
Matthew Phillip Motta, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Law, Policy & Management - Boston University School of Public Health
Biography
Welcome! I am an Assistant Professor of Health Law, Policy, & Management at Boston University's School of Public Health.
Previously, I was Assistant Professor of Political Science (American Politics, Research Methods) at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. Before that, I was a Science of Science Communication postdoctoral fellow at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (University of Pennsylvania). I was also based at the Yale Law School, where I was an affiliated postdoctoral scholar at the Cultural Cognition Project. I received my PhD in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, where I was also a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow and Doctoral Dissertation Fellow.
My research focuses on a wide range of topics related to American politics, public opinion, science communication, and both health and environmental policy. I am especially interested in identifying the social and political determinants of anti-science attitudes, and investigating their health policy impact. I am also broadly interested in designing communication strategies that promote effective engagement between the public and the scientific community on politically contentious issues. My forthcoming book Anti-Scientific Americans (Oxford University Press, 2024) explores the prevalence, origins, and consequences of anti-intellectualism in the United States, and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.
My research has been published in academic journals across the social and medical sciences (e.g., American Journal of Public Health, Social Science & Medicine, Vaccine, Nature Climate Change, Scientific Reports), and featured in popular press outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American, PBS Newshour, and the CBS Evening News.
As part of my research activities, I also conduct public health opinion research as a Research Fellow at the Policy Lab at Brown University, and piloting health communication campaign strategies as Affiliated Faculty with Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health.
I am a political analyst for Spectrum News, and regularly comment on both my research and current events for print and television outlets. I am available for commentary on both local and national politics (including, but not limited to, discussions health politics and policy).
Education
- University of Minnesota, PhD Field of Study: Political Science
- Wesleyan University, BA Field of Study: Government
Classes Taught
- SPHPH843
- SPHPM760
- SPHPM844
Publications
- Published on 1/20/2025
Cologna V, Mede NG, Berger S, Besley J, Brick C, Joubert M, Maibach EW, Mihelj S, Oreskes N, Schäfer MS, van der Linden S, Abdul Aziz NI, Abdulsalam S, Shamsi NA, Aczel B, Adinugroho I, Alabrese E, Aldoh A, Alfano M, Ali IM, Alsobay M, Altenmüller M, Alvarez RM, Amoako R, Amollo T, Ansah P, Apriliawati D, Azevedo F, Bajrami A, Bardhan R, Bati K, Bertsou E, Betsch C, Bhatiya AY, Bhui R, Bialobrzeska O, Bilewicz M, Bouguettaya A, Breeden K, Bret A, Buchel O, Cabrera-Álvarez P, Cagnoli F, Calero Valdez A, Callaghan T, Cases RK, Çoksan S, Czarnek G, De Peuter S, Debnath R, Delouvée S, Di Stefano L, Díaz-Catalán C, Doell KC, Dohle S, Douglas KM, Dries C, Dubrov D, Dziminska M, Ecker UKH, Elbaek CT, Elsherif M, Enke B, Etienne TW, Facciani M, Fage-Butler A, Faisal MZ, Fan X, Farhart C, Feldhaus C, Ferreira M, Feuerriegel S, Fischer H, Freundt J, Friese M, Fuglsang S, Gallyamova A, Garrido-Vásquez P, Garrido