July 23, 2026
IN FOCUSA sign for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, is seen through a prism on April 8, 2025. Maansi Srivastava/The Washington Post via Getty
The Deeper Dynamics of the Peptide DebateThe future of peptide drugs in the U.S. will be under scrutiny to review the safety of the increasingly popular products.
But the stakes go beyond peptides themselves: The meetings also reflect broader tensions over the future of federal health policy and the role of regulatory groups in the Trump administration. Scientists warn that traditional vetting processes are being compromised by the interests of a rapidly growing wellness industry that has received significant support from health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥攚ho appointed panel members with deep industry ties,
Background: The panel of experts will weigh whether compounding pharmacies should be allowed to produce seven injectable peptides that have surged in popularity through an online 鈥済ray鈥� marketplace,鈥� despite limited evidence proving their safety and efficacy in humans, .
Peptides are short chains of amino acids used for a variety of health products, including some well-established medicines like insulin and GLP-1 drugs.
But the compounds under review鈥攊ncluding BPC-157, TB-500, and MOTs-C鈥攁re largely promoted for wellness, recovery, longevity, and weight management, and have not been subject to significant human clinical trials.
Collision course: While supporters argue allowing compounding would move patients away from an unregulated online market and into physician-supervised care, the FDA鈥檚 own warn there is a lack of evidence to justify their usage, .
And FDA leadership rejecting the advice of its own internal scientists could set a precedent that 鈥渦ndermines their authority and consistency,鈥� said Paul Knoepfler, cell and molecular biologist at the University of California, Davis.
The Trump administration is seeking to overhaul U.S. priorities in scientific research by shifting funding away from universities toward private companies and individual researchers, and by putting more focus on AI, robotics, and nuclear energy instead of 鈥渓ife sciences,鈥� the administration鈥檚 science adviser Michael Kratsios told the House yesterday.
A Ukrainian warehouse of HIV prevention products was destroyed by a Russian missile strike Sunday; the warehouse held 62 million prevention items including syringes, needles, and condoms intended for harm reduction programs for 300,000+ people in the country, which has one of the highest HIV burdens in Europe.
4 million+ people lost federal food assistance in the U.S. between July 2025 and March this year鈥攊ncluding 1.5 million+ children鈥攁fter the passage last year of the One Big Beautiful Bill, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Pending tobacco restrictions in Indonesia are receiving pushback from tobacco groups in the country, who say the regulations鈥攚hich include plain packaging and nicotine and tar limits鈥攚ill lead to industry 鈥渃ollapse鈥� if they go into effect next week as planned.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTSHow the U.S.听Is Exporting Anti-Abortion PoliticsThe Trump administration鈥檚 restrictions on U.S. funding for abortion-related organizations have marked a pivotal shift, potentially affecting up to $30 billion in aid.
But the new policies build on years of efforts by U.S. anti-abortion groups to shape reproductive policies in Africa.
Mounting funding and opposition: 17 U.S. anti-abortion nonprofits spent $25 million+ in Africa between 2019鈥�2024, per an analysis by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change. 听
Reproductive health workers and health advocates across Africa report increased harassment, legal threats, and support for new policies limiting reproductive rights, including a draft African Union charter rejecting some sexual and reproductive health protections.
And maternal risks rise: Already, sub-Saharan Africa has the world鈥檚 highest rates of maternal deaths and unsafe abortions, with 6 million+ unsafe abortions reported annually.
Related: Trump team is pulling funds from sex ed groups that don鈥檛 teach abstinence and the value of marriage 鈥�
OPPORTUNITY From Pregnancy to Practice: Infrastructure for Rural Health ResearchJoin Bloomberg School and West Virginia University School of Public Health investigators for a virtual discussion highlighting important topics in rural health.
The August 3 seminar will feature the Mountain Mama & Baby Cohort Study as a case study in cardiovascular health in pregnancy and expand into broader discussions of rural health research infrastructure.
Topics include:
Strategies for recruiting representative samples
Building sustainable community-engaged studies
Leveraging existing resources for collaborative research
Monday, August 3, 11:30 a.m.鈥�12:30 p.m., EST
All levels of experience and interest in rural health research are welcome.
