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Public Health

Do soda taxes fight obesity? How did Juul hook American teens? Vox tackles all your questions about public health issues and trends.

Policy
The next big question about over-the-counter birth controlThe next big question about over-the-counter birth control
Policy

FDA approval for Opill is historic. But how much will it cost?

By Dylan Scott
Public Health
How an LGBTQ clinic in Uganda keeps going amid rising homophobic violenceHow an LGBTQ clinic in Uganda keeps going amid rising homophobic violence
Public Health

Outlawing homosexuality has forced health care underground.

By Keren Landman, MD
Policy
A new era for Alzheimer’s treatment beginsA new era for Alzheimer’s treatment begins
Policy

The new treatment approved by the FDA is a big deal. Can the US health system handle it?

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
We finally have malaria vaccines. The next hurdle: Distributing them.We finally have malaria vaccines. The next hurdle: Distributing them.
Future Perfect

Malaria kills half a million people a year in Africa. We can prevent that — if we act fast enough.

By Rachel DuRose
Policy
What your doctor wants you to know about OzempicWhat your doctor wants you to know about Ozempic
Policy

The myths and questions doctors are hearing from patients about Ozempic.

By Dylan Scott
How to bring back the small-town family doctor
Policy

The doctor shortage is already here, but there’s a way to fix it.

By Dylan Scott
Public Health
Joe Rogan wants a “debate” on vaccine science. Don’t give it to him.Joe Rogan wants a “debate” on vaccine science. Don’t give it to him.
Public Health

How to have better conversations about contentious scientific subjects.

By Keren Landman, MD
2024 Elections
RFK Jr.’s fringe presidential candidacy, explainedRFK Jr.’s fringe presidential candidacy, explained
2024 Elections

Kennedy, an anti-vaxxer of storied Democratic pedigree, isn’t a serious challenger to Biden — but he’s getting some traction.

By Nicole Narea
Public Health
Uganda’s anti-gay law will hurt all UgandansUganda’s anti-gay law will hurt all Ugandans
Public Health

When identity gets criminalized, everyone gets hurt.

By Keren Landman, MD
Policy
The next frontier for Ozempic: Health insuranceThe next frontier for Ozempic: Health insurance
Policy

Most insurers don’t cover weight loss drugs. But can they afford not to?

By Dylan Scott
Science
Why more mammograms aren’t the solution to breast cancerWhy more mammograms aren’t the solution to breast cancer
Science

The new breast cancer screening recommendations for women over 40 are surprisingly fraught.

By Keren Landman, MD
Health Care
Hundreds of thousands of Americans are losing Medicaid every monthHundreds of thousands of Americans are losing Medicaid every month
Health Care

Medicaid’s “Great Unwinding” is even worse than experts expected.

By Dylan Scott
Politics
3 things you should know about the end of the Covid public health emergency3 things you should know about the end of the Covid public health emergency
Politics

A hidden experiment in universal health care is about to end.

By Dylan Scott
The rise of artificial intelligence, explained
Don’t let AI fears of the future overshadow present-day causesDon’t let AI fears of the future overshadow present-day causes
The rise of artificial intelligence, explained

Fears of an AI future are taking up all our focus. But we shouldn’t forget present-day problems like global health and poverty

By Kelsey Piper
Gun Violence
Mental illness is not responsible for America’s guns crisisMental illness is not responsible for America’s guns crisis
Gun Violence

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants more mental health resources after the Allen mall mass shooting. It’s not a real solution.

By Nicole Narea
Health
A Covid outbreak at a CDC conference is ironic. But is it a big deal?A Covid outbreak at a CDC conference is ironic. But is it a big deal?
Health

3 takeaways about the current state of the pandemic.

By Keren Landman, MD
Health
The FDA approves a breakthrough vaccine 50 years in the makingThe FDA approves a breakthrough vaccine 50 years in the making
Health

And more RSV vaccines are on the way.

By Keren Landman, MD
Future Perfect
Why the world should celebrate Smallpox Eradication DayWhy the world should celebrate Smallpox Eradication Day
Future Perfect

Forty-three years ago this week, the world was officially declared free of smallpox — but that should only be the beginning.

By Kelsey Piper
Policy
The surgeon general says loneliness is as deadly as smokingThe surgeon general says loneliness is as deadly as smoking
Policy

A new report finds a lack of connection is killing us — and suggests ways to fix it.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
The US foreign aid budget could do a lot more good. This House bill wants to force it to.The US foreign aid budget could do a lot more good. This House bill wants to force it to.
Future Perfect

The bipartisan Fostering Innovation in Global Development Act would promote foreign aid programs with a rigorous evidence base.

