Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

Professors Guojun Chen, Mahsa Dadar and Phoebe Friesen 鈥� all members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 鈥� win President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers听听 听

Three 黑料不打烊 scholars were recognized with the 2025 President鈥檚 Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers at the Health Sciences Convocation Ceremony on May 27. The award honours exceptional early-career researchers whose work is expanding the frontiers of knowledge in their fields.

96 Global Health NOW: Climbing Temperatures, 鈥楪rowing Negative Impact鈥�;鈥嬧�� Don鈥檛 Leave Thando Behind as PEPFAR Retreats; and Helberg, Right Ahead! 鈥楴o sign of respite始 in global climate crisis, report finds May 29, 2025 An aerial view of cracked soil due to lack of rain is shown as Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Everglades experience a severe drought on May 19. Joe Raedle/Getty Climbing Temperatures, 鈥楪rowing Negative Impact鈥�
Global temperatures are expected to persist at or near record levels in the next five years, with 鈥渘o sign of respite,鈥� published yesterday by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

• 鈥淭here will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet,鈥� said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

Felt impacts: The relentless warming is expected to lead to intensifying heatwaves, droughts, extreme precipitation, and continued melting of ice caps and glaciers, . 

• The Amazon is likely to face more drought, while northern Europe and South Asia may see increased rainfall.

• Arctic winters may warm 3.5X faster than the global average.

By the numbers: There is a 70% chance the 2025-2029 average global temperature will exceed 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels鈥攖he more hopeful benchmark set by the Paris climate accords.

• For the first time, there is a 1% chance of a single year exceeding 2掳C of warming by 2030鈥攁 鈥渟hocking鈥� finding, climate scientists say, . 

• There is an 80% chance that at least one year will break the global heat record set in 2024. 

• And 2025 is likely to be one of the three warmest years on record. 

鈥�1.5C is not inevitable,鈥� said WMO始s Chris Hewitt, noting that it is not too late to limit warming if fossil fuel emissions are cut.

Related: 

German court rejects climate case against energy giant RWE 鈥�   

Q&A: Kiley Bense on Climate Journalism in a New Information Environment 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
Global AIDS-related deaths could jump from 6 million to 10 million over the next five years unless drastic cuts to HIV-related funding are reinstated, an analysis of UNAIDS forecasts finds.  

The UN may cut 20% of jobs across the UN Secretariat, which employs ~35,000 people, and may slash its budget by ~20% in 2026 in response to the reduction in U.S. financial support, per the UN comptroller.

Rat-borne diseases are spreading in Sarajevo, as health experts blame a failure to control the city鈥檚 rodent population for a spike in infections like leptospirosis.

A new Texas bill could make it easier for parents to exempt their children from all vaccinations required to attend public school, despite the ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas. GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY A health worker manages supplies in a PEPFAR-funded AIDS clinic in Johannesburg. January 27, 2012. Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images Don鈥檛 Leave Thando Behind as PEPFAR Retreats
Thando* is 11 years old. She lives in Giyani, South Africa. Her mother died of AIDS when Thando was a toddler. Now, her grandmother鈥攚ho sells tomatoes by the roadside鈥攚alks with her each month to collect the pills that keep her alive.

But in March, the clinic had no HIV medication. No one explained why, write Joseph Tucker, Molly McNairy, and Linda-Gail Bekker, in an exclusive commentary for Global Health NOW.

• Some American lawmakers have  the program that supports her care: . 

Transition planning: South Africa has long been preparing to completely transition away from PEPFAR support, which funds only , the authors write.

• The sudden and abrupt , jeopardizes that transition plan, they write, adding it risks undermining years of shared investment, and extending the global threat of HIV.

Sustainability: Some U.S. policymakers have raised fair concerns about long-term dependency, but PEPFAR has always been about building sustainable systems.
 
Action items: Congress must act and reauthorize PEPFAR, the authors write, calling on philanthropists, faith leaders, and everyday citizens to raise their voices.
 
*The authors are not using Thando鈥檚 real name or township to preserve her privacy. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH A Mental Health Crisis Follows Government Cuts  
Since January 20, the federal workforce has been cut by 6%鈥攁s some agencies have been dismantled and others drastically downsized. 

Growing distress: Following mass layoffs, federal workers and mental health professionals who see them have reported an uptick of panic attacks, depression, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts.

• Many say they believe this is intentional, citing budget director Russell Vought鈥檚 statement that 鈥淲e want bureaucrats to be traumatically affected.鈥�

Heightened risk: Some advocates are especially concerned for veterans, who make up 30% of the federal workforce.

