Birthdays are exciting for everyone. There's celebration, a cake, and balloons. But what if it goes wrong? This is what happened with Giang Pham, from Vietnam, who was celebrating her 33rd birthday on February 14, when a hydrogen balloon in her hand touched the flame from the candle on the cake and exploded on her face.

This incident was also captured on camera. The footage clearly shows how the balloon blew up as soon as it touched the flame. Her friends were shocked and can be heard gasping in the background as they saw this.

In the days following the incident, she also shared photos on her Instagram showing her bandaged face, and revealed the first-degree burns on her hand and second-degree burns on her face. However, the good news was that her vision was unaffected, though for her face to recover, it would take months.

She is now also warning others about the risks of using highly inflammable hydrogen balloons. The other alternative could be a helium balloon, which you could fly higher and they remain on the ceiling.

Health Update

She revealed that her doctor estimated up to six months for her skin to recover. She would still have to go to the hospital for dressing and treatment. Another such case happened with a woman named Tine from Australia, when on her son's 7th birthday, the balloon exploded and "shook her house". Her son was burned in the forearm.

Such incidents happen because decorators want to save the cost by replacing helium with hydrogen, which is highly inflammable.

In Healing

Giang shared that she experienced second-degree burn on her face and first-degree burn on her hands. As per John Hopkins Medicine, first degree burns affect only the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin. The burn site becomes red, painful, dry, however, there are no blisters. A mild sunburn could be an example of such a burn. This is also called superficial burns.

Whereas, second degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of the skin. The burn site appears red, blistered and could also be swollen and painful. This is also known as partial thickness burn.

Then comes the third degree burns, also known as full thickness burn. This destroys the epidermis and dermis and could also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. However, when the bones and muscles are burned, it could be referred to as a fourth degree burn. The burn sit appears white or charred and there is no feeling in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.

How burns are treated?

The right way to treat a burn depends on its depth and how much of the body it covers. While minor, superficial burns can be managed at home, deeper or larger burns may need medical attention. Keep these essential guidelines in mind:

Do:

• Remove the source of the burn immediately – For example, take off clothing soaked in hot liquid to prevent further damage.
• Run cool water over the burn – This helps soothe the skin, except in cases of certain chemical burns.
• Keep the burn clean and protected – Cover it with a clean, non-stick bandage when possible.
• Seek medical help – If the burn is deeper than a superficial layer, larger than your hand, or full-thickness, see a doctor.

Don’t:

• Use home remedies like bleach or butter – These can make the burn worse.
• Apply ointments or creams on deep burns – They can trap heat and worsen the injury.
• Put ice on the burn – It can cause more damage to the skin.
• Pop blisters – This increases the risk of infection.

Knowing these simple steps can make a big difference in burn care and healing.

Eli Lilly is rapidly expanding its presence in the global obesity treatment market. Its oral weight-loss drug Foundayo has received approval in China, becoming the first GLP-1 pill to get approved in the country.

In another development, its experimental drug combination of eloralintide and tirzepatide recently reported substantial weight loss in an early-stage clinical trial.

The developments come as pharmaceutical companies compete to develop more convenient treatments for obesity, including oral alternatives to injections and dual and triple-acting medicines.

Foundayo Weight Loss Pill Gets Approval In China

Also read: World Diabetes Day: Why Some Diabetes Patients May Not Be Suitable For GLP-1 Treatment, Experts Explain

RecnChina approved orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo in the US, making it the first GLP-1 medication in pill form approved for weight management in the country. Until now, Chinese regulators had authorised GLP-1 medicines for obesity treatment only as injections.

The approval gives Lilly an early advantage over its rival Novo Nordisk, which has also applied to market its oral Wegovy treatment in China.

Foundayo contains orforglipron, an oral, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1 medicines mimic the action of a naturally occurring gut hormone involved in appetite regulation and blood sugar control.

