With mpox re-emerging as a global health threat, particularly in resource-constrained African countries and with severe impacts on children, Dr. Marie Roseline Darnycka Belizaire of the WHO examines the rapid resurgence since the 2022 outbreak, inequities in the response, and strategies for addressing the crisis through collaboration and community-centered interventions.

Addressing the challenges of medical care from medical school to the battlefield to city streets to overcome disparities in health, Dr. Jonathan Woodson discusses his journey at the intersection of education, government, and the practice of medicine to train healthcare professionals and leaders to provide effective medical care.

Women often do not receive gender-specific health care, leading to disparities in treatment and outcomes. Megan Greenfield and Lucy Perez from McKinsey & Co. explore the reasons behind the global women's health gap and propose actionable steps to bridge this divide by 2040.

As antimicrobial resistance becomes one of the most worrisome challenges to global public health, Dr. Emilio Emini, former CEO of the Gates Medical Research Institute, examines root causes and hopeful pathways to address the crisis, from foundational biology and private sector incentives to public policy and the need for social impact investment.

Shirin Behzadi shares with us how she achieved her North Star and overcame adversity by sharing her inspiring story. She also gives us an in-depth look at how to balance your North Star with potential risks.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Approximately 3% of deceased undocumented immigrants donate kidneys, yet only 0.2% receive kidney transplants. Dr. Joel Adler highlights this stark disparity and calls for a reexamination of the organ transplant system, advocating for eligibility based on fairness and medical need.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Much of the American diet consists of ultra-processed foods (UPF) that fuel metabolic diseases, ill-health, and unnecessary suffering. We must implement strategies to reduce UPF for our collective well-being.

Did you know you can take care of your brain and reduce the risk of developing dementia, stroke, or depression through simple lifestyle changes? Massachusetts General Hospital’s McCance Center for Brain Health lays out a bold vision for reducing the risk of brain disease and scaling it globally.

As you create New Year’s resolutions for 2024, consider applying some of the current research presented at the inaugural Leadership and Happiness Symposium, hosted by the Leadership and Happiness Laboratory Founded by Professor Arthur Brooks at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, to make yourself, your communities, and the world a happier place.

The surge in New York City's homeless population, exacerbated by the expiration of pandemic-related measures, poses a critical challenge, with numbers reaching unprecedented levels. Christine Quinn urges upholding the "right to shelter," faster transitions to permanent housing for cost savings, and collaboration to address the multifaceted crisis.

Did you know that there exist inexpensive generic drugs and supplements that might be effective as novel treatments for many diseases? Yet, pharmaceutical companies lack financial incentives to develop them. Could the creation of a federal agency designed to fund and oversee such efforts lead to new affordable treatments for unmet medical needs?

OPINION COMMENTARY:

To combat the homeless crisis in America, bureaucratic obstacles that hinder those in need must be overcome. Harvard ALI Fellows Melinda Giovengo and Betsy Schwartz critically examine HUD's Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act and showcase how the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston, Texas has successfully implemented a multi-stakeholder approach.

Mental health disorders are costly to society and devasting to the individuals who suffer. By demonstrating that mental disorders are metabolic disorders, Dr. Chris Palmer offers new solutions and hope to address the mental health epidemic.

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The decision has had a devastating impact on women's health in the U.S. Cecile Richards, a national leader for women’s rights and social and economic justice and former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund for 12 years, reflects on the decision, its impact, and an urgent path forward.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

Fierce political polarization is threatening democracy in the world and acting as a barrier to crafting effective solutions to critical social challenges. Alice Lombardo Maher, MD, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, has succeeded in bridging the divide by bringing together people on opposite sides of the political spectrum and modeling the skills that are core to effective dialogue.

HEALTH & HOMELESSNESS SERIES:

The Biden Administration’s plan to reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025 is focused on preventing homelessness before it occurs in the first place. Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, discusses how they are urgently addressing basic needs of people in crisis, and expanding housing and support to help people get and stay housed.

HEALTH & HOMELESSNESS SERIES:

Many think mental illness leads to homelessness, but a bidirectional relationship exists, and homelessness can lead to mental illness as well. Katherine Koh, MD, a practicing psychiatrist at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses how her innovative practice of street psychiatry supports our unhoused neighbors.

HEALTH & HOMELESSNESS SERIES:

Inside Safe, Los Angeles’s program to reduce homelessness, recently achieved its ambitious goal of housing 1,000 people in its first 100 days. Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, CEO of Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, discusses the nature of the challenge, the approach, and the city’s early progress.

OPINION COMMENTARY:

In low-and middle-income countries, the stigma of mental illness and the lack of resources keep up to 90% of those in need from receiving appropriate care. Tsion Andine, an MD/MPH student inspired by personal experience living with someone with a mental disorder, wants to improve this number by tapping caretakers and the media.

INNOVATIONS IN ORGAN DONATION SERIES:

Across the globe, the need for organ transplantation has far outpaced the supply of organs. Mary Sauer shares her personal story and describes pioneering innovations that could solve the organ shortage crisis.