June 11, 2026
TOP STORIESMaternal vaccine guidance issued by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) will break with the CDC for the first time, after the CDC changed its schedule last year to no longer recommend routine COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines; ACOG鈥檚 still recommends both, along with Tdap and RSV vaccinations.
May was the world's second-hottest ever recorded, as the developing El Ni帽o weather pattern along with ongoing impacts of climate change pushed up land and sea temperatures, EU scientists say, leading to one of the most severe heatwaves ever recorded this early in Europe.
Global health aid funding cuts from the U.S. and the Global Fund will lead to a 29% drop from prior health aid funding levels even in countries that reach new 鈥渕emorandum of understanding鈥� bilateral agreements with the U.S., per a new KFF analysis; declines of this magnitude 鈥渁re unprecedented in the modern-day era of global health,鈥� the analysis finds.
U.S. funding for Black and Hispanic researchers fell steeply between 2024鈥�2025, , reflecting the Trump administration鈥檚 deep cuts to DEI initiatives; funding for Black researchers dropped by 9.8%, and fell 7.3% for Hispanic researchers.
IN FOCUSMedical staff screens a woman and her child for malnutrition at an internally displaced persons camp in the outskirts of Kismayo town, Somalia, on April 21. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty
From Kabul to Colombo, Hunger Fallout WidensThe global food security crisis triggered by the war in Iran and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz will only escalate over the coming months, with shockwaves hitting countries at staggered times, issued as the conflict passes 100 days.
The agency鈥檚 earlier warning that ~45 million additional people could face critical levels of food insecurity is 鈥渘ow unfolding,鈥� ; and 鈥渢he poorest families around the world, far from the center of the crisis, are being hit the hardest,鈥� said Jean-Martin Bauer, director of WFP鈥檚 Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service.
One chokepoint, worldwide impact: The closure of the Strait鈥攐ne of the world鈥檚 most critical trade routes鈥攈as led to soaring energy and fertilizer costs, impacting every stage of food production and transport across the globe, .
Three case studies of crisis: To show the 鈥渧arying vulnerabilities鈥� of impacted regions, the WFP report showed how the impact is playing out in three countries: Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan, already in the grips of a severe malnutrition crisis and heavily reliant on Iran for trade, could see ~2.3 million more people facing food insecurity, with pregnant women and children especially endangered.
Somalia, long contending with conflict and drought, is highly exposed as it imports 100% of its oil and 91% of its grains, leaving ~2.5 million more people unable to afford a basic food basket.
Sri Lanka, unable to access fertilizer, could see devastating impacts to its rice supply next year, leaving 1.3 million more people unable to meet basic food needs.
Only the beginning: Meanwhile, funding shortfalls are severely hampering relief and mitigation efforts, . WFP officials warn that even if the Strait reopens soon, disrupted crop cycles could worsen hunger through 2027.
FOOD SAFETYA Key Figure Behind Raw Milk鈥檚 RiseUnpasteurized milk鈥檚 popularity in the U.S. has surged over the last few years, with national sales climbing 65% from 2023鈥�2024, as wellness movements and institutional distrust fueled growth.
But raw milk鈥檚 rise was set into motion two decades ago by people like Mark McAfee, a 鈥渞aw milk zealot鈥� whose California dairy is now the nation鈥檚 largest unpasteurized-milk producer, generating ~$30 million a year.
A history of health risks: Public health officials have linked McAfee鈥檚 farm to at least eight outbreaks since 2006, which have sickened 230+ people and hospitalized 40+.
And yet: Despite years of clashes with federal agencies, McAfee has largely avoided severe sanctions, raising questions about oversight as raw milk becomes increasingly mainstream.
OPPORTUNITYCalling All Creators! Apply to Join the TB Alliance Creator CollectiveThe TB Alliance is to join them at the 2026 Union World Conference on Lung Health, the world鈥檚 leading gathering of TB researchers, clinicians, and advocates.
These positions offer a chance to bring new audiences to one of the most consequential global health issues of our time.
During the conference鈥�November 16鈥�20 in Rio de Janeiro鈥攃reators will participate in a panel and workshop showcasing their skills, visit a local community engagement site, and join fun outings with their fellow creators.
Do you or someone you know fit the bill?
