Recycled plastics could help reduce the world鈥檚 growing waste crisis, but only if food packaging is carefully regulated to prevent contamination, according to a new analysis from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: America鈥檚 Overlooked Drug Crisis; and Discoveries and Delays in Kala-azar Treatment
May 12, 2026
TOP STORIES
Palestinians recounted a pattern of sexual violence against men, women, and children by Israeli prison guards, soldiers, settlers, and security agency interrogators to Nicholas Kristof, who shared the interviews in ; a separate , , presents evidence that Hamas and their allies raped, assaulted, and sexually tortured their victims during and after the October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, including previously unknown allegations related to the sexual abuse of minors held hostage in Gaza.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) following a decades-long push by advocates who say the term 鈥減olycystic鈥� is misleading and contributed to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment for the condition, which impacts ~170 million women globally. Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!
A single-infusion therapy of immune cells engineered to recognize HIV could suppress the virus for years, per a small proof-of-concept study slated for presentation at ; the therapy has already cured some blood cancers by modifying a patient鈥檚 own immune cells to recognize and kill malignant cells. Six in ten Americans polled on their awareness of the Trump administration鈥檚 reductions to U.S. foreign aid spending and global health programs say the changes have negatively impacted global views of the U.S., per a question in a poll that confirms that Americans鈥� views on aid cuts and support for people鈥檚 health in developing countries fall along highly partisan lines. IN FOCUS Beer sits for sale in a grocery store in Brooklyn, New York City. January 3, 2025. Spencer Platt/Getty Images America鈥檚 Overlooked Drug Crisis
Every day it kills almost 500 Americans, yet alcohol is so pervasive in U.S. culture that few pay attention to the damage it causes. STAT reporters Lev Facher and Isabella Cueto do. In their (two articles are live so far), they deep dive into the U.S. alcohol epidemic鈥斺�渁 generational failure of the medical and public health systems, of industry, and of government,鈥� as they describe it (subscription required). The unacknowledged 鈥減ublic health emergency鈥� includes:
It has been four years since trials for new, shorter kala-azar treatment concluded in East Africa鈥攂ut the successful new protocols are still not reaching patients, doctors say. The trial: The DNDi-sponsored trial centered in Eastern Africa, which accounts for 79% of global cases of the deadly parasitic disease kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis.
Supreme Court extends pause on abortion pill restrictions through Thursday 鈥�
She's trying to outrun pancreatic cancer. Breakthrough treatments give her hope 鈥�
Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence 鈥�
No link between maternal COVID infection and birth defects, data suggest 鈥� Giving birth in a hotel room? For some Indigenous women, gaps in care mean few options 鈥�
3 simple ways to reduce your body鈥檚 exposure to plastic chemicals 鈥�
Pediatrics group issues new guidance on recess for the first time in 13 years 鈥� Issue No. 2914
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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Copyright 2026 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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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) following a decades-long push by advocates who say the term 鈥減olycystic鈥� is misleading and contributed to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment for the condition, which impacts ~170 million women globally. Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!
A single-infusion therapy of immune cells engineered to recognize HIV could suppress the virus for years, per a small proof-of-concept study slated for presentation at ; the therapy has already cured some blood cancers by modifying a patient鈥檚 own immune cells to recognize and kill malignant cells. Six in ten Americans polled on their awareness of the Trump administration鈥檚 reductions to U.S. foreign aid spending and global health programs say the changes have negatively impacted global views of the U.S., per a question in a poll that confirms that Americans鈥� views on aid cuts and support for people鈥檚 health in developing countries fall along highly partisan lines. IN FOCUS Beer sits for sale in a grocery store in Brooklyn, New York City. January 3, 2025. Spencer Platt/Getty Images America鈥檚 Overlooked Drug Crisis
Every day it kills almost 500 Americans, yet alcohol is so pervasive in U.S. culture that few pay attention to the damage it causes. STAT reporters Lev Facher and Isabella Cueto do. In their (two articles are live so far), they deep dive into the U.S. alcohol epidemic鈥斺�渁 generational failure of the medical and public health systems, of industry, and of government,鈥� as they describe it (subscription required). The unacknowledged 鈥減ublic health emergency鈥� includes:
- Far more alcohol-related deaths in 2024 than opioid-related deaths (178,000 vs. 39,000).
