EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> Multi-Dose RSV Vaccine Wins WHO Backing, Paving Path to Protect Millions of Infants 11/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A new three-dose vial presentation of the maternal RSV vaccine received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, unlocking large-scale distribution across lower-income countries. The decision enables global health alliances to introduce affordable immunisation during pregnancy, protecting newborns from severe respiratory disease. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the second leading cause of infant […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> Multi-Dose RSV Vaccine Wins WHO Backing, Paving Path to Protect Millions of Infants 11/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A new three-dose vial presentation of the maternal RSV vaccine received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, unlocking large-scale distribution across lower-income countries. The decision enables global health alliances to introduce affordable immunisation during pregnancy, protecting newborns from severe respiratory disease. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the second leading cause of infant […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Multi-Dose RSV Vaccine Wins WHO Backing, Paving Path to Protect Millions of Infants 11/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A new three-dose vial presentation of the maternal RSV vaccine received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, unlocking large-scale distribution across lower-income countries. The decision enables global health alliances to introduce affordable immunisation during pregnancy, protecting newborns from severe respiratory disease. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the second leading cause of infant […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Who Should Lead the Global Fund? Let the Candidates Make Their Case 03/09/2026 Jirair Ratevosian Over the past week, the race for the next World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General has started to take shape. Governments have publicly put forward prospective candidates, WHO is already listing them on a website, and some candidates are beginning to make their case publicly. Dr Hans Kluge has even released a manifesto laying out how […] Continue reading -> Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Aid Cuts Exacerbate Food Insecurity in the West Bank, Health Crisis in the Gaza Strip 01/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading -> South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
South Africa Grapples With The Promise and Price of Injectable Lenacapavir to Prevent HIV 30/08/2026 Kerry Cullinan The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading -> Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Historic Meta Settlement Mandates Safer Social Media for Youth 27/08/2026 Editorial team Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading -> New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
New TB vaccines are moving closer. Is Africa ready? 27/08/2026 Stephen Mutinda Mule African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts