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Category: policy

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Policy

What Happens When You Rethink Health Care as a Network?

A woman in her 70s, living with diabetes, needs more than a doctor’s visit. She needs transportation to appointments, affordable healthy food nearby, someone to explain her medications, and a neighbor who checks in on her. She needs care that understands her whole life, not just her blood sugar levels. This is where integrated care […]

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Policy

The Trump Administration’s 2025 Drug Policy Priorities: A Public Health Perspective

The recent unveiling of the Trump Administration’s drug policy priorities represents a pivotal moment in the fight against America’s escalating substance abuse crisis, particularly in relation to the opioid epidemic fueled by fentanyl. This comprehensive blueprint outlines ambitious strategies aimed at strengthening interdiction efforts, enhancing prevention initiatives, and expanding access to treatment. However, a closer […]

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Implementation

Are Clinical Trial Results Actually Useful for You?

A breakthrough cancer drug shows promising results in a clinical trial. Doctors and policymakers are eager to adopt it. But there’s a catch—the study was conducted on a group of patients who are younger, healthier, and more affluent than the population it’s meant to serve. Will the treatment work just as well for older adults […]

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Commentary

Trump Speech Recap: Public Health in the Crosshairs

Trump’s address to Congress made it abundantly clear that federal public health efforts are being dismantled under the guise of “efficiency” and “common sense.” The newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is tasked with eliminating waste, but as Trump noted, this includes funding for programs that address structural inequities. He […]

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Commentary

How an NSF Report Set the Stage for Current Anti-DEI Policies

Something slipped by last October when America’s attention was focused on the election. The NSF Politicized Funding report, chaired by Texas’s Ted Cruz and released by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s minority staff, asserted that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has increasingly allocated funding to research projects influenced by diversity, equity, […]

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News

Goodbye Richardson Waiver: HHS Streamlines Rules—But at What Cost?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a significant policy shift (of course, on a Friday afternoon), rescinding the long-standing “Richardson Waiver” and realigning its rulemaking procedures with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). This move, outlined in a new policy statement published in the Federal Register, has broad implications for how […]

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Policy

Are We Breaking or Reinforcing Colonial Legacies?

Warning: This blog contains the words “racism” and “equity.” Please check with your federal supervisor to make sure you are protected again such dangerous ideas! For decades, global health (GH) programs in the United States have sent medical trainees abroad, equipping them with clinical skills and cultural humility training. But there’s a glaring issue: much […]

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Policy

How Mexico’s Drug War Fuels Deaths of Despair

When Mexico’s government launched a military offensive against drug cartels in 2006, the goal was to curb drug-related violence. Instead, the war fractured powerful cartels, triggering violent power struggles that sent homicide rates soaring. Today, more than 360,000 homicides later, the scars of this violence extend far beyond the direct victims. A new study reveals […]

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Policy

Public Health Policy Evaluation with Machine Learning

How do we know if public health policies are truly effective? Whether it’s a campaign to reduce smoking, an initiative to improve maternal health, or a program to curb the spread of infectious diseases, measuring the success of these policies is crucial. Traditionally, policymakers have relied on well-established statistical methods to assess impact, but these […]

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News

Project 2025 is Unraveling Decades of Public Health Progress

The early days of President Donald Trump’s administration have seen rapid implementation of policies rooted in Project 2025, a comprehensive conservative playbook developed by the Heritage Foundation. While Trump has publicly denied knowledge of the 922-page “Mandate for Leadership,” his administration’s actions tell a different story—one with profound implications for public health, biomedical research, and […]

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News

The Initial Impact of RFK

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has wasted no time in pursuing his agenda, announcing plans to investigate childhood vaccine schedules and anti-depressant medications as potential drivers of chronic diseases. In a speech to HHS staff, Kennedy urged them to keep an “open mind.” Yet, his past statements and actions raise concerns about the potential erosion of […]

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Policy

Does Recreational Marijuana Reduce Opioid Deaths?

Imagine living in a world where one policy change could potentially save thousands from the grip of opioid addiction—a real modern-day dilemma facing public health officials today. As states across the U.S. grapple with the devastating opioid crisis, some are turning to an unconventional ally: recreational marijuana. But does it help, or is it just […]

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