黑料网

Weston Family Foundation grant will fund the first ultra-high-sensitivity whole body PET/CT scanner in Canada

A groundbreaking project led by Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of 黑料网 has received a major boost thanks to a $10-million grant from the Weston Family Foundation.

The funding is part of a $20-million initiative by the foundation to support highly ambitious scientific endeavors under its Healthy Aging Strategy, comprised of the Weston Brain Institute and the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative.

Weston Family Foundation grant will fund the first ultra-high-sensitivity whole body PET/CT scanner in Canada

A groundbreaking project led by Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of 黑料网 has received a major boost thanks to a $10-million grant from the Weston Family Foundation.

The funding is part of a $20-million initiative by the foundation to support highly ambitious scientific endeavors under its Healthy Aging Strategy, comprised of the Weston Brain Institute and the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative.

Weston Family Foundation grant will fund the first ultra-high-sensitivity whole body PET/CT scanner in Canada

A groundbreaking project led by Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of 黑料网 has received a major boost thanks to a $10-million grant from the Weston Family Foundation.

The funding is part of a $20-million initiative by the foundation to support highly ambitious scientific endeavors under its Healthy Aging Strategy, comprised of the Weston Brain Institute and the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative.

Weston Family Foundation grant will fund the first ultra-high-sensitivity whole body PET/CT scanner in Canada

A groundbreaking project led by Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of 黑料网 has received a major boost thanks to a $10-million grant from the Weston Family Foundation.

The funding is part of a $20-million initiative by the foundation to support highly ambitious scientific endeavors under its Healthy Aging Strategy, comprised of the Weston Brain Institute and the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative.

96 Global Health NOW: Trump Links Autism With Tylenol; Russia鈥檚 Infected Troops; and 鈥楴icotine-Free鈥� Vapes Not Free of Health Concerns September 23, 2025 President Trump (C) takes questions after making an announcement on 鈥渟ignificant medical and scientific findings for America鈥檚 children鈥� at the White House. September 22, Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Trump Links Autism With Tylenol    President Trump dispensed dubious medical advice from the White House yesterday, telling pregnant women about a dozen times to avoid taking Tylenol (known as acetaminophen in the U.S., or paracetamol in most countries), the .     Trump told pregnant women to 鈥渇ight like hell鈥� not to take Tylenol, claiming the medication would increase the autism risk in their children, .      What does the evidence say? No definitive scientific evidence has linked Tylenol use by pregnant mothers with autism in their children, , though the FDA will be updating drug labels to advise that they avoid acetaminophen. 

• An  in August that analyzed 46 previous studies found 27 had significant links between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders. 

• However, study co-author Ann Bauer, a University of Massachusetts epidemiologist, told NPR the U.S. government 鈥渕ay be jumping the gun,鈥� adding: 鈥淚 think those of us in the research community would like to see stronger evidence.鈥� 

Trump on vaccines: The president also advised spreading out vaccinations, overturning the current immunization schedule, , as heads of HHS, NIH, FDA, and Medicare/Medicaid stood behind him. 

• Medical experts like New York University bioethicist Art Caplan said the president鈥檚 guidance was irresponsible.  

Related: The drug Trump plans to promote for autism shows real (and fragile) hope 鈥�    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Measles cases are up 31-fold in the Americas this year, , with 11,300+ confirmed infections and 23 deaths recorded in 10 countries as of mid-September compared to 358 cases for the same period last year, with 71% of cases in unvaccinated people; Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. accounted for 96% of cases.

Violence and abuse by patients against staff in GP clinics are widespread globally and usually triggered by long waiting times and providers鈥� refusal to prescribe requested drugs, analyzing 50 previous studies from 24 countries.

The Heritage Foundation urged the FBI to add a new designation to its list of domestic violent extremist groups for Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violent Extremism, claiming violence from trans people and allies is increasing, although trans people make up less than 1% of mass shooters and are much more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.

