The US leads 30 countries with the highest overdose death rate, followed by Puerto Rico and Scotland, according to a report from the Commonwealth Fund. Despite a slight decrease in 2023, over 100,000 people died from overdoses that year, with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, playing a major role in these deaths. Other countries have implemented more harm-reduction measures, such as increased access to Naloxone and drug consumption rooms, contributing to lower overdose rates, compared with the US.

Perfectionism in leadership can drive teams to achieve high standards, but it often comes at the cost of creativity and innovation, especially when accompanied by anger, which can create an environment where employees fear making mistakes, writes Gamze Koseoglu, a senior lecturer at The University of Melbourne. Leaders must temper their perfectionism with understanding and empathy if they want their teams to come up with new ideas and take risks, Koseoglu writes.

HHS has declared a public health emergency in California because of the Los Angeles County wildfires, which have burned more than 40,000 acres and caused at least 24 deaths. The declaration allows greater latitude for Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers, and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response is ready to deploy medical supplies and personnel as needed.

American consumers expect inflation to rise significantly over the next year and beyond, with a University of Michigan survey showing one-year inflation expectations jumping to 3.3% in January. Concerns over potential tariffs and economic policies, coupled with a strong labor market, are driving inflation fears and dampening consumer sentiment, while economists expect the Federal Reserve to keep rates steady.

Financial advisors who are Million Dollar Round Table members discuss ways to reinvigorate client service in 2025. Among their ideas are setting new goals, partnering with retiring advisors to transition their firms and clients, and increasing the use of artificial intelligence.

The detection of mpox Clade I virus in the US and Canada underscores the need for sustained global health investment, write infectious disease and epidemiology experts Syra Madad, Jason Kindrachuk and Anne Rimoin. The authors urge the incoming presidential administration to enhance global health infrastructure, improve diagnostic and surveillance systems and support solutions to prevent the clade from becoming endemic.

Public policies that are not directly aimed at suicide prevention, such as increasing the minimum wage and reducing alcohol consumption, may help lower suicide rates, according to a study in the Annual Review of Public Health. Researchers said these policies improve economic security and well-being and potentially could be more effective than traditional approaches, such as expanding mental health care access. "This research highlights the importance of considering social determinants in suicide prevention," said researcher Michael Lindsey.

Several parts of California are under boil-water advisories due to recent wildfires, with the disaster destroying more than 10,000 structures in the Los Angeles area. Wildfires threaten water quality in several ways, including power outages that disrupt service and treatment, structural damage that results in water leaks and chemical contamination from smoke and melted plastic pipes. As evacuation orders are lifted, residents should remember that their drinking water isn't necessarily safe for consumption, says Andrew Whelton of Purdue University.

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