The United States is on the verge of losing its measles elimination status. What does this mean and what can we do about it?

Measles is Winning. It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way. We eliminated measles from the Americas years ago and can do it again, by @drtomfrieden.bsky.social tomfrieden.substack.com/p/measles-is...

Did you miss the launch of the 2026 CMA Health & Media Tracking Survey? I’ve got you! Watch it here. We had an amazing line-up moderated by CTV’s Vassy Kapelos: @drjengunter.bsky.social @dskok.bsky.social @vassb.bsky.social @drtomfrieden.bsky.social youtu.be/3gpgZ5mnVug

The percentage of people dying before age 70 is an honest accounting of whether our health systems are working. For the United States, that number tells us we’re failing nearly one in four people.

More than a week after his death, I’m still reflecting on the life and legacy of Bill Foege—the Babe Ruth of public health—whose work with others saved the lives of literally hundreds of millions of people. His accomplishments are in a league of their own.

I’m encouraged that Congress just passed funding bills for 2026 that include strong bipartisan support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How can you live a longer, healthier life? I joined a therapists, authors and fellow doctors in sharing short wellness tips in @nytimes.com.

At Resolve to Save Lives, we work alongside partners to tackle the world’s deadliest health threats, closing the gap between life-saving solutions and the communities that need them the most. Join us: resolvetosavelives.org/annual-repor...

Dr. Bill Foege was a public health legend. His extraordinary accomplishments, including his work on smallpox eradication, leading the CDC, serving as director of the Carter Center, and helping establish Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, saved millions of lives and changed public health forever.

Read the latest piece in the Science Politics #USAID series, by @drtomfrieden.bsky.social— founder of Resolve To Save Lives and former director of the CDC. He discusses the fraying of #geopolitical trust and how we must prioritize “productive interdependence.” sciencepolitics.org/2026/01/23/t...

Check out @drtomfrieden.bsky.social's essay on the future of aid in @sciencepolitics.bsky.social. "In public health, fiscal choices are life-and-death decisions — funding cuts are the direct cause of preventable deaths." sciencepolitics.org/2026/01/23/t...

The golden age of global health assistance, defined by a huge influx of resources and a centering of health progress, is over. Great risks lie ahead—but also powerful opportunities to build new, more sustainable systems, as I write in @sciencepolitics.bsky.social. sciencepolitics.org/2026/01/23/t...

California became the first state to require folic acid fortification of corn masa flour—the essential ingredient in tortillas, tacos and tamales. This quiet change represents a powerful example of how public health works best: create environments where the healthy choice is the default choice.

As of today, the United States has officially left the World Health Organization. We’ll look back on this as a grave error. Health threats do not respect borders, and weakening global cooperation makes Americans less safe.

There's an increasing sense that each of us can protect our health entirely on our own. In reality, we can’t. All of us depend to some extent on what other people do. That’s why the more people are vaccinated against dangerous diseases, the safer we all are.

Excited to share our team's new partnership with @openevidence.bsky.social and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre to build AI clinical decision support tools for resource-limited settings. Rwandan clinicians will help design evidence-based technology, driving better care where it's needed most.

Canada's new front-of-package labels are a win for public health. Evidence-based warning symbols on foods high in sodium, sugar and fat help consumers make informed choices—and push manufacturers to reformulate unhealthy products.

HHS recently announced drastic changes to the childhood immunization schedule, following a Presidential memorandum to align U.S. recommendations with “peer nations” such as Denmark. This is one of the most consequential shifts in American public health policy in decades—and not in a good way.

At Resolve To Save Lives, we work with partners across the globe to co-create, test and scale solutions to the world’s deadliest health threats. I’m proud of how our team helped drive significant health progress in 2025. Watch our new video:

Trans fat took far too long to eliminate, and that delay cost lives. But the eventual success shows what’s possible. If we apply the same disciplined approach to hypertension, air pollution, lead poisoning, and more, we can prevent millions of deaths—and much sooner than most people think.

Had a great conversation with @drjessicaknurick.bsky.social about what public health really is—and why it matters. We covered everything from trans fat bans to smoke-free laws, what CDC does, and the "see, believe, create" framework from my new book. drjessicaknurick.substack.com/p/behind-the...

When it comes to your health, it’s tempting to look for shortcuts. But health isn’t built in cryochambers or expensive supplement aisles. It’s built on daily habits—balanced nutrition, physical activity, sleep, connection—and evidence-based care.

The United States isn’t Denmark. Or Japan. Or Germany. We can't copy another nation's approach and expect the same results—our health system, population, and health care system differ in ways that matter when we design vaccine policy.

Unless urgent action is taken, TB deaths could nearly double, to more than 2 million per year. Among many troubling trends, death is the only irreversible one, and death from TB is inexcusable. @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social

UK getting slammed by severe flu. Not too late - get a flu shot to reduce your risk of severe illness in the coming months. Flu is coming - are you ready?

