WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved the Alinity m MPX assay, the first WHO Emergency Use Listed mpox diagnostic test, marking a significant milestone in expanding testing access during the ongoing outbreak.

The CHAPAS-4 trial found that tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) plus emtricitabine (FTC) suppressed HIV in 6% more children than standard backbone treatments while being more cost-effective.

Codix Bio has become the first company to receive a sublicense under WHO's Health Technology Access Programme, allowing it to produce rapid diagnostic tests using South Korean SD Biosensor's technology.

SK bioscience has been selected for Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Priority Infectious Disease Pandemic Preparedness Rapid R&D Support Program to develop avian influenza vaccines.

The World Health Organization plans to officially recommend GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Zepbound for adult obesity treatment globally, with guidelines expected by September 2024.

QPS India, a subsidiary of QPS Holdings, successfully completed an unscheduled US FDA inspection from April 21-25, 2025, resulting in site approval for all studies submitted for US regulatory agency approval.

• The United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, with at least 800 confirmed cases nationwide and likely more unreported. • Texas has been hit hardest with 624 cases since January, resulting in two pediatric deaths—the first U.S. measles fatalities in a decade—with 85 hospitalizations nationwide representing approximately 11% of cases. • The outbreak disproportionately affects unvaccinated populations, particularly Mennonite communities, and has spread across North American borders with nearly 1,000 cases in Ontario, Canada and over 400 in Chihuahua, Mexico.

California health officials have confirmed the first U.S. case of the more virulent "clade Ib" mpox strain in a traveler returning from Africa, where the variant has caused widespread outbreaks.

WHO member states have finalized a draft pandemic agreement aimed at strengthening global collaboration on prevention, preparedness, and response to future health emergencies.

A new study from Czech veterinarians provides evidence that H5N1 bird flu can spread through airborne transmission under specific weather conditions, challenging previous understanding of the virus's transmission routes.