Skip to main content

Public Health

Do soda taxes fight obesity? How did Juul hook American teens? Vox tackles all your questions about public health issues and trends.

Our health care data infrastructure is broken. Caitlin Rivers hopes to fix it.
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

Without accurate data on disease and outcomes, policymakers can’t make good public health decisions.

By Miranda Dixon-Luinenburg
Lucia Coulter and Jack Rafferty want to strip the world of lead-based paint
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

The Lead Exposure Elimination Project is already getting results in countries where lead-based paint is still used.

By Dylan Matthews
DARPA changed technology. Now Renee Wegrzyn wants to bring the same innovation to medicine.
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

Wegrzyn is the first head of the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which aims to generate game-changing advances in medicine.

By Bryan Walsh
Kevin Esvelt wants to make the world safe from — and for — biotechnology
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

Employing cryptography to ensure that CRISPR is used for good.

By Bryan Walsh
Josh Morrison took risks for science, and he thinks you can, too
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

From kidney donations to human challenge trials for Covid-19 vaccines, Josh Morrison shows the vast good any individual can do.

By Muizz Akhtar
Zeynep Tufekci has been consistently ahead of the curve on Covid-19
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

The columnist and academic offered smart insights and actionable advice during the pandemic.

By Siobhan McDonough
Jennifer Doudna helped rewrite life with CRISPR
The 2022 Future Perfect 50

Now the Nobel-winning biochemist wants to ensure her invention is used ethically.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Why do labs keep making dangerous viruses?Why do labs keep making dangerous viruses?
Future Perfect

A controversial new study involving an engineered version of Covid’s omicron variant raises new questions about research oversight.

By Kelsey Piper
Politics
America’s increasingly atrocious access to maternity care, explained in 3 chartsAmerica’s increasingly atrocious access to maternity care, explained in 3 charts
Politics

Nearly 7 million women of childbearing age live somewhere with limited or zero access to maternity care.

By Dylan Scott
Science
Rising rates of syphilis in babies should set off all our alarm bellsRising rates of syphilis in babies should set off all our alarm bells
Science

America’s STI crisis is actually a maternal care crisis.

By Keren Landman, MD
Politics
A wave of anti-vaccine legislation is sweeping the United StatesA wave of anti-vaccine legislation is sweeping the United States
Politics

The anti-vaccine movement is gaining strength even after 1 million Americans have died of Covid-19.

By Dylan Scott
Science
Anal and oral sex spread monkeypox. Let’s talk about it.Anal and oral sex spread monkeypox. Let’s talk about it.
Science

Why it’s spreading like an STI through gay men’s sexual networks, why women are at risk — and why condoms might help.

By Keren Landman, MD
Science
A worldwide monkeypox outbreakA worldwide monkeypox outbreak
Science

Monkeypox is a viral disease that’s a much milder cousin of smallpox.

By Vox Staff
Future Perfect
Why monkeypox is a repeat of the data mistakes made with Covid-19Why monkeypox is a repeat of the data mistakes made with Covid-19
Future Perfect

Accurate data is critical for public health, and the US doesn’t have it.

By Miranda Dixon-Luinenburg
Future Perfect
New York’s polio crisis, explainedNew York’s polio crisis, explained
Future Perfect

How a polio case in New York — and genetic evidence of under-the-radar spread — affects US risk and global eradication efforts.

By Miranda Dixon-Luinenburg
Politics
School vaccine mandates for Covid-19 are not happeningSchool vaccine mandates for Covid-19 are not happening
Politics

The enthusiasm for requiring kids to get their shots has mostly evaporated.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Science
7 of your most pressing monkeypox vaccine questions, answered7 of your most pressing monkeypox vaccine questions, answered
Science

We have safe, effective options — but in short supply.

By Keren Landman, MD
Future Perfect
Monkeypox should have been easily controllable. How did we fail so badly?Monkeypox should have been easily controllable. How did we fail so badly?
Future Perfect

Why muddled messaging helped monkeypox become a public health emergency.

By Kelsey Piper
Should you get another Covid-19 vaccine booster now or wait for the new shots?
Science

Covid-19 cases are rising again, but redesigned vaccines are on the horizon.

By Umair Irfan and Keren Landman, MD
Future Perfect
Finally, an answer to the question: AI — what is it good for?Finally, an answer to the question: AI — what is it good for?
Future Perfect

Got a protein? This AI will tell you what it looks like.