Vásquez ME, Gatua W, Genschow O, Ghasemi O, Gkinopoulos T, Gloor JL, Goddard E, Gollwitzer M, González-Brambila C, Gordon H, Grigoryev D, Grimshaw GM, Guenther L, Haarstad H, Harari D, Hawkins LN, Hensel P, Hernández-Mondragón AC, Herziger A, Huang G, Huff M, Hurley M, Ibadildin N, Ishibashi M, Islam MT, Jeddi Y, Jin T, Jones CA, Jungkunz S, Jurgiel D, Kabdulkair Z, Kao JJ, Kavassalis S, Kerr JR, Kitsa M, Klabíková Rábová T, Klein O, Koh H, Koivula A, Kojan L, Komyaginskaya E, König L, Koppel L, Koren Nobre Cavalcante K, Kosachenko A, Kotcher J, Kranz LS, Krishnan P, Kristiansen S, Krouwel A, Kuppens T, Kyza EA, Lamm C, Lantian A, Lazic A, Lecuona O, Légal JB, Leviston Z, Levy N, Lindkvist AM, Lits G, Löschel A, López Ortega A, Lopez-Villavicencio C, Lou NM, Lucas CH, Lunz-Trujillo K, Marques MD, Mayer SJ, McKay R, Mercier H, Metag J, Milfont TL, Miller JM, Mitkidis P, Monge-Rodríguez F, Motta M, Mudra I, Muršic Z, Namutebi J, Newman EJ, Nitschke JP, Ntui NV, Nwogwugwu D, Ostermann T, Otterbring T, Palmer-Hague J, Pantazi M, Pärnamets P, Parra Saiani P, Paruzel-Czachura M, Parzuchowski M, Pavlov YG, Pearson AR, Penner MA, Pennington CR, Petkanopoulou K, Petrovic MB, Pfänder J, Pisareva D, Ploszaj A, Poliaková K, Pronizius E, Pypno-Blajda K, Quiñones DMA, Räsänen P, Rauchfleisch A, Rebitschek FG, Refojo Seronero C, Rêgo G, Reynolds JP, Roche J, Rödder S, Röer JP, Ross RM, Ruin I, Santos O, Santos RR, Schmid P, Schulreich S, Scoggins B, Sharaf A, Sheria Nfundiko J, Shuckburgh E, Six J, Solak N, Späth L, Spruyt B, Standaert O, Stanley SK, Storms G, Strahm N, Syropoulos S, Szaszi B, Szumowska E, Tanaka M, Teran-Escobar C, Todorova B, Toko AK, Tokrri R, Toribio-Florez D, Tsakiris M, Tyrala M, Ulug ÖM, Uzoma IC, van Noord J, Varda C, Verheyen S, Vilares I, Vlasceanu M, von Bubnoff A, Walker I, Warwas I, Weber M, Weninger T, Westfal M, Wintterlin F, Wojcik AD, Xia Z, Xie J, Zegler-Poleska E, Zenklusen A, Zwaan RA. Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries. Nat Hum Behav. 2025 Jan 20. PMID: 39833424.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/20/2025
Mede NG, Cologna V, Berger S, Besley J, Brick C, Joubert M, Maibach EW, Mihelj S, Oreskes N, Schäfer MS, van der Linden S, Abdul Aziz NI, Abdulsalam S, Shamsi NA, Aczel B, Adinugroho I, Alabrese E, Aldoh A, Alfano M, Ali IM, Alsobay M, Altenmüller M, Alvarez RM, Amoako R, Amollo T, Ansah P, Apriliawati D, Azevedo F, Bajrami A, Bardhan R, Bati K, Bertsou E, Betsch C, Bhatiya AY, Bhui R, Bialobrzeska O, Bilewicz M, Bouguettaya A, Breeden K, Bret A, Buchel O, Cabrera-Álvarez P, Cagnoli F, Valdez AC, Callaghan T, Cases RK, Çoksan S, Czarnek G, De Peuter S, Debnath R, Delouvée S, Di Stefano L, Díaz-Catalán C, Doell KC, Dohle S, Douglas KM, Dries C, Dubrov D, Dziminska M, Ecker UKH, Elbaek CT, Elsherif M, Enke B, Etienne TW, Facciani M, Fage-Butler A, Faisal MZ, Fan X, Farhart C, Feldhaus C, Ferreira M, Feuerriegel S, Fischer H, Freundt J, Friese M, Fuglsang S, Gallyamova A, Garrido-Vásquez P, Garrido Vásquez ME, Gatua W, Genschow O, Ghasemi O, Gkinopoulos T, Gloor JL, Goddard E, Gollwitzer M, González-Brambila C, Gordon H, Grigoryev D, Grimshaw GM, Guenther L, Haarstad H, Harari D, Hawkins LN, Hensel P, Hernández-Mondragón AC, Herziger A, Huang G, Huff M, Hurley M, Ibadildin N, Ishibashi M, Islam MT, Jeddi Y, Jin T, Jones CA, Jungkunz S, Jurgiel D, Kabdulkair Z, Kao JJ, Kavassalis S, Kerr JR, Kitsa M, Klabíková Rábová T, Klein O, Koh H, Koivula A, Kojan L, Komyaginskaya E, König L, Koppel L, Cavalcante KKN, Kosachenko A, Kotcher J, Kranz LS, Krishnan P, Kristiansen S, Krouwel A, Kuppens T, Kyza EA, Lamm C, Lantian A, Lazic A, Lecuona O, Légal