An international research partnership is setting out to address a long-standing gap in global health: children weighing less than 15 kg, broadly corresponding to those under five years of age, are affected by the same parasitic diseases targeted by ivermectin-based control programmes, yet are excluded from receiving the drug because there is currently not enough safety evidence to support its use in this age group.

The IVM-KIDS project aims to address that evidence gap. Bringing together eight institutions across Africa and Europe, the four-year initiative will generate the clinical, pharmacological and regulatory evidence needed to determine whether ivermectin can be safely and effectively extended to treat younger children.

If successful, the project could help pave the way for younger children to be included in ivermectin-based programmes targeting several neglected tropical diseases. Children weighing less than 15 kg are estimated to represent around 20% of the population in endemic regions, making this evidence gap relevant not only to individual treatment, but also to the reach and inclusiveness of large-scale parasite control programmes.

In a new study, scientists have made significant progress in developing a robust approach for the identification of chemical hazards using an informed selection of in vitro bioassays.

Mitochondrial transplantation is emerging as an organelle-level therapeutic strategy for diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. A new Perspective in Science Bulletin discusses how engineered mitochondrial delivery systems may improve mitochondrial stability, targeting, and clinical translation.

What if cells that form scars after a spinal cord injury could become part of the repair process? Researchers have developed a genetic system that converts certain scar-forming cells into neurons, improving movement in mice and rats with spinal cord injuries.

No comprehensive global estimate of medical e-waste exists yet but research shows, for example, that 83 million wearable medical devices were placed on the European market in 2020 alone, on a trajectory to ~2 billion devices annually worldwide by 2050.

Unlike consumer electronics, many medical devices are classified as healthcare waste after use because of contamination concerns. Consequently, products containing valuable electronics, batteries, copper, gold, lithium and other critical materials are frequently incinerated even when components may remain reusable or recyclable.

The EU-funded Digital Health in the Circular Economy (DiCE) project report shows how to transform digital healthcare into a circular system that keeps products, components and valuable materials in use longer without compromising patient safety. "Digital health technologies are transforming healthcare. Millions of devices, from diabetes sensors and blood pressure monitors to advanced surgical instruments, are helping patients live longer, healthier lives while making care more personalised, efficient and effective. But the rapid growth of this market is creating a largely overlooked problem: a fast-growing stream of electronic waste. DiCE has shown how to mitigate that problem and recover increasingly precious and strategically critical raw materials."