Americans are increasingly waiting weeks or even months to get an appointment to see a health care specialist[1].

This delay comes at a time when the population of aging adults is rising dramatically. By 2050, the number of adults over 85 is expected to triple[2], which will intensify the strain on an already stretched health care system. We wrote about this worsening challenge and its implications for the health care...

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On March 27, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced plans to dramatically transform the department[1]. HHS is the umbrella agency responsible for pandemic preparedness, biomedical research, food safety and many other health-related activities[2].

In a video posted that afternoon, Kennedy said the cuts and reorganization to HHS aim to “streamline our agency” and “radically improve...

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A white child's shoulder with a map made of dots from a measles rash

The measles outbreak that began in west Texas in late January 2025 continues to grow, with 400 confirmed cases in Texas[1] and more than 50 in New Mexico[2] and Oklahoma[3] as of March 28.

Public health experts believe the numbers are much higher, however, and some worry about a bigger resurgence of the disease[4] in the U.S. In the past two weeks, health officials have identified potential measles exposures in association...

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