JB, Leviston Z, Levy N, Lindkvist AM, Lits G, Löschel A, López-Ortega A, Lopez-Villavicencio C, Lou NM, Lucas CH, Lunz-Trujillo K, Marques MD, Mayer SJ, McKay R, Mercier H, Metag J, Milfont TL, Miller JM, Mitkidis P, Monge-Rodríguez F, Motta M, Mudra I, Muršic Z, Namutebi J, Newman EJ, Nitschke JP, Ntui NV, Nwogwugwu D, Ostermann T, Otterbring T, Palmer-Hague J, Pantazi M, Pärnamets P, Parra Saiani P, Paruzel-Czachura M, Parzuchowski M, Pavlov YG, Pearson AR, Penner MA, Pennington CR, Petkanopoulou K, Petrovic MM, Pfänder J, Pisareva D, Ploszaj A, Poliaková K, Pronizius E, Pypno-Blajda K, Quiñones DMA, Räsänen P, Rauchfleisch A, Rebitschek FG, Refojo Seronero C, Rêgo G, Reynolds JP, Roche J, Rödder S, Röer JP, Ross RM, Ruin I, Santos O, Santos RR, Schmid P, Schulreich S, Scoggins B, Sharaf A, Sheria Nfundiko J, Shuckburgh E, Six J, Solak N, Späth L, Spruyt B, Standaert O, Stanley SK, Storms G, Strahm N, Syropoulos S, Szaszi B, Szumowska E, Tanaka M, Teran-Escobar C, Todorova B, Toko AK, Tokrri R, Toribio-Florez D, Tsakiris M, Tyrala M, Ulug ÖM, Uzoma IC, van Noord J, Varda C, Verheyen S, Vilares I, Vlasceanu M, von Bubnoff A, Walker I, Warwas I, Weber M, Weninger T, Westfal M, Wintterlin F, Wojcik AD, Xia Z, Xie J, Zegler-Poleska E, Zenklusen A, Zwaan RA. Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries - the TISP dataset. Sci Data. 2025 Jan 20; 12(1):114. PMID: 39833242.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 12/2/2024
Landrum AR, Stecula DA, Motta M. Combating climate-induced health threats through Co-Constitutive Risk (CCR) Messaging: A One Health Communication approach. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024 Dec; 18(12):e0012676. PMID: 39621773.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 11/19/2024
Motta M, Callaghan T, Padmanabhan M, Ross J, Gargano LM, Bowman S, Yokum D. Quantifying the prevalence and determinants of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine hesitancy in US adults aged 60 or older. Public Health. 2025 Jan; 238:3-6. PMID: 39566218.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 9/28/2024
Motta M, Motta G, Stecula D. Conceptual debates in the study of canine & feline vaccine hesitancy: A response to Haeder 2023. Vaccine. 2025 Jan 12; 44:126397. PMID: 39343704.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 8/22/2024
Motta M, Haglin K. Exogenous Increases in Basic Income Provisions Increase Preventive Health-Seeking Behavior: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Am J Prev Med. 2025 Jan; 68(1):39-45. PMID: 39179181.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 6/1/2024
Callaghan T, Ferdinand AO, Motta M, Lockman A, Shrestha A, Trujillo KL. Public Attitudes, Inequities, and Polarization in the Launch of the 988 Lifeline. J Health Polit Policy Law. 2024 Jun 01; 49(3):473-493. PMID: 37987198.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 5/16/2024
Pacheco J, Gollust SE, Callaghan T, Motta M. A Call for Measuring Partisanship in US Public Health Research. Am J Public Health. 2024 Aug; 114(8):772-776. PMID: 38754062.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 3/13/2024
Heinrich T, Kobayashi Y, Motta M. Which foreign vaccine should the government purchase in a pandemic? Evidence from a survey experiment in the United States. Soc Sci Med. 2024 Apr; 347:116766. PMID: 38502981.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 3/11/2024
Motta M, Liu Y, Yarnell A. "Influencing the influencers:" a field experimental approach to promoting effective mental health communication on TikTok. Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 11; 14(1):5864. PMID: 38467750.
