Next Week in Public Health, October 23, 2025

APHA is coming up, and we’ll have more details about that soon. We’re partnering with WE in the World to share tools, strategies, and methods to help continue the work from a grassroots perspective.

Here’s what’s in the research.

And what’s in the news.

Anti-science bills hit statehouses, stripping away public health protections built over a century

Summary: In 2023, over 420 bills undermining public health initiatives like vaccines, milk safety, and fluoride have been introduced in U.S. statehouses, with about 30 becoming law in 12 states. This surge is driven by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s network, aiming to entrench conspiracy theories at state and national levels, risking public health achievements by lowering vaccination rates and reviving preventable diseases.

Is Your Medication Made in a Contaminated Factory? The FDA Won’t Tell You.

Summary: The FDA has been criticized for redacting the names of drugs from inspection reports of foreign factories with poor safety practices, undermining public knowledge about potentially unsafe generic medications widely used in the U.S. While the FDA cites trade secret laws as the rationale, the agency’s lack of transparency leaves patients, doctors, and pharmacists unable to determine if their medications are affected by manufacturing issues.

Same Snake, Different Oil: Wellness Influencers and the Rise of Health Misinformation

A 2023 study by the National Association of Community Health Centers highlighted that over 100 million Americans face barriers to accessing primary care, almost double since 2014. This lack of access has driven many to seek health advice from wellness influencers, who can spread misinformation that may endanger health.