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Jimothy Cricket!At any given moment, the internet needs a famous animal we can all get behind鈥攁nd right now it鈥檚 Jimothy. 听
Two weeks ago, the deformed-but-spry raccoon was unknown 鈥渂eyond the bins of an area of Seattle,鈥� . Now, he鈥檚 a hometown hero being cheered at Mariners games, muse, and the inspiration behind 鈥淛imothy Summer.鈥� 听
What鈥檚 in a name? explained Kiana Hall, who . And she was 100% right, gifting the world not only a creature we can鈥檛 stop watching, but a name we can鈥檛 stop saying. 听
With his cheeky scamper, Jimothy has been likened to mythical creatures like cryptids and chupacabras鈥攐r as one Instagrammer put it: 鈥淢e getting out the shower when I forget my towel.鈥�
And if you thought nothing could be cuter than Jimothy 鈥� there鈥檚 baby Jimothy! An captures the pre-fame raccoon growing up in a loving family among some cedar trees, as an early fan foreshadows his enduring je ne sais quoi. 听
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got it,鈥� she assured him. 鈥淲hatever it 颈蝉.鈥�
QUICK HITSCongo: Ebola deaths increase to over 1,000 鈥�
Climate change has intensified Europe's risk of drought, scientists say 鈥�
Africa still vulnerable to pandemics despite improved preparedness 鈥�
US FDA says it is investigating another cyclosporiasis outbreak 鈥�
Sex work or starve: Aid workers in Nepal left jobless by USAID cuts turn to sex work to survive 鈥�
听Issue No. 2595
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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Study offers new insights into why ex-smokers remain at elevated risk of lung disease
A new study by a team of 黑料网爆吃瓜 researchers could help explain why people who have quit smoking remain at elevated risk of lung disease long after their last cigarette.
Their paper, published in , provides one of the most detailed pictures to date of how quitting smoking affects the human lung at the cellular level.
July 22, 2026
IN FOCUSThembelani Mbatha, 23, holds a bottle of lenacapavir after being injected with the new HIV prevention drug on June 8, at Paulina Morapeli Clinic in Embalenhle, South Africa. Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty
How PEPFAR Disruption Derailed the HIV FightDisruptions to the PEPFAR program last year significantly weakened global HIV prevention and treatment efforts, creating gaps that could trigger yearslong cascading effects, . 听
The report is the first large survey of organizations that previously received PEPFAR funding鈥�166 groups across 46 countries鈥攁nd offers an early snapshot of how upended funding has led to 鈥渨idespread degradation鈥� of interconnected programs, impacting every point of service, . 听
鈥淲ith HIV and infectious disease, each day is deadly. Each day that we don鈥檛 have those systems in place, you see new infections,鈥� said Jennifer Sherwood, amfAR鈥檚 director of research and public policy. 听
Key findings, :
Access lost: 1,700+ HIV clinics and service sites have shuttered, and 6,000+ staff positions have been cut. 听
Most at risk, most impacted: Deepest cuts were to services for key populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, and people who inject drugs. 听
Core care eroded: Respondents reported diminished HIV treatment, testing, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission, despite U.S. guidance that such core programs continue.
Prevention pushed off course: PrEP programs and condom distribution also declined sharply.
Local impact: Local organizations were more likely than international groups to lose funding.
Recommendations to restore care: With the report slated for presentation at the next week, amFAR called for the reinstatement of U.S. support for all HIV services and pushed for other national governments to spend more.
But: Rebuilding HIV services and restoring community trust could take years, even if funding returns, researchers said.
2,295 U.S. measles cases have been reported so far this year, outpacing last year鈥檚 total of 2,286, that draws from state and local health data; this year鈥檚 case count is the highest in 35 years.