In China, AMR-attributable deaths in children under 5 declined by 95% over the past three decades but rose by 68% among people 65+, ; the authors attribute the mortality reduction in young children partially to pneumococcal vaccination and WASH efforts, and the increased mortality among older people to chronic health issues and weakened immune systems. THE QUOTE
  鈥淗igh blood pressure is like a battering ram.鈥� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌� Tom Frieden, President/CEO, Resolve to Save Lives,  this morning on the toll of hypertension as 鈥渆very second of every day, the blood is slamming against the brain, heart, and kidneys.鈥�  
  INFECTIOUS DISEASES Russia鈥檚 Infected Troops    Russia has formed military units composed of soldiers with HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases, deploying them in segregated units on the front in eastern Ukraine. 

• The troops are outfitted in armbands and bracelets that signal their illness.  

A growing crisis: The move speaks to a mounting health emergency within the Russian military, which is seeing surging cases of HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.  

• The number of Russian soldiers with HIV was 20X higher at the end of 2023 than it was at the start of the war.   

• Infections have spread via syringes and other contaminated medical instruments used by Russian battlefield medics, as well as by rising drug use, say Ukrainian officials.  

Risk to Ukrainian troops: Ukrainian soldiers say they have received no guidance on interacting with wounded or killed Russian troops, raising contamination concerns. 
    Related: Despite U=U, concerns about sharing HIV status persist among older people 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES SMOKING 鈥楴icotine-Free鈥� Vapes Not Free of Health Concerns    Nicotine-free products are swiftly gaining popularity worldwide鈥攁nd are largely unregulated outside Europe, raising safety concerns among researchers. 
  Background: Products like Spree Bar, Happy Hippo, and Outlaw Dip are made with nicotine analogs鈥攕ynthetic chemicals like 6-methyl nicotine鈥攖o provide what manufacturers describe as an alternative, less-addictive buzz.  
  Risk remains: But some of the analogs may be more potent and addictive than nicotine, say researchers. And some 鈥渟afe鈥� ingredients may be included in unsafe concentrations鈥攐r may pose risks when inhaled versus digested.  

• Plus: Bright packaging and candy-like flavors may attract and hook underage users. 

No oversight: 鈥淭hese products were intentionally designed to bypass regulation,鈥� said Sven Eric Jordt, a researcher at Duke University. 
    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Special edition: Your essential UNGA primer 鈥�     Ebola outbreak in the DRC: why is it so deadly? 鈥�     Teen pregnancies up for the first time in 14 years 鈥�     Bill Gates pledges $US912 million to AIDS and malaria non-profit as US cuts funding 鈥�     For-Profit Corporations Are Buying Up More Psychiatric Hospitals. Some Flout Federal Law With Scarce Repercussions. 鈥�     TB stigma in India: A narrative review of types of stigma, gender differences, and potential interventions 鈥�     Ticks are migrating, raising disease risks if they can't be tracked quickly enough 鈥�     Scientists discover microplastics deep inside human bones 鈥�     If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For? 鈥�   Issue No. 2792
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, has confirmed that between 11 and 16 September, 12 of its premises in Gaza City were hit directly or indirectly, amid intensifying Israeli military activity there.

96 Global Health NOW: A Volatile Vaccine Panel; Danes鈥� Cancer Care; and Housing, Health, and Climate Change Confusion and concern followed last week's key CDC vax panel meeting. September 22, 2025 Martin Kulldorff (C) is seen during a meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. September 19, Chamblee, Georgia. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty A Volatile Vaccine Panel
   Confusion and concern followed a key U.S. vaccine advisory panel鈥檚 meeting last week, as it narrowed recommendations for some vaccines, tabled other controversial votes, and engaged in 鈥渃haotic鈥� debate,      The result: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the CDC and is now composed of members hand-picked by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., backed away from its most controversial proposals.    But: Medical experts warned that the meetings reflected a politicization of medicine that will lead to the 鈥渆rosion of the committee鈥檚 integrity,鈥� .     Takeaways:     COVID-19 vaccine: ACIP voted against a proposal requiring prescriptions for COVID-19 vaccines but voted to limit recommendations for the shot to adults aged 65+ and those with health conditions. People under 65 should consult their doctor before getting vaccinated, the committee said.     MMRV vaccine: The panel recommended limiting the use of the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine in children under 4, saying instead that MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine be administered separately for that age group. 

• But: ACIP voted that children in federal programs like Vaccines for Children can still access the combined shot.  

