Removal of Fluoride from Drinking Water Worries Experts
A recent federal review of fluoride in drinking water has raised concerns among public health experts who warn the move could undermine decades of progress in oral health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will review new scientific data on potential health risks of fluoride, following a court order. This comes alongside statements from federal health officials signaling a…
Iowa State Report Finds Majority of Maternal Deaths were Preventable
A new Iowa report reveals that 95% of pregnancy-related deaths from 2019–2021 were preventable, underscoring urgent public health concerns. The state's Maternal Mortality Review Committee found most deaths were due to infection, hemorrhage, or embolism, with disproportionate impacts on Black and Hispanic women and those on Medicaid—especially postpartum.
Experts cite COVID-19 and high rates o…
Measles Was ‘Eliminated’ in the U.S. in 2000. The Current Outbreak May Change That
Measles, officially eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread MMR vaccination, is resurging across multiple states—threatening the country’s elimination status. Recent outbreaks, including the death of an unvaccinated child in Texas, have sparked concern among public health experts. The disease, often reintroduced by unvaccinated travelers, spreads rapidly in under-immunized communities…
CT Scans Projected to Result in 100,000 New Cancers in The U.S.
A new study warns that rising CT scan use in the U.S. may contribute to as many as 103,000 future cancer cases, with ionizing radiation from scans potentially accounting for 5% of new diagnoses. While the individual risk remains minimal, public health experts are calling for greater scrutiny of unnecessary scans, especially given the 30% rise in CT use since 2007.
Researchers highlight vulner…
Don’t Miss Out – Only One Week Left to Submit Your Abstract for NCHCMM!
Only one week remains to submit your abstract for the 2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM)—the premier event for public health communicators. This is your chance to highlight innovative research, successful campaigns, and strategies that move the field forward. Whether you’re tackling misinformation, improving health equity, or engaging communities in…
Federal Judge Says She Will Temporarily Block Billions in Health Funding Cuts to States
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a plan to cut $11 billion in federal health funding, a move that would have significantly impacted COVID-19 initiatives, mental health and substance use programs, and core public health services. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit from 23 states and D.C., which argued the cuts would devastate the nation’s public health infrastructure and leave state…
Kennedy Pushes Vaccine After Second Child Dies of Measles
The recent surge in U.S. measles cases—642 across 22 states, with nearly 500 in Texas alone—has renewed urgency around vaccine advocacy. Public health experts acknowledged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s social media support for the measles vaccine as a critical step, calling it the "most effective way to prevent the spread."
However, they also voiced conce…