EurekAlert! News by Subject: Policy & Ethics

Policy & Ethics

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Apr-2026 12:16 ET (24-Apr-2026 16:16 GMT/UTC)

26-Mar-2026

Research findings for a more equitable energy transition

University of Freiburg
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Households with high incomes are the main beneficiaries of subsidy programmes supporting the clean energy transition. A team of researchers from the University of Freiburg, Stanford University, Indiana University and the University of Pennsylvania has analysed why this is the case and how energy policy can be made more equitable. The results have now been published in the journal Nature Reviews Clean Technology.

Journal: Nature Reviews Clean Technology

26-Mar-2026

Food fortification prevents 7 billion nutrient gaps annually — but could triple its impact

University of California - Santa Barbara
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Fortifying staple foods with essential vitamins and minerals is a cheap and effective way to ensure that people have access to nutrients that may be lacking in their normal diets. These efforts have countered debilitating deficiencies that lead to conditions like rickets and pellagra, and have increased health and wellbeing around the globe.

Journal: The Lancet Global Health

26-Mar-2026

Geographic shifts in early-stage biopharmaceutical innovation

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: Global early-stage drug development has nearly doubled over the past decade, shifting from a system dominated by the U.S. toward a 2-hub structure centered on the U.S. and China. Because early-stage drug candidates shape future drug approvals and investment, these shifts may have downstream implications for regulatory coordination, scientific workforce development, and patient access to new therapies. Continued monitoring will be essential for policymakers to understand these consequences and to design appropriate financial and regulatory incentives.

Journal: JAMA

26-Mar-2026

Over the past decade, early-stage drug innovation shifted toward China, Georgetown researchers find

Georgetown University Medical Center
Reports and Proceedings

Early-stage drug development worldwide has nearly doubled over the past decade and shifted from a U.S.-dominated model to a dual hub centered in the United States and China, according to new research described by Georgetown University health policy experts.

Journal: JAMA

26-Mar-2026

VertINGreen unveiled turning indoor green walls into smart, living systems breathing life into buildings

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Indoor air quality in modern buildings is increasingly difficult to maintain without high energy costs, and while vertical green walls offer a natural solution, their inconsistent performance and complex maintenance have limited widespread use. VertINGreen, developed by researchers, solves this by using AI, remote sensing, and plant data to both predict how green walls will perform before installation and monitor their health in real time, making them a reliable, efficient, and scalable tool for improving air quality and reducing energy consumption.

Journal: Indoor Air

26-Mar-2026

From simulation to strategy: climate modeling motivates action at the top

MIT Sloan School of Management
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research by MIT Sloan School of Management finds that global leaders who participate in facilitated engagements using an interactive climate policy simulator, En-ROADS, demonstrated a stronger understanding of climate solutions, felt more personally connected to the issue, and were more likely to take climate-related action or advocate for change in their governments, businesses, organizations, or communities.

Journal: npj Climate Action

26-Mar-2026

Second-hand smoke exposure down 96% since Scotland’s smoking ban, study shows

University of Stirling
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Second-hand smoke exposure in Scotland is down 96% since the country’s landmark smoke-free legislation came into force on March 26, 2006, new research by the University of Stirling and Public Health Scotland has shown. However, analysis also shows that many workers remain exposed to second-hand smoke in settings not fully covered by legislation, such as private homes visited by care workers and outdoor hospitality.

Journal: Tobacco Induced Diseases