Global Health Programs aggregator

�� Faculty of Medicine news: Six principal investigators from The Neuro receive CIHR grants

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 13:44:57 -0500

Projects include important research on Parkinson’s, glioblastoma and dementia

�� Faculty of Medicine news: SCSD Research Day

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:05:16 -0500

Friday February 21st 2025 • 3pm to 5pm
Leacock Building #232, 855 Sherbrooke West

�� Faculty of Medicine news: Sunsetting of the Vanier and Banting programs

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:30:19 -0500

In alignment with the Tri-Agency Research Training Strategy and as announced in Budget 2024, the three federal granting agencies, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering and Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) are working to offer a harmonized and streaml

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Deep Cut to NIH-Funded Research; Delving into D1.1; and New City, Old Threats

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 09:53:39 -0500

Global Health NOW: A Deep Cut to NIH-Funded Research; Delving into D1.1; and New City, Old Threats

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February 10, 2025


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Lab technicians at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Nashville, Tennessee, August 28, 2020. Brett Carlsen/Bloomberg via Getty

A Deep Cut to NIH-Funded Research

America’s research institutions are reeling after the Trump administration announced drastic cuts to research grants last Friday—a move universities and medical centers say could imperil the nation’s future in scientific research, reports NPR Shots.

What's targeted: The NIH cuts are aimed at “indirect costs” in research grants—funding that universities and research centers depend on to cover essential operations like lab equipment, utilities, and staffing, explains The Washington Post (gift link).

The NIH announced the rate will be slashed to 15%—a heavy reduction from the 30%+ many institutions previously received. In 2023, NIH spent nearly $9 billion on indirect costs. The new policy aims to cut $4 billion.

The new rate, which goes into effect today, will apply to all new and existing grants, reports Science.

Impact: Scientists say the cuts could have an immediate and “devastating effect” on cancer and infectious disease research—the leading categories of NIH-funded study, along with a wide range of biomedical research, reports The New York Times (gift link).

"This is a surefire way to cripple lifesaving research and innovation," said Matt Owens, president of the Council on Government Relations.

Long term, the cuts could “irreparably damage the backbone of American scientific innovation”—especially harming the future of young researchers, per one STAT commentary.

Related: Indirect research costs are complicated, wonky — and crucial to science – STAT (commentary)

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

The Latest

One-Liners

Indonesia’s health ministry kicked off free birthday health screenings for Indonesians today; the optional screenings, aimed at preventing early deaths, include blood pressure tests as well eye tests and other health checks. Reuters

Sweden’s government announced plans to tighten gun laws, including restricting AR15-style rifles and clarifying ownership eligibility rules, following a mass shooting last week that killed 10 people. The Washington Post (gift link)

The UK’s contributions to the global vaccination group Gavi may be significantly reduced, with the government’s aid budget cut from 0.7% to 0.5% of GDP and more funds being used to support asylum seekers in the UK. The Guardian

Black U.S. women died at a rate nearly 3.5X higher than white women around the time of childbirth in 2023, per new CDC data—which show that although maternal mortality fell below prepandemic levels that year, racial gaps widened. AP

Trump Transition News

All USAID staff on administrative leave reinstated until Feb. 14 – Devex

Morale plummets at the CDC as staff fear job losses – NPR Shots

‘My boss was crying.’ NSF confronts potentially massive layoffs and budget cuts – Science

Donald Trump's NIH Pick Just Launched a Controversial Scientific Journal – WIRED

In Breaking USAID, the Trump Administration May Have Broken the Law – ProPublica

AVIAN FLU

Delving into D1.1

The announcement that dairy cows in Nevada have been infected with a new form of the bird flu is raising new concerns as the virus continues to spread across the U.S. and beyond, reports The New York Times (gift link).

The basics: Previously, herds in the U.S. were infected with the B.3.13 strain. The cows in Nevada were infected with D1.1, a strain that has been spreading in wild birds and poultry.

“It’s no longer just one virus,” said influenza expert Richard Webby. “This, to me, suggests that it’s going to be a lingering problem.”

The implications: Gene sequencing of the D1.1 viruses detected a mutation that “provides the virus with the ability for enhanced replication, which poses a threat to humans that are exposed to these cows,” Emory University microbiologist Seema Lakdawala told CNN.

D1.1 has been associated with two severe human infections in North America, including one death.

Related:

New York poultry markets ordered to close temporarily as bird flu concerns spread – NBC

How worried should you be about bird flu? A Q&A with infectious disease specialist Dr. John Swartzberg – Berkeley Public Health

C.D.C. Posts, Then Deletes, Data on Bird Flu Spread Between Cats and People – New York Times (gift link)

It's like 'dead birds flying': How bird flu is spreading in the wild — NPR Goats and Soda

Virginia lawmakers to CDC: Restart bird flu reports now – Virginia Mercury

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

MALARIA

New City, Old Threats

As Indonesia constructs a new megacity that will one day be its capital, scientists are warning of an old danger lurking in the surrounding areas: malaria.

