The FDA is considering a black-box warning for antidepressant use during pregnancy, prompting debate among medical experts. While some studies suggest serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may pose risks to fetal development, leading to concerns about miscarriage, low birth weight, or organ effects, physicians emphasize that untreated maternal depression carries significantly higher risks for b…

Chronic insomnia affects roughly 12% of Americans, contributing to daytime fatigue, depression, reduced motivation, accidents, and lost productivity. Experts increasingly recognize that insomnia can precede and predict depression, highlighting its bidirectional relationship with mental health. Modern work schedules, multiple jobs, blurred work-life boundaries, and widespread exposure to artific…

The Public Health Communication Collaborative (PHCC) Academy recently marked its one-year anniversary, offering public health professionals new opportunities to strengthen communication skills through both on-demand and live sessions. This fall, two interactive learning series are available to help practitioners sharpen their approach to critical challenges. Strengthening Public Health Commun…

The FDA announced that the longstanding shortage of sodium chloride 0.9% intravenous (IV) saline, ongoing since 2018, has now been resolved. The shortage worsened after Hurricane Helene flooded a key Baxter manufacturing plant, responsible for 60% of the nation’s supply, forcing hospitals to ration IV fluids and delay elective procedures. This situation exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. med…

New CDC data show that while U.S. consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has declined slightly, they still account for more than half of Americans’ daily calories — and nearly 62% for children. UPFs, which are typically high in added sugars, fats, and preservatives, are linked to increased risk for chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The findings highlight the continued challe…

The FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) is seeking nominations by August 25, 2025, for voting members to serve on the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC). Five vacancies are available for professionals in fields such as oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, toxicology, pharmacology, addiction, engineering, or related specialties, including one representative of the general p…

Family caregivers provide 75–80% of care for community-dwelling older adults, often unpaid and balancing full-time work. This role offers purpose but also brings stress, depression, and financial strain—leading CDC to declare caregiving a public health issue in 2019.   The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Caregiver Support Program (CSP) offers a model, delivering skills training, respite…

Public health officials in Guangdong province, China, are aggressively combating a significant chikungunya outbreak—the largest in the country’s history with over 8,000 infections. The mosquito-borne virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, causes fever, rash, and severe joint pain that can persist for months or years. Though rarely fatal and unable to spread through the air, the virus’s rapid…

Dr. Jerome Adams, former U.S. Surgeon General, warns that recent funding cuts to mRNA vaccine development could have serious public health consequences. Citing the rapid development and lifesaving impact of mRNA vaccines during COVID-19—estimated to have saved millions of lives—Adams expressed concern that curtailing this technology may hinder future pandemic preparedness. Adams also criticize…