A doctor-led fraud ring in India claimed snakebites as the cause of death for people who had actually died from suicide, heart attacks, and other causes; the forgery scam sought to take advantage of a government program meant to compensate families who lost loved ones to snakebites, said investigators who arrested 17 people. 听
Childhood malaria chemoprevention programs in Africa鈥檚 highest-burden countries could yield billions of dollars in 鈥渟ocietal net benefits,鈥� ; the medication reduces malaria morbidity and mortality among school-aged children while also curbing absenteeism, leading to improved literacy. 听
The Trump administration will freeze $1 billion+ in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota over alleged fraud concerns, officials announced Tuesday鈥攖he second time the two blue states have had Medicaid funds halted due to alleged fraud.
GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY鈥淭he dengue narrative needs to shift. 鈥� It can no longer be seen just as a second-tier health issue behind malaria.鈥� 听
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
鈥�Michael B. Macdonald in
Dengue, described at the turn of the century as 鈥�,鈥� is living up to the name. 听
Sri Lanka is battling its worst outbreak in nearly a decade, dispatching military drones to track stagnant pools of water on rooftops, . 听
In India, where dengue used to be a seasonal disease confined to monsoon season, outbreaks are becoming 鈥渁 year-round scourge,鈥� . 听
And now, more than half the world鈥檚 population is now at risk, as dengue transmission鈥攆ueled by climate change, urbanization, and population mobility鈥攈as exploded. Yet Aedes-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya draw far less attention and funding than other diseases, such as malaria and HIV, .
Momentum for change: , held last month in Singapore, marks a shift from a regional movement into a global call to action and sets a framework for solutions. 听
READ THE FULL COMMENTARY BY MICHAEL B. MACDONALD OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSVenezuela confirms 3 people have died of hantavirus infections, with 2 more deaths suspected 鈥�
Africa CDC urges U.S. to lift Uganda Ebola travel restrictions 鈥�
Pandemic detour leads to clues about a mysterious disease 鈥�
鈥業f all else fails, sue鈥�: how ultra-processed food firms are using the courts to obstruct health rules 鈥�
Magic mushrooms may reshape the brain long after the trip ends 鈥�
听Issue No. 2594
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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黑料网爆吃瓜 researchers receive $14 million in SSHRC funding for 62 projects focusing on societal challenges
Topics include youth agency through video games and entrepreneurship education in India.
July 21, 2026
TOP STORIESGlobal road injuries and deaths have fallen by nearly a third from 1990 to 2023, ; but traffic crashes still led to +1.1 million deaths last year.
A healthy diet is beyond the financial reach of 2.7 billion people, , though global hunger fell for the third year in a row; the authors said countries must subsidize dairy, fruits, and vegetables rather than cereals and starchy foods.
India鈥檚 drug regulator has approved the country鈥檚 first dengue vaccine after reviewing a phase 3 trial that included 20,000+ participants in eight countries; Takeda Pharmaceutical had partnered in 2024 with India鈥檚 Biological E to manufacture 100 million doses annually of the QDENGA vaccine by 2030.
U.S. universities that lost research grants may have a better chance of getting them back after a federal judge鈥檚 July 17 ruling that the Trump administration cannot rescind active grants because of a shift in the government鈥檚 priorities.
IN FOCUSA girl fills containers with water drawn from the leftovers of underground pipes at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6. Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty
War鈥檚 Continued Toll on Gaza鈥檚 Women and ChildrenThe ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reshaped daily life for women and children in the enclave, as both struggle to help their families survive amid the collapse of infrastructure and public institutions.
Children forced into work: Aid groups say extreme poverty has driven many children into hard labor鈥攈auling water, selling food, or scavenging for materials鈥攖o earn money for their families, .
With ~85% of schools destroyed, 625,000+ children have been out of formal education for three years. And the proportion of children 10鈥�17 engaged in hard labor has risen 5X+ compared to pre-war levels.
Health workers report rising injuries and long-term physical and mental harm; meanwhile, UNICEF warns prolonged absence from school increases the risk of dropping out. 听
Women bear water crisis: At the same time, a finds women and girls in Gaza have been especially impacted by the destruction of water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the enclave, with lack of safe water complicating pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, and caregiving, :
Women are forced to journey long distances and wait hours in unsafe conditions to fetch just a few liters of water.
