HealthPolicy

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza poses a serious and growing threat of triggering a global pandemic, warns a new study by the Global Virus Network (GVN), which calls for urgent international action to bolster preparedness efforts.

Disruptions to the body’s internal clock — known as circadian rhythms — may significantly elevate the risk of premature death, according to a major new study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers analyzing data from large-scale U.S. and Chinese populations found that adults aged 40 and over with disrupted circadian rhythms faced heightened mortality from cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The United States is inching dangerously close to a public health crisis as falling childhood immunization rates threaten to make measles endemic once again, scientists warn. A new study by researchers at Stanford University’s School of Medicine has modeled the long-term impact of declining vaccine coverage, revealing stark predictions if current trends persist.

Tjuntjuntjara, one of Australia's most remote communities in the Great Victoria Desert, is facing an urgent health and social crisis as smoking rates soar and cigarette costs spiral out of reach for many residents. Locals, including health practitioners and community leaders, are calling for greater government support to help residents quit smoking and address the growing strain on health and finances.