96 Global Health NOW: Fast-Spreading Measles and Misinformation; Inside the Plans to Dismantle USAID; and Finding Hope for Fistula Survivors in Nigeria View this email in your browser April 1, 2025 Forward Share Post Priscilla Luna and her 3-year-old daughter Avery read a book about immunizations at a Lubbock Public Health Department vaccine clinic. March 1, Lubbock, Texas. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Fast-Spreading Measles and Misinformation
Measles continues to spread across under-vaccinated West Texas and is causing outbreaks in four other U.S. states—spreading as quickly as misinformation.

• The Texas outbreak has topped 400 cases and may continue for months. It has also been linked to new cases in Mexico, AP reports.


• The U.S. has had more cases in the first three months of the year than all of last year.

Misinformation:

• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recommended vitamin A as treatment, Axios reports. But experts warn that high doses of vitamin A can be dangerous.


• A hospital in Lubbock, Texas, reported last week it was treating 10 children “suffering from complications caused by measles and exacerbated by abnormal liver function caused by elevated levels of Vitamin A,” per Texas Public Radio.

The takeaway: Public health practitioners are having difficulty explaining the benefits of vaccination to some parents, Al Jazeera reports.

• Public health officials “have to get people to understand the … value of getting vaccinated, but battling information warfare is not what we’re taught in public health school,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center.

Don’t Mess with Measles: Measles can be lethal, can cause brain damage, and harm the lungs and immune system, per a commentary in The Conversation.
            
Related:

Colorado measles case reported in Pueblo adult who traveled internationally – Colorado Public Radio
 
Texas Never Wanted RFK Jr.’s Unproven Measles Treatment – The Atlantic GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   A cholera outbreak in Angola has spread to 16 of the country’s 21 provinces so far this year, rising to 329 deaths and 8,500+ cases as of March 25, according to the WHO, with children and young adults particularly hard hit. CIDRAP
 
A deadly antibiotic-resistant superbug bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii, for which there is little research, is spreading in a Malaysian hospital, per a new study that found high resistance to multiple antibiotics, especially carbapenems—the drugs of choice for the treatment of A. baumannii infections. Medical Xpress

A U.S. federal judge ruled that Alabama can’t prosecute people who help to facilitate out-of-state abortions where the procedure is legal, saying it would violate the constitution and the right to travel. The Appeal

Deforestation is a leading indicator of Ebola virus spillover from animals to humans in a new CDC-led study; the model could help identify patterns that could guide prevention efforts. Emerging Infectious Diseases U.S. Health Policy News: The head of Africa CDC thought news of a U.S. aid freeze must be 'a joke.' Now what? – NPR Goats and Soda

‘The lives of individuals in the US are at stake,’ researchers warn after HHS cancels hundreds of vaccine grants – CNN

FDA’s top tobacco official is removed from post in latest blow to health agency’s leadership – AP

Trump wants to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood. The Supreme Court will hear a case aimed at that. – The 19th

Public health under Trump 2.0: the first 50 days – The Lancet Public Health (commentary)

How the MAHA Commission Can Improve U.S. Life Expectancy – Think Global Health (commentary) FOREIGN AID Inside the Plans to Dismantle USAID
The Trump administration’s plans to break down USAID and shift its surviving operations to the State Department have been outlined in a congressional notification.

The basics: The agency will be abolished “as an independent establishment” for fiscal year 2026, and all staff will be laid off. 

Reordering: Remaining parts of the agency, including food security and global health programs, will be run by the State Department. 

• Programs will be housed within State Department regional bureaus—a move that could make aid programs “more fragmented,” warn international development experts. 


• As the State Department hires staff for its programs, some USAID staff could be rehired, though it is unclear how the agency will respond to crises like the Burma earthquakes while the transition is ongoing. 

Is this legal? Congressional approval is required before the agency is shut down. It is unclear whether the Trump administration will wait for congressional authorization before moving forward.

