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Focused mental healthcare for young people delivers big savings to Canadian healthcare
A youth mental-health program, national in scale, has been shown to save a country’s public health system $4,000 a year per patient. And while it’s at it, the program helps young people overcome or better manage serious behavioral issues.
How faith leaders and public health leaders can address homelessness—together | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard Chan School's Howard Koh discusses the importance of both health care and spiritual care for unhoused populations, and how both disciplines can contribute to ending the U.S. homelessness crisis.
In Good Health: Why Measles Numbers Are On The Rise
Nationwide, students, teachers, and parents are gearing up for the school year.And measles is spreading. The U.S. has already logged more cases this year than in all of 2025. It’s the highest count in 35 years. That’s in large part because measles vaccination rates have slipped below 95 percent – the threshold public health experts say is needed to stop community spread. Last week on CNN, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said children should be vaccinated for measles after being pressed on-camera, even as he used the same interview to push a debunked claim about respiratory syncytial virus. And on Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at upending the childhood vaccine schedule, including changes to the measles vaccine and others. But what will actually change at the doctor’s office?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
The Norfolk Department of Public Health to host Back to School Clinic event
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk Department of Public Health will host a Back to School Clinic event next Thursday so families can be prepared for the upcoming school year, according to a pr…
Franklin County Public Health reports new rabies cases in Northern New York
Health officials in Franklin County, New York, said rabies cases continue to be a factor this summer, with eight cases confirmed in the region.
BOP Public Health Service Officer Earns Prestigious Award
Honoring a career committed to improving patient outcomes across federal health systems.
Small Business Spotlight: Specialty dental practice takes root on Market St.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN BLUE HERON ROOT CANAL SPECIALISTS? OWNER SARAH ERMOSHKIN: “I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. When I was 23 years old, I owned a cafe in Seattle, where I even fought to oppose oppressive sales taxes on espresso drinks. After selling that business, I got married and started a family. Once my children were in school, I attended dental school through the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which covered my tuition and provided a stipend. From the beginning, my goal was to eventually own my own practice after completing my military service. The work I do is incredibly rewarding and being able to create an environment that puts patients first while helping employees grow professionally makes every day as a business owner meaningful.” WHAT DOES YOUR BUSINESS PROVIDE? ERMOSHKIN: “Endodontists are often called ‘pain doctors’ because our primary mission is to relieve pain and save natural teeth. We specialize in root canal therapy, retreatment of nonhealing root canals, treatment of root resorption, apicoectomies – microsurgical root-end procedures – and vital pulp therapy for children. Our goal is to preserve teeth that might otherwise need to be extracted and replaced with implants. Saving a patient’s natural tooth is almost always the best long-term solution for their oral health.” HOW DOES YOUR MILITARY TRAINING HELP YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “My military service taught me how to lead, collaborate and make decisions under pressure. I worked closely with senior leadership while treating a large patient population and collaborating with specialists across multiple disciplines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, (I) served a dual role as Navy dentist and as the public affairs officer for Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, where I helped develop medical and dental communications for the midshipmen and support staff, while coordinating with the broader Navy Capital Region. We worked closely with other military treatment facilities to share best practices and deliver consistent public health messaging. Those leadership experiences continue to shape how I lead my team and serve our patients today.” WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW IN YOUR BUSINESS? ERMOSHKIN: “One of our biggest challenges is overcoming the misinformation surrounding root canal treatment. Root canals are safe, effective and often the best way to relieve pain while preserving a natural tooth. Unfortunately, many people choose extraction because they believe it’s less expensive or because they’ve seen misleading information online. What they may not realize is that losing a tooth can lead to shifting teeth, changes in the way they bite and chew and significantly higher costs to restore their smile later.”
Health Officer Issues Emergency Order to Accelerate Removal of…
Spokane Regional Health District Health Officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez today issued a public health order authorizing the U.S. Environmental Protection…
Community members demand Colorado issue public health order for ICE tuberculosis case
On Monday, community advocates once again called for more pressure from the state government, issuing their own “people’s public health order” at the Colorado Capitol, steps from Gov. Jared Polis’ office.
Weird Science: Flush with data, North Carolina sewage is exposing community nutrition and food insecurity
A newly published study has successfully demonstrated that analyzing residual plant and animal DNA in municipal wastewater can deliver accurate, real-time population nutrition data. Researchers say this breakthrough could fundamentally change how public health officials monitor dietary habits, food insecurity, and economic health.
Fauci, RFK Jr., and the latest in American health
Epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera breaks down the public health breakdowns
Letters: Refocus public health priorities on current threats like food safety, measles
Recently, public discourse has been dominated by debates surrounding Dr. Anthony Fauci and COVID-19. While leadership in managing a pandemic is important, our focus should be on the critical dangers
Despite federal efforts to drop some children’s vaccine recommendations, Texas requirements unchanged
Public health officials said some parents are confused about what vaccines are required to attend Texas schools amid efforts to change recommendations.
Despite federal efforts to drop some children’s vaccine recommendations, Texas requirements unchanged
Public health officials said some parents are confused about what vaccines are required to attend Texas schools amid efforts to change recommendations.
Trump pretends he has credibility on medicine, science and public health. He doesn’t.
Not to put too fine a point on this, but on scientific matters, the president is about as reliable a source as a Magic 8 ball.