Hepatitis B: ACIP voted to 鈥渋ndefinitely postpone鈥� ending universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination in favor of a more targeted approach, after backlash from pediatric experts who said the move would endanger vulnerable children, .  
  Related:     Why universal COVID-19 vaccine guidance offers stronger protection than high-risk-only policies 鈥�   Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member鈥檚 claim that Covid vaccines persist is 鈥渁bsolutely impossible鈥� 鈥�      Several Northeastern States and America鈥檚 Largest City Announce the Northeast Public Health Collaborative 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Ebola has claimed 31 lives in the DRC鈥檚 Kasai Province outbreak鈥攁 sharp increase over the 16 reported September 14鈥攚ith 48 confirmed and probable cases so far, the WHO said late last week.

A flesh-eating disease in Nigeria has killed seven people and infected 67 others in the remote community of Malabu; federal health officials say bacterial disease Buruli ulcer is the primary suspect but confirmation is still pending.     China extended the prison sentence of Covid whistleblower Zhang Zhan for another four years in prison for 鈥減icking quarrels and provoking trouble,鈥� according to Reporters sans Fronti猫res.  
  Stanford University scientists have created the first-ever AI-designed virus; the virus, discussed in  last week, has a unique mission: targeting and killing Escherichia coli (E. coli).   U.S. and Global Health Policy News
______________________________________________ Trump admin reportedly set to link autism to Tylenol use in pregnancy 鈥�      The Trump Administration鈥檚 Response to Congo鈥檚 Ebola Outbreak Isn鈥檛 Normal, Infectious Disease Leaders Say 鈥�  
  鈥楢merica First鈥� Global Health Strategy Commits to Funding Medicines and Health Workers 鈥� In Time-Limited, Bilateral Deals 鈥�  
  Despite fear of retaliation, hundreds of federal workers urge Congress to protect medicine and science 鈥�     This Geriatrics Training Program Escaped the Ax. For Now. 鈥�    DATA POINT

39%
鈥斺赌斺赌�
Americans who have confidence that RFK Jr. is providing trustworthy public health information, per a new poll. 鈥�
  CANCER Lessons From the Danish Care Model    UK health policymakers creating a new NHS, long-range cancer care plan are looking to Denmark for guidance.    Major strides: From 1995 to 1999, Denmark's five-year survival rate for rectal cancer was ~48%; by 2014, that rate had risen to 69%.  
  How? Denmark鈥檚 health system has implemented benchmarks for quick diagnoses followed up by immediate treatment, home chemotherapy administration, and upgraded hospital screening equipment. 

• "They are diagnosing cancer earlier, people are surviving longer, more people are taking up screening 鈥� all of those factors as well as investment in workforce and kit are critical components of a cancer plan,鈥� says Cancer Research UK鈥檚 Michelle Mitchell. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HOUSING At the Nexus of Climate Change and Health 
Housing is supposed to play a 鈥渇rontline role鈥� when it comes to protecting human health.     But as climate change accelerates, housing鈥檚 role has become more complex, per a new Lancet Public Health paper.    Multidirectional impact: Housing is 鈥渁 contributor, an outcome, and a mediator鈥� of climate-health interactions, the paper finds: 

• Contributor: The construction and operation of homes increase greenhouse gas emissions.  

• Outcome: As extreme weather events increase, housing is increasingly affected鈥攂ecoming unsafe and unaffordable.  

• Mediator: Suitable, adaptive housing can protect humans from harmful exposure. 

Push for better policy: The authors urge system-wide housing reforms, from construction to energy policy, to improve resilience, equity, and sustainability. 
  OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS UN 鈥榞ravely alarmed鈥� by deteriorating situation in Sudan鈥檚 el-Fasher 鈥�     An HIV Outbreak in Maine Shows the Risk of Trump鈥檚 Crackdown on Homelessness and Drug Use 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!     Amendments to the International Health Regulations enter into force worldwide 鈥�       Extreme weather events can have lasting health effects, researchers find 鈥�  
  Mouth Microbes Linked to Pancreas Cancer Risk 鈥�     The importance of language in medical training materials 鈥�     How did assaults on science become the norm 鈥� and what can we do? 鈥�   Issue No. 2791
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2025 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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Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

Access to respite services for family caregivers increases a palliative care patient鈥檚 probability of dying at home almost threefold, according to a 黑料网-led study.