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Diana Ross Missed Her Shot鈥擜nd Still WonAt the 1994 World Cup, Diana Ross pranced through the opening ceremony in Chicago and paused to take a shot on goal. The plan was for her shot to appear to break the net in half. 鈥攂ut the pre-planned net collapse happened anyway. 听
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure that was supposed to happen,鈥� noted an observant commentator鈥攜et 30+ years later, we鈥檙e still talking about it. 听
The madness continued off camera: And after taking the kick, Miss Ross quickly returned to her day job and performed her repertoire of classic hits. Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey, having just introduced Ross, took in her performance from a hole she鈥檇 fallen into on the stage. 鈥淔our guys picked me up, carried me out of the hole 鈥� and I limped back on,鈥� Winfrey later recalled.
The 鈥�94 ceremony, with all its fuzzy TV screens and primary-colored broadcast glory, may be the apex of healthy 90s nostalgia, according to who charts how a stunt with 鈥渨e-came-up-with-this-after-six-beers energy鈥� became a 鈥渨alking symbol of scratch-resistant American optimism.鈥�
QUICK HITSEbola testing stalled in three Congo labs due to shortages, says WHO 鈥�
Brazil: 2 deaths, dozens of cases with warning signs, prompts temporary discontinuation of the current Butantan-DV vaccine 鈥�
CDC: 9 cases now confirmed in deadly Listeria outbreak linked to soft cheese 鈥�
Success brings a new malaria challenge: keeping zero cases at zero, says APLMA chief 鈥�
India allows regulator to raise cancer drug prices to tackle shortage 鈥�
Pandemics that weren鈥檛: How to nip an outbreak in the bud 鈥�
听Issue No. 2931
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 10, 2026
TOP STORIESAt least three people in Kenya have been shot and killed protesting the U.S. plan to open an Ebola quarantine facility for American patients in the country; although Kenya鈥檚 high court temporarily blocked the unit last week, setting a follow-up hearing for June 23, construction continues.
A stockpile of contraceptives bought for global health aid will not be distributed per Trump administration orders; the ~$10 million worth of birth control pills, IUDs, and hormonal implants were previously bound for low-income countries via USAID, but are now approaching expiration while sitting at a Belgian warehouse.
The FDA鈥檚 sunscreen ingredient list to include bemotrizinol, a chemical compound that has been long used in Europe, Australia, and Asia; U.S. advocates have pushed for its approval due to its broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, stability, and low levels of absorption into the body.
Joint-pain supplement glucosamine has been linked to progression of Alzheimer's disease, that used both retrospective analysis and advanced imaging of human brains and mouse models; while clinical trials are needed for further validation, scientists say the initial findings shed light on the complex relationship of metabolic dysregulation and neurodegeneration.
IN FOCUSParkside Pediatrics providers Nathan Heffington (left) and Chandler Hash assess a patient with measles symptoms. Spartanburg, South Carolina, January 30. Juan Diego Reyes/The Washington Post via Getty
Utah鈥檚 Measles Outbreak Reflects Shifting U.S. Response听听 听As Utah鈥檚 measles outbreak stretches into its 10th month, depleted healthcare workers say they have been 鈥渇orced into a new paradigm,鈥� from containing the once-eliminated infectious disease to mitigating its impact, .听听
The shift reflects a growing reality in the U.S. amid declining vaccination and a lack of federal support, say public health officials: a resigned acceptance of measles鈥� return.听听
鈥淭his train is going in the wrong direction, and it can feel like a helpless situation,鈥� said Nathan Money, a hospital pediatrician in Utah.听
950+ confirmed measles cases have been reported in Utah and northern Arizona since last August.听听
that Utah鈥檚 outbreak is slowing, health workers there describe a grim new reality to KFF Health News: infected babies on life support; children who miss weeks of school; and high-cost treatment and containment measures that have overwhelmed public health budgets. The demands are only expected to increase, as the state鈥檚 kindergarten vaccination rate has dropped to 87%.听听
Beleaguered epidemiologists say they鈥檝e had to pivot from rigorous quarantines and calling close contacts of the infected to focusing on more general monitoring and messaging.听听
Nationwide surge continues: The U.S. has already surpassed 2,000+ measles cases in 2026鈥攆ar exceeding last year鈥檚 pace and reaching levels not seen in more than three decades, , which uses data from .
