Prognosis

Think 2025 Was a Big Year for Health News? Fasten Your Seat Belts

Raging measles cases, questions about drug approvals and spiking insurance premiums lie ahead.

Vials on the Wegovy line at the Novo Nordisk A/S production facilities in Hillerod, Denmark.Photographer: Carsten Snejbjerg/Bloomberg

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By Tanaz Meghjani, Gerry Smith, John Tozzi, and Madison Muller

January 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Hi, it’s Tanaz, Gerry, John and Madison in New York, where we’ve been reflecting on key moments from 2025 and thinking about what to watch for in 2026. More on that in a moment, but first ...

There was no shortage of important health headlines in 2025. The Trump administration upended vaccine policies, fired veteran scientists at federal agencies and canceled research grants. China’s biotech industry produced more new drugs than the EU. And 10-month-old KJ Muldoon became the first person in history to have his genes custom edited to cure an inherited disease.