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.

Scientists have warned that a new UK Government report on global biodiversity loss and national security risks distorting evidence and driving ineffective policy by framing ecological degradation and its impacts on migration as a security threat.

Summer weather is arriving earlier, lasting longer and packing more heat than it used to—and it’s happening faster than scientists had previously measured. A new study by UBC researchers has found that between 1990 and 2023, the average summer between the tropics and the polar circles grew about six days longer per decade. That’s up from roughly four days per decade found in past research investigating up until the early 2010s. The study also found that seasonal transitions—the shift from spring to summer and from summer to autumn—are becoming more abrupt. The research raises questions about whether today’s climate models that inform planning and policy fully capture these trends, and their implications for extreme weather events, energy consumption and food supply.