- A near doubling of alcohol-related emergency department visits to 5.4 million in 2022 from 2.7 million in 2003.
- Research that links 鈥渉eavy drinking to cancer, heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, developmental disorders, gun violence, injuries 鈥︹��
- Economic costs of $249 billion per year.
- Inconsistent screening for excessive drinking.
- A fragmented treatment infrastructure.
- Open attitudes toward alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
- Political deference to a powerful industry lobby.
- A new kind of liver crisis.
- 12-step program鈥檚 uneven record.
- Alcohol during pregnancy.
- Trump administration鈥檚 weakening of alcohol research.
- Alcohol industry maneuvers behind the scenes.
It has been four years since trials for new, shorter kala-azar treatment concluded in East Africa鈥攂ut the successful new protocols are still not reaching patients, doctors say. The trial: The DNDi-sponsored trial centered in Eastern Africa, which accounts for 79% of global cases of the deadly parasitic disease kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis.
- Amudat Hospital in northeastern Uganda gave patients a 14-day regimen of both oral miltefosine and paromomycin. Patients reported faster recovery and less pain compared with older treatments like a standard 30-day injection-only regimen.
Supreme Court extends pause on abortion pill restrictions through Thursday 鈥�
She's trying to outrun pancreatic cancer. Breakthrough treatments give her hope 鈥�
Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence 鈥�
No link between maternal COVID infection and birth defects, data suggest 鈥� Giving birth in a hotel room? For some Indigenous women, gaps in care mean few options 鈥�
3 simple ways to reduce your body鈥檚 exposure to plastic chemicals 鈥�
Pediatrics group issues new guidance on recess for the first time in 13 years 鈥� Issue No. 2914
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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Copyright 2026 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 .
Categories: Global Health Feed
Discovery of fat-burning 鈥榮witch鈥� could lead to advances in bone disease treatments
Scientists鈥� discovery of a molecular 鈥渟witch鈥� that activates an energy鈥慴urning pathway in mice has the potential to lead to new treatments for bone disease.
The study, published in , sheds new light on brown fat. Unlike white fat, which stores energy, brown fat cells burn calories, producing heat as a byproduct. For years, it was believed this process relied on a single pathway. More recently, researchers discovered a parallel pathway, but how it became activated remained a mystery.
Categories: Global Health Feed
Economic inequality is leaving a deep mark on children鈥檚 health, learning and future opportunities 鈥� with effects felt well beyond the classroom, the UN Children鈥檚 Fund UNICEF and the UN education agency UNESCO warned on Tuesday.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Hantavirus Reveals Gaps in Outbreak Response; and Rising Vitamin K Shot Refusals
May 11, 2026
TOP STORIES
Manitoba has declared a public health emergency over HIV, amid some of Canada鈥檚 highest HIV rates鈥�19.5 cases per 100,000 people, or ~3.5X Canada鈥檚 overall rate of 5.5; the aim of the declaration is not to create fear, public health officials say, but to open up options to increase testing and raise awareness.
The skin disease dermatophilosis has been confirmed in clusters of European men who have sex with men; the disease typically infects livestock, and while the human cases are reminiscent of mpox emergence, researchers say the condition appears mild. CDC support for PEPFAR will end in September in most countries, as the Trump administration pivots to its 鈥淎merica First鈥� strategy of sending most HIV care funds directly to countries based on bilateral agreements with the U.S.; the move is the 鈥渇inal blow鈥� to the 23-year-old program, public health advocates say.
The UAE has launched a new initiative to combat river blindness via mass administration of medicines, disease monitoring, and the training of local healthcare workers; the effort, to be implemented by Noor Dubai, supports the WHO鈥檚 roadmap to eliminate river blindness by 2030. IN FOCUS Passengers are evacuated by small boat from the MV Hondius in the Granadilla Port. Tenerife, the Canary Islands, Spain, May 10. Chris McGrath/Getty Hantavirus Reveals Gaps in Outbreak Response The global response to the hantavirus outbreak centered on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is entering a new phase as passengers disembark on the island of Tenerife and evacuate to their home countries. The decampment raises new concerns in a crisis that has already exposed the challenges of managing a global health response in a post-COVID landscape riddled with severe budget cuts, stalled research, rife misinformation, and strained international relationships. CDC鈥檚 role questioned: Although the outbreak involves Americans, the agency 鈥渉as been uncharacteristically missing in action,鈥� , with the going out Friday and evacuation and quarantine plans for passengers only being confirmed over the weekend.