Related: MSF demands Israel release detained Palestinian healthcare workers 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ONE HEALTHRecruiting Fish in the Battle Against Schistosomiasis听Researchers in Senegal are testing whether raising fish in rice fields can reduce the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, while also boosting crop yields and food security. 听
How it works: African bonytongue fish prey on the freshwater snails that carry the schistosomiasis-causing parasitic worm, while tilapia provide natural fertilizer through their waste, potentially boosting rice yields without costly chemical fertilizers. Farmers can also harvest the fish for food or income.
Early promise: where the fish were raised in rice fields found the approach suppressed snail populations and increased rice yields by ~25%, though researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm lasting health and agricultural benefits.
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSThe resistance gene that鈥檚 causing 鈥榥ightmares鈥� in US hospitals 鈥�
#Aids2026: What The Polygamist gets wrong about HIV 鈥� and what would save lives in real life 鈥�
This Lifesaving Genetics Tool Works Best if You鈥檙e White 鈥�
鈥楥ancer Doesn't Care What Party You Belong To鈥�: Poisoned Water Is Turning This Rural State Bluer 鈥�
New study finds avocado oil products may contain cheaper oils 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Xiaodong Cai!
鈥楬eat deaths are not inevitable鈥�: WHO pushes Europe to heat鈥憄roof its hospitals 鈥�
The squad of motorbike-riding women fighting wildfires in the jungle 鈥�
听Issue No. 2593
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Copyright 2026 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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 20, 2026
IN FOCUS As Aid Cuts Deepen, Countries Rush to AdaptThe U.K. has outlined deep cutbacks to its overseas aid budget, with some of the steepest reductions hitting sub-Saharan African nations over the next three years: Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania will each face aid cuts of ~90% by 2029, . 听
While officials say the goal is to move to 鈥減artnerships rather than paternalism,鈥� aid groups and researchers warn that the drastic, abrupt shift could have devastating, immediate consequences for health, education, and humanitarian programs. 听
鈥淚t is just too sudden, too soon,鈥� Saskia Osendarp with the NGO Micronutrient Forum .
A new aid paradigm: The massive cuts from both the U.K. and the U.S. last year are rapidly reshaping sub-Saharan Africa鈥檚 health sectors, forcing countries to experiment with new funding models in both public and private sectors. 听
鈥淲e鈥檙e in a phase between the old order and a new order,鈥� said Dan Banik, a researcher with the University of Oslo who studies the role of aid in the region, per .
Malawi presents a case study of such adaptation, as external donors have for years funded over half of the country鈥檚 health spending. 听
The country is seeking new models for its health sector鈥攆rom grassroots initiatives like the construction of a community-funded clinic in central Malawi to longer-term government reforms including taxes for a national health fund. 听
But such efforts will take time and will not fully offset the rapid loss of external support during the transition, say Malawi health officials.
Related: In Malawi, funding cuts hold back medical help from above 鈥�
TOP STORIESSeven U.S. aid workers have been quarantined in the U.S.-run facility in Kenya after responding to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, though none are reporting symptoms, ; meanwhile, Uganda is calling on countries to lift travel restrictions to the nation after its last Ebola patient was discharged last week, .
Spain鈥檚 largest wildfire is burning for a fifth day in the country鈥檚 central Guadalajara province, forcing the evacuation of ~1,000 residents as forecasters warn of increased fire risks throughout the country as another 鈥宧eat wave looms.
A third death from Legionnaires鈥� disease has been reported amid an outbreak in New York City that has led to at least 74 cases; the city鈥檚 health department says the source of the bacteria has been eliminated but that anyone who spent time in affected areas and develops flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention.
The source of the Cyclospora outbreak in the U.S. remains unclear, that a re-review of lettuce samples from Taylor Farms鈥攚hich already issued a widespread recall of lettuce products鈥攑roduced a false positive for the parasite, meaning as of yesterday that 鈥渢here are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES OBESITYHow Big Soda Leveraged the World Cup Spotlight听Coca-Cola鈥檚 sponsorship of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup allowed the company to use branded replay and clip videos and social media campaigns that vastly expanded the company鈥檚 reach beyond live matches鈥攊ncluding to children, say researchers calling for more regulation over what they described as 鈥渟portswashing,鈥� .
