Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 13, 2025 1 hour, 35 minutes ago
Medical News: Alarming Trends Persist Beyond the Pandemic
A major new study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health, along with colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has revealed that the United States continues to experience significantly elevated excess mortality—years after the official end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2834281
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Ongoing excess deaths in the US signal a deeper healthcare crisis beyond COVID
The term “excess deaths” refers to the number of deaths beyond what would be expected during a normal year, adjusted for population changes.
The findings show that in 2023 alone, the US recorded over 1.2 million excess deaths compared to pre-pandemic levels. This sustained increase, which began with the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, appears to be continuing due to a variety of intertwined factors beyond direct COVID fatalities. Thailand
Medical News would like to add that new data to be released soon by Boston University and other American universities show that the excess death figures are still rising for 2024 and 2025 despite complex and intense efforts by various America health organizations and politicians to conceal this data. Many of the currently publicly-accessed data are either not reliable or have been manipulated to conceal the real extent of the crisis.
Not Just COVID-19 but A Broken System
While much of the early excess mortality was directly attributable to COVID-19 infections, researchers are now sounding the alarm that the continued wave of deaths is not primarily due to the virus itself. Instead, a mix of indirect effects—such as delayed medical care, worsening chronic disease management, mental health deterioration, drug overdoses, and suicide—are now fueling the persistent death toll. They are also now claims made by others not involved in the study that the COVID-19 vaccines are also contributing heavily to the rise in excess deaths besides the actual COVID-19 infections.
According to the study, the current excess death rate still stands at approximately 9 percent above pre-pandemic norms, meaning that nearly 1 in every 10 deaths each year in the US is an unexpected loss. This Medical News report highlights how these findings point to long-standing and worsening structural issues within the US healthcare system.
A Crisis That Disproportionately Hits the Vulnerable
The researchers emphasized that the burden of excess mortality is not spread equally. Marginalized groups—especially the lower-income populations—have suffered the most. These communities are often more exposed to health risks, have less access to healthcare services, and face numerous social and economic stressors that amplify poor health outcomes.
Moreover, certain states con
sistently experience much higher excess deaths than others, with southern states showing particularly poor outcomes. This points to regional disparities in healthcare access, infrastructure, and public health policy.
Long Term Effects of Pandemic Policies and Delayed Care
The study authors caution that the long-term effects of the pandemic response—including lockdowns, overwhelmed health systems, economic strain, and increased isolation—are now becoming evident in death statistics. Many individuals delayed or avoided medical care during the pandemic, leading to the worsening of treatable conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Additionally, deaths from mental health-related causes, especially drug overdoses and suicide, have been rising steadily, contributing heavily to ongoing excess mortality.
Health System Reform Now Urgent
The researchers argue that these trends demand a coordinated national response and deep reform of the healthcare system. They suggest that stronger investment in public health infrastructure, better access to mental health services, and equitable healthcare policies are urgently needed.
They also call for continued monitoring of excess deaths, as this measure provides a clearer and more objective assessment of population health than disease-specific statistics alone.
The researchers warn that unless urgent reforms are made, the United States could face a prolonged public health crisis marked by avoidable deaths, especially among the most vulnerable populations. More than just a lingering shadow of COVID-19, the current excess mortality pattern reflects a deeper systemic failure.
For the latest on excess deaths, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/vaccine-news
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
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