturers facilitate return of unused opioids 鈥�
UK findings suggest RSV vaccination could reduce antibiotic prescribing 鈥�
Impossible, you say? Try asking a toddler 鈥� Issue No. 2810
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Donald Trump鈥檚 return to power heralds potentially huge changes in the U.S. health care system, public health, and the federal agencies overseeing vaccines and medications.
After promising to let vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 鈥済o wild鈥� on health policies, Trump鈥檚 victory speech promised that Kennedy would 鈥渉elp make America healthy again,鈥� .
Trump鈥檚 health priorities, according to Trump:
- He鈥檚 against a national abortion ban.
- He won鈥檛 try again to repeal the Affordable Care Act but said he will try to reduce costs within the ACA and 鈥減ossibly let the current enhanced tax credits expire,鈥� per STAT.
- He will block federal funds for gender-affirming care and ban it entirely for minors.
- He proposed tax credits for long-term caregivers.
- 鈥淪ounds OK to me鈥� was Trump鈥檚 response to RFK Jr.鈥檚 proposal to remove fluoride from water supplies, . (The CDC 鈥渞ecommends community water fluoridation as a cost-effective way to improve Americans鈥� oral health,鈥� .)
Other election news: Supporters of abortion rights scored victories in ballot measures in states like Missouri, New York, Colorado, and Maryland, but ballot items expanding rights in Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota fell short, .
Related:
Where Trump stands on abortion 鈥�
What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health in the 2024 U.S. Election? 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
36% of Americans mistrust the science behind COVID vaccines, according to , which also showed that people who lost a loved one to the disease were nearly 4X more likely to trust vaccine experts.
G20 leaders have launched a global coalition to strengthen countries鈥� capacity to manufacture medicines, with projects selected based on two criteria: the diseases they target and how they leverage technology to promote equitable access, according to a declaration signed in Rio de Janeiro.
Scientists in China, the U.S., and Switzerland have figured out a way to study coronaviruses that are hard to grow in the lab, ; they have added specially designed receptors to human cells that the viruses can bind to and invade the cell.
A 鈥渟ubstantial鈥� proportion of infants in LMICs were colonized with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, according to a , suggesting that health care settings and neonatal antibiotic administration may be key factors in the acquisition of these infections. NEGLECTED DISEASES Taming an Isolating Tropical Disease
Today, at least 36 million people live with the effects of lymphatic filariasis (LF), which is transmitted by mosquitoes and manifests later in life in conditions like elephantitis and extreme swelling of tissue (lymphoedema) or the scrotum (hydrocele).
- Efforts to combat LF in at-risk populations through preventive drug administration began in the 1990s; 21 countries have eliminated it so far, with 23 more expected to do so by 2030.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Ditching HIV Meds Due to Stigma
Nearly a million Malawians, ~8% of the East African nation鈥檚 population, live with HIV鈥攐ne of the highest rates globally.
Despite achieving the (95% aware of their HIV status, 95% receiving treatment, and 95% with suppressed viral loads), Malawi struggles to reach the remaining 5%.
Stigma remains a major barrier: Myths about HIV persist, particularly in rural areas, leading some patients to discard their medications rather than risk social ostracism.
The financial burden of managing HIV treatment鈥攊ncluding transportation costs and the need for family 鈥済uardians鈥� to care for patients in under-resourced hospitals鈥攊s another barrier. The fear of losing income can also deter people from seeking care.
QUICK HITS Highly potent synthetic opioids are already in Europe鈥檚 drug supply chains 鈥�
How cigarettes and chocolates helped to tackle a TB epidemic 鈥�
FDA requires manufacturers facilitate return of unused opioids 鈥�
UK findings suggest RSV vaccination could reduce antibiotic prescribing 鈥�
Impossible, you say? Try asking a toddler 鈥� Issue No. 2810
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Fading Fear of HIV Tied to Rising STIs; Rwanda鈥檚 Robust Outbreak Response; and The 鈥楲ow-Tech鈥� Therapy That Saved Millions of Lives
November 5, 2024
Peer educators of the Wits Reproductive Health Institute Sex Worker Programme sit in the waiting area of the clinic in Hilbrow, Johannesburg on July 20, 2017. Gulshan Khan/AFP via Getty
Fading Fear of HIV Tied to Rise in STIs
In South Africa鈥檚 wealthy Gauteng province, HIV infections are falling鈥攚ith condoms, PrEP, PEP, and antiretroviral drugs credited for slashing new infections鈥攂ut other sexually transmitted infections are on the rise.