How Serena Raj Found Her Calling at the Intersection of Medicine and Public Health
Miller School M.D./M.P.H. student Serena Raj combines a passion for pediatrics and patient advocacy as she strives to improve care outcomes.
Community members demand Colorado issue public health order for ICE tuberculosis case
Community advocates called for more pressure from Colorado officials on the private company that runs an ICE detention center.
HHS Secretary declares public health emergency for wildfires in Washington
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Aug. 7 declared a public health emergency for Washington state to address the impacts of ongoing wildfires.
Data Modernization Strategies from Island Public Health Leaders
Explore data modernization strategies from island public health leaders who have examined the connections between data, technical infrastructure, and more.
Cook County survey seeks input on public health vending machine
Cook County Public Health and Human Services is seeking public input on its public health vending machine initiative. In a survey, the department is asking residents for feedback on what items should be stocked in the machine, where it should be located and their level of support for the initiative. Public health vending machines have...
Public health alert issued related to potential salmonella contamination recall
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert, specifically targeting meat and poultry products that contain FDA-regulated jalapeños that could be
Public health alert for various meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
Products distributed across a number of states, including one product in Florida, could be contaminated with salmonella.
Video Health alert for meat and poultry potentially linked to a salmonella outbreak
Federal officials have issued new public health warnings on meat products with recently recalled jalapenos, potentially linked to salmonella in more than two dozen states.
The White House's new, quiet plan to attack public health
This proposed regulation is insidious. Political appointees would be given greater authority to decide who gets federal funds, with experts sidelined.
I study pathogens in sewage. Here’s how cyclospora could be getting into our food.
Researchers and public health officials are pointing to sewage contamination in the food supply as one of the most plausible theories for the current outbreak.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Public health alert issued for meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Food and Drug Administration-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Austin Public Health offering 3 vaccine clinics during August
Austin Public Health will hold vaccine clinics in August for National Immunization Awareness Month.
Food Tank’s Weekly News Roundup: U.S. Restores Health Aid, Companies Block Action on UPFs, New Tool Boosts Water Security
This week, the U.S. restores some health aid, corporations slow action on public health, and a tool boosts water security for women farmers.
As current measles outbreak demonstrates, Lancaster County needs a public health department [column]
Lancaster County has long been known as a place where neighbors look after one another.
Feds should devise way to reflect on COVID-19 response, says Canada's chief science adviser
Canada's chief science adviser says the federal government should devise a way to reflect on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic to better prepare the country and Canadians for future public health challenges.
Public health officials field community questions about TB case at detention facility as ICE's silence continues
Active TB case confirmed in June, since then ICE has stopped complying with any local public health investigation.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Historic Michigan Win: “People Are Sick and Tired of This Politics of Hatred”
We speak with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed after his victory in Michigan’s primary race for U.S. Senate sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. El-Sayed, a former public health official, ran a progressive campaign focused on affordability, Medicare for All, getting money out of politics, and opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. He defeated Congressmember Haley Stevens, who was backed by tens of millions in outside spending including by AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel lobby group. “In an era where many of us can’t afford basic things like groceries or rent or healthcare, the idea that your government is sending your tax dollars to buy bombs and tanks for foreign governments seems anathema,” El-Sayed says. “That money could be spent to fix your potholes, rebuild your kid’s school.” El-Sayed says his focus now is on beating Republican nominee Mike Rogers, whom he calls a “bootlicker for Trumpism,” and to present a positive vision for his party that can lead into the next Democratic presidential administration.
Obituary: MN health commissioner Ed Ehlinger resigned over nursing home abuse, but never quit public health
Ehlinger died Wednesday at his home in Minneapolis. He was 80.
Kern County Public Health confirms first cases of measles
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Kern County Public Health has confirmed the first two measles cases in Kern County. According to county health officials, the cases are due to travel-related expo…
How a Maxwell Professor Uses Radio Dramas to Improve Public Health Outcomes
Bernard Appiah, an associate professor of public health, delves into the power of combining entertainment and engagement in public health communications.
Measles exposure warning issued at Universal Studios Hollywood after confirmed case in visitor
Public health officials said there was a confirmed case of measles in a person who was infectious while they visited the theme park on July 26.
