Nov 27 Meet the health care critics Trump picked to lead top U.S. health agencies under RFK Jr. By Associated Press On Tuesday night, Trump nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health, tapping an opponent of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates to lead the nation's top medical research agency. He is the latest in a string of… Continue reading
Nov 23 Trump names a Fox News personality, a COVID mandate critic and an anti-vaccine doctor to key public health roles By Matthew Perrone, Amanda Seitz, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Trump on Friday nominated Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the nation's next surgeon general, Dr. Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration, and doctor and former Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading
Nov 23 Watch 6:22 What Trump's latest picks mean for the future of U.S. public health policy By Laura Barrón-López, Harry Zahn, Claire Mufson Trump has made his picks for key public health roles in his administration, nominating family medicine doctor and Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be the next surgeon general, Johns Hopkins surgeon Dr. Marty Makary to lead the FDA,… Continue watching
Sep 16 UN: Taliban suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan By Riazat Butt, Associated Press It’s a devastating setback for polio eradication, since the virus is one of the world’s most infectious and any unvaccinated groups of children where the virus is spreading could undo years of progress. Continue reading
Jun 29 Watch 6:18 Frequent gun violence near school grounds harms millions of kids, analysis finds By William Brangham, Juliet Fuisz From 2014 to 2023, communities across the U.S. saw more than 188,000 shootings within 500 yards of a school, an average of 57 shootings per day, according to a new analysis by The Trace. The report found that in 2023… Continue watching
Jun 25 Watch 5:42 What comes next as U.S. surgeon general declares gun violence a public health crisis By Amna Nawaz An advisory from the U.S. surgeon general says gun violence is an urgent public health crisis. Citing rising deaths of young people and mental health impacts, the report argues for an approach to stem gun violence similar to tobacco-related and… Continue watching
May 31 2023 set a record for U.S. heat deaths. Why 2024 could be even deadlier By Seth Borenstein, Mary Katherine Wildeman, Anita Snow, Associated Press An Associated Press analysis of federal data shows that about 2,300 people in the United States died in the summer of 2023 with their death certificates mentioning the effects of excessive heat. That's the highest in 45 years of records. Continue reading
Feb 22 How Louisiana cancer patients navigate the 'hidden' costs of participating in clinical trials By Roby Chavez Each year, more than 25,000 Louisianans receive a new cancer diagnosis. But many patients don’t have access to new trials and therapies near their home. Continue reading
Aug 14 Maui residents face lingering toxic hazards in aftermath of deadly wildfires By Andrew J. Whelton, The Conversation Maui County issued an ‘unsafe water’ alert and urged precautions. Residents can face multiple toxic hazards after fires. Continue reading
Aug 13 Inconsistent methods for counting U.S. heat deaths stymie public health efforts By Anita Snow, Kendria LaFleur, Associated Press Experts say a mishmash of ways more than 3,000 counties calculate heat deaths means we don't really know how many people die in the U.S. each year because of high temperatures in an ever warming world. Continue reading