Devex

Related:

The USAID awards the Trump administration killed — and kept – Devex

A Youth Friendly Drop-In Centre is Staying Committed to HIV Prevention Amidst USAID Funding Cuts in Kenya – Nigeria Health Watch

A midwife says of the aid cuts in Afghanistan: 'No one prioritizes women's lives.' – NPR Goats and Soda GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CLIMATE POLICY The High Impact of Stemming ‘Super Pollutants’
In climate policy, mitigating CO2 emissions is the perennial priority. But scientists say addressing a small group of “super pollutants” could have a swift, meaningful influence on slowing rising temperatures and improving health outcomes. 

• Black carbon, methane, and ozone are responsible for nearly half of global temperature increases to date, and also have wide-ranging impacts on food security and respiratory health.

Rapid results: Reducing these emissions could serve as an “emergency brake” on climate change, say climate scientists, who raised the matter at the WHO Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Colombia, last week. 

• “If you reduce them today, we’ll see impacts in our lifetimes,” said Claire Henly, executive director of the Super Pollutant Field Catalyst.

Health Policy Watch

Related: Exposure to Air Pollution in Childhood Is Associated with Reduced Brain Connectivity – ISGlobal, The Barcelona Institute for Global Health SURGERY Finding Hope for Fistula Survivors in Nigeria
Free fistula repair surgery will soon be available at clinics throughout Nigeria, health officials announced earlier this month—a “groundbreaking move” in a country where ~12,000 new fistula cases are reported each year. 

Background: Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is a condition where an opening forms between the bladder and the vagina. Root causes: Prolonged or obstructed labor and female genital mutilation.

• The condition can be debilitating and highly stigmatizing: In 2022, ~626 women with VVF were abandoned by their families in the state of Borno.

More than surgery needed: Advocates say comprehensive counseling services are essential to support VVF survivors amid the psychological trauma associated with the condition. 

Nigeria Health Watch OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS ‘It’s beyond description’: Bodies pile up in mass graves as Myanmar grapples with quake toll – The Guardian

Gas fire in Malaysia injures more than 100 people and damages 49 houses – AP via ABC

An RSF atrocity, a mass evacuation, and another side to mutual aid in Sudan – The New Humanitarian

Epilepsy: The neglected disease eating up families – Daily Monitor

Who's stockpiling abortion pills amid bans – Axios

Scientists scramble to track LA wildfires’ long-term health impacts – Science

Is breastfeeding ‘exclusive’? Barriers facing global health professionals and proposed solutions – PLOS Global Public Health (commentary)

How to buy a year of happiness, explained in one chart – Vox Issue No. 2700
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @globalhealth.now and X @GHN_News.

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Although people with autism are making enormous contributions to societies across the globe, they still face significant challenges. 

96 McGill Perspectives on Global Health: March 2025 Issue March 31, 2025 View this email in your browser 
NEWSLETTER

This March, we honor World Tuberculosis (TB) Day—observed on March 24—to raise awareness about the devastating impact of TB worldwide and the urgent need for action. Despite being preventable and treatable, TB remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. This day reminds us of the progress made and the challenges ahead in eliminating TB. Let’s advocate for equitable healthcare, invest in innovative solutions, and work toward a world free of TB.

Highlights of this Issue:

🔹 Select articles from this month
🔹 Organizations working to eliminate TB
🔹 Learn about the man who discovered the TB baterium
🔹 Read the latest World Health Organization 2024 Global tuberculosis report