Public health experts warn that the U.S. will likely lose its measles elimination status as outbreaks expand.听听
Related: Measles cases are dramatically outpacing 2025鈥檚. See latest US numbers 鈥� 听
MATERNAL HEALTHHow Funding Cuts Created a Folic Acid Crisis
Pregnant women in low-income and crisis-affected countries like Afghanistan are increasingly unable to access critical folic acid supplements amid international aid cuts, raising the risk of anemia, hemorrhage, stillbirth, and maternal death in a country that has already seen dozens of health facilities close in the last year. 听
Despite folic acid鈥檚 relatively low cost, UN Population Fund data show that the agency鈥檚 procurement of the vitamin plunged 62% between 2024 and 2025, while shipments of reproductive health kits containing iron and folic acid dropped 53.5%. 听
鈥淚t鈥檚 the difference between life and death for some women, and it would be very cheap to provide, but that鈥檚 not happening,鈥� said one health worker in Afghanistan. 听
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS
鈥榊ou鈥檙e treated like this is the end鈥�: Meet the dementia rebels 鈥� diagnosed and determined to change people鈥檚 minds 鈥�
Marking historic progress on rights for persons with disabilities, UN conference tackles critical gaps 鈥�
Survey highlights greater burden of long COVID in Native Americans 鈥� 听
Immunologist Nicole Baumgarth explains why ticks are spreading to new regions 鈥�
The iPhone lowered the birth rate, new paper finds 鈥�
Issue 2930
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Trust in U.S. public health agencies fell sharply in the last year, with 50% of adults trusting CDC recommendations鈥攃ompared to 77% in spring 2025, per a new poll; smaller declines in trust in state and county public health agencies indicate opportunities for local leadership.
A government-commissioned study on alcohol鈥檚 health effects linked even low levels of drinking with a heightened risk of illness or premature death; the study, which had been sidelined by the Trump officials when it was drafted last year, was . shows steep declines in HIV services across countries in Africa and Asia following aid cuts that began in early 2025; across 10 countries, the Clinton Health Access Initiative recorded a 42% drop in people starting oral HIV prevention services and a 12% dip in testing between 2024 and 2025. IN FOCUS A school nurse checks temperatures before students enter the Nakasero Primary School amid the Ebola outbreak. May 25, Kampala, Uganda. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Strings Attached: U.S. Health Aid Agreements U.S. bilateral agreements for health assistance with at least seven African nations demand surveillance data as well as biological specimens useful for pharmaceutical development, .
- The countries, hit hard by the pullback of U.S. assistance in 2025, 鈥渁re now being pressured to accept agreements with contingencies that jeopardize human rights,鈥� .
- The agreements with Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Liberia, and Uganda were briefly added to a State Department website and then removed.
- 30+ countries overall have inked health assistance deals with the U.S., .
- Provision of surveillance data to ensure U.S. funds aren鈥檛 used to pay for abortions, per Human Rights Watch.
- Direct U.S. access to data to verify compliance with U.S. laws.
- Sharing of biological specimens and sequencing data related to pathogens with epidemic potential.
- And a U.S.-proposed Ebola treatment facility in Kenya that would isolate and care for Americans only has prompted protests in Kenya.
1.5 million+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
People killed by food poisoning each year, per the WHO鈥檚 first major food contamination assessment in more than ten years, last Wednesday. 鈥�
NUTRITION What鈥檚 in a Food Warning Label?
As more countries mandate food packaging labels that warn of potential health risks, a growing variety of label designs reflect battles between health regulators and industry influence鈥攁nd have a range of effectiveness, researchers say. Global designs include: Chile鈥檚 simple stop sign: Health experts have praised Chile鈥檚 stop sign label design that warns of high sugar, sodium, or fat. Letter grades and stars: Indonesia鈥檚 new letter grade design and India鈥檚 proposed star ratings system have both been critiqued by food policy experts for being too ambiguous. U.S. 鈥渁lgebra鈥�: the for food packaging labels features a 鈥�% Daily Value鈥� nutrition information box鈥攁 confusing design that is 鈥渞equiring people to do algebra,鈥� said food policy researcher Jennifer Falbe. Related: South and Southeast Asia Lead the World on Taxing Sugary Drinks 鈥� CORRECTION On a Role In yesterday鈥檚 In Focus summary of threats to federal research grants, we described Elizabeth Ginexi as an NIH program official. She is a former NIH program official; we regret the error. OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS When rumours spread faster than Ebola 鈥� How snakebites turn deadly in Yemen 鈥�
World's largest opioid review finds they often don't work 鈥� Idaho investigates spike in illnesses related to raw milk consumption 鈥� Mass Sloth Deaths in Florida Show Why the Wildlife Trade Is a Pandemic Risk 鈥�
Non-Profit Malaria and Neglected Diseases R&D Groups Pool Resources Amid Shrinking Global Budgets 鈥� 鈥楻elentless Outreach鈥�: The State That Doesn鈥檛 Give Up on Mentally Ill Residents 鈥� Issue No. 2929
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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- But scientists have denounced the proposal as political interference: 鈥淚t is a complete political control apparatus layered over every stage of the federal science funding lifecycle,鈥� .
