Public Health Education News

September 25, 2026

Top Headlines

Stopping Ozempic May Raise Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

Sep. 21, 2026 A large study suggests the cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound can disappear surprisingly quickly when treatment stops. After two years off the medications, patients had a 22% higher risk of heart ...

The U.S. Eradicated This Flesh-eating Parasite. Now It’s Back

Sep. 15, 2026 The flesh eating New World screwworm has returned to the United States, threatening livestock, wildlife, pets and potentially people as it spreads north. A new UC San Diego tracking system aims to predict where the parasite could strike next while ...

Cancer Cases Could Surge 67% Worldwide by 2050

Sep. 7, 2026 Cancer is becoming an even larger global health threat, with nearly 21 million people diagnosed and 9.8 million dying from the disease in 2024. New estimates suggest about 1 in 5 people worldwide will develop cancer during their lifetime, while ...

Heavy Marijuana Smoking May Increase Cancer Risk, Researchers Warn

July 10, 2026 Heavy marijuana smoking may raise the risk of lung cancer and several head and neck cancers, according to growing research, but many important questions remain unanswered. Scientists are still trying to determine how much marijuana use is enough to ...

The Ozempic and Wegovy Mistake Sending Thousands to Poison Control

July 9, 2026 Poison control calls involving semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) soared after the drug was approved for weight management, with researchers linking the increase to accidental dosing mistakes rather than intentional misuse. Simple education about ...

Fathers’ Tobacco Use Linked to Metabolic Changes in Their Children

Mar. 15, 2026 A new study in mice suggests that a father’s nicotine exposure could influence the metabolic health of his children. Researchers found that when male mice consumed nicotine, their offspring showed changes in how their bodies handled sugar, ...

American Heart Association Warns 60% of US Women Will Have Cardiovascular Disease by 2050

Feb. 27, 2026 Heart disease is on track to tighten its grip on American women. New projections from the American Heart Association warn that over the next 25 years, cardiovascular disease will rise sharply, driven ...

Study Raises Red Flags over Long-term Effectiveness of Popular Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic

Jan. 29, 2026 Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound can drive impressive weight loss, but stopping them is often followed by rapid weight regain. Researchers found that people regain weight faster after quitting these ...

Your Fireplace May Be Doing More Harm Than You Think

Jan. 26, 2026 Home fireplaces and wood stoves are quietly driving a large share of winter air pollution, even though only a small number of households rely on wood heat. Researchers found that wood smoke accounts for over one-fifth of Americans’ winter exposure ...

A Global Cancer Surge Is Underway and the World Is Not Ready

Jan. 7, 2026 Global cancer cases have surged dramatically, doubling since 1990 and reaching 18.5 million new diagnoses in 2023. Deaths have also climbed to over 10 million a year, with the steepest increases hitting low- and middle-income countries. Without ...

Even One Drink a Day May Raise Mouth Cancer Risk

Dec. 30, 2025 New research suggests that even light alcohol use may carry serious risks. A large study in India found that drinking just one standard drink a day is linked to a roughly 50% higher risk of mouth cancer, with the greatest danger tied to locally ...

Global Surge in Ultra-processed Foods Sparks Urgent Health Warning

Nov. 24, 2025 Ultra-processed foods are rapidly becoming a global dietary staple, and new research links them to worsening health outcomes around the world. Scientists say only bold, coordinated policy action can counter corporate influence and shift food systems ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:22am EDT

Millions Are About to Choose the Wrong Medicare Plan

Nov. 29, 2025 Millions face Medicare decisions each year, but many don’t take advantage of tools that can save them money and stress. Insurance marketing often overshadows unbiased options like SHIP, leaving ...

Just a Few Cigarettes a Day Can Damage Your Heart for Decades

Nov. 22, 2025 People who smoke only a couple of cigarettes a day still face surprisingly high risks of heart problems and early death. A large review of long-term studies shows that even very light smokers can see ...

Smoking Cannabis With Tobacco May Disrupt the Brain’s “bliss Molecule”

Nov. 15, 2025 Scientists found that people who use both cannabis and tobacco show a distinct brain pattern tied to mood and stress regulation. Their scans revealed ...

Most Americans Don’t Know Alcohol Can Cause Cancer

Nov. 5, 2025 Most U.S. adults don’t realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and drinkers themselves are the least aware. Scientists say targeting these misbeliefs could significantly reduce alcohol-related cancer ...

Wildfire Smoke Could Kill 70,000 Americans a Year by 2050

Sep. 19, 2025 Wildfires are no longer a seasonal nuisance but a deadly, nationwide health crisis. Fueled by climate change, smoke is spreading farther and lingering longer, with new research warning of tens of ...

Cannabis for Coping? Why It May Trigger Paranoia

Aug. 28, 2025 Using cannabis to self-medicate comes with hidden dangers—new research shows these users face higher paranoia and consume more THC. Childhood trauma further amplifies the risks, especially ...

Three-Person DNA IVF Stops Inherited Disease—eight Healthy Babies Born in UK First

July 18, 2025 In a groundbreaking UK first, eight healthy babies have been born using an IVF technique that includes DNA from three people—two parents and a ...

Fire Smoke Exposure Leaves Toxic Metals and Lasting Immune Changes

June 30, 2025 Smoke from wildfires and structural fires doesn t just irritate lungs it actually changes your immune system. Harvard scientists found that even healthy people exposed to smoke showed signs of immune ...

