The last story for a magazine that looked at what worked in public health, what didn’t, and why. harvardpublichealth.org/policy-pract...

"Even when we’re not experiencing racial discrimination, past discrimination lives on in our minds, reminding us of what happened and preparing us for the future."

The 2024 election represents a backlash against public health, argues tribal health officer Eric Coles—which he sees as a challenge to the field’s leaders to rethink their approach.

Elias Zerhouni and Tom Frieden discuss the future of NIH, the CDC, and more.

The number of women who reported using cannabis while they were pregnant doubled between 2002 and 2017. Emerging research has found that children who have had prenatal exposure are more likely to struggle with mental health issues in adolescence.

AI was supposed to save money in health care. But it turns out you need people, and more machines, to make sure the new tools don’t mess up. (via @kffhealthnews.bsky.social)

"We continue to treat marijuana use as a footnote in the conversation about drugs," argues @harvardchanschool.bsky.social MPH student John Wilson. "There’s no consistent national policy to address these risks, leaving public health at the mercy of state politics."

Marine protected areas in the oceans conserve coral reefs, which are home to diverse and robust fisheries that feed thousands of coastal communities around the world. The reefs have also been damaged by pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

What should happen to doctors who spread misinformation? So far, according to law professor Richard Saver's findings, medical boards have been hands-off—and after studying them, he came to appreciate the reasons why. Read more: harvardpublichealth.org/policy-pract...

Female bodies have long been sidelined in medical research—even when testing is done on rats and mice, not people. This sex bias may undermine treatment efficacy and heighten risks for women and people assigned female at birth.

During the pandemic, the UK had arguably the best public health data in the world, but nearly 250,000 people still died. Why?

"New year, new world," an editorial cartoon by Jenna Luecke

ICYMI: We rounded up the best public health books of 2024. 📚

Medical boards rarely discipline physicians for spreading misinformation. In fact, less than one percent of offenses that were disciplined during the pandemic were related to false claims. Why? Law professor Richard Saver studied the issue and found out.

Last month, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed a law addressing longstanding public health inequities exposed by COVID-19—inequities that caused unnecessary deaths. Experts hope SAPHE 2.0 will better prepare the state for the next public health crisis.

Researchers found that reparation payments to Black adults could lower premature mortality by 29 percent.

Some experts claim human challenge trials, which involve intentionally giving people COVID-19, could help fast-track understanding of the virus. Skeptics still doubt the approach is worth the risks. (Story by @undark.org)

In 2024, Harvard Public Health drew record numbers of visitors, many of them coming to read these stories that represent the best of our public health journalism.

Marijuana today is far from the laid-back plant of the past. THC levels in today's cannabis reach can be as high as 90 percent—and use of pot that potent can lead to mental health risks.

In some migrant camps in Mexico City, art and play offer children a refuge from complex feelings and uncertain futures.

Researcher Siddhartha Mandal and his team are mapping air pollution levels across India, then linking that pollution to health problems. “People don’t realize what’s happening to the brain, to the heart, to the kidneys,” he tells HPH.

As a mayor, “to have a public health mindset, you’ve got to be comfortable doing the non-sexy stuff,” says Arunan Arulampalam, who has big plans for the capital of Connecticut. @mffitzgerald.bsky.social sat down for a chat with the Hartford mayor.

Kenyan Senator Gloria Orwoba sits down with HPH to discuss three of her big ideas about periods. “This is what you can do with this position, as a woman in power.”

Check out HPH's starter pack! Some of the outlets we've chosen always cover public health, while others only cover it sometimes. Either way, they're excellent when they do it.