Healthcare Knuggets
Jan 27, 2026
- Email 1 Summary:
Subject: Can these startups make endometriosis diagnosis easier?
- A federal autism committee has new members aligned with controversial vaccine-autism links, despite no scientific support.
- Flu season transmission is declining, but measles cases have surged in 2026, mostly among unvaccinated individuals.
- The “Why Should I Trust You?” podcast highlights an organized presence of the MAHA movement, stressing engagement with opposing views.
- Endometriosis affects roughly 1 in 10 women and often takes years for diagnosis; biotech startups are developing tools to diagnose the disease quicker.
- A study shows that pregnant people with multiple chronic conditions face higher risks of severe birth complications, emphasizing the need for counseling and monitoring.
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Additional news includes updates on public health infrastructure funding and the legacy of William Foege.
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Email 2 Summary:
Subject: 💼 Health hiring stalls
- Health care job growth is slowing as federal program cuts, automation, and rising costs lead to hiring slowdowns; layoffs are happening in some systems.
- Bipartisan health care and HHS funding packages are stalled due to political fights over homeland security funding and recent events affecting Senate negotiations.
- NIH faces challenges as grant review panels risk losing voting members due to term expirations and lack of new appointments, threatening research funding.
- The administration expanded a foreign aid ban affecting billions in assistance, now including groups supporting gender identity and diversity programs, reigniting controversies.
- Health data shows increases in adults with multiple chronic conditions and improved cancer screening rates.
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Other news includes fluctuating public health grants and reduced vaccine investments.
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Email 3 Summary:
Subject: Beetle larvae are the first animal known to imitate the scent of flowers
- Greenland Science Week showcased Greenland as a global science hub for climate, geological, and biomedical research.
- European blister beetle larvae mimic floral scents to lure bees and hijack their nests to consume their eggs, representing the first known case of an animal imitating flower scent.
- Atmospheric microplastic measurements may be overestimated due to inconsistent research methods, indicating a need for standardized measurement protocols.
- NIH will cease funding studies using fetal tissue from elective abortions, potentially slowing fetal development research.
- NIH grant review panels risk going dormant due to unfilled vacancies, jeopardizing funding approvals.
- Issues arose from misuse of children’s genetic data for racist research, raising concerns about data privacy.
- Climate scientists propose refocusing from temperature targets to measuring “clean-energy shift” progress as a more actionable climate goal.
- Researchers argue fibre should be classified as an essential nutrient due to its health impacts.
- Feature on a conservation project manager in Socotra linking scientists, Indigenous groups, and authorities to protect endangered plants.
- Tribute to mathematician Gladys Mae West for her foundational work on GPS despite adversity.
Stay Well!