鈥淏y aligning its brand with athletic excellence, Coca-Cola perpetuates a false sense of health and legitimacy that directly contradicts what sport represents,鈥� said Nalin Singh Negi, lead author of a .
that most news coverage of Coca-Cola鈥檚 2024 Paris Olympics sponsorship was favorable and rarely addressed public health risks. 听
Vital Strategies鈥� findings were presented at the . The conference convened researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to discuss efforts to curb Mexico鈥檚 obesity rates, including recent tax hikes on sugar-sweetened beverages, front-of-package warning labeling, tactics to reduce stigma, and new medical care protocols.
PAHO and the Organization of American States also presented new , designed with ministries of health and education across the Americas.
Violence repeatedly erupts in dementia care despite warnings, inspections show 鈥�
Doctors 鈥楥ringe鈥� at Possibility of Documenting Which Medicaid Enrollees Too Sick To Work 鈥�
Climate Change Hits Women Hardest. It's Time Our Solutions Reflected That. 鈥�
'No more families should endure this' - parents of student who died from MenB back new vaccine advice 鈥� 听
Quitting smoking is hard. A Medicare change may push doctors to give more help 鈥�
Trump administration ends dozens of grants for studying patient care 鈥�
How to keep the air inside your home clean during wildfires 鈥�
听Issue No. 2952
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Copyright 2026 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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 16, 2026
TOP STORIESFrance鈥檚 parliament adopted an intensely debated right-to-die bill yesterday, supporting assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses; the bill is slated to undergo review by France鈥檚 Constitutional Council before it can take effect.
More health workers in the DRC have gone on strike claiming a lack of pay amid the region鈥檚 ongoing Ebola outbreak, which has now exceeded ~2,000 cases and led to 754 deaths, ; meanwhile a hospital in Uganda is set to discharge the country鈥檚 last known Ebola patient, triggering a 42-day countdown after 鈥寃hich it could be declared free of the virus, .
The link between multiple sclerosis and the Epstein-Barr virus is becoming better understood, as researchers were able to show how the virus triggers the immune system ; researchers also demonstrated how an immunotherapy treatment can prevent relapses and slow disease progression.
Reducing ultra-processed foods could help prevent thousands of heart disease deaths, , which suggests between 23%鈥�38% of heart disease deaths could be attributable to UPF consumption.
IN FOCUSA nurse administers the cholera vaccine to a child in Sudan's Gedaref city on November 20, 2023. AFP via Getty Images
Gradual, Vulnerable Vaccine GainsGlobal childhood vaccination rates continue to gradually recover after their steep pandemic dropoff鈥攂ut rates are still far off the pace needed to meet global immunization goals, and could further unravel under global health funding cuts, .
"Millions of vulnerable children are still being left unprotected due to conflict, displacement, and poverty,鈥� said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell.
Key takeaways: ~13.5 million children remained 鈥渮ero-dose鈥� in 2025, meaning they missed all routine vaccinations. That number is down ~750,000 from the previous year, but still well above pre-pandemic levels. And it is ~4 million off the 2025 milestone needed to meet the global goal of halving the number of unvaccinated children by 2030, .
Conflict, poverty, displacement, and rapid population growth are the key barriers, as more than half of zero-dose children live in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings.
Uneven progress: WHO also warned that growing numbers of children start vaccine schedules but fail to complete them, contributing to stalled measles coverage and renewed outbreaks, .
Globally, 7.3 million infants are estimated to have received their first DTP dose, but dropped out before receiving their first measles dose.
Looming impact of aid cuts: The 2025 data sets also do not yet reflect major international funding cuts. Already, though, surveillance systems 鈥渁re themselves showing strain,鈥� the report found.
Sudan鈥檚 bright spot: Despite ongoing conflict, Sudan recorded the largest improvement globally last year, 鈥渄emonstrating what is possible鈥� when access is improved, per the report.