鈥淭he ugly news is clinics are treating so many syphilis and gonorrhea cases,鈥� says sexual health counselor Sithembile Nale.
What鈥檚 needed: Earlier STI education, testing, and treatment efforts.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Sudan launched a malaria vaccination campaign yesterday鈥攁 first for the country with the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region鈥檚 highest malaria incidence rates; the effort aims to reach ~148,000 children under the age of 12 months.
The CDC has of four U.S. cases of an emerging, sexually transmitted fungal infection caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII, a fungus that causes genital tinea (ringworm); the patients were diagnosed between April and July of this year.
Road deaths in Warsaw鈥攑reviously one of Europe鈥檚 deadliest cities in traffic safety terms鈥攆ell 55% in the last ~10 years; safety advocates credit steps like laws prioritizing pedestrians and hefty fines for driver violations.
The WHO named 17 pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development, in a 鈥攊ncluding HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis as well as pathogens like Group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae that are increasingly resistant to antimicrobials. MARBURG Rwanda鈥檚 Robust Outbreak Response
A month into Rwanda's first-ever Marburg outbreak, the country鈥檚 rapid-fire efforts to contain the deadly virus are being hailed as 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� and 鈥渧ery, very encouraging.鈥�
Case fatality rates for Marburg virus have been known to reach 90%, but Rwanda鈥檚 rate is 22.7%, said Yvan Butera, Rwandan Minister of State for Health. The number of new cases has also dropped dramatically, from several a day to just four reported in the last two weeks.
Key success factors:
Related:
Rwanda marks 3 weeks without Marburg deaths amid containment efforts 鈥�
Rwanda gets additional 1,000 Marburg vaccine doses 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES RIP, RICHARD CASH The 鈥楲ow-Tech鈥� Therapy That Saved Millions of Lives
Oral rehydration therapy鈥攁 鈥渟imple鈥� mixture of clean water, salt, and sugar鈥攊s a well known, highly effective remedy used worldwide to treat cholera and other diarrheal diseases.
ORT has saved ~50 million lives鈥攁nd was described by The Lancet as 鈥減otentially the most significant medical advance of the century,鈥� in a remembrance of Richard Cash, the researcher who helped develop ORT in the 1960s and 70s.
The problem: 50 years ago, diarrheal diseases were responsible for ~5 million child deaths per year, .
The solution: Responding to a 1967 cholera outbreak in Bangladesh, Cash and his medical partner, David Nalin, devised the ORT mixture, which made water more absorbable. Dehydration deaths in children began to plummet.
2024 is a watershed year for elections鈥攊n more than 40 nations around the world, including the U.S. presidential election today.
How will the changes in governance impact global health investments and policies?
The 2024 Global Health Landscape Symposium, November 18鈥�21, will explore the implications for the global health community, with a mix of virtual and in-person discussions on using the power of our collective voice, working across disease areas, and fighting for sustainable funding and equitable policies.
A Q&A with the FDA's top vaccine regulator amid a fresh wave of disinformation 鈥�
No more fluoride in the water? RFK Jr. wants that and Trump says it 'sounds OK' 鈥�
Cost of Mpox Shot Deters Americans at Risk, Critics Say 鈥�
CDC warns of spike in whooping cough cases 鈥�
Screen Time Before 2 Years of Age and Risk of Autism at 12 Years of Age 鈥�
Novel way to beat dengue: Deaf mosquitoes stop having sex 鈥� Issue No. 2809
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
In South Africa鈥檚 wealthy Gauteng province, HIV infections are falling鈥攚ith condoms, PrEP, PEP, and antiretroviral drugs credited for slashing new infections鈥攂ut other sexually transmitted infections are on the rise.
鈥淭he ugly news is clinics are treating so many syphilis and gonorrhea cases,鈥� says sexual health counselor Sithembile Nale.
- ~1,255 of 66,377 pregnant women seeking antenatal care between April and December 2023 .
- Men being treated for urethritis (an inflammation usually caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia) jumped from 12% to 15% in three years.
