July 23, 2025

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Humanitarian Groups Warn Gaza Faces Mass Starvation Amid Aid Blockade

More than 100 humanitarian organizations — including Médecins Sans Frontières, Save the Children and Oxfam — have issued an urgent joint appeal warning of “mass starvation” in Gaza. The World Health Organization tells the BBC that acute malnutrition is soaring, with 30,000 children now affected, while the Hamas-run health ministry reports 33 child fatalities from hunger in just 48 hours.

Key challenges include:

A collapsed UN-led aid system, reduced to four distribution sites for 2.3 million people

Reports that 870 Palestinians have been killed by gunfire or stampedes at food distribution points since late May

Medical staff fainting on duty due to severe food shortages and exhaustion

The agencies call for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of all crossings and a return to a UN-led humanitarian response. Israel maintains it is facilitating aid deliveries and denies targeting civilians or weaponizing hunger.

Community Health Workers Keep Patients Housed and Healthy Amid Cuts

Michigan community health workers are filling gaps in the state’s frayed safety net, helping residents navigate chronic disease, housing crises and benefit applications just as federal Medicaid cuts threaten to unravel their work. Regina Gully, one of 48 CHWs at Trinity Health Michigan, guided Pontiac resident Shanon Seymore — diagnosed with a rare bleeding disorder — to secure over $13,000 in emergency rent aid and find stable housing.

A 1-acre urban Farm and Food Hub at Trinity’s Pontiac hospital offers free produce through SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks, reinforcing the CHWs’ whole-person approach. Yet with an estimated 700,000 Michiganders at risk of losing coverage and new Medicaid funding reductions signed into law, advocates warn that low reimbursement rates and shrinking budgets could force vital CHW programs to scale back.

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PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Linked to 31% Higher Type 2 Diabetes Risk

A new study published in eBioMedicine finds that Americans with elevated blood levels of PFAS—so-called “forever chemicals”—face a 31% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes for each jump from low to moderate or moderate to high exposure. Led by Vishal Midya of Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, researchers compared 180 recent type 2 diabetes cases with 180 controls and uncovered disruptions in amino-acid, carbohydrate and drug metabolism tied to PFAS burden.

Key points:

PFAS resist breakdown and accumulate in humans via products like nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics.

Elevated PFAS altered levels of sulfolithocholyglycine, a signaling molecule for blood sugar and fat metabolism.

While the association is robust, causation remains unproven; further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and inform regulation.

Mayo Clinic Validates FDA-Approved Alzheimer’s Blood Test

Mayo Clinic researchers have confirmed the accuracy of a recently FDA-approved blood test for Alzheimer’s disease, marking a breakthrough in non-invasive diagnosis. In a study of nearly 500 patients aged 32–89 at Mayo’s Jacksonville Memory Disorder Clinic, the test detected toxic brain proteins with 95% sensitivity and 82% specificity.

Key advantages over PET scans and spinal taps:

Non-invasive and more affordable

Broadly accessible to any licensed provider

Potential to expand early detection and improve patient care across diverse settings

FDA Weighs Ban on Pediatric Fluoride Supplements

FDA to hold public meeting on July 24 to weigh the safety and efficacy of prescription fluoride tablets and drops used by children in areas without fluoridated water. While major dental bodies like the American Academy of Pediatrics endorse supplements for high-risk kids, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has flagged potential microbiome impacts and the lack of formal approval as reasons for review.

Key points:

Mass Starvation Looms in Gaza: Aid Blockade Sparks Alarm from 100+ Humanitarian Groups