Previous surveys suggest most Canadians with a serious illness would prefer to spend the end of their lives at home. In Quebec, fewer than one-in-10 palliative care patients die at home, a rate that has remained largely unchanged for two decades and lags behind the Canadian average of 15 per cent.

96 Global Health NOW 091825: Sounding Alarm Over the CDC; Malawi鈥檚 Inner Turmoil Over Tobacco; and a Nigerian Chef鈥檚 Jollof Rice Joy September 18, 2025 Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. September 17, Washington, D.C. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Sounding Alarm Over the CDC     Former top CDC officials are warning that the American public health system is headed to a 鈥渧ery dangerous place鈥� as decisions become increasingly politically driven, .

Political interference alleged: Yesterday, former CDC director Susan Monarez and chief medical officer Debra Houry testified before a Senate committee that under health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a culture of fear had taken hold at the agency鈥攁lready hollowed out by mass firings and traumatized by a shooting at agency headquarters last month, . 

• As CDC scientists are sidelined, they are being replaced with appointees internally dubbed 鈥減oliticals,鈥� who have little to no scientific background, said Houry.  

Vaccine panel under scrutiny: The hearing took place on the eve of the CDC鈥檚 vaccine advisory panel meetings this week, during which major changes to the vaccination schedule for children will be considered鈥攊ncluding delaying the hepatitis B shot. 

• Monarez said she feared infectious diseases like polio could be poised for a comeback: 鈥淚 believe we will have our children harmed by things they don鈥檛 need to be harmed by.鈥� 

Insurance industry pushback: Major insurers preemptively said yesterday that they would continue to take an 鈥渆vidence-based approach鈥� and continue to cover vaccines,  
  States offer alternative guidance: Groups of states, including some on the West Coast and in the Northeast, are now forming health 鈥渁lliances鈥� to maintain evidence-based recommendations that the CDC is now rebuffing.    Related:     Turning Against Vaccines, America Is a Global Outlier 鈥�     Who to Trust if You Can鈥檛 Trust the CDC 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Several hundred mercenaries from Colombia鈥攎any of them young men 鈥渂arely out of their teens鈥濃�攁re fighting alongside Rapid Support Forces on the frontlines in Sudan鈥檚 war; one of the men says he and many others were tricked by false promises of private security jobs in the UAE, then sent to Sudan.   

Views of U.S. mental health policy are consistent across political party lines when it comes to a need to expand voluntary, community-based mental health services, a cross-sectional study found; however, the public is less supportive of involuntary mental health care policies, though Republicans expressed more support than others.   Eye care in Uganda is among the most underfunded health services in the country, meaning people there face a higher risk of blindness due to a paucity of eye care services,   Switching clocks twice a year in the U.S. is harmful to health in numerous ways, disrupting circadian rhythms in ways that contribute to stroke and obesity, finds a which found that remaining in either standard time or in daylight saving time reduced such risks.   SMOKING Malawi鈥檚 Inner Turmoil Over Tobacco   Tobacco is considered 鈥済reen gold鈥� in Malawi, contributing to 15% of Malawi鈥檚 GDP, 60% of exports, and 23% of tax revenue. 

That makes it difficult to enact critically needed policy reforms that could reduce smoking and save lives, health advocates say.     Wreaking havoc on health: Smoking is widespread among youth, with tobacco use contributing to rising cases of tuberculosis, along with cancer, and other diseases. 

• It has been linked to ~ 5,400 deaths, 7.4% of the country鈥檚 total mortality. 

Undermined by the government: Instead of receiving support from Malawi鈥檚 public officials, efforts to curb smoking are being actively eroded by a government bent instead on promoting increased tobacco production.  
    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH A Stranded Stockpile of Contraceptives     In a warehouse in Belgium, $9.7 million worth of contraceptives are sitting in limbo.     Background: Before the Trump administration鈥檚 freeze on foreign aid, the medications and devices were once destined for five low-income countries in Africa. Now, they鈥檙e scheduled for incineration.     Call for release: But this week, Belgian officials have reported they are still intact, for the contraceptives, which have already been paid for, to be passed along to their intended recipients before they expire between 2027 and 2031.    Impact by the numbers: , the destruction of the stockpile could lead to:  

