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Public Health Threats and Pandemics
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Three Years Into the Pandemic: What to Expect?Panelists discuss the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the evolution of the virus, vaccinations around the world, and lessons learned for future pandemic preparedness.
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Managing the Health Risks of Climate ChangeThe health of millions stands to be harmed by climate change in the coming decades, but national governments and international organizations remain woefully underprepared. Elizabeth Willetts and Andy Haines suggest a path forward to bolter responsiveness and resilience.
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The Global Governance of Emerging Zoonotic DiseasesZoonotic diseases, naturally transmissible between humans and animals, have posed a growing public health threat for decades. However, existing institutional arrangements have fallen short. The wide-ranging, large-scale, and costly effects of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate the value of addressing those weaknesses in global governance.
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How New Tobacco Control Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on U.S. CancerThis interactive examines how nationwide bans on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, as proposed by the Biden administration on April 28, 2022, could help shrink the racial gap on U.S. lung cancer death rates.
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Managing the Risks of Biotechnology InnovationBiotechnology advances offer immense public health and consumer potential, but come with serious risks. A recent workshop held by the Council on Foreign Relations brought experts together to discuss new forms of global governance to manage those risks.
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U.S. Preparedness for Nuclear and Radiological ThreatsJ. Andrés Gannon, Stanton nuclear security fellow at CFR, discusses the likelihood of Russian deployment and use of nuclear missiles against Ukraine or its allies, and the implications for the United…
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Daughters and Sons Guest Event: A Conversation With Anthony FauciAfter more than five decades at the National Institutes of Health, physician-scientist Anthony S. Fauci, MD recently stepped down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and President Biden’s chief medical advisor. Here he discusses his thirty-eight years as NIAID director, the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the latest developments with emerging infectious diseases; and how countries should prepare for the next pandemic.
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A Guide to Global COVID-19 Vaccine EffortsThe swift development of effective vaccines against COVID-19 was an unprecedented scientific achievement. But production challenges, vaccine nationalism, and new variants have all presented hurdles.
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How Will Global Health Survive Climate Change?Climate change has the potential to become the most significant threat to public health in the coming decades. Dr. Colin Carlson argues that new initiatives, including greater adaptation financing and robust public healthcare systems, are necessary to avoid disaster.
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When Will COVID-19 Become Endemic?Government leaders are optimistic that COVID-19 is becoming endemic, meaning more predictable and manageable. But many scientists say it’s too soon to behave like the pandemic is over.
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Perilous Pathogens: How Climate Change Is Increasing the Threat of DiseasesClimate change is creating many pathways for zoonotic diseases to reach people. Four cases show how the climate crisis is altering disease threats and how the world can respond.
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Preventing and Preparing for Pandemics With Zoonotic OriginsEvery viral pandemic since 1900 has been the result of spillover from animals to humans. Public health systems should take the steps outlined by Jay Varma and Neil Vora to limit the potential for spillover and the rapid spread of pathogens.
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U.S. Life Expectancy Is in Decline. Why Aren’t Other Countries Suffering the Same Problem?COVID-19 is contributing to a dramatic decline in the average lifespan of Americans. The drop-off is canceling out decades of public health gains and stretching the gap between the United States and its peers.
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What Does the CDC Do?The federal agency has a broad mandate to protect Americans’ health and an expansive global reach. But the COVID-19 pandemic has been one of its most daunting challenges.
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Why Hasn’t the World Eradicated Polio?The world is inching closer to eradicating polio, but armed conflicts and opposition to vaccines stand in the way of finally eliminating the disease.