• Phone operators for the Veterans Crisis Line said they鈥檇 seen a rise in calls from federal employees. 

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Helberg, Right Ahead!
Last week at his idyllic waterfront home in Norway, Johan Helberg heard the doorbell ring 鈥渁t a time of day [5 a.m.] when I don't like to open.鈥� He nevertheless obliged鈥攐nly to find a panicked neighbor and massive cargo ship run aground in his front yard, .

As Helberg slept, not hearing a peep, a Cypriot-flagged cargo ship ground to a halt just meters away from crashing into his bedroom, which 鈥渨ouldn始t have been particularly pleasant,鈥� he observed.

But there始s a fine line鈥攐r at least a few meters鈥攂etween tragedy and adventure. Given that no one was injured, Helberg is simply 鈥渧ery excited鈥� to see the ship set free.   

鈥淚t's a very bulky new neighbor but it will soon go away,鈥� Helberg added. If on艂y we could say that about  鈥� QUICK HITS World Health Assembly: Why Multilateralism Needs More Than Solidarity 鈥�

After CDC cuts, doctors fear women will lose access to contraception research 鈥�

Public health risk of yellow fever remains high in the Americas due to continued occurrence of human cases 鈥�

DOH: Travel-related Zika virus case confirmed on Oahu 鈥�

Eliminating kala-azar: 6 African countries sign agreement to ramp up efforts, cross-border programmes 鈥�

These countries don't fluoridate their water 鈥� here's why 鈥�

That small, high, hateful bugle: The malarial conundrum 鈥�

Bedbugs may be the first urban pest 鈥� Issue No. 2733
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .

96 Global Health NOW: Argentina鈥檚 Health System Overhaul; The Legacy of Nuclear Testing in Kazakhstan; and Novel Mental Health Care in an L.A. Jail President Javier Milei鈥檚 鈥渟tructural review鈥� echoes the priorities of RFK Jr. May 28, 2025 Dozens of organizations and public health workers march to denounce the dismantling of public health by Javier Milei's government. February 27, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Miguel M. Caamano/NurPhoto via Getty Argentina Charts an Alternate Route
Argentine officials are signalling a sweeping overhaul of the country鈥檚 health system following the decision to withdraw from the WHO, which was ratified yesterday during a visit with U.S. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., . 

• President Javier Milei announced a 鈥渟tructural review鈥� of Argentina鈥檚 health agencies, saying there would be stricter oversight of vaccine approvals, a reevaluation of drug authorizations, and 鈥渁 comprehensive review of the toxic ingredients present in ultra-processed products,鈥� echoing Kennedy priorities, . 

Lockstep with U.S.: As , Kennedy announced the two countries would launch an 鈥渁lternative international health system鈥� to the WHO, which would be 鈥渇ree from totalitarian impulses, corruption, and political control,鈥� .

Backtracking on abortion rights: Meanwhile, Amnesty International says Argentina is becoming a 鈥渢esting ground鈥� for undermining reproductive rights, as access to abortion services and essential medications has declined sharply since Milei took office in 2023, . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   The WHO has designated NB.1.8.1 as a SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring (VUM), noting that while it is fueling a rise in cases and hospitalization in some Western Pacific countries, there are no signs that it is causing more severe cases than other circulating variants.

COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women in U.S. CDC guidelines, per a decision by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who did not cite any research or further details that informed the decision.
 
The WHA passed its first climate change and health action plan in a committee meeting last night鈥攁fter the collapse of an hours-long effort to shelve the plan led by Saudi Arabia and supported by other oil-rich Gulf states and Russia.

鈥淒ieselgate鈥� pollution killed ~16,000 people in the U.K. and caused ~30,000 cases of asthma in children, per a new analysis that follows up on a 2015 scandal, when diesel car manufacturers were caught using illegal 鈥渄efeat devices鈥� to cheat regulatory tests. U.S. and Global Health Policy News New Zealand, betting on innovation and economic growth, cuts existing science funds 鈥�

Federal cuts ripple through a bioscience hub in rural Montana 鈥�

As the Nation鈥檚 Research-Funding Model Ruptures, Private Money Becomes a Band-Aid 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner! 

