Keyword "RHPI:GOVERNMENT-HEALTH-POLICY" - List of latest news (864 results)

01:33 US to phase out many synthetic food dyes, Kennedy and FDA head say

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said on Tuesday that the agency plans to remove petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply by revoking authorizations of some and working with industry to voluntarily remove others.

10/04 Health secretary Kennedy says US will know cause of autism epidemic by September

The United States government will identify the cause of autism by September this year, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday.

07/04 Aid cuts could leave more women dying in pregnancy and birth, UN says

Cuts to aid budgets are threatening to undermine years of progress in reducing the number of women dying during pregnancy and childbirth, and could lead to a rise in deaths, the United Nations has warned.

05/04 Mexico reports first human case of H5N1 bird flu

Mexico has detected its first human case of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu, the health ministry said on Friday.

02/04 Water and medicine in short supply after Myanmar earthquake, says UN

Shelter, clean water and medicine are in short supply following the earthquake in Myanmar that has caused significant structural damage and had a devastating human toll, the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday.

29/03 WHO proposing to cut jobs and slash budget by a fifth, memo shows

The World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing to reduce staff numbers and the scale of its work as it slashes its budget by just over one fifth due to the impact of U.S. funding cuts, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.

28/03 Exclusive: US pauses financial contributions to WTO, trade sources say

The United States has paused contributions to the World Trade Organization, three trade sources told Reuters, as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration ramps up efforts to cut government spending.

09/03 Nigeria to receive leprosy drugs after a year-long delay

The World Health Organization says it will send leprosy drugs to Nigeria this weekend after resolving testing hold-ups that led to a year-long delay in thousands of patients, including children, getting the medicine they need to prevent disability.

07/03 What is behind South Korea medical student quota dispute

The South Korean government said on Friday it was prepared to freeze the number of new medical students in a bid to resolve a 13-month long dispute involving a walkout by more than 13,000 trainee doctors and medical students boycotting classes.

06/03 USAID cuts put tuberculosis response in peril, WHO says

The Trump administration's decision to pause U.S. foreign aid would undo progress made in containing tuberculosis (TB) infections across low- and middle-income countries, putting the lives of millions at risk, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

26/01 WHO chief urges end to attacks on Sudan healthcare after 70 killed in drone strike

The head of the World Health Organization called on Saturday for an end to attacks on healthcare workers and facilities in Sudan after a drone attack on a hospital in Sudan's North Darfur region killed more than 70 people and wounded dozens.

25/01 Trump says he may consider rejoining World Health Organization

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he may consider rejoining the World Health Organization, days after ordering a U.S. exit from the global health agency over what he described as a mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

24/01 WHO chief to cut costs, reset priorities after US exit, document shows

The World Health Organization will cut costs and review which health programmes to prioritise after President Donald Trumpannounced he was withdrawing the U.S. from the agency, the WHO's chief told staff in an internal memo seen by Reuters.

24/01 US to leave World Health Organization on Jan. 22, 2026, says UN

The United States will leave the World Health Organization on Jan. 22, 2026, the United Nations said on Thursday, after being formally notified of the decision by President Donald Trump, who has accused the agency of mishandling the pandemic and other international health crises.

22/01 Exclusive: Global health funds push for more private money, fearing government retreat

One of the world's biggest global health funders will ask the private sector for a steep increase in donations as concern of a shortfall in government contributions grows following a U.S. decision to exit the World Health Organization.

21/01 What does Trump's move to quit WHO mean for U.N. agency and global health? 

President Donald Trump is pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization, raising concerns about the U.N. agency's ability to fight diseases and respond to emergencies around the globe without its biggest funder.

21/01 Germany to lobby Trump on WHO withdrawal, agency hopes for U-turn

Berlin will try to talk U.S. President Donald Trump out of his decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, Germany's health minister said on Tuesday.

21/01 Trump orders US exit from the World Health Organization

The United States will exit the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

18/01 WHO makes last-ditch effort to keep America from leaving as Trump takes over

The World Health Organization is drawing up a list of reasons why the U.S. should remain in the WHO for its own good, two sources familiar with the process told Reuters, as part of an attempt by its supporters to lobby incoming President Donald Trump.

17/01 Flooding Gaza with aid might lessen security challenge, says UNRWA chief

Attacks on aid convoys in the Gaza Strip by looters and armed gangs could decline as humanitarian relief floods the area after the truce takes effect between Israel and Palestinian militants, the head of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA said on Friday.

16/01 WHO appeals for $1.5 billion for emergencies with US funding in question

The World Health Organization launched its annual appeal for funding to respond to health emergencies on Thursday, days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the United States - the agency's biggest donor - puts a question mark over its long-term finances.

16/01 Tanzania says no sign of Marburg outbreak in the country

Tanzania's government said no-one in the country had tested positive for the Marburg virus after the World Health Organization (WHO) said at least eight people in the northwest were believed to have died from it.

08/01 Winter surge in respiratory illness in China and elsewhere not unusual, WHO says

Rising cases of common respiratory illnesses in China and elsewhere around the Northern Hemisphere are within the range expected for winter, with no unusual outbreaks reported, the World Health Organization said.

07/01 Bird flu risk remains low after first US death, WHO says

The risk to the general population from H5N1 bird flu remains low, a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Tuesday, following the first death of a patient from the virus in the United States.

06/01 Louisiana reports first bird flu-related death in US, state agency says

The Louisiana Department of Health said on Monday that a U.S. patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu had died, the country's first death from an outbreak of the virus that has sickened dozens of people and millions of poultry and cattle.

03/01 At UN, Israel defends Gaza hospital raid, UN rights chief says its explanation is vague

Israel on Friday defended its raid on a north Gaza hospital last week while the U.N. human rights chief called the justification unsubstantiated and the World Health Organization urged Israel to release the hospital's director from detention.

31/12 China defends COVID-19 data-sharing as WHO seeks more access

China has shared the most COVID-19 data and research results in the international community, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after the World Health Organization repeated its call for more information and access.

30/12 WHO chief calls for end to hospital attacks in Gaza after strike

The Israeli military said Hamas militants were the targets of the strike on Gaza City's Al Wafa hospital, which the Palestinian civil defence said killed seven people.

28/12 WHO chief describes ordeal during Israeli strike on Yemen airport

The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was not sure he was going to survive an air strike on Yemen's main airport carried out by Israel a day earlier during a series of attacks on the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

27/12 Kosovo detects first monkeypox case after man returns from Africa

Kosovo health authorities said on Friday they had detected the country's first case of monkeypox (mpox), in a man who had recently returned from Africa.

23/12 Trump transition team plans immediate WHO withdrawal, expert says

Members of Donald Trump's presidential transition team are laying the groundwork for the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization on the first day of his second term, according to a health law expert familiar with the discussions.