• 362,000 unintended pregnancies 

• 161,000 unplanned births 

• 110,000 unsafe abortions 

• 718 preventable maternal deaths 

    Related: Women鈥檚 rights activists rally in Belgium fearing US plans for birth control supplies 鈥�   ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION She Made the Most of It: Nigerian Chef鈥檚 Jollof Rice Joy    At first glance, it鈥檚 hard to tell: Is the pot gigantic, or are the people tiny? Turns out, it鈥檚 the former.      Armed with oar-sized utensils and dwarfed by a colossal, custom-built pot, Nigerian chef Hilda Baci and her gaggle of assistants have secured the Guinness World Record for the largest serving of jollof rice, an iconic West-African dish, . Ghana, Nigeria鈥檚 jollof rice rival, .     Rice to the top: It took 鈥渘ine hours of fire, passion, and teamwork,鈥� and a near-collapse as the dish was crane-lifted to the weigh-in鈥攂ut the record was set: 19,356 pounds, 9 ounces. 

Not her first record rodeo: A 93-hour cook-off in 2023 gave Baci her first brush with Guinness greatness, only to be dethroned just a year later. 
  Nevertheless, Baci鈥檚 ambitions inspired others who dream of doing the most 鈥� of anything, really, including , or giving . The only thing harder than achieving that accolade, surely, is listening to it.  QUICK HITS Afghanistan faces 鈥榩erfect storm鈥� of crises, UN warns 鈥�     Can Drug Users Be Forced Into Rehab? Trump Says Yes. So Do 34 States. 鈥�     Putin Marks Another Break From International Norms As Russia Exits Anti-Torture Pact 鈥�     How UK aid cuts will lead to global health programme closures鈥攁nd deaths 鈥�     Bipartisan bill seeks to reinstate national suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth 鈥�
  Special Olympics Launches Global Health Report to Tackle Inequities faced by People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 鈥�

Gas stove makers quietly delete air pollution warnings as they fight mandatory health labels 鈥�     As California installs more artificial turf, health and environmental concerns multiply 鈥�     How one op-ed sparked high-level talks at Nedlac, treasury and the presidency on cheaper food 鈥�   Issue No. 2790
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, 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:

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  Copyright 2025 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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96 Global Health NOW: UN Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza; Researchers鈥� Growing Resistance; and Gaming Addiction Treatment in Australia Israel鈥檚 military campaign is being conducted with 鈥渋ntent to destroy鈥� Palestinians in Gaza, finds independent commission September 17, 2025 Eight-year-old Youssef Ali Hussein's family carries his body after he died from Guillain-Barre syndrome at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on September 16. Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu via Getty UN Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza    The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry has formally accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza鈥攖he first such official UN assessment, .     The issue of 鈥榠ntent': The Commission concluded that Israel鈥檚 military campaign is being conducted with 鈥渋ntent to destroy鈥� Palestinians in Gaza鈥攁 critical legal threshold for genocide, which the committee said intent was inferred from military operations, blocked food aid and starvation, and public statements by Israeli leaders.      states that Israel committed four of five acts laid out in the 1948 Genocide Convention: killing, inflicting serious harm, creating life-threatening conditions, and preventing births, . The fifth act, the forcible removal of children, was not alleged.    International reaction: All 153 countries that signed the Genocide Convention are legally obligated to act to prevent genocide, said the Commission鈥攚hich urged countries to halt arms transfers to Israel. 

• Israel has rejected the report, calling it based on 鈥淗amas falsehoods鈥� and saying the October 7 massacre two years ago was an act of genocide. The U.S. is expected to oppose the findings.  

• Meanwhile, five British MPs have urged their government to back a UN-led military intervention, .  

What鈥檚 next: Ultimately, the International Court of Justice will have to decide if a case of genocide has been proven or not. A case against Israel has been brought by South Africa.  

