Tag: News Approved

Posted on

Opinion: I led the U.S. CDC response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic. The new outbreak needs massive, immediate, meticulous action

By the time the world began responding to the West Africa epidemic in 2014, which killed more than 11,000 people before it ended in 2016, there were 40 to 50 suspected cases.

The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had approximately 10 times that number by the time the response started. Three weeks in, it has spread from three health zones to 25, with new areas added almost daily. National, provincial, and local health staff are responding intensively, but fewer than half of known contacts are being traced nationwide, laboratories are backlogged, no Ebola treatment center is ready, few health workers have been trained, there’s insufficient protective equipment for health workers and few medications for patients, and burial teams have come under attack.

Read the rest…

Posted on

Oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist aleniglipron in people with overweight or obesity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2b trial

Nature Medicine, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04476-6

As presented at the American Diabetes Association Meeting: this randomized phase 2b trial in 230 adults with overweight or obesity shows that aleniglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP1-RA, led to up to 11.3% body-weight loss compared with placebo after 36 weeks of treatment.

Posted on

CDC: Ebola outbreak in Central Africa could reach 20,000 cases without strong countermeasures

NEW YORK — The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa could grow to 20,000 cases or more, depending on how quickly infected people are isolated to slow the spread, according to a new analysis by U.S. health officials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a range of scenarios generated by computer models Friday, spanning from 10,000 cases to more than 20,000. If accurate, a worst-case scenario could approach the worst Ebola outbreak in history, the West Africa epidemic in 2014-2016 — which resulted in more than 28,000 reported cases and more than 11,000 deaths.

Read the rest…

Posted on

STAT+: Newer GLP-1s, pushback on research cuts, and a protest 

You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s ADA in 30 Seconds newsletter from the American Diabetes Association’s annual conference. Sign up here

This is Elizabeth Cooney saying hello from New Orleans, where the weather is warm, the conference center is cool, and debates can be fiery. Welcome to the first of three ADA in 30 newsletters, in which my colleague Elaine Chen and I curate some of the news and analyses circulating here near the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

First up, thoughts from Rick Woychik, a senior adviser to NIH chief Jay Bhattacharya who subbed for him as keynote speaker, plus some background from our STAT colleague Anil Oza. Then, what the weekend will bring.

If you are here too, come say Hi, or reach me at elizabeth.cooney@statnews.com.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

Posted on

Evaluating an Abbreviated Internet-Delivered Stress Recovery Intervention for Health Care Workers: Pre-Post Feasibility Study of Outcomes, Usability, and Acceptability

<strong>Background:</strong> Health care workers face numerous occupational stressors that place them at heightened risk for burnout and poor mental health. Internet-delivered interventions have shown promise in reducing stress and related symptoms, yet adherence is often low, and users do not complete programs. Abbreviated interventions may help address engagement barriers such as high workload, limited time, and varying user preferences. There is a need to evaluate brief, accessible formats of internet-delivered programs for this population. <strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to examine the initial outcomes, usability, and acceptability of a 4-week abbreviated internet-delivered stress recovery intervention for health care workers. Specifically, it evaluated changes in stress recovery, perceived stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and psychological well-being. The study also sought to understand participants’ experiences with the brief format to determine whether it meets their needs. <strong>Methods:</strong> This single-arm pre-post study examined a 4-week abbreviated version of the online guided cognitive behavioral therapy-based stress recovery program FOREST among self-enrolled health care workers recruited through professional networks (N=52; mean age 39.31, SD 11.31 years; 49/52, 94.2% women). Outcomes included stress recovery (the Recovery Experience Questionnaire), perceived stress (the Perceived Stress Scale-4), depression and anxiety symptoms (the Patient Health Questionnaire-4), psychological well-being (the World Health Organization Well-being Index), and usability and acceptability ratings. <strong>Results:</strong> We found that after the abbreviated version of the FOREST intervention participants showed moderate improvements in stress recovery (<i>d</i>=0.54, 95% CI 0.25-0.83); reductions in stress (<i>d</i>=–0.43, 95% CI –0.72 to –0.14), anxiety and depression symptoms (<i>d</i>=–0.51, 95% CI –0.80 to –0.22); and increase in psychological well-being (<i>d</i>=0.39, 95% CI 0.08-0.70). The majority (37/52, 71.2%) accessed all 6 modules. Users reported high satisfaction with the abbreviated program. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> While preliminary and limited by the pre-post design, these findings indicate that abbreviated internet-based stress recovery programs are a promising and practical tool for supporting the mental health of health care workers. Future research should examine the long-term effects, compare the abbreviated and standard versions, and explore implementation in routine practice. <strong>Trial Registration:</strong>
Posted on

STAT+: What stripping civil service protections for thousands of federal workers will mean for HHS

Thousands of Health and Human Services Department staff who shape policy, including on public health, federal health insurance programs, and health data privacy, have had their employment status changed to a designation that makes it easier for them to be fired, and thus makes them more vulnerable to political pressure from the White House. 

The reclassification of roughly 8,000 employees across the federal government, outlined in an executive order President Trump issued late Wednesday, also impacts some National Institutes of Health workers who oversee grant funding.