New Study Analyzes Air Quality Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

May 28, 2025 With wildfires increasing in frequency, severity, and size in the Western U.S., researchers are determined to better understand how smoke impacts air quality, public health, and even the weather. As ...

Male Bodybuilders Face High Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death, Especially Those Who Compete Professionally

May 22, 2025 Sudden cardiac death is responsible for an unusually high proportion of deaths in male bodybuilders worldwide with the highest risk among ...

Health Care Workers, Firefighters Have Increased PFAS Levels, Study Finds

May 8, 2025 Researchers looked at PFAS serum concentrations in health care workers for the first time and were surprised by what they ...

Groundbreaking Device Instantly Detects Dangerous Street Drugs, Offering Hope for Harm Reduction

May 7, 2025 Groundbreaking device instantly detects dangerous street drugs, offering hope for harm reduction A portable device that instantly detects illicit street drugs at very low concentrations, thereby ...

Mindfulness Therapy Reduces Opioid Craving and Addiction, Study Finds

Apr. 30, 2025 Researchers found that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can help rewire the brain's response to natural healthy pleasure, leading to reduced opioid cravings. The findings suggest ...

'Eolving' Opioid Epidemic Across U.S.

Apr. 10, 2025 The heart of the opioid epidemic that killed 665,341 people in the United States between 2005 and 2020 shifted geographically from the Northwest to the East, according to a new geographical ...

Parents' Metabolic Traits Can Affect the Child's Health Over Time

Apr. 8, 2025 Research shows that the biological parents' genes affect the child's insulin function and capacity to regulate blood sugar levels and blood lipids in different ways. Such knowledge may be ...

Smoke from US Wildfires, Prescribed Burns Caused Premature Deaths, Billions in Health Damages

Apr. 8, 2025 Researchers estimated that smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns caused $200 billion in health damages in 2017, and that these were associated with 20,000 premature deaths. Senior citizens were ...

Researchers Concerned About Rise in Nitrous Oxide Misuse, Deaths in US

Apr. 2, 2025 Despite a recent Food and Drug Administration warning against inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, deaths due to misusing the substance are rising in the United ...

My Robot Therapist: The Ethics of AI Mental Health Chatbots for Kids

Mar. 31, 2025 AI mental health apps may offer a cheap and accessible way to fill the gaps in the overstretched U.S. mental health care system, but ethics experts warn that we need to be thoughtful about how we use ...

Adulting Is Hard on the Heart: Teen to Young Adulthood Is a Critical Time to Address Risk

Mar. 26, 2025 Many youth have heart disease risk factors by their late teens, and preventing or addressing these risks early may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future, according to a ...

Does Getting ADHD Drugs Via Telehealth Increase Addiction Risk?

Mar. 5, 2025 A study of people who started ADHD stimulant treatment via telehealth vs in-person visits shows no difference in risk of new substance use disorders except for young adults age ...

Screening and Treating Maternal Psychological Health Key to Improving Cardiovascular Health

Feb. 25, 2025 Identifying and treating risk factors for depression, anxiety and other psychological health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum may improve short- and long-term health outcomes for both ...

New Home-Based Intervention Could Reduce Emergency Hospital Admissions for Older People

Feb. 24, 2025 A new service aimed at supporting older people who are starting to become frail, could reduce emergency hospital admissions by more than a ...

Second-Hand Smoke Exposure During Childhood Leaves Its Mark on Children's DNA

Feb. 11, 2025 Children exposed to second-hand smoke at home are more likely to show certain changes in the epigenome, which can alter the way genes are expressed. These epigenetic changes could influence the ...

No Evidence That Maternal Sickness During Pregnancy Causes Autism, Study Finds

Jan. 31, 2025 While many studies have reported a link between a mother's health condition during pregnancy and her child's risk of autism, a new study shows that nearly all of these ...

Over 1/3 of Parents Say Their Child Has Experienced Dental Problems That Reflect Oral Hygiene Habits

Jan. 28, 2025 More than one in three parents say their child has faced issues like tooth decay, cavities, stained teeth, gum concerns or tooth pain linked to their oral health routine over the past two years, a ...

Heart Disease Remains Leading Cause of Death as Key Health Risk Factors Continue to Rise

Jan. 27, 2025 Heart disease remains the world’s top killer, with nearly 2,500 Americans dying daily from cardiovascular conditions. The American Heart Association’s new data highlight how high blood pressure, ...

Smoking Cannabis in the Home Increases Odds of Detectable Levels in Children

Jan. 23, 2025 Researchers analyzed cannabis smoking practices to assess whether in-home smoking was associated with cannabis detection in ...

SIDS Discovery Could ID Babies at Risk of Sudden Death

Jan. 22, 2025 New research revealing the fingerprints of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome within blood samples could open the door to simple tests to identify babies at ...

Hepatitis E Vaccination Is Effective in an Epidemic

Jan. 14, 2025 Hepatitis E, a potentially serious viral liver disease, is transmitted through contaminated water. The risk is particularly high in populations with limited access to safe water and sanitation. In ...

Changes in Opioid Use Outcomes After Passage of Medical Marijuana Laws

Jan. 13, 2025 A new study found no changes in opioid outcomes among the general population with the states' passage of medical and recreational marijuana laws. However, the findings also show decreases in ...