• Meanwhile, Israel has launched a new ground invasion in Gaza City鈥攁s international pressure grows for a ceasefire, . 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Opioid-related deaths in England and Wales in the past decade were 55% higher than previously recorded, amounting to 13,000+ heroin and opioid deaths missed in official statistics from 2011 to 2022, according to a .      The CDC has revoked telework permissions for employees with disabilities and paused all new approvals for such accommodations pending HHS updates to a broader telework policy; the move follows the Trump administration鈥檚 January directive to 鈥渢erminate remote work arrangements鈥� for federal employees.      A whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former kidney transplant program director alleges sweeping corruption, bias, and greed across the U.S. organ donation and transplant system, taking aim at stakeholders including nonprofits, government contractors, and transplant centers.     An algorithm that projects outbreaks鈥� impacts even with incomplete data could guide decisions on when to implement or relax policies like masking, social distancing, or quarantine, Sept. 3; the algorithm uses data as it鈥檚 available versus preset schedules and thresholds to determine optimal timing for nonpharmaceutical interventions.   U.S. and Global Health Policy News   Kennedy's vaccine panel expected to recommend delaying hepatitis B shot in children 鈥�     House panels charge U.S. National Academies with producing partisan studies 鈥�     Mississippi declares infant deaths emergency as CDC program that could have helped is halted 鈥�     Experts warn loss of USAID endangers the fight against deadly TB 鈥�     Scientists decry NIH pledge to end some human fetal tissue research 鈥�   POLICY Researchers鈥� Growing Resistance    Scientists in the U.S. are increasingly pushing back against drastic cuts to government research, using a range of tactics:    Legal action: Growing numbers of researchers are joining class action lawsuits to reinstate grants and preserve funding for institutions like the NIH.     Tracking grants: Activists are cataloging cuts through public databases like , tracking hundreds of terminated grants, revealing disproportionate cuts to research supporting certain minority groups.     Whistle-blowing: Government scientists are informing lawmakers and journalists about internal policy violations. 
  Public outreach: Outward-facing projects like and aim to rebuild public trust by connecting scientists and their work with their local communities.      GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MENTAL HEALTH Pioneering Gaming Addiction Treatment in Australia    Since 2022, ~300 people have sought treatment for gaming addiction at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Australia鈥攖he nation鈥檚 first public hospital to treat the increasingly prevalent disorder.  

• ~500,000 Australians may be affected by addiction to videogaming, say researchers, who describe isolation, depression, and aggression as common symptoms as compulsive gaming disrupts school, work, and family life. 

• Most patients at the Fiona Stanley facility are 15鈥�19 years old. At the clinic, they are slowly reconnected to daily activities and routines.  

More tools needed: The clinic鈥檚 practitioners and other researchers say schools and physicians need more resources to flag and screen at-risk youth so treatment can begin earlier. 
    QUICK HITS Amid rising violence in Colombia, girls and women are being held as sex slaves: 鈥楴o woman is safe鈥� 鈥�  

Studies show mostly poor long-COVID protection for Paxlovid 鈥�
  Fentanyl: Germany prepares for synthetic drugs crisis 鈥�      Injury prevention is in danger from federal cuts 鈥�  (commentary)     How billions of hacked mosquitoes and a vaccine could beat the deadly dengue virus 鈥�   Issue No. 2789
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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The UN World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Wednesday that southern and eastern European countries are losing large numbers of doctors and nurses who are leaving to work abroad.

96 Global Health NOW: A Troubling Snapshot of Women鈥檚 Health; Europe's Fungal Threat; and Indigenous Ingredients Elevate School Lunch Global conflict, aid cuts, and movements against gender equality threaten women鈥檚 wellbeing September 16, 2025 An elderly woman and malnourished children look on after spending two days without a meal in Moroto, Uganda. July 22. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images A Troubling Snapshot of Women鈥檚 Health 
Women鈥檚 health gains in past decades have been overshadowed by persistent challenges and inequities compared with men, per  published yesterday. 
  Warnings:  

• 10% of women still live in extreme poverty, and 351 million women and girls will face extreme poverty by 2030. 

• 64 million more women than men are food insecure. 

• Anemia rates in women ages 15鈥�49 are expected to rise to 33% in 2030 from 31.1% today. 

• 676 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of a 鈥渄eadly conflict event鈥� in 2024鈥攁 number not seen since the 1990s. 

Advances: 

• Maternal mortality fell by 39.3% from 2000 to 2023. 

• More girls than boys are enrolling in and completing school worldwide.    

