ASCLS eNewsBytes

• HIV Prevention Gap: Less Than 2% of At-Risk Youth Initiate PrEP May 19, 2026
  HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake is suboptimal among commercially-insured adolescents and young adults in the United States, necessitating targeted interventions to overcome access barriers. Nearly 20% of new HIV infections in the U.S. occur in individuals aged 13 to 24 years, indicating a critical need for improved accessibility to PrEP.
• A Velocity-Informed Framework for Resolving Functional Stratification in Rare Human Stem Cells May 19, 2026
  Single-cell transcriptomics has advanced stem cell biology, but analyzing rare and quiescent populations remains challenging due to low cell numbers. This work presents a velocity-informed framework to address transcriptional stratification in ultra-rare stem cells, as illustrated through small embryonic-like stem cells from human umbilical cord blood.
• New Report Charts Path for Climate-Disease Preparedness May 19, 2026
  Changing patterns in temperature, precipitation, sea level rise and extreme weather events are affecting the ecology and distribution of infectious disease reservoirs, hosts, vectors and pathogens, leading to the emergence of new diseases and the reappearance of others in previously uncommon regions.
• FDA Approves Vepdegestrant for ESR1-Mutant Advanced Breast Cancer May 19, 2026
  Vepdegestrant received FDA approval due to a significant progression-free survival advantage of five months over 2.1 months, indicating a 43% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to fulvestrant, which has been the standard treatment for ESR1-mutated, ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.
• How Genetic Testing and Counseling Can Improve Lives for Patients With IRDs May 19, 2026
  Inherited retinal diseases are rare, progressive genetic conditions that result from gene variants affecting retinal function, which can lead to vision loss or blindness. These disorders impact individuals of all ages and are often life-changing.