The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to strictly regulate nicotine pouches to prevent an imminent epidemic among vulnerable adolescents. These highly addictive products threaten to dismantle decades of global progress in tobacco control if left completely unchecked, health officials warn. Faced with declining cigarette sales, tobacco companies continuously release new product lines, […] Continue reading ->
The European Commission announced its long-awaited Global Health Resilience Initiative on Wednesday. While the policy roadmap aims to support partner countries’ transition toward health sovereignty amid historic aid cuts and shifting geopolitical realities, critics are concerned about its heavy reliance on private funding. As global health gains face a severe threat of reversal from stagnating […] Continue reading ->
As the campaign to elect a new World Health Organization Director-General officially opens, a timeline for the process has been published by outgoing DG Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for consideration by member states at the upcoming Executive Board in May meeting. While guidelines aim to promote a transparent and level playing field, structural loopholes remain. […] Continue reading ->
A dramatically shrinking World Health Organization (WHO) has seen a slight decline in gender parity amidst restructuring. Strict recruitment policies and targeted job cuts have actively boosted female representation within the organisation’s professional ranks. But deep regional disparities in gender representation remain unresolved, with men holding the overwhelming majority of staff posts in the African, […] Continue reading ->
This week’s announcement of BioNTech factory closures in Germany marks an end to the country’s pandemic-era COVID-19 vaccine production boom. The Mainz-based pioneer announced that it will manufacture its final batches of the vaccine domestically later this year, transferring all future production to its American partner, Pfizer. This strategic retreat from Germany – which includes […] Continue reading ->
STRASBOURG – Amid a global backlash against sexual and reproductive rights, the European Parliament has taken a decisive stand by voting for a unified, human rights-based standard for sexual offences. This Europe-wide legislative push aims to overhaul the fragmented national laws that currently leave many survivors without access to justice or essential health support. The […] Continue reading ->
As the World Health Organization (WHO) formally opens the nomination process for the next Director-General, Germany now appears likely to propose Helge Braun, Chief of Staff in former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, according to Berlin insiders. But after slashing its global health budget, sources question whether a German candidate can win wide support from other […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – As global health leaders gathered in Geneva on Monday to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, an  advocacy forum featuring high-level diplomats addressed the rising threat of antimalarial drug resistance. Celebrations of medical progress and clinical discussions quickly gave way to discussion about a rapidly escalating malaria funding crisis, with more funding cuts […] Continue reading ->
A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading ->
Historic declines in Official Development Assistance (ODA) have set international aid back a decade, prompting civil society warnings that the ODA cuts will further devastate funding for global health, education and social protection. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released preliminary data showing total global aid fell by 23.1% in real terms during […] Continue reading ->