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The World Health Organization validated Chile as the first country in South America to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies to humans. The national achievement is based on a delivered public health result, not a projection. The last reported case of this type was in 1972.
The FDA approved Scholar Rock's drug Isembyld for US patients with spinal muscular atrophy aged 2 and older who are already on SMN2-targeting treatments. The drug is the first therapy to specifically target muscle loss in this condition. It is approved for use in combination with existing therapies, not as a standalone treatment, and its real-world effectiveness is not yet known.
The FDA has approved Isembyld, a new drug to treat muscle loss in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The drug is approved as an add-on to existing therapies for the national, rare disease population of people aged 2 and older. The approval was based on clinical trial improvements in motor skills, and long-term real-world outcomes are not yet known.
Federal officials declared the end of what the FDA called the largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in U.S. history, which sickened thousands of people across 21 states. The exact case count was not provided.
In March 2021, Berkeley became the first city to prohibit the display of sugary beverages and snacks in checkout lanes. The policy applies to stores within the city. This item reports on the implementation of the ban, not on the results of a study evaluating its effects.
Rwandan authorities are conducting a nationwide crackdown on illegal alcohol. The enforcement action includes shutting down factories, seizing products, and recalling dozens of brands. The crackdown follows the deaths of 18 people in Bugesera from methanol-contaminated drinks. The enforcement is ongoing.
The FDA has authorized an artificial intelligence algorithm called Queen of Hearts. The tool is designed to help clinicians identify harder-to-detect heart attacks from EKGs, a national authorization. The authorization was just issued, so the algorithm's impact in clinical practice is not yet proven.
An 18-month-old girl born deaf due to an OTOF gene mutation can now hear sounds and has begun speaking. She received an experimental gene therapy infusion in her right ear at 11 months old as part of a Cambridge University trial. This is a single patient result from an early-stage trial, and the outcome has not yet been peer-reviewed, being based on clinician and family accounts. The long-term durability of the effect is not yet known.
New Zealand's national drug regulator, Medsafe, approved the prescription of pharmaceutical-grade MDMA for severe PTSD. The country is the second to approve such use after Australia. The approval is for prescriptions by two psychiatrists and does not yet confirm that the treatment has been delivered to patients.
A genetically modified pig kidney worked for 271 days in a single patient, keeping him off dialysis as a bridge to a human transplant. The kidney ultimately failed due to infection and vascular damage. The procedure is considered an early-stage experiment.
The FDA approved Ionis Pharmaceuticals' drug Zanvastro as the first disease-modifying therapy for Alexander disease, a rare and deadly neurological disorder previously without approved treatment. The approval applies in the United States. Long-term real-world outcomes are not yet known.
According to a Commonwealth Fund report covered by STAT, U.S. drug overdose deaths fell by 27% in 2024. Preliminary data for 2025 indicates the decline continued. The report notes that the reasons for this national decline are not yet fully understood.
The only birthing center in Rensselaer County, New York, located in Troy, will remain open. This follows a community campaign that opposed a planned closure by a national Catholic health system. It is not clear if the threat of closure is permanently resolved.
The UK NHS has started administering an updated seasonal flu vaccine. The vaccine includes protection against the 'Super-K' subclade, with schoolchildren and pregnant women receiving it first. The rollout is just beginning, and its effectiveness against this year's circulating strains is not yet known. 'Super-K' is a media label for a subclade, not a medical term indicating increased severity.
The U.S. FDA approved Mimrylo, a weekly injection for the treatment of polycythemia vera. The approval provides a new national regulatory option for a rare disease. The drug is newly approved, and its real-world effectiveness and use are not yet demonstrated.
The Democratic Republic of Congo started an Ebola vaccination campaign on August 27, 2026. The regional effort began with health workers in the city of Kisangani. The campaign is in its early stages and the Ervebo vaccine has not yet been proven effective against the Bundibugyo virus strain causing this outbreak.
The US FDA approved updated Covid-19 vaccines for the XFG variant. This is a national approval. Distribution has not yet started, and insurance coverage is still being determined.
The FDA has approved Roivant's drug Lisraya (brepocitinib) for the treatment of dermatomyositis. The approval is national in scope across the United States. Patient access and real-world effectiveness are not yet known. According to the drugmaker Roivant, an estimated 40,000 to 70,000 people in the U.S. have the condition.
The World Health Organization declared Uganda's Ebola outbreak over. The national declaration came after a 42-day monitoring period with no new cases. The outbreak resulted in 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. However, a neighboring outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is accelerating, posing a continued cross-border risk.
The FDA has granted expedited approval to daraxonrasib, a first-of-a-kind pill that targets a mutated protein present in over 90% of pancreatic cancers. The approval is US-wide. However, the expedited status means its real-world effectiveness and broad patient access are not yet demonstrated.
The FDA approved Rasonque for national use. A clinical trial showed the drug nearly doubled overall survival. This benefit is based on a single study. Real-world effectiveness and long-term outcomes are not yet known.
NHS England is providing HPV self-testing kits to women who have not attended cervical screening appointments. This is a national program with plans to send nearly 4 million invites over the next year. The rollout is just beginning, and the 4 million figure refers to planned invites, not completed tests.
STAT reports the FDA approved Regeneron's drug Pasatru for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. This targets ultra-rare disease patients. Long-term real-world outcomes are not yet known.
The U.S. FDA approved Regeneron's drug Pasatru (garetosmab) to treat fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). FOP is an ultra-rare disease that causes soft tissue to turn into bone. The approval is a delivered result, but the drug's impact on patients and its use have yet to be observed.
A study found that London's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) is linked to improved lung size and function in children. The research was conducted city-wide. The findings are from a single observational study, and the results may be influenced by other factors.