Photo of a forest fire with billowing smoke.
Health News

Wildfire smoke can make your outdoor workout hazardous to your health – an exercise scientist explains how to gauge the risk

Wildfires produce huge quantities of airborne particles, also called fine particulate matter. These particles are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter – about a tenth the size of a pollen grain.

Particles of that size, which air quality experts refer to as PM2.5, raise serious health concerns because they are tiny enough to be carried to the air sacs in the deepest parts of the lungs. From there, they can cross into the blood stream, leading to bodywide inflammation – essentially, the immune system’s fight response – which can promote or aggravate multiple chronic illnesses.

Seniors child aging grandparents.
Health News

Older adults now outnumber children in 11 states

Montana, Oregon and Pennsylvania have joined the ranks of states where older people outnumber children. Other states where older people already outnumbered children in 2023: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. That grew from just four in 2020: Florida, Maine, Vermont and West Virginia.

A claymation-style illustration of a medicine cabinet filled with pill bottles.
Health News

Threat in Your Medicine Cabinet: The FDA’s Gamble on America’s Drugs

The FDA has given more than 20 foreign factories a special pass to continue sending drugs to the U.S. even though they were made at plants that the agency had banned.

The medications came mostly from plants in India where inspectors found contaminated drugs, filthy labs and falsified records.

The agency did not proactively inform the public when drugs were exempted from import bans, and it did not routinely test the medications to ensure they were safe.

Dall·e 2025 05 14 10.44.48 low poly digital illustration of a rural doctor's office with a 'closed' sign hanging on the front door. the building is small and simple, with a wood
Health News

Report: Rural Patients Losing Access to Independent Physicians and Medical Practices

Between 2019 and 2024, the number of independent physicians in rural areas fell by 43%. Nearly 9,500 rural physicians left independent practice. The loss impacted the Midwest and Northeast the most, with Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakota losing more than 50% of their independent rural physicians. Additionally, the study found 7,300 rural medical practices either closed or were acquired by health systems or corporate entities.

Photo of a forest fire with billowing smoke.
Health News

Wildfire smoke and extreme heat can occur together: Preparing for the combined health effects of a hot, smoky future

It’s well understood that exposure to either wildfire smoke or extreme heat poses a significant threat to health. For example, there is substantial evidence linking wildfire smoke to an increased risk of hospitalizations for lung or heart complications, with emerging evidence that exposure may also affect birth outcomes and cognitive function. Similarly, we know that extreme heat can increase the risk of illness or death from conditions related to our lungs, hearts and brains.

Illustration of the measles virus
Health News

Some measles response plans crash to a halt after Trump cuts

Cities and states fighting a historic measles outbreak find themselves undermined by the Trump administration as they struggle to provide crucial vaccinations and overcome disinformation. As of this week, cases were nearing 650 in 22 states, on track to reach a 34-year high.