The new city, Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN), is being constructed in East Kalimantan, Borne—a “malaria and biodiversity hotspot,” per a commentary in Nature Communications about IKN’s public health risks.

Researchers are especially worried about a rare form of malaria caused by the parasite Plasmodium knowlesi, which thrives in degraded forests.

More research, surveillance, and control measures are crucial before moving ~1 million people to IKN from Jakarta, the commentary urges.

Science

QUICK HITS

IOM Deeply Alarmed by Mass Graves Found in Libya, Urges Action – IOM (news release)

WHO chief asks countries to push Washington to reconsider its withdrawal – AP

Russia Opposes Updated WHO Assessment Of Health Effects Of Nuclear Weapons – Health Policy Watch

PEPFAR under review: what's at stake for PEPFAR's future – The Lancet (commentary)

COVID vaccination saved more than 5,000 US lives in 7 months in 2023-24, CDC estimates – CIDRAP

In Mexico, budget cuts dim hopes for a science funding revival – Science

New drug halves number of children hospitalised with RSV – The Brussels Times

Super Bowl can cause elevated heart attack risk, especially among at risk patients – Medical Xpress

Men Who Have Gotten Vasectomies Are Sharing Their Stories And Some Of Them May Surprise You – BuzzFeed

Issue No. 2672

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 Facebook and follow us on Instagram @globalhealth.now and X @GHN_News.

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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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World Health Organization: US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0500

The US pause in foreign assistance funding has created “confusion” in the vital work of community HIV prevention, despite a waiver issued for HIV/AIDS programmes, the UN agency to combat the still deadly disease said on Friday.

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: Argentina to Exit the WHO; A Potent New Way to Treat Pain; and Fat Bear Week in Altadena

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:43:18 -0500

Global Health NOW: Argentina to Exit the WHO; A Potent New Way to Treat Pain; and Fat Bear Week in Altadena

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February 6, 2025


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Argentina's President Javier Milei leaves the Holocaust Museum after attending an event to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Buenos Aires, on January 27. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty

Following Trumpʼs Lead, Argentina to Exit WHO

Argentina’s president Javier Milei has announced the country will leave the WHO, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s lead, reports The Guardian.

Rationale: Milei attributed his decision to the WHO’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling the lockdowns a “caveman quarantine” and “one of the most outlandish crimes against humanity in history.”

Milei’s actions have echoed other Trump policies, including a new crackdown on transgender care for minors.

Impact: Whereas the U.S. has supplied ~15% of WHO's budget, Argentina was expected to provide just ~$8 million of the agency’s estimated $6.9 billion 2024–2025 budget, per the AP.

“WHO flu”: The bigger concern, health advocates say, is a growing trend CIDRAP’s director Michael Osterholm dubbed “WHO flu”—in which countries pull out of the global health organization for political reasons.

Reaction: The announcement sparked immediate criticism from health organizations who say the move reduces Argentina’s access to health funding and resources. Opposition leaders said the decision would need to be approved by the country’s congress.

Meanwhile: The Trump administration has been considering plans for WHO reform—including putting an American in charge of the agency in order for it to remain a member of the global body, reports Reuters.

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

The Latest

One-Liners

A newer strain of bird flu has been detected in six dairy herds in Nevada; the strain, D1.1, is different from the one that has already been circulating in U.S. dairy herds, and that has been associated with severe infections in birds and humans. CNN

Patients using diabetes apps can potentially miss critical blood glucose level alerts due to improper settings especially after software and hardware updates, per a new FDA alert and recommendations. Medscape

Travelers to Uganda are being urged to take “enhanced precautions” because of the Ebola outbreak there, per alerts put out by the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.; recommendations include avoiding health care centers. AP

A kidney cancer vaccine is showing early promise, as Phase I trial results showed that nine patients at high risk for cancer recurrence remained cancer-free after three years; results suggest that the vaccines could someday be used for a wider variety of cancers. Gizmodo

NEGLECTED DISEASES

Niger’s Historic Victory Over River Blindness

Niger’s elimination of onchocerciasis—a parasitic disease more commonly known as river blindness—is being lauded as a “beacon of hope” in the quest to end NTDs.

Niger is the first country in the African continent to eliminate the disease, which can cause severe vision problems and blindness, plunging families into poverty.

What it took: The effort was 45 years in the making, and required extensive tracking, vector control, medication distribution—and partnering with the global Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee, a global network of NGOs and disease experts.

Building on momentum: Eliminating river blindness in Niger alone is estimated to have added $2.3 billion USD to the country’s economy between 1976 and 2019 as prevention programs accelerated.