Unlike injectables like Wegovy and Zepbound, Foundayo is taken once daily as a tablet. It can also be taken without restrictions on food and water intake, which may make it a more convenient option for people who prefer not to use injections.

In separate clinical trials, Foundayo produced an average weight reduction of approximately 11% over 72 weeks, while oral Wegovy achieved around 14% over 64 weeks. These results come from different studies.

Experimental Combination EloraTZP Shows Up To 23.3% Weight Loss

Also read: Stopping Mounjaro & Zepbound May Trigger Hallucinations, Mania & Other Psychiatric Symptoms

In another development announced on November 14, Lilly reported promising Phase 2 results for EloraTZP, an experimental combination of eloralintide and tirzepatide.

The combination brings together two medicines that act on appetite and metabolism differently. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, activates GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Eloralintide is an investigational drug that acts on amylin receptors, which are involved in regulating appetite and feelings of fullness.

In adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, participants receiving EloraTZP achieved weight loss of up to an average of 23.3% after 48 weeks. Their average starting weight was 232.4 pounds (approximately 105.4 kg). Up to 60% of participants no longer met the BMI criteria for obesity at the end of the study.

The combination also reduced the average blood glucose levels over approximately three months, by up to 2.9 percentage points. Up to 77% of participants achieved normal blood sugar levels, according to Lilly.

However, these are Phase 2 findings reported by Lilly, and the full trial results have not yet been published. Larger studies will be needed to establish the combination's safety and effectiveness in obesity treatment.

More Updates From Lilly

Lilly's latest update included findings from its Phase 3 SURMOUNT-ADOLESCENTS trials, which evaluated Zepbound in adolescents aged 12 to under 18 with obesity.

Participants experienced an average BMI reduction of 21.4% after 72 weeks. More than half no longer met the BMI criteria for obesity. They also reported improvements in aspects of quality of life due to weight reduction, including physical comfort and better body image.

Separately, the company reported Phase 3 findings for retatrutide, an experimental once-weekly medicine that activates three hormone receptors: GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon.

In trials involving adults with obesity, it reduced the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea and knee osteoarthritis pain. Retatrutide, an investigational drug, is not approved for general medical use.

Air pollution in India, especially during winter after Diwali, is one of the alarming environmental and health concerns currently. While we are aware about its adverse effects on lungs and respiratory health, a recent review of five decades of Indian research has suggested its damages may extend to other bodily functions too.

A review of five decades of Indian research has found that more than 91% of epidemiological studies examining the health effects of air pollution reported at least one adverse health effect. These health conditions ranged from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases to pregnancy complications and cancer.

The analysis, conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), examined 184 peer reviewed epidemiological studies published between 1975 and 2025.

Out of these, 169 reported at least one positive link between air pollution and an adverse health effect. The findings cement evidence linking polluted air to a wider range of health problems.

What Did The Analysis Report?

Also read: World Diabetes Day 2026: Is India's Toxic Air Adding To Its Diabetes Crisis? What Experts Say

Respiratory diseases were the most frequently investigated health outcomes, featuring in 86 of the 184 studies. Sixteen studies examined mortality, while 11 focused on cardiovascular diseases.

Other research investigated connections between air pollution and diabetes, pregnancy complications, low birth weight, impaired child growth, cancers and other neoplasms, blood disorders, neurological and mental health conditions, metabolic disorders, sleep problems, eye diseases and chronic kidney and bone conditions.

The review also found that the evidence was not limited to privately funded or independent research. Of the 46 government-funded studies included, 44 reported increased health risks.

Similarly, 77 of the 81 studies affiliated with government institutions reported adverse health associations. These institutions included the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The 91.8% figure represents the proportion of studies that reported at least one positive association with a health outcome.

Indian Air Pollution Crisis

Delhi accounted for the highest number of studies i.e. 26, followed by Punjab with 13, and Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh with 11 each. However, the review also highlighted a wide gap in research outside urban centres.

Only 40 studies examined rural populations. Of these, 38 reported at least one adverse health effect linked with air pollution exposure.

