Top 10 Health Stories of 2025: Measles, MAHA, and Medical Breakthroughs

Top Health Moments of 2025

• 🎯 2025 was a challenging year for public health, marked by mass layoffs, attacks on institutions, and the resurgence of forgotten viruses.
• 💡 Despite challenges, scientific and medical progress persisted throughout the year.

MAHA Movement and Public Health Goals

• 🇺🇸 The MAHA movement, championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aimed to improve the nation's health by reducing chronic disease.
• 🍎 Efforts included condemning ultra-processed foods and addressing artificial food dyes, which were largely applauded by experts.
• ⚠️ Concerns were raised about other targets of the MAHA movement, particularly regarding vaccine recommendations.

Debates on Water Fluoridation and Hormone Therapy

• 💧 Some states moved to ban fluoride in water, sparking worries among dentists and public health experts about increased cavities.
• 🧠 Supporters of the bans cited studies linking higher fluoride levels to lower IQs, though these studies used much higher concentrations than typically found in public water.
• 👩‍⚕️ The FDA took steps to remove the black-box warning for many hormone treatments for menopause symptoms, aiming to provide women with more options, emphasizing the need for doctor consultation.

Autism, Tylenol, and Xenotransplantation

• 🤰 Public figures linked the rise in autism cases to acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy, leading the FDA to issue a physician's notice.
• 🔬 Decades of evidence suggest acetaminophen is safe for pregnant women at recommended doses and does not cause autism.
• 🐷 Tim Andrews became the fourth living patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant (xenotransplantation), living with it for a record 271 days, advancing the field for future human trials.

Public Health Funding Cuts and Lead Poisoning

• 📉 Significant layoffs and funding cuts at HHS and the CDC impacted research and global health programs, potentially hindering the development of new treatments.
• Pb In Milwaukee, an investigation into elevated blood lead levels in children revealed a link to the city's aging school buildings, many built before lead paint was banned.
• 🆘 The cuts to public health agencies left cities like Milwaukee without federal support for critical investigations into childhood lead exposure.

Pain Management and Alzheimer's Breakthroughs

• ⚡ The FDA approved Suzetrogene, a new class of non-opioid pain medication that prevents pain signals from reaching the brain, inspired by a family of firewalkers who lacked pain-sensing genes.
• 🧠 A new FDA-approved blood test for Alzheimer's disease can detect biomarkers, serving as a potential screening tool to predict future risk and track progress with lifestyle interventions.

Resurgence of Measles and Vaccine Schedule Scrutiny

• 🦠 Measles outbreaks across the US threatened the country's elimination status, highlighting a growing concern over declining vaccination rates.
• 💉 The advisory committee for the CDC pledged to re-examine the entire vaccine schedule, drawing criticism from those who believe decisions are not science-based.