3,000+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion began in February 2022, . 鈥淭his cannot be normalized,鈥� says Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasizing that each attack marks a violation of international humanitarian law. 鈥�
CHILD HEALTH Rising Vitamin K Shot Refusals With growing distrust in medical interventions, U.S. hospitals are reporting a sharp increase in parents rejecting newborn vitamin K shots. Pediatricians fear deficiency-related deaths are rising as a result.
Why the shot matters: The vitamin K injection has been a standard part of postnatal care for decades because it helps infants clot blood and prevents rare but dangerous brain bleeding.
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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The skin disease dermatophilosis has been confirmed in clusters of European men who have sex with men; the disease typically infects livestock, and while the human cases are reminiscent of mpox emergence, researchers say the condition appears mild. CDC support for PEPFAR will end in September in most countries, as the Trump administration pivots to its 鈥淎merica First鈥� strategy of sending most HIV care funds directly to countries based on bilateral agreements with the U.S.; the move is the 鈥渇inal blow鈥� to the 23-year-old program, public health advocates say.
The UAE has launched a new initiative to combat river blindness via mass administration of medicines, disease monitoring, and the training of local healthcare workers; the effort, to be implemented by Noor Dubai, supports the WHO鈥檚 roadmap to eliminate river blindness by 2030. IN FOCUS Passengers are evacuated by small boat from the MV Hondius in the Granadilla Port. Tenerife, the Canary Islands, Spain, May 10. Chris McGrath/Getty Hantavirus Reveals Gaps in Outbreak Response The global response to the hantavirus outbreak centered on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is entering a new phase as passengers disembark on the island of Tenerife and evacuate to their home countries. The decampment raises new concerns in a crisis that has already exposed the challenges of managing a global health response in a post-COVID landscape riddled with severe budget cuts, stalled research, rife misinformation, and strained international relationships. CDC鈥檚 role questioned: Although the outbreak involves Americans, the agency 鈥渉as been uncharacteristically missing in action,鈥� , with the going out Friday and evacuation and quarantine plans for passengers only being confirmed over the weekend.
- 17 U.S. cruise passengers returned to the U.S. early today, ; one American tested 鈥渕ildly鈥� positive for the virus and another showed 鈥渕ild symptoms,鈥� . Passengers are headed to the in Nebraska.
- Acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya that the agency didn鈥檛 want to cause public panic, but infectious disease experts say the agency鈥檚 quiet 鈥渦nderscored the nation鈥檚 diminished global role in the face of health threats,鈥� .
- One pilot project researching hantavirus spillover was eliminated under NIH cuts last year.
- Still, some promising treatments in the pipeline could be expedited, .
3,000+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion began in February 2022, . 鈥淭his cannot be normalized,鈥� says Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasizing that each attack marks a violation of international humanitarian law. 鈥�
CHILD HEALTH Rising Vitamin K Shot Refusals With growing distrust in medical interventions, U.S. hospitals are reporting a sharp increase in parents rejecting newborn vitamin K shots. Pediatricians fear deficiency-related deaths are rising as a result.
Why the shot matters: The vitamin K injection has been a standard part of postnatal care for decades because it helps infants clot blood and prevents rare but dangerous brain bleeding.
- Babies who skip the shot are far more likely to suffer severe bleeds, lasting injuries, or death.
- While deficiency-related deaths are not tracked, doctors warn that the growing rejections are contributing to the hundreds of infant brain-bleeding fatalities that occur each year.
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 2026 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 .
Categories: Global Health Feed
The passengers and crew have disembarked from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius in Tenerife and many have returned to their home countries, as the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said the operation demonstrated a 鈥渢riumph of solidarity鈥�.
Categories: Global Health Feed
Passengers and crew from the cruise ship MV Hondius began disembarking in Tenerife on Sunday under a tightly coordinated international health operation led by Spanish authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), as officials sought to reassure the public that the outbreak 鈥渋s not another COVID.鈥�
Categories: Global Health Feed
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a direct plea for calm and solidarity to the citizens of Tenerife ahead of the scheduled arrival of the MV Hondius on Sunday
Categories: Global Health Feed
New evidence shows that malaria vaccination is significantly reducing child deaths in Africa and could have an even greater impact as programmes expand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
Categories: Global Health Feed
The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified more than 3,000 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency reported on Friday.
