IDPH Recognizes IL Hospitals During U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 18-24
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging public awareness of the appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals during U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week. The annual observance is held this year Nov. 18-24. As part of this year’s observance, IDPH is recognizing nearly 90 Illinois hospitals that have taken extra measures to prevent antimicrobial resistance. 

IDPH created the Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll to recognize hospitals that have taken extra steps to implement best practices against antimicrobial resistance. While 98% of Illinois hospitals have successfully implemented the Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the IDPH Honor Roll recognizes hospitals that have implemented specific, targeted strategies to improve and enhance those efforts. Those targeted strategies fall into six priority areas, including hospital leadership commitment, accountability, stewardship expertise, action, tracking and reporting. 

Honor roll status is awarded in three categories: Bronze, for hospitals that have implemented at least two of the six priorities; Silver, for hospitals that have implemented at least four priorities; and Gold, for hospitals that have implemented all six priorities. Nearly 90 Illinois hospitals are being honored this year; you can find the full list at 2025 Awardees. In addition, 24 hospitals received a Collaboration Distinction, which recognizes hospitals that demonstrate formal, documented, and sustained partnerships beyond their own institution to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and improve antibiotic use across healthcare settings. 

ACR Appropriateness Criteria Adds 19 New and Updated Topics
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has released an update to its ACR Appropriateness Criteria (ACR AC), that includes 270 diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology topics with more than 1,300 clinical variants covering 4,000 clinical scenarios and 203 patient-friendly summaries. The update includes 13 new and six revised topics. All topics include a narrative, evidence table and literature search summary. Hundreds of radiologists and volunteer specialists from over 50 medical specialties form the expert panels that create and update these criteria to help ensure that patients get the right scan for their condition and avoid unnecessary care.

FDA Adds Boxed Warning and Revised Indication Limiting Use for Elevidys
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced it is taking action to approve new labeling to Elevidys, a gene therapy approved for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in certain patients. Labeling changes include the addition of a Boxed Warning, the agency’s most prominent safety warning, and that the indication section of the labeling will limit the therapy’s indication to ambulatory DMD patients 4 years of age and older. These actions follow two reports of fatal acute liver failure in non-ambulatory pediatric males with DMD after receiving Elevidys. The FDA announcement provides key safety information for healthcare providers including recommended liver and cardiac monitoring, infection risk, contraindications, and use limitations.

U.S. Earns a D+ for Fourth Year in March of Dimes 2025 Report Card
The United States again earned a D+ grade in the 2025 March of Dimes Report Card, marking the fourth consecutive year at this historically low grade for preterm birth. The national preterm birth rate remains at 10.4%, which means nearly 380,000 babies were born too soon in 2024 (1 in 10 births). Notably, the report found:

• Racial disparities worsening: Preterm birth rates among babies born to Black moms and birthing people climbed to 14.7%, now nearly 1.5 times higher than the rate for babies overall.
• New Medicaid data: Babies covered by Medicaid face a preterm birth rate of 11.7%, compared to 9.6% for privately insured births.
• Prenatal care decline: 24.5% of pregnant people did not begin care in the first trimester, the fourth straight year of decline.
• Chronic conditions rising: Preexisting conditions like hypertension increased 6% and diabetes 8% this year among pregnant people, both known risk factors for preterm birth.
• Infant mortality unchanged: The rate held at 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, with more than 20,000 babies dying before their first birthday in 2023.

The March of Dimes gave Illinois a preterm birth grade of D+, ranking Illinois 27 of 52 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, with a preterm birth rate of 10.4%. Illinois is among the top twenty states with the lowest rates of low-risk Cesarean births and maternal mortality, and Illinois’ report card noted the state is currently implementing four of six supportive maternal and infant health initiatives included in this year's Report Card.

Measles Cases Increase 500% from 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data confirm 1,723 U.S. measles cases in 2025—a more than 500% increase from 2024’s 285 confirmed cases. In 2025, nearly every state, including Illinois, has reported measles cases. There have been 45 outbreaks reported in 2025, and 87% of confirmed cases (1,503 of 1,723) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated. To date, Illinois has reported 14 cases in 2025, compared to 67 reported cases last year.