Mike Stobbe

New sleeping sickness pill gets nod, paving the way for use in Africa European drug regulators are endorsing a new and simpler treatment for sleeping sickness, in what could be a giant boost to efforts to eliminate the disease.

A European Medicines Agency committee gave its nod to acoziborole, made by Sanofi. The decision is seen as a crucial step to making the medicine available in Congo, the country with the most sleeping sickness cases. apnews.com/article/slee...

Novartis settles with Henrietta Lacks' estate over use of her 'stolen' cells to advance medicine Novartis has settled a lawsuit by the estate of Henrietta Lacks that alleged the pharmaceutical giant unjustly profited off her cells, which were taken from her tumor without her knowledge in 1951 and...

Novartis has settled a lawsuit by the estate of Henrietta Lacks that alleged the company unjustly profited off her cells, which were taken from her tumor without her knowledge in 1951 and reproduced in labs to enable major medical advancements, including the polio vaccine. apnews.com/article/henr...

More organs are being donated after the heart stops, not brain death. Policies are changing too The vast majority of organ donations once came from people who were brain-dead. But last year about half of the deceased organ donations came from people who died when their heart stopped beating inst...

The vast majority of organ donations once came from people who were brain-dead. Now they’re increasingly coming from people who died when their heart stopped beating, a major shift that can boost transplants but also raises public confusion, researchers reported Thursday. apnews.com/article/orga...

States sue Trump administration over changes to childhood vaccine recommendations More than a dozen states are suing the Trump administration over its changes to vaccine recommendations for children.

More than a dozen states sued the Trump administration Tuesday over its rollback of vaccine recommendations for children, calling the move an illegal threat to public health. apnews.com/article/chil...

RFK Jr. promised to restore trust in US health agencies. One year later, it’s eroding Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reshaping U.S. health policy as HHS secretary, and doctors say his changes are eroding trust.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reshaping U.S. health policy as HHS secretary, and doctors say his changes are eroding trust.

US births dropped last year, suggesting the 2024 uptick was short-lived U.S. births slightly decreased in 2025. That's according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

US births dropped last year, suggesting the 2024 uptick was short-lived. apnews.com/article/how-...

Fear in Minnesota's Somali community deepens, hampering progress on measles vaccination Public health officials say a measles crisis has long been brewing in Minnesota. For years, the state's large Somali community has been fertile ground for the myth that the measles vaccine causes auti...

In 2006, 92% of Somali 2-year-olds were up-to-date on the measles vaccine, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Today’s rate is closer to 24%, according to state data. apnews.com/article/meas...

US life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2024, CDC says U.S. life expectancy has hit the highest mark in American history. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday reported that life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024.

U.S. life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024 — the highest mark in history. What’s more, preliminary statistics suggest a continued improvement in 2025. apnews.com/article/cdc-...

US completes withdrawal from World Health Organization The U.S. has finalized its withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Federal officials announced the completion Thursday.

The Trump administrations says it has finalized its withdrawal from the World Health Organization. One public health scholar is calling it "the most ruinous presidential decision in my lifetime." apnews.com/article/worl...

Guinea-Bissau suspends Trump-backed hepatitis B vaccine study for ethical review Guinea-Bissau's health minister says the government is suspending a Trump administration-backed hepatitis B vaccine study on newborns in the West African country pending an ethical review.

Guinea-Bissau is suspending a Trump administration-backed hepatitis B vaccine study on newborns in the West African country, pending an ethical review, the health minister said Thursday. apnews.com/article/guin...

US overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals U.S. overdose deaths fell through the most of last year, suggesting a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for decades.

apnews.com/article/over... 
ICYMI... US overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals

Confusion erupts in mental health and substance abuse programs as HHS cuts, then reinstates grants Providers, state health agencies and others are feeling whiplash and confusion after the Trump administration eliminated and then abruptly reinstated grants that support substance abuse and mental hea...

apnews.com/article/samh... 
Article notes whiplash has been a common experience for providers, state health agencies and Americans who receive services - from the Trump administration eliminating, then abruptly reinstating, grants that support some of the nation’s most vulnerable people.

CDC studies show value of nationwide wastewater disease surveillance, as potential funding cut looms Two new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show wastewater monitoring of measles can flag measles spread days to weeks in advance.

apnews.com/article/meas... studies show value of nationwide wastewater disease surveillance, as potential funding cut looms

A Controversial U.S. Study of Hepatitis B Vaccines Will Continue in Africa, HHS says This clinical trial in Guinea-Bissau would withhold vaccination from some babies, sparking ethical concerns

www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-co...