What鈥檚 needed: Earlier STI education, testing, and treatment efforts.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Sudan launched a malaria vaccination campaign yesterday鈥攁 first for the country with the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region鈥檚 highest malaria incidence rates; the effort aims to reach ~148,000 children under the age of 12 months.
The CDC has of four U.S. cases of an emerging, sexually transmitted fungal infection caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII, a fungus that causes genital tinea (ringworm); the patients were diagnosed between April and July of this year.
Road deaths in Warsaw鈥攑reviously one of Europe鈥檚 deadliest cities in traffic safety terms鈥攆ell 55% in the last ~10 years; safety advocates credit steps like laws prioritizing pedestrians and hefty fines for driver violations.
The WHO named 17 pathogens as top priorities for new vaccine development, in a 鈥攊ncluding HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis as well as pathogens like Group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae that are increasingly resistant to antimicrobials. MARBURG Rwanda鈥檚 Robust Outbreak Response
A month into Rwanda's first-ever Marburg outbreak, the country鈥檚 rapid-fire efforts to contain the deadly virus are being hailed as 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� and 鈥渧ery, very encouraging.鈥�
Case fatality rates for Marburg virus have been known to reach 90%, but Rwanda鈥檚 rate is 22.7%, said Yvan Butera, Rwandan Minister of State for Health. The number of new cases has also dropped dramatically, from several a day to just four reported in the last two weeks.
Key success factors:
- Extensive testing and contact tracing.
- Solid and well-connected health infrastructure and well-trained health professionals.
- Experimental vaccines and treatments.
Related:
Rwanda marks 3 weeks without Marburg deaths amid containment efforts 鈥�
Rwanda gets additional 1,000 Marburg vaccine doses 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES RIP, RICHARD CASH The 鈥楲ow-Tech鈥� Therapy That Saved Millions of Lives
Oral rehydration therapy鈥攁 鈥渟imple鈥� mixture of clean water, salt, and sugar鈥攊s a well known, highly effective remedy used worldwide to treat cholera and other diarrheal diseases.
ORT has saved ~50 million lives鈥攁nd was described by The Lancet as 鈥減otentially the most significant medical advance of the century,鈥� in a remembrance of Richard Cash, the researcher who helped develop ORT in the 1960s and 70s.
The problem: 50 years ago, diarrheal diseases were responsible for ~5 million child deaths per year, .
The solution: Responding to a 1967 cholera outbreak in Bangladesh, Cash and his medical partner, David Nalin, devised the ORT mixture, which made water more absorbable. Dehydration deaths in children began to plummet.
- 鈥淲e鈥檙e enamored by high technology,鈥� Cash . 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e not in love with low-tech. 鈥nd I would argue [for] just the opposite.鈥�
2024 is a watershed year for elections鈥攊n more than 40 nations around the world, including the U.S. presidential election today.
How will the changes in governance impact global health investments and policies?
The 2024 Global Health Landscape Symposium, November 18鈥�21, will explore the implications for the global health community, with a mix of virtual and in-person discussions on using the power of our collective voice, working across disease areas, and fighting for sustainable funding and equitable policies.
- November 18鈥�21, 2024
- Online or in Washington, D.C.
A Q&A with the FDA's top vaccine regulator amid a fresh wave of disinformation 鈥�
No more fluoride in the water? RFK Jr. wants that and Trump says it 'sounds OK' 鈥�
Cost of Mpox Shot Deters Americans at Risk, Critics Say 鈥�
CDC warns of spike in whooping cough cases 鈥�
Screen Time Before 2 Years of Age and Risk of Autism at 12 Years of Age 鈥�
Novel way to beat dengue: Deaf mosquitoes stop having sex 鈥� Issue No. 2809
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
In a historic health milestone, Sudan has launched its first malaria vaccination campaign amid 18 months of civil conflict, aiming to protect thousands of children from the deadly disease.
Categories: Global Health Feed
A new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) lists 17 bacteria, viruses and parasites that regularly cause disease as top priorities for new vaccine development.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: October Recap
November 4, 2024
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots during early voting in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on November 1. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty
Public Health on the Ballot
In the final sprint of the U.S. election, threats to public health programs have been amplified as Donald Trump bashes health agencies and embraces vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., .
