The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new technical report including updated terminology to describe pathogens that are transmitted through the air, following “an extensive, multi-year, collaborative effort”. It follows confusion and contestation between scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the “varying terminologies” and  “gaps in common understanding”, said the WHO. These “contributed […] Continue reading ->
At a time when the world is negotiating the best way forward for sustained preparedness to address pandemics, it is still exhibiting collective failure to learn from past outbreaks and a glaring gap in global health security. Mpox is one case in point – and a test case for global intent on pandemic preparedness.  In […] Continue reading ->
Over the last century, Europe – including  Northern, Western, Southern and Central European countries – made remarkable progress in the near elimination of tuberculosis (TB) due to improved socio-economic conditions and advancements in research and development.  However, a recent surge of TB in Europe, coupled with lack of structural preparedness within many European Union (EU) […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported drug resistance to the world’s gold-standard antiretroviral medicine, dolutegravir  “exceeding levels observed in clinical trials” – with resistance ranging from 3.9% to 19.6%. This was potentially very bad news as dolutegravir has been the recommended first- and second-line HIV treatment for all population groups since 2018 – but […] Continue reading ->
WASHINGTON, DC – When US Senator Amy Klobuchar’s father, the late Jim Klobuchar, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the noted Minnesota newspaper columnist gradually stopped recognizing her – although he retained “a kind of savoir faire” to the very end with words, jokes and storytelling based on the decades of “lines enmeshed in his memory,” […] Continue reading ->