18/12 Weight loss drugs could help end obesity - but risks remain, WHO says

A new class of weight loss drugs developed by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly “opens the possibility of an end to the obesity pandemic” alongside other interventions, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this week.

18/12 Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's treatment approved in China

China's medical regulator has approved Eli Lilly's treatment for early Alzheimer's, providing patients with another option after Eisai and Biogen's Leqembi received approval in January, the company said late on Tuesday.

17/12 Congo's health ministry says unknown disease is severe malaria

Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry said on Tuesday that a previously unidentified disease circulating in the country's Panzi health zone is a severe form of malaria.

12/12 Trump to discuss ending childhood vaccination programs with RFK Jr.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in an interview published on Thursday said he will be talking to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services, about ending childhood vaccination programs.

11/12 Malaria cases up again in 2023, African children worst hit, WHO reports

There were around 11 million more cases of malaria in 2023 than in 2022, up to an estimated 263 million, according to a new World Health Organization report, marking another year of negligible progress against the age-old killer.

09/12 Undiagnosed disease in Congo puts children, malnourished at risk, WHO says

A mystery disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading mainly among children and putting severely malnourished people at risk, according to the World Health Organization, which sent experts to the region to investigate the outbreak.

08/12 Israel shells north Gaza hospital, disrupting service, doctors say

Palestinian health officials said on Sunday that Israeli forces had shelled the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, damaging electricity and oxygen pumps and disrupting urgent surgeries.

05/12 FDA chief defends work on obesity, food to US Senate as agency awaits fierce critic RFK Jr

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf defended the agency's role in addressing the country's obesity epidemic as he was grilled by senators over FDA regulation of the food and beverage industry on Thursday.

03/12 Unknown disease kills 143 in southwest Congo, local authorities say

An unknown disease killed 143 people in Democratic Republic of the Congo's southwestern province in November, local authorities told Reuters.

03/12 Idaho abortion trafficking law partly revived by US appeals court

Idaho can enforce a first-of-its-kind "abortion trafficking" law against those who harbor or transport a minor to get an abortion out of state without parental consent, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday.

29/11 Mpox outbreak could start plateauing next year, Africa CDC says

The number of mpox cases will continue to rise during the next four weeks before starting to show signs of flattening early next year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

25/11 US Supreme Court rejects tobacco firms' appeal over graphic warnings

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to decide whether federally mandated warnings on cigarette packs that graphically illustrate the health risks of smoking violate the free speech rights of tobacco companies opposed to the labels.

25/11 Fluoride: What is it and why does RFK Jr want it removed from water?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services, has said Trump will call for an end to adding fluoride to public water supplies. Trump has not announced a position but said it is possible he would make such a recommendation.

23/11 Canada confirms first case of clade I mpox in Canada

Canada's public health agency on Friday confirmed the first case of clade I mpox in Canada, in an person in Manitoba.

23/11 Trump's FDA pick is surgeon and writer Martin Makary

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated surgeon and writer Martin Makary to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the world's most influential drug regulator with a more than $7 billion budget.

21/11 Trump likely to pick Johns Hopkins surgeon, COVID mandate critic Makary for FDA, sources say

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will likely choose Johns Hopkins surgeon and writer Martin Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.

19/11 Trump picks TV's Dr. Oz to run Medicare and Medicaid

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had chosen celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz to serve as administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

18/11 Medicaid fuels US coverage of Novo, Lilly weight-loss drugs

U.S. government health plans account for the lion's share of coverage for popular new weight-loss drugs, far beyond the reimbursement available from private employers and insurers, according to an analysis shared with Reuters.

15/11 Health advocates press Cepheid for cheaper mpox tests

Global health advocates have written to the makers of a key mpox diagnostic test to call for its price to be cut from around $20 per test to $5, to help tackle low testing rates in poorer countries badly hit by the virus.

14/11 Trump names RFK Jr. to health cabinet post

President-elect Donald Trump selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist who has spread misinformation on vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States' top health agency, he said on Thursday.

14/11 Trump selects Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead HHS, top US health agency

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday he has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist who has spread misinformation on vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States' top health agency.

14/11 Trump's health team: Who could be in the running?

As President-elect Donald Trump's transition team vets candidates for key healthcare positions, pharmaceutical industry sources said the following people are possible appointees:

14/11 Global measles cases jumped in 2023 due to 'inadequate' vaccine coverage

Measles cases rose 20% last year, driven by a lack of vaccine coverage in the world's poorest countries and those riddled with conflict, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.

14/11 Many long COVID patients adjust to slim recovery odds as world moves on

There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.

14/11 More than 800 million adults have diabetes globally, many untreated, study suggests

More than 800 million adults have diabetes worldwide – almost twice as many as previous estimates have suggested – and more than half of those aged over 30 who have the condition are not receiving treatment, according to a new study.

13/11 Mpox vaccination shortage delays Kinshasa's drive against outbreak

Democratic Republic of Congo has been unable to launch an mpox vaccination campaign in the capital Kinshasa due to a shortage of doses, the country's response leader said, while cases countrywide continue to rise, especially among children.

07/11 US expands bird flu testing after finding symptom-free infections in people

Farm workers who have been exposed to animals with bird flu should be tested for the virus even if they do not have symptoms, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

07/11 Food companies sell products that are less healthy in poorer countries, says report

The world’s biggest food and beverage companies on average sell products in low-income countries that are less healthy than what they sell in high-income countries, according to a new report.

06/11 Vaccine doses allocated for 9 African countries hardest hit by mpox

An initial 899,000 vaccine doses have been allocated for 9 countries across Africa that have been hit hard by the current mpox surge, the WHO and other health organisations said on Wednesday.

04/11 UK detects two more cases of new mpox variant

Britain has detected two more cases of the new mpox variant clade Ib in household contacts of the first case, the country's health security agency (UKHSA) said on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three.

03/11 Israeli attacks kill 23 people in Gaza, medics say, as ceasefire hopes dim

Palestinians said the new aerial and ground offensives and forced evacuations were “ethnic cleansing.”

01/11 Mpox cases on African continent show 500% increase year-on-year

Mpox cases continue to spread on the African continent, showing an increase of over 500% from last year, data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) showed on Thursday.

30/10 Exclusive: US to begin bulk milk testing for bird flu after push from industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin testing bulk raw milk across the country for bird flu, a significant expansion of the agency's efforts to stifle the rapid spread of the virus, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters.

30/10 $35 insulin: Who in the US benefits?

Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail has frequently touted capping the price of insulin at $35 a month as a major accomplishment of the Biden administration, referring to a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act.

24/10 US confirms two human bird flu cases in Washington state

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday confirmed two of the four presumptive positive bird flu cases among poultry farm workers in Washington state.

