Treatments

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a clinical trial for two Ebola therapeutics in the Democratic Republic of Congo, enrolling the first patient this Thursday. • The trial aims to reduce mortality rates during an outbreak that began in May and has already resulted in 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths. • WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that while some patients recover naturally, approved therapeutics are essential to saving more lives.

• The PARTNERS clinical trial has officially opened patient enrolment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to identify the first effective treatments for Bundibugyo virus (BVD). • This international effort focuses on evaluating potential therapies for Ebola disease specifically caused by the BVD strain, utilizing facilities like the ALIMA Ebola Treatment Centre. • The trial is critical because it addresses a specific gap in medical countermeasures for a dangerous virus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever.

Review shows majority of procedures offered alongside standard IVF not backed by reliable evidence Most IVF “add-on” treatments sold to people hoping to boost their chances of having children are not backed by reliable evidence, fail to boost fertility and may be a complete waste of money, the largest study of its kind has concluded.There has been a surge in extra procedures, medicines or techniques offered to patients in addition to standard IVF with bold claims they will increase the probability of success. Take-up is widespread, with more than 70% of IVF patients in the UK, Australia and New Zealand paying for one or more add-on during IVF treatment.Acupuncture – inserting thin needles into points on the body.Corticosteroids – medication to reduce inflammation and suppress immune system activity.Endometrial receptivity testing – a biopsy of the uterine lining to assess gene expression patterns.Intralipid infusion – a liquid containing fats that is administered into the blood.Intraovarian injection of platelet-rich plasma – injecting platelet-rich plasma into the ovaries.Intrauterine infusion of platelet-rich plasma – insertion of platelet-rich plasma into the uterus.Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy – a screening test to check whether embryos have the expected number of chromosomes.EmbryoGlue – an embryo transfer medium containing hyaluronic acid. The evidence review found it may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth; however, the effect on live birthrates was not robust.Endometrial scratching – a minor procedure undertaken to scratch or disturb the lining of the uterus. The review found this may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth.Physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) – a technique used to select sperm based on their ability to bind to hyaluronic acid. There was weak evidence this may lower the risk of miscarriage. Continue reading...

• Scientists are launching clinical trials for several drugs that showed promise in preliminary studies to combat a widening Ebola outbreak. • The trials are focusing on treatments for the virus currently affecting regions such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the town of Mongbwalu. • This effort is critical as health workers struggle to contain the spread of the virus and manage patients suspected of having the Bundibugyo strain.

• Medical experts highlight that misoprostol, typically used in a two-drug abortion protocol, is safe and effective as a standalone option for medication abortions. • The Supreme Court addressed telemedicine access to mifepristone on May 4, 2026, reflecting ongoing legal battles over drug accessibility. • As of March 3, 2025, two fully approved drugs are available to slow Alzheimer's disease progression, reducing mental decline by over 25% in certain patient groups.

Desperate US parents pay up to $20,000 a session for a procedure scientists say could be bogusAutistic children as young as 18 months old are being injected with human stem cells derived from umbilical cords in unapproved, unproven and potentially harmful “treatments” that scientists warn are proliferating across the US under the active encouragement of the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr.Clinics in Florida, Texas and other states are selling what they bill as “regenerative medicine” to families with autistic children who have intensive care needs. Parents who have taken their children through the process talked to the Guardian about their hopes and fears for a therapy that appears to be gaining ground in the US. Continue reading...

• A rapidly widening epidemic of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, is currently spreading across Africa. • A World Health Organization (W.H.O.) expert panel has recommended two monoclonal antibodies, maftimivab (by Regeneron) and MBP-134 (by Mapp Bio), for urgent clinical trials. • These treatments are significant because they utilize antibodies from survivors that can bind to glycoproteins across multiple strains, including Bundibugyo and Sudan viruses.

• Unproven treatments, including ivermectin, vitamin D, and zinc, are being promoted on social media as cures for hantavirus following a recent cruise ship outbreak. • While vitamin D and zinc are known to support general immune regulation, there is currently no hantavirus-specific clinical evidence to support their use for this disease. • This trend mirrors the misinformation patterns seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, where therapeutic extrapolation led users to adopt unverified medical treatments.

Flea treatment chemicals fipronil and imidacloprid also implicated in lower cognitive scores in children with autismToxic chemicals found in pet flea treatment are devastating wildlife in rivers, parks and special conservation areas and the government should take urgent action to limit their use, according to a study.Chemicals that are banned for use as pesticides but still used in flea treatments are causing potentially irreversible harm to aquatic life as well as decimating birds and pollinators, according to the study published on Thursday. Continue reading...

Alzheimer’s Research UK says patients at risk of being left behind as lack of formal or accurate diagnoses closes door to trialsPeople with Alzheimer’s disease are missing out on experimental treatments because they are not diagnosed early or accurately enough to be enrolled in clinical trials, a UK charity has said.Trials of Alzheimer’s drugs reached a record high this year, according to data published on Tuesday, but Alzheimer’s Research UK said too few UK patients were taking part because their diagnoses were delayed or were not specific enough. Continue reading...

• President Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to expedite access to treatments for patients with serious mental illness. • The FDA is accelerating its review process for mental health therapies in response to the directive. • This policy shift aims to reduce barriers to treatment approval and expand therapeutic options for affected patients.

Chemicals known to affect brains of common garden birds, and to kill unborn chicks, found in most feather samplesConservationists have called for restrictions on pet flea treatments after research found songbird feathers widely contaminated with substances that can damage the birds’ brains and kill unborn chicks.Almost every feather sample tested from five common species of UK garden birds contained either permethrin, imidacloprid or fipronil – all insecticides that are banned for agricultural use but still common in pet tick and flea treatments. Continue reading...

• President issues executive order on April 18, 2026, to speed medical treatments for serious mental illness using psychedelic drugs including ibogaine compounds. • Order highlights clinical studies showing potential for patients with persistent conditions unresponsive to standard therapies. • Directs federal agencies to prioritize research, approvals, and access to innovative mental health interventions nationwide.

President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaineDonald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, a drug that US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Continue reading...

Exclusive: ministers consider restricting pesticide-based treatments, which can get into waterways and harm wildlifePet owners across the UK could be banned from buying flea treatment for cats and dogs under new government rules.Ministers have begun an eight-week consultation on letting only veterinary practitioners or pharmacists give out the potent, pesticide-based flea treatments, to ensure “correct usage”. At the moment, the flea and tick treatments can be bought from any pet shop. Continue reading...

• The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) unveiled three potential treatments for osteoarthritis, a condition affecting 32 million Americans, following a $100 million-plus investment over three years announced in 2023. • Research teams are contractually required to begin patient testing within 18 months, marking a shift from traditional federal research timelines. • This initiative addresses the painful joint degeneration disease, with solutions now progressing toward clinical trials amid high prevalence in the US population.

Judge rules that Trump’s health secretary did not go through proper procedures when issuing declarationRobert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, overstepped his power when he declared that gender-affirming treatments are unsafe, a federal judge has ruled.In a blow to the Trump administration’s attempts to limit access to gender transition procedures, Judge Mustafa Kasubhai ruled Thursday that Kennedy did not go through the proper procedures when issuing his 12-page declaration last December. Continue reading...