Meanwhile in the U.S.: Vaccine policy remained in focus on Capitol Hill as senators led by Sen. Bill Cassidy sharply questioned CDC director nominee Erica Schwartz, who sidestepped queries about whether the agency would maintain scientific independence under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., .
Cassidy also confronted Sean Kaufman, who has been tapped to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, over Kaufman鈥檚 previous vaccine-skeptical posts and doubts over mRNA research, .
New Alzheimer鈥檚 research is continuing to uncover new clues about the disease, as scientists seek more ways to understand risk, identify the disease sooner, and refine treatment routes.
The research, much of which was presented this week at the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association International Conference in London, demonstrates the growing emphasis on earlier, more personalized approaches to preventing and slowing the disease.
Better understanding risk: A blood test measuring a biomarker called p-tau217 could help identify symptom-free older adults at higher risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 years before cognitive problems appear, . The study, , drew results from long-running studies of 2,684 older adults.
For now, researchers view the early test primarily as a way to recruit participants for prevention trials rather than as a routine screening tool.
New pathways to treatment: An experimental drug might help slow early Alzheimer鈥檚 disease by lowering levels of the brain protein tau, . While further tests are needed, the Biogen drug, diranersen, could introduce a different approach than the medications lecanemab and donanebab, which clear buildup of the better-known amyloid protein.
Related: New WHO guidelines: up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed 鈥�
SURVEYWhat do you think of GHN鈥檚 frequency (Monday鈥揟hursday)?
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Peanut Butter and LegacyIt鈥檚 hard enough spreading peanut butter evenly on a PB&J sandwich.
Now imagine being asked to evenly spread 800 lbs of the stuff鈥攅nough for 15,000 sandwiches鈥攁cross a 25-meter hexagon.
Punishment? Nay! An honor of the highest artistic order鈥攁nd also 鈥渁 lot of work,鈥� admitted one PB-worker who helped to spread the piece on a museum floor in honor of its creator, the Dutch conceptual artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month, .
To spread the love, Schippers left behind instructions for replicating Pindakaasvloer, or peanut butter floor: 鈥淣o one is supposed to stand in, or lie down on the peanut butter,鈥� he ordered. But visitors at the latest installation have already trodden on the work and dropped their phones in it,
Schippers鈥� Floor Covering Series also included one covered in glass shards and salt. A warning to vandals: If you step on that one, the joke鈥檚 on you.
QUICK HITSDengue outbreak complicates Bangladesh measles crisis response 鈥�
U.S. military will test service members鈥� testosterone levels, Pete Hegseth says 鈥�
Are Microplastics Linked To Higher Heart Attack Risk? 鈥�
Parkinson鈥檚 drastically changed how they have sex. They're not alone. 鈥�
Lawmakers want to make daylight-saving time permanent 鈥� health experts say that's precisely the wrong idea 鈥�
Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years with new DNA analysis 鈥�
听Issue No. 2951
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Copyright 2026 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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 15, 2026
TOP STORIESMany of DRC鈥檚 newly reported Ebola deaths are people who died in their communities without ever receiving care鈥攁 鈥渕ost alarming finding,鈥� per the WHO, which warned that a majority of new cases are coming from 鈥渦nknown chains of transmission,鈥� as the toll for the fastest-growing outbreak ever approaches 2,000 confirmed cases and 700+ deaths.
221 people have died in Nigeria鈥檚 Lassa fever outbreak, which has spread to 23 of the nation鈥檚 36 states, per the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; the case fatality rate of the outbreak is now 24%, with people ages 21鈥�30 the most affected.
A tuberculosis outbreak at an ICE facility in Colorado has sickened ~12 people, and dozens of others have reportedly been placed in quarantine without air conditioning, per detainee accounts; another outbreak was reported in the same facility last spring.
A U.S. appeals court has revived hundreds of lawsuits claiming links between acetaminophen usage during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders; a lower court had previously thrown out the suits, which were filed against pharmacies and the manufacturer of Tylenol, as scientists and obstetrics groups repeatedly emphasize that there is no connection between the medication and such disorders.