US Stand Up for Science movement expands to Europe
A grassroots movement by scientists in the US pushing back against threats to academic freedom is setting up a Swiss outpost to take the movement global. Stand Up for Science started in February 2025 to protest against politically-motivated grant cancellations by the Trump administration. Since then, it has organised numerous rallies by scientists and turned into a broader campaigning organisation, supporting “pro-science” political candidates and attempting to impeach Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the health and human services secretary the group accuses of advancing “quack” science. Now, Stand Up for Science is establishing a Swiss office to take some of its campaigning beyond the US, and its leader is urging European academics to organise similar pro-science groups in case they face similar threats in Europe. There will likely be “spillover” to Europe from what the Trump administration is attempting in the US, said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, who last month returned from a tour of Europe. “Are we going to see a Trump-style scientific [. . .] take over in the same way?” she asked.Delawalla, who is doing a PhD in clinical psychology, said she was driven to help found the organisation after the Trump administration started cancelling health research grants in politically taboo topics, such as transgender people, diversity and HIV, in early 2025. Since then, the administration has introduced several other measures that infringe academic and institutional autonomy.It threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless the university accepted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create “viewpoint diversity.” And this year, it proposed explosive new rules that would allow political appointees at research funders to screen grants to make sure they “advance the president's policy priorities.”US scientists have been at times stunned by the volume of announcements, and the country’s researchers were relatively unprepared. “We sit in front of the fire hose every day,” said Delawalla. For this reason, European scientists need to prepare now for similar assaults. “If you've got a little bit of extra time to start thinking through, and making those preparations and building community and solidarity,” then European researchers will “start five steps ahead of where we were.” She plans to return to Paris in September to share experiences with concerned French academics. Is Le Pen the same?During her European tour, Delawalla said that French academics were beginning to worry about a National Rally (RN) victory in presidential elections next year. She said there were “chilling similarities” between Trump and Marine Le Pen, the RN’s likely candidate. However, so far, the RN hasn’t proposed anything nearly as radical as the Trump administration has carried out. Its current manifesto is all but silent on university and research policy. Le Pen’s 2022 manifesto bemoaned a lack of French R&D spending, including in fundamental research, and promised to modernise labs and strip away grant bureaucracy. The party’s 2024 European election manifesto explicitly supported the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, scientific exchange and joint European technology projects. However, a Le Pen victory next year could see France drastically cut its contribution to the EU, which would hit the budget for science and innovation. Meanwhile, more restrictive immigration policies could hit university recruitment of faculty and students. Climate science denial?As heatwaves and wildfires have ravaged France, the RN has sought to distance itself from previous comments casting doubt on climate science.In the UK, the radical-right party Reform UK, now second in the polls, denied climate research in a draft of its 2024 election manifesto, but its leader, Nigel Farage, then appeared to quietly U-turn and said he was “not arguing the science.” By contrast, Trump has repeatedly and explicitly denied climate change science, in 2025 calling it “the greatest con job.” Like the RN, Reform UK has been light on research and university policy. However, it did say in its 2024 manifesto that universities should suffer “heavy financial penalties” for allowing “political bias or cancel culture” on campus, building on laws brought in by a previous Conservative government. Ahead of September state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, the poll-leading Alternative for Germany has proposed abolishing gender studies and postcolonial studies, and promised money for “critical” climate research and studies of Islam. Starts with rhetoricEven if European radical right parties aren’t currently planning the draconian policy measures of the Trump administration, Delawalla said that academics should not be complacent, and fight even small funding restrictions or anti-science talk from the start. “It starts off with sowing distrust about institutions,” she said. “It starts off with these small things, and then all of a sudden it's there.” There are other, more established science and university advocacy groups in the US aside from Stand Up for Science. But the group stands out because of Delawalla’s refusal to attempt to appear politically bipartisan or conciliatory. “I firmly believe that the US is experiencing fascism,” she said. “We’re not trying to win over the super Maga people,” she said, “and we never have been.” The lesson of the US is that even if universities or other institutions capitulate to government demands, this doesn’t save them from cuts and restrictions. “It doesn’t matter what people do,” she said. Global “pseudoscience”Another aim of Stand Up for Science’s push into Europe is to better coordinate a campaign to protect people in poorer countries from what the group describes as “pseudoscientific exploitation,” trials outside the US used to build a case against things like vaccines. Earlier this year, the group sent an investigator to Guinea-Bissau to investigate a controversial, Danish-run Hepatitis B vaccine project funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The study would have withheld a proven vaccine from newborns, Stand Up for Science argued in a briefing it presented to Congress, risking their health. Significantly, the research group based in Guinea-Bissau, known as Bandim, focuses on the “non-specific effects” of vaccines: impacts on health beyond preventing the target disease. Related articlesEuropean researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationData corner: which fields of health science is the US curbing? The US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know The suspicion is that the study was funded as part of an attempt to shop around for results that could help build a case against vaccines in the US, said Delawalla. “This is just code for vaccines cause autism,” she said.Bandim has put out a rebuttal of Stand Up for Science’s criticisms, arguing its work has uncovered a number of vaccine side effects, both positive and negative, which need to be taken into account in public health. However, Congressional Democrats took up the Stand Up for Science cause, and in February, Guinea-Bissau said it had permanently halted the study. WatchdogBut for Delawalla, this is not the end of the fight. Kennedy has made a number of health claims that scientists think lack evidence, such as the idea that seed oils cause inflammation, for example. Delawalla worries that more studies could be launched in poorer countries to fish around for evidence to support this agenda. Stand Up for Science is talking to African science organisations to create a kind of “watchdog” to scrutinise any further trials. “Outsourcing the investigation to some of the most vulnerable children in the world who are desperate [. . .] is fundamentally wrong,” she said.
Why making Anthony Fauci the enemy will harm US public health for years
Republicans are trying to scapegoat the infectious disease expert, even as they have gutted healthcare amid outbreaks of measles, cyclosporiasis and Ebola
Unregulated use of peptides raises alarm among researchers
Driven by social media hype and a growing distrust of public health guidance, consumer demand for experimental peptides has exploded over the last decade.