Dismantled and diminished agencies: Project 2025, the blueprint for a new Republican administration, includes 鈥渕omentous鈥� changes to the FDA, CDC, and NIH鈥攐rganizations that Trump describes at rallies as filled with 鈥渃orruption.鈥�
Meanwhile, Kennedy鈥檚 role in Trump鈥檚 campaign is already worrying health leaders, who say he is normalizing a dangerous anti-vax position and could do more damage to essential immunization requirements were he given a role in a Trump administration, .
Election 2024: What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health? 鈥�
Ted Kennedy Jr. expresses concern about Trump鈥檚 鈥榝lagrant disregard鈥� for public health 鈥�
What Trump winning the election could mean for the CDC 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Polio vaccinations in Gaza resumed over the weekend, with 58,600 children in northern Gaza receiving their final dose as health workers attempt to vaccinate thousands more before the campaign鈥檚 end today鈥攂ut some ~15,000 children needing a second dose live in areas that are now inaccessible because of fighting.
~25% of child deaths that occur after visits to U.S. emergency rooms could be prevented if the departments were more fully prepared to treat children鈥攁nd 80%+ of ERs are not prepared for pediatric cases, a published in JAMA Network Open has found.
Fewer than 1 in 6 health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes reported getting COVID-19 boosters during the 2023鈥�2024 respiratory virus season, has found.
Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, closed schools and issued work-from-home orders in response to 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� air pollution; per IQAir, Lahore鈥檚 level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently 44.4X the WHO annual air-quality guideline value. OCTOBER MUST-READS Shifting Alliances in the Tobacco Fight
The FDA faces a particularly galling challenge as it seeks to regulate next-generation nicotine products: lawyers who switched sides in the fight. Nearly two dozen former FDA lawyers now work for the tobacco industry. These insiders, who previously helped craft regulations, give tobacco companies a strategic advantage in litigation.
Russian Propaganda Targets Anti-Malaria Programs
Pro-Russian propagandists are seeking to undermine Western-funded health care programs in Africa, spreading disinformation about scientists fighting malaria and other infectious diseases on the continent. Using a variety of tactics involving influencers and more traditional media, Russia has sponsored 80 disinformation campaigns in 22 African countries since 2022, per the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
Political Violence as a Public Health Problem
As political rhetoric grows more inflammatory before the U.S. presidential election, what kinds of violence prevention strategies could be most effective? UC Davis鈥� Violence Prevention Research Program is taking a closer look at the potential for political violence interventions. While their survey found 3.7% of respondents view large-scale civil conflict as likely, 44% said they could be dissuaded from joining by family members.
The Feds鈥� Silence as Vets Sounded Avian Flu Alarm
When U.S. farm veterinarians initially raised alarms about avian influenza in cows, they were met with silence from the USDA. Critics say the agency鈥檚 conflicting mandates regarding food safety and agricultural trade have led to a 鈥渄on鈥檛 test, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy among dairy farmers, resulting in patchy nationwide surveillance as the virus spreads. OCTOBER鈥橲 BEST NEWS A Malaria-Free Egypt
Malaria was detected in Egypt as early as 4000 BCE, and ~100 years ago, it had a 40% prevalence rate in the country. But in October, the WHO the country malaria-free, following decades of effort. Key interventions included free malaria diagnosis and treatment for all residents, malaria detection training, and ongoing surveillance and vector management.
鈥淢alaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,鈥� said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
GHN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY Workers collect freshly picked marigold flowers for sale on August 13, 2024 in Qujing, Yunnan Province of China. Wang Yong/VCG via Getty Stories That Matter Do you have an amazing global health story to share? This is your chance to tell the world! , sponsored by GHN along with our friends at the , is ready for your entries.
The Declaration of Helsinki鈥攁 foundational set of ethical guidelines for medical research adopted in 1964鈥攈as been significantly revised.
Key updates, which were , include:
QUICK HITS After Spain鈥檚 Floods, a Surge of Volunteers, and of Rage 鈥�
An Idaho health department isn鈥檛 allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it鈥檚 a first 鈥�
Will SA鈥檚 new vaping laws lead to more smokers instead of fewer? 鈥�
Texas Banned Abortion in 2022鈥擧ere鈥檚 How It鈥檚 Affecting OB-GYNs and Patient Care 鈥�
Bridging the women's health gap, an economic imperative for Africa 鈥�
High prevalence of shigellosis found in Africa 鈥�
School-leaver at 11, domestic slave at 12, gang member at 15: how a missing birth certificate derailed a life 鈥�
Diabetes risk soars for adults who had a sweet tooth as kids 鈥�
Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula 鈥� Issue No.: Oct-2024 Monhtly
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
In the final sprint of the U.S. election, threats to public health programs have been amplified as Donald Trump bashes health agencies and embraces vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., .
