The Democratic Republic of the Congo's deadliest Ebola outbreak is overwhelming response efforts despite international funding, vaccines, and treatment centers. Health workers are going unpaid, leading to lapses in safety protocols, while community resistance and the outbreak's rapid spread threaten to turn it into a global pandemic.
British researchers have conducted the first successful clinical trials of vaccines that do not require refrigeration, a breakthrough that could address the problem of half of all vaccines being discarded due to cold chain failures.
Merck signed voluntary licensing agreements with seven generic drug manufacturers—including Aspen Pharmacare, Cipla, Aurobindo, and Viatris—to produce and sell lower-cost versions of alimatravir, its experimental once-monthly oral HIV pill, in 129 low- and middle-income countries. The drug is currently in late-stage development.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that funding needed to combat the continent's Ebola outbreak has tripled to $1.4 billion, while the Trump administration simultaneously seeks matching funds from Congress amid concerns over delayed foreign aid spending.
Melinda French Gates announced a $215 million donation to improve women's health worldwide, focusing on contraceptive access, maternal care, and initiatives for middle-aged women including menopause support. The pledge comes two years after she left the Gates Foundation to focus on her own philanthropic organization, Pivotal.