Amid a firehose of falsehoods about vaccines, new CDC data show that last year’s Covid booster reduced the risk of severe illness by 76% among kids aged 6 months to 4 years old and 56% among kids aged 5 to 17 years old.

With the rise of drug-resistant superbugs, we’re losing the defenses that protect us from microbes. In @financialtimes.com, I share how we can rebuild them. The problem isn’t scientific complexity—it’s political and economic barriers.

“Tens of millions of people are alive today around the world because we had better prevention". @drtomfrieden.bsky.social, Former CDC Director and President/CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, joins the podcast to talk progress in public health ⏯️ www.bmj.com/podcasts

“I would consider every under-70 death a failure of the system". @drtomfrieden.bsky.social, Former CDC Director and President/CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, joins the latest BMJ Medicine & Science podcast to talk public health ⏯️ www.bmj.com/podcasts

It was an honor to host @drtomfrieden.bsky.social recently for an engaging conversation on his new book! Thank you to the @harvardgh.bsky.social team for their support in coordinating this successful event.

The vote by ACIP to end universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth is a big mistake that will endanger American children. Our approach to vaccination has prevented thousands of kids from getting infected with a virus that can cause liver damage and early death.

We have a safe vaccine that's proven its worth over three decades. We have a strategy that works. Now obstetricians, pediatricians, insurers, state health departments & others should stand up for fact-based care, protect our children and not mess with success. We must keep protecting our children.

The ACIP recommendation to end the universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine puts millions of American children at greater risk of liver damage, cancer and early death.

I’ll be hosting an “ask me anything” session on Reddit this afternoon at 2pm ET. AMA about the future of public health. We’re facing tremendous headwinds, but there are still areas where we can make health progress.

UHF's fireside chat on public health with @drtomfrieden.bsky.social and UHF President & CEO Oxiris Barbot, MD included prescriptions for today’s toughest health challenges, & other lessons from Dr. Frieden's 40-year career. Find a recap of the discussion here: uhfnyc.org/news/article...

We're celebrating "The Formula for Better Health" tomorrow at the MIT Press Bookstore! Stop by Kendall Square's underground bookstore for a book signing with author @drtomfrieden.bsky.social: mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/event/2025-1...

Later this week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will discuss ending universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth in the United States. If this change is enacted, it will have deadly consequences for our children.

Walt Dowdle led CDC during crises. He fought for AIDS funding when the Reagan administration was in denial about the epidemic. He helped in global polio eradication. He built laboratories that became models for the world. But these five principles might be an even bigger contribution.

Flu shots aren’t perfect, but they are by far the best way to prevent flu, reduce its severity and avoid complications. That’s why I get the shot every year and make sure my family does as well. If you haven’t gotten this season’s shot yet, make an appointment or talk to your doctor today.

For more than two decades, scientists have studied whether vaccines cause autism. The answer has been consistent: there’s no evidence they do. I compiled a list of 14 studies, covering more than 10 million children, that find no link between vaccines and autism.

Changing the basic scientific functioning of the CDC undermines the safety of our children. The post on the CDC website is a dangerous and unprecedented departure from the CDC’s longstanding commitment to communicating evidence-based public health information.

We can do a lot more to avoid the most dangerous and fatal health conditions than we think. In a Next Big Idea Club Book Bite, @drtomfrieden.bsky.social sorts out facts from hype with five key insights from his new book "The Formula for Better Health":

The Simple Steps That Can Prevent Dementia www.wsj.com/health/welln... by @drtomfrieden.bsky.social via @wsj.com #Alzheimers #dementia #health #wellness #publichealth

I’ll never forget my first few weeks as CDC director. It was in the midst of the H1N1 epidemic and we needed to manage the outbreak effectively. I was grateful to walk into a building of public health experts and a full team of support. Sadly, more than 1 in 4 of them are no longer in place today.

I talked with @drtomfrieden.bsky.social about what's happening at the CDC: www.vox.com/today-explai...

Attacks on science and public health put all of us at greater risk. Dr. Tom Farley describes how destructive actions by the administration are hampering CDC’s ability to function.

Physician Alice Hamilton fought tirelessly to remove lead from workplaces, urging the U.S. government to ban lead from gasoline. Her warnings were ignored. Through her story, Dr. Tom Frieden illustrates what public health needs to help others see & act on invisible toxins. Read at @bigthink.com:

CDC is not a Democratic or Republican agency. It's an American agency. One in three employees have been lost in recent months. This is dismantling of our health protections, not reform.

I watched dementia consume my grandmother's fierce intellect. I felt I had failed her. Today we know nearly half of dementia cases can be prevented. The tools exist—we must use them. Read an excerpt of my new book in @wsj.com. Gift link:

Public health was already under assault – and the current shutdown accelerates the destruction of our health defenses that began ten months ago. In my new piece, I share why this affects us all and what we can do about it.