The Telegraph

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

PHARMACEUTICALS

A Potent New Way to Treat Pain

The FDA’s move last week to greenlight a non-opioid pain medication—the first in 20+ years—is being heralded as “groundbreaking” and a “public health milestone,” according to The Hill.

The basics: The new analgesic drug, suzetrigine, will be sold under the brand name Journavx and used to treat moderate to severe acute pain, reports U.S. News.

How it works: Whereas opioids bind to receptors in the brain, the new drug targets a pain-signaling pathway in the peripheral nervous system before pain signals reach the brain.

“As a result, you shouldn’t get euphoria,” explained neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta in a CNN interview this week.

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION

Fat Bear Week in Altadena

For one 525-pound California black bear, the Los Angeles wildfires werenʼt a compelling enough reason to leave a cozy basement in Altadena.

After evacuating, Samy Arbid returned home to find his tubby tenant had doubled down(stairs), waiting out the emergency in the basement. Beary, aka Victor, was “probably trying to lay low, conserve energy and sleep for a while,” according to Kevin Howells, an environmental scientist who helped lure Beary from his lair, the New York Times reports (gift link).

Weʼd have made a case here for ursine eminent domain, but animal control had other ideas. A tranquilizer wasnʼt gonna cut it on this majestic creature, so they lured him—very slowly and adorably—with a buffet of rotisserie chicken, sardines, tomato sauce, peanut butter, and promise of a new life in Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles Magazine reports.

But will forest cuisine suit this urbaniteʼs palate? As one neighbor explained to CBS News: “He just wants some good trash, like we all like some good trash.” (Wait ... do we, though!?)

QUICK HITS

Sudanese relief workers in the capital fear reprisals from army – Al Jazeera

Sweden searches for answers after country's deadliest shooting – BBC

Public health group alarmed by online ‘DEI Watchlist’ targeting federal staff – CNN

Spinal cord electrical stimulation restores neural function in clinical trial – Medical Xpress

Time blindness is a psychological phenomenon. Here are steps to combat it. – The Washington Post (gift link)

Issue No. 2671

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World Health Organization: ‘She had a syringe, razor blade, and bandages’: Surviving genital mutilation

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Some 230 million girls in more than 90 countries – predominantly in Africa and Asia – have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) and can suffer lifelong physical, emotional and psychological scars, an issue that the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency has been tackling with the support of the international community including the United States.

World Health Organization: Gaza: UN health agency urges rapid scale-up of medevacs as thousands remain in critical condition

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0500

More than 12,000 critically ill and injured patients, including at least 5,000 children, urgently need to be evacuated from Gaza, amid the crumbling health system, the UN World Health Organization (WHO)’s top official in the region said on Thursday.

World Health Organization: ‘Step Up the Pace’ and end female genital mutilation, UN says

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0500

As the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on Thursday, the United Nations is warning that without urgent action, a staggering 27 million more girls could undergo the procedure by 2030.

World Health Organization: Toxic air threatens children’s lives across East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF warns

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0500

More than 100 children under the age of five die every day in East Asia and the Pacific due to air pollution, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned in a new analysis released on Thursday, calling for urgent action to tackle the crisis.

Global Health Programs aggregator

�������� Faculty of Medicine news: Six principal investigators from The Neuro receive CIHR grants

Projects include important research on Parkinson’s, glioblastoma and dementia

�������� Faculty of Medicine news: SCSD Research Day

�������� Faculty of Medicine news: Sunsetting of the Vanier and Banting programs

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: A Deep Cut to NIH-Funded Research; Delving into D1.1; and New City, Old Threats

A Deep Cut to NIH-Funded Research

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

The Latest

One-Liners

Trump Transition News

AVIAN FLU

Delving into D1.1

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

MALARIA

New City, Old Threats

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2672

World Health Organization: US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS

Global Health Now: Global Health NOW: Argentina to Exit the WHO; A Potent New Way to Treat Pain; and Fat Bear Week in Altadena

Following Trumpʼs Lead, Argentina to Exit WHO

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

The Latest

One-Liners

NEGLECTED DISEASES

Niger’s Historic Victory Over River Blindness

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES

PHARMACEUTICALS

A Potent New Way to Treat Pain

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION

Fat Bear Week in Altadena

QUICK HITS

Issue No. 2671

World Health Organization: ‘She had a syringe, razor blade, and bandages’: Surviving genital mutilation

World Health Organization: Gaza: UN health agency urges rapid scale-up of medevacs as thousands remain in critical condition

World Health Organization: ‘Step Up the Pace’ and end female genital mutilation, UN says

World Health Organization: Toxic air threatens children’s lives across East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF warns

�� Faculty of Medicine news: Six principal investigators from The Neuro receive CIHR grants

�� Faculty of Medicine news: SCSD Research Day

�� Faculty of Medicine news: Sunsetting of the Vanier and Banting programs