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Public Health

New vaccines to protect infants from infections
Infant lying on their back with a doctor and nurse standing above with a vaccine injection

New vaccines to protect infants from infections

A new Penn Medicine study puts researchers within closer reach of vaccines that can protect infants against infections by overcoming a mother’s antibodies.

Penn Today Staff

Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’
Open, overturned prescription drug bottle with pills spilling out on dark table.

Drug epidemic likely ‘killing more Americans than we think’

Research from Penn and Georgetown shows that the estimated number of drug-associated deaths in the U.S. in 2016 was approximately double the number of deaths attributed to drugs.

Michele W. Berger

Direct-to-consumer fertility tests confuse and mislead consumers
hand holding an at-home ovulation test strip

Direct-to-consumer fertility tests confuse and mislead consumers

Findings from the small, first-of-its-kind ethnographic study reinforce the need for consumer education around the purpose and accuracy of direct-to-consumer hormone-based fertility tests.

Penn Today Staff

Philly water straight from the tap
Two smiling people with a pitcher of water stand next to a sign saying "Philly Water Bar"

As part of a partnership including Penn’s ImpactED and Water Center, trained neighborhood ambassadors shared the benefits of drinking tap water in their local communities, both at formal events and in informal interactions. (Image: Tiffany Ledesma for PWD) 

Philly water straight from the tap

A collaborative city-wide campaign that included ImpactED and the Water Center at Penn helped spread the word that Philadelphia tap water is safe and healthy to drink.

Katherine Unger Baillie

U-Haul’s nicotine-free hiring rule reflects a trend that troubles workers’ advocates

U-Haul’s nicotine-free hiring rule reflects a trend that troubles workers’ advocates

Harald Schmidt of the Perelman School of Medicine said policies targeting smokers disproportionately harms poor people because nearly half of unemployed people are addicted to nicotine. “You’re basically posing a double whammy on them,” he says. “It’s very hard for them to get work, and it’s even harder for people who are already in a vulnerable situation.”