Science|Business summer reads of 2026
As most people in the European research and innovation policy bubble are going on a well-deserved summer break, we have come up with a list of our favourite books, podcasts and essays from the past year that ask deeper questions about science, technology and politics.BooksPasteur’s Quadrant: Basic Science and Technological Innovation, by Donald StokesIf you haven’t read Pasteur’s Quadrant yet, now is the time. In the EU and elsewhere, we’re living through a period of dwindling faith that curiosity-driven research automatically leads to economic growth and technological progress. Pasteur’s Quadrant, published in 1997 by the Princeton academic Donald Stokes, is the most influential critique of the standard “linear model” of R&D: the idea that new discoveries made in ivory-tower labs get neatly passed on for commercialisation by start-ups. In reality, Stokes argues, practical applications often inspire more theorical lines of inquiry. Of course, we have long known that things are more complex than the linear model, but even today, it’s still often assumed in Brussels discourse. The book is a useful corrective, and is being used now to argue for new types of scientific institutions. David MatthewsThe Weaponization of Expertise: How Elites Fuel Populism, by Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis PattersonAre society’s problems solvable by technical expertise alone? “If only the benighted would listen,” say Jacob Hale Russel and Dennis Patterson, two professors at Rutgers Law School who got frustrated with how scientists and politicians handled public health communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the book, they argue that clichéd mantras about scientific evidence and expertise perpetrated by academics, journalists and politicians have harmed public trust in the very institutions they were trying to defend. Paradoxically, slogans such as “we believe in science,” “follow the science” and “defer to the experts” can fuel mistrust in science, experts and democratic institutions. The authors criticise “condescension” and “technocratic paternalism” in the public discourse and make the case for a more nuanced approach to scientific and expert policy advice that rests on humility, doubt, scepticism and open dialogue. “Most complex social questions in fact revolve around values, not the recitation of unambiguous facts,” they say. Florin ZubascuBreakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, by Dan WangIn this book, Dan Wang compares the structural differences between the US and Chinese industrial policies, but raises a very timely question for innovation policy wonks: how can advanced manufacturing know-how contribute to technology-intensive economic growth? Wang says technology has three components: the tools, the blueprints and patents, and the process knowledge. The third component represents the “proficiency gained from practical experience, which isn’t easily communicated and requires years of implementation.” According to Wang, rather than seeing tools and blueprints as the ultimate ends of technological progress, policymakers should see them as milestones in the training of better scientists and manufacturers. Over the past decades, China has amassed “process knowledge” because capital flowed to complex fabrication facilities, while investors in the West have parked their money in capital-light businesses such as digital platforms or chip companies that focus on design. As it turns out, thanks to its oversized focus on manufacturing, China has gained remarkable advantages in the global technology race. Florin ZubascuBaltic: The Future of Europe, by Oliver MoodyWhat can Europe learn from the nine countries surrounding the Baltic Sea? Alongside the familiar stories about Estonia's digital transformation, the book examines how the region has used technology, resilience, education, governance and long-term thinking to respond to geopolitical, economic and security challenges. Innovation policy wonks might find fresh perspectives on how innovation can strengthen defence, societal resilience and Europe's capacity to adapt in an uncertain world. Whether or not you agree with all of Oliver Moody's conclusions, the book is a useful guide to a region that is increasingly shaping European debates on security, competitiveness and technology. Goda NaujokaityteThe Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf This book chronicles the wild and adventurous life of natural science pioneer Alexander von Humboldt who at some point in the 19th century seems to have been just about the most famous person in the world. Through scientific expeditions to the Andes Mountains and to the depths of Siberia, von Humboldt contributed a host of discoveries and concepts. During his life he met and formed relationships with historical figures as different as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Simon Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Darwin. He is also claimed to be the person in the world with most things named after him, a list that includes an ocean current, a penguin and a region of the Moon. Still venerated in Germany, with numerous scientific institutions named after him, von Humboldt has slipped out of public consciousness in most of the rest of the world. For anyone not familiar with him, this book does a good job of describing his fascinating life. Ole EllekrogCareless People, by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsYou may have heard this referred to as the book Meta doesn’t want you to read. The 2025 memoir from Sarah Wynn-Williams, former director of global public policy at Meta, then just called Facebook, includes explosive claims about everything from a toxic workplace culture to how the company worked with advertisers to target vulnerable teens, and the lengths it was prepared to go to in order to break into China. It’s a fascinating insight into how and why the tech company gradually shifted its approach to policy, whether in the US, Europe or Asia. Meta has denied the allegations in the book, and last year won an emergency ruling to prevent Wynn-Williams from promoting it. In response, the author is now suing her former employer. If that doesn’t make you want to read it. Martin GreenacrePodcastsThe Europeans: Europe’s anti-ElonThis podcast is a great choice for a light-hearted dose of European policy and culture news. Most of it has little to do with research, innovation and technology, but this particular podcast features an interview with Mastadon’s founder Eugen Rochko. He talks about his experience running an open-source, federated, European-made social media platform, and leaving it all behind. The conversation, which starts 14 minutes in, gently encourages us to reflect on what kind of technology we, as Europeans, want to make. Goda NaujokaityteSolarpunk and how we escape dystopiaNew technologies are very often taken from science fiction. Alberto Santos-Dumont, inventor the airship, was inspired as a child by the adventure stories of Jules Verne. OpenAI’s attempt to build a personal assistant with the voice of Scarlett Johansson was