Public Health

All hands on deck: Fentanyl in Philadelphia

In 2017, fentanyl surpassed heroin as the leading drug involved in overdose deaths, increasing from 57 percent of opioid-related deaths in 2016 to 84 percent in 2017.

Penn Today Staff

Staying alert to the rare but real risks of acute flaccid myelitis

Sarah Hopkins, a pediatric neurologist at the Perelman School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, has seen an increase in cases of the paralyzing condition this year. She explains what parents and pediatricians should watch for.

Katherine Unger Baillie

5 tips to scare away cavities

Beyond the inevitable sugar high, what are the implications of consuming a glut of candy? Pediatric dentist Maria Velasco suggests coming up with a plan, then giving away the rest of the treats.

Michele W. Berger



In the News


FactCheck.org

Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official

Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?

A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.

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Business Insider

Universal basic income is working—even in red states

Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.

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CBS Philadelphia

NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone

Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.

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NPR

An overdose drug is finally over-the-counter. Is that enough to stop the death toll?

Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing says that over-the-counter Narcan is a baby step in the right direction, not a game changer.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

A new community-driven initiative is asking Philly to spend more housing funds on the lowest-income households

Rebecca Yae of the Weitzman School of Design’s Housing Initiative at Penn says that it’s important to consider deeper income targeting with affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes.

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