24/10 Human bird flu cases in California may be undercounted as workers resist testing

Human bird flu cases in California may be undercounted as farm workers avoid testing due in part to economic concerns, according to a labor union and a state expert.

23/10 Exclusive: State and industry input led US farm agency to relax bird flu testing order for cows

The U.S. Department of Agriculture weakened an emergency order last spring designed to prevent the spread of bird flu among the nation's dairy cattle after pushback from state and industry officials, according to state and federal records seen by Reuters.

21/10 Biden administration proposes free over-the-counter birth control

The Biden administration is proposing a rule that would provide women with private insurance access to over-the-counter birth control pills and other contraceptives at no cost, the White House said on Monday.

11/09 Gaza faces a massive reconstruction challenge. Here are key facts and figures

Billions of dollars will be needed to rebuild Gaza when the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas ends, according to assessments from the United Nations.

10/09 Italy faces calls for hospital security crackdown after assaults on doctors

Italy's government faced calls on Tuesday from health workers to send the army to protect public hospitals, after a string of assaults against doctors and nurses who say they are not only overworked and underpaid, but also physically endangered.

10/09 Polio vaccination starts in north Gaza despite obstacles

A campaign to vaccinate a final 200,000 children in north Gaza against polio began on Tuesday although health and aid officials said the operation was complicated by access restrictions, evacuation orders and shortages of fuel.

10/09 More than 49 million in US covered by ACA over the past decade

One in seven Americans have signed up for health insurance coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces since their 2014 launch, according to data released on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

09/09 US proposes new rule to reduce pedestrian deaths

A U.S. agency said Monday it proposing to require future vehicles be redesigned to reduce the risks of serious or fatal injuries in pedestrian crashes amid rising deaths.

09/09 Biden administration finalizes rule to strengthen mental health parity law

The Biden Administration on Monday said it had finalized regulation to help ensure the 175 million Americans with private health insurance have access to affordable mental health services.

08/09 Israeli strike kills senior rescue service official in Gaza as fighting rages

An Israeli airstrike on a house in Jabalia on Sunday killed Mohammad Morsi, deputy director of the Gaza Civil Emergency Service in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip, and four of his family, health officials said.

07/09 US is beefing up mpox testing, vaccine access against new strain, officials say

The United States has beefed up testing and surveillance for a new strain of mpox and has ensured that vaccines are readily available at local pharmacies and community health centers, senior administration officials said in a briefing on Friday.

05/09 Congo receives long-awaited mpox vaccine doses

Democratic Republic of Congo received its first batch of mpox vaccines on Thursday, which health authorities hope will help curb an outbreak that has prompted the U.N. to declare a global public health emergency.

05/09 Trump says US colleges could lose accreditation over 'antisemitic propaganda' if he's elected

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told Jewish donors on Thursday that U.S. universities would lose accreditation and federal support over what he described as "antisemitic propaganda" if he is elected to the White House.

05/09 Texas sues to block Biden rule protecting privacy for women who get abortions

Texas sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a new rule that seeks to protect the privacy of women living in states that ban abortion who travel out of state for the procedure.

05/09 How to find and check an Ozempic batch number

Explosive demand and high prices for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly's weight loss and diabetes drugs have fueled a criminal effort to package autoinjector pens containing other substances, such as insulin, with branding and batch numbers that make them look like Novo's Ozempic.

04/09 DR Congo expects first delivery of mpox vaccine doses on Thursday

The head of Democratic Republic of Congo's mpox outbreak response said on Wednesday that Congo expects to receive its first delivery of mpox vaccine doses on Thursday and a second delivery on Saturday.

04/09 UN Security Council patience for Gaza truce talks running out, says Slovenia

Patience is running out among United Nations Security Council members and the 15-member body will likely consider taking action if a ceasefire cannot soon be brokered between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Slovenia's U.N. envoy - council president for September - said on Tuesday.

03/09 No link between mobile phones and brain cancer, WHO-led study says

There is no link between mobile phone use and increased brain cancer risk, according to a new World Health Organization-commissioned review of the available published evidence worldwide.

03/09 US will still pay at least twice as much after negotiating drug prices

The U.S. government's first-ever negotiated prices for prescription drugs are still on average more than double, and in some cases five times, what drugmakers have agreed to in four other high-income countries, a Reuters review has found.

03/09 WHO surpasses polio vaccination targets in Gaza children

The World Health Organization in Gaza said on Tuesday that it is ahead of its targets for polio vaccinations in Gaza on day three of the mass campaign.

02/09 Eastern Congo mourns victims of conflict in ceremony

Congo's eastern city of Goma held a memorial service on Monday for 200 victims of the conflict between the army and rebels that are waging a renewed insurgency in the vast central African country's militia-plagued east.

02/09 South Korea denies hospital emergency rooms collapsing as army doctors deployed

South Korea's health ministry said on Monday it was deploying military doctors to assist in some hospital emergency rooms due to a shortage of medical staff, but disputed a warning by some physicians that the system was on the verge of collapse.

02/09 China's economic malaise may accelerate obesity rates

As China builds fewer houses and bridges, its consumers buy cheaper, less-healthy meals, and as factories and farms invest in automation, a new fiscal challenge is emerging: the country's obesity rate may grow much faster and add to healthcare costs.

02/09 Before Kolkata doctor rape, an unmet promise to keep physicians safe

Five years ago, West Bengal’s government pledged to improve hospital security. Despite promises, none were implemented where a female doctor was assaulted and killed.

31/08 UNICEF issues emergency tender to secure mpox vaccines

Agreements for up to 12 million doses through next year are possible.

31/08 US undercounts bird flu in cattle as farmers shun testing

Farmers risk being restricted from selling their milk or cattle for weeks.

31/08 Blood tests allow 30-year estimates of women's cardio risks, new study says

Women’s heart disease risks and their need to start taking preventive medications should be evaluated when they are in their 30s rather than well after menopause as is now the practice, said researchers who published a study on Saturday.

30/08 Mpox vaccines to arrive in DR Congo in next few days, WHO says

The World Health Organization chief said on Friday that mpox vaccines were set to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the next few days to fight a new strain of the virus.

30/08 UN's Gaza polio vaccinations will rely on pauses in fighting

The World Health Organization says it will need to vaccinate at least 90% of the children in Gaza for the campaign to succeed.

30/08 Emergent Bio's smallpox vaccine gets US approval for mpox

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted expanded approval to Emergent BioSolutions' smallpox vaccine for use in people at high risk of mpox infection, sending the drugmaker's shares 5% higher on Friday.

30/08 Polio returns to Gaza: what do we know?

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip confirmed the first case of polio in 25 years earlier this month.

30/08 Trump says IVF costs would be covered if he is elected

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday he will require the government or insurance companies to pay for IVF fertility treatments if he is elected in November, a move likely aimed at appealing to women and suburban voters.

