Summary

The World Health Organization warns that Trump administration cuts to USAID could trigger a global tuberculosis surge, endangering millions of lives.

USAID previously provided about 25% of international TB funding, supporting programs in 24 countries. Since January, these cuts have disrupted drug supply chains, laboratory services, and surveillance systems in high-burden countries, potentially causing an estimated 3,400 additional deaths and 6,000 new infections.

Health experts caution this global spread could affect the US, where TB cases have already increased by 16% since 2022.

The cuts are part of broader federal spending cuts led by Elon Musk, who stated he was "feeding USAID into the wood chipper."

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Summary

Texas is experiencing MMR vaccine shortages amid growing measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, which have caused 198 cases, 23 hospitalizations, and two deaths.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has complicated the response by promoting unproven remedies like vitamin A instead of vaccines, calling vaccination a "personal choice."

The CDC has provided 2,000 doses and sent experts to Texas, but health experts warn the outbreak has "momentum" and needs a major vaccination campaign, as some areas now have immunization rates well below the 95% needed for herd immunity.

Summary

A measles outbreak in western Texas has grown to 198 cases, with 39 new infections in the past three days, according to state health officials.

Most cases involve unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status, and at least 23 people have been hospitalized.

A school-aged child, unvaccinated, has died—the first U.S. measles death in a decade. Health officials urge vaccination, as cases continue rising, especially in counties with high exemption rates.

The CDC is assisting Texas officials in containing the outbreak.

Summary

The CDC plans to study potential links between vaccines and autism, despite extensive research debunking such a connection.

The move follows pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic, and comes amid a growing measles outbreak linked to declining vaccination rates.

Autism diagnoses have risen due to improved screening, but false claims persist. Trump has publicly supported Kennedy’s efforts, raising concerns among scientists and some Republicans.

Critics worry the study could legitimize misinformation and further undermine vaccine confidence.

Summary

New Mexico has reported 30 measles cases, a sharp rise from 10 previously, following the second U.S. measles-related death in over a decade.

All cases are in Lea County, near a Texas outbreak with over 100 cases and one fatality in an unvaccinated child.

The deceased New Mexico resident, also unvaccinated, did not seek medical care. The outbreak includes both children and adults, posing a major public health challenge.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, faces scrutiny amid the crisis.

Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s HHS secretary and a longtime anti-vaccine figure, stunned supporters by endorsing vaccines amid a Texas measles outbreak.

In a Fox News op-ed, he acknowledged their effectiveness in preventing disease and protecting communities. His shift outraged anti-vaxxers, with some denouncing him as a traitor.

Health experts, however, criticized his misleading claims about vitamin A as a measles treatment and his framing of vaccination as a personal choice.

His inaccurate reporting on outbreak deaths further raised concerns about his credibility.

Summary

An unvaccinated adult in New Mexico has died after contracting measles, though the virus has not been confirmed as the cause of death.

The person, from Lea County, was the 10th confirmed case in the area, which is near a Texas outbreak that has infected 159 people and killed a child.

The CDC has deployed a team to Texas to contain the spread.

Health officials continue to stress that the MMR vaccine is highly effective, as concerns grow over vaccine skepticism under new HHS leadership.

Summary

Doctors at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) have restored smell and taste in long Covid patients using a pioneering nasal surgery.

The procedure, functional septorhinoplasty (fSRP), increases airflow to the olfactory region, helping kickstart recovery.

In a study, 12 patients who had suffered anosmia for over two years saw improvement, while a control group did not.

Researchers believe enhanced odorant delivery reactivates smell receptors. The findings, published in Facial Plastic Surgery, offer hope for long Covid sufferers with persistent sensory loss.

Summary

Several women are suing fertility clinics after devastating IVF mix-ups led them to carry and give birth to babies who were not biologically theirs.

Krystena Murray, a single mother from Georgia, discovered after delivery that her son was not related to her and later lost custody to his biological parents.

The Cardinale family in California experienced a similar embryo switch, ultimately swapping babies with another family.

Experts warn IVF errors, though rare, highlight a lack of regulatory oversight, prompting calls for stricter safeguards in fertility clinics.

Summary

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked backlash after writing a Fox News op-ed emphasizing vitamin A and nutrition, rather than vaccines, for measles treatment amid a Texas outbreak that killed one unvaccinated child.

Medical experts condemned his approach as "dangerous and ineffective." The outbreak has infected 146 people, primarily in unvaccinated communities.

Senator Elizabeth Warren demanded Kennedy clarify his "intentions" for vaccine policy, citing his concerning actions including canceling meetings of disease experts and halting vaccine development contracts.

Kennedy previously led Children's Health Defense, a major source of anti-vaccine misinformation.

Summary

Texas' measles outbreak has reached 159 cases, with 13 new cases in the past five days, mostly among unvaccinated individuals.

Gaines County remains the epicenter, with cases also reported in other Texas counties. The outbreak has led to one death—the first U.S. measles fatality in a decade.

The CDC has deployed a response team, treating patients with steroids, antibiotics, and vitamin A. Vaccine exemptions in Texas have risen significantly, contributing to the outbreak.

Health officials continue to urge vaccinations.

A landmark study published in PNAS has unveiled that brain aging follows a distinct yet nonlinear trajectory with critical transition points. The research, conducted by an international team of scientists led by Lilianne R. Mujica-Parodi, PhD, of Stony Brook University, offers new insights into when interventions to prevent cognitive decline might be most effective.

Summary

Nonprofits combating sexual violence are divided over compliance with Trump administration orders requiring federally funded groups to end DEI programs and recognize only two sexes.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center and RAINN initially removed LGBTQ references from their websites but faced backlash. NSVRC reversed course and apologized, while RAINN has yet to fully explain its decision.

With federal grants at risk, groups struggle between funding preservation and advocacy.

Critics warn compliance undermines LGBTQ survivors, urging unity to resist government pressure.

Summary

Pediatricians face increasing challenges as measles cases rise, with some parents fearing exposure while others refuse vaccination.

Measles, highly contagious and preventable with a 97%-effective vaccine, has surged in West Texas, where immunization rates are below the 95% needed for herd immunity.

The U.S. saw its first measles death in a decade, yet vaccine hesitancy, fueled by misinformation and Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s skepticism, persists.

Doctors urge early vaccination where possible and stress the risks, as measles can cause pneumonia, brain damage, or death. Public health experts warn the U.S. may backslide in containing the disease.

Summary

A UN-commissioned study finds that youth happiness has declined sharply over the past decade in English-speaking countries.

Traditionally, happiness followed a U-shape, with youth being a peak period, but it now increases with age instead.

Researchers link this shift to social media, cyberbullying, and reduced social interaction.

The mental health crisis may have significant consequences that affect education, workforce participation, and productivity. The UN is investigating whether this trend is a global phenomenon.

Summary

James Harrison, an Australian blood donor known as the "man with the golden arm," has died at 88.

His rare antibody helped create the anti-D medication, preventing a fatal blood disorder in unborn babies.

Over 60 years, he donated blood and plasma 1,173 times, contributing to over 3 million doses of anti-D given to 2 million mothers.

Honored with the Medal of the Order of Australia, Harrison leaves behind a lasting medical legacy. Researchers are now working to develop a lab-grown version of the life-saving antibody.