Categories: Global Health Feed
The risk of hantavirus spreading to the general population is 鈥渁bsolutely low鈥�, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday, as a flight attendant tested negative for the disease after coming into contact with an infected passenger from the cruise ship at the centre of the outbreak, who later died.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: The Health-Improving Power of Pollinators; and The Deep Disparities in Kenya鈥檚 AI-Driven Health Coverage
May 7, 2026
TOP STORIES
At least 29 passengers left a cruise ship in the midst of a hantavirus outbreak on April 24, without contact tracing, after the first on board passenger death, but the WHO maintains the risk to the public is still low, ; officials believe the outbreak could have originated from a bird-watching excursion in Argentina, where hantavirus cases have been on the rise, .
Shootings at hospitals have increased steadily over 25 years, from 6 to 34 events per year鈥攁 6.4% increase annually, , which pointed to the need for "hospital-specific prevention strategies,鈥� including improved weapons screening processes. COVID-19 can lead to blood clots, heart attack, and stroke because of the virus鈥檚 impact on proteins in blood vessels, . The study found that viral damage to thrombomodulin鈥攁 protein on the surface of blood vessel cells鈥攃reates clots, which then travel throughout the body and disrupt blood flow.
Plant-based meat and dairy products in U.K. supermarkets contain a 鈥減revalence鈥� of mycotoxins, which are fungi-produced poisonous compounds, ; all 212 meat- and dairy-substitute products tested contained the toxins, which pose little risk in low quantities, but 鈥渃ould lead to a cumulative build-up鈥� resulting in health problems, researchers said.
IN FOCUS A honeybee sits on a marigold flower to collect nectar. Kathmandu, Nepal, February 8, 2024. Sanjit Pariyar/NurPhoto via Getty The Health-Improving Power of Pollinators Wild insect pollinators have a direct impact on human health and livelihoods through the critical role they play in food production and nutrition, that quantifies those connections in precise and tangible ways. Exploring the links in Nepal: To 鈥渦nderstand and harness the pathways linking biodiversity to human health,鈥� researchers spent a year inside 10 farming villages in Jumla District, Nepal, where three-quarters of the population depends directly on smallholder farming, .
Symbiotic gains: Researchers identified 鈥渞elatively simple interventions鈥� that significantly boost pollinators, including planting wildflowers, curbing pesticide use, and native beekeeping.
ICYMI: Rooting Out AI鈥檚 Biases 鈥� OPPORTUNITY Call for Abstracts The International Conference for Urban Health (ICUH) invites abstracts for work addressing issues in global urban health to share in Mexico City this coming October 13鈥�17, under the theme Healthy Cities by Design: Climate, Care, & Community from Latin America to the World. Submissions are open across six thematic tracks spanning climate resilience, food and movement, mental health and belonging, lifecourse health, urban health systems, and a dedicated Latin America and Caribbean spotlight, with submissions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese welcome.
Nothing tests one鈥檚 faith quite like a soul-crushing call with customer service. And when it comes to escaping the purgatory of the hold line, it turns out even the Pope doesn鈥檛 have a prayer. Like anyone shifting careers and houses, Robert Prevost-turned Pope Leo XIV had to make some calls updating his address and phone number, including a call he personally made to his bank in South Chicago, . The pontiff鈥檚 successful responses to security questions rivaling St. Peter鈥檚 at the Pearly Gates still weren鈥檛 enough to satisfy the customer service representative, who informed him that he needed to come to the bank in person, . Even the patience of Job runs out at a point, and even the Holy Father resorted to pulling the ace up his vestments鈥� sleeve: 鈥淲ould it matter to you if I told you I鈥檓 Pope Leo?鈥� he purportedly said. Click. Could the Pope鈥檚 experience bring a little needed fire and brimstone to of interminable customer service hassles and ? It would be a miracle worthy of canonization. QUICK HITS One Million More Midwives: The Smartest Investment for Safer Births in a Shrinking Aid Landscape 鈥� In a milestone for ALS, a treatment helps some patients improve 鈥� Survey: Facing headwinds, early-career physician-scientists mull other options, jobs abroad 鈥� Georgia officials knew chemicals from carpet mills were polluting local water. The people did not 鈥� First AI tool to detect suspicious peer reviews rolled out by academic publisher 鈥� RFK Jr withdraws proposal banning teens from tanning beds as skin experts warn of cancer risks 鈥� Issue No. 2912
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 2026 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 .
