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May102025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Bill Gates Will Close Gates Foundation by 2045, Give Fortune to Global Health

Global Health

by Alice Park - Time Magazine So far, 2025 has been a terrible year for global health. The Trump Administration is slashing funding to a number of international programs; closing down USAID, the government’s major aid development arm; and withdrawing U.S. membership from the World Health Organization. But a glimmer of hope arrived on May 8, when Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, announced that he will be infusing the struggling field with most of his fortune—$200 billion, which he built after creating Microsoft—to be spent by 2045. He also plans to close down the foundation at that time. Since Gates and his former wife, Melinda French Gates, created the foundation 25 years ago, the organization has contributed more than $100 billion to global causes, primar...

May42025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

China Pushes Back on Lab Leak Claims, Suggests Covid-19 Originated in U.S.

COVID19

GHealth News - In response to renewed U.S. allegations that Covid-19 originated from a Chinese lab, China released a white paper asserting the virus may have emerged in the United States. The document, published by Xinhua, criticized the U.S. for politicizing the pandemic's origins and emphasized that a joint WHO-China study found a lab leak to be “extremely unlikely.” China also accused the U.S. of ignoring international concerns and cited claims that Covid-19 may have appeared in the U.S. before the official timeline. Meanwhile, the CIA recently assessed with “low confidence” that a lab origin in China is more likely, though it noted both lab and natural origins remain possible.

May32025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Deadly Link? Abbott, Mead Johnson Baby Formulas Under Fire

NCDs

GHealth News - A U.S. federal judge ruled that expert testimony claiming Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson's cow’s milk-based formula for premature babies can cause necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a deadly intestinal disease, will be allowed in upcoming trials. This decision affects over 700 lawsuits consolidated in Chicago federal court. However, in a separate ruling, the judge dismissed the first scheduled case, stating the plaintiffs failed to prove that Abbott’s lack of warnings caused the infant’s death or that a safer alternative formula existed. Despite this setback, plaintiffs' attorneys see the expert testimony ruling as a win for continuing litigation. The lawsuits allege the companies failed to warn about NEC risks, which predominantly affects premature infants and has a ...

Apr292025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

FDA Requests New Trial for Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Amid Delayed Approval

COVID19

GHealth News - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked Novavax to conduct a new clinical trial for its COVID-19 vaccine, delaying the company's bid for full approval, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The request comes after intervention by appointees under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sparking uncertainty around the shot’s future. Novavax, which uses a protein-based vaccine platform as an alternative to mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, said its application remains "approvable" and it awaits further FDA feedback. The company is negotiating a smaller, more affordable study and noted its commitment to meeting the agency’s post-marketing requirements. The delay follows missed regulatory deadlines and internal FDA change...

Apr262025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2025 – New Delhi, India

Global Health

GHealth News - The World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2025 is currently taking place in New Delhi, India, from April 25 to 27, marking a historic milestone as India hosts this prestigious gathering for the first time. Organized under the overarching theme "Scaling Access to Ensure Health Equity," the summit aims to foster international dialogue and cooperation to address some of the most pressing challenges in global health today. The WHS Regional Meeting 2025 brings together over 400 leaders from academia, politics, the private sector, and civil society, representing more than 100 countries. With the goal of advancing health as a fundamental human right, the discussions center around creating sustainable health systems, promoting innovation, and ensuring equitable access to hea...

Apr162025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Global Community Reaches Historic Deal on Future Pandemic Response

Global Health

GHealth News - The World Health Organization (WHO) has finalized the text of a legally binding treaty aimed at strengthening global preparedness and coordination for future pandemics. This agreement, years in the making, seeks to prevent the kind of disorganized global response seen during the COVID-19 crisis. Key points of the treaty include: Faster sharing of disease data to help speed up the development of vaccines and treatments. WHO oversight of global PPE supply chains to improve distribution during crises. A requirement for pharmaceutical companies to reserve 20% of pandemic-related products, 10% donated to WHO and 10% sold at affordable rates. Voluntary technology sharing with low-income countries to support local vaccine and drug production. A new system, the Pa...

Apr122025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

WHO Members Close to Pandemic Preparedness Treaty After Three Years of Talks

Global Health

GHealth News - The World Health Organization (WHO) is close to finalizing a legally binding treaty aimed at improving global preparedness for future pandemics. After three years of intense negotiations sparked by the COVID-19 crisis, most of the treaty has been agreed upon, with only a few critical issues remaining. Talks in Geneva ran overnight but were paused until Tuesday to resolve final disagreements. The United States withdrew from the discussions earlier this year under President Donald Trump, but the remaining 192 member states may choose to ratify the treaty once adopted. A major point of contention remains the fair distribution of vaccines and medicines, especially between wealthy and developing countries. The treaty has faced opposition from right-wing critics who argue it...

Apr72025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

World Health Day 2025: Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures

Global Health

GHealth News - The World Health Organization (WHO) launches the Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures campaign on World Health Day 2025, April 7, focusing on maternal and newborn health. The campaign aims to reduce preventable deaths, improve long-term health for women, and raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival. With nearly 300,000 maternal deaths and over 4 million newborn deaths annually, urgent action is needed. WHO encourages collective action, investments in healthcare, and better support for families, addressing both physical and emotional health needs. People are urged to spread awareness, participate in global events, donate, and share personal stories. Campaign goals To raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival and the need to prioritiz...

Mar262025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Can generative AI tackle global health problems?

Global Health

By: Rachel Tompa When it comes to widespread global health problems, ChatGPT and its like may not be the first solution that comes to your mind. But generative AI, the type of large language model that underlies artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT, could have a lot to offer in low- and middle-income countries where access to reliable health care remains a hurdle for many. Eleni Linos, MD, DrPH, the director of the Stanford Center for Digital Health, spends a lot of time thinking about how digital tools including generative AI could tackle health problems that humans haven't been able to solve. Recently, Linos and her research team at the center co-authored a report on generative AI's application for health in low- and middle-income countries in collab...

Mar222025 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

MSF Warns of Worsening Malnutrition Crisis in Yemen Amid Funding Cuts

Global Health

GHealth News - The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised alarm over the escalating malnutrition crisis in Yemen, warning that the growing needs surpass the current treatment capacity. In a statement on Wednesday, MSF urged increased financial support following significant reductions in humanitarian funding for the country. Malnutrition admissions in Yemen remain critically high, MSF reported. "If we don't take immediate action by strengthening nutrition programs and ensuring affordable transportation to healthcare facilities, we risk an even greater surge in malnutrition in the coming months," said Himedan Mohammed, MSF Middle East's head of operations. Despite expanding treatment capacity, MSF stated that it is unable to meet all the demands and called for urg...