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When I started my training as an emergency room physician, my mind revolved around answering one fundamental question: What does this patient have? Every interaction was a diagnostic puzzle, an attempt to fit a patient’s symptoms together into a cohesive picture. (Helen Ouyang, 12/27)

The U.S. Food and Drug Agency is not really a singular agency. In practice, it operates more like five or more “FDAs” — each covering drugs, devices, food, cosmetics, or tobacco — combined into one.  A mother looking for safe baby formula and fresh vegetables might associate the FDA with various food safety crises. A biologist seeking to turn her breakthrough into a medicine might associate it with global leadership in regulatory science. This divergence leads to misunderstandings of where trust and blame ought to fall. (Lee D. Cooper, 1/2)

With uncertainty in Washington as the new year brings a new Congress and a new administration, it is easy to be concerned and confused about what’s ahead for public health and health care. However, no matter what the federal government does, five trends will meaningfully impact our health. (Ashish K. Jha, 12/30)

Two major bills — one on health care market oversight and another on prescription drug costs — landed on Governor Maura Healey’s desk Monday. Although neither is perfect, Healey should sign the bills into law. (1/2)

Last month, a bungled health warning over black plastic spatulas didn’t help faltering trust in science. (F.D. Flam, 12/31)

A lack of medical coverage is hurting the quality of life for millions of people in America, and Latinos have been disproportionately affected. They are among the least likely to have health insurance, they are more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanic white Americans, and they are less likely to have routine medical examinations or get treatment for debilitating conditions, a disparity that was exacerbated during the Covid pandemic. (12/27)