lifted from the 2013 film Her, completely ignoring the movie’s cautionary message. So if we want better tech, we need to imagine it first. Unfortunately, the state of current sci-fi is relentlessly dystopian, giving inventors precious few ideas or hope. However, a new genre, Solarpunk, which envisages a technologically advanced but ecologically harmonious future, is now taking off. The actual tech the genre imagines, such as permaculture, renewable energy or community repair workshops, while nice, isn’t all that inspiring or ambitious. But it’s a first step towards rescuing sci-fi from its pessimistic Blade Runner rut. David MatthewsEveryday AbundanceLaunched in June, Everyday Abundance is a podcast that tells the stories of the inventions we now take so for granted that we barely given them a second thought. For example, the washing machine, which liberated women from a lifetime “bent over washtubs and washboards.” Or modern dentistry, which ended the reality that “tooth pain was simply part of human life.” Historians of technology, Virginia Postrel and Charles C Mann are very much on the optimistic end of the spectrum when it comes to the capacity of invention to improve human life. Here, they set out their case: if it wasn’t for progress, you might be hunched over a washtub with toothache rather than reading these words. David Matthews‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdownSince his return to the White House, Donald Trump has been on a mission to undermine science. He slashed jobs at federal agencies, terminated grants in some research areas, took unprecedented control over university affairs and, within hours of his inauguration, suspended the US Agency for International Development. While its initial focus was to administer health and food aid around the world, it had since expanded to conservation projects. The result? Some of these projects were stopped abruptly. In this Mongabay podcast, environmental reporter Michelle Nijhuis tells the story of the EcoGuard conservation programme in Liberia, whose local patrols had helped protect rainforests, monitor endangered wildlife and track illegal threats. From one day to the next, these were left without salaries. Luckily, she notes, the initiative was able to get emergency funding from international NGOs, but its future remains “incredibly uncertain.” Juliette PortalaEssaysThe Mars Delusion, by Henry WismayerWhy is humankind so fixated on establishing a colony on Mars? asks London-based writer Henry Wismayer. From space evangelists promoting Martian settlement as an insurance policy, to billionaire Jeff Bezos, who said humans should settle on Mars “because it’s cool,” the mission is not running short of advocates. However, in this essay, Wismayer reminds us that some critics expect any future Mars pioneer to end up “irradiated, sick, mad and dead.” Scientists have already looked into the possible effects of prolonged exposure to Martian gravity, and it’s not pretty: muscle shrinking, bones weakening, changes to the central nervous system and other biological modifications to make us all reconsider the journey. “Some researchers have forecast that the future settler, after generations of evolutionary conditioning, will look less like an Übermensch and more like ET,” Wismayer writes. Juliette Portala
GOP lawmakers keep trying to defang voters in their own states
The big headline out of Tuesday’s primaries was the slim victory of former public health official Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary — proof that progressives are ascendant in the party, even in a key swing state.
Dr. Erica Schwartz confirmed as CDC director, filling a leadership vacuum
Schwartz takes command of a public health agency that has lost thousands of employees, amid layoffs, resignations and leadership turmoil.
Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director, bringing new leadership to troubled agency
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placing her in charge of a public health agency beleaguered by political meddling and low morale.
Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director, bringing new leadership to troubled agency
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, placing her in charge of a public health agency beleaguered by political meddling and low morale.
Utah orders shutdown of resort drinking water system over public health concerns
Guests at Sorrel River Ranch in Grand County are under a "Do Not Use" order after Utah regulators determined the resort's drinking water system posed an immedia
Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director
She will be in charge of a public health agency beleaguered by political meddling and low morale
Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director
She will be in charge of a public health agency beleaguered by political meddling and low morale
Connect with Public Health’s peer breastfeeding program
Did you know the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast/chestfeeding until your baby is six months old?
Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak
Chipotle Mexican Grill says it has removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating
Nurses chase cyclospora, aided by interviews, fast-food receipts
More than 900 people in Washtenaw County, Michigan, have been sickened with cyclosporiasis since mid-June. Linda Kim, a public health nurse, has called more than 100 of them. Almost everyone has said the same thing: It’s excruciating, and one of the worst illnesses they’ve experienced.
What Gives Me Hope About the Future of Public Health in the U.S.
"Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, new ways of working in public health are emerging," writes Dr. Debra Houry.
Michigan Senate Democratic primary race remains too close to call as El-Sayed holds narrow lead
The former public health official has slight lead over congresswoman Haley Stevens, but vote count could continue well into the day
Nicotine pouches can be marketed as 'lower risk' than cigarettes. Is that dangerous?
The FDA allowed some Zyn nicotine pouches to be marketed as "lower risk" than cigarettes. Public health experts agree they can help current smokers, but worry young people may become addicted.
Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, notching a Midwest victory for the left
The former public health official has defeated Rep. Haley Stevens, NBC News projects, despite facing a huge advertising disadvantage.
Ask the Doc Town Hall to spotlight Breastfeeding Awareness Month and women's health
Wake County Public Health is hosting a free Aug. 13 town hall at the Southeast Regional Library to provide expert guidance on breastfeeding, maternal wellness and women’s health during Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak
Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officia…
Fourth Case of Human West Nile Virus Has County Health Officials Urging Caution
A fourth County resident has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), prompting County public health officials to urge steps to prevent mosquito bites and drain standing water.
Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak
Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants, after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak that public health officials are investigating.
Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak
CHICAGO (AP) — Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants, after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating.
4 questions about the high-stakes Michigan Democratic primary
For two days last week, I lived inside the hottest political race in the country — the Michigan U.S. Senate Democratic primary between the more centrist congresswoman Haley Stevens and progressive former public health director Abdul El-Sayed. Producer Sam Weber and I flew into Detroit with some questions. How do these candidates stack up in real life? What actually matters to Michigan? Will this divide be a problem for Democrats in November? Does this race
Kentucky health officials investigating over 600 reported cases of cyclosporiasis
The Kentucky Department for Public Health says they are investigating 620 reported cases of cyclosporiasis statewide, 274 of which have been confirmed as of July 29.
Longtime Health Educator, Internship Coordinator Named Maxwell Professor of Practice
Susan Coots brings expertise in family planning and reproductive health to her new faculty role, teaching and mentoring public health students.
Former public health director helps launch new healthcare model in Rochester
During "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 8/4/26, Dr. Michael Mendoza explains a new healthcare model available to local seniors. Then, in "Connections Summer Sessions," teens on curbing gun violence.
UC San Diego Students Learn Spatial Data Science Through Real-World Applications
UC San Diego students are bridging GIS and machine learning to solve real-world challenges in public health and urban planning. In a new spatial analysis course, they analyze complex geospatial data to identify environmental risks and support smarter community decision-making.
Fake health inspector: YouTube creator targets Brookhaven Asian restaurant
DeKalb Public Health Department is seeking public assistance to stop a YouTube content creator who is impersonating a health inspector.
Americans Feel Stuck. It’s a Public Health Crisis
LDI Fellow Atheendar Venkataramani discusses why Americans feel “stuck,” how this is a threat to public health, and offers potential solutions.
SDSU leads international research collaboration to broaden understandi
The series was published in The Lancet Public Health and expands the evidence on sex workers' well-being and occupational safety.
Dr. Crystal Miller Named Public Health Hall of Fame Distinguished Leader
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is proud to announce that our Commissioner of Health, Dr. Crystal Miller has been selected as this year’s Public Health Hall of Fame Distinguished Leader by the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. This honor recognizes Dr. Miller’s exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment to public health, and the lasting impact
The Fauci-Paul battle shows real cracks in public health. One group has answers.
a nonpartisan commission — which includes a former Kentucky governor — is pushing for better relationships between elected and public health officials.
Wake County to highlight National Breastfeeding Awareness Month
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and Wake County Public Health is proud to join the nationwide effort to highlight the importance of breastfeeding for families. Throughout the month, the County will be hosting a series of events, educational opportunities and resources to support and empower parents and caregivers in their infant feeding journey.
Expert analyses public health impact of wildfires and heatwaves
With wildfires and a heatwave currently raging through Europe, Dr Kim van Daalen, Environmental Epidemiologist in the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and Research Associate at Homerton College, gives her analysis of the impacts on public health.
RFK Jr. tells CNN host that constitutional rights take priority over public health
In a heated interview with Dana Bash, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attacked Anthony Fauci and the media.
Study Reveals Hidden Health Risks of Cheap Foods
A new study finds cheap foods contain more additives, sugar, and sodium, raising concerns about nutrition inequity and public health.
Fauci’s diaries show he changed his mind often. That’s what scientists are supposed to do.
Ann Keller: Public health experts need to be allowed to admit when they’re wrong — and share with the public what they are learning.
Fauci’s diaries show he changed his mind often. That’s what scientists are supposed to do.
Ann Keller: Public health experts need to be allowed to admit when they’re wrong — and share with the public what they are learning.
Q&A: New School of Public Health dean Kari Nadeau wants to expand scholarships, funding
Kari Nadeau began her tenure as dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health on July 1. News senior staffer Shaun Thomas sat down with Nadeau to discuss her transition into the role and her vision for the school’s future.
UAMS names Nembhard as dean of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences named Wendy N. Nembhard, Ph.D., MPH, as the next dean of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, effective Sept. 1. Nembhard succeeds...