29/08 Fighting rages in Gaza as Palestinians hope for a pause for polio vaccinations

Palestinians in Gaza were waiting on Thursday to see if there would be a pause in fighting to allow a polio vaccination campaign to begin, as the conflict raged across the besieged enclave, killing at least 34 people.

29/08 Biden cap on drug costs will save US seniors over $1,000 a year, study finds

More than 1 million people in the U.S. will save over $1,000 a year beginning in 2025, when an annual $2,000 cap on prescription drug out-of-pocket costs kicks in, the leading lobbying group for older Americans said on Wednesday.

28/08 Protesters block train tracks, buses in eastern India

Protesters blocked train tracks, stopped buses and shouted slogans in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Wednesday, the latest in a series of protests that have rocked the state since the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

27/08 UN agencies concerned by mpox spread in Congo's refugee camps

U.N. agencies on Tuesday raised the alarm about the spread of mpox in Democratic Republic of Congo's refugee camps where people are more susceptible to infection because of depleted immune systems and cramped living conditions.

27/08 Spain to donate 500,000 mpox vaccine doses to combat outbreak in Africa

Spain will donate 500,000 doses of the mpox vaccine, or 20% of its stockpile, to combat an outbreak of the disease in Africa, the Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

27/08 Suspected mpox case at Brazilian airport likely chickenpox, hospital says

A suspected case of mpox in a passenger at Brazil's main international airport is likely chickenpox, a Sao Paulo hospital said on Monday, as health officials remain on alert for a new mpox variant that has caused global concern.

27/08 New mpox strain is changing fast; African scientists are ‘working blindly’ to respond

Scientists studying the new mpox strain that has spread out of Democratic Republic of Congo say the virus is changing faster than expected and often in areas where experts lack the funding and equipment to properly track it.

26/08 Families flee after new Israeli evacuation orders in Gaza as ceasefire hopes dim

Israel issued new evacuation orders for Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip late on Sunday, forcing more families to flee, saying forces intended to act against militant group Hamas and others operating in the area.

26/08 Philippines says two new mpox cases are milder variant

The Philippines has confirmed two more mpox virus infections of the milder clade 2 variety, its health ministry said Monday, bringing the number of active cases to three.

24/08 Insight: Why mpox vaccines are only just arriving in Africa after two years

The first 10,000 mpox vaccines are finally due to arrive next week in Africa, where a dangerous new strain of the virus - which has afflicted people there for decades - has caused global alarm.

24/08 Uganda confirms two more cases of mpox

Uganda has confirmed two more mpox virus infections, bringing the number of cases in the east African country to four, according to the health ministry.

24/08 Trump struggles to keep media spotlight in battle with Harris

Donald Trump, touting plans on taxes and health, tried on Friday to turn the page on a week in which he was overshadowed by Kamala Harris and struggled to focus on policy issues instead of personal attacks on his opponent in the U.S. presidential race.

24/08 Gabon records first mpox case

Gabon has registered its first case of mpox, the health ministry said in a statement that did not specify which variant of the viral infection was recorded.

23/08 WHO boss calls for $135 mln to stop mpox outbreak

The head of the World Health Organization called for global concerted action to control a new mpox outbreak, announcing a response plan that will require at least $135 million over the next six months.

23/08 Exclusive: WHO says partners can start talks to buy mpox vaccines before their approval

The World Health Organization said on Friday its partners like Gavi and Unicef can start buying mpox vaccines before they are approved in a bid to get inoculations to Africa faster as the continent battles an escalating outbreak of the virus.

23/08 South Korea doctors warn COVID surge, strike could cripple emergency rooms

South Korea's medical association warned on Friday that a spike in COVID-19 cases and an ongoing strike by trainee doctors could cripple hospital emergency rooms next month at a time when many doctors will also be off due to a public holiday.

23/08 Germany examining whether any available mpox vaccines could be donated

The German government is examining whether any available national mpox vaccine doses could be donated, the health ministry said in a status report for August that was seen by Reuters on Friday.

22/08 Singapore says it has detected 13 cases of mpox Clade 2 infection in 2024

Singapore has detected 13 cases of mpox Clade 2 infections this year, the health ministry said in a bulletin on Thursday.

22/08 Thailand confirms mpox case is clade 1b, second outside of Africa

Thailand on Thursday confirmed an mpox case reported this week was the clade 1b strain of the virus, the second confirmed case of the variant outside of Africa.

21/08 Camp Lejeune claims over contaminated water exceed 500,000

The U.S. Navy has received more than 546,500 claims for compensation from people impacted by decades of contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a new court filing shows, putting it squarely among the largest injury cases of all time.

21/08 New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy forgives $100 mln in medical debt

Nearly 50,000 people in New Jersey will have $100 million in medical debt erased, Governor Phil Murphy said on Tuesday, in one of the largest cases of a state providing direct relief to people unable to pay medical bills.

21/08 Argentina quarantines grains ship over suspected mpox case

Argentine authorities have quarantined a cargo ship in the Parana River near the inland grains port of Rosario over a suspected case of mpox onboard, an industry official said on Tuesday.

20/08 Emergent to donate 50,000 vaccine doses to address mpox outbreak in Africa

Emergent BioSolutions said on Monday it would donate 50,000 doses of its smallpox vaccine to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other impacted countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda to address the current mpox outbreak.

20/08 Mpox is not the new COVID, says WHO official

A World Health Organization official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to control its spread.

19/08 As polio reemerges in Gaza, a mother fears for her child's health

In Gaza, a mother worries that her month-old son, Mohammed, could be infected with polio after the Palestinian health ministry confirmed the first case in the enclave on Friday, ending a 25 year period in which the Strip was polio-free.

19/08 Bavarian Nordic to ramp up production of mpox vaccine

Danish biotech firm Bavarian Nordic said on Saturday it plans to ramp up production of its mpox vaccine and work with international health organisations to ensure fair access as the disease has been declared a global public health emergency.

19/08 Philippines detects first mpox case this year, yet to determine strain

The Philippines has detected a new case of the mpox virus in the country, the first since December last year, its health department said on Monday, adding it was awaiting test results before being able to determine the strain.

19/08 UN chief calls for assurances of humanitarian ceasefires for polio vaccination campaign in Gaza

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for parties to the conflict in Gaza to provide concrete assurances guaranteeing humanitarian pauses in order for a polio vaccine campaign to be conducted.

18/08 Some India doctors stay off job after strike over colleague's rape and murder

Some Indian junior doctors remained off the job on Sunday, demanding swift justice for a colleague who was raped and murdered, despite the end of a 24-hour strike called by the country's biggest association of doctors.

17/08 Breakingviews - Mpox drugmaker’s shares may provide false comfort

Global public health emergencies are always shrouded in uncertainty. Mpox, which has spread beyond central Africa, is no exception. The market price of a company that makes a vaccine, Denmark’s $3.2 billion Bavarian Nordic , at least offers some clues as to what biotechnology investors are bracing for. The signals so far imply a relatively contained outbreak, but things could get worse.

