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Public Health

Do soda taxes fight obesity? How did Juul hook American teens? Vox tackles all your questions about public health issues and trends.

John Green’s crusade to make the world “suck less”
Future Perfect

Tuberculosis is still the world’s top killer. The author has a plan to fight back.

By Dylan Scott
The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chartThe stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chart
Future Perfect

America, before and after vaccines.

By Dylan Scott
Trump didn’t gut foreign aid last time. This time could be different.Trump didn’t gut foreign aid last time. This time could be different.
Trump 2.0, explained

What Trump’s return could mean for the global poor.

By Dylan Matthews
I give 10 percent of my income to charity. You should, too.I give 10 percent of my income to charity. You should, too.
Future Perfect

Regular giving, even in small amounts, can save lives.

By Dylan Matthews
I saw the Hurricane Helene response up close. This is how disaster relief actually works.
Future Perfect

Volunteers, not FEMA, are the bedrock of disaster response. How do we best support them?

By Jess Craig
What RFK Jr. can — and can’t — actually do as Trump’s health secretaryWhat RFK Jr. can — and can’t — actually do as Trump’s health secretary
Trump 2.0, explained

Kennedy has promised to overhaul American health care. How much can he actually change?

By Keren Landman, MD
The system failed us. We’ll still miss it when it’s gone.The system failed us. We’ll still miss it when it’s gone.
Future Perfect

America voted for chaos — but we don’t know what real chaos is. Yet.

By Bryan Walsh
What happens if another pandemic strikes while Trump is president?What happens if another pandemic strikes while Trump is president?
Trump 2.0, explained

Donald Trump undermined public health measures during the Covid-19 pandemic. What would he do in a future health emergency?

By Dylan Scott
What in the world is pink cocaine?
The HighlightMember Exclusive

It’s not cocaine, but it can be just about anything else — except a good idea.

By Celia Ford
Republicans are serious about cutting people’s health careRepublicans are serious about cutting people’s health care
2024 Elections

Donald Trump’s election could allow the GOP to gut Medicaid and protections for preexisting conditions.

By Dylan Scott
Zika is still spreading. Why don’t we have a vaccine yet?Zika is still spreading. Why don’t we have a vaccine yet?
Future Perfect

Preventing the disease can improve the quality of life for thousands.

By Jess Craig
Why food recalls are everywhere right nowWhy food recalls are everywhere right now
Food

Contaminated food from McDonald’s, Boar’s Head, and more is making Americans sick.

By Ellen Ioanes and Li Zhou
An Ebola-like virus is spreading in Rwanda. Why isn’t there an approved vaccine for Marburg?An Ebola-like virus is spreading in Rwanda. Why isn’t there an approved vaccine for Marburg?
Future Perfect

Rwandan public health officials have a strategy that could help prevent further outbreaks.

By Jess Craig
The world’s spending to fight global lead poisoning just doubledThe world’s spending to fight global lead poisoning just doubled
Future Perfect

1.5 million people die from lead exposure a year. This new global partnership could change that.

By Dylan Matthews
An alternative to antibiotics could work wonders in Africa. It isn’t being used.
The Highlight

Bacteria-eating viruses might be able to fight antibiotic resistance where new treatments are most needed.

By Jess Craig
A big fire at a lab near Atlanta spewed chemicals into the air. Here’s what we know.A big fire at a lab near Atlanta spewed chemicals into the air. Here’s what we know.
Climate

The Georgia chemical plant fire, explained.

By Jess Craig and Sam Delgado
Chronic diseases cause 75 percent of all deaths globally. The toll is likely to rise.Chronic diseases cause 75 percent of all deaths globally. The toll is likely to rise.
Future Perfect

How diseases like cancer and diabetes are growing, explained in four charts.

By Jess Craig
Kamala Harris and Oprah humanized the consequences of state abortion bansKamala Harris and Oprah humanized the consequences of state abortion bans
Abortion

Harris and Winfrey spoke to the family of Amber Thurman, who died after doctors delayed abortion-related care.

By Ellen Ioanes
Yet another person got bird flu. Now should I freak out?Yet another person got bird flu. Now should I freak out?
Even Better

Experts are losing a little sleep over the latest Missouri case, but that doesn’t mean you should.