IN FOCUSAn advertisement for Zyn smokeless nicotine pouches at a smoke shop in New York City on January 27, 2024. Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty
Pushback Against Big Tobacco鈥檚 Political BoostLongstanding efforts to curb youth tobacco use in the U.S. could be undermined in coming years, warn health advocates, as federal regulators loosen restrictions on vapes and nicotine products while also rolling back smoking prevention and cessation programs. 听
Eased federal guidance on newer tobacco products 鈥渉elps the tobacco industry target kids and threatens the hard-won progress our nation has made in reducing youth tobacco use,鈥� argued a coalition of public health groups, pediatricians, and parents who filed yesterday, . 听
Background: In May, the FDA released new guidance that rolled back restrictions on vaping鈥攊ncluding the sale of flavored vapes鈥攁nd fast-tracked the approval of nicotine pouches. 听
Meanwhile, a that the agency approved Zyn nicotine pouches without fully assessing or determining the composition of materials used in the pouches. 听
Diminished prevention efforts: At the same time, CDC鈥檚 office on smoking and health has been shuttered for more than a year, and a federal advisory panel set to issue updated guidance on helping young people quit tobacco has been stalled since last March, . 听
The 鈥渂roadly pro-tobacco agenda鈥� is coming into play as President Trump increased his investments in major tobacco companies and as industry groups donated millions to Trump-aligned political committees, per an investigation by KFF Health News. 听 听
Related:
Making Americans Smokers Again: Trump Administration Cuts Anti-Tobacco Programs 鈥�
Cola, Cotton Candy and 鈥榮weet-flavoured鈥� vapes to be banned to protect children 鈥�
Cigarettes are back in vogue. How did this happen? 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NEGLECTED DISEASESFun, Games, and PreventionTo combat the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, public health workers in Nigeria rely on an arsenal of interventions: testing, preventive drugs, and a rousing variation of the board game Chutes and Ladders.
鈥淪chisto & Ladders,鈥� more than a decade ago, shows kids how to navigate the complex quest of preventing and treating schistosomiasis:
On a colorful board, players slide down 鈥淪chisto worms鈥� for risky behaviors, such as playing in an infected river. But they can also 鈥渃limb ladders鈥� for healthy choices, like taking preventative praziquantel at school or cutting vegetation around a river to discourage snails, the parasite鈥檚 host. 听
Interactive impact: One 2020 study found that after six months of gameplay, more than two-thirds of 275 students were familiar with praziquantel, and 65% consented to treatment. 听
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS
The new malaria vaccine helps in Africa but faces a test: Completing all 4 doses 鈥�
Americans in Congo barred from听immediately听returning home amidst Ebola听outbreak 鈥�
鈥榃hen she turns听eight听they will take her鈥�: rising number of Afghan girls being sold into child marriage 鈥�
The Dangerous Unraveling听Of听The听United States鈥櫶鼺amily Planning Safety Net 鈥�
What to watch for as senators question CDC nominee Erica Schwartz 鈥�
Medieval plague survivors left us graffiti, court听records听and a lesson for COVID 鈥�
The rise of evidence-based medicine and the 鈥榤avericks鈥� who championed it 鈥� Thanks听for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!听
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger 鈥�
听Issue No. 2950
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Copyright 2026 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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 14, 2026
TOP STORIESEl Salvador earned WHO validation for eliminating trachoma鈥攖he world's leading infectious cause of blindness鈥攁s a public health problem; El Salvador conducted targeted assessments between 2023鈥�2026 and found no evidence of active trachoma transmission, detected no signs of the disease in children, and found no advanced cases capable of causing blindness in adults.
First responders to the burgeoning Ebola outbreak in the DRC need better protective equipment and pay,听; dozens of Ituri province health workers joined a strike yesterday demanding back pay.听
After landslides in Bangladesh this month killed at least 13 Rohingya refugees and displaced听4,000+, Human Rights Watch warns that refugees 鈥渃rammed into bamboo and tarp shelters ... on steep, deforested hillsides鈥� are vulnerable to cyclones, floods, and landslides and called on the Bangladesh authorities, the UN, and donors听to reduce overcrowding and restore aid for embankments, drainage, access routes, and emergency relocation sites.
