Public Health

The alcohol advisory released by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, is "likely only one in an evolving history of landmark public health documents about the dangers of drinking; it's a document for the archives as well as the moment," Rachael…

The number of U.S. adults with dementia is expected to double, from 514,000 in 2020 to 1 million in 2060, according to a study published Jan. 13 in Nature Medicine. 

Respiratory illness activity remains high across the U.S., with emergency department visits and positive test rates rising for COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. 

Polio, a disease that in the past paralyzed thousands of Americans annually, is making a comeback in the U.S. due to vaccine skepticism and declining immunization rates, The New York Times reported Jan. 13. 

As pediatric vaccination rates continue to decline, preventable illnesses will reemerge for all age groups, according to The New York Times. 

According to the latest CDC Monthly Provisional Drug Overdose Counts report, the U.S. continues to lead the world in overdose fatalities, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded in 2023. 

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County a public health emergency.

Although any existing or emerging virus can become a pandemic, the H5N1 outbreak that has infected 66 Americans and more than 900 dairy herds is "poorly suited for pandemic potential," according to Shira Doron, MD. 

A study found a connection between an earlier diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and a heightened risk of developing dementia, particularly for individuals with obesity. 

A fourth illness is making waves this virus season alongside the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19, creating a quadruple threat for the U.S.