In the past few months, a key point of contention in the health care reform debate has been whether a public health insurance option should be included in the final legislation. Although polls have shown that 52 to 69% of Americans support such an option, 1 the views of physicians are unclear. Physicians…

…with it had increased to 81% by November 2007. Despite this negative consensus, however, there is no convergence on proposals for reform. Instead, public opinion is characterized by ambivalence or divergence regarding future directions, which may foil efforts to forge agreement on the best way to improve…

…serious health threats. One of the newest targets of public health law is obesity. 5 The past few years have brought a flurry of legislative initiatives aimed at improving nutrition and physical activity among children and adults, highly publicized personal-injury lawsuits against food and beverage companies…

…new public health insurance plan that competes with regulated private plans. The idea — largely ignored in 2008 when it was endorsed by then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama — has come to dominate an increasingly polarized national debate. This polarization is unfortunate, because public-plan…

…“Posting for public accessibility through [PubMed Central] is requested and strongly encouraged as soon as possible (and within twelve months of the publisher's official date of final publication).” 1 2 Currently, about a third of the reports of recent NIH-funded research are publicly available in…

In a radical departure from earlier strategies, public health officials are now arguing that circumcision of men should be a key weapon in the fight against infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Africa. Recent studies have shown that circumcision reduces infection rates by 50 to 60%…

…, its effectiveness diminishes with each passing minute. 3 4 Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are safe and effective when used by trained public-safety personnel who have a duty to respond to medical emergencies. 5 6 7 8 9 10 However, it is unclear whether trained volunteer laypersons who do…

…politics, ideologies, and greed on science and public health spans a wide range of topics, from breast implants to dietary supplements. The essays are rich in historical perspectives but occasionally lack critical evaluation of the political causes of failed public health policies. Finkel points out many lessons…

…views of physicians and those of the public on the reporting of medical errors to state agencies, a recommendation embraced by a number of national groups. The public sees reporting as a very effective way of reducing errors and wants these reports to be publicly available. Physicians are more skeptical…

…proteomics, pharmacogenomics, the genetics of complex traits, and public health genetics. Although the first three areas of inquiry are new, the use of genetics to improve the health of the population — current or future — is not. Public health was the asserted justification for state laws enacted before…

…to his rejection by the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, which he tried to join at the start of the Spanish-American War. In 1899 Goldberger entered the Public Health Service, in which he spent the rest of his professional life, attracted by both the regular government salary and the opportunities for scientific…

…transmissible through the air. To contain the epidemic, the President declares a state of emergency, orders that all nonessential businesses and places of public assembly be closed, and suspends all interstate travel by airplane, train, bus, and automobile. In defending the order, the fictional President makes…

…-established public health interventions. For 100 years, this seminal opinion has served as the constitutional foundation for state actions limiting liberty in the name of public health. Today, as physicians, policymakers, and public health officials contemplate the use of law to protect the public from emerging…

…not possible, and sudden death is often the initial manifestation of cardiac disease. Most such events occur at home, but up to a quarter occur in public places and are often witnessed by trained personnel who attempt resuscitation. Prompt defibrillation is the most important determinant of survival…

…in our care, and the drugs we take. It is of grave concern when an agency with such pervasive effects on our lives loses the public's confidence. Public opinion polls show that confidence in the FDA fell from 80% in the 1970s to 36% in 2006 1 — ratings usually reserved for tobacco companies and used…

…public health, has been quietly used by administrators and policymakers alike as a tool for protecting the public health with little fanfare and great humility, starting with the Supreme Court case of Jacobsen v. Massachusetts in 1905. By the late 20th century, a well-established ethos of public health…

…President for his approval and signature. Previous research suggests that public opinion will play an important role in the outcome of this process. Experience suggests that although the final legislation is likely to be complex, the public will form an overall view leading it either to support or to oppose…

…of U.S. physicians support health care reform that includes a new national public health insurance plan, which would compete with private plans. 1 Polls have shown that a substantial majority of Americans support the public option as well. Yet the idea has occasioned considerable controversy on Capitol…

Because the public discussion of drugs is dominated by considerations of their safety, effectiveness, and cost, it is easy to forget that medications have to be manufactured from raw materials before they can be prescribed. The continuing shortages of two medications for enzyme-deficiency disorders…

Public-private partnerships for health have grown rapidly in response to the perceived failure of the health systems of developing countries to address major health problems and the perceived failure of the private market to produce needed vaccines and medicines for neglected diseases such as malaria…