Dismantled and diminished agencies: Project 2025, the blueprint for a new Republican administration, includes 鈥渕omentous鈥� changes to the FDA, CDC, and NIH鈥攐rganizations that Trump describes at rallies as filled with 鈥渃orruption.鈥�
- Employees at health agencies could also see their jobs at risk if Trump were to reinstate a previous executive order that made thousands of federal workers more vulnerable to termination.
Meanwhile, Kennedy鈥檚 role in Trump鈥檚 campaign is already worrying health leaders, who say he is normalizing a dangerous anti-vax position and could do more damage to essential immunization requirements were he given a role in a Trump administration, .
- 鈥淚鈥檓 going to let him go wild on health,鈥� Trump said of Kennedy at his Madison Square Garden rally. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to let him go wild on the food. I鈥檓 going to let him go wild on medicines.鈥�
Election 2024: What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health? 鈥�
Ted Kennedy Jr. expresses concern about Trump鈥檚 鈥榝lagrant disregard鈥� for public health 鈥�
What Trump winning the election could mean for the CDC 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Polio vaccinations in Gaza resumed over the weekend, with 58,600 children in northern Gaza receiving their final dose as health workers attempt to vaccinate thousands more before the campaign鈥檚 end today鈥攂ut some ~15,000 children needing a second dose live in areas that are now inaccessible because of fighting.
~25% of child deaths that occur after visits to U.S. emergency rooms could be prevented if the departments were more fully prepared to treat children鈥攁nd 80%+ of ERs are not prepared for pediatric cases, a published in JAMA Network Open has found.
Fewer than 1 in 6 health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes reported getting COVID-19 boosters during the 2023鈥�2024 respiratory virus season, has found.
Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, closed schools and issued work-from-home orders in response to 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� air pollution; per IQAir, Lahore鈥檚 level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently 44.4X the WHO annual air-quality guideline value. OCTOBER MUST-READS Shifting Alliances in the Tobacco Fight
The FDA faces a particularly galling challenge as it seeks to regulate next-generation nicotine products: lawyers who switched sides in the fight. Nearly two dozen former FDA lawyers now work for the tobacco industry. These insiders, who previously helped craft regulations, give tobacco companies a strategic advantage in litigation.
Russian Propaganda Targets Anti-Malaria Programs
Pro-Russian propagandists are seeking to undermine Western-funded health care programs in Africa, spreading disinformation about scientists fighting malaria and other infectious diseases on the continent. Using a variety of tactics involving influencers and more traditional media, Russia has sponsored 80 disinformation campaigns in 22 African countries since 2022, per the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
Political Violence as a Public Health Problem
As political rhetoric grows more inflammatory before the U.S. presidential election, what kinds of violence prevention strategies could be most effective? UC Davis鈥� Violence Prevention Research Program is taking a closer look at the potential for political violence interventions. While their survey found 3.7% of respondents view large-scale civil conflict as likely, 44% said they could be dissuaded from joining by family members.
The Feds鈥� Silence as Vets Sounded Avian Flu Alarm
When U.S. farm veterinarians initially raised alarms about avian influenza in cows, they were met with silence from the USDA. Critics say the agency鈥檚 conflicting mandates regarding food safety and agricultural trade have led to a 鈥渄on鈥檛 test, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy among dairy farmers, resulting in patchy nationwide surveillance as the virus spreads. OCTOBER鈥橲 BEST NEWS A Malaria-Free Egypt
Malaria was detected in Egypt as early as 4000 BCE, and ~100 years ago, it had a 40% prevalence rate in the country. But in October, the WHO the country malaria-free, following decades of effort. Key interventions included free malaria diagnosis and treatment for all residents, malaria detection training, and ongoing surveillance and vector management.
