Africa’s New Medicines Regulator Wants To Be More Than Another Approval Channel - Health Policy Watch

Q&A with Dr Delese Mimi Darko, Director General of the African Medicines Agency.

healthpolicy-watch.news

International response to hantavirus outbreak

The Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to expedition cruise ship m/v Hondius has prompted an international public health response, with authorities monitoring passengers and crew across multiple countri...

thelancet.com

No Ebola vaccines exist for the strain in the current outbreak, but scientists are developing some

A decade after Ebola vaccines changed outbreak response, a new epidemic in central Africa is caused by a strain the world never fully prepared for

scientificamerican.com

Unauthorised cancer drug in Zimbabwe raises patient safety concerns

On Jan 27, 2026, Zimbabwe's Medicines Control Authority (MCAZ) alerted citizens about the circulation of an unauthorised formulation of goserelin acetate, a hormone therapy used in the treatment of pr...

thelancet.com

Fault lines in a global promise - Nature Medicine

The promise was global. The fracture, when it came, was painfully local.

nature.com

Galaxies Wind Around a Cosmic Filament

Galaxies can collect in large filamentary structures that have—until now—been considered rigid. A new study suggests one filament may be rotating.

physics.aps.org

Winners of International Quantum Year science-journalism competition picked – Physics World

Physics World and Physics Magazine announce successful pitches

physicsworld.com

Can the UN Be Saved? Lessons From a Forgotten Secretary-General

This week’s clashes at the UN have renewed questions about its role in the world. A new biography of U Thant recalls a time when it wielded real power.

bloom.bg

Bounties, Mafias, and the Climate Cost of IKEA’s Fast Furniture | Atmos

An insatiable thirst for cheap, ready-to-build furniture has been linked to illegal logging and assassinations of forest defenders.

atmos.earth

Preparing for the next pandemic – behavioural policy insights from COVID-19 - LSE Review of Books

In Behavioural Economics and Policy for Pandemics, editors Joan Costa-Font & Matteo M. Galizzi bring together global behavioural policy insights from COVID-19.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Preparing for the next pandemic – behavioural policy insights from COVID-19 - LSE Review of Books

In Behavioural Economics and Policy for Pandemics, editors Joan Costa-Font & Matteo M. Galizzi bring together global behavioural policy insights from COVID-19.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Sierra Leone struggles as mpox surges across Africa

Despite being declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern 10 months ago, the mpox outbreak is not over. And in places like Sierra Leone, it is spiralling. Paul Adepoju reports.

tinyurl.com

WHO Member States Recognize Social Connection As A Global Health Priority - Health Policy Watch

The Assembly approved a first-ever resolution on Fostering social connection for global health:  the essential role of social connection in combating

healthpolicy-watch.news

WHA Approves Landmark Resolutions On Health Finance, Rare Diseases And Skin Diseases - Health Policy Watch

The 78th World Health Assembly picked up momentum Saturday as countries adopted a Nigeria-sponsored initiative to stimulate more public health spending; and

healthpolicy-watch.news

Cross-Border Collaboration Gains Political Traction As Africa Targets Visceral Leishmaniasis Elimination - Health Policy Watch

In a region where war, displacement, and weak health systems fuel a deadly disease, nine African governments are trying a new approach: eliminate visceral

healthpolicy-watch.news

S02E12: Africa’s Maternal Health Paradox: 40% Drop, 70% Crisis

Africa has achieved a remarkable 40% reduction in maternal deaths since 2000—a significant milestone in global health. Yet paradoxically, the continent still accounts for a staggering 70% of maternal deaths worldwide. In this episode, Paul Adepoju speaks with Dr. Adeniyi Aderoba, WHO's lead on reproductive and maternal health for Africa, to unpack this complex paradox. They explore what's driving Africa's maternal mortality crisis, highlight innovative interventions making a difference, and discuss how political will, funding, and community empowerment are shaping the fight to save mothers’ lives. Tune in to discover why pregnancy in Africa should not be a death sentence and how progress can accelerate even further.

paultalks.science

Paul Adepoju to Speak at Leading Global Infectious Disease Congress in Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria – April 8, 2025 — Paul Adepoju, PhD, renowned science journalist and host of the Paul Talks Science podcast, will be speaking at the Congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global) in Vienna, Austria. The event, taking place from April 12 to 15, 2025, brings together leading experts in microbiology, epidemiology, and infectious disease research from around the world.

paultalks.science

S02E11: Systems, Not Choices—Rethinking Obesity’s Root Causes

Obesity has often been viewed as a personal failing, a consequence of poor individual choices. But is this really the full picture? In the latest episode of Paul Talks Science, host Paul Adepoju delves into this critical question with Dr. Simon Barquera, President of the World Obesity Federation. Dr. Barquera shares illuminating insights from the recently released World Obesity Atlas, a comprehensive global overview highlighting troubling trends and deep systemic issues fueling the obesity epidemic—particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

paultalks.science

S02E10: Can Lifestyle Changes Really Boost Your Cancer Survival?

In the latest episode of Paul Talks Science, Dr. Helen Croker, Assistant Director of Research and Policy at the World Cancer Research Fund International, delves into the critical topic of lifestyle factors and their impact on cancer survival. Dr. Croker explains how the World Cancer Research Fund International champions global research into the roles diet, nutrition, physical activity, and body weight play, not just in cancer prevention, but significantly, in cancer survival after diagnosis.

paultalks.science

How Ireland is Fighting for Cancer Survivors

In this episode, we explore Ireland's groundbreaking approach to cancer advocacy through two compelling conversations with leaders from the Irish Cancer Society. CEO Averil Power shares how relentless advocacy led to landmark legislation requiring cancer warnings on alcohol labels, changing Ireland's relationship with alcohol and health. Suzanne Dowd, Advocacy Officer, reveals another front in the fight: erasing financial stigma against cancer survivors struggling to access insurance and financial services long after recovery. Together, their stories illustrate Ireland's bold steps to protect cancer survivors, tackle stigma, and inspire global action.

paultalks.science

S02E08: Long Reads, Big Impact — The Next Leap in Rare Disease Research

In this episode, I sit down with Prof. Christian Gilissen, a pioneer in genome bioinformatics, and Head of Bioinformatics at Radboud University Medical Center, to explore how long-read sequencing is revolutionizing the diagnosis of rare diseases. For patients who’ve endured years of uncertainty, this technology offers newfound hope by uncovering genetic variations previously invisible to traditional methods. 🔍 What We Discuss:

paultalks.science

S02E07: Gut Feelings — PFAS, Microbiomes, and Kidney Damage

In this episode of Paul Talks Science, I sat down with Dr. Hailey Hampson, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Carolina and the University of Washington, to discuss a growing but often overlooked public health threat—PFAS chemicals. Known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body, PFAS have been linked to a range of health issues, including chronic kidney disease.

paultalks.science