Navigating complex health topics

A new monthly webinar aims to help people navigate complex public health science. The webinar, “Health in the Headlines,” is produced by the National Academy of Medicine and hosted by Yale School of Public Health Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH, and Alex Azar, JD ’91, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the YSPH Leadership Council.

The webinar is taking on topics such as the role of ultra-processed foods in children’s health, and accessibility and safety of weight loss drugs, covering what is known, what is unknown, and why disagreements can occur, even among scientists. People can ask questions during an audience Q&A.

“So much of what people hear today is politicized or oversimplified,” said Ranney. “We want to pull back the curtain on how scientific knowledge is generated and applied, especially around issues that affect people’s lives every day.”

The next webinar is on December 9: “Science, Values, & Trust: Improving How We Communicate in Health Policy.”