鈥淢alaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,鈥� said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
GHN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY Workers collect freshly picked marigold flowers for sale on August 13, 2024 in Qujing, Yunnan Province of China. Wang Yong/VCG via Getty Stories That Matter Do you have an amazing global health story to share? This is your chance to tell the world! , sponsored by GHN along with our friends at the , is ready for your entries.
- Nominate an issue you feel deserves urgent attention, whether you鈥檝e worked on it firsthand or come across it in your travels.
- The best nominations are unique and specific (e.g., not chronic disease in the developing world).
- by Esther Nakkazi鈥攁n honorable mention winner just published last week.
- by Joanne Silberner.
- by Amy Maxmen.
The Declaration of Helsinki鈥攁 foundational set of ethical guidelines for medical research adopted in 1964鈥攈as been significantly revised.
Key updates, which were , include:
- A shift in language, describing people involved in research as "human participants" instead of 鈥渟ubjects.鈥�
- A demand for healthy volunteers to be protected鈥攏ot just patients.
- A call for compliance not just from physicians, but all medical science researchers.
QUICK HITS After Spain鈥檚 Floods, a Surge of Volunteers, and of Rage 鈥�
An Idaho health department isn鈥檛 allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it鈥檚 a first 鈥�
Will SA鈥檚 new vaping laws lead to more smokers instead of fewer? 鈥�
Texas Banned Abortion in 2022鈥擧ere鈥檚 How It鈥檚 Affecting OB-GYNs and Patient Care 鈥�
Bridging the women's health gap, an economic imperative for Africa 鈥�
High prevalence of shigellosis found in Africa 鈥�
School-leaver at 11, domestic slave at 12, gang member at 15: how a missing birth certificate derailed a life 鈥�
Diabetes risk soars for adults who had a sweet tooth as kids 鈥�
Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula 鈥� Issue No.: Oct-2024 Monhtly
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
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Global Health NOW: Public Health on the Ballot; Your October Recap; and Editing an Ethics Pact
November 4, 2024
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots during early voting in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on November 1. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty
Public Health on the Ballot
In the final sprint of the U.S. election, threats to public health programs have been amplified as Donald Trump bashes health agencies and embraces vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., .
Dismantled and diminished agencies: Project 2025, the blueprint for a new Republican administration, includes 鈥渕omentous鈥� changes to the FDA, CDC, and NIH鈥攐rganizations that Trump describes at rallies as filled with 鈥渃orruption.鈥�
Meanwhile, Kennedy鈥檚 role in Trump鈥檚 campaign is already worrying health leaders, who say he is normalizing a dangerous anti-vax position and could do more damage to essential immunization requirements were he given a role in a Trump administration, .
Election 2024: What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health? 鈥�
Ted Kennedy Jr. expresses concern about Trump鈥檚 鈥榝lagrant disregard鈥� for public health 鈥�
What Trump winning the election could mean for the CDC 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Polio vaccinations in Gaza resumed over the weekend, with 58,600 children in northern Gaza receiving their final dose as health workers attempt to vaccinate thousands more before the campaign鈥檚 end today鈥攂ut some ~15,000 children needing a second dose live in areas that are now inaccessible because of fighting.
~25% of child deaths that occur after visits to U.S. emergency rooms could be prevented if the departments were more fully prepared to treat children鈥攁nd 80%+ of ERs are not prepared for pediatric cases, a published in JAMA Network Open has found.
Fewer than 1 in 6 health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes reported getting COVID-19 boosters during the 2023鈥�2024 respiratory virus season, has found.
Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, closed schools and issued work-from-home orders in response to 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� air pollution; per IQAir, Lahore鈥檚 level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently 44.4X the WHO annual air-quality guideline value. OCTOBER MUST-READS Shifting Alliances in the Tobacco Fight
The FDA faces a particularly galling challenge as it seeks to regulate next-generation nicotine products: lawyers who switched sides in the fight. Nearly two dozen former FDA lawyers now work for the tobacco industry. These insiders, who previously helped craft regulations, give tobacco companies a strategic advantage in litigation.
