KFF and West Health Polls Reveal Americans Rationing Medications Amid Rising Costs

• Texas Children's Hospital is set to open the first detransition clinic in the U.S. for transgender youth this October, according to Attorney General Ken Paxton. • The medical community is mourning the loss of Dr. Maura Gillison, who died at age 61 from small intestine cancer after previously proving the link between HPV and head and neck cancers.

• The FDA has approved mFLUSIVA, the first flu vaccine to utilize mRNA technology similar to that used in COVID-19 vaccines. • Clinical trial data published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that 2% of mFLUSIVA recipients developed flu-like illnesses, compared to 2.8% for those receiving a standard-dose vaccine.

• A new oral antiviral drug called Xocova has been developed to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals who have been exposed to the virus. • Unlike treatments administered after symptoms appear, Xocova is specifically designed as a post-exposure prophylactic to reduce the likelihood of contracting the illness.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved a new mRNA-based vaccine designed to combat influenza. • Despite this milestone, experts caution that the approval does not necessarily signal a broad government embrace of mRNA technology for all vaccines.

• NanoViricides has received regulatory approval to launch a Phase II clinical trial for NV-387 oral gummies, designed as a treatment for the Ebola virus. • The trial will take place in the Democratic Republic of Congo to combat the largest and most rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak on record.

• A new study indicates that higher protein intake during the first trimester of pregnancy is linked to a lower risk of small birth size. • Separately, researchers analyzed data from 296,372 adults in the UK Biobank to determine if long-term exposure to residential night-time light (NTL) accelerates biological aging.

• NanoViricides, Inc. (NASDAQ:NNVC) has received regulatory approval to initiate a Phase II Clinical Trial for NV-387 oral gummies designed to treat the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. • The trial addresses an urgent need for effective antiviral drugs amid a current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

• The FDA has approved the first mRNA-based influenza vaccine, reversing a previous decision earlier this year to decline the application's review. • The approval covers adults aged 50 to 64, while those aged 65 and older have received accelerated approval.

• The CDC, FDA, and state public health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections reported in August 2026. • Epidemiological data has linked the current outbreak to the consumption of jalapenos.

• The FDA has authorized Moderna’s mFlusiva, marking the first mRNA-based flu vaccine approved for use in older adults. • Separately, U.S. health officials are reviewing the nation's measles elimination status following 38 new outbreaks in 2026.

• The FDA has approved a new engineered viral immunotherapy designed specifically for patients suffering from treatment-resistant advanced melanoma. • This approval provides a critical new therapeutic option for cancer patients who have failed to respond to existing standard-of-care treatments.

• The FDA has approved the first-of-its-kind mRNA-based flu vaccine specifically for adults aged 50 and older. • This approval follows a severe 2024-25 flu season, which the CDC estimates resulted in approximately 45,000 deaths.