Viral outbreaks are always on the horizon – here are the viruses an infectious disease expert is watching in 2026Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia
Wearing a weighted vest can promote bone health and weight loss, but it’s not a cure-allKristen Marie Beavers, Wake Forest University
RFK Jr. guts the US childhood vaccine schedule despite its decades-long safety recordJake Scott, Stanford University
New federal loan limits will worsen America’s nursing shortage and leave patients waiting longer for careKymberlee Montgomery, Drexel University and Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow, Duquesne University
Midlife weight gain can start long before menopause – but you can take steps early on to help your body weather the hormonal shiftVinaya Gogineni, Vanderbilt University and Anna Barton Bradley, Vanderbilt University
The #iwasfifteen hashtag and ongoing Epstein coverage show how traffickers exploit the vulnerabilities of teens and tweensAnne P. DePrince, University of Denver
The world risks forgetting one of humanity’s greatest triumphs as polio nears global eradication − 70 years after Jonas Salk developed the vaccine in a Pittsburgh labCarl Kurlander, University of Pittsburgh
My prescription costs what?! Pharmacists offer tips that could reduce your out-of-pocket drug costsSujith Ramachandran, University of Mississippi and Adam Pate, University of Mississippi
Vaccine committee votes to scrap universal hepatitis B shots for newborns despite outcry from children’s health expertsDavid Higgins, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Vice President Dick Cheney’s life followed the arc of the biggest breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicineWilliam Cornwell, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
As millions of Americans face a steep rise in health insurance costs, lawmakers continue a century-long battle over who should pay for health careRobert Applebaum, Miami University
FDA claims on COVID-19 vaccine safety are unsupported by reliable data – and could severely hinder vaccine accessFrank Han, University of Illinois Chicago
How the NIH became the backbone of American medical research and a major driver of innovation and economic growthFred D. Ledley, Bentley University
Health insurance premiums rose nearly 3x the rate of worker earnings over the past 25 yearsVivian Ho, Rice University and Salpy Kanimian, Rice University
Off-label use of COVID-19 vaccines was once discouraged but has become common amid new guidelinesShannon Fyfe, Washington and Lee University and Elizabeth Lanphier, University of Cincinnati
How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk markerMary J. Scourboutakos, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University
Rest is essential during the holidays, but it may mean getting active, not crashing on the couchStacy Shaw, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Sleep problems and depression can be a vicious cycle, especially during pregnancy − here’s why it’s important to get helpJenalee Doom, University of Denver and Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, University of Denver
What’s a ‘black box’ warning? A pharmacologist explains how these labels protect patientsC. Michael White, University of Connecticut
Texas cities have some of the highest preterm birth rates in the US, highlighting maternal health crisis nationwideKobi V. Ajayi, Texas A&M University
I treat menopause and its symptoms, and hormone replacement therapy can help – here’s the science behind the FDA’s decision to remove warningsGenevieve Hofmann, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Back pain during pregnancy is often dismissed as a passing discomfort − a nurse explains why it should be taken seriously and treatedJulie Vignato, University of Iowa
Fetal autopsies could help prevent stillbirths, but too often they are used to blame mothers for pregnancy lossJill Lens, University of Iowa
3 years after abortion rights were overturned, contraception access is at riskCynthia H. Chuang, Penn State and Carol S. Weisman, Penn State
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could unlock the next revolution in cancer treatment – new researchAdam Grippin, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Christiano Marconi, University of Florida
COVID-19 vaccines for kids are mired in uncertainty amid conflicting federal guidanceDavid Higgins, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
5 years on, true counts of COVID-19 deaths remain elusive − and research is hobbled by lack of dataDylan Thomas Doyle, University of Colorado Boulder
5 years of COVID-19 underscore value of coordinated efforts to manage disease – while CDC, NIH and WHO face threats to their ability to respond to a crisisKatherine A. Foss, Middle Tennessee State University
