• District of Columbia: According to the United Nations, the United States will leave WHO on Jan. 22, 2026. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the international health agency, saying that it mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states." Before leaving WHO, Trump is required to give one-year notice of U.S. withdrawal and pay Washington's dues under a 1948 joint resolution from the U.S. Congress. During the withdrawal process, the Trump administration will cease all negotiations on the WHO pandemic treaty, and all personnel working with WHO will be recalled and reassigned. Currently, the United States is WHO's largest financial backer, contributing around 18% of the agency's total funding. According to several experts, the United States leaving WHO will likely put several programs at risk, including those aimed at tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other health emergencies. (Nichols, Reuters, 1/23)
• Florida: Last week, Veru announced that its experimental drug enobosarm helped patients who take Wegovy preserve lean muscle mass. In a Phase 2b trial, older patients who took Wegovy and enobosarm lost an average of 1.2% of lean mass after 16 weeks, compared to 4.1% in patients who took Wegovy and a placebo. Veru also compared patients' physical function with a stair climbing test. Around 20% of patients on Wegovy and enobosarm lost 10% or greater stair power, compared to over 40% in the placebo group. Currently, Veru is continuing the trial in a 12-week extension to see whether enobosaem can maintain muscle and prevent fat regain after patients stop taking Wegovy. The company has also met with FDA to discuss a regulatory pathway for developing enobosarm to improve body composition. The agency has also provided a general advice for a Phase 3 trial design. (Chen, STAT+ [subscription required], 1/27)
• Maryland: After President Donald Trump signed an executive order pledging to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from the federal government, several health agencies, including the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and FDA, have taken down webpages related to DEI efforts, including for clinical trials. According to STAT+, the removal of DEI efforts from clinical trial pages could impact how researchers and companies test drugs and medical devices. Under the Biden administration, FDA encouraged companies to enroll more people of color and women in trials and released draft guidance last June on how to do so, but it's not clear if this guidance will be finalized or if the Trump administration plans to end efforts to diversify clinical trials. Currently, sources have told STAT+ that the mood inside FDA is uneasy, especially as staffers try to understand what is or isn't considered a DEI program. So far, FDA's press office has not answered any questions about which DEI-related programs are being shut down under the order. (Herper/Lawrence, STAT+ [subscription required], 1/23)

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