The studies accounted for several sources of exposure, including outdoor pollution, household cooking and heating fuels, indoor environments like homes and workplaces, and occupational exposure.

Also read: Delhi Air Pollution: Are Online Classes And Indoor Time Adding To Children's Anxiety?

Polluted Air Can Affect Heart And Metabolism

Fine particulate matter, like PM2.5, can travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. It can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, processes that may affect blood vessels, metabolic regulation and other organs.

Indian research has also examined the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and type 2 diabetes. A study involving 12,064 adults in Delhi and Chennai, published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care in 2023, found that higher long-term PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The findings were observational and do not establish that pollution alone caused diabetes.

Air pollution has also been associated with cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Meanwhile, the CREA review included studies examining neoplasms, a category that includes cancers. However, the review does not establish that 91% of studies independently linked pollution to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. These were among several health outcomes investigated.

India Needs A Better Clean-Air Strategy

The review suggests that air pollution policies need to address the wider picture. Studies examined particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10, as well as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, black carbon and heavy metals.

CREA has called for stronger air-quality standards, better pollution monitoring, stricter emission limits for industries and power plants, and measures to reduce indoor pollution from solid fuels. It has also emphasised the need to include rural populations in the next phase of India's National Clean Air Programme.

Russia has reported a milestone in its experimental personalised cancer vaccine development. The first patient to complete treatment with the country's mRNA-based cancer vaccine is reportedly doing well as the follow-up scans showed no new tumour growth in the four months after completing therapy.

The update was shared by Alexander Gintsburg, scientific director of Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

According to a report published by Kursiv, the patient is undergoing monthly examinations at Russia's National Medical Research Centre for Radiology, including high-resolution CT scans. Doctors are paying attention to the lymph nodes where cancer is most likely to spread.

The patient will remain under medical observation for the next three years. While the early findings are promising, they are based on a single patient's experience, which is a major limitation.

Russia's Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccine

Also read: How The Conditions People Live In Can Quietly Shape Our Risk Of Cancer

The treatment, known as NeoOncovac, is a personalised cancer vaccine developed with the help of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology.

Unlike preventive vaccines that protect people against infections, therapeutic cancer vaccines are designed to help the immune system recognise and attack existing cancer cells.

The vaccine is customised using the genetic characteristics of an individual's tumour. Researchers analyse tumour samples to identify specific mutations that could help distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells.

The mRNA is then designed to instruct the body to produce these targets related to tumour, prompting the immune system to recognise and attack the cancer cells. It aims to make the immune response more specific to the patient's cancer rather than targeting all cancer cells.

Six Patients Received The Vaccine

Also read: American Cancer Society Revises Prostate Cancer Screening Guidelines: What You Need To Know

According to reports citing Gintsburg, six patients with melanoma have received the personalised vaccine so far. The first has completed the treatment course, while the second is reportedly halfway through a course involving 10 administrations. Four other patients have also begun treatment.

Russian specialists expect to treat around 20 patients at the Herzen Moscow Research Institute of Oncology by the end of 2026. The country's Health Ministry has reportedly allocated funding for the treatment and follow-up of 120 patients during 2026 and 2027.

Even though the findings are promising, they should not be interpreted as evidence of a cancer cure. The current update concerns one patient with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Although doctors have reported no new tumour growth during the follow-up period, four months is too short to establish whether the response will last or whether the cancer could return.

There are also currently no results from a large controlled clinical trial that could establish the vaccine's effectiveness, long-term safety or survival benefit.

Outcomes across more patients will be essential to determine whether the treatment can consistently produce similar results.

Personalised cancer vaccines are an active area of research internationally. In October 2026, Moderna and Merck reported positive late-stage trial findings for their experimental personalised mRNA melanoma vaccine, used alongside the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda).

The trial involved more than 1,100 patients and found a reduction in the risk of melanoma recurrence or death compared with Keytruda alone. However, this is a different vaccine and treatment from Russia's NeoOncovac.