5 ways schools have shifted in 5 years since COVID-19Rachel Besharat Mann, Wesleyan University and Gravity Goldberg, Wesleyan University
‘Are you married?’ Why doctors ask invasive questions during treatmentJill Inderstrodt, Indiana University
Doulas play essential roles in reproductive health care – and more states are beginning to recognize itAdetola F. Louis-Jacques, University of Florida and Seun Mauton Ajoseh, University of Florida
Buying a gift for a loved one with cancer? Here’s why you should skip the fuzzy socks and give them meals or help with laundry insteadEllen T. Meiser, University of Hawaii at Hilo
How food assistance programs can feed families and nourish their dignityJoslyn Brenton, Ithaca College; Alyssa Tindall, Ursinus College, and Senbagam Virudachalam, University of Pennsylvania
Best way for employers to support employees with chronic mental illness is by offering flexibilitySherry Thatcher, University of Tennessee and Emily Rosado-Solomon, Babson College
How to keep dementia from robbing your loved ones of their sense of personhood – tips for caregiversR. Amanda Cooper, University of Connecticut
Why you can salvage moldy cheese but never spoiled meat − a toxicologist advises on what to watch out forBrad Reisfeld, Colorado State University
People abused by intimate partners have worse asthma – but researchers are still untangling the reasons behind this surprising linkAnne P. DePrince, University of Denver and Eileen Wang, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Yes, ADHD diagnoses are rising, but that doesn’t mean it’s overdiagnosedCarol Mathews, University of Florida and Stephen V. Faraone, SUNY Upstate Medical University
PFAS in pregnant women’s drinking water puts their babies at higher risk, study findsDerek Lemoine, University of Arizona; Ashley Langer, University of Arizona, and Bo Guo, University of Arizona
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public healthTom Duszynski, Indiana University
Recent studies prove the ancient practice of nasal irrigation is effective at fighting the common coldMary J. Scourboutakos, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University
FDA recall of blood pressure pills due to cancer-causing contaminant may point to higher safety risks in older generic drugsC. Michael White, University of Connecticut
Atorvastatin recall may affect hundreds of thousands of patients – and reflects FDA’s troubles inspecting medicines manufactured overseasC. Michael White, University of Connecticut
Focused sound energy holds promise for treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseasesRichard J. Price, University of Virginia
How 3D printing is personalizing health careAnne Schmitz, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Daniel Freedman, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Are you one of the millions about to have cataract surgery? Here’s what ophthalmologists say you need to knowAllan Steigleman, University of Florida and Elizabeth M. Hofmeister, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Several companies are testing brain implants – why is there so much attention swirling around Neuralink? Two professors unpack the ethical issuesNancy S. Jecker, University of Washington and Andrew Ko, University of Washington
Exposure to neighborhood violence leads some Denver teens to use tobacco and alcohol earlier, new study showsAnna Maria Santiago, Michigan State University and Iris Margetis, Michigan State University
How one Florida program reduced preterm births – and how it could serve as a model for other communitiesLoveline Chizobam Phillips, George Mason University and Faye Taxman, George Mason University
Protein powders and shakes contain high amounts of lead, new report says – a pharmacologist explains the dataC. Michael White, University of Connecticut
Strict school vaccine mandates work, and parents don’t game the system − new researchY. Tony Yang, George Washington University; Anthony Bald, California State University, Fullerton , and Samantha Gold, Cornell University
How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorineLisa Cuchara, Quinnipiac University
How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk markerMary J. Scourboutakos, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University
Viral outbreaks are always on the horizon – here are the viruses an infectious disease expert is watching in 2026Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia
AI’s errors may be impossible to eliminate – what that means for its use in health careCarlos Gershenson, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Parenting strategies are shifting as neuroscience brings the developing brain into clearer focusNancy L. Weaver, Saint Louis University
RFK Jr. guts the US childhood vaccine schedule despite its decades-long safety recordJake Scott, Stanford University