Read At: PubMed
View 63 more publications:View Full Profile at BUMC
News & In the Media
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Published on February 7, 2025
New Politics and Health Lab Aims to Depolarize Public Health
- Published on January 29, 2025
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Published on January 29, 2025
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nomination Signals a New Era of Anti-intellectualism in American Politics
- Published on January 29, 2025
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Published on January 19, 2025
Meta Is Removing Fact-Checking. Here’s How Local Programs Have Responded.
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Published on December 6, 2024
RFK Jr. Was Just the Start of Trump’s Bad Public Health Picks
- Published on December 1, 2024
- Published on November 27, 2024
- Published on November 16, 2024
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Published on November 15, 2024
‘Keeps Me up at Night’: BU Public Health Expert Concerned About Lack of Confidence in Science
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Published on November 7, 2024
‘She’s Like My Child’: Mass. Dog Owners Are Bringing Their Pets Everywhere, Raising Health Concerns
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Published on November 7, 2024
Sen. Velis Says Dems Need to Do Some Self-Reflection After Losing Presidential Election
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Published on October 29, 2024
We Must Restore Trust in Science in ‘Antiscientific America’
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Published on October 22, 2024
Will Rampant Health Misinformation Impact the 2024 Election?
- Published on October 22, 2024
- Published on October 7, 2024
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Published on October 7, 2024
Vaccine Skepticism Takes Root in Republican Party Led by Donald Trump
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Published on October 5, 2024
Getting Fitness Tips on Social Media Can Be Harmful — But It Doesn’t Have to Be
- Published on September 30, 2024
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Published on September 20, 2024
Public-Health Officials Should Have Been Talking About Their Sex Parties the Whole Time
- Published on September 11, 2024
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Published on September 9, 2024
Boston University Assistant Professor Weighs in on Presidential Debate Prep
- Published on July 18, 2024
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Published on June 22, 2024
Increase in False Online Content Spurs Need for New Detection Tools
- Published on June 4, 2024
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Published on May 16, 2024
Breaking down the Latest Presidential Polling as First Debate Looms
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Published on May 14, 2024
Raw Milk Sales Are up despite Bird Flu Outbreak in Dairy Cows
- Published on May 14, 2024
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Published on May 14, 2024
Raw Milk Sales Spike despite CDC’s Warnings of Risk Associated with Bird Flu
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Published on May 14, 2024
Bird Flu and Health Warnings Won’t Stop Raw Milk Drinkers Getting Their Fix
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Published on May 14, 2024
There’s Bird Flu in US Dairy Cows. Raw Milk Drinkers Aren’t Deterred
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Published on May 9, 2024
US TikTok Ban: How the Looming Restriction Is Affecting Scientists on the App
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Published on April 12, 2024
‘Influencing the Influencers’: How TikTok Can Promote Positive Mental Health
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Published on April 12, 2024
Policymakers Are Entitled to Their Own Opinions. But Should They Be Entitled to Their Own Science?
- Published on April 8, 2024
- Published on April 8, 2024
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Published on April 7, 2024
Some Pet Owners Are Advocating against Rabies Vaccines. Here’s Why Rabies Is Dangerous.
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Published on March 11, 2024
Congress Is Using More Science, but the Two Parties Rarely Cite the Same Studies
- Published on March 1, 2024
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Published on February 26, 2024
Her Unvaccinated Puppy Died from Parvovirus. Then the Internet Came after Her.