Russian Propaganda Targets Anti-Malaria Programs
Pro-Russian propagandists are seeking to undermine Western-funded health care programs in Africa, spreading disinformation about scientists fighting malaria and other infectious diseases on the continent. Using a variety of tactics involving influencers and more traditional media, Russia has sponsored 80 disinformation campaigns in 22 African countries since 2022, per the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
Political Violence as a Public Health Problem
As political rhetoric grows more inflammatory before the U.S. presidential election, what kinds of violence prevention strategies could be most effective? UC Davis鈥� Violence Prevention Research Program is taking a closer look at the potential for political violence interventions. While their survey found 3.7% of respondents view large-scale civil conflict as likely, 44% said they could be dissuaded from joining by family members.
The Feds鈥� Silence as Vets Sounded Avian Flu Alarm
When U.S. farm veterinarians initially raised alarms about avian influenza in cows, they were met with silence from the USDA. Critics say the agency鈥檚 conflicting mandates regarding food safety and agricultural trade have led to a 鈥渄on鈥檛 test, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy among dairy farmers, resulting in patchy nationwide surveillance as the virus spreads. OCTOBER鈥橲 BEST NEWS A Malaria-Free Egypt
Malaria was detected in Egypt as early as 4000 BCE, and ~100 years ago, it had a 40% prevalence rate in the country. But in October, the WHO the country malaria-free, following decades of effort. Key interventions included free malaria diagnosis and treatment for all residents, malaria detection training, and ongoing surveillance and vector management.
鈥淢alaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,鈥� said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
GHN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY Workers collect freshly picked marigold flowers for sale on August 13, 2024 in Qujing, Yunnan Province of China. Wang Yong/VCG via Getty Stories That Matter Do you have an amazing global health story to share? This is your chance to tell the world! The Untold Global Health Stories of 2025 Contest, sponsored by GHN along with our friends at the , is ready for your entries.
The Declaration of Helsinki鈥攁 foundational set of ethical guidelines for medical research adopted in 1964鈥攈as been significantly revised.
Key updates, which were , include:
QUICK HITS After Spain鈥檚 Floods, a Surge of Volunteers, and of Rage 鈥�
An Idaho health department isn鈥檛 allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it鈥檚 a first 鈥�
Will SA鈥檚 new vaping laws lead to more smokers instead of fewer? 鈥�
Texas Banned Abortion in 2022鈥擧ere鈥檚 How It鈥檚 Affecting OB-GYNs and Patient Care 鈥�
Bridging the women's health gap, an economic imperative for Africa 鈥�
High prevalence of shigellosis found in Africa 鈥�
School-leaver at 11, domestic slave at 12, gang member at 15: how a missing birth certificate derailed a life 鈥�
Diabetes risk soars for adults who had a sweet tooth as kids 鈥�
Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula 鈥� Issue No. 2808
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
In the final sprint of the U.S. election, threats to public health programs have been amplified as Donald Trump bashes health agencies and embraces vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., .
Dismantled and diminished agencies: Project 2025, the blueprint for a new Republican administration, includes 鈥渕omentous鈥� changes to the FDA, CDC, and NIH鈥攐rganizations that Trump describes at rallies as filled with 鈥渃orruption.鈥�
- Employees at health agencies could also see their jobs at risk if Trump were to reinstate a previous executive order that made thousands of federal workers more vulnerable to termination.
Meanwhile, Kennedy鈥檚 role in Trump鈥檚 campaign is already worrying health leaders, who say he is normalizing a dangerous anti-vax position and could do more damage to essential immunization requirements were he given a role in a Trump administration, .
- 鈥淚鈥檓 going to let him go wild on health,鈥� Trump said of Kennedy at his Madison Square Garden rally. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to let him go wild on the food. I鈥檓 going to let him go wild on medicines.鈥�
Election 2024: What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health? 鈥�
Ted Kennedy Jr. expresses concern about Trump鈥檚 鈥榝lagrant disregard鈥� for public health 鈥�
What Trump winning the election could mean for the CDC 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Polio vaccinations in Gaza resumed over the weekend, with 58,600 children in northern Gaza receiving their final dose as health workers attempt to vaccinate thousands more before the campaign鈥檚 end today鈥攂ut some ~15,000 children needing a second dose live in areas that are now inaccessible because of fighting.
~25% of child deaths that occur after visits to U.S. emergency rooms could be prevented if the departments were more fully prepared to treat children鈥攁nd 80%+ of ERs are not prepared for pediatric cases, a published in JAMA Network Open has found.