In a county that backed Trump, people depend on Medicaid and are conflicted about cuts 鈥�

Read the Full 鈥楳ake America Healthy Again鈥� Report 鈥�  

The pool's open. Trump's laid off the team that helps protect swimmers 鈥� MENTAL HEALTH At California Jails, a Different Model for Care
About half the people incarcerated in the Los Angeles County jail suffer from mental illness.

The need for treatment and the chronic inability to meet that need led two incarcerated men to create a peer-led initiative, in which participants are trained to assist others with severe mental illness.

In the Forensic Inpatient Stepdown program, now 4+ years old, the assistants provide emotional support, use de-escalation techniques, teach life skills, and encourage peers to follow treatment plans. 

Impact: Since 2021, the program has expanded to reach 400+ patients. 

• Units using it report 6X fewer self-harm incidents and 35% fewer returns to hospitals.


• Mental health advocates say the program offers a model for improving care and rehabilitation inside jails. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES RADIATION The Long Legacy of Nuclear Testing in Kazakhstan
From 1949 to 1989, the Soviet Union detonated 456 nuclear weapons at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan, exposing 1.5 million people to radioactive fallout.

• Generations of people in the region now suffer high rates of cancer, fertility problems, heart disease, and genetic birth defects.

• Researchers have found the radiation nearly doubled inherited gene mutation risks.

Ongoing Struggle: Despite persistent health issues, neither Russia or Kazakhstan has offered long-term, large-scale aid.

The Quote: People near the test site 鈥渂ecame unwitting test subjects, and their lives were treated with casual disregard due to racism and ignorance,鈥� said Becky Alexis-Martin, of the University of Bradford in the U.K..

QUICK HITS Saudi Arabia鈥檚 secretive rehabilitation 鈥榩risons鈥� for disobedient women 鈥�

With aura readings and a Lauryn Hill concert, Philip Morris rolls out a new tobacco product in the U.S. 鈥�

Where Iran and Israel Align: Youth Tobacco Use 鈥�

WHO's Big Push To Integrate Traditional Medicine Into Global Healthcare Framework 鈥�

Climate change driving sexual and reproductive health risks among young adolescents in Kenya 鈥�

WHO Mandated To Update Of 30-Year-Old Review On Health Impacts Of Nuclear War 鈥�

Eliminating kala-azar: 6 African countries sign agreement to ramp up efforts, cross-borde programmes 鈥�

Educating the next generation of global health practitioners and leaders 鈥� Issue No. 2732
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .

The 78th World Health Assembly concluded Tuesday in Geneva, marking several major milestones in global health. Delegates adopted the world鈥檚 first pandemic agreement and approved a significant boost in core funding for the World Health Organization (WHO).

The UN Children鈥檚 Fund (UNICEF) has warned of an escalating public health crisis in Sudan, as conflict and mass displacement continue to drive a surge in disease, particularly cholera and malaria.

96 Global Health NOW: Cholera Surges in Sudan; Rethinking Skin Cancer: Time to Double Down on Prevention; and Saving Babies as Global Health Shifts May 27, 2025 Cholera Surges in Sudan
Cholera cases are increasing in Sudan, with more than 2,000 cases in the Khartoum region treated by M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res (MSF) in the past week alone, .

• The surge began in Khartoum鈥檚 twin city, Omdurman, in mid-May, according to MSF鈥檚 Sudan coordinator Joyce Bakker.


• Cholera patients have overwhelmed MSF treatment centers in Omdurman, said Bakker, noting the organization is only seeing a fraction of the cases.


• An average of 600鈥�700 cholera cases per week have been reported in the past month, per Sudan鈥檚 Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim.


• The outbreak, which was first declared in August 2024, has led to 60,000+ cases and 1,600+ deaths, according to official statistics .

What鈥檚 behind the surge? The Sudanese army had retaken the Khartoum region last week from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leading many people to return to their homes but they lack access to clean water.

What鈥檚 next? Ibrahim said a cholera vaccination campaign will be launched in the coming days and should stem the outbreak.
 
Related: How cholera bacteria outsmart viruses 鈥� THE QUOTE   "Reducing maternal and child mortality and the risk of infectious diseases are clearly important priorities 鈥� Investing in strategies to prevent malnutrition and providing opportunities for learning and responsive caregiving would enable all children to thrive and contribute to the human capital of their societies." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌� Robert Black, professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health鈥�
  The Latest One-Liners   Uganda has allowed 鈥渋mpunity for attacks鈥� and 鈥渟exual and other forms of violence against LGBT people,鈥� that accuses the country of state-led bigotry and attacks on LGBTQ+ people.
 