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Published on February 1, 2024
Experts: Conspiracy Theories Drive Rise of Unproven Medical Treatments
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Published on January 24, 2024
Political Analyst Says GOP Nod Not Far for Trump after Defeating Haley in NH Primary
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Published on November 21, 2023
‘Rabies Is Nearly Fatal’: Many Local Dog Owners Hesitant about Mandatory Vaccine, Study Finds
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Published on November 13, 2023
No Shots for Spot? Study Finds Owners’ Vaccine Hesitancy Can Extend to Pet Dogs
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Published on October 26, 2023
Johnson’s Speakership Could ‘Excite’ Far-Right Republicans, Mass. Politics Professor Says
- Published on October 20, 2023
- Published on October 17, 2023
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Published on October 16, 2023
Vaccine Hesitancy Affects Dog-Owners, Too, with Many Questioning the Rabies Shot
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Published on October 12, 2023
A Lot of Pet Owners (Wrongly) Think Vaccines Are Bad for Dogs
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Published on October 11, 2023
Vaccine Hesitancy Affects Dog-Owners, Too, with Many Questioning the Rabies Shot
- Published on October 6, 2023
- Published on October 6, 2023
- Published on October 3, 2023
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Published on September 27, 2023
Anti-vax Pet Parents Put Animals and People at Risk, Experts Say
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Published on September 27, 2023
Most Dog Owners Are Hesitant to Vaccinate Their Pet, Study Finds
- Published on September 27, 2023
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Published on September 26, 2023
Vaccine Misinformation Spilling Over To Pets Puts Us All At Risk
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Published on September 26, 2023
More than Half of Us Dog Owners Are Skeptical of Canine Vaccinations
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Published on September 22, 2023
Groundbreaking Research into Parkinson’s in Africa, Vaccine Scepticism and Dog Owners
- Published on September 19, 2023
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Published on September 13, 2023
Vaccine Hesitancy Isn’t Just for Humans Anymore. Why Rabies Is Poised for a Comeback
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Published on September 12, 2023
More than Half of Americans Are Skeptical of Getting Their Dog Vaccinated: Study
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Published on September 12, 2023
Majority of US Dog Owners Hesitant about Canine Vaccines, Study Finds
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Published on September 12, 2023
Majority of US Dog Owners Hesitant about Canine Vaccines, Study Finds
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Published on September 9, 2023
Sick as a Dog: A Third of Canine Owners Think Vaccines Cause Autism
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Published on September 7, 2023
Anti-vax Trend May Harm Pet Dogs, with Half of Owners against Immunization
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Published on September 5, 2023
Canine Vaccine Hesitancy Prevalent among u.s. Dog Owners, Study Finds
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Published on September 4, 2023
One in Three Dog Owners Refuse to Vaccinate Pets Due to Conspiracy Theory
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Published on September 1, 2023
Pet Vaccine Revolt? Nearly Half of US Dog Owners Hesitant to Vaccinate Their Pups
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Published on September 1, 2023
The Link between Public Perceptions of Human Vaccines and Pet Vaccinations
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Published on September 1, 2023
Nearly Half of Dog Owners Are Hesitant to Vaccinate Their Pups
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Published on August 31, 2023
Nearly Half of Dog Owners Are Hesitant to Vaccinate Their Pets
- Published on August 31, 2023
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Published on August 30, 2023
Woof! Anti-vaxxer Pet Owners Nix Rabies Shots over Doggie ‘Autism’ Fears: Study
- Published on August 29, 2023
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Published on August 29, 2023
Majority of U.S. Dog Owners Now Concerned about Pet Vaccines: Poll
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Published on August 28, 2023
Dog Owners Hesitant to Vaccinate Pets against Rabies after COVID
- Published on August 28, 2023
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Published on August 28, 2023
More Dog Owners Are Questioning Vaccines Like Rabies after COVID
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Published on August 24, 2023
Lyme Disease Has Exploded, and a New Vaccine Is (Almost) Here
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Published on July 26, 2023
Opinion: Democrats and Republicans Are Living in Different Worlds
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Published on June 8, 2023
How the Mixed Messaging of Vaccine Skeptics Sows Seeds of Doubt
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Published on June 6, 2023
Mixed Vaccine Messaging on Capitol Hill Sparks Fears of Doubt, Hesitancy
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Published on April 20, 2023
CDC Didn’t Say It Gave Out Deadly COVID-19 Shots in Red States
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Published on March 15, 2023
Some Uninsured Americans Are Turning to Quack Cures — Like Drinking Bleach
- Published on March 10, 2023
- Published on February 17, 2023
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Published on February 12, 2023
The Ohio Measles Outbreak and the Danger of Losing Herd Immunity
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Published on February 2, 2023
Drinking Bleach Can Be Deadly but Lots of Americans Are Falling For Fake Bleach ‘Cures’
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Published on October 17, 2022
Oz Has Promoted False Health Claims. What If He Pushed Vaccinations?
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Published on October 14, 2022
SPH Launches School-wide Review of Syllabi to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
- Published on October 11, 2022
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Published on September 9, 2022
SPH Welcomes Largest Cohort of New Faculty Members in School History