- Political oversight of grants: All discretionary grants would first be reviewed by political appointees to determine whether they align with agency priorities and the 鈥渘ational interest.鈥� The proposal also lays out criteria for not funding DEI policies or research related to gender transition, .
- Diminished role of peer review: The decades-old standard of peer review would become 鈥渁dvisory鈥� rather than determinative of funding decisions.
- Expanded termination powers: Agencies could suspend or terminate active grants if a project 鈥渘o longer advances agency priorities,鈥� with no guaranteed appeals process.
- Limits on research: The proposal outlines restrictions on international collaborations, conference participation, and funding for publication costs.
- While the deadline for public comment on the proposal is July 13, the Association of American Universities asked for a 45-day extension.
By 2030, AI data centers will consume as much water as 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa use in a year, , which warns that the environmental toll of AI is not being adequately addressed amid the tech鈥檚 rapid acceleration.
- 鈥淲e have a narrow window to ensure that the backbone of the technological revolution of our era develops within planetary limits,鈥� said UNU-INWEH director Kaveh Madani.
Daily drain: Day-to-day use of AI, including chatbot queries, accounts for ~80%鈥�90% of the technology鈥檚 total energy demand.
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Health workers at the epicenter of Congo鈥檚 Ebola outbreak labor with little pay or rest 鈥� US insurers鈥� move to back vaccines sends 鈥榩owerful鈥� message about safety of shots, experts say 鈥� When U.S. foreign aid changed, AIDS workers in Africa felt it 鈥� New Framework Offers Fresh Insights Into Autism Risk Factors 鈥� Vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies linked to chronic fatigue 鈥� NIH Selects Schiff to Direct Fogarty International Center 鈥� Can we win the malaria arms race? 鈥� Tanzania's bold experiment against malaria 鈥� Issue No. 2928
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 Neuro's Virtual Integrated Patient Platform receives major funding
An innovative project led by Dr. Guy Rouleau at The Neuro has received major funding from Brain Canada, one of four platforms that are advancing treatment discovery across a wide range of neurological disorders. In total the four platforms are being supported with a $8,926,500 investment.
A range of hantavirus-related research is drawing new interest following last month鈥檚 outbreak, including investigations into potential therapeutics and vaccines, and a deeper understanding of symptoms caused by different strains; however, researchers say sustained investment and infrastructure is still needed to build on these findings.
A drug for treatment-resistant ovarian cancer will now be free via the U.K.鈥檚 National Health Service; the drug, mirvetuximab soravtansine, extended survival by about four months in trials and is the first ovarian cancer treatment approved for NHS use in over 20 years.
Google wants to release 32 million male mosquitoes in Florida injected with Wolbachia pipientis bacteria, which will render the mosquitoes sterile, as part of its Debug initiative; the plan is to release 16 million lab-bred male mosquitoes in the first year and 16 million in the second year to reduce the population of the disease-spreading bug. IN FOCUS A man walks at a supermarket in Houston, Texas, on March 17. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images A 鈥楻igged鈥� Food System Grocery stores across the U.S. are brimming with food engineered by corporations to maximize consumption and normalize unhealthy products鈥攁ll the while driving chronic disease. That is the picture put forth in , which ultimately asserts that Americans have been pitted against powerful corporations when it comes to daily eating.
- 鈥淭he system is rigged. If you go into a supermarket wanting to eat healthfully, you鈥檙e fighting the entire system on your own,鈥� says food politics researcher Marion Nestle, .
- New research also linked high UPF consumption to a 58% higher risk of dementia and a 46% increased risk of cognitive decline among older adults.
- With this in mind, the journal created a to equip consumers.
- But recent mass migration to cities means transmission is occurring more frequently via contaminated food and drink, blood transfusions, and transmission from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
As part of the speaker series 鈥淲ho is the Provider?鈥� Burgess will explore the necessity of ideas of community in contexts of 'who provides.' She will discuss the need to move toward an understanding of community as an active process, linking to activist principles and more radical visions and definitions of mental health care. She will also discuss case studies from Colombia, South Africa, and the U.K.
