Public Health

The CDC has begun restoring some of the files it had recently purged from its website, following some criticism from the medical community and the public, The New York Times reported Feb. 3. 

Amid frozen communications from U.S. healthcare agencies, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology is calling for an immediate end to the gag order on CDC communications. 

The FDA has approved two biotechnology companies to begin clinical trials of xenotransplantation, a procedure whereby genetically modified pig organs are transplanted into humans. The breakthrough offers new hope for thousands of Americans suffering kidney failure, many of whom are…

The CDC reported high levels of respiratory virus activity across the U.S. Flu-related emergency department visits remain very high, while COVID-19 visits are low and RSV-related visits are moderate, according to the latest data. 

Asking patients to complete a brief vaccine hesitancy questionnaire before a checkup could help physicians quickly understand concerns and address them effectively during appointments, MIT Technology Review reported Jan. 31. 

A newly identified strain of bird flu, H5N9, discovered at a California duck farm, has prompted concerns about the possibility of a larger outbreak, The Washington Post reported Jan. 29.

A recent study showed a nearly 12% rise in sudden unexpected infant deaths in the U.S. from 2020 to 2022, The New York Times reported Jan. 27. 

The Trump administration issued a waiver to allow the continuation of lifesaving HIV medications through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief, following a recent halt to the program, The New York Times reported Jan. 28. 

A recent study found that the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine was highly effective in older U.S. veterans during the 2023-2024 respiratory illness season. 

Funding to the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will halt Jan. 27,  potentially interrupting the provision of antiviral medications for millions across the world, CBS News reported Jan. 26.