Alcohol consumption ups the risk of pancreatic cancer, per a ; pooled data from nearly 2.5 million people across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America revealed a 3% increase in pancreatic cancer risk for each additional 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day.

Excess deaths in the U.S. kept rising鈥攅ven after the COVID-19 pandemic peaked鈥攚ith ~1.5 million+ preventable deaths in 2022 and 2023, ; death rates among US adults aged 25鈥�44 were 2.6X higher than in 21 peer high-income countries in 2023.

The U.S. Army spent nearly $1 million last year on untested snakebite drugs, including two drugs that appear to have undergone no independent testing for safety or effectiveness; testing on the civilian version of one of the drugs was determined to be 鈥渁larmingly weak.鈥� World Health Assembly Wrap-Up News WHA Approves Landmark Resolutions on Health Finance, Rare Diseases and Skin Diseases 鈥�

Most WHO Member States Balk at Saudi-Russian Move to Ice WHO Action Plan on Climate Change and Health 鈥�

Global aid cuts will kill many 鈥� but Africa could benefit in the long run, says WHO chief 鈥�

WHO unveils new guideline to improve global access to controlled medicines 鈥�

Kenya joins global push to combat snakebite deaths which claim around 4,000 lives annually 鈥� GHN EXCLUSIVE Colourful beach umbrellas seen from above at Cinque Terre, Monterosso al Mare, Italy. November 26, 2018. Alev Takil, Unsplash Rethinking Skin Cancer: It鈥檚 Time to Double Down on Prevention  
Each May, Skin Cancer Awareness Month reminds us of an urgent truth: Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year across regions, climates, and skin tones, writes skin cancer expert Shafat Hassan.

Globally, skin cancer was diagnosed in more than 1.5 million people in 2020 alone, .
 
Essential question: Why are we still waiting for skin cancers to arrive at the hospital doors, instead of preventing them?
 
Strategy shift: The global health community must view skin cancer with the same urgency and innovation that we apply to other preventable diseases. This means elevating prevention and education to the same level as treatment.
 
Hassan鈥檚 takeaway: Let鈥檚 stop waiting for skin cancers to reach our operating rooms鈥攁nd start preventing them from even happening.
 
to learn essential next steps for global public health. NEONATAL SEPSIS Saving Babies as Global Health Shifts 
As rich countries dramatically scale back their investment in global health, health leaders in low-income countries are looking for new models to bring critical tests and therapeutics to market.

Case in point: Infant sepsis kills ~400,000鈥�700,000 babies worldwide each year. A rapid diagnostic tool could save hundreds of thousands of lives, but there is little incentive for rich countries to develop one because neonatal sepsis is concentrated in poor countries. 

• Some manufacturers are instead turning to middle-income countries like India, South Africa, and Kenya to invest in emerging interventions that those countries might actually use in large numbers鈥攕ignaling growing independence and resilience of low- and middle-income countries. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES INFECTIOUS DISEASES The CDC Goes Quiet   
The CDC鈥檚 public messaging has largely ceased during the Trump administration, with once-regular newsletters on hiatus, social media inactive, and .

Reshuffled structure: The CDC鈥檚 communications teams saw drastic cuts earlier this year and messaging is now overseen by the HHS.

• Since the shift, staffers describe delayed or withheld public posts, even as outbreaks of measles, salmonella, and listeria continue, and as chronic health conditions go unaddressed.


• "We feel like our hands are tied behind our backs,鈥� said one CDC employee. 

Various social media channels, which have 12 million+ subscribers, have stopped posting鈥攚ith CDC staffers saying passwords to the platforms were lost when the agency鈥檚 digital media team was fired.

CORRECTION Trust鈥檚 Name Check
A May 15 summary about incorrectly identified the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust as the Karnataka Health Project Trust. We regret the error. 

Our thanks go to Monika Doshi, PhD, MPH, of the Brown University School of Public Health, for catching this mistake. QUICK HITS FDA's plan to limit covid vaccines worries some who won't be eligible 鈥�

WHO warns of 'zero-stock' levels of essential medical supplies, equipment in Gaza 鈥�

US aid kept many hungry Somali children alive. Now that money is disappearing 鈥�

One Type of Mammogram Proves Better for Women With Dense Breasts 鈥�

Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial 鈥�

Harvard researchers devastated as Trump team cuts nearly 1,000 grants 鈥�

Why is the CDC located in Atlanta and not D.C.? History tied to Coca-Cola and mosquitoes 鈥�

A top global health expert's message to graduates: Kick the tires 鈥� Issue No. 2731
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .

