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Health workers and researchers say an HIV outbreak in West Virginia that three years ago was called āthe most concerningā in the U.S. continues to spread after state and local officials restricted syringe service programs.
Exclusive reporting reveals how the United States lost track of a virus that could cause the next pandemic. Problems like the sluggish pace of federal action, deference to industry, and neglect for the safety of low-wage workers put the country at risk of another health emergency.
The president-electās choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and CDC, hold positions on issues including abortion and vaccination that are often at odds.
President-elect Donald Trump has made his choices to fill some top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. They include controversial figures who were vocal critics of the Biden administrationās handling of the covid pandemic and have proposed sweeping changes to the agencies they would lead. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard its first two health-related cases of the term, challenging a Tennessee law barring transgender medical care for minors and, separately, challenging the FDAās handling of e-cigarettes. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University and Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health Newsā Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health Newsā Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health News-Washington Post Well+Being āBill of the Monthā feature, about an emergency room bill for a visit that didnāt get past the waiting room.
Research has generally shown that drinking fluoridated water at the recommended levels is safe and beneficial for oral health, especially in children. But many people feel that more research is needed to better understand whether and when health risks kick in.
As federal health scientists await a potential takeover by RFK Jr. and other medical skeptics in the second Trump administration, some are preparing rƩsumƩs or retirement papers.
Health care has ebbed and surged as an election issue throughout the presidential campaign. Here are the ways some of the most consequential changes in health policies could hinge on whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.
The United States has made almost no progress in closing racial health disparities despite promises, research shows. The government, some critics argue, is often the underlying culprit.
Emails show how health officials struggle to track the bird flu, partly in deference to the agricultural industry. As a result, researchers donāt know how often farmworkers are being infected ā and could miss alarming signals.
Former President Donald Trump has presided over a landslide shift in Republican views on vaccines, reflected in false claims by candidates in election primaries, puzzling conspiracies from prominent conservatives, and a surge in anti-vaccine policies in statehouses.
A Colorado picnic celebrated Farmworker Appreciation Day. But some dairy workers there said they arenāt feeling appreciated: They donāt have basic protective gear, even as bird flu spreads through area farms.
Former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a Heritage Foundation document that outlines positions on abortion and a range of other social issues. But Democrats view it as a window into the far rightās to-do list and a clear opening for political attack.
Dairy workers in Texas show signs of prior, uncounted bird flu infections in a new study. Without labor protection and better health care, cases are bound to quietly rise as the outbreak among livestock blazes in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promises better tests are being developed, but the episode points to vulnerabilities in the countryās defense against emerging outbreaks.
So far, all 10 cases reported nationally this year at dairy and poultry farms have been mild, consisting of respiratory symptoms and eye irritation. Scientists have warned that the virus could mutate to spread from person to person, like the seasonal flu, and spark a pandemic.
Even with a stockpile of bird flu vaccinations, the federal government is not offering them to those at high risk. Along with testing and measures to prevent spread, vaccinations may protect people and stop the outbreak from becoming a pandemic.
A Supreme Court ruling restricting federal power will likely have seismic ramifications for health policy. A flood of litigation ā with plaintiffs like small businesses, drugmakers, and hospitals challenging regulations they say are too expensive or burdensome and not authorized by law ā could leave the country with a patchwork of disparate health regulations.
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