FDA Launches National Effort to Speed Up Drug Development
IDPH Issues New World Screwworm Update
SAMHSA NOFO Pre-Application Webinars This Week
Ebola Outbreak in DRC Exceeds 1,000 Cases, 254 Deaths
Illinois Respiratory Disease Surveillance Data
Briefly Noted
Leading the News
FDA Launches National Effort to Speed Up Drug Development
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced actions intended to accelerate early- and late-stage drug development through the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Operation TrailBlazer initiative. HHS launched Operation TrailBlazer as part of a department-wide effort to prioritize the nation’s clinical research efforts. FDA’s initiatives include a request for information on a new drug pilot program that would shorten the time it takes from drug identification to first-in-human studies. The program would establish a system of qualified research institutions, including academic medical centers, healthcare networks, contract research organizations, regulatory advisors and other research organizations, to partner with sponsors and develop and review protocols for first-in-human clinical trials intended for new drug submissions to the FDA.
IDPH Issues New World Screwworm Update
A recent Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) alert provides a New World Screwworm (NWS) update for Illinois clinicians and health departments. While NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, there have been recent reports in the New Mexico and Texas of NWS cases in domestic animals. IDPH said human myiasis, the infestation of human tissue by fly larvae, can be caused by the NWS fly. The Department emphasized that while human myiasis is rare in the U.S., NWS flies are of particular concern because they can invade and feed on living tissue.
In response, IDPH is urging clinicians to review CDC clinical guidance on NWS, including information on relevant geography of spread, risk factors, specimen collection, and maggot disposal. IDPH said clinicians who suspect NWS should immediately call their local health department for information on how to confirm an NWS diagnosis and emphasized that NWS infestation in a human is immediately reportable in Illinois.
SAMHSA NOFO Pre-Application Webinars This Week
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced pre-application webinars for prospective applicants interested in applying for the following Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOS):
Treatment and Recovery Services for Youth, Young Adults, and Families The purpose of this program is to enhance comprehensive treatment and recovery services for youth and young adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders and their families/primary caregivers. Click here to register for the webinar tomorrow, June 24, from 2-3 p.m. CT.
Rural Emergency Medical Services Training The purpose of the Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Training Program is to improve emergency medical services in rural areas or to residents of rural areas. This program specifically enhances EMS personnel training to better serve individuals with SUDs and/or mental health conditions. Click here to register for the webinar this Thursday, June 25, from 1-2 p.m. CT.
Residential Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women The purpose of this program is to provide comprehensive services for pregnant and postpartum women who have SUD throughout the continuum of residential settings that support treatment and sustain recovery. Click here to register for the webinar this Thursday, June 25, from 1-2 p.m. CT.
Preventing Youth Overdose: Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training The purpose of this program is to improve local awareness among youth and young adults of the risks associated with fentanyl and to provide youth and young adults who have opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. Click here to register for the webinar this Thursday, June 25, at 2-3 p.m. CT.
Ebola Outbreak in DRC Exceeds 1,000 Cases, 254 Deaths
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have confirmed more than 1,000 cases and at least 254 confirmed deaths attributed to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC. There have been 20 cases and 2 confirmed deaths in nearby Uganda. This is the second largest Ebola outbreak on record.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, a strain that has no licensed vaccines or therapeutics. The World Health Organization (WHO) said last Friday the outbreak’s case fatality rate (CFR)is 26%. However, the WHO said, “The reported CFR is likely an underestimation, as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak declaration remain under investigation.”
The CDC recently released a “Think Ebola” fact sheet providing related guidance for healthcare workers. In a June 22 update, the CDC said that no cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the U.S. related to this outbreak, and the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.
More than 11,000 bottles of a widely prescribed blood pressure medication have been recalled nationwide after a manufacturing issue was discovered, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Inventia Healthcare Limited initiated the voluntary recall of Chlorthalidone Tablets USP, 25 mg on June 5 due to “failed dissolution specifications,” meaning the tablets may not dissolve as intended in the body.
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed House Bill 2371, the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act, to protect patient access to affordable medications and strengthen care for communities across Illinois. In exchange for providing discounts to safety-net providers for outpatient prescription drugs, pharmaceutical companies gain access to the Medicare and Medicaid markets, which cover about half of all Americans. Loyola Medicine is one of those safety-net providers. We serve a disproportionate share of Medicaid and Medicare patients with complex needs, including burn, trauma and transplant care.
WAND A bill banning junk fees and creating price transparency for Illinois consumers has arrived on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. The plan makes it unlawful for any business to advertise, display, or offer a price for products or services that does not include all mandatory fees or surcharges before taxes.
The Lown Institute released its 2026 Hospitals Index on June 23, ranking the nation’s most socially responsible hospitals and health systems based on measures of health equity, value of care and patient outcomes.
