Public Health

White House enlists doctors and hospitals to combat gun violence

Calling gun violence a “public health crisis,” the Biden administration is asking state and local health departments, health systems and hospitals to boost their data collection on emergency room visits for firearm-related injuries.

The 'silver tsunami' is here. Is government ready?

About 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day. As the nation’s aging population continues to climb, states and the federal government are working to get plans in place to care for older adults.

Fauci defends his work on COVID-19, says he has an ‘open mind’ on its origins

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases explained to members of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic why guidance shifted so much during the first several months of the pandemic.

New regulation would allow some former feds to skirt conflict-of-interest contact requirement

A rule proposed in the Federal Register would allow for former senior employees of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to have contact with HHS officials within the conflict-of-interest restriction period of one year. 

Senate Veterans’ Affairs chair calls for more mental health care providers in rural areas

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., asked VA Secretary Denis McDonough to increase the number of providers and ensure they are “in locations where veterans need them most.”

Biden just signed the largest executive order focused on women’s health

From maternal health to menopause, federal agencies will study the health issues that emerge across a woman’s lifespan.

Investigation finds for-profit nursing homes cut corners on safety and drain resources with financial shenanigans

The report finds that these problems are most pronounced in midsize chains that dodge public scrutiny. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says it is “unwavering in its commitment to improve safety and quality of care for the more than 1.2 million residents receiving care in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes.”

FDA’s plan to ban hair relaxer chemical called too little, too late

The move comes at a time of rising alarm among researchers over the health effects of hair straighteners, products widely used by and heavily marketed to Black women.

FDA repeatedly rejected safety claims made after recall of a CPAP but waited to alert the public, emails show

Philips Respironics received thousands of complaints about a dangerous defect in its breathing machines but kept them secret for years as stock prices soared.

How advanced and emerging technology can help VA save lives

COMMENTARY | Veterans remain at an elevated risk of suicide. Here’s how we can fix that.

How $37 billion in federal funding is being used to improve at-home caregiving

Shared first by Vice President Kamala Harris, new data on American Rescue Plan funding for home and community-based service highlights successes and underscores the need for more.

VA hopeful boosted staffing can help reduce rising veteran suicides

With the number of veteran suicides climbing in 2021, the department continues to deploy resources and recruit mental health professionals to help provide care.

The painful pandemic lessons Mandy Cohen carries to the CDC

Cohen has been criticized for North Carolina's failure to get COVID tests to the most vulnerable residents, during her leadership of the state's pandemic response.

The NIH ices a research project. Is it self-censorship?

Even though the National Institutes of Health has had to navigate political rapids for decades, including enduring controversy over stem cell research and surveys on the sexual behavior of teens, this is a particularly fraught moment.

FDA Head Robert Califf Battles Misinformation — Sometimes With Fuzzy Facts

Efforts to respond to or regulate misinformation are becoming a political problem.

Preparation for pandemics and natural disasters updated in bill passed by Senate panel

Legislation would increase accountability, transparency in how federal government helps state, local governments prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

How a combination of covid lawsuits and media coverage keeps misinformation churning

Even as the covid-19 pandemic wanes, litigation — whether about vaccines, masks, or a range of other public health policies made during the pandemic — isn’t about to end.