On the whole, health policy experts said, the shift toward a more politicized workforce is part of a broader goal of the Trump administration to shift power away from Congress and toward the executive branch. The policy, known as “Schedule F,” dates back to Trump’s first administration and would create a new class of federal employees that are not political appointees but could be fired at will.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…

Posted on

Senior NIH official pushes MAHA strategy to skeptical ADA audience

NEW ORLEANS — A senior adviser to the leader of the National Institutes of Health opened his speech to a national gathering of diabetes researchers with a full-throated endorsement of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Then, during the fireside chat that followed, he withstood sustained cheers for criticism of deep funding cuts to the nation’s biomedical research enterprise that he was asked to explain.

“I could have written the MAHA agenda,” Richard Woychik, who works closely with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, said Friday, recalling when he first learned last October of the policy embraced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

Read the rest…

Posted on

Preferences for Telehealth Physical Activity Participation Among a Cohort of Children and Youth With Disabling Conditions: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Background: Children with disabling conditions encounter numerous challenges in participating in physical activity within their community. Telehealth has emerged as an ideal method for promoting physical health and wellness, but there is a need to identify optimal implementation strategies. Objective: This study aimed to describe the telehealth physical activity preferences of active children and youth with disabling conditions to rapidly inform the development of a pilot telehealth program that could be delivered nationally. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of pediatric members of a community-based wellness program. Questions probed preferences for delivery method; programming frequency, intensity, duration, and type; desired outcomes; technology access and proficiency; and additional needed supports. Of the initial 56 respondents, 4 (7.1%) over the age of 18 years were excluded, leaving 52 (92.9%) for analysis. Outcomes were summarized descriptively. Results: Of 392 wellness program members, 56 (14.3%) responses were gathered. The mean age of the 52 analyzed respondents was 10 (SD 3; range 5-16) years. The sample predominantly comprised male (32/52, 61.5%) and White (34/52, 65.4%) individuals, with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disorder as the most common disability types (22/52, 42.3% each). Social and psychological barriers were the most frequently reported challenges to physical activity participation (36/52, 69.2% and 27/52, 51.9%, respectively). Most respondents reported an ideal exercise dose of 1 to 2 sessions per week of 30 to 45 minutes at a novice or beginner difficulty level. Winter was the preferred season for participation. The 2 most desired delivery formats were live videoconferencing and prerecorded videos. Desired program outcomes included strength improvement, mental health, developing new hobbies and activities, and social connection. Over 90% of respondents (47/52, 90.4%) reported having adequate technology at home to support virtual participation. Conclusions: Optimal telehealth programs for this cohort should be brief and low intensity and offered seasonally, with both live and prerecorded delivery options. Although this preferred dose does not meet US physical activity guidelines, it may represent an appropriate starting point for many inactive children with disabilities. Future research should examine behavior change strategies that motivate children to enroll in these programs and support gradual increases in physical activity over time.
<img src="https://jmir-production.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thumbs/161cf4295998dde9bae727b0a89aac87" />

Posted on

Influenza Drugs Could Prevent Cognitive Decline in Chronic Viral Infections 

Researchers at Northwestern University have found that a combination of influenza drugs could reduce cognitive impairment and premature aging in people living with chronic infections. In a study published today in the journal Med, the team uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which viruses like HIV drive cognitive decline over time even when effectively treated. 

“We are not saying yet that people should take flu drugs to prevent cognitive decline,” explains Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen, PhD, associate professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “We are saying that our findings open the door to testing whether this drug class, or better next-generation versions, could be repurposed for brain and aging-related complications.”

At least 25% of people living with HIV develop symptoms affecting their memory and thinking, even when the infection is effectively managed using antiretroviral therapy.  Until now, the reason for it remained unclear. 

Abdel-Mohsen’s team analyzed blood samples from more than 100 people in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, all of which were infected with HIV and taking antiretroviral therapy. Based on clinical testing, the patients were separated in two groups, one having normal cognition and another cognitive impairment. 

Results showed that those who developed cognitive impairment had reduced levels of glycans in their blood. These protective sugar molecules normally keep inflammation under control, but when they are degraded, inflammation becomes chronic and accelerates aging processes. 

The researchers also found that glycan degradation was more pronounced among women in the study. While men saw changes in glycan levels evolve gradually and steadily over time, women experienced an acceleration around menopause. 

“Before menopause, women show a slower loss of anti-inflammatory glycans and slower accumulation of pro-inflammatory glycans compared with men, but around menopause there is a rapid shift toward a more inflammatory glycan profile,” says Abdel-Mohsen.

In human immune cells and mouse models, a combination of two influenza drugs successfully preserved glycans and reduced inflammation, slowing down aging and protecting memory. The treatment was composed of oseltamivir, sold as Tamiflu, and an experimental drug. Both are glycan-based drugs belonging to the sialidase inhibitor drug class, which block an enzyme that the influenza virus relies on to replicate itself. 

In future studies, the researchers will investigate whether glycans can serve as biomarkers of future cognitive decline, which could eventually lead to the development of predictive blood tests The team is also planning to further study and optimize potential treatment strategies based on the influenza drugs to prevent cognitive impairment.

“On the treatment side, we want to do more preclinical work to optimize the approach,” says Abdel-Mohsen. “Although some sialidase inhibitors are already used safely in people for influenza, they have not been tested for this purpose, dose or duration.”

The post Influenza Drugs Could Prevent Cognitive Decline in Chronic Viral Infections  appeared first on Inside Precision Medicine.