By Bryan Walsh
Science
The smallpox vaccine stockpile isn’t the monkeypox solution we need — yetThe smallpox vaccine stockpile isn’t the monkeypox solution we need — yet
Science

Public health leaders are weighing significant trade-offs to ACAM2000, including the vaccine’s side effects.

By Keren Landman, MD
Science
We’ve all got Covid-19 fatigue, but BA.5 shows it’s not overWe’ve all got Covid-19 fatigue, but BA.5 shows it’s not over
Science

Despite increased cases, public health officials’ plans seem muted, at best.

By Ellen Ioanes
Future Perfect
We’re battling a sleep loss epidemic. California has a plan to fight it.We’re battling a sleep loss epidemic. California has a plan to fight it.
Future Perfect

A new law will require the school day to start later in California — and other states may soon follow.

By Sigal Samuel
The Aftermath
Science

A series about the collateral health effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in communities around the US.

By Vox Staff
Health care in jails and prisons is terrible. The pandemic made it even worse.
Science

America’s 1.7 million incarcerated people have a constitutional right to medical treatment. During the pandemic, many of them say they didn’t get it in time.

By Victoria Law
Politics
The end of Roe will mean more children living in povertyThe end of Roe will mean more children living in poverty
Politics

How “pro-life” states are failing new parents and babies.

By Dylan Scott
Politics
The dire health consequences of denying abortions, explainedThe dire health consequences of denying abortions, explained
Politics

A landmark study revealed connections between carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term and negative outcomes for children and pregnant people.

By Dylan Scott
Politics
How the US got so dependent on baby formulaHow the US got so dependent on baby formula
Politics

Poor health care access and aggressive formula marketing are driving down America’s breastfeeding rates.

By Dylan Scott
Covid-19
A new study claims Medicare-for-all could have saved more than 200,000 lives during the pandemicA new study claims Medicare-for-all could have saved more than 200,000 lives during the pandemic
Covid-19

America’s failures to respond to Covid-19 and to deliver universal health care are part of the same story.

By Dylan Scott
Science
Yes, monkeypox is a real threat — but risk level variesYes, monkeypox is a real threat — but risk level varies
Science

Experts are worried about the overlapping risks of uncontrolled HIV and monkeypox infection.

By Keren Landman, MD
Science
Guns do more than killGuns do more than kill
Science

Firearm injuries undermine mental, physical, and financial health, even for people who’ve never encountered a bullet.

By Keren Landman, MD
Politics
When hospitals value nurses as much as jelloWhen hospitals value nurses as much as jello
Politics

Hospitals don’t profit off having good nurses. That’s a big problem.

By Dylan Scott
Technology
New York’s attorney general calls out Verizon for spreading Legionnaires’ diseaseNew York’s attorney general calls out Verizon for spreading Legionnaires’ disease
Technology

Verizon didn’t keep up with requirements meant to stop the spread of a dangerous bacteria.

By Rebecca Heilweil
Politics
Why there’s still a formula shortageWhy there’s still a formula shortage
Politics

The real reasons why America is having so much trouble feeding its babies — and how to make sure it never happens again.

By Dylan Scott
Science
How bad could the monkeypox outbreak get?How bad could the monkeypox outbreak get?
Science

Health experts are optimistic monkeypox can be contained. Here’s why, and where it could go wrong.

By Keren Landman, MD
Criminal Justice
How America fails childrenHow America fails children
Criminal Justice

US public policy is a disaster on guns — and so much more.

By Dylan Scott
Science
What we know so far about monkeypoxWhat we know so far about monkeypox
Science

Hundreds of cases of the rare viral disease have been detected in Europe and North America. Experts are cautiously concerned.

By Keren Landman, MD
Politics
Pandemic school reopenings were not just about politicsPandemic school reopenings were not just about politics
Politics

What researchers are still learning about in-person instruction during Covid-19.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Politics
Stronger public health systems and uniform messaging are critical to fight Covid-19Stronger public health systems and uniform messaging are critical to fight Covid-19
Politics

Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere, yet conflicting public health messaging and a lack of funds may only prolong the crisis.

By Natasha Ishak
Covid-19
“A lot of unnecessary loss of life”: The White House’s dire warning on Covid-19 funding“A lot of unnecessary loss of life”: The White House’s dire warning on Covid-19 funding
Covid-19

The Biden administration is begging Congress to fund its pandemic response.

By Dylan Scott