In the face of ongoing funding disruptions to US foreign assistance programmes, a group of international experts calls for urgent action to ensure the continuation of life-saving interventions and support for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The new Health Policy analysis, published in The Lancet, estimates that 1 million children could become infected with HIV, nearly half a million could die from AIDS by 2030, and 2.8 million children could experience orphanhood in the region without consistent, stable funding for US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programmes.  

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collects user fees from drug and medical device companies to fund its work ensuring the safety of these products. Creating a similar program that collects fees from food companies could generate much-needed resources to strengthen the FDA’s oversight of foods, according to a new legal and policy analysis published in the journal Health Affairs.

There are trillions of microplastic particles, ranging in size from about one micrometer to a few millimeters, on Earth. Many of these particles end up in the oceans, where they disrupt nutrient cycles, are ingested by marine animals or transport pollutants. To better understand how microplastics accumulate and disperse in marine environments, new research published in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology reflects efforts to locate hotspots — areas with high concentrations of microplastics — in Texas coastal bays.