Public Health

Latest California Healthline Stories

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.

What To Know About RFK Jr.’s Stances on Key Health Issues and What He Could Do at HHS

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is coming into the nomination process in an unusual position, with a long list of his own policy priorities separate from the president-elect’s, and a public promise by Trump to let him “go wild” on his ideas. Céline […]

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.

As California Taps Pandemic Stockpile for Bird Flu, Officials Keep Close Eye on Spending

California health officials began providing protective clothing to farmworkers months before the state’s first bird flu transmission to humans was announced in October. It’s a reminder of the state’s struggle to remain prepared for health threats amid multibillion-dollar deficits.

California Dengue Cases Prompt Swift Response From Public Health Officials

With the arrival in California of dengue, a dangerous mosquito-borne disease present mainly in more tropical climates, public health authorities are deploying a range of strategies to beat back the Aedes mosquitoes that spread the virus.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Trump 2.0

As Donald Trump readies for his return to the White House — with the backing of a GOP majority in the Senate and, possibly, the House — the entire health care industry is waiting to see what happens next. Clearly on the agenda: the future of abortion and reproductive rights, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and public health’s infrastructure. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Jackie Fortiér, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-Washington Post “Bill of the Month” feature, about a 2-year-old who had a very expensive run-in with a rattlesnake.