• Georgia: Earlier this month, CDC issued travel alerts warning U.S. travelers about an "elevated risk" of chikungunya virus in several countries, including China and parts of Central and South America. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne illness, and common symptoms include fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rash. Young babies and older adults with other health problems may be at risk for severe symptoms or death from the disease. Although there have been no locally acquired cases of chikungunya in the United States since 2019, there were 199 travel-associated cases in 2024 and 46 so far this year. For travelers in affected regions, CDC recommends using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and staying in places with air conditioning or screens on the windows and doors. "Vaccination is recommended for travelers who are visiting an area with a chikungunya outbreak," CDC added. (Falconer, Axios, 8/5)
• Illinois: AbbVie is planning to build a new $195 million facility to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall for expected completion by 2027. According to Becker's Hospital Review, the new investment is part of Illinois' "Economic Development for a Growing Economy Program," which offers companies tax incentives if they invest $100 million or more in the state. AbbVie, which is headquartered in North Chicago, has a large presence in the state of Illinois, employing more than 11,000 workers across the company's offices and manufacturing sites. Recently, several large drugmakers, including AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Eli Lilly, have announced plans to boost their domestic manufacturing. (Murphy, Becker's Hospital Review, 8/13)
• Maryland: FDA has approved Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 drug Wegovy as a treatment for metabolic associated steatohepatitis (MASH), or a severe form of fatty liver disease. Currently, MASH affects around 14.9 million adults in the United States and has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. According to Becker's Hospital Review, FDA granted the approval under its accelerated pathway, which allows drugs for serious conditions to be approved more quickly based on evidence. Wegovy's approval for MASH was based on interim results from an ongoing phase 3 clinical trial. So far, 63% of patients who received Wegovy had MASH resolution without their liver scarring worsening compared to 34% who received a placebo. Thirty-seven percent of patients on Wegovy also had improvement in liver scarring compared to 22% on a placebo. This approval is Wegovy's third indication, with the first being for weight loss and the second being for reducing the risk of cardiovascular complications. Wegovy is also the second medication approved to treat MASH, with the first being Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' Rezdiffra. (Murphy, Becker's Hospital Review, 8/18; Kansteiner, Fierce Pharma, 8/18)

The latest generation of weight management medications have sparked new questions about chronic obesity treatment. We answer five questions we’re hearing in conversations with healthcare leaders to help you understand how the medications differ from past iterations and their potential impacts.