As the war between rival militaries in Sudan continues, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the escalating health emergency, driven by ongoing violence, mass displacement, collapsing health systems and poor conditions inside refugee camps.

Alcoholic drinks, especially beer and spirits, may raise the risk of pancreatic cancer, a new UN study has found.

Some patients are easy to diagnose. They walk into a clinic and explain their symptoms. They can afford to pay for healthcare and access it seamlessly.

Five days 鈥� that is how long it took Dah, a 14-year-old prospective mother from C么te d鈥橧voire, to give birth. The child was stillborn and she developed obstetric fistula.

96 Global Health NOW: MAHA Commission Report; Online Abuse Is Undermining the Right to Health; and What Would You Do For a Labubu? MAHA report expected to outline causes of chronic disease in children, without specific policy proposals. May 22, 2025 MAHA Commission Report Set for Release
Today the White House is expected to release the first report from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 Make America Healthy Again Commission, which aims to outline causes of chronic disease in children, . 

Background: President Trump tasked the commission in February to examine what he called the 鈥済rowing health crisis in America,鈥� starting with the 鈥渃hildhood chronic disease crisis,鈥� . 

Potential report highlights: Ultra-processed foods, pharmaceutical drugs, and environmental toxins are expected to be named in the report as key drivers of obesity, cancer, depression, and ADHD.

• It presents a broad assessment without specific policy proposals and calls for further investigation, people familiar with the report told the Times. 

Critics say recent actions by the administration, such as ending school produce programs, eliminating funding for childhood diet research, and cuts to maternal health appear to conflict with the report鈥檚 health-focused goals.

Pushback from agricultural groups and some Republican lawmakers has started, as they expressed worry about the report鈥檚 expected focus on chemicals such as the herbicide glyphosate, . 

• Kennedy has said the report is 鈥渘ot going to do anything to jeopardize鈥� farmers鈥� business model.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES EDITORS始 NOTE No GHN Monday!
In observance of the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S., GHN will not publish on Monday, May 26.

We始ll be back Tuesday with more news! 鈥揟he Editors The Latest One-Liners
Vitamin D supplementation may help slow cellular aging by protecting telomeres, the DNA caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten during aging and are linked to disease development, .

A cross-border effort to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis has been launched by nine African countries, as leaders from the countries signed a joint strategy for surveillance, treatment, and disease control during a World Health Assembly event.

A new malaria battle tactic could involve targeting the parasite carried by mosquitoes instead of mosquitoes themselves, 鈥攚hich determined that a drug cocktail applied to bed nets then absorbed through mosquitoes鈥� legs successfully eliminated the parasite from the insects.

A commercial chicken farm in Brazil's central Tocantins state is free from bird flu, preliminary tests from the state's farm agency show鈥攁 鈥渂oon鈥� following Brazil鈥檚 first outbreak reported last week, which led to trade bans and restrictions for the world鈥檚 top poultry exporter. GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY Online Abuse Is Undermining the Right to Health  
In Kenya, a 14-year-old was evicted from her home when a health care provider texted a reminder about her HIV status to a shared family phone.
 
In Ghana, a gay man was lured to a meeting by fake romantic messages, then ambushed by men carrying machetes and sticks.
 
In Colombia, transgender sex workers were tracked to their homes after their details were shared online without consent.
 
These examples, , reveal rising online abuse against young adults living with HIV, sex workers, and LGBTQ+ individuals in low- and middle-income countries.
 
鈥淭hese abuses aren鈥檛 just horrifying鈥攖hey are becoming normalized,鈥� .

• Victims rarely see justice; some are criminalized instead.

• Police often dismiss complaints; digital platforms often fail to respond.

• And the fear of exposure leads many to stop seeking care altogether.

Online abuse is now a structural barrier to equitable health access, the authors argue鈥攑articularly in contexts where digital tools are increasingly central to public health delivery. They call on UN agencies, governments, and lawmakers to take urgent action against technology-facilitated abuse鈥攐utlining steps to strengthen privacy protections, invest in digital inclusion, and more.
 
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES VACCINES 鈥楪amechanger鈥� Gonorrhea Vaccine Program Launched
England will launch the world鈥檚 first gonorrhea vaccination program, as cases continue to reach record highs in the country. 

Rising infections: 85,000+ gonorrhea cases were recorded in England in 2023, an all-time high. 

