LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Drug-Resistant Germs are 'Growing Threat' to US, Causing More Than 50,000 Deaths Annually: CDC
A new CDC report finds that drug-resistant bacteria and fungi cause an estimated 9.7 million infections and 50,800 deaths annually in the United States.
Four pathogens are classified as urgent threats, including Candida auris, whose reported cases increased more than 50% from 2022 to 2023, and bacteria resistant to some of the strongest available antibiotics. Healthcare-associated infections also accounted for nearly $12 billion in costs in 2023.
The report highlights the importance of infection prevention, appropriate antibiotic use and continued surveillance to reduce drug-resistant infections and protect patients. Read more from ABC News here.
ASTHO Launches Three-Part Public Health Communications Webinar Series
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is offering a three-part webinar series to help public health professionals strengthen their storytelling and communications strategies.
The first session, Finding and Framing Your Public Health Success Stories, will take place Nov. 9, 2026, and explore how to connect data to community impact and tailor messages for different audiences. The second session, Getting Your Story Heard, is scheduled for Dec. 7 and will cover media pitching, newsworthiness and spokesperson preparation.
A third session on extending communications reach is planned for Jan. 11, 2027 with more information coming soon.
U.S. Organ Donation Guidelines Change, Raising Patient Safety and Ethical Concerns
A change to U.S. organ donation guidelines, taking effect Nov. 18, will allow organ procurement teams to discuss donation with families during end-of-life conversations, rather than waiting until life support withdrawal decisions are made.
Approved Aug. 20 by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, the revision aims to improve coordination and prevent errors in donation following circulatory death, which accounts for about half of organ donations.
More than 109,000 Americans are awaiting transplants, and approximately 12 die daily. The change has raised concerns about potential family pressure and patient safety safeguards. Read more from NPR here.
FEATURED TOPICS
New Resource Helps Public Health Partners Prepare Content for AI-Generated Responses
CDC released new guidance to help public health organizations improve how AI systems interpret, summarize, and cite digital health content.
The “Considerations for Generative Engine Optimization” resource applies established communication practices to AI-generated responses, emphasizing plain language, descriptive headings, direct answers to common questions, scannable content, and links to credible evidence.
As AI-powered search tools and assistants increasingly synthesize information from multiple sources, the guidance highlights the importance of structuring health content for both human and machine understanding. Clear, well-organized, evidence-based content can help improve the accuracy and accessibility of AI-generated health information.
Just One Small Serving of Ultra-Processed Food a Day Linked to Higher Disease Risk, Major Study Finds
Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular events, cancer, metabolic syndrome or diabetes, and death.
An analysis of nearly 8.8 million adults across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania found that each additional 100 grams of UPFs consumed daily was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, 4% higher cancer risk, 3% higher risk of death and 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes.
Participants with the highest UPF intake also had greater risks of digestive diseases, depression or anxiety, and obesity. Researchers noted that reducing UPFs may support chronic disease prevention. Read more from the NY Post here.
Public Health Visual Commons Launches to Strengthen Public Health Storytelling
The Public Health Visual Commons is live! Finding the right image shouldn’t be one of the hardest parts of public health communication. The Visual Commons, from Health Resources in Action, is a free library of public health images designed to help health communicators move beyond generic stock photos and tell the story of public health more effectively.
The library offers images for social media, presentations, annual reports and other communications that reflect the communities public health organizations serve. Public health communicators can also contribute photos to expand the collection.
A November 19 webinar will showcase the Visual Commons, its features and contribution opportunities. Register here.
CDC Launches New Tool to Track U.S. Overdose Trends
Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are declining, while CDC’s new Overdose Prevention Data Channel provides a centralized view of fatal and nonfatal overdose trends.
From April 2025 through March 2026, the predicted provisional number of drug overdose deaths was 67,798—a 12.3% decrease from the previous year. The channel integrates data from the National Vital Statistics System, Nonfatal Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology System, and State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System.
It allows users to examine national and state-level trends, identify prevention strategies, and see how CDC-funded programs are supporting communities, strengthening access to timely overdose data for public health response.