Shootings at hospitals have increased steadily over 25 years, from 6 to 34 events per year鈥攁 6.4% increase annually, , which pointed to the need for "hospital-specific prevention strategies,鈥� including improved weapons screening processes. COVID-19 can lead to blood clots, heart attack, and stroke because of the virus鈥檚 impact on proteins in blood vessels, . The study found that viral damage to thrombomodulin鈥攁 protein on the surface of blood vessel cells鈥攃reates clots, which then travel throughout the body and disrupt blood flow.
Plant-based meat and dairy products in U.K. supermarkets contain a 鈥減revalence鈥� of mycotoxins, which are fungi-produced poisonous compounds, ; all 212 meat- and dairy-substitute products tested contained the toxins, which pose little risk in low quantities, but 鈥渃ould lead to a cumulative build-up鈥� resulting in health problems, researchers said.
IN FOCUS A honeybee sits on a marigold flower to collect nectar. Kathmandu, Nepal, February 8, 2024. Sanjit Pariyar/NurPhoto via Getty The Health-Improving Power of Pollinators Wild insect pollinators have a direct impact on human health and livelihoods through the critical role they play in food production and nutrition, that quantifies those connections in precise and tangible ways. Exploring the links in Nepal: To 鈥渦nderstand and harness the pathways linking biodiversity to human health,鈥� researchers spent a year inside 10 farming villages in Jumla District, Nepal, where three-quarters of the population depends directly on smallholder farming, .
- "That link between the biodiversity around them, and their health, their nutrition, their livelihoods is very, very direct,鈥� explained lead author Thomas Timberlake.
- Researchers tracked daily diets of 776 people and cataloged extensive activity between insects and crops across 500+ species鈥攇auging the influence of insects on crops, and crops on humans.
Symbiotic gains: Researchers identified 鈥渞elatively simple interventions鈥� that significantly boost pollinators, including planting wildflowers, curbing pesticide use, and native beekeeping.
- Active pollination management could increase household income by 15%鈥�30% and raise 9% of the population out of a nutrient deficiency.
- To determine what households can afford to contribute, the government is using a predictive machine-learning algorithm that calculates incomes based on possessions and life circumstances.
ICYMI: Rooting Out AI鈥檚 Biases 鈥� OPPORTUNITY Call for Abstracts The International Conference for Urban Health (ICUH) invites abstracts for work addressing issues in global urban health to share in Mexico City this coming October 13鈥�17, under the theme Healthy Cities by Design: Climate, Care, & Community from Latin America to the World. Submissions are open across six thematic tracks spanning climate resilience, food and movement, mental health and belonging, lifecourse health, urban health systems, and a dedicated Latin America and Caribbean spotlight, with submissions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese welcome.
- Deadline: May 17
Nothing tests one鈥檚 faith quite like a soul-crushing call with customer service. And when it comes to escaping the purgatory of the hold line, it turns out even the Pope doesn鈥檛 have a prayer. Like anyone shifting careers and houses, Robert Prevost-turned Pope Leo XIV had to make some calls updating his address and phone number, including a call he personally made to his bank in South Chicago, . The pontiff鈥檚 successful responses to security questions rivaling St. Peter鈥檚 at the Pearly Gates still weren鈥檛 enough to satisfy the customer service representative, who informed him that he needed to come to the bank in person, . Even the patience of Job runs out at a point, and even the Holy Father resorted to pulling the ace up his vestments鈥� sleeve: 鈥淲ould it matter to you if I told you I鈥檓 Pope Leo?鈥� he purportedly said. Click. Could the Pope鈥檚 experience bring a little needed fire and brimstone to of interminable customer service hassles and ? It would be a miracle worthy of canonization. QUICK HITS One Million More Midwives: The Smartest Investment for Safer Births in a Shrinking Aid Landscape 鈥� In a milestone for ALS, a treatment helps some patients improve 鈥� Survey: Facing headwinds, early-career physician-scientists mull other options, jobs abroad 鈥� Georgia officials knew chemicals from carpet mills were polluting local water. The people did not 鈥� First AI tool to detect suspicious peer reviews rolled out by academic publisher 鈥� RFK Jr withdraws proposal banning teens from tanning beds as skin experts warn of cancer risks 鈥� Issue No. 2912
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 2026 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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You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
Public education will be critical as provinces roll out new cervical cancer screening method, researchers say
As Canada moves to modernize cervical cancer screening, a new study suggests most women do not yet understand or trust the shift from the Pap test to human papillomavirus (HPV) based screening.