Fewer than 1 in 6 health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes reported getting COVID-19 boosters during the 2023鈥�2024 respiratory virus season, has found.
Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, closed schools and issued work-from-home orders in response to 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� air pollution; per IQAir, Lahore鈥檚 level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently 44.4X the WHO annual air-quality guideline value. OCTOBER MUST-READS Shifting Alliances in the Tobacco Fight
The FDA faces a particularly galling challenge as it seeks to regulate next-generation nicotine products: lawyers who switched sides in the fight. Nearly two dozen former FDA lawyers now work for the tobacco industry. These insiders, who previously helped craft regulations, give tobacco companies a strategic advantage in litigation.
Russian Propaganda Targets Anti-Malaria Programs
Pro-Russian propagandists are seeking to undermine Western-funded health care programs in Africa, spreading disinformation about scientists fighting malaria and other infectious diseases on the continent. Using a variety of tactics involving influencers and more traditional media, Russia has sponsored 80 disinformation campaigns in 22 African countries since 2022, per the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
Political Violence as a Public Health Problem
As political rhetoric grows more inflammatory before the U.S. presidential election, what kinds of violence prevention strategies could be most effective? UC Davis鈥� Violence Prevention Research Program is taking a closer look at the potential for political violence interventions. While their survey found 3.7% of respondents view large-scale civil conflict as likely, 44% said they could be dissuaded from joining by family members.
The Feds鈥� Silence as Vets Sounded Avian Flu Alarm
When U.S. farm veterinarians initially raised alarms about avian influenza in cows, they were met with silence from the USDA. Critics say the agency鈥檚 conflicting mandates regarding food safety and agricultural trade have led to a 鈥渄on鈥檛 test, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy among dairy farmers, resulting in patchy nationwide surveillance as the virus spreads. OCTOBER鈥橲 BEST NEWS A Malaria-Free Egypt
Malaria was detected in Egypt as early as 4000 BCE, and ~100 years ago, it had a 40% prevalence rate in the country. But in October, the WHO the country malaria-free, following decades of effort. Key interventions included free malaria diagnosis and treatment for all residents, malaria detection training, and ongoing surveillance and vector management.
鈥淢alaria is as old as Egyptian civilization itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history,鈥� said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
GHN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY Workers collect freshly picked marigold flowers for sale on August 13, 2024 in Qujing, Yunnan Province of China. Wang Yong/VCG via Getty Stories That Matter Do you have an amazing global health story to share? This is your chance to tell the world! The Untold Global Health Stories of 2025 Contest, sponsored by GHN along with our friends at the , is ready for your entries.
- Nominate an issue you feel deserves urgent attention, whether you鈥檝e worked on it firsthand or come across it in your travels.
- The best nominations are unique and specific (e.g., not chronic disease in the developing world).
- by Esther Nakkazi鈥攁n honorable mention winner just published last week.
- by Joanne Silberner.
- by Amy Maxmen.
The Declaration of Helsinki鈥攁 foundational set of ethical guidelines for medical research adopted in 1964鈥攈as been significantly revised.
Key updates, which were , include:
- A shift in language, describing people involved in research as "human participants" instead of 鈥渟ubjects.鈥�
- A demand for healthy volunteers to be protected鈥攏ot just patients.
- A call for compliance not just from physicians, but all medical science researchers.
QUICK HITS After Spain鈥檚 Floods, a Surge of Volunteers, and of Rage 鈥�
An Idaho health department isn鈥檛 allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore. Experts say it鈥檚 a first 鈥�
Will SA鈥檚 new vaping laws lead to more smokers instead of fewer? 鈥�
Texas Banned Abortion in 2022鈥擧ere鈥檚 How It鈥檚 Affecting OB-GYNs and Patient Care 鈥�
Bridging the women's health gap, an economic imperative for Africa 鈥�
High prevalence of shigellosis found in Africa 鈥�
School-leaver at 11, domestic slave at 12, gang member at 15: how a missing birth certificate derailed a life 鈥�
Diabetes risk soars for adults who had a sweet tooth as kids 鈥�
Throw Out Your Black Plastic Spatula 鈥� Issue No. 2808
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
The UN-supported polio vaccine campaign concluded in besieged northern Gaza on Monday, with agencies inoculating 94,000 children, but thousands still remain out of reach.
Categories: Global Health Feed
