ASCLS eNewsBytes

• Progress Against The World's Deadliest Infectious Diseases Is On A Knife-Edge September 22, 2026
  In 2025, global health funding cuts negatively impacted HIV, TB, and malaria programs, reducing service coverage and health outcomes. Countries prioritized lifesaving treatments over prevention and capacity building, which mitigated short-term effects but hindered long-term progress.
• Study Finds Advanced Genetic Testing Opens New Treatment Options for Cancer Patients September 22, 2026
  A study indicates that expanded genetic testing can assist in identifying personalized treatment options for cancer patients, with nearly one in three patients eligible for therapies not usually associated with their specific cancer type, informed by their tumor's unique DNA.
• FDA Approves Generic Lutathera for Adults With GEP-NETs September 22, 2026
  The FDA has approved a generic version of lutetium Lu 177 dotatate for adults with somatostatin receptor-positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, following a prior label expansion for children aged 12 and older. This marks the first radioactive drug approved for this age group with SSTR-positive GEP-NETs.
• Pneumococcal Subtypes Influence the Impact of Air Pollution on Disease Risk September 22, 2026
  Streptococcus pneumoniae, found in about 20% of adults in the respiratory microbiome, can lead to severe diseases such as sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis, even in asymptomatic individuals. With over 100 serotypes, infection rates are influenced by factors like humidity, temperature, and air pollution, indicating considerable knowledge gaps about these environmental effects on different age groups […]
• MIT's Robotic Optics Lab Could Speed Testing for Quantum Technology September 22, 2026
  MIT researchers developed a robotic optics laboratory that autonomously assembles and tunes precision optical experiments. It stabilized a laser cavity through 50 maneuvers in about 30 minutes. Future plans involve remote access and applications in material testing for carbon capture, displays, solar cells and optical devices.