Thank you for being part of our community. Enjoy the read! 💙✨

-->  Selected Articles for this Month  The Power of Youth-Informed Change: How Young People are Bringing Hope to the Mental Health Crisis ““Maybe the only thing to add at a community level is that we need to be better at connecting with those around us. The world has made it too easy to be alone.”
- Authors: Tamara Golosarsky, Zacharias Foti, and Katelyn Spicer --> Wish Lantern Festival: A Depiction of Solidarity and Community Action in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS “A single lantern flickers softly, but together their light pushes back the darkness as the first hints of dawn whisper of hope, undimmed by the trials of the night.”
 - Author: Alexandra Tom --> Combatting Hoarding:
A Path Toward Global Vaccine Equity “By embodying different types of advocacy, my generation can shift the current environment of isolationism into a movement that is focused on global solidarity.”
 - Author: Sophie Naasz --> Beyond the Blueprint: Introducing Virtual Reality to Pediatric Healthcare in Punjab “I learned that success in global health work depends on listening to local partners and adapting to unexpected realities.”
 - Author: Shreenik Kundu --> In conversation with Dr. Robert Bailey: The impact of climate change on the environment and beyond “In the sustainability field, I see the potential for significant change, but it’s going to be incredibly challenging. The younger generations are really going to have to push for solutions, and I respect the work they’re doing.”
 - Authors: Bhavya Bhushan & Drea Garcia Avila -->  Mission in Motion
  Get ready to be inspired! In this dynamic section, we spotlight global health organizations that are making waves and driving real change around the world. Each month, we showcase their innovative strategies and impactful initiatives as they tackle pressing health challenges and champion equity. 

This month, we focus on organizations working to combat tuberculosis (TB), a disease that remains a significant global health challenge. Let’s celebrate their dedication and commitment as we highlight their vital contributions to TB research, advocacy, and raising awareness about prevention and treatment.
  --> The Global Coalition Against Tuberculosis image: https://globalcoalitionagainsttb.org/objectives/ The Global Coalition Against Tuberculosis (GCAT): Is a dynamic network of organizations and advocates dedicated to ending the TB epidemic worldwide. With a focus on policy advocacy, GCAT works to increase funding, raise awareness, and promote global action to combat tuberculosis. By uniting governments, civil society, and the private sector, GCAT aims to ensure equitable access to TB care, innovative treatments, and preventive measures, driving efforts toward the global goal of eliminating TB. --> TB Alliance Image: https://www.tballiance.org/about-who-we-are/ TB Alliance: Is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to developing new, affordable, and effective treatments for tuberculosis (TB). With a focus on accelerating research and innovation, TB Alliance works to bring new therapies to those who need them most, particularly in low-resource settings. Their mission is to eliminate TB as a global health threat by advancing scientific solutions and ensuring equitable access to life-saving medicines. -->  In the News
  Stay up to date with news and opinions on Global Health Robert Koch - The man who discovered TB Image: https://x.com/NobelPrize/status/1904075230542492129 On March 24, 1882, German physician and Nobel Prize laureate Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis (TB), a breakthrough commemorated today as #WorldTBDay. Read about his story! --> What is TB? What are the symptoms
to watch for? Image: https://x.com/WHOWPRO/status/1903995999208845667 Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or spits. While it primarily affects the lungs, TB can also impact other areas of the body.

Contact your healthcare provide if you experience symptoms such as:
🔹a persistent cough
🔹 fever
🔹unexplained weight loss

Read more more! -->  New in Global Health Academic Literature
  WHO Global tuberculosis
By: World Health Organization Image: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240101531 The WHO Global tuberculosis report 2024 provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic, and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels. This is done in the context of global TB commitments, strategies and targets. Read Now --> Opportunities in Global Health
  American Public Health Association Annual Conference  Dates: November 2-5, 2025
Location: Washington DC, USA

Call for submission - The APHA 2025 Call for Films is now open!
Accepting submissions and reviewers for the 2025 Public Health Film Festival. Films from all disciplines of public health will be considered, but films related to the APHA 2025 theme — Making the Public’s Health a National Priority — are highly encouraged. The film festival showcases local, national and global public health films.

The submission deadline is April 7, 2025

Visit their website for more details -->  Share your Perspective on Global Health
  We are excited to announce a Call for Papers in the following areas! 

• Indigenous Health
• Mental Health
• Refugee Health
• Immigrant Health
• Climate Change 

McGill Global Health Perspectives welcomes contributions relevant to global health. Contributions to Global Health Perspectives should pertain to its mission and can include perspectives from your latest research, research experience, key issues in health policy governance, equity related challenges and strengths in global health to name a few. We want to represent a wide range of voices representing global health research, commentaries and opinions on current global health challenges and ideas on future direction of global health. Click here for submission guidelines.