- Wednesday, June 10, 9:00 AM ET
The world鈥檚 poshest garden show has reinvited a long-banned guest: the garden gnome.
But not just any gnome: The one-off invite to last month鈥檚 Chelsea Flower Show applied to 鈥溾�濃�攖hose painted by famous people and auctioned off to benefit the Royal Horticultural Society鈥檚 children鈥檚 gardening charity.
The un-ban has raised the prospect of welcoming gnomes permanently鈥攍eaving a nation divided, .
鈥淪omething that鈥檚 quirky and different and a bit pass茅, like a gnome, is actually what the world needs,鈥� argued comedian Tom Allen, . This is, after all, 鈥攁nd when the King and Sir David Beckham () are both on board, who could resist?
Well 鈥� some people: 鈥淎m I interested in gnomes? No,鈥� one RHS garden curator said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they belong here,鈥� added another plant lover.
As one It鈥檚 鈥渏ust the kind of low stakes controversy we need more of.鈥� QUICK HITS Congo鈥檚 Ebola outbreak reaches territory held by Islamic State 鈥� US equipment, experts arrive at Kenya Ebola facility despite court order, protests 鈥�
This Is Why You Don鈥檛 Slash Humanitarian Aid 鈥� Thanks for the tip, David Cundiff!
Study: Federal promotion of vitamin A, cod liver oil for measles prompted flurry of internet searches 鈥� Scientists discovered something surprising about french fries and diabetes 鈥� Issue No. 2927
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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To curb overprescribing for seniors, researchers urge annual prescription checkups
To address the growing problem of overprescribing for seniors, a new Canadian guideline is calling for routine medication reviews.
In Canada, roughly two in three adults age 65 or older . While often necessary, complex drug regimens can increase the risk of side effects and affect quality of life.
- Previously, medically vulnerable detainees were often released on humanitarian parole. Now people with serious conditions remain in custody under 鈥渕andatory detention.鈥�
- And the DHS Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, which previously addressed care concerns, has been dismantled.
- 鈥淪omething is going profoundly wrong from any kind of public health or mental health perspective,鈥� said epidemiologist Sanjay Basu, who co-authored .
- The Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that nearly 1 in 5 of the U.K.鈥檚 largest dairy operations had been linked to pollution incidents in recent years.
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 Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations announced funding to fast-track three Ebola Bundibugyo virus vaccine candidates from the University of Oxford, the International Aids Vaccine Initiative, and Moderna.
200+ cases of suspected mpox have been reported in Sudan鈥檚 Darfur region; the cases are not yet lab-confirmed, but field reports and images suggest mpox, which could spread rapidly through displaced, malnourished populations.
Children born in the summer are less likely to get the annual flu shot and thus are at higher risk of getting the flu, ; autumn babies often have their annual checkup near their birthdays, making it easier for them to get the new flu shot. IN FOCUS Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visits a regional cancer center at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya, on February 8, 2022. Fred Mutune/Xinhua via Getty The Cancer Workforce Crisis The shortfall in the global cancer workforce will reach 100 million by 2050, with countries in Africa and Asia hit hardest, .
- The shortages will include 65 million nurses and 16 million diagnostic specialists in radiology and pathology.
- Other workers are needed in research, regulatory, and financial support areas.
- Africa and Asia will need 34 million and 57 million cancer workers, respectively, .
- The 5-year cancer net survival in 2050 is estimated to be 34% in Africa, 39% in Asia, but +60% in high-income countries, per commission modeling.
- Scaling up the workforce would avoid 170 million cancer deaths and lead to economic benefits of $120 trillion between 2030 and 2050, according to the commission鈥檚 modeling.
- The ROI would be $4 for every $1 invested.
- UNFPA was the only provider of reproductive health products in Birao鈥攐ne of many towns in sub-Saharan Africa where conflict has made childbirth riskier.
- Nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries affected by conflict or 鈥渇ragility,鈥� per the WHO.
- Tanzania鈥檚 example: MMR fell by 80% from 556 to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births between the 2015鈥�2016 and 2022 demographic and health surveys. Factors contributing to the drop include expanding emergency obstetric and newborn care facilities, strengthening skilled delivery, and making maternal and child survival a performance issue for leaders at every level.
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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