The Obesity Society (TOS), the leading organization of scientists and health professionals devoted to understanding and reversing the epidemic of obesity, has announced Sherlyn Celone-Arnold, M.S., as its new CEO, following the retirement of her predecessor, Anthony Comuzzie, Ph.D., FTOS. Celone-Arnold has worked as a strategic partner to TOS since 2019 and joined the organization earlier this year as its first Chief Strategy Officer.

Physician-scientists at Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS) in Burkina Faso have successfully completed initial safety evaluations in 30 adult Burkinabés as the first phase of a clinical trial of Sanaria^® PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccine, which is designed to prevent infection with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The clinical trial is being conducted in collaboration with Sanaria Inc., Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Following its review, the independent Safety Monitoring Committee has endorsed proceeding to the next phase of the trial, which will test PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccine in younger individuals who are 11–19 and 6–10 years old. Crucially, the initial data in adults confirmed the vaccine was safe, fully attenuated, and caused no malaria infections.

Shared decision-making tools from the national, independent nonprofit FAIR Health can help support decision making between older patients and their healthcare providers at the clinical point of care. This and other insights are highlighted in a new FAIR Health brief, Shared Decision-Making Tools for Older Adults in a Clinical Setting: Insights from a Learning Exchange with Healthcare Providers. The brief summarizes key takeaways from a recent discussion hosted by FAIR Health with clinicians from four Age-Friendly Health Systems clinical sites that are collaborating with FAIR Health to use and help evaluate FAIR Health’s shared decision-making tools (combining clinical and cost information) and other resources in clinical settings. This effort is part of a national initiative, generously funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation.  

Certain medications used in the treatment of bone conditions, particularly when combined with corticosteroids, may significantly increase the risk of a rare but serious jaw disease. This finding comes from a study by the University of Oulu, which analysed data from Finnish adult patients who began bone medication between 2013 and 2015. The researchers recommend more careful monitoring and consideration in the use of such medications.