The national survey, published in , examined women鈥檚 preferences for cervical screening 鈥� including how they want to be screened and how they want information communicated 鈥� as Canada transitions from Pap tests to HPV testing.
Categories: Global Health Feed
A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean poses a low global public health risk and is 鈥渘ot the start of another COVID pandemic鈥�, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Identifying 鈥楾he Deadliest Company in the World鈥�; and On the Front Lines of an Emerging Drug Crisis
May 6, 2026
TOP STORIES
1 in 5 amputees in Gaza is a child, and it could take at least five years for the 6,600+ in Gaza who need prosthetics and rehabilitation care to receive it amid a severe shortage of specialists and ongoing restrictions on prosthetic supply shipments, the UN said this week.
20 years after the HPV vaccine鈥檚 U.S. approval, data show that the vaccine reduces the risk of cervical cancer by 80% in women vaccinated by age 16 and 66% in those vaccinated after 16, ; the vaccines aren鈥檛 associated with serious side effects, the research shows.
The FDA blocked the publication of multiple recent studies showing the safety and efficacy of widely used COVID-19 and shingles vaccines; the HHS said the studies drew 鈥渂road conclusions that were not supported by the underlying data,鈥� even though the research was conducted by government scientists analyzing millions of patient records.
Londoners from Black African and Caribbean backgrounds are 2X as likely to suffer stroke as white counterparts and are less likely to receive timely care, that analyzed 30 years of stroke incidents from the South London Stroke Register.
IN FOCUS
The exterior of the China Tobacco Shanghai Cigarette Factory Building. Shanghai, China, March 28. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty
Identifying 鈥楾he Deadliest Company in the World鈥�
A handful of powerful industries play a major role in driving deaths from chronic diseases worldwide: tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, and fossil fuels, which together are responsible for at least one-third of global deaths, .
Outsized impact: Among those industries, one company stands out as the single commercial entity linked to the most global deaths: China National Tobacco Corp., better known as China Tobacco鈥攁 state-owned company that for decades has controlled ~97% of China鈥檚 cigarette market in a country that consumes nearly half the world鈥檚 cigarettes.
Staggering toll: Tobacco use in China caused ~59鈥�78 million deaths from 1990 to 2023, or 2 million people annually, run by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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Copyright 2026 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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- China Tobacco is tied to ~57 million of those deaths鈥攁 toll surpassing fatalities linked to war, drugs, or traffic worldwide, even adjusting for the highest plausible death estimates from those other industries.
- The company also wields significant influence over China鈥檚 public health policy, systematically undercutting anti-smoking efforts.
- But the government鈥檚 dependence on billions in tax revenue from the industry means the company 鈥渋s likely to retain its spot as No. 1 in the world for years to come.鈥�
- Novel opioids like cychlorphine鈥攁 powerful synthetic opioid up to 10X stronger than fentanyl鈥攐ften go undetected in labs.
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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Categories: Global Health Feed
It鈥檚 been confirmed that another passenger from the cruise liner linked to the outbreak of hantavirus has contracted the disease, which has claimed the lives of three people on board and sparked an international alert coordinated by the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Cruise Ship Hantavirus Investigation; and Delayed Visas, Looming Care Gaps
May 5, 2026
TOP STORIES
Rescue efforts are ongoing in a fireworks factory explosion that killed 26 and injured at least 61 in central China yesterday; Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an investigation into the disaster and 鈥渁 far-reaching evaluation of workplace safety measures.鈥�
Fossil-fuel derived methane emissions persisted at record high levels globally in 2025, making it unlikely that a 2030 target for reducing them by 30% will be met.