17/08 Greece partially lifts ban for transporting animals after goat plague

Greece said on Friday that it would partially lift a ban on transporting sheep and goats that it imposed last month after goat plague was detected in the country.

16/08 EU public health body lifts mpox risk alert level

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Friday raised its risk level for mpox, a day after global health officials confirmed the first infection with a new strain of the virus outside Africa, in Sweden.

16/08 WHO, partners meet to avoid COVID failures on fair medical access for mpox

The World Health Organisation was due to host an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss ways to ensure fair global access to tests, treatments and vaccines for mpox, a leading official said, as the viral infection spreads in parts of Africa and beyond.

16/08 Countries with confirmed cases of new mpox variant

The World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.

16/08 EU public health body lifts mpox risk alert level after new strain found in Sweden

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on Friday raised its risk level for mpox, a day after global health officials confirmed one case of infection with a new strain of the virus in Sweden, the first outside Africa.

16/08 European CDC raises mpox risk alert level

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC)raised its risk alert level for mpox on Friday, and asked countries to maintain high levels of awareness among travellers visiting from affected areas.

16/08 Children at risk as mpox variant hits Congo displacement camps

Scars from the mpox pustules are still visible on 7-year old Grace Kabuo’s face, as well as on a handful of her playmates at a camp for displaced people near Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

16/08 China to monitor arrivals of people, goods for mpox virus

China will monitor people and goods entering the country for mpox for the next six months, a statement from its customs administration said on Friday, after the WHO said the virus was again a global health emergency.

16/08 Mpox virus detected in Pakistan, health authorities say

Pakistan has detected three patients with the mpox virus, the health department in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said on Friday.

15/08 Biden, Harris hail Medicare drug price cuts that will save billions

The United States has negotiated down the prices of 10 top-selling prescription drugs used by Medicare by as much as 79%, hoping to save $6 billion in the first year as part of a plan hailed on Thursday by President Biden with the aim to ease anger about high prices ahead of November elections.

15/08 Exclusive: Vaccine group Gavi has up to $500 million in funds for mpox shots

The global vaccine group Gavi has up to $500 million to spend on getting shots to countries affected by an escalating mpox outbreak in Africa, its chief executive Sania Nishtar told Reuters.

15/08 Sweden confirms first case of mpox, also first outside Africa

Sweden confirmed its first case of the viral infection mpox on Thursday, which was also the first case outside Africa, a day after the WHO declared the disease a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.

15/08 Why is mpox an emergency again, and how worried should I be?

Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.

15/08 Stigma, regulatory barriers delay mpox response in country that needs it most

Vaccines and treatments that could help tackle an mpox epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo are lying unused outside the country despite a death rate far higher than from the global outbreak that began last year.

14/08 Mpox vaccines likely months away even as WHO, Africa CDC discuss emergency

Vaccines to help curb an escalating mpox outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries may still not reach the central African country for months even as the World Health Organization considers following Africa’s top public health agency in declaring the outbreak an emergency.

14/08 US to expand bird-flu testing of beef in slaughterhouses

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday it will expand bird-flu testing of beef entering the food supply as part of its response to the ongoing outbreak among dairy cattle, adding that U.S. beef and dairy products remain safe to consume.

14/08 Africa public health body declares mpox emergency

Africa's top public health body declared what it termed a "public health emergency of continental security" on Tuesday over an outbreak of mpox that has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.

13/08 Gaza's girls cut off their hair for lack of combs

When girls complain to Gaza paediatrician Lobna al-Azaiza that they have no comb, she tells them to cut off their hair.

09/08 New Gaza camp offers relief for Palestinians with disabilities amid war

A newly opened camp for displaced Palestinians with disabilities is providing some much needed help for around 100 vulnerable people in the town of Deir al-Balah in the central area of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

08/08 Skin diseases afflict Gaza's children as war drags on without end

Like thousands of Gaza children, Yasmine Al-Shanbari, 3, is not only suffering from the upheaval of war all around them. She is ravaged by skin disease and no relief is in sight, with medicine scarce and few hospitals functioning in the Israeli-besieged enclave.

07/08 US CDC issues second health alert for mpox virus in Congo

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a second health alert on Tuesday to notify clinicians and health departments about a deadly type of the mpox virus spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

07/08 WHO says polio vaccine campaign hurt by lack of Gaza ceasefire

The World Health Organisation is working on a polio vaccination campaign for Gaza after the virus was detected there, officials say, although the absence of a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas presents multiple roadblocks.

07/08 South Africa moves to implement national health bill despite resistance

South Africa is moving ahead with implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) bill, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, despite strong opposition from within and outside government.

07/08 Exclusive: US to give $414 mln in humanitarian aid for Congo

The U.S. said on Wednesday it would provide nearly $414 million in humanitarian assistance for the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 25 million people need such aid, nearly a quarter of the country's population.

12/07 Intensifying Congo conflict puts 1 mln children at risk of acute malnutrition

More than one million children are at risk from acute malnutrition in Democratic Republic of Congo as rising violence drives up needs among millions of displaced people, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

11/07 US Senator Sanders optimistic Novo Nordisk can be pressured to cut Wegovy, Ozempic prices

Senator Bernie Sanders on Wednesday expressed confidence that Novo Nordisk can be convinced to cut the U.S. prices of its popular Ozempic and Wegovy drugs used for weight loss by publicly shaming the company over how much it charges compared with prices in other countries.

10/07 Bird flu strains: Where are they spreading around the globe?

Avian influenza, or bird flu, has public health officials on alert after an unprecedented spread in dairy cows in the United States this year. Four dairy workers have also tested positive in the country.

09/07 Purdue Pharma seeks litigation ceasefire after SCOTUS ruling

Purdue Pharma on Tuesday asked a U.S. bankruptcy judge for a 60-day freeze on lawsuits against its owners, members of the wealthy Sackler family, in its first court appearance since a landmark Supreme Court ruling upended its bankruptcy settlement.

09/07 Middlemen have outsized influence on US drug prices due to market consolidation, FTC says

The consolidation of pharmacies and health insurance companies through years of deal making has led to a handful of pharmacy benefit managers exercising outsized influence over prescription drug prices, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday.

09/07 Purdue creditors seek approval to sue Sackler family members

Purdue Pharma's creditors sought permission from a U.S. bankruptcy court on Monday to sue the company's wealthy owners, arguing that the litigation can serve as both a negotiating tool and a fallback option as the OxyContin maker re-starts talks on a bankruptcy settlement.

