How federal officials talk about health is shifting in troubling ways – and that change makes me worried for my autistic child

The Make America Healthy Again movement has generated a lot of discussion about public health. But the language MAHA proponents use to describe health and disease has also raised concerns…

Pediatricians’ association recommends COVID-19 vaccines for toddlers and some older children, breaking with CDC guidance

For 30 years, vaccine recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have aligned closely with those from the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP. But on Aug. 19,…

COVID-19 vaccines for kids are mired in uncertainty amid conflicting federal guidance

It’s August, and parents and caregivers are frantically preparing their kids for a new school year by buying supplies, filling out forms and meeting teachers. This year, many parents also…

Are you really allergic to penicillin? A pharmacist explains why there’s a good chance you’re not − and how you can find out for sure

Imagine this: You’re at your doctor’s office with a sore throat. The nurse asks, “Any allergies?” And without hesitation you reply, “Penicillin.” It’s something you’ve said for years – maybe…

1 in 3 Florida third graders have untreated cavities – how parents can protect their children’s teeth

“He hides his smile in every school photo,” Jayden’s mother told me, holding up a picture of her 6-year-old son. I first met Jayden – not his real name –…

I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong

In the four months since he began serving as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made many public statements about vaccines that…

A preservative removed from childhood vaccines 20 years ago is still causing controversy today − a drug safety expert explains

An expert committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines is meeting for the first time since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly replaced the…

RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations

On June 11, 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a slate of eight new members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the Centers…

Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows

More than half of U.S. teens living in households with firearms believe they can access and load a firearm at home. Even when their parents report storing all firearms locked…

Game theory explains why reasonable parents make vaccine choices that fuel outbreaks

When outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles occur despite highly effective vaccines being available, it’s easy to conclude that parents who don’t vaccinate their children are misguided, selfish or…