Key threats: global conflict, aid cuts, and movements against gender equality, . 
Funds infusion needed: The world spends  each year, but $420 billion annually could advance gender equality, said UN Women鈥檚 Sarah Hendriks.  
The Quote: 鈥淚t can seem very hopeless, but in actual fact, we can choose a world where millions more women do not remain trapped in poverty or sidelined from power or exposed to violence,鈥� Hendriks said.  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
100,000+ people in northern South Sudan have been displaced by floods and another 300,000 people are at risk in the coming weeks, per a UNHCR official; the inundation threatens to cut off communities and worsen food insecurity.  
Pakistan launched its first-ever human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign yesterday, targeting girls ages 9鈥�14 in Sindh, Punjab, Azad Kashmir, and Islamabad; the two-week effort seeks to protect millions from cervical cancer caused by HPV.     Rwanda is seeing an alarming uptick in malaria cases鈥攔ising 45% in 2024鈥攁fter nearly a decade of steady declines, according to officials; the country is now reconsidering whether to accept malaria vaccines it once declined.  
An analysis of 26 countries across the Americas highlights the persistent challenge of drowning in the region even as some countries make progress with disaster warning systems and water safety campaigns; found that just two of the countries studied have a government-led national drowning prevention strategy.   DRUG RESISTANCE European Hospitals鈥� Formidable Fungal Threat    A drug-resistant fungal infection has gained a foothold in European hospitals, proliferating 鈥渇rom isolated cases to becoming widespread in some countries,鈥� the European Centre for Disease Control .     Rapid rise: The fungus Candidozyma auris has only been detected within the last decade; but since 2013, 4,000+ people have been infected across 18 countries.  

• 1,346 cases were reported in 2023 alone鈥攁 67% jump from the previous year. 

Deadly foe: C. auris thrives in health facilities, surviving on surfaces from windowsills to stethoscopes, and resists most disinfectants and antifungals.  

• ~60% of infected patients die within 90 days.  

  Related: Epidemiological and microbiological characterization of Candidozyma auris (Candida auris) isolates from a tertiary hospital in Cairo, Egypt: an 18-month study 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NUTRITION Elevating School Lunch in India With Indigenous Ingredients     Schools in India鈥檚 rural Meghalaya state have a new recipe for boosting school attendance and combating malnutrition鈥攁nd it includes Himalayan chives, cured dry fish, and berry pickle.     Local, farm-grown, and foraged ingredients are now a central part of school lunches in the region, thanks to an initiative introduced by the to make school lunches more nutrient-rich, diversified, sustainable, and climate-resilient. 

• The effort also seeks to support local farmers and teach children about the Indigenous foods within their vicinity. 

Early impact: A one-year assessment of the initiative found that 92% of students fall within a healthy weight range.  

• Improved attendance and energy levels have also been reported, leading local officials to scale up the project.  

OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS 鈥楥ritical鈥� to Complete Pandemic Agreement by UN Meeting in 2026 鈥�  
Online misinformation putting women off contraceptive pill, study finds 鈥�     Study reveals hidden causes of heart attacks in younger adults, especially women 鈥�     Why 1 in 6 U.S. parents are rejecting vaccine recommendations 鈥�   Over half of US healthcare workers plan to switch jobs by next year, survey finds 鈥�     Another Mediterranean diet benefit: Better gum health, say UK scientists 鈥�       Reducing Tobacco Use Worldwide 鈥� A New Perspective Series 鈥�     When鈥檚 the best time to get a flu shot? Doctors explain 鈥� Issue No. 2788
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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96 Global Health NOW: A Rising Dual Threat; Supporting Medics鈥� Mental Health; and Nairobi's Shrinking Green Spaces September 15, 2025 Boatmen sleep inside mosquito nets on their boats on the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on June 24. Syed Mahamudur Rahman/NurPhoto via Getty A Rising Dual Threat 

Hospitals in Bangladesh have been overwhelmed by 鈥渋ntense, overlapping outbreaks鈥� of both dengue and chikungunya鈥攁 trend that doctors say is becoming more frequent and severe, . 

• 33,800+ dengue cases and 132 deaths have been reported this year. 

• Chikungunya, in decline since 2017, is rapidly resurging.  

Wider outbreaks: The two diseases are from different viral families and require different medical treatments, but are spread by the same mosquitoes, leading to simultaneous outbreaks and strained health systems in places like Brazil and Sri Lanka.  

Compounded by climate change: ~18% of dengue cases can be attributed to rising temperatures鈥攚hich may lead to 4.6 million additional infections annually, .  