By Keren Landman, MD
Kate Middleton says she is cancer-free. But why are she and so many young people getting sick?Kate Middleton says she is cancer-free. But why are she and so many young people getting sick?
Future Perfect

It’s not just the Princess of Wales. More and more young people are getting cancer.

By Dylan Scott
What are ultra-processed foods and why are they bad for you?
The Highlight

From granola bars to chips, more studies are revealing that UPFs are tied to diseases like cancer and depression.

By Jess Craig
Should we think twice about fluoride?Should we think twice about fluoride?
Today, Explained newsletter

Too much fluoride might lower IQ in kids, a new federal report says. The science (and debate), explained.

By Celia Ford
The case of the nearly 7,000 missing pancreasesThe case of the nearly 7,000 missing pancreases
Future Perfect

Organ companies are getting up to pancreas hijinks.

By Dylan Matthews
This ancient disease still kills 1 million people every yearThis ancient disease still kills 1 million people every year
Future Perfect

A new generation of drugs promised salvation from hepatitis B and C. What went wrong?

By Dylan Scott
Big Pharma claims lower prices will mean giving up miracle medications. Ignore them.Big Pharma claims lower prices will mean giving up miracle medications. Ignore them.
Future Perfect

The case against Medicare drug price negotiations doesn’t add up.

By Dylan Scott
What you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccineWhat you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccine
Public Health

Who should actually get the jab, and when?

By Ellen Ioanes
Antibiotics are failing. The US has a plan to launch a research renaissance.
Future Perfect

But there might be global consequences.

By Jess Craig
More than 4 billion people don’t have access to clean water at homeMore than 4 billion people don’t have access to clean water at home
Future Perfect

Researchers wildly underestimated how many people don’t have safe drinking water.

By Celia Ford
Mpox never stopped spreading in Africa. Now it’s an international public health emergency. Again.Mpox never stopped spreading in Africa. Now it’s an international public health emergency. Again.
Future Perfect

A first case outside of the continent has been detected in Sweden. What’s next?

By Jess Craig
Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?
Covid-19

Covid’s summer surge, explained

By Ellen Ioanes
Trump’s campaign against public health is back onTrump’s campaign against public health is back on
Vox’s guide to Donald Trump’s 2024 policies

The former president says he’ll block funding for US schools that require vaccines.

By Dylan Scott
Humanity is failing one of its greatest moral tests
Future Perfect

The long, maddening, glorious, vital fight against factory farming.

By Marina Bolotnikova
Ditching factory farming can help prevent another pandemic
Future Perfect

The neglected environmental and health benefits of fighting Big Meat — for humans.

By Jonathan Safran Foer and Aaron Gross
What happens when everyone decides they need a gun?
Policy

We are living through an inflection point in America’s relationship with guns. There may be no going back.

By Marin Cogan
Africa is beating HIV. But the rest of the world is falling behind.Africa is beating HIV. But the rest of the world is falling behind.
Future Perfect

Now isn’t the time to stop funding key public health programs.

By Jess Craig
Warren Buffett’s breakup with the Gates Foundation will hurt the worldWarren Buffett’s breakup with the Gates Foundation will hurt the world
Future Perfect

Buffett’s decision to put his money into a foundation controlled by his kids is a mistake.

By Kelsey Piper
Free medical school won’t solve the doctor shortageFree medical school won’t solve the doctor shortage
Future Perfect

Too many Americans can’t find a doctor. Michael Bloomberg is donating $1 billion to Johns Hopkins to try to change that.

By Dylan Scott
France’s elections showed a polarized countryFrance’s elections showed a polarized country
Explainers

France held back the far right. No one knows what’s next.

By Ellen Ioanes
The most crucial part of next year’s federal budgetThe most crucial part of next year’s federal budget
Future Perfect

The fight to fund Gavi, the international vaccine fund, explained.

By Dylan Matthews
What the Labour Party’s big win in the UK will actually meanWhat the Labour Party’s big win in the UK will actually mean
World Politics

The UK is getting a new government. What is it promising to do?

By Ellen Ioanes