08/07 Trump-backed Republican platform tempers language on abortion

The Republican Party released its platform on Monday, one that denies anti-abortion activists within the party the aggressive and far-reaching language they sought on abortion and thoroughly embraces the views of its presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

08/07 Iran's president-elect reaffirms policy towards Israel

President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's anti-Israel stance on Monday, saying resistance movements across the region will not allow Israel’s "criminal policies" towards the Palestinians to continue.

06/07 France's North African doctors consider emigration with rise of far right

In the southern French town where Tunisian doctor Tasnime Labiedh works, the far-right National Rally (RN) came top with 41% in the first round of France's election. Now, she's thinking of moving to Switzerland.

03/07 US judge blocks Biden administration rule against gender identity discrimination in healthcare

A U.S. judge on Wednesday blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a new rule against discrimination on the basis of gender identity in healthcare.

03/07 Bird flu concern prompts US to award Moderna $176 million for vaccine development

The U.S. government has awarded $176 million to Moderna to advance development of its bird flu vaccine, the company said on Tuesday, as concerns rise over a multi-state outbreak of H5N1 virus in dairy cows and infections of three dairy workers since March.

02/07 US Supreme Court rejects challenge to workplace safety agency

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to hear a challenge by an Ohio company to the power of the federal workplace safety regulator as the justices avoided another legal effort to pare back the authority of federal agencies.

28/06 Israel storms Gaza City neighbourhood, orders Palestinians to go south

Israel stormed a neighbourhood in Gaza City on Thursday, ordering Palestinians to move south as tanks rolled in and bombing the southern city of Rafah in what it says are the final stages of an operation against Hamas militants there.

27/06 US farm agency to pay farmers for milk loss due to bird flu

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin compensating dairy farmers for the loss of milk supply due to bird flu-infected cows, the agency said on Thursday.

27/06 US charges 193 people in $2.75 billion health care fraud bust

The U.S. Justice Department has charged 193 people, including 76 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, with participating in health care fraud schemes worth $2.75 billion, the agency said on Thursday.

25/06 Gun violence is a public health crisis, US surgeon general declares

The U.S. surgeon general declared gun violence in the country a public health crisis on Tuesday, calling on Americans to act to prevent rising firearm-related deaths and their cascading effects, particularly on Black Americans, young Americans and other populations.

25/06 Philippines seeking U.S. clarification on anti-vax propaganda operation

The Philippines is still seeking clarification from the Pentagon about a secret U.S. propaganda operation that aimed to cast doubt among Filipinos about Chinese vaccines at the height of the COVID pandemic, a foreign ministry official said on Tuesday.

25/06 Finland to start bird flu vaccinations for humans, in world first

Finland plans to offer preemptive bird flu vaccination as soon as next week to some workers with exposure to animals, health authorities said on Tuesday, making it the first country in the world to do so.

25/06 Blinken emphasized to Israel's Gallant the need for post-war Gaza plan

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday pressed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on the need for Israel to swiftly develop a robust post-war plan for Gaza and ensure the tensions with Hezbollah on Israel's northern border do not escalate further.

24/06 Australia waters down planned world first vape ban after opposition from Greens

Australia will water down a planned world first ban on vaping after opposition from the Greens party led the government on Monday to agree to amend a bill that would have restricted vapes to those with a doctor's prescription.

23/06 More than 1,000 die in haj amid scorching temperatures

More than 1,000 people died during haj this year, according to a Reuters tally, as extreme heat hammered the nearly two million who took part in the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

23/06 Intense heat in Gaza could worsen health crisis for Palestinians, WHO warns

The World Health Organization warned on Friday that scorching heat in the Gaza Strip could exacerbate health problems for Palestinians displaced by Israeli bombardment and heavy fighting between its forces and Hamas militants.

22/06 Appeals court does not block US mandate to cover cancer screenings, HIV drugs

A U.S. appeals court on Friday refused to block a federal mandate requiring health insurers to cover preventive care services like cancer screenings and HIV-preventing medication at no extra cost to patients, but ruled against the government on a key legal issue that leaves the mandate's future in doubt.

20/06 Lawmakers in Philippines push for probe into Pentagon's anti-vax propaganda operation

Lawmakers in the Philippines, including the head of the Senate’s foreign relations committee, are seeking an investigation into a secret U.S. military propaganda operation that aimed to cast doubt among Filipinos about China’s vaccines during the height of the COVID pandemic.

20/06 WHO issues warnings on fake diabetes and weight-loss drugs

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday issued warnings on falsified semaglutides used in diabetes and weight-loss drugs in light of three altered batches of products detected in Brazil, the UK and the United States.

20/06 Sudan's humanitarian crisis: The facts and figures

A year of war between rival military factions in Sudan has pushed parts of the country to the brink of famine, and left 25 million people - about half the population - in need of assistance, according to aid agencies.

20/06 Climate change threat hangs over haj pilgrimage as hundreds perish in heat

Nearly 2 million Muslims will reach the end of the haj pilgrimage this week, but extreme heat has proved fatal for hundreds who began the journey last Friday to the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

19/06 Los Angeles school board votes to ban smartphones

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday voted to ban smartphones for its 429,000 students in an attempt to insulate kids from distractions and social media that undermine learning and hurt mental health.

19/06 Rate of US uninsured to rise to 8.9% in the next decade, Congressional Budget Office says

The rate of Americans who are uninsured will rise to 8.9% over the next decade from 7.7% in 2024, driven by rising immigration and reduced eligibility for 19-to-24 year-olds following federal government policy changes, according to a Congressional Budget Office report released on Tuesday.

18/06 Soaring temperatures scorch pilgrims on Haj in Saudi Arabia

Throngs of tightly packed pilgrims on the annual Haj pilgrimage struggled as temperatures hit 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) in the shade of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi state TV said, with the searing heat claiming lives.

18/06 China accuses U.S. of "malign intention" to discredit its COVID vaccines

China's embassy in the Philippines accused the U.S. military of "hypocrisy, malign intention and double standards" in response to a report of secret U.S. campaign to undermine confidence in a Chinese vaccines and other aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.

17/06 Abortion rights: Tracking state lawsuits two years after Roe reversal

Nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, litigation over abortion has exploded.

13/06 U.S. healthcare spending rises to $4.8 trillion in 2023, outpacing GDP

Healthcare spending in the U.S. is projected to have risen 7.5% in 2023 to $4.8 trillion, federal data showed on Wednesday, outpacing the projected annual gross domestic product growth rate of 6.1%.

12/06 WHO says risk to public health from avian influenza A (H5N1) remains low

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the risk to public health from the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus remained low despite its spread among dairy cattle in the United States.

12/06 South Africa records first mpox death after five cases confirmed

A 37-year-old man has become South Africa's first recorded death from mpox after five laboratory-confirmed cases of the viral infection were recorded in the past month, the health minister said on Wednesday.