You can submit your article, photo essay or article pitch to us by emailing us at: globalhealthblog@mcgill.ca. --> Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest information and experiences in global health! Subscribe Follow us on social media  --> Copyright © 2017 McGill Global Health Programs, All rights reserved.

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96 Global Health NOW: The Rocky Response to Burma’s Earthquake; Revisiting Extraordinary Journeys; and The Dangerous Blights of Skin Bleaching View this email in your browser March 31, 2025 Forward Share Post A Buddhist monk walking near a collapsed pagoda after an earthquake in Mandalay, central Burma (Myanmar), on March 30. AP Photo/Thein Zaw shared via a Facebook post The Rocky Response to Burma’s Earthquake 
As the death toll in Burma rises from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday, the difficulty of the disaster response is coming into focus, with the country’s ongoing civil war and recent upheaval in global aid complicating basic recovery efforts, reports the AP.

The latest: ~2,000 people have died in the earthquake devastation; “countless” remain buried under rubble as civilian-led efforts to dig out survivors—largely by hand—continue. 

• A UN assessment found that many health facilities had been damaged and warned that a “severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts.”

“Already dire”: 

• The country’s civil war has displaced over 3 million people and has left many regions dangerous for aid groups to reach. 


• The quake is “compounding an already dire humanitarian situation” for millions of children, warned UNICEF. 

A reshaped aid landscape: China, Russia, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and other countries have dispatched emergency teams and funds, reports Reuters via Irish Independent.

• But U.S. aid operations remain in chaos amid Trump administration cuts, reports The New York Times (gift link), as many of the systems needed to funnel American aid to Myanmar “have been shattered.” 

Building safety fears: Meanwhile, the collapse of a high-rise under construction in Bangkok that killed 11 has residents concerned about buildings’ earthquake resilience, reports The New York Times (gift link). 

• A Thai watchdog had previously flagged concerns about the building, reports The Straits Times. 

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners   Eight Palestine Red Crescent Society medics were killed when Israel’s military fired on ambulances they identified as “suspicious vehicles”—marking the single deadliest attack on Red Cross members anywhere in the world since 2017 and bringing to 30 the number of PRCS workers killed since October 2023. The Guardian

South Korea’s deadly fire that killed 30 people and destroyed ~4,000 structures is under investigation; a man is suspected of starting the fire while performing an ancestral rite by a family grave. BBC

The WHO, citing a $600 million budget gap for 2025, has proposed slashing its 2026–27 budget by 21%, to $4.2 billion, and signaled that job cuts are imminent; unconfirmed reports estimate that 20%–40% of the agency’s 9,000+ jobs globally could be eliminated. Geneva Health Files

Mexico will ban junk food in schools as a part of its redoubled efforts to mitigate its childhood obesity epidemic, with the guidelines forbidding sugary fruit drinks, packaged chips, and other processed snacks taking effect this week. AP U.S. Global Health Policy News The NIH’s Most Reckless Cuts Yet: Ending clinical trials with no warning can put patients at risk. – The Atlantic

The CDC Buried a Measles Forecast That Stressed the Need for Vaccinations – ProPublica

Tuberculosis is the world’s top infectious killer. Aid groups say Trump’s funding freezes will cause more deaths – CNN

‘We should have been hammered a long time ago’: African countries thank Trump for aid wake-up call – The Telegraph

RFK Jr. Expected To Lay Off Entire Office Of Infectious Disease And HIV/AIDS Policy – Forbes

How Trump is following Project 2025’s radical roadmap to defund science – Nature

Trump Slashed International Aid. Geneva Is Feeling the Impact. – Bloomberg CityLab GHN EXCLUSIVE Revisiting Extraordinary Journeys
If you werenʼt able to join GHN earlier this month for Extraordinary Journeys: Stories of Refugees Fleeing Conflict and Shaping Global Health, you can now view recordings of each story.

• This special event, co-hosted by GHN and the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health, spotlighted the remarkable experiences of public health practitioners with lived experience as refugees.


