Until law, GLP-1 drugs were used to treat diabetes, obesity and even the recent evidences suggest that it could as well be used to treat chronic kidney problems. There is yet another research, published in JAMA Psychiatry on February 25, titled Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial that explores if GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in adults with alcohol use disorder.

What Do Studies Say?

The research was conducted over a period of 9 weeks, where in the randomized clinical trial, the participants who were administered semaglutide, it led to reductions in some but not all measures of weekly consumptions. It also reduced weekly alcohol and craving related to placebo, and also led to a greater relative reduction in cigarettes per day.

The research also found that weekly injections of semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy also helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

The lead author Christian Hendershot said that these findings will help in developing new approaches to treat alcoholism. "Two drugs currently approved to reduce alcohol consumption aren't widely used. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists increases the chances of broad adoption of these treatments for alcohol use disorder," said Hendershot in news release by the University of Southern California's Institute for Addiction Research, where he is the director.

The study is government-funded research and was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was small, and took in account for only 48 adults over two months, thus experts say that it is not yet clear how safe these drugs are for people who do not need to lose weight. Though the results do add up with the evidence form animal studies on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy on how it helps manage cravings, not just for food, but also for tobacco and alcohol. Scientists are also studying these drugs on smokers, people with opioid addiction and cocaine users.

Co-author Dr Klara Klein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who treats people with obesity and diabetes said, "This is such promising data. And we need more of it. We frequently will hear that once people start these medications that their desire to drink is very reduced, if not completely abolished."

Why Does It Work So Well Against Alcoholism?

The GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking hormones GLP-1 in the gut and brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. This response is what helps one lose weight, and what helps one curb their craving for alcohol. These drugs that mimic the functioning of your brain, which is responsible to tell your body when to stop consuming, are the same hormones that tell your body about other kinds of consumptions, including alcohol. Therefore by consuming the weight loss drugs one can treat alcohol use disorder.

However, the researchers have pointed out on the limited data on the research and have suggested to continue using the three approved drugs by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, namely, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate to treat alcohol use disorder until large studies confirm these findings.

A six-year-old girl in China died after receiving an experimental gene-editing treatment for a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. The incident sparked scrutiny on ethics and safety of cutting-edge gene therapies, particularly when they involve children and individualized treatments.

The case, uncovered through a joint investigation by Science and Retraction Watch, sparked international concern as the child's death was never disclosed publicly, despite related preclinical research later being published in Nature.

What Happened?

According to the investigation, the six-year-old girl, identified by the pseudonym "Mei," had Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome, a rare genetic condition. It caused symptoms like mild intellectual disability and developmental delays.

Her parents reportedly paid more than $800,000 to support development of a personalized ("n=1") gene-editing therapy designed specifically for their daughter's mutation.

In March 2025, she received a spinal infusion containing trillions of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) carrying a CRISPR-based gene editor intended to correct the faulty gene in brain cells. Within days, she developed a severe immune reaction and died approximately one week after treatment.

An internal hospital review concluded that the most likely cause of death was an overwhelming immune response triggered by the viral delivery system rather than the gene-editing mechanism itself.

The controversy extends well beyond the patient's death. According to Science investigation:

• The child's death was not publicly disclosed.
• The child's treatment was omitted from a later Nature publication describing related preclinical work.
• Animal studies had reportedly shown warning signs, including severe liver and kidney toxicity at high doses.
• The girl's parents may not have been fully informed about the potential side effects of the therapy.

Following the investigation, local Chinese health authorities reportedly fined the hospital involved for faulty execution of the clinical research. Several experts have called for an independent review of the published research and greater transparency around experimental human gene-editing trials.

Also read: Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Nears 3,000 Cases, 1,300 Deaths as UN Warns Virus Is 'Spreading Like Wildfire'

Bioethicists and gene therapy researchers say the case underscores the need for complete transparency whenever experimental therapies are tested on humans.

Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford University, told Science that the trial "shouldn't have gone to trial".

Pediatrician Marcelo Bellusci, who participates in gene therapy trials, told El País, "In this type of trial there can be serious side effects, but families are always informed about them. This team skipped the current rules."

About Gene-Editing Therapies

Gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR offer the possibility of correcting genetic mutations caused by diseases instead of simply treating symptoms. Several CRISPR-based therapies have shown remarkable success in inherited blood disorders, including sickle cell disease.

However, experts stress that therapies targeting the brain remain considerably more complex because they often require large viral doses and carry greater risks of immune complications.

As more individualized gene-editing therapies move toward human testing, experts argue that every serious adverse event must be reported promptly to regulators, journals, clinicians, and patients to ensure future treatments become both safer and more trustworthy.

Mongolia recently confirmed a suspected case of bubonic plague after a bacteriological laboratory delivered positive results. The National Center for Zoonotic Diseases confirmed on Friday that the case belongs to Mongolia's western Khovd province.

Mongolia Confirms First Human Case Of Bubonic Plague

According to reports, the patient contracted the infection after eating marmot meat during a visit to Ulaankhus soum in neighbouring Bayan-Ulgii province.

Mongolia's first confirmed case of bubonic plague has prompted officials to issue warnings against hunting and eating marmots, a known source of the deadly disease which is also considered a delicacy in the country.

