Science & Tech

Japan Clears First iPS Cell Therapies for Sale, Launching a High-Stakes Test of Regenerative Medicine

Japan grants conditional approval to the first iPS cell therapies—one for Parkinson’s and one for heart failure—despite limited trial data.

#stemcells, #ips, #parkinsons, #heartfailure, #japan

Infant Formula Recalls Spread Across Europe After Rare Toxin Found in Key Ingredient

Trace cereulide contamination in an ARA oil triggered recalls in 60+ countries, sickened infants and pushed EU regulators to set first safety limits.

#infantformula, #foodsafety, #europe, #recall, #efsa

Kent meningitis B outbreak linked to Canterbury nightclub prompts mass antibiotics and emergency vaccinations

A meningitis B outbreak in Kent tied to crowded Canterbury club nights has killed two and sickened dozens, sparking a national alert and emergency jabs.

#meningitis, #publichealth, #vaccines, #uk, #university

U.S. Measles Cases Surge, Putting Elimination Status at Risk as PAHO Weighs April Review

More than 1,300 U.S. measles cases in 2026 have renewed fears the virus is becoming endemic again as PAHO reviews elimination status in April.

#measles, #vaccines, #publichealth, #cdc, #mmr

CMS to Enforce New Hospital Price Transparency Data—Including What Insurers Actually Pay—Starting April 1

CMS begins April 1 enforcement of new hospital price rules requiring allowed-amount percentiles and executive attestations, with fines up to millions.

#healthcare, #cms, #hospitalpricing, #transparency, #medicare

PAHO: H5N1 Spreads Widely in Animals Across the Americas, but Human Cases Remain Rare

PAHO reports H5N1 entrenched in birds and mammals across the Americas, yet only 75 human cases. Experts warn infections in workers may go unseen.

#h5n1, #avianinfluenza, #publichealth, #dairy, #surveillance

FTC Deal Forces Express Scripts to Delink Fees From Drug List Prices in Insulin Pricing Crackdown

A 10-year FTC consent order targets Express Scripts’ insulin rebates, requires net-price cost sharing and bans spread pricing in a new plan option.

#insulin, #drugprices, #pbm, #ftc, #expressscripts

Finerenone Cuts Proteinuria in Type 1 Diabetes Kidney Disease Trial, but Long-Term Benefit Unproven

A phase 3 trial found finerenone lowered urine protein in adults with type 1 diabetes and CKD—raising hopes, but leaving outcome questions.

#diabetes, #kidneydisease, #clinicaltrials, #finerenone, #nephrology

Meningitis cluster linked to University of Kent prompts mass antibiotics drive as two die

Thirteen invasive meningococcal cases linked to Canterbury spark a major UKHSA response, campus antibiotics clinics and fresh scrutiny of student vaccine gaps.

#meningitis, #university, #ukhsa, #vaccines, #canterbury

WHO seeks $38.8 million to keep Yemen’s fragile health system from unraveling

WHO is asking for $38.8 million to sustain basic health care for 10.5 million Yemenis in 2026 as funding falls and outbreaks loom.

#yemen, #who, #humanitarianaid, #cholera, #publichealth

PAHO Warns Cuba Faces ‘Very High’ Disease Risk as Mosquito Outbreaks Collide With Blackouts and Food Shortages

PAHO reports surging chikungunya, dengue and Oropouche in Cuba, worsened by power cuts, storm damage and shortages straining hospitals.

#cuba, #paho, #dengue, #chikungunya, #oropouche

CDC Deploys ‘Disease Detectives’ as South Carolina Measles Outbreak Nears 1,000 Cases

Federal epidemiologists and supplies head to the Carolinas as South Carolina’s measles outbreak nears 1,000 cases, fueled by falling vaccination rates.

#measles, #vaccines, #cdc, #southcarolina, #publichealth

U.S. says it has completed WHO withdrawal, but legal fight looms over unpaid dues

Trump administration declares the U.S. has left the WHO, ending funding and participation, while WHO and legal experts dispute exit terms tied to arrears.

#who, #globalhealth, #uspolicy, #pandemicprep

Surgeon in London Removes Gibraltar Patient’s Prostate by Remote-Controlled Robot in U.K. First

A London urologist remotely performed prostate cancer surgery in Gibraltar using a Toumai robot, marking the U.K.’s first long-distance telesurgery.

#telesurgery, #roboticsurgery, #prostatecancer, #gibraltar, #healthtech

FDA proposes new pathway to approve one-patient gene-editing drugs for ultra-rare diseases

New FDA draft guidance would let individualized CRISPR and RNA therapies win approval with tiny studies, using strong biology and natural-history data.

#fda, #geneediting, #raredisease, #crispr, #drugapproval