EBOLA WATCH: Experimental drug trial aims to stop Bundibugyo Ebola after exposure - The Standard Health

• Congress has returned from recess to prioritize bipartisan healthcare legislation, specifically targeting prior authorization reform and the expansion of remote patient monitoring. • Key legislative goals include extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits to maintain insurance affordability for millions of Americans.

• A public health emergency occurred in May 2026 across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda due to an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease. • The disease, caused by *Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense*, is characterized by high mortality rates and a lack of understood reservoir ecology.

• The free-market policy group Unleash Prosperity released a report arguing that significant reforms to the FDA could unlock trillions of dollars in economic value. • The report specifically targets the FDA's lengthy approval process, focusing on the excessive years spent proving a drug's efficacy rather than just safety testing.

• Leading researchers are warning that a recent FDA policy shift may lead to the approval of ineffective medicines. • In February, the FDA announced that drug sponsors could seek approval based on a single clinical trial and confirmatory evidence, departing from a 1960s-era requirement for two clinical studies.

• The CDC confirmed 843 cases of Cyclospora across 31 states as of July 9, 2026, while a separate, larger outbreak in Michigan has surpassed 1,562 reports. • Health officials have not yet identified a specific food source responsible for the infections, though the outbreak persists through the summer season.

• A study published in BMC Infectious Diseases tracking 724 US participants reveals that flu symptoms can linger for up to a month, challenging the perception of influenza as a short-lived illness. • While severe symptoms typically fade within days, the research highlights a significant period of recovery where nagging effects persist for several weeks.

• The CDC, FDA, and local health departments are investigating multistate outbreaks of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis across the U.S. in 2026. • Officials are working to identify the specific food or water sources causing the infections, noting that the actual number of cases is likely higher due to underreporting.

• A multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis has been identified across the United States, though the specific source of the contamination remains unknown. • Health officials are urging individuals to report all suspected cases of the parasitic infection to their local health departments to assist in tracking.

• NanoViricides has received approval from the National Ethics Committee in the Democratic Republic of Congo to conduct a Phase II trial of NV-387. • The trial will test the efficacy of NV-387 oral gummies specifically designed to treat the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

• Oxford University has launched Phase 1 human trials for a new Ebola vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain, supported by CEPI. • The Serum Institute is producing over 620,000 doses, with the trial beginning just 57 days after the WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

• New clinical trials have been launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo to evaluate the efficacy of two drugs, MBP-134 and remdesivir, against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. • These trials are critical because the Bundibugyo species currently lacks any approved vaccines or therapies to mitigate its spread.