Posts by Forbes Washington DC
Abortions Appear to Be Decreasing, a Post-Roe First
For many Americans, getting an abortion has become far more difficult since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. But even in the face of states imposing new restrictions and clinics shutting down, the number of abortions continued to climb each year—until, it seems, this one. About 518,940 abortions were provided by clinicians…
Read MoreRepublicans Have a MAHA Problem. Democrats See an Opportunity
Zen Honeycutt and droves of other supporters of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement cast their votes for President Donald Trump last year after hearing the promises that he and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, made about cracking down on pesticides and chemicals in food. “Many people…
Read MoreWe’re Even Less Prepared For the Next Pandemic After COVID-19, Expert Warns
As a leading expert on the viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that make us sick, Michael Osterholm knows what happens when humans underestimate infectious diseases. Osterholm, who is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, was a leading voice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he’s watching…
Read MoreHere’s What Happens to the Plastic in Dishwasher Pods
Plastic is everywhere in most kitchens: cling wrap seals food instantly; disposable utensils require no washing; and dishwasher pods skip the hassle of measuring powders or liquids. All of that convenience involves a major downside, though. After plastics are used, they often break down into tiny pieces, called microplastics, that wind up in the environment…
Read MoreWhy Syphilis Cases in Newborns Are Rising
The number of babies being born with syphilis in the U.S. kept increasing last year, even as the number of cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the country dropped, according to new government data. The overall number of reported STI cases fell 9% in 2024 from 2023, the third year in a row that…
Read MoreA Huntington’s Disease Treatment Is Closer Than Ever
Gene therapy is becoming a powerful way to treat challenging diseases that don’t respond to traditional treatments, and researchers now report the first success in modifying genes to slow Huntington’s disease. In a study reported by Uniqure, which developed the experimental gene therapy, scientists found that it slowed progression of Huntington’s disease by 75% over…
Read MoreWant to Live Longer? First Find Out How Old You Really Are
You get older every day. But how old are your cells and organs, really? Understanding that could help us live longer, healthier lives, many longevity experts believe. Dr. Douglas Vaughan is among them. He is the director of Northwestern University’s Potocsnak Longevity Institute and its Human Longevity Laboratory, where people can go to get their…
Read More7 Ways to Handle Your Rude Neighbor
Home is where the heart is, sure. It might also be where the volume-cranking, heavy-footed, parking spot-stealing neighbors are, seemingly just waiting to annoy you. But even the most inconsiderate neighbors deserve empathy. Though it might be hard to remember in the heat of the moment, the people who live around you want to enjoy…
Read MoreCan a Multivitamin Make Up for a Bad Diet?
You’re late, with no time to chop fruit or rinse lettuce before driving to work. In your race out the door, you pitstop at the pantry for a protein bar or toaster pastry. Not exactly textbook nutrition, but it’s okay, you remind yourself. Earlier, you took a multivitamin. That multivitamin may seem like armor against…
Read MoreCan Scientists Help Oysters Thrive Again?
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/12/d7/12d70be9-1195-48ed-91c5-f34068b8a8dc/gettyimages-2191203534_web.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Can Scientists Help Oysters Thrive Again?")
Dredging and pollution devastated the once-bountiful reefs. Careful science may help bring them back Tim Vernimmen, Knowable Magazine September 24, 2025 A historian inspects oysters from a reef on the Nansemond River, in Virginia. Tess Crowley / The Virginian-Pilot / Tribune News Service via Getty Images The Chesapeake Bay—the largest estuary in the continental United…
Read MoreA Brief History of Trump’s False Health and Science Claims
President Donald Trump on Monday repeatedly urged pregnant women not to take acetaminophen, claiming that doing so is linked to a “very increased risk of autism.” His remarks—which immediately drew warnings and pushback from experts—contradicts leading medical advice that acetaminophen, when used properly, is safe during pregnancy. The President, who does not have a medical…
Read MoreTrump Is Breaking Americans’ Trust in Doctors
In a rambling press conference on Sept. 22, President Donald Trump claimed that acetaminophen use in pregnancy is driving the rise in autism—and then ad libbed his own guidance on childhood vaccines. Watching the President deliver what is widely considered by leading professional organizations as inaccurate and dangerous medical advice gave me painful flashbacks to…
Read More