Cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributes to substantial health and economic burdens. In the United States, nearly half of the adult population (127.9 million in 2020) has 1 or more CVD-related conditions. Effective evidence-based approaches to prevent and treat CVD exist, yet it can take several years to incorporate scientific findings into practice. As a result, many practitioners are unaware of these public health and clinical strategies. To address this gap and reduce the lag between science and practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the Best Practices Clearinghouse for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention and Management (BPC). The BPC facilitates the widespread implementation of 18 effective strategies for heart disease and stroke prevention and management, and the platform remains flexible and responsive to new evidence as it emerges. To demonstrate the functionality of the BPC and highlight key features of the platform, we present content from 2 strategies as examples: (1) Lifestyle Modification Programs to Control Hypertension, which helps patients increase healthy behaviors and reduce the risk of further complications or declining cardiovascular health, and (2) Cardiac Rehabilitation to Support Recovery From Cardiac Events, which combines physical activity, health education, and counseling to help patients recover after a cardiac event. The BPC uses a unique approach that supports CVD prevention and management by summarizing evidence for strategy effectiveness, policy and law considerations for strategy implementation, the ability to foster user engagement and information sharing through forms to submit feedback and resources, and clear examples of all 18 strategies in action.

An updated varicella case definition and classification from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists became effective in 2024, emphasizing laboratory confirmation by requiring that confirmed cases be laboratory confirmed or epidemiologically linked to a laboratory-confirmed case, in addition to meeting clinical criteria. We assessed the impact of the changes using varicella reports in Minnesota from January 1, 2024, through May 31, 2025. Of 737 reports, 61.2% (n = 451) met the new definition and 61.9% (n = 456) met the old definition; 12.1% (n = 89) changed classifications. The proportion of cases classified as confirmed decreased by 17.5%, while those classified as probable increased by 28.0%; changes were primarily driven by the requirement to link reports to a laboratory-confirmed case. Reports not classified (ie, undefined; 26.9%; n = 198) mostly lacked rash descriptions. The updated definition improves jurisdictions' ability to classify cases accurately, thus strengthening national surveillance by reflecting current varicella epidemiology. Improved reporting of rash description, epidemiologic information, and increased laboratory testing are needed to improve surveillance.

Tattooing injects pigments into the dermis, creating intradermal chemical exposure that can trigger delayed inflammatory reactions and, in some cases, systemic immune manifestations. About 32% of US adults report at least 1 tattoo, highlighting the need for prevention and accurate counseling. This topical review summarizes tattoo ink-associated harms and outlines US policy and research priorities. We synthesized regulatory documents and selected literature, including the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance and safety communications on tattoo inks, Council of Europe resolutions, and the European Union Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (EU REACH) restriction. We screened reference lists for additional sources to link clinical risk signals to actionable policy levers. Despite ink's persistence in tissue, in the United States, federal oversight largely follows a cosmetic framework, while local regulation emphasizes studio hygiene. Recent US regulatory changes, including MoCRA and FDA guidance on tattoo contamination, strengthen postmarket authority and contamination control but still lack enforceable composition limits for intradermal, long-term exposure. Key gaps include inconsistent ingredient disclosure, limited batch/lot traceability, and the absence of a national tattoo adverse event registry. By contrast, EU REACH pairs chemical restrictions with labeling that supports ingredient transparency and batch identification. Priorities include enforceable composition limits, standardized disclosure with batch traceability, and a clinician-led registry to improve signal detection and patient counseling. Clinicians can support these reforms by documenting tattoo exposures, reporting suspected ink-related adverse events, and engaging professional societies to inform regulators and shape practical standards.

A legal loophole allows consumers to purchase peptide semaglutide without a prescription, but websites that sell them do not sell supplies or provide guidance. We assessed the ability and confidence of college students at the University of Connecticut and older adults in performing the required steps from September 1, 2025, through January 30, 2026. Participants looked up information online. We provided various semaglutide and diluent vials and supplies. We assessed 34 steps in the process and assigned 1 point for each step successfully completed. We rated confidence on a scale from 1 (no confidence) to 5 (complete confidence). We evaluated 20 adults aged ≥18 years (12 male, 8 female) with a mean (SD) age of 40 (21) years. Participants completed 15 of the 34 steps correctly (mean [SD] = 44% [50%]). We found errors that could result in incorrect dosing, needle sticks, or infections. Mean (SD) confidence was low before and after the demonstration but not significantly so (2.3 [0.7] vs 1.9 [1.0]; P = .19). Untrained adults without experience injecting medications could be at high risk of adverse events when they try to self-administer grey market peptide semaglutide products using only internet information. Future studies should assess a larger and more diverse population and determine whether the results are similar with other products sold as peptides without a prescription.

Since the release of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health in 1964, the Office of the US Surgeon General (OSG) has shaped public health priorities in the United States through reports, advisories, and calls to action. This study presents a descriptive analysis of all 49 OSG publications produced from 2001 through 2025, with a focus on recurring topics and changes over time in the frequency of studied topics. Our purpose includes examining potential areas of topical overlap between the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) strategy and past federal health priorities. By categorizing reports by content, type, organizational partners, and time period, and by comparing findings with the MAHA strategy, this review highlights the evolving role of the OSG in addressing long-standing and emerging health threats-from tobacco control and prevention of chronic diseases to diverse aspects of mental health, including substance abuse and suicide prevention. This summary of scientific communications from the OSG offers public health professionals and academics insight into past and current federal policy priorities.