• Storytellers from Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), South Sudan, Sudan, and Syria shared firsthand accounts of living and working amid humanitarian crises, fleeing conflict, and shaping impactful roles in public health.

WATCH HERE GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH The Dangerous Blights of Skin Bleaching 
More urgent warnings are needed about skin lightening’s dangers, say physicians in Nigeria, as more people are being treated for skin damage and other health problems, and as more children are being harmed by bleaching products, reports NPR Goats and Soda. 

Surging popularity: Sales of skin-lightening products across Africa are projected to nearly double to $15.7 billion by 2030. The practice is especially prevalent in Nigeria, where 77% of women use skin-lightening products, per the WHO. 

Bodily toll: The ingredients in the products, which include acids and steroids, not only damage skin—they can “wreak havoc and damage internal organs,” said Lagos dermatologist Vivian Oputa. 

Children at risk: Doctors say they are seeing more children—even babies—with burning and discoloration after their parents used bleaching products on them, often under social pressure, reports the BBC. 

Calls for regulation: Doctors say government regulation is needed to limit access to potent pharmaceutical creams that should require prescriptions. QUICK HITS Israel-Gaza war: Wounded Palestinians dying for lack of supplies, surgeon says – BBC

WHO alert on US measles outbreak adds new genetic details – CIDRAP 

How can Africa sustain its HIV response amid US aid cuts? – The Lancet HIV (commentary) Thanks for the tip, Elizabeth S. Rose! 

Boosting advanced-stage clinical trial capacity in East and Central Africa to combat regional epidemic threats – CEPI

Morning-after pill to be made free in England pharmacies – Medical Xpress

How a ban on food dye in West Virginia has forged an unlikely alliance – The Guardian

New 3D technology could soon bring surgeons closer to patients in Africa’s most remote regions – AP Issue No. 2699
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @globalhealth.now and X @GHN_News.

Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues: http://www.globalhealthnow.org/subscribe

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SUPPORT US
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  CONTACT US
  Copyright 2025 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.


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Over 50 countries, cities, and organizations pledged new commitments on Thursday to tackle air pollution, protect public health, and help halve its deadly impacts by 2040 – a goal backed by a petition from 47 million health professionals, patients and advocates demanding clean air be made a public health priority. 

Student presenters at the SCSD Research Day, which took place on February 21, 2025.

Student presenters at the SCSD Research Day, which took place on February 21, 2025.

Student presenters at the SCSD Research Day, which took place on February 21, 2025.

Student presenters at the SCSD Research Day, which took place on February 21, 2025.

Student presenters at the SCSD Research Day, which took place on February 21, 2025.

96 Global Health NOW: Gutting the Global Vaccine Effort; PEPFAR’s Precarious Future; and The Dog Days of Cinema Documents reveal plans to withdraw U.S. funding for Gavi, the global vaccine alliance View this email in your browser March 27, 2025 Forward Share Post A Somali mother holding a medical card waits for her baby to be given a pentavalent vaccine injection provided by Gavi, UNICEF, and WHO, at a medical clinic in Mogadishu, on April 24, 2013. Carl de Souza/AFP via Getty Gutting the Global Vaccine Effort
The Trump administration has released its plans to withdraw U.S. funding for Gavi, the global alliance that helps provide essential vaccines for children in low-income countries, reports The New York Times (gift link).

Overview: Vaccinations via Gavi have saved ~19 million children’s lives over the past 25 years. The U.S. contributes 13% of its budget.

• Loss of U.S. support could mean 75 million children do not get routine vaccinations in the next five years; and that 1.2 million+ children die as a result, per Gavi’s estimations.

• “This is not just a bureaucratic decision, there are children’s lives at stake, global health security will be at stake,” said Austin Demby, the health minister of Sierra Leone. 

Other cuts: The Gavi termination was included in a USAID memo submitted to Congress this week delineating foreign aid programs on the chopping block—including major programs that combat malaria and funding for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which tracks zoonotic diseases like bird flu.

• It is unclear whether the Trump administration can legally end the programs unilaterally, reports The Guardian.  

GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
10,000 HHS employees will be cut from various U.S. health agencies, as part of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s continued overhauls, reports NBC News; meanwhile, health departments will see already-disbursed funding pulled back from their COVID- and infectious disease-related programs, reports the AP

A garden soil sample from a lab technician’s garden has led to a new antibiotic capable of killing drug-resistant bacteria by targeting the ribosome, while leaving human cells unharmed, per a new study published in Nature.

Influenza A antibodies have been detected in U.S. cattle, finds a large study published in the Journal of Virology—showing that cattle are susceptible to human seasonal flu strains as well as swine influenza viruses. CIDRAP

Male birth control that is hormone-free is slated to enter clinical trials after research published in Nature Communications found that the new drug, YCT-529, effectively lowered sperm count in male mice, and was 99% effective in preventing pregnancies. Medical Xpress HIV/AIDS PEPFAR’s Precarious Future
Congressional authorization for PEPFAR expired on Tuesday, further shrouding the global HIV/AIDS program’s future, reports Devex. 

Technically still alive: PEPFAR has been allocated some funding through the end of the fiscal year. But its long-term survival remains in question with the dismantling of USAID—which administered the majority of PEPFAR services. 

Immediate impact: Clinics are closing, prescriptions are not being refilled, per Health Policy Watch. 

• Burkina Faso, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Ukraine will likely run out of antiretroviral medicine within weeks, per the WHO. 

• Studies on an HIV vaccine, long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis, and tuberculosis have been halted. 

Overhaul on the horizon? Conservative advocates have been calling for a scaled-down program, and one that prioritizes abstinence and education. 

Further research cuts: Meanwhile, the NIH has eliminated funding for dozens of HIV-related research grants in the U.S., reports CNN—a move that will cause the country to “slide back on decades of progress,” said one researcher.  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES FUNGUS How Cats, Spores, and Pollution are Driving an Epidemic
Brazil is currently facing the world’s largest and “most persistent” epidemic of sporotrichosis, a fungal infection spread primarily through cats. And recent research sheds new light on how pollution is contributing to the spread.  

Background: Sporotrichosis is a chronic disease that primarily affects the skin and lymphatic system and can spread to humans from animals. 

New insights: A study published in Mycology revealed an “alarming genetic diversity” in the fungus, and found indicators to suggest that exposure to urban pollutants may be driving rapid adaptations.

Looking for solutions: Researchers also identified molecular markers that could enhance diagnostics and treatments, and pointed to an “urgent” need for enhanced fungal surveillance.

SciTechDaily ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION The Dog Days of Cinema  
People seem to know everything about their dogs. Their DNA makeup. Their favorite treat, scratch, and spot to relieve themselves.
 
But what about their favorite movie? If you donʼt know … itʼs probably Flow, a Latvian film that took home an Oscar and won the hearts of pets everywhere.
 
The animated feature is a heartening tale of interspecies collaboration in a postapocalyptic world—and pets canʼt get enough. One TikTok video shows not one, but four cats rapt at the film. They donʼt even mind if itʼs on a tiny laptop screen.
 
Producer Matiss Kaza admits he hadnʼt considered pets “as a potential target audience,” according to The New York Times (gift article), but was amused when he heard folks were taking their cats to the theater to see the film, he told NPR. 
 
But the movieʼs pet popularity also raises a question: While we canʼt get enough of animal videos, our petsʼ favorite film features no humans. Should we take that as a hint? QUICK HITS SA research grants potentially on hold, says leaked memo – Bhekisisa
 
Colorado is poised to pass some of the toughest gun laws in the country – NPR   Surgeons transplant genetically modified pig liver into Chinese patient – The Guardian

Kansas measles cases double to 23 and new Ohio outbreak sickens 10 – AP

Zooming in on the structure of the lethal Ebola virus – Phys.org

FDA approves first new antibiotic for uncomplicated UTIs in nearly 30 years – Healio

'Grandpas' got together to help kids. Scientists say it boosts the elders' health, too – NPR Shots Issue No. 2698
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @globalhealth.now and X @GHN_News.

Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues: http://www.globalhealthnow.org/subscribe

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Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).