Some flu measures decline, but it's not clear this severe season has peaked U.S. flu infections are showing signs of a slight decline, but health officials say it is not clear that this severe flu season has peaked.

U.S. flu infections are showing signs of a slight decline, but health officials say it is not clear that this severe flu season has peaked.

Judge says Trump administration can’t block child care, other program money for 5 states for now A judge has ruled that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot block child care and other federal social service money from flowing to five states for now.

BREAKING: A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot block federal money for child care and other social service funding to five states for now.

US will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the U.N.’s population agency and the U.N. treaty that establishes international climate negotiations.

US will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation apnews.com/article/unit...

US awards no-bid contract to Denmark scientists studying hepatitis B vaccine in African babies The Trump administration has awarded a $1.6 million, no-bid contract a Danish university to study hepatitis B vaccinations on newborns in Africa.

apnews.com/article/hepa... 
US awards no-bid contract to Denmark scientists studying hepatitis B vaccine in African babies. Some see parallels to Tuskegee Study.

Florida plows ahead with push to roll back certain vaccine mandates for schoolchildren Florida officials are plowing ahead with a proposal to roll back certain vaccine mandates for the state’s schoolchildren. That is after Republican Gov.

A rule change proposed by the Florida Department of Health would eliminate requirements that Florida children receive the hepatitis B, varicella and Haemophilus influenzae type b or Hib vaccines in order to attend public or private K-12 schools. apnews.com/article/flor...

California officials warn against foraging wild mushrooms after deadly poisoning outbreak California officials are warning foragers about a deadly outbreak linked to wild mushrooms. The state poison control system has identified 21 cases of amatoxin poisoning, likely from death cap mushrooms.

California officials are warning foragers about a deadly outbreak linked to wild mushrooms.

ByHeart baby formula from all lots may be contaminated with botulism bacteria, tests show The makers of ByHeart infant formula say tests of products tied to a botulism outbreak show that all of the company's products may have been contaminated.

The makers of ByHeart infant formula say tests of products tied to a botulism outbreak show that all of the company's products may have been contaminated.

Confirmed that Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham — who moved to end vaccination promotion work in that state — has been picked to be CDC's Principal Deputy Director.

Trump administration plan to reduce access to some student loans angers nurses, health care groups A coalition of nursing and other health care organizations are pushing back against a Trump administration plan that could limit access to student loans in some cases.

ICYMI: Students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, public health and some other fields face tighter federal student loan limits under the plan because it doesn’t consider them professional programs. apnews.com/article/nurs...

Washington state resident believed to be the first to die from a rare strain of bird flu A Washington state resident is believed to be the first person to die from a rare strain of bird flu, but state health officials say the risk to the public is low.

A Washington state resident is believed to be the first person to die from a rare strain of bird flu, but state health officials said Friday the risk to the public is low. apnews.com/article/bird...

Flu activity is low, but experts worry about a new strain and vaccination rates The U.S. flu season is starting slowly, and it’s not clear if it will be as bad as last winter’s. But some health experts are worried about a new type of flu virus and flagging vaccination efforts.

Flu activity is low but worries about a new flu variant and vaccination rates. apnews.com/article/flu-...

Babies who drank ByHeart formula got sick months before botulism outbreak, parents say At least five families say their babies were treated for infant botulism after consuming ByHeart formula months before a current outbreak was detected.

Six babies in California who consumed ByHeart formula were treated for botulism between November 2024 and June 2025, up to nine months before the outbreak that has sickened at least 31 babies in 15 states. apnews.com/article/byhe...

Eswatini is the first African country to get twice-yearly HIV prevention shot Eswatini has become the first African country to receive lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection that global health officials call a game-changer.

Eswatini on Tuesday became the first African country to receive lenacapavir, the first twice-yearly HIV prevention injection hailed by global health officials as a game-changer in the fight against a virus that has killed many millions of across Africa. apnews.com/article/afri...

Senate hearing for Trump's surgeon general pick is postponed after she goes into labor A Senate hearing for President Donald Trump’s surgeon general pick, Dr. Casey Means, has been postponed because she went into labor.

Senate hearing for Trump's surgeon general pick is postponed after she goes into labor apnews.com/article/case...

Judge extends order barring the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the shutdown A federal judge in San Francisco has indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. U.S.

Judge extends order barring the Trump administration from firing federal workers during the shutdown apnews.com/article/shut...

California mpox cases raise concerns. But health officials say the risk remains low Investigators suspect that two Californians diagnosed with mpox may be the first U.S. cases resulting from the local spread of a different version of the virus.

California mpox cases raise concerns. But health officials say the risk remains low apnews.com/article/mpox...