• 鈥淭his is not just hypothetical future change, but a large amount of human suffering that has already happened because of warming-driven dengue transmission,鈥� said study author Erin Mordecai, .  

Inequality鈥檚 impact: The mosquito-borne diseases disproportionately affect marginalized populations in places like Brazil, 鈥攚ith higher hospitalization, mortality rates, and years of life lost among Black and Indigenous groups, . 

Meanwhile in Europe: France reported 382 local chikungunya cases this summer, up from just one last year, .

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The U.S. government destroyed $10 million of contraceptives destined for low-income countries; a USAID spokesperson said the stockpile included products that induce abortion, but an inventory list 鈥渟howed this statement was false.鈥�      Nearly 60% of Japanese in their 20s either never drink alcohol or consume it less than once per month, according to a new marketing survey; young people cited poor tolerance for alcohol, taste, and health concerns.     Mothers and babies in England are endangered by a 鈥渢oxic鈥� cover-up culture pervasive in the NHS, in which doctors and hospital staff fail to report problems, say health leaders involved in a national maternity investigation focusing on 14 NHS trusts.     Labor laws to protect workers in extreme heat are increasing worldwide, but they are barely keeping pace with the rapidly intensifying risks brought on by climate change.   CONFLICT Supporting Medics鈥� Mental Health 
As the war in Ukraine grinds on, many of the country鈥檚 battlefield medics caring for injured soldiers are themselves facing increasing mental strain.  

• 30% of Ukrainian medical workers say they struggle to manage emotions 鈥渨ithout self-harm or harming others,鈥� . 

• Many medics came from civilian professions and had minimal preparation for the physical and emotional toll of war.  

A different kind of battlefield retreat: A Ukrainian charity, Repower, aims to support medics facing burnout by taking them on recovery getaways abroad, where they can rest and learn about psychological coping tools.    Critical reminder: 鈥淭here is life outside of war,鈥� said Pasha, one of the ~900 Ukrainian medics who have joined the retreats. 
   
  Related: Ukraine: Life in a mined village 鈥�  (video)    GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CLIMATE Nairobi's Shrinking Green Spaces  
Air quality in Nairobi is steadily worsening, with pollution levels 3.5X above the WHO鈥檚 safe limit for particulate matter (PM2.5)鈥攍evels that have been linked to chronic illnesses and up to ~1,400 premature deaths annually.     Driving the problem: Emissions from traffic, industry, and burning; but also the ongoing loss of 鈥済reen buffers鈥濃�攑arks, tree-lined corridors, and urban canopies鈥攖o development.  

• Nairobi has 6.56 square meters of green spaces per capita, below the WHO's guideline of 9鈥�10 square meters.   

• The vanishing green means the loss of essential air filtration, even as emissions increase.  

The Quote: 鈥淚t felt like the city I depend on for survival was slowly choking me,鈥� said fruit seller James Muro, who developed a lung infection from polluted air.      

Related: Warning of climate breakdown and soaring heat deaths a 鈥榳ake up call鈥� for Australia, PM says 鈥�    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Congo's Ebola outbreak spreads as cases double 鈥�     鈥楾hey raped us one by one鈥�: East Timor鈥檚 forgotten women of war 鈥�    
Child dies from complication of measles contracted years earlier 鈥�     Hot spots shift in Africa鈥檚 mpox battle as cholera activity spikes in Chad and Republic of Congo 鈥�     Methanol poisoning: a diffuse health disaster 鈥�     Being too thin can be deadlier than being overweight, Danish study reveals 鈥�       Water and sanitation fall through the cracks of development 鈥�     The government wants more people to breastfeed. Experts say paid parental leave could help. 鈥�   Issue No. 2787
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, 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:

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  Copyright 2025 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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The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Monday for countries to overcome the remaining obstacles to concluding the global pandemic treaty. 

Study shows how visual landmarks tune the brain鈥檚 internal compass

We take our understanding of where we are for granted, until we lose it. When we get lost in nature or a new city, our eyes and brains kick into gear, seeking familiar objects that tell us where we are.

How our brains distinguish objects from background when finding direction, however, was largely a mystery. A new study provides valuable insight into this process, with possible implications for disorientation-causing conditions such as Alzheimer鈥檚.