WE DODGED A HUGE BULLET WITH TRUMP'S GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

President Donald Trump proudly announced in a December Oval Office meeting with Congressional leaders that he would own this shutdown. Now that it's over, after the longest shutdown in U.S. history...35 days...we should all take a collective breath about what didn't happen during this shutdown that Trump initiated in order to fulfill a campaign promise to build a "big, beautiful, concrete wall across our 2,000 mile Southern Border....and Mexico would pay for it." Relax! I'm not going to write about the pro's and con's of building a wall as part of our overall border security strategy. But, what I am going to point out is just how lucky we as a country were during this extended shutdown.

Although a few airports closed runways or put brief halts on departing and arriving aircraft, causing enormous lines at airports and forcing passengers to arrive almost 3 hours prior to the departure of a domestic flight, and even longer for an international flight, with all the TSA and Air Traffic workers "calling in sick", we were very lucky that no planes crashed into each other or had risky landings that could easily have resulted in disaster. Although FBI agents, forced to work without pay, complained of what they believed would harm ongoing investigations, including tracking potential terrorists. Think about this for a moment. Trump had demanded a border wall to increase our border security, and yet, our best law enforcement organization, the FBI, was forced to curtail investigations into potential terrorist operations in the Homeland. And, again, we dodged a bullet in that there was no terrorist attack in the U.S. during the shutdown. If the shutdown had gone another week or two, the IRS would not have been able to send out our tax refunds on a timely basis; despite Trump mandating these workers show up, again without pay, over 40,000 called in "sick".

No greater example of the impact of a government shutdown on all of our lives, during the shutdown, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) was forced to cut back or postpone mandatory food inspections on foods for American consumers. While the FDA announced they were postponing inspections on low risk products, such as cookies and crackers which are rarely linked to food-borne illness. However, we all remember the recent romaine lettuce crisis that delivered, along with the lettuce, a risky strain of bacteria that sickened people in 11 states. And those contaminated lettuces somehow snuck through the FDA's normal inspection process. Imagine if the shutdown continued, how many foods would get through the inspection process (forced to be cut back due to a lack of inspectors calling in "sick." Consider that under the best of circumstances (without a government shutdown), the FDA typically inspects only 50 of the more than 80,000 high risk food sites containing things like fish or chicken. USDA inspectors inspect about 8,000 facilities, and last week, during the shutdown, they did so without pay.

When I say we dodged another bullet, there are approximately 3,000 of us who die annually here in the U.S. from food-borne illnesses. That alone is only a fraction of the almost 3 million Americans who die in a typical year, but this does NOT include the fact that almost 150 Million million of us suffer through, and typically recover, from symptoms of food-borne illnesses (which we fondly call "food poisoning"). In another example, just before the shutdown began, and in time for our holiday season, last December more than 200 people fell ill (84 of them hospitalized) from a salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey products. Another 52 people from 26 states and the District of Columbia also got ill. Before the CDC identified the source of the contaminated turkey, 216 people in 38 states and the D.C. became sick, and one died from California. Imagine how either the romaine lettuce or raw turkey episodes could have grown to catastrophic levels of illness and possible death, if the CDC workers, working without pay, had also called in "sick."

Yes, we dodged not just one bullet, but several during this recent government shutdown. For example, if the shutdown had not ended, millions of Americans who depend on food stamps to eat, may not have gotten their stamps, causing a nutritional/food crisis the likes of which we have never seen in the U.S. The lesson to be learned is simple and basic: the U.S. Government should never be shut down, especially for political purposes. We may have dodged a few bullets this time, but maybe we won't be so lucky if this happens again.

A PREVENTABLE CRISIS: THE U.S. MEASLES SURGE AND THE COST OF ANTI-SCIENCE LEADERSHIP

By Ann K. • July 13, 2026
A Grim Milestone for American Public Health We are facing a public health emergency that was entirely preventable. According to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States has recorded 2,170 confirmed measles cases in 2026—and we are only halfway through the year. This staggering figure nearly matches the 2,289 cases recorded across the entirety of 2025, representing a measles crisis on a scale this country has not seen in over three decades. Measles was declared officially eliminated from the United States in 2000, thanks to robust and widespread uptake of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Today, that monumental achievement is on the verge of being permanently erased.

WARNING LABELS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA: PROTECTING YOUR CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL AGE

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • June 15, 2026
For decades, Americans have relied on warning labels to alert consumers to hidden dangers. Cigarette packages warn of cancer. Alcohol labels caution pregnant women. Medications disclose side effects. Yet one of the most powerful and potentially addictive products used by millions of children every day carries virtually no warning at all: social media. In 2024, as I wrote in the September, 2024 issue of this newsletter, then-U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on Congress to require cigarette-style warning labels on social media platforms, arguing that parents and children deserve to know that excessive use has been linked to anxiety, depression, body image problems, sleep disruption, and other mental health concerns. He stated that social media had become an important contributor to the youth mental health crisis and that warning labels could help increase awareness among families. Unfortunately, that proposal has stalled under the new administration. The opportunity to provide parents with basic health information appears to have been abandoned just as evidence of social media's harmful effects continues to mount.