Chile declares health alert for hantavirus
The Chile Ministry of Health issued a Health Alert for hantavirus and other diseases, such as some arboviruses and avian influenza. This is the first time this measure has been taken and it will be in effect until July 31, 2027 and it extends from the Atacama region to the Magallanes region. “Hantavirus causes a disease that is endemic to Chile, transmitted by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat that lives in rural and semi-rural areas throughout almost the entire country. As a ministry, we are constantly monitoring its behavior and are very concerned and actively working because this year the virus's lethality has increased, and for this reason, we decided to declare this alert. As of last week, there were 46 confirmed cases and 18 deaths, representing a 39% lethality rate,” reported the Undersecretary of Public Health, Dr. Alejandra Pizarro. Cases have occurred in the regions of Valparaíso, Metropolitan, O'Higgins, Maule, Ñuble, Biobío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, and Aysén. By comparison, in 2025, there were 44 infections and eight deaths (18% case fatality rate). The health alert, which is preventative and prepared, will allow for the granting of extraordinary powers in the event of serious health emergencies to strengthen surveillance, ensure timely resource management, hire specialized personnel, implement health control measures, and expedite the acquisition of supplies through direct procurement. The alert does not imply that there is an ongoing epidemic or that the healthcare system is overwhelmed. Subscribe to Outbreak News TV on YouTube “Hantavirus is not exclusively a summer virus, as the long-tailed pygmy rice rat is present year-round. Therefore, we urge everyone to take extreme precautions: avoid touching rodents, ventilate homes before entering if they have been closed, clean unused spaces with water and bleach, and keep garbage covered and food stored away. Furthermore, it is crucial to be aware of the symptoms: fever, intense muscle pain, and difficulty breathing. If someone experiences these symptoms and has been in rural or semi-rural areas where the long-tailed pygmy rice rat may have been present, they should immediately go to a health center and inform the medical staff so that a hantavirus diagnosis can be considered promptly,” the official added. Since December 2025, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has maintained an epidemiological alert due to the rise in hantavirus cases throughout the Southern Cone, and that the Ministry of Health had an epidemiological alert in place since November of last year. Chile eliminates leprosy As mentioned above, the Health Alert decree also covers diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti, Aedes vexans, and Anopheles pseudopunctipennis mosquitoes, such as dengue and Zika, which, according to the alert, “have a high epidemic potential, which could generate high demand and overload for health facilities.” For these diseases, the alert is in effect from Arica to Los Ríos. The authority stressed that it is essential to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in stagnant water and to monitor any suspected cases of people arriving from abroad infected with any of these diseases, in order to prevent any of these vectors from biting a sick person and starting to spread the disease. In the case of avian influenza, the alert was extended to the entire country, because unlike other years, the disease has been concentrated in wild and farm birds, not in poultry farms, increasing the risk of exposure for people. Outbreak News Today is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Why alcohol and drug use may be declining among young Americans
New federal data shows that alcohol, cigarette and some drug use is declining among American youth and young adults. Public health specialists explain why.
Nurses chase Cyclospora using grocery receipts, food apps and detailed interviews
Public health nurses have been pulled from other duties in Washtenaw County, MI, to call hundreds of people sick with cyclosporiasis, and try to help them remember everything they ate in recent days.
CDFW News | Del Norte County Razor Clam Fishery Closes Due to Public Health Hazard; Monterey Bay Anchovy and Sardine Restrictions Lifted as Health Concern Alleviated
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife closed the recreational razor clam fishery in Del Norte County today following a recommendation from state health agencies that consumption of razor clams in the area poses a significant human health threat for domoic acid exposure.
Pediatricians and health officials are sidestepping Trump's CDC on vaccine advice
The rupture of scientific trust in the Atlanta-based CDC has put many pediatricians and health officials in a bind, as they no longer turn to the U.S.'s preeminent public health agency and instead search for ways to fill the information gap.
Fauci praised as 'hero' by public health experts after Senate hearing
Public health experts and advocates are defending Dr. Anthony Fauci after he faced fierce criticism from Republicans at a Senate hearing.
Lancaster County Partnership for Public Health to take a more active role in public health education
As Lancaster County faces its largest measles outbreak in recent history and other public health challenges, a nonpartisan, volunteer group of health experts and community leaders plans to take a
Connecting with the community to create technology-based health solutions
Adria Laborin has appreciated everything she’s learned in the classroom in her first year as a student in Arizona State University’s Master of Public Health program.But as a young woman who wants to make a difference in the world, there’s only so much a classroom can offer.
Does public health *need* MAHA?
Last week, our friend Dr. Craig Spencer sparked an ongoing volatile discussion with his Atlantic article “Public Health Needs MAHA.” Some have come out in strong dissent, others are cheering, and others are simply lamenting that we find ourselves in such a divided world to begin with. We will dare to dip our toes in these controversial waters, too. Does public health need MAHA? We think in some ways yes, and in other ways, no. MAHA leaders versus the everyday MAHA supporter The vitriol in this debate mostly comes from one collapsed distinction: the leadership of MAHA is not necessarily the same as the people who support it. Say “MAHA” and most people picture RFK Jr. Fair enough, as he coined the term and holds most of the power. And, yes, some MAHA followers treat Kennedy as something close to a saint. But talk to the grassroots, and it’s not a monolith. They’re Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. People who distrust vaccines and vaccine supporters. It’s a wide, eclectic coalition. The data backs this too: 4 in 10 Americans support the movement—that’s a lot of people! But according to polls, vaccines and medical choice (the issues most tied to Kennedy personally) are cited by only 4% as their reason for supporting the movement. For many, the motivations are much broader. Many MAHA supporters are signing up for the idea that “something needs to change” with health in this country. They’re asking good-faith questions about corporate influence on our health systems, health care costs, nutrition, chemicals, and clean air and water. These are all questions that plenty of public health professionals recognize as legitimate and also care about very deeply. Blurring the lines between the leadership and