Antibiotic resistance: Health officials have also warned that drugs are becoming ineffective against some strains of gonorrhea, highlighting the need for novel interventions, .

Vaccine details: The 4CMenB vaccine, originally for meningococcal B, shows 32.7%-42% effectiveness against gonorrhea.

• While not fully preventative, the vaccine reduces transmission risk, and helps combat antibiotic resistance, with sexual health advocates calling the shot a 鈥渓andmark moment鈥� and a 鈥済amechanger.鈥�

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION What Would You Do For a Labubu?
If you始ve recently peered down to admire an expensive handbag, only to be glared at by a plush gremlin dangling from its strap鈥攖hen you始ve met Labubu. 

The clip-on creatures that boast a 鈥渟lightly grotesque charm and wide emotional range鈥� are a Gen Z sensation, . While cuteness may be in the eye of the beholder, there始s no denying that this plushie punches above its weight.

What始s the appeal? For starters, they 鈥�

• Are both ugly and cute.

• Wear fabulous outfits.

• Can hang on purses and also have their own purses.

• Have .

• Are apparently trade-war resistant, .

And last but not least, their most powerful magic: They can make . QUICK HITS FDA crackdown on off-brand Ozempic products set to take effect, threatening supply and access for many 鈥�

West Nile virus detected in UK mosquitoes for first time as climate change linked to spread 鈥�

Indonesia on alert as COVID-19 surges across Asia 鈥�

6-year study of deer home range, habitat preference could help officials manage CWD 鈥�

When measles struck, a surge of parents stepped up to vaccinate their children 鈥�

A husband and wife photographed each other during her cancer journey. Here is what they learned 鈥� Issue No. 2730
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .

96 Global Health NOW: Narrowing Eligibility for COVID-19 Shots; Starved for Care; and Australia鈥檚 HIV Priority Shift May 21, 2025 Narrowing Eligibility for COVID-19 Shots
The FDA has announced new guidelines for which Americans will be eligible for the seasonal COVID-19 vaccine, limiting boosters to adults 65+ and others at high risk while more trials are conducted for younger, healthier people, .

The new , marks a shift from the previous policy recommending annual boosters for nearly all Americans ages 6 months+, raising questions about whether people who want the vaccine will be able to get it. 

Details: The current vaccine approval process will remain in place for older and high-risk groups, but vaccine manufacturers will need to conduct clinical trials before boosters are approved for healthier people.

• While the FDA says 100 million+ Americans fall in the eligible category, it remains unclear how eligibility would be determined. 

Concerns: Critics say guidelines exclude people who want vaccines to protect vulnerable family members or who want to avoid long COVID. 

• They also warn it undermines trust in reliably safe vaccines and could limit access by reducing insurance coverage, .

Debate: The guidelines come ahead of an FDA advisory committee meeting this week to discuss the boosters鈥� composition and a June CDC advisory panel meeting to update standards, with some experts saying there are legitimate questions about the benefits of yearly boosters. 

• It is unclear what this decision will have on those deliberations, with critics saying this decision preempts advisory panels鈥� role, . 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   China has pledged $500 million to the WHO, with the country now poised to replace the U.S. as the organization鈥檚 top donor鈥攁nother sign of China鈥檚 expanded global health influence in the wake of the U.S. departure.

Metabolites from ultraprocessed foods can be identified in blood and urine, ; the findings could help researchers better understand links between these foods and diseases like cancer and diabetes.

A new Indonesian bill will allow broadcasters to censor LBGT content on digital platforms, including social media; advocates against the bill, which is still under deliberation, say it seeks to discriminate and control the country鈥檚 LGBT population.

Urban rats are spreading bacteria that can cause leptospirosis in humans, finds a six-year ; the research generated new insights by analyzing DNA samples from rat kidneys. World Health Assembly News Global leaders reaffirm commitment to WHO with at least US$ 170 million raised at World Health Assembly 2025 pledging event 鈥�

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr Extends Olive Branch to WHO 鈥� With Strings Attached 鈥�

The world now has its first ever pandemic treaty. Will it make a difference? 鈥�

Director-General鈥檚 Award for Global Health given to Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood 鈥� DATA POINT   Nearly $700,000 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺��
The total average annual cost associated with each case of opioid use disorder in the U.S. 鈥� MENTAL HEALTH Starved for Care
Eating disorders claim over 10,000 lives every year鈥攂ut new data from the University of Louisville鈥檚 Eating Anxiety Treatment (EAT) Lab show that health insurers are creating formidable barriers for those seeking care. 

