CDC’s American Heart Month Toolkit Supports Clear, Consistent Heart Health Communication
The CDC’s American Heart Month Communications Toolkit offers timely, practical resources for public health communicators to use throughout February. Designed to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in the United States—the toolkit combines up-to-date data with ready-to-use, bilingual materials. It highlights the prevalence, cost, and risk factors of heart disease…
Health Care Costs Top Concern in New Poll
A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll highlights health care affordability as Americans’ top household concern, surpassing worries about food, housing, utilities, and gas. Two-thirds of respondents reported greater anxiety about paying for health care, with more than half experiencing rising insurance premiums and expecting further increases. One in five said health care costs are increasing fast…
Fluoride Policy Debates Accelerate as Federal Review and State Actions Expand
Efforts to restrict fluoride in public drinking water are accelerating, highlighting the growing influence of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda across federal and state actions. The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a fast-tracked review of potential fluoride health risks, while at least 16 states consider new limits or bans.
Public health…
Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low
Guinea worm disease is closer than ever to eradication, with just 10 human cases reported worldwide in 2025—the lowest number on record and a 33% decline from 2024. Led by The Carter Center and national partners, the decades-long campaign has reduced cases by more than 99.99% since 1986, averting an estimated 100 million infections through community-based surveillance, safe water practices, and…
New Voices from the Field – Public Health Speaks Podcast: Empathy, Autonomy, and the Future of Health Communication
Recorded at the 2025 NCHCMM in Atlanta, NPHIC’s Public Health Speaks podcast continues its Voices from the Field series with a timely conversation on health autonomy, motivation, and artificial intelligence in communication. Amelia Burke-Garcia, PhD, Director of the Center for Health Communication Science at NORC, shares insights from her recent opinion piece and explores how Self-Determination…
California Becomes First State to Join WHO Disease Network After US Exit
Following the United States’ formal withdrawal from the World Health Organization, California has become the first U.S. state to join the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), a global partnership focused on detecting and responding to infectious disease threats. The move positions California to collaborate directly with international public health experts on outbreak prepar…
Top CDC Vaccine Adviser Questions Need for Polio Shot, Other Longstanding Recommendations
Recent remarks by the new chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have sparked debate within public health circles. In a podcast interview, the chair questioned longstanding vaccine recommendations, including routine polio immunization, and emphasized prioritizing individual autonomy and shared decision-making over broad public health mandates.
These comments dr…