12/06 WHO confirms human case of bird flu in India

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said a case of human infection with bird flu caused by the H9N2 virus was detected in a four-year-old child in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

08/06 Mexico says bird flu patient died of chronic disease, not virus

A man who contracted bird flu in Mexico died due to chronic diseases and not the virus, Mexico's health ministry said on Friday.

07/06 US to research possible respiratory spread of bird flu in cows

U.S. federal and state agencies are planning research into potential respiratory spread of bird flu among dairy cattle, according to a Reuters interview with Michigan state agriculture and public health officials.

06/06 Exclusive: Cows infected with bird flu have died in five US states

Dairy cows infected with avian flu in five U.S. states have died or been slaughtered by farmers because they did not recover, state officials and academics told Reuters.

05/06 WHO confirms first fatal human case of bird flu A(H5N2)

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday a death was caused by the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with a subtype of avian influenza.

05/06 Closure of Gaza's only route out leaves boy, 10, with no treatment for cancer

Siraj Yassin, 10, is rolled into the overcrowded Gaza hospital ward in his wheelchair, his light green T-shirt dwarfing his skinny frame since the leukaemia in his blood wrecked his immune system, sapped his strength and left him unable to walk.

03/06 Fauci denies suppressing COVID lab leak theory before US House panel

Former top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly denied suppressing the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in China, telling lawmakers he never influenced research on the origins of the virus.

03/06 UN experts urge all countries to recognise Palestinian statehood

A group of United Nations experts called on Monday for all countries to recognise a Palestinian state to ensure peace in the Middle East.

03/06 Free contraception helps Finland reduce teenage abortions by 66%

The number of teenage abortions in Finland fell by 66% between 2000 and 2023, its public health institute THL said on Monday, attributing the reduction to the offer of free contraception to adolescents and compulsory sex education in schools.

01/06 Global pandemic treaty to be concluded by 2025, WHO says

Talks aimed at reaching a global agreement on how to better fight pandemics will be concluded by 2025 or earlier if possible, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.

31/05 World unprepared for another pandemic as WHO treaty talks push on

Member states gathered in Geneva to work out how to continue negotiations about an accord after missing this month’s deadline.

30/05 Bird flu infects third US dairy worker; Michigan set to expand testing

A third U.S. dairy worker tested positive for bird flu after exposure to infected cows, and was the first to suffer respiratory problems, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

30/05 Taiwan says China is 'nibbling away' at its space, trying to create a new normal

China is trying to "nibble away" at Taiwan's space and create a new normal with its military drills and other moves to exert pressure, which is a matter for global concern, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Thursday.

30/05 US nears deal to fund Moderna's bird flu vaccine trial, FT reports

The U.S. government is nearing an agreement to fund a late-stage trial of Moderna's mRNA pandemic bird flu vaccine, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, as an H5N1 outbreak spreads through egg farms and among cattle herds.

30/05 Israel denounced over Gaza health emergency at WHO meeting

More than 30 countries condemned Israel's attacks on hospitals in Gaza and demanded more scrutiny of its role in the enclave's health crisis at a World Health Organization meeting on Wednesday, and some blamed Israel for a growing risk of famine.

29/05 US health insurer shares fall after UnitedHealth flags Medicaid enrollment issues

Shares of U.S. health insurers fell on Wednesday after UnitedHealth Group cited a near-term disturbance around reimbursement rates for Medicaid due to ongoing program-wide enrollment hurdles that began about a year ago.

29/05 Lula removes Brazilian ambassador to Israel amid diplomatic spat

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva removed his ambassador to Israel from his post and sent him to serve as his special representative in Geneva amid a diplomatic spat between the two countries, the official gazette showed on Wednesday.

28/05 Western states push for deal on pandemic response rules at WHO meeting

Western countries led by the United States, France and Germany pushed for a deal to bolster pandemic response rules at a major World Health Organization meeting on Tuesday after states failed to finalise a pandemic treaty.

28/05 WHO states decide not to invite Taiwan to annual assembly

Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday decided not to invite Taiwan to the organization's annual assembly in Geneva after China appealed for it to remain sidelined.

27/05 US, European nations consider vaccinating workers exposed to bird flu

The United States and Europe are taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines that could be used to protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians and lab technicians, government officials said, moves influenza experts say could curb the threat of a pandemic.

26/05 Experts warn of hail, whirlwinds in Mexico after new heat record in the capital

The third heat wave suffocating dozens of states in Mexico could give way on Sunday to torrential rains, hail and even whirlwinds during the afternoon in the center of the country, meteorologists said.

24/05 U.S., allies call for Taiwan to be allowed to take part in WHO meeting

The United States and several of its allies, including Britain, Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan, issued a joint statement on Friday calling on Taiwan to be allowed to take part in a key meeting of the World Health Organisation this month.

23/05 Many US dairy workers yet to receive protective gear for bird flu

Many U.S. dairy farms have not yet increased health protections against bird flu for employees during an outbreak in cows, according to workers, activists and farmers, worrying health experts about the risk for more human infections of a virus with pandemic potential.

21/05 Panicked Gaza hospital staff evacuate patients after missile strike, video shows

Israeli missiles struck the emergency department of a northern Gaza hospital on Tuesday, medics said, prompting panicked medical staff to rush patients on hospital beds and stretchers to the rubble-strewn street outside.

20/05 US FDA tested retail milk samples for bird flu in 17 states

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday that it tested retail samples of milk and other dairy products in 17 states for viable bird flu virus, providing further details about the locations of the previously disclosed tests.

20/05 UK's infected blood scandal could and should have been avoided, inquiry finds

An infected blood scandal in Britain was no accident but the fault of doctors and a succession of governments that led to 3,000 deaths and thousands more contracting hepatitis or HIV, a public inquiry found on Monday.

18/05 Ontario reports first death from measles in over a decade

An Ontario child under the age of five has died of measles, the first such case in the Canadian province in more than a decade, according to the provincial health agency.

18/05 Peru protesters slam new insurance law that deems transgender people mentally ill

Hundreds of protesters in Peru's capital marched on Friday to demand the scrapping of a new law that describes transgender people, among others, as having a mental illness so they can access health benefits.

16/05 US unveils proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday unveiled a historic proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana, a rule that if enacted would also enable more research on its medicinal benefits.

15/05 Palestinians wounded in Gaza desperate for Rafah crossing to reopen

Ni'ma Ali Imad is desperate to get her wounded son Mohammed out of Gaza for the medical treatment that doctors say they cannot provide in the Palestinian enclave.

14/05 Gaza death toll: how many Palestinians has Israel's campaign killed

Palestinian health authorities say Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people, mostly civilians, and driven most of the enclave's 2.3 million people from their homes.

14/05 UN says Gaza death toll still over 35,000 but not all bodies identified

The death toll in the Gaza Strip from the Israel-Hamas war is still more than 35,000, but the enclave's Ministry of Health has updated its breakdown of the fatalities, the United Nations said on Monday after Israel questioned a sudden change in numbers.

