• California: A new HIV prevention drug from Gilead Sciences called lenacapavir could significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection. In a new trial called PURPOSE 2, two annual injections of lenacapavir reduced HIV infections by 96% in participants. The trial monitored cisgender men, transgender men, transgender women, and gender nonbinary individuals in several different countries, including the United States, Argentina, and Brazil, who have sex with individuals assigned male at birth. Out of the 2,180 participants, only two people contracted HIV. "With such remarkable outcomes across two Phase 3 studies, lenacapavir has demonstrated the potential to transform the prevention of HIV and help to end the epidemic," said Danial O'Day, chair and CEO of Gilead. "Now that we have a comprehensive dataset across multiple study populations, Gilead will work urgently with regulatory, government, public health and community partners to ensure that, if approved, we can deliver twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP worldwide, for all those who want or need PrEP." (Fields, The Hill, 9/12)
• Georgia: CDC is launching a new program to help hospitals reduce diagnostic errors and provide safe, accurate patient care. According to Preeta Kutty, deputy associate director for science in CDC's division of healthcare quality promotion, missed, delayed, or incorrect diagnoses can happen for several reasons, including communication breakdowns and technological issues. In a 2023 study published in The BMJ, researchers found that diagnostic errors contribute to around 424,000 permanent disabilities and 371,000 deaths every year. For the new program, CDC worked with the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality and CMS to create recommendations to help clinicians and healthcare leaders reduce diagnostic errors as part of new core elements of diagnostic excellence. The program will also add to CDC's core elements for sepsis management and antibiotic stewardship. "We hope that by providing examples of how to monitor and learn from diagnostic safety events, it will help the hospital improve teamwork and coordination when the patient is hospitalized and discharged," Kutty said. (Devereaux, Modern Healthcare, 9/17)
• Virginia: Boar's Head will shut down a Virginia plant that produced deli meat linked to a nationwide listeria outbreak. According to CDC, 57 people have been hospitalized in 18 states, and nine people have died due to the listeria outbreak. The agency said that this is the largest listeria outbreak since 2011, which was linked to cantaloupe. Boar's Head said the closure of the Virginia plant, which has not been in operation since July, is part of several changes following "a dark moment in our company's history." The company will also permanently discontinue sales of liverwurst, implement a companywide food safety program, appoint a new food safety officer, and consult with a food safety council of independent industry experts. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers and to the safety and quality of our products,” Boar's Head said. "We are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger." (Gumbrecht, CNN, 9/13)

Deaths from AIDS-related illnesses have declined over the past 20 years, and for the first time, last year the majority of new HIV infections occurred in countries outside sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).