By Dylan Matthews
Policy
Republicans want to force doctors to mislead patients about reversing abortionsRepublicans want to force doctors to mislead patients about reversing abortions
Policy

The GOP’s backup plan to slow down medication abortion, explained.

By Dylan Scott
Policy
Mifepristone is safeMifepristone is safe
Policy

It’s controversial politically, not medically.

By Keren Landman, MD
Policy
The ongoing, unnecessary Adderall shortage, explainedThe ongoing, unnecessary Adderall shortage, explained
Policy

Rising demand has collided with restricted supply — with consequences for millions of patients.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
Why this toxic algae is quietly ruining all your beach daysWhy this toxic algae is quietly ruining all your beach days
Future Perfect

Dead fish, closed beaches, and itchy eyes don’t make for a great spring break vacation.

By Rachel DuRose
Policy
Can we solve the EpiPen cost crisis?Can we solve the EpiPen cost crisis?
Policy

Some families are still spending thousands of dollars per year on lifesaving medication. Policymakers are finally doing something about it.

By Dylan Scott
Science
The number of uninsured Americans is about to jump dramaticallyThe number of uninsured Americans is about to jump dramatically
Science

Starting April 1, states will begin removing millions of people off Medicaid as its pandemic-era expansion expires

By Dylan Scott
Policy
What is Narcan? The opioid overdose spray, explained.What is Narcan? The opioid overdose spray, explained.
Policy

The FDA’s approval of the first over-the-counter nasal spray against opioid overdose is a good step. But much more needs to be done to fight the opioid crisis.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
What would it mean to treat guns the way we treat cars?What would it mean to treat guns the way we treat cars?
Future Perfect

Guns kill more young Americans than cars now, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

By Muizz Akhtar
Science
Why don’t we have vaccines for fungal infections?Why don’t we have vaccines for fungal infections?
Science

The alarming rise of Candida auris highlights the need for better protection.

By Keren Landman, MD
Politics
How the US can stop the spread of Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungusHow the US can stop the spread of Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungus
Politics

With potential vaccines still in development, prevention is key.

By Nicole Narea
The doomers are wrong about humanity’s future — and its past
The Highlight

The necessity of progress.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Why 70 percent of the world’s maternal deaths are in sub-Saharan AfricaWhy 70 percent of the world’s maternal deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa
Future Perfect

How do we ensure no person dies as a result of bringing life into this world?

By Rachel DuRose
Future Perfect
We can overcome vaccine hesitancy. Just look at the HPV shot.We can overcome vaccine hesitancy. Just look at the HPV shot.
Future Perfect

What we can learn from the shot that protected a generation of women from cancer.

By Rachel DuRose
Science
Why it’s so hard to get answers on long CovidWhy it’s so hard to get answers on long Covid
Science

Even the best-designed studies yield some head-scratching results.

By Keren Landman, MD
Policy
The campaign to make insulin less expensive just scored a major victoryThe campaign to make insulin less expensive just scored a major victory
Policy

The price of insulin has skyrocketed, but now one major drug company will limit patients’ costs.

By Dylan Scott
Policy
The pay gap between hospital CEOs and nurses is expanding even faster than we thoughtThe pay gap between hospital CEOs and nurses is expanding even faster than we thought
Policy

Some hospital CEOs quadrupled their salaries in a few years while nurses’ pay largely stayed stagnant.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
The new scientific review on masks and Covid isn’t what you thinkThe new scientific review on masks and Covid isn’t what you think
Future Perfect

A meta-analysis seeks to be the last word on the effectiveness of masks, but finding answers in science isn’t that easy.

By Kelsey Piper
Health
How bad of a norovirus wave is the US in for?How bad of a norovirus wave is the US in for?
Health

Things could get real shitty.

By Keren Landman, MD
Science
Nobody but your doctor should know your menstrual historyNobody but your doctor should know your menstrual history
Science

The big problem with Florida asking for so much of its student-athletes’ health information.

By Keren Landman, MD
Climate
It doesn’t take that many electric cars to improve public healthIt doesn’t take that many electric cars to improve public health
Climate

Researchers have found that California’s electric cars are already keeping asthma patients out of ERs.

By Umair Irfan