10/05 US to provide nearly $200 million to contain bird flu spread on dairy farms

The Biden administration said on Friday it will provide nearly $200 million to fight the spread of avian flu among dairy cows, in the government's latest bid to contain outbreaks that have fueled concerns about human infections with the H5N1 virus.

10/05 Pandemic treaty talks to the wire, likely to miss first deadline, sources say

Talks to draw up a global pact to help fight future pandemics are likely to miss an initial deadline on Friday, three sources close to the process said.

08/05 Only three days of fuel for health services in south of Gaza, says WHO

There is only enough fuel to run health services in the south of Gaza for three more days, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.

07/05 Florida sues Biden administration over new transgender healthcare rule

Florida's top prosecutor and a Catholic medical group on Tuesday sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a rule that they say will force doctors to provide gender transition care against their judgment or face heavy penalties.

07/05 Gaza is 'choked off' from aid since crossing closures, UN agencies say

U.N. agencies said on Tuesday that the two main crossings into the southern Gaza Strip remain shut, virtually cutting off the enclave from outside aid with very few stores stationed inside.

06/05 New York state sues group over abortion pill reversal claims

New York state's top prosecutor on Monday sued Heartbeat International, an anti-abortion group, and 11 crisis pregnancy centers, accusing them of misleading and potentially endangering women by claiming that they can provide a treatment reversing the effect of the abortion pill mifepristone.

06/05 Global health heavyweights team up for climate, disease funding

Three of the biggest global health funders have joined forces for the first time in a $300 million partnership aimed at tackling the linked impacts of climate change, malnutrition, and infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

05/05 Los Angeles police begin clearing a USC pro-Palestinian encampment

Los Angeles police in riot gear swarmed a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California early on Sunday to clear away demonstrators, after warning everyone to leave the area or be arrested, officials and media reported.

05/05 Details of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The Gaza Strip is suffering an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe nearly seven months since Israel launched a devastating offensive in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel.

04/05 How bird flu could threaten cow cuddling. Yes, it is a thing.

Farmer Luz Klotz straightened the brightly striped hair bow on Reba, a 1,600-pound heifer lounging on the ground under twinkling fairy lights. Teenager Joey Pachl, hoping to impress his girlfriend with an invitation to the high school prom, had paid $75 for an hour-long cow cuddling session at the farm.

03/05 Exclusive: Biden campaign rolls out new abortion ads aimed at Latino men

Joe Biden will ramp up spending this month as part of a new advertising push aimed partly at convincing Latino men that abortion rights are a vital issue that affects them, the U.S. president's 2024 campaign said on Friday.

03/05 Biden expands health insurance access for DACA immigrants

President Joe Biden's administration will allow certain immigrants illegally brought to the U.S. as children access to federally run health insurance, the White House said on Friday, addressing a sensitive issue ahead of the November elections.

02/05 Taiwan says may be hard to attend WHO assembly, Blinken offers support

It will be hard for Taiwan to attend this year's World Health Organization annual assembly, and it hopes more countries will support its presence, the island's foreign minister said on Thursday after the United States pressed for an invite.

01/05 Arizona Senate repeals 1864 abortion ban

The Arizona Senate voted on Wednesday to repeal the state's 1864 ban on abortion which could have gone into effect within weeks if not struck down.

01/05 U.S. military personnel had data stolen in UnitedHealth hack, CEO tells Senate

Members of the U.S. military have had their data stolen in the recent cyberattack on UnitedHealth's technology unit that impacted almost all patients and providers, CEO Andrew Witty told the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday.

30/04 Biden administration takes step to make marijuana use a less serious crime

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday moved to make marijuana use a less serious federal crime, taking a step to reclassify the drug out of a category that includes heroin in a shift that, once completed, would shake up cannabis policy nationwide.

30/04 Gaza ministry says 34,535 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7

More than 34,535 Palestinians have been killed and 77,704 wounded in the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 last year, the Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday.

30/04 Risk of bird flu spreading to cows outside US, says WHO

A World Health Organization official said on Tuesday there was a risk of H5N1 bird flu virus spreading to cows in other countries beyond the United States through migratory birds.

30/04 Florida abortion clinics and funds face uncertain future on eve of six-week ban

Florida's ban on abortions past six weeks of pregnancy takes effect this week, threatening the future of the state's clinics and abortion funds and forcing patients to travel hundreds of miles to get the procedure.

30/04 US to test ground beef in states with bird-flu outbreaks in dairy cows

The U.S. government said on Monday it is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing, but remains confident the meat supply is safe.

30/04 J&J, Bristol Myers lose challenges to US drug price negotiation program

A U.S. judge on Monday rejected a challenge by Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson to a law requiring them to negotiate the prices of their blockbuster blood clot prevention drugs with the U.S government's Medicare health insurance program or pay heavy penalties.

24/04 Arizona Democrats say they will try again to repeal 1864 abortion ban

Democrats in Arizona's House of Representatives said on Wednesday they would try once more to repeal an 1864 ban on abortion that may go into effect next month if not knocked down.

24/04 US Senate committee investigates pricing of Novo's Ozempic and Wegovy

A U.S. Senate committee said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into the prices of Novo Nordisk's diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy in the United States.

24/04 Medicare beneficiaries could be eligible for Wegovy coverage, study shows

About 3.6 million overweight or obese patients with heart conditions insured under the U.S. Medicare program could be eligible for coverage of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy, a study published by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) showed on Wednesday.

24/04 EU Parliament adopts new rules to improve air quality by 2030

The European Parliament adopted stricter legally-binding air pollution limits on Wednesday that must be complied with by 2030.

23/04 UnitedHealth says hackers possibly stole large number of Americans' data

UnitedHealth Group said on Monday that hackers stole health and personal data of potentially a "substantial proportion" of Americans from its systems in February, as the largest U.S. health insurer scrambles to contain the damage.

22/04 UN expert warns of mental health risks for Gaza citizens from war

A United Nations expert on Monday warned there was a risk that mental illnesses could manifest themselves years from now among the people of Gaza due to the current conflict.

21/04 Thousands of Colombians protest Petro's economic, social reforms

Tens of thousands of Colombians marched on Sunday to reject economic and social reforms being proposed by the leftist government of President Gustavo Petro, the latest in a series of demonstrations against Petro's policies.

19/04 Explainer: How freezing embryos plays a crucial role in IVF

The practice of freezing embryos as part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) was thrown into chaos in Alabama this year, when the state supreme court ruled that such embryos should be considered children, exposing clinics to wrongful death claims in the event they are destroyed in the thawing process.

19/04 WHO says wider alert on contaminated J&J cough syrup 'likely'

The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.

18/04 After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'

The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.