Andrew Jacobs

I am a reporter for The New York Times focused on how health care policy, politics and corporate interests affect people’s lives.

What I Cover

I write for the Health and Science sections about a wide range of health issues, from nutrition and the global obesity epidemic to antibiotic resistance and the challenges faced by health care workers in America. I’m especially fascinated by the emerging, fast-moving science of psychedelic medicine and I strive to help readers make sense of the promise and the hyperbole of new therapies. Even though the pandemic is largely behind us, I’m keenly interested in keeping a spotlight on Covid and future disease outbreaks, helping to ensure the United States learns from one of the greatest health calamities of our time, especially when it comes to the accountability of government and health care institutions. With a generalist’s background in health and science, I approach articles with curiosity, an extra dose of caution and a commitment to ensuring that readers can grasp (and enjoy) complex topics.

My Background

I’ve covered a wide range of beats during my nearly three decades at The Times, from New Jersey politics and the American South, to New York City nightlife, policing and the criminal justice system. I’ve also reported from nearly two dozen countries, among them Brazil, Kenya, India, Israel and China, where I spent nearly eight years as a correspondent in the Beijing bureau.

I’ve been part of two reporting teams at The Times that won Pulitzer Prizes, including a 2002 award for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Raised in New Jersey and currently based in New York City, I spend considerable time on a former dairy farm in the Catskills, where I dabble in permaculture, forestry and the history of the borscht belt resort era.

Journalistic Ethics

Like my colleagues at The Times, I take seriously the paper’s commitment to accuracy, transparency and the other values outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook. It is essential that we constantly nurture and affirm the trust of our readers. That means aggressively fact-checking articles, promptly acknowledging mistakes and avoiding even the appearance of conflicts of interest when it comes to coverage.

The best way to reach me is by email.

• Email: jacobsa@nytimes.com

• X: @AndrewJacobsNYT

• Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tips