The warnings also stated that individuals must avoid all forms of contact with the rodent, including handling their meat or internal organs. It also said avoid contact with sick or dead rodents as it could significantly increase the risk of infection.

The National Center for Zoonotic Diseases says 17 of Mongolia's 21 provinces are considered high risk regions for plague as the bacterium persists in wildlife.

Also read: What Was The Pseudo-Tuberculosis Like 'Syndrome K' Saved Thousand Lives During World War II?

Why Bubonic Plague Still Lurks In Mongolia?

The Black Death devastated Europe in the 14th century. Even today, a few countries still see cases of plague from time to time.

Humans typically get infected through flea bites from infected rodents, handling and close contact with infected animals and eating undercooked or raw marmot meat, which has been linked to several cases in Mongolia.

Mongolia has reported human plague cases to the World Health Organization since the 1980s. Sporadic infections continue to occur almost every year, particularly in the country's western and northern provinces.

The disease still lives centuries after it was eradicated because it is entrenched in wildlife rather than spreading continuously between people.

Humans are usually infected after being bitten by infected fleas or through hunting, skinning, or eating infected marmots.

Studies show that nearly 60% of Mongolia's reported plague cases since 1998 have been linked to close contact with infected marmots, highlighting why authorities repeatedly warn against hunting and consuming the animals.

Also read: How To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your House And Stop Them From Infecting Your Pets

Several infamous incidents related to the disease have sparked headlines in the last few years.

In 2019, a married couple died after eating raw marmot meat.

In 2020, a teenager also died after eating marmot meat, prompting temporary travel restrictions and heightened surveillance.

The latest confirmed human case in July 2026 follows the same familiar pattern.

Mongolia's challenge is not a new outbreak but an enduring zoonotic disease that resurfaces whenever humans come into contact with infected wildlife.

Where Else Does The Plague Still Exist?

Plague remains endemic in several parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Peru report the highest number of human cases globally. Since the 1990s, most reported cases have occurred in Africa.

Madagascar experiences seasonal plague almost every year, typically between September and April. The country drew international attention during a major 2017 outbreak, which caused more than 2,500 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases and over 200 deaths.

In the United States, plague is rare but has never disappeared. An average of about seven human cases are reported annually, mostly in rural parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, and Nevada.

In 2026, Arizona reported its first human plague case in Apache County in more than a decade.

China has also reported occasional isolated human infections, particularly in Inner Mongolia.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is expanding at an alarming pace, with confirmed infections nearing 3,000 and deaths exceeding 1,300, prompting the United Nations to warn that the virus is "spreading like wildfire" across eastern parts of the country.

The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus, has become the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic. Unlike Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments specifically for Bundibugyo Ebola, making containment and management more challenging.

UN Says DRC Outbreak Is Spreading "Like Wildfire"

UN humanitarian officials have described the outbreak as one of the most severe public health emergencies. "The outbreak is spreading like wildfire," UN officials warned recently, highlighting that conflict, population displacement and attacks on healthcare facilities are preventing rapid containment efforts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned that the outbreak is becoming increasingly difficult to control.

According to WHO, a bunch of new infections cannot be linked to known transmission chains, indicating that the virus is spreading silently within communities.

Contact tracing remains inadequate to interrupt transmission, while insecurity and misinformation continue to hamper response efforts.

Also read: Ebola Scare In The UK After Humanitarian Worker Monitored In London Hospital; Here's what Happened

Health workers have also demonstrated strikes in some areas over unpaid dues, further disrupting patient care and containment efforts.

WHO has stressed that the global public health risk remains low, as Ebola spreads only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals. However, the regional risk remains high because of active movement across borders.

Armed conflict in eastern DRC has limited access to affected communities, while attacks on health facilities, shortages of medical supplies, delayed laboratory testing and public distrust have slowed efforts to isolate patients, trace contacts, and contain the outbreak.

Hope Emerges As First Human Receives Experimental Bundibugyo Ebola Vaccine

Also read: Ebola Outbreak In Congo: UN Warns Frontline Responders As Cases Surface In New Areas

Amid the worsening outbreak, researchers have reached an important scientific milestone in vaccination. The first human volunteer has received an experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, marking the world's first Phase I clinical trial.

The study, led by the University of Oxford, will evaluate the vaccine's safety by studying its ability to trigger an immune response in 50 healthy adults.

The vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 BDBV, uses the same viral vector platform that was employed for the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Professor Katrina Pollock, chief investigator at the Oxford Vaccine Group, described the launch as "an important milestone" in the effort to develop protection against a virus for which no licensed vaccine currently exists.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya also welcomed the development, noting that although early-stage trials will not immediately help affected communities battle the current outbreak, they are critical for building better tools against future epidemics.

WHO notes that currently approved Ebola vaccines, including Ervebo, are designed to protect against the Zaire ebolavirus, not the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the ongoing outbreak. Researchers are also in the process to determine whether existing vaccines may offer partial cross-protection while Bundibugyo-specific vaccines continue to be developed.

Alongside vaccine research, WHO and international partners have launched clinical trials in the DRC to evaluate experimental therapies, including the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and antiviral drug remdesivir, in patients infected with the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers hope these studies will identify effective treatment options for future outbreaks.