grassroots does real damage in two important ways: It hands the 4 in 10 exactly the narrative already fed—that the health ecosystem doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, and paints every critic with the same brush. It gives the actual bad actor more power. RFK Jr. has done irreparable damage and can’t be trusted. What the MAHA movement gets right A healthy population is something the public health field was literally built on, and many of these topics are things we have dedicated our lives to. Yet the MAHA movement has captivated nearly half the country in a way the public health establishment has failed to achieve. So that means MAHA is doing something right. Some of it may be timing (after a Covid-19 pandemic and deep frustration and mistrust with institutions). The movement also does three other things really well: 1. It gives a new, louder voice to system failures. While MAHA is not a monolith, one theme stays consistent across their stories: the system failed them. For some, it was the system that flooded their communities with opioids and then walked away. For others, it was the system that let their business collapse during Covid with no safety net in sight. For others still, it was the system that failed to help them manage a complex chronic illness, bouncing them from physician to physician without any real answers. And in many ways, our health ecosystems are failing Americans. Why are medical bills so incomprehensible? Why do some kids get a healthy school lunch and others don’t? Why do an epidemiologist and a MD/PhD student have to start newsletters in the middle of the biggest public health emergency in a century, just so people can get straight information? Because the systems failed. This deep-seated frustration driving many Americans to search for solutions elsewhere needs to be recognized. 2. MAHA has brilliant comms central to their efforts. MAHA figured out something most health institutions still have not: the information landscape changed. It’s participatory now, not top-down; influence runs through many nodes in a community, not one institution; and storytelling and telling audiences “what you really think” moves people more than data dumps do. MAHA goes where audiences are listening, using podcasts, social media, and memes in ways most health institutions would scoff at—but it works. 3. They are very good at organizing. A MAHA meeting feels like a rally: energy, speakers, music, and most importantly, an action for everyone. Someone’s writing the next policy brief, someone’s seeding a narrative, someone knows the next legislative deadline, someone’s sending the text messages for a campaign. None of this is new (ask the civil rights movement), but MAHA knows it works and has capitalized on it. What MAHA gets wrong This list could be much longer, and this newsletter has spent a lot of time covering it, but here are a few things: Poor use of scientific evidence. This is the fundamental problem with many MAHA policies: the hype outpaces the science, and experts are often villainized for pointing this out. MAHA leadership has traded real solutions for cheap wins. For example, instead of taking on the powerful food industry and passing real reforms, it has celebrated french fries made of beef tallow and taken out artificial dyes from still very sugary children’s cereal. These changes won’t move the needle on America’s diet. MAHA leadership has tried to dismantle vaccine access in the U.S. While many MAHA supporters emphasize other issues, the effort to change vaccine policy has become MAHA’s signature effort. This is not surprising given RFK Jr.’s extensive track record campaigning against vaccines. It has rallied behind the wrong leader. RFK Jr. has a decades-long track record of villifying doctors, scientists, and public health workers, well before he became HHS secretary. He is known for his decades-long work sowing distrust in vaccines as well as life-saving treatments like antiretroviral therapy for HIV. This is not a serious person who can move the needle on health in the U.S, and he has already done serious damage. Public health needs more than defense Defending the evidence is absolutely necessary so health in the U.S. doesn’t move further backward. The public health establishment is very good at defense. The problem is this defense often sounds like defending the status quo, which has failed many people. Public health needs to offer an alternative to RFK Jr.’s MAHA—one that is rooted in evidence, truly listens to and addresses people’s frustrations, and has innovative solutions and the courage to change the systems. How do we get there? Find common ground. Do you know what most people care most about? The abysmal cost of healthcare. Start there. Fight for the human loudly. Too often, communications and engagement center on science with a capital S, funding mechanisms, or the CDC/FDA/NIH. Not the person. So the public doesn’t see themselves in it. Instead, they see people fighting for the very powerful systems that they feel negatively impact their health and well-being. Let the public feel and hear that you see their frustrations, you get it, and you’re fighting for them within the system. Recognize when pro-science messages are alienating people. Facts absolutely matter, but angrily venting only alienates people further. Our friend Elisabeth Marnik recently wrote a New York Times article about her experience growing up unvaccinated and how listening and empathetic conversation are the only ways to reach people that really work (a position backed by communication science). Her comments section was full of hateful comments from pro-vaccine individuals attacking her for daring to suggest we approach vaccine-hesitant individuals with empathy. It is possible to both stand firm behind scientific evidence and empathize with people who don’t trust it. Lean into politics smartly. Often, public health has shied away from politics: Don’t touch it, lest you get burned. But this fails to recognize that the third rail is what fuels the train: who is elected determines our budgets, our priorities, and our authority. Being political means being very savvy in strategy on both sides of the aisle, knowing your audience, and recognizing that political capital is as scarce as financial resources and needs to be allocated accordingly. Bottom line So does public health need MAHA? That’s not really the right question. Public health has a responsibility not to dismiss 40% of the country who feel heard by this movement and are frustrated that the system has failed them. And it has a responsibility to stick to the evidence and recognize MAHA leadership for what it is: a danger to our nation’s health. Both can, and should, be done. Love, YLE and KP A big thanks to Craig Spencer, who had the courage to put his neck out there to start a much-needed discussion at such a critical moment—one that is determining the identity of an entire field. Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD is completing an emergency medicine residency and research fellowship focusing on health literacy and communication. In her free time, she writes the newsletters You Can Know Things debunking health myths and rumors and The Public Health Roundup. Views expressed belong to KP, not her employer. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
They Worked To Protect Public Health. Now They Want the Public’s Votes.
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They Worked To Protect Public Health. Now They Want the Public’s Votes.
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