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An inexpensive and easy-to-deliver intervention — a single dose of the antibiotic azithromycin — could sharply reduce the number of pregnant people in low- and middle-income countries who develop the life-threatening condition sepsis in childbirth, a study published Thursday reported. (Branswell, 2/9)

Patients who get sepsis while hospitalized are 43% more likely to return to the hospital for a stroke or any cardiac event, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The risk rises to 51% for heart failure alone. The study included more than 2.2 million patients who spent at least two nights in the hospital during a 10-year span — 800,000 of them were diagnosed with sepsis. (Rudy, 2/9)

The U.S. Department of Transportation said on Thursday it is investigating Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink over the potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. (Levy, 2/9)

Cigarette giant Reynolds American is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on manufacturers of disposable e-cigarettes, like Puff Bar and Elf Bar, which are increasingly being used by young people. The company, which also makes Vuse e-cigarettes, submitted a formal “citizen petition” to the FDA earlier this week calling on the agency to adopt an enforcement policy specifically targeted at disposable competitors to its products. (Florko, 2/9)

Olaplex Holdings Inc. is facing a lawsuit filed by about 30 consumers who allege the company’s products damaged their hair and scalp. The complaint filed Thursday accuses Olaplex of making false statements, including that its offerings restore damaged hair and provide the “ultimate breakage insurance.” The suit also claims that the company has knowingly used ingredients that cause irritation and sensitivity, contributing to a host of hair and scalp issues. (Sirtori-Cortina, 2/9)

Researchers who believe genomics can transform human health love to recount success stories. They’ll tell you about the 3-month-old boy whose heart was failing until researchers pinpointed what was ailing him. Or the baby girl who could have had a life-threatening reaction to anesthesia had researchers not sequenced her DNA ahead of time. But a new study focuses on a much more somber set of stories: those of infants who died with genetic diseases and who in some cases could have been treated, perhaps even saved. (Wosen, 2/9)

The high-tech glasses from Somerville startup Xander look like they might be for virtual reality or video gaming, but the chunky, black spectacles actually have a simpler and more important purpose. Designed for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, the Xander glasses generate text captions of a conversation in real time for the wearer. And the device works without a connection to a smartphone or the Internet. (Pressman, 2/9)