An EAT published last year shows the most common reasons insurers deny their claims:

• 43% reported that their insurer did not cover the appropriate level of care. 


• 43% said they驶d been discouraged from seeking treatment because they didn驶t seem 鈥渟ick enough.鈥�


• 36% reported there were no eating disorder treatment providers in their insurer鈥檚 network.

Overall: 96% of patients and their families reported encountering at least one barrier to accessing treatment; 81% encountered financial barriers.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HIV/AIDS Australia鈥檚 HIV Priority Shift
Women are no longer considered a 鈥減riority group鈥� in Australia鈥檚 HIV elimination strategy, despite frequently being diagnosed late鈥攜ears after their health has deteriorated.

• Nationally, 38% of women are diagnosed late鈥攁 figure that jumps to 50% in some territories. 


• Cases among women have not fallen nearly as much as among men; a recent 10-year span showed a 6% dip for women compared to a 36% decrease for men. 

Roadblocks: HIV remains highly stigmatized; the biggest barrier for women is a lack of information and testing beyond screening during pregnancy.

Call to action: Normalize HIV testing for women, increase access to support services in high-risk regional areas, and improve representation of women in research.

OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Crippling tropical diseases threaten to surge after U.S. funding cuts 鈥�

U.S. funding halted Africa鈥檚 HIV crisis. Trump鈥檚 cuts have forced a reckoning. 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Steven Hansch! 

Pets Might Be Adding To Antibiotic Resistance 鈥�

Bird flu vaccine for cattle aces early test 鈥�

Family likely infected with histoplasmosis in bat-colonized cave 鈥�

It鈥檚 time to stop the great food heist powered by big business. That means taxation, regulation and healthy school meals 鈥�

9 Federally Funded Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed Everything 鈥� Issue No. 2729
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .

96 Global Health NOW: WHO Pandemic Agreement Is a Done Deal; U.S. Funding Cuts Stop Crucial HIV Research Work; and The Puzzling Drop in Human H5N1 Cases May 20, 2025 WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivers his report before delegates during the World Health Assembly in Geneva. May 19. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Done Deal: WHO Pandemic Agreement   After three years of arduous negotiations, the Pandemic Agreement was formally adopted by the World Health Assembly in Geneva this morning鈥攖hough a key global player was notably absent.
 
Takeaways:

• The agreement improves future pandemic prevention and response by strengthening disease surveillance and access to vaccines and other medicines, .


• The WHO cannot control individual states鈥� responses such as travel restrictions, vaccine mandates, or lockdowns.


• Participating manufacturers must share 鈥渁 target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines, and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access,鈥� .


• Today鈥檚 approval followed a vote yesterday in which Member States registered 124 in favor of the agreement with no objections and 11 abstentions, .

Not quite done: Member States must negotiate details of the controversial pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system, which will establish how countries that 鈥渟hare information about pathogens with pandemic potential may benefit if pharmaceutical products are developed as a result,鈥� .
 
No show: U.S. negotiators stopped participating in Pandemic Agreement discussions on January 20 when President Trump began the 12-month process to .
 
Because it didn鈥檛 participate in the agreement, the U.S. is not bound by it, per Reuters.
 
The Quote: 鈥淚t contains critical provisions, especially in research and development, that鈥攊f implemented鈥攃ould shift the global pandemic response toward greater equity,鈥� Michelle Childs, of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, told Reuters.

Related:

A Pandemic Treaty Without Teeth Will Leave Africa and the World Exposed 鈥�
 
For the first time, the U.S. is absent from WHO's annual assembly. What's the impact? 鈥�

After US cuts funding, WHO chief defends $2.1B budget request by comparing it with cost of war 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Papua New Guinea has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem鈥攖he country鈥檚 first elimination of an NTD鈥攚ith the WHO crediting PNG鈥檚 robust disease surveillance, noting that many other countries鈥� trachoma elimination efforts required surgery campaigns, antibiotic mass drug administration, and targeted water, sanitation and hygiene improvements.

The U.K. is 鈥榯he sick person of the wealthy world,鈥� led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that underscored that, even as mortality from cancer and heart disease has decreased, deaths from drugs, suicide, and violence have increased.

Austria, Norway, Oman, and Singapore earned recognition from the WHO at the World Health Assembly for their efforts to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from their food supplies; other countries are welcome to apply by August 31 to be considered for the third cycle of the TFA (trans-fatty acids) elimination validation program.

