The Trump administration has narrowed its search for a new CDC director to a half dozen candidates, including former Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Johns Hopkins cardiologist Joseph Marine. With acting director Jay Bhattacharya’s term expiring under the Vacancies Reform Act, a permanent appointment could draw Senate scrutiny of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine policies and bro…

Awareness of alcohol’s link to cancer appears to be rising among the public, with new survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that more than half of Americans now recognize the connection—up significantly from 2024. This shift follows heightened attention after Vivek Murthy called for updated warning labels highlighting alcohol’s role in multiple cancers. Despite this prog…

New cholesterol management guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology emphasize earlier, more comprehensive prevention of cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S. A key recommendation is a one-time lipoprotein(a) blood test for all adults, identifying genetic risk for heart attacks and strokes. The guidelines also promote coronary ca…

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New interim findings from the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) show that the 2025–26 seasonal influenza vaccine continues to provide meaningful protection against serious illness, even in a challenging season with antigenically drifted virus strains. Vaccine effectiveness ranged from 38%–41% against influenza-related outpatient visits and 41% against hospitalization among ch…

The New York City Department of Health recently confirmed the city’s first case of the more severe clade I mpox virus. The case is travel-related, and no local transmission is currently known. Clade I can cause serious illness and has a higher fatality rate than the clade II strain seen in 2022. Public health officials recommend vaccination for individuals at higher risk and emphasize vigilan…

The de Beaumont Foundation will host a webinar on Wednesday, March 25 highlighting new insights from the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS), focusing on the critical role supervisors play in strengthening the governmental public health workforce. While many supervisors bring deep public health expertise, the data show that many are relatively new to management r…

The CDC Foundation’s latest Impact Report highlights how cross-sector partnerships are strengthening public health efforts across the United States. Covering July 2024 through June 2025, the report showcases initiatives that support community health where people live, learn, work and gather. Examples include developing technology in Kentucky to help frontline workers rapidly collect and share…

Social media influencers are promoting “parasite cleanses” as a solution for digestive issues and other vague symptoms, leading some U.S. residents to self-diagnose. Infectious disease experts caution that most gut parasites are uncommon in the U.S., and the effectiveness of cleanses—herbal supplements, Epsom salt baths, or other methods—is unsupported by clinical evidence.   Physicians…