Latest KFF Health News Stories
How Measles, Whooping Cough, and Worse Could Roar Back on RFK Jr.’s Watch
Inoculation campaigns that protect children and adults from dangerous diseases rely on a delicate web of state and federal laws and programs. If senior officials cast doubt on vaccine safety, the whole system might collapse, especially in red states.
Por qué el sarampión, la tos ferina y otras enfermedades graves podrían resurgir con RFK Jr.
Expertos afirman que una confluencia de factores podría causar el resurgimiento de epidemias mortales de enfermedades como el sarampión, la tos ferina y la meningitis, o incluso de polio.
A Toddler Got a Nasal Swab Test but Left Before Seeing a Doctor. The Bill Was $445.
A mom in Peoria, Illinois, took her 3-year-old to the ER one evening last December. While they were waiting to be seen, the toddler seemed better, so they left without seeing a doctor. Then the bill came.
Make America Healthy Again: An Unconventional Movement That May Have Found Its Moment
Nonmainstream doctors and leaders in health business are wielding serious muscle in shaping the incoming Trump administration’s health policies and challenging prevailing thinking on public health, disease prevention, and chronic illness.
Qué es el movimiento para “Hacer a América saludable de nuevo” (MAHA)
El regreso de Trump a la Casa Blanca ha dado un nuevo impulso a “Hacer América saludable de nuevo”, un movimiento controversial que desafía las ideas predominantes sobre la salud pública y las enfermedades crónicas.
Does Fluoride Cause Cancer, IQ Loss, and More? Fact-Checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Claims
Research has generally shown that drinking fluoridated water at the recommended levels is safe and beneficial for oral health, especially in children. But many people feel that more research is needed to better understand whether and when health risks kick in.
Scientists Fear What’s Next for Public Health if RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ‘Go Wild’
As federal health scientists await a potential takeover by RFK Jr. and other medical skeptics in the second Trump administration, some are preparing résumés or retirement papers.
Qué le depara a la salud pública si se confirma Robert F. Kennedy Jr. como secretario de Salud
Científicos de las agencias federales de salud esperan la segunda administración de Donald Trump con incertidumbre y temor, preguntándose cómo el presidente electo conciliará filosofías radicalmente diferentes entre los líderes de su equipo.
After Congress Ended Extra Cash Aid for Families, Communities Tackle Child Poverty Alone
The child tax credit passed by Congress at the height of covid has expired, but states and localities are trying to fill the gap with their own programs and funding. In Michigan, Rx Kids already covers every family with a new baby in Flint. Now, other communities aim to follow.
A Quick Return to School and Light Exercise May Help Kids Recover From Concussions
With new research and updated guidelines in Colorado and 15 other states, physicians and educators are asking parents not to wait to return their concussed kids to school.
Más de 2 millones de niños a nivel nacional han sido diagnosticados alguna vez con una conmoción o lesión cerebral, según la Encuesta Nacional de Entrevistas de Salud de 2022.
Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than a Quarter Million Dollars
For snakebite victims, antivenom is critical — and costly. It took more than $200,000 worth of antivenom to save one toddler’s life after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.
California Mental Health Agency Director To Resign Following Conflict of Interest Allegations
Toby Ewing, executive director of California’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, is resigning amid an investigation into his conduct and revelations that he traveled to the U.K. courtesy of a vendor as he sought to protect state funding for its contract.
A California Official Helped Save a Mental Health Company’s Contract. It Flew Him to London.
The director of a California state mental health agency traveled to the U.K. courtesy of Kooth, a digital mental health company with a $271 million contract to build a therapy app for the state’s youth. Weeks earlier, he pressed key legislative staffers to restore a proposed cut to Kooth’s funding.
Mothering Over Meds: Docs Say Common Treatment for Opioid-Exposed Babies Isn’t Necessary
Amid what has been called the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic, doctors and researchers are walking back medication-heavy methods of treating babies born experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms, replacing the regimen with the simplest care: parenting.
California Continues Progressive Policies, With Restraint, in Divisive Election Year
This legislative cycle, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills affirming reproductive rights and mandating insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization, but the Democrat was reluctant to impose new regulations and frequently cited costs for vetoing bills.
Super Bowl Rally Shooting Victims Pick Up Pieces, but Gun Violence Haunts Their Lives
Eight months after the Feb. 14 shooting, people wounded at the Kansas City Chiefs parade are wary of more gun violence. In this installment of “The Injured,” survivors of the shooting say they feel gun violence is inescapable and are desperately seeking a sense of safety.
Esa incesante oleada de violencia con armas de fuego —desde incidentes puntuales hasta tiroteos masivos— ha terminado aniquilando la sensación de seguridad de quienes sobreviven.
Extended-Stay Hotels, a Growing Option for Poor Families, Can Lead to Health Problems for Kids
Extended-stay hotels are often a last resort for low-income families trying to avoid homelessness. But hotel living can lead to — or exacerbate — various physical and mental health issues for children, say advocates for families and researchers who study homelessness.
Trump Leads, and His Party Follows, on Vaccine Skepticism
Former President Donald Trump has presided over a landslide shift in Republican views on vaccines, reflected in false claims by candidates in election primaries, puzzling conspiracies from prominent conservatives, and a surge in anti-vaccine policies in statehouses.