Surgeons from Keck Medicine of USC and UCLA Health performed the world鈥檚 first in-human bladder transplant at UCLA earlier this month, restoring bladder function to a 41-year-old patient who had been dialysis-dependent for seven years. U.S. and Global Health Policy News Executive Order to Lower U.S. Drug Prices Could Hurt the Poorest Countries 鈥�

Trump鈥檚 science adviser defends funding cuts as a chance to 鈥榬evitalize鈥� U.S. science 鈥�

Trump鈥檚 NIH Chief Lets Loose on Fauci, Vaccines and Covid Cover-Ups 鈥�

Exclusive: NIH grant rejections have more than doubled amid Trump chaos 鈥�

RFK Jr. calls for healthier school meals as Trump cancels program that funded them 鈥� GHN EXCLUSIVE An aid worker who used to work with children orphaned by the AIDS virus poses for a photo at her home near Mbombela, South Africa. March 13. Phill Magakoe / AFP via Getty US Cuts Stop Crucial HIV Research in Its Tracks
JOHANNESBURG鈥擜ll the groundwork had been laid and the official approvals for a Phase 1 clinical trial were secured. But now, vials of a valuable medicine sit untouched in laboratory refrigerators.
 
U.S. government research funding cuts halted the seminal mRNA HIV vaccine study, part of the BRILLIANT consortium, mere days before its planned start in March 2025, writes Elna Sch眉tz.

• Such a vaccine could fundamentally change the HIV burden for South Africa, which reports the world鈥檚 highest number of people living with HIV.

The U.S. administration鈥檚 executive order to cut all aid funding to the country, along with cuts to other programs, also disrupted HIV prevention and care鈥攁nd will likely lead to thousands of deaths as clinics that provide people with treatment sit empty, with hundreds of staff let go.

And, as the world鈥檚 third largest contributor to HIV research, South Africa is facing a unique double-whammy鈥攚ith both researchers and people who receive clinical care feeling the impact.
 
Just six months ago, there was optimism around controlling the HIV epidemic, says Linda-Gail Bekker, director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre. 鈥淲e were really in a position where we could maybe tame the tiger and put it back in its cage,鈥� she says.
 
Now, she says, it feels like the cage鈥檚 doors have been opened wide and the key thrown away.
 
Ed. Note: This article was produced in collaboration with . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES AVIAN FLU The Puzzling Drop in Human H5N1 Cases
Three months have passed since a human bird flu case was reported in the U.S., but epidemiologists are not sure why鈥攅specially as animal outbreaks are ongoing. 

Potential explanations include: 

Seasonal factors: The U.S. could be experiencing a natural, though possibly temporary, decline in cases, given that bird flu often peaks in fall and winter, the CDC told doctors earlier this month.

Underreporting: Fear among migrant farmworkers amid the federal immigration crackdown may mean they are not seeking treatment for or reporting cases.

Weakened surveillance: Widespread government staffing cuts at the USDA and FDA, plus reduced targeted surveillance, could be hindering detection efforts.

DISASTERS How Warnings Failed as Helene Loomed
As Hurricane Helene bore down on the mountains of western North Carolina, the advisories from the National Weather Service grew grim, then apocalyptic as it warned Helene could be the region鈥檚 most destructive weather event 鈥渋n the modern era.鈥� 

But in small communities in places like Yancey County, those warnings did not translate to evacuation orders鈥攅ven in the most vulnerable locations. 

Why? 

Lack of preparedness: Hurricanes were not a feature of disaster planning for emergency officials in the region. Warning and evacuation systems were not in place.

Underestimating danger: Unfamiliar with the level of flooding or landslides brought by Helene, many people downplayed or did not heed warnings that were issued. 

Communication collapse: During the storm, cell service and communication systems went down, and volunteer responders were overwhelmed.

QUICK HITS Biden鈥檚 sudden diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer is unfortunately all too common 鈥�

Scabies on the Rise Worldwide, Even in High-Income Countries 鈥�

Poll: 83% of Americans say benefits of MMR vaccines outweigh risks 鈥�

2-in-1 COVID-flu vaccine looks promising in trial 鈥� but experts say approval may be delayed 鈥�

Why sunblock in the U.S. is so much worse than in the E.U. 鈥�

Can AI therapists really be an alternative to human help? 鈥�

This Is Your Priest on Drugs 鈥� Issue No. 2728
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:

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->



  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.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .