WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

UK plans to trial weight loss drugs like Eli Lilly's Mounjaro to help obese unemployed people return to work, amid rising obesity rates and a $14.4 billion annual cost to the NHS.

WHO launched 'Guidance for best practices for clinical trials' in 2024, emphasizing inclusivity, ethics, and transparency in global clinical research. The document outlines four key pillars: governance, regulatory systems, ethical oversight, and infrastructure, aiming to improve trial design and oversight. Developed through global consultations, it supports Member States in reforming their clinical trial ecosystems for better health outcomes.

Vir Biotechnology to present Phase 2 SOLSTICE trial data on tobevibart and elebsiran for chronic hepatitis delta at AASLD's The Liver Meeting, highlighting efficacy, safety, and economic burden.

240 healthy adults in Kenya will participate in a trial to assess the safety and immune response of the ChAdOx1 RVF vaccine, developed on the same platform as the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Rift Valley fever, a mosquito-borne disease with severe forms, has no human vaccines; the WHO and Africa CDC prioritize its R&D. The vaccine showed positive results in UK trials, eliciting high levels of neutralizing antibodies and potential protection in livestock.

Psoriasis often goes underdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in low- and middle-income countries. A training tool developed for primary care providers (PCPs) significantly improved diagnostic abilities post-training, with nurses showing the most substantial increase. The tool's use of medical illustrations was particularly beneficial, enhancing diagnostic skills across varied ethnic backgrounds. Researchers advocate for integrating dermatology training into primary care to improve psoriasis recognition and management, emphasizing the need for standardized diagnostic criteria and further validation of the training tool in diverse contexts.

Mpox, primarily transmitted through close skin contact, typically causes a self-resolving illness but can be severe in immunocompromised individuals. First-line therapy is supportive care; advanced therapeutics are available for severe cases. Vaccination with the 2-dose Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic vaccine is recommended for high-risk populations, with efficacy rates of 66% to 86%.

Advances in genomic profiling and molecular diagnostics have transformed the study of rare cancers, shifting from singular disease entities to biomarker-defined subtypes. Targeted therapies have improved overall survival rates, and rare cancers now account for up to 25% of all cases. Real-world research is crucial for understanding natural history and treatment outcomes, with challenges including small patient populations and data sharing concerns. Opportunities include targeted therapies, early detection through genomic testing, and the development of combination treatments. Statistical considerations are vital for robust evidence in small sample studies.

A study by Lotte Dyrbye, MD, MHPE, found burnout risk varied by gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation among 45,687 medical students from 2019-2021, with no substantial increase during early COVID-19 years. Higher risks were observed in male, Asian, Black/African American, and sexual minority students, while female, Hispanic, white, and heterosexual students had lower risks. Despite pandemic stress, burnout scores remained stable, possibly due to supportive educational measures.

A network of 25 European medical schools aims to train 10,000 students on climate change health impacts over three years, addressing gaps in current curricula.