Michigan health officials have tentatively linked salad greens or lettuce to the outbreak of explosive diarrhea that has topped 2,600 cases in the state, though other sources of cyclosporiasis cannot be ruled out.听
IN FOCUSJaan Vaart, coordinator of the harm reduction service, stands inside a van equipped with syringes and emergency equipment. Tallinn, Estonia, November 18, 2019. Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty
A Swiftly Evolving Drug Crisis 听When Estonia cut fentanyl overdose deaths by a stunning 70%+ by 2018, there was little time to celebrate: Soon, even more dangerous synthetic opioids filled the void fentanyl left behind, driving overdoses up once again, . 听 听
Mutating threats: Estonia鈥檚 crisis points to a new frontier in the global opioid epidemic, as potent, lab-manufactured opioids emerge faster than researchers, public health officials, or law enforcement can respond. 听 听
Nitazenes, which can be 40X stronger than fentanyl, have led to a dramatic uptick in overdoses in Estonia. This year, an even more lethal opioid, cychlorphine, has hit the streets. 听 听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 changing too quickly,鈥� said Katri Abel-Ollo, a researcher at Estonia鈥檚 National Institute for Health Development. 听 听
Cychlorphine is a growing concern in the U.S. too, 鈥攁nd many of the victims have skewed younger, according to Luis Agostini, a DEA public information officer. The overdose-reversing drug Narcan or naloxone can work to an extent, but it may take multiple doses, given cychlorphine鈥檚 strength. 听
Expanding access to a lifeline: In the U.S., momentum is growing to open up naloxone access to teens, who often face barriers obtaining and carrying it due to varying state laws and consent requirements, . 听
A bipartisan bill in Congress, the School Access to Naloxone Act, seeks to fund naloxone supply and training for schools, and expand legal protections for those who administer the medication in emergencies. 听
The Quote: 鈥淚 think it would be good if people realize that putting things in a lockbox and telling people no isn鈥檛 going to stop a teenager,鈥� says Max Zimbron Martinez, a leader of the Bulldogs Against Overdose student group at Garfield High School in Seattle.
Related: Inside the push for a fentanyl vaccine 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARYWhy Global Health Needs a Planetary Health StrategyIf you鈥檙e committed to advancing global health, it鈥檚 time to join the young, transdisciplinary field of planetary health, . 听听
The field recognizes that Earth鈥檚 natural systems play a critical role in supporting human health, and the degradation of those systems is becoming a dominant driver of the global burden of disease, writes Myers, faculty director of the Planetary Health Alliance and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. 听听
What can be done: 听
Medical and public health practitioners and researchers can break down silos to focus on different innovations, policies, and practices to protect the public鈥檚 health.
Researchers can work with nontraditional partners like urban planners, business leaders, material scientists, and others. 听
Nurses and physicians can advise patients to adopt a planetary health diet (high in plants and low in meat and dairy) and spend time in nature to improve their health. 听听
These are just a few ways we can adapt our efforts to reflect the fact that the health of humanity and the state of the planet are inextricably connected, argues Myers.
Read the full commentary by Samuel Myers OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSSingapore bat colony could unlock the future of medicine 鈥�
Reforming WHO: Five Considerations for the Next Director General 鈥�
鈥業f a woman is killed, they say she fell, she took poison鈥�: Pakistan鈥檚 devastating rise in 鈥榟idden鈥� sexual violence 鈥�
Profound health inequalities between Sub-Saharan Africa and other world regions 鈥�
Proximity to Golf Courses and Risk of Parkinson Disease 鈥�
How wearable tech such as watches or bracelets could help to detect Sepsis more quickly 鈥�
Is there a doctor on board? Yes, and airlines depend on it 鈥�
听Issue No. 2949
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听听Email us with feedback and questions.听
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Copyright 2026 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.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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You can or .