WARNING: USING AI FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSES MAY BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • April 30, 2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of healthcare, particularly in the realm of medical diagnosis. From analyzing medical images to predicting disease risk, AI-driven tools are increasingly being integrated into clinical workflows. While the potential benefits are substantial—improved accuracy, faster diagnoses, and expanded access to care—there are also meaningful risks that warrant careful scrutiny. Understanding both sides is essential for clinicians, policymakers, and patients alike.

LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES: A GROWING FIRE RISK IN OUR HOMES

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • March 31, 2026
Lithium-ion batteries power much of modern life. From smartphones and laptops to e-bikes, power tools, and even home energy storage systems, these compact and efficient batteries are everywhere. But as their use has expanded, so too has a serious and often underestimated danger: the risk of fire. Lithium-ion battery fires are not like typical household fires. They burn hotter, spread faster, and can reignite even after appearing to be extinguished. These fires are caused by a process known as “thermal runaway,” where damage, overheating, or internal defects trigger a chain reaction inside the battery. Once this process begins, it can release flammable gases, cause explosions, and produce intense flames that are difficult to control.

WARNING: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EPA IS DISMANTLING REGULATIONS PROTECTING US FROM PFAS, PUTTING OUR LIVES AT RISK

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • February 27, 2026
1. Weakening National Drinking Water Standards  In April 2024, the EPA finalized the first federally enforceable National Primary Drinking Water Rule (NPDWR) for six PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), PFBS, and mixtures of these chemicals. These rules established maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and required monitoring and treatment timelines for public water systems. Under Trump's EPA, this landmark public health rule is being undone :

THE SILENT WINTER THREAT: CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING DURING STORMS AND POWER OUTAGES

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • January 27, 2026
Winter in the Northern Hemisphere brings cold weather, snow, and often severe storms. These conditions can lead to power outages that last hours or even days. When electricity is lost and temperatures plummet, many households turn to alternative heating methods or portable power generators. While these actions are understandable, they can expose families to a perilous and often invisible threat: carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning . 

HOLIDAY FOOD SAFETY: PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY FROM SALMONELLA & LISTERIA THIS THANKSGIVING

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • November 24, 2025
As Thanksgiving approaches, kitchens across the country are about to come alive with the sounds and smells of holiday cooking. While this season brings family, gratitude, and plenty of delicious food, it also comes with a serious and often overlooked risk: foodborne illness. In the U.S., Salmonella and Listeria remain two of the most dangerous and persistent causes of food poisoning—especially during the holidays, when increased food preparation, crowded refrigerators, and large holiday meals create ideal conditions for bacterial growth.Whether you’re hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner or you’re a seasoned holiday chef, brushing up on a few key food safety practices can help you keep your loved ones healthy and your celebration memorable for all the right reasons.

ARE WAYMOS SAFER THAN HUMANS DRIVING A CAR?

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • October 30, 2025
The race to develop autonomous vehicles (AVs) has reached a pivotal moment. Alphabet-owned Waymo, widely regarded as the frontrunner in the field, has rolled out fully driverless taxis in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans to expand to additional cities. But as more Waymo vehicles hit public roads without human drivers, the question looms large: Are they truly safer than the people they’re replacing behind the wheel?

TACKLING SAFETY: FOOTBALL, CTE, AND WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE GAME SAFER

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • October 13, 2025
We are now in the middle of another football season, and the question, as asked every year: Is this sport safe enough for our high school, college, and professional athletes to play? Football has always been a violent sport of collision, glory, and growing concern. Over the last decade, research tying repetitive head impacts to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) has shaken parents, players, and the game’s governing bodies. The central realities are straightforward but sobering: repeated head impacts — both diagnosed concussions and the many “sub-concussive” blows players take — are linked to later-life brain pathology; helmets and add-ons can lower impact forces, but no helmet or cover has been shown to prevent CTE; and rule and culture changes that reduce the number and severity of head impacts are where the biggest gains lie.

CHAOS AT THE CDC: A THREAT TO AMERICA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

By Dr. Gerald Goldhaber • September 10, 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long been viewed as the nation’s front-line defense against disease outbreaks, health emergencies, and public health threats. But today, the agency faces internal turmoil, political interference, and organizational confusion that experts warn could have dangerous consequences for the U.S. healthcare system—and for ordinary Americans.
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