Overburdened dialysis units across Australia and New Zealand are being forced to ration lifesaving care, with wait times lasting years in some cases, from nephrology, dialysis and transplant registry experts in the two countries. They say the government needs to invest in more equipment and emphasize prevention to stop a 鈥渢sunami鈥� of kidney disease.
Rates of antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections in the blood of newborns at a Kansas hospital are on the rise, ; E. coli is a top cause of sepsis in newborns. IN FOCUS The cruise ship MV Hondius off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3. AFP via Getty Cruise Ship Hantavirus Investigation The WHO and international partners are investigating the cluster of seven cases of severe respiratory illness (including three deaths) tied to hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, . What鈥檚 the latest?
Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants 鈥�
Beauty Without Burden: Why Nigeria Must Keep Lead Out of Cosmetics 鈥�
The Cost of 鈥楴atural鈥� Womanhood 鈥�
鈥楶oint of no return鈥�: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds 鈥�
Telemedicine Visits Tied to Fewer Antibiotics for Respiratory Infections 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!
The Bus That Brings Reproductive Care to Homeless Women 鈥� Issue No. 2910
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2026 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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Fossil-fuel derived methane emissions persisted at record high levels globally in 2025, making it unlikely that a 2030 target for reducing them by 30% will be met.
Overburdened dialysis units across Australia and New Zealand are being forced to ration lifesaving care, with wait times lasting years in some cases, from nephrology, dialysis and transplant registry experts in the two countries. They say the government needs to invest in more equipment and emphasize prevention to stop a 鈥渢sunami鈥� of kidney disease.
Rates of antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections in the blood of newborns at a Kansas hospital are on the rise, ; E. coli is a top cause of sepsis in newborns. IN FOCUS The cruise ship MV Hondius off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 3. AFP via Getty Cruise Ship Hantavirus Investigation The WHO and international partners are investigating the cluster of seven cases of severe respiratory illness (including three deaths) tied to hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, . What鈥檚 the latest?
- 鈥淲e do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that is happening among the really close contacts,鈥� said WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove, .
- The first person who fell ill may have been infected before boarding the MV Hondius in Ushuaia, Argentina, Van Kerkhove added.
- Human infection commonly occurs via 鈥渁erosolized droplets of rodent faeces, urine or saliva containing the virus,鈥� .
- The WHO says there鈥檚 low risk to the global population.
- Two cases of the seven cases have been laboratory-confirmed.
- The ship is moored off Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa.
- Results of genetic sequencing of the virus in sick passengers to determine the hantavirus strain should be available within a few days, University of Saskatchewan virologist Bryce Warner told Nature.
- 鈥淪outh Africa has very fast data, is home to some of the world鈥檚 best epidemiologists, and is a true team player in the world of global health,鈥� .
- But this year, applications have stalled for months across multiple agencies.
- 鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be hundreds of places that are not going to have a physician that should have,鈥� said one impacted psychiatrist.
Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants 鈥�
Beauty Without Burden: Why Nigeria Must Keep Lead Out of Cosmetics 鈥�
The Cost of 鈥楴atural鈥� Womanhood 鈥�
鈥楶oint of no return鈥�: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds 鈥�
Telemedicine Visits Tied to Fewer Antibiotics for Respiratory Infections 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!
The Bus That Brings Reproductive Care to Homeless Women 鈥� Issue No. 2910
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2026 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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Categories: Global Health Feed
The UN has expressed deep concern over escalating security incidents in the Gulf, warning that recent attacks risk undermining efforts to maintain regional stability.
Categories: Global Health Feed
Hantavirus victims on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have been infected prior to joining the cruise and human-to-human transmission on board cannot be ruled out 鈥� although it is rare - the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: The Growing Threat of 鈥楬idden Hunger鈥�; and Raw Milk Market Gains Ground
May 4, 2026
TOP STORIES
A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has led to three deaths, while lab results confirm six cases, ; WHO officials said the 鈥渞isk to the wider public remains low鈥� as exposure to the virus is rare and typically linked to exposure to infected rodents, .
Ghana has rejected a bilateral health agreement with the U.S., as Ghana鈥檚 leaders resisted terms requiring the sharing of sensitive health data鈥攖he same issue that led Zimbabwe to reject a similar deal and that has also prompted a court to suspend implementation of Kenya鈥檚 agreement.
