The Global Flourishing Study (GFS), the most comprehensive empirical investigation of human flourishing ever undertaken, today made its first two waves of data publicly available through the Center for Open Science at no cost and without pre-registration. Researchers, journalists, policymakers and the public can now freely access the dataset on the Open Science Framework (OSF) website.

The findings directly address speculation that the CDC made data reporting errors or intentionally mischaracterized or concealed public health data due to political pressure or interference, said lead author Lori Ann Post.

Why it matters

Accurate data are essential for public health response. Misinterpreting trends can misdirect policy decisions, undermine public trust and distort resource allocation, Post said. 

Despite this episode, the researchers stress that federal mortality data remain the most reliable near real-time source for tracking overdose death.

More than half of vets report that they likely see cases of animal abuse by falsification, analogous to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in their practice, per small Dutch survey

Long-term opioid prescribing has fallen in the United States over the last decade, but millions of patients still received opioids for 90 days or longer in 2023, according to a new research letter in JAMA led by University of Michigan researchers.