Global Health: Key Updates and Initiatives

This document summarizes current health news, including vaccine donations to Nigeria, new smoking regulations in the UK, age verification changes in the US, cancer drug trial updates, cost-saving measures for US seniors, and various global health initiatives by WHO and CDC.

Health news worldwide has seen significant updates. Nigeria recently received 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), marking a crucial move amidst 40 confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has proposed stricter outdoor smoking rules to alleviate the financial strain on the National Health Service (NHS). This policy aims to curb the 80,000 annual deaths from smoking-related diseases.

In the U.S., the FDA has raised the age verification requirement for buying tobacco products to under 30. The stricter regulation is part of the agency's ongoing efforts to curb smoking among young adults.

In pharmaceuticals, Merck discontinued two late-stage trials of its cancer drug Keytruda. The decision comes as part of the company's broader strategy to expand the drug's application amidst looming patent expirations.

President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is set to save over a million U.S. seniors more than $1,000 annually by 2025, thanks to a new cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is accelerating access to diagnostic tests for mpox by inviting manufacturers for an emergency review. The move aims to provide effective diagnostics, especially for low-income groups.

A Listeria outbreak tied to deli meats has resulted in five more deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak has seen a total of 57 cases, all requiring hospitalization.

Africa CDC reports that less than 10% of required funds have been secured to battle the ongoing mpox outbreak across the continent.

Israel and Hamas have agreed on three-day pauses in fighting to facilitate polio vaccinations for 640,000 children in Gaza. The vaccination campaign, coordinated by WHO, is set to begin soon.

(With inputs from agencies.)