The Latest Breaking News from Public Health

In recent years, awareness about the critical role of sleep in overall health has surged, yet many still underestimate its profound impact on public health. As we move into 2025, sleep is rightly emerging as the next major public health priority — and for good reason. From rising rates of…

A few years ago, a student in my history of public health course asked why her mother couldn’t afford insulin without insurance, despite having a full-time job. I told her what I’ve come to believe: The U.S. health care system was deliberately built this way.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. nonprofits provide vital services, such as running food banks and youth programs, supporting public health initiatives and helping unemployed people find new jobs. Although this work helps sustain local communities, obtaining the money and staff they require is a constant struggle for many of these…

Three-quarters of cases are in unvaccinated children, and this week saw the first fatality: a premature baby

In an age where loneliness is increasingly recognized as a public health crisis, many are questioning traditional relationship structures. Enter relationship anarchy—a philosophy that challenges conventional norms by promoting autonomy, equality, and the rejection of hierarchies in all relationships. Rather than prioritizing romantic partnerships above all else, relationship anarchy encourages…

The CDC, a $9.2 billion-a-year agency tasked with reviewing life-saving vaccines, monitoring diseases and watching for budding threats to Americans’ health, is without a clear leader

Every trip to the grocery store feels like a small victory—labels shouting “organic,” “low fat,” “heart-healthy,” and “all natural” seem to promise a better future with every bite. But behind the bright packaging and healthy buzzwords, a growing number of quietly kept food secrets are undermining public health.

Critics argue the recent UK-US trade deal could undercut domestic producers, introduce lower standards for food and even compromise public health.

Across Africa, many rural communities face a growing sanitation crisis. Wastewater treatment systems, where they exist, are often old, overloaded, or broken. In some towns, untreated sewage flows directly into rivers, contaminating water sources and harming both ecosystems and public health.

Food regulations and health guidelines are constantly evolving. As scientific understanding of nutrition and food safety advances, laws change to protect public health. These changes often lead to certain ingredients or food products being reformulated, restricted, or even quietly disappearing from grocery store shelves. Sometimes these changes are widely publicized.…

Editorial: Politicians who are serious about public health can’t ignore the rising toll of illness and death linked to drinking