School phone bans in the U.S. have had mixed results so far, , which analyzed 40,000+ schools and found that test scores and attendance have not increased; however, the study found improved student well-being over time and said long-term impacts bear further study.
The U.S. identified 50 large TB outbreaks involving 10+ related cases between 2017 and 2023, , which found that roughly two鈥憈hirds of large outbreaks occurred within family or social networks.
IN FOCUS
Farmers harvest potatoes in a field in Dalingzi Village of Daxinzhuang Town in the Fengnan District, Tangshan City, China, on July 9, 2025. Yang Shiyao/Xinhua via Getty
The Growing Threat of 鈥楬idden Hunger鈥�
Staple foods like rice, wheat, legumes, and potatoes are steadily losing vital nutrients, as rising carbon dioxide levels from climate change deplete key minerals and vitamins from crops. The shift could lead to mounting health consequences, scientists say鈥攅specially in low-income countries. 奥丑补迟鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;丑补辫辫别苍颈苍驳: Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere alter plant development by speeding growth and boosting sugars while disrupting their ability to absorb key minerals, like zinc and iron.
40,000+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺��
The number of measles cases since March 15 in Bangladesh鈥檚 growing outbreak, according to health officials; nearly 300 deaths have been reported in that time frame. 鈥� POLICY Raw Milk Market Gains Ground
State legislators are pressing for wider access to raw milk in the U.S., as demand for the product grows despite its established health risks and links to ongoing outbreaks.
More legal avenues: Currently 40+ proposed bills in 18 states are seeking to make it easier to buy, sell, or consume raw milk.
Risks persist: The push for raw milk access has accelerated with promotion from social media and wellness influencers, despite five outbreaks linked to raw milk reported in the past year alone.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS WHO delays pandemic treaty amid pathogen-sharing dispute 鈥�
Court restricts abortion access across the US by blocking the mailing of mifepristone 鈥� 鈥楳others won鈥檛 die, babies can survive鈥�: new maternal hospital opens in world鈥檚 largest refugee camp 鈥�
Trump just replaced his surgeon general pick, and it could change what you鈥檙e told about your health 鈥� 鈥楢 ghost that lives with us鈥�: Death Cafes take the sting out of the inevitable end 鈥� Issue No. 2909
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 2026 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 .
Staple foods like rice, wheat, legumes, and potatoes are steadily losing vital nutrients, as rising carbon dioxide levels from climate change deplete key minerals and vitamins from crops. The shift could lead to mounting health consequences, scientists say鈥攅specially in low-income countries. 奥丑补迟鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;丑补辫辫别苍颈苍驳: Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere alter plant development by speeding growth and boosting sugars while disrupting their ability to absorb key minerals, like zinc and iron.
- , scientists found that nutrients have already decreased by an average 3.2% across all plants since the late 1980s鈥攁 depletion already impacting diets worldwide.
- By mid-century, over a billion women and children could face increased risk of iron-deficiency anemia, leading to pregnancy complications, developmental problems, and death.
- And ~2 billion people across the globe already facing nutrient shortages could see exacerbated health problems.
40,000+
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺��
The number of measles cases since March 15 in Bangladesh鈥檚 growing outbreak, according to health officials; nearly 300 deaths have been reported in that time frame. 鈥� POLICY Raw Milk Market Gains Ground
State legislators are pressing for wider access to raw milk in the U.S., as demand for the product grows despite its established health risks and links to ongoing outbreaks.
More legal avenues: Currently 40+ proposed bills in 18 states are seeking to make it easier to buy, sell, or consume raw milk.
Risks persist: The push for raw milk access has accelerated with promotion from social media and wellness influencers, despite five outbreaks linked to raw milk reported in the past year alone.
- A CDC review identified tied to raw milk that sickened 2,600+ people between 1998 and 2018, with children especially vulnerable.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS WHO delays pandemic treaty amid pathogen-sharing dispute 鈥�
Court restricts abortion access across the US by blocking the mailing of mifepristone 鈥� 鈥楳others won鈥檛 die, babies can survive鈥�: new maternal hospital opens in world鈥檚 largest refugee camp 鈥�
Trump just replaced his surgeon general pick, and it could change what you鈥檙e told about your health 鈥� 鈥楢 ghost that lives with us鈥�: Death Cafes take the sting out of the inevitable end 鈥� Issue No. 2909
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 2026 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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Categories: Global Health Feed
