Jerome Adams, the Indiana health commissioner and an anesthesiologist, is on track to become the next U.S. surgeon general. His nomination by President Donald Trump has received both Democratic and Republican support, thanks to his handling of an HIV/AIDS outbreak in Indiana and his work combating the opioid abuse epidemic.

Does behavior have a significant impact on your risk of developing dementia? That's what a wealth of new data is suggesting, and the evidence, gathered from different research teams around the globe, is pointing in the same intriguing direction.

The news that eight elderly residents died in a Florida nursing home when the air conditioning failed during Hurricane Irma outraged their families and shocked the public. Although the story is still developing, Gov. Rick Scott promised to "aggressively demand answers on how this tragic event took place."

Although you may think that this story, though tragic, does not concern you directly, think again. If you're reading this, and you're middle-aged, then this story concerns you since you have a good chance of spending time in a nursing home.

Everyone has their Thanksgiving favorite. For some, it's turkey. For most, it's fixings and desserts – sweet and rich – that appeal. As we gear up for Thanksgiving, planning whether we'll serve pecan pie or pumpkin, stop for a moment to consider that too many Americans eat rich and sugary foods every day, instead of only on holidays and special occasions as in decades past. There is a high cost to eating like there's no tomorrow.

During an election year when voters and candidates from both parties registered outrage at high drug prices, the pharmaceutical industry's most powerful trade group boosted revenues by nearly 25 percent, paying out millions to lobbyists and politicians, according to an NPR report broadcast this week.

As Congress and the administration barely recover from the government shutdown and move to address challenging policy issues in a short-term funding extension, the importance of re-establishing strong, across-the-aisle relationships, which have historically allowed government to function, is clear.

The Centers for Disease Control have announced that there are signs the flu epidemic may be peaking. But a sharp increase in the number of children’s flu deaths – and thousands of deaths due to flu each week – should remind us of the urgent need to press forward with all speed and the robust funding needed to find more effective preventive measures for the flu.

We are in the midst of a tooth decay epidemic across the U.S. The implications of that epidemic to children’s health throughout their lives are bad enough that the federal government needs to get involved to secure the future health of America’s children.

The number of deaths from gun violence should erase any doubt that a real epidemic is underway. In 2016, more than 38,000 Americans died — 4,000 deaths more than 2015 — and an additional 80,000 were injured in gun violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s an epidemic, but we lack public consensus on acceptable treatment.

Weeks into the COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. population needs accurate information on the virus, but we are still struggling to get it right. The way that officials, leaders, and experts talk with the public during this crisis matters because it could mean the difference between life and death.