Today’s Public Health update spotlights key developments, regulatory milestones, and the latest progress shaping the biopharma landscape.
In Today’s Newsletter
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In Today’s Newsletter
♻️ PET bottles upcycled into cancer drug inputs [1] [UK • 02 Jan 2026]
Context: Ruthenium-catalysed depolymerisation; published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition; supported by Merck KGaA.
Key point: University of St Andrews researchers converted PET waste into ethyl-4-hydroxymethyl benzoate, a pharmaceutical intermediate used in drugs including imatinib (endpoint not specified).
Implication: Signals pipeline investment and modality expansion.
🦴 Anti-aging injection regenerates knee cartilage in mice [2] [03 Jan 2026]
https://scitechdaily.com/anti-aging-injection-regrows-knee-cartilage-and-prevents-arthritis/
Context: Stanford Medicine; published in Science; injectable approach, stem-cell free.
Key point: Inhibiting 15-PGDH reversed cartilage loss and prevented arthritis in mice, human knee tissue showed regenerative response ex vivo.
Implication: May influence prescriber choice and payer reviews pending full data.
📺 UK bans junk food ads before 9 p.m. and online [3] [UK • 05 Jan 2026]
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5y2vzlyldo
Context: Policy aims to reduce childhood obesity; brand advertising still allowed.
Key point: Advertising of HFSS foods is now restricted on TV before 9 p.m. and banned online.
Implication: Introduces competition that may affect pricing and formulary access.
🧬 Blue zones validated, but fewer remain [4] [07 Jan 2026]
Context: Analysis in The Gerontologist; lifestyle and social factors outweigh genetics.
Key point: Rigorous record verification confirms Ogliastra (Sardinia) and Ikaria (Greece) as current longevity hotspots.
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
🍷 Alcohol linked to cancer risk from first drink [5] [01 Jan 2026]
Context: Large observational cohorts; cardioprotective claims now considered flawed.
Key point: Alcohol is a class 1 carcinogen; no safe consumption level identified.
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
🍽️ GLP-1 pills reshape food industry strategies [6] [US • 25 Dec 2025]
Context: Purchasing data show reduced grocery and fast-food spending among GLP-1 users.
Key point: Oral GLP-1 drugs expected to accelerate food reformulation and smaller portion strategies.
Implication: Introduces competition that may affect pricing and formulary access.
💉 Sulfonylureas may hasten diabetes progression [7] [Spain • 02 Jan 2026]
Context: University of Barcelona; published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Key point: Lab studies suggest sulfonylureas cause beta-cell dedifferentiation, reducing insulin secretion over time.
Implication: May influence prescriber choice and payer reviews pending full data.
🧠 Oveporexton improves cognition in narcolepsy [8] [22 Dec 2025]
Context: Phase 2b secondary analysis; FDA breakthrough therapy designation in 2024.
Key point: Takeda’s OX2R agonist improved attention, memory, and executive function in NT1 patients.
Implication: Signals pipeline investment and modality expansion.
❄️ Winter eczema highlights allergy and asthma links [9] [22 Dec 2025]
Context: ACAAI data; steroid-free tapinarof cream showed benefit by week 8.
Key point: Winter flares of eczema may signal progression toward asthma and allergies.
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
🤖 Reports raise concern over “AI psychosis” [10] [23 Dec 2025]
Context: Case reports, clinician commentary; no formal diagnosis exists.
Key point: Intensive chatbot use linked to psychosis-like symptoms in vulnerable individuals (causation not established).
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
🏃 Exercise rivals antidepressants for depression [11] [08 Jan 2026]
Context: Cochrane review of 69 trials; adherence higher for light to moderate activity.
Key point: Exercise moderately reduces depression symptoms, comparable to medication or CBT.
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
🌫️ Air pollution components tied to late-life depression [12] [US • 26 Dec 2025]
Context: JAMA Network Open cohort of ~24 million Medicare beneficiaries.
Key point: Long-term PM2.5 exposure, especially sulfate and elemental carbon, linked to higher depression risk in older adults.
Implication: Could inform practice and payer discussions; interpretation depends on study design.
⚖️ Weight regain common after stopping GLP-1s [14] [UK • 08 Jan 2026]
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/07/weight-loss-jabs-regain-two-years-health-study
Context: BMJ review of 37 trials; cardiometabolic benefits also reversed.
Key point: Most participants regained lost weight within two years after discontinuing GLP-1 therapy.
Implication: May influence prescriber choice and payer reviews pending full data.
👶 Maternal RSV vaccine cuts infant hospitalizations [15] [UK • 23 Dec 2025]
https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/news/maternal-rsvpref-vaccine-infant-hospitalization/
Context: Lancet Infectious Diseases case-control study; benefit dependent on timely vaccination.
Key point: Scotland’s maternal RSVpreF program reduced RSV hospitalizations in infants under 90 days by over 80%.
Implication: May influence prescriber choice and payer reviews pending full data.
Why it matters
- Sustainability and circular chemistry are entering pharmaceutical supply chains.
- Regenerative and disease-modifying therapies challenge symptom-only care models.
- Policy and medication shifts are reshaping food systems and public health strategies.
- Lifestyle, environment, and technology increasingly intersect with chronic disease risk.
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FAQ
What is EHMB and why does it matter?
EHMB is a chemical intermediate used in drugs like imatinib. Making it from PET waste could cut reliance on fossil feedstocks [1].
Is the anti-aging cartilage therapy ready for patients?
No. Results are preclinical and ex vivo, though human safety data exist for related muscle studies [2].
Does the UK junk food ad ban apply to all foods?
No. Only HFSS products, defined by a nutrient profiling model, are restricted [3].
Are blue zones permanent?
No. The study shows longevity hotspots can shrink or disappear as lifestyles change [4].
Do GLP-1 drugs cure obesity?
Evidence suggests obesity is chronic and relapsing, with weight regain common after stopping therapy [14].
Entities / Keywords
University of St Andrews; PET recycling; EHMB; Stanford Medicine; 15-PGDH; UK Government; HFSS advertising; Blue zones; Ogliastra; Ikaria; GLP-1 agonists; Wegovy; Sulfonylureas; Takeda; Oveporexton; RSVpreF vaccine.
References
- https://recyclinginternational.com/business/innovation/pet-recycled-for-anti-cancer-drug-manufacture/62827/
- https://scitechdaily.com/anti-aging-injection-regrows-knee-cartilage-and-prevents-arthritis/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5y2vzlyldo
- https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/01/07/blue-zones-are-global-longevity-hotspots-a-myth-new-study-proves-where-people-really-live-
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/omerawan/2026/01/01/what-the-latest-research-tells-us-about-alcohol-and-health/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit
- https://www.https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/weight-loss-pill-approval-set-accelerate-food-industry-product-overhauls-2025-12-24/reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/weight-loss-pill-approval-set-accelerate-food-industry-product-overhauls-2025-12-24/
- https://scitechdaily.com/one-of-the-most-common-diabetes-treatments-may-be-making-the-disease-worse-study-warns/
- https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/novel-first-class-drug-tied-improved-cognition-narcolepsy-2025a1000zxu
- https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/winter-exposes-how-closely-eczema-asthma-and-allergies-are-linked
- https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/ai-psychosis-what-physicians-should-know-about-emerging-2025a100104z
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2510492-exercise-may-relieve-depression-as-effectively-as-antidepressants/
- https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/three-components-air-pollution-drive-link-depression-risk-2025a10010ei
- https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/07/weight-loss-jabs-regain-two-years-health-study
- https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/news/maternal-rsvpref-vaccine-infant-hospitalization/