Interesting analysis of RFK Jr's strange, fringe ideas and rejection of germ theory. www.wsj.com/health/rfk-j... How can a man this uneducated in science and medicine with so many fringe beliefs lead HHS?
Infectious disease physician and epidemiologist, emerging infection follower, influenza and respiratory virus investigator, fan of pandemic preparedness, children's health and wannabe ski bum
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Interesting analysis of RFK Jr's strange, fringe ideas and rejection of germ theory. www.wsj.com/health/rfk-j... How can a man this uneducated in science and medicine with so many fringe beliefs lead HHS?
"As a parent or a grandparent, I wouldn’t want my kids to go into Florida in the years ahead, to go to Walt Disney World, or any place like that, because Florida’s going to become a hotbed of [infectious disease] transmission by eliminating this particular mandate." @mtosterholm.bsky.social
Amazing work, as was the work of the Kinshasa group in unravelling the molecular epidemiology of mPox in DRC! The collaboration is impressive as well, but the emergence of the and deployment of the expertise in DRC is inspiring
"Mr. Vance is trying to rally Republicans to RFK’s side...That may serve his political purposes as he courts RFK’s supporters...but it won’t win over anyone paying attention to the health secretary’s contradictions as he attacks life-saving vaccines." www.wsj.com/opinion/rfk-...
#IDSky. We should pay close attention to this cross-border outbreak of measles, centered in a religious community and surrounded by communities with low vaccination rates, with clear under-reporting of cases. These were the ingredients in the west Texas outbreak! www.kjzz.org/fronteras-de...
DRC has just confirmed another outbreak of #Ebola. DRC has extensive experience controlling Ebola outbreaks. The bad news is that the CDC has been decimated by staff cuts and political interference. CDC normally would supply critical technical support. www.afro.who.int/countries/de...
Jeanne Marrazzo and Kathy Neuzil are known for their integrity, their selflessness and their scientific rigor. Their voices carry enormous weight in the scientific community. #NIH
A month ago, RFK Jr. called his CDC director “unimpeachable.” Then she refused to sign off on his plan to put little kids’ health at risk, and he fired her. RFK Jr. should resign.
As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people. Our statement: https://bit.ly/45LeJHi
Last respiratory virus season 278 children in the US died of influenza, more than any year since 2009. The majority were previously healthy, but 90% had *not* received a flu vaccine. Facts are stubborn things www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/h...
I’m just a girl, who did a spinal tap on a preschooler last week, asking you to fire RFK Jr.
@warnock.senate.gov is right - In addition to RFK Jr's lack of credentials, his agenda is a threat to the health of the American people. It's time for Secretary Kennedy to resign.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, until recently head of NIAID and Dr. Kathy Neuzil (incredible public servants and scientists!) document the extent of political interference with science at NIAID. Whistle-Blower Complaints Detail Tension Over Vaccines at N.I.H. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/h...
As anti-vaccine rhetoric spreads and the firing and resignations of senior officials continue, the CDC faces unprecedented threats. Steve Schmidt & Dr. Angela Rasmussen, his fellow @SaveAmericaMvmt steering committee member, explain how these policies endanger millions. Watch: youtu.be/gaxcqL9D0SM
This should be the lead story in all major national news outlets. Public health people prefer to stay out of the limelight unless there is no other choice. I can’t overstate how bad things have to be for 9 former CDC directors to band together and pen an op-ed in the NYT warning the entire country.
Please read this and share with your friends.
there is no question in my mind that rfk jr is the most dangerous person in this administration and that his eugenicist ideology threatens the lives of millions of people www.advocate.com/politics/dem...
On the new acting CDC director. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
As expected. Noted antivaxxer Geier, who has had many retractions in the lit and was fined for practicing medicine without a license, is who Kennedy hired to "find the cause of autism."
NEW: These CDC leaders resigned in protest. They told me why. www.washingtonpost.com/video/politi...
After CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired for resisting vaccine policy changes, @jeremyfaust.bsky.social reminds us that public health must come before ideology. #USANotRFK
CDC scientists receive a heroes welcome after walking out today.
CDC was not perfect, but it was vital and packed with dedicated experts with unique experience and knowledge. The loss of expertise goes far beyond Dr. Houra, Daskalakis and Jernigan, and the leadership of Dr. Monarez. Let's celebrate and support those who are brave enough to stay at their post
The title says it all. Share this summary of why CDC matters and why the dismantling endangers us all with your representatives, friends and neighbors. The Evisceration of CDC Is a Disaster for All of Us www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/cala...
"It is impossible to overstate the dangers of this moment for America’s health and national security." @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social on the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez and the mass resignations leaving the US vulnerable. When science is sidelined for politics, everyone’s health is at risk.
If you haven't seen the resignation letters of three public health heroes, Deb Houry, Dimitri Daskalakis, and Dan Jernigan, you can read them here. insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
Great piece in Science by @drsethberkley.bsky.social reviewing the tremendous impact vaccines have made around the world and at home in alleviated suffering and saving lives. He also reviews the myriad dangers posed by RFK Jr's attacks on public health and science. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Sen. Cassidy created the current crises at NIH and CDC when he was played by RFK Jr, That Kennedy lied came as no surprise to those who knew or followed him. However, Sen. Cassidy is showing some signs that he wants to make things right, which means making sure Kennedy is fired. Let's hope so.
What’s it like to devote your life to public health then see the miasma theorists tear it all down? This brilliant letter is required reading 💪🏼 #medsky #idsky #publichealth www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/the-resign...
If the reports that Susan Coller Monarez has been hosted as CDC Director are true, then today represents a very dangerous turn for US health and security.
Repost and share! We must speak up when political appointees interfere with rational review by FDA and CDC. @idsky.bsky.social @idsainfo.bsky.social
This is wild! CDC has been shot at, lied about, and had it's work force decimated. Finally a director with what appeared to be relevant experience and expertise was confirmed. And now this?!? Great reporting by @lenasun.bsky.social but what is "the rest of the story"???
Covid vaccines have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. This change to the vaccine label, which has been driven by falsehoods, may put vaccines out of reach of many Americans who want to protect themselves and their loved ones from illness. People deserve facts, not fear and confusion.
And thank you, and the team at the pandemic center for everything you do to educate monitor, train and help us prepare.
We need to point out that what is on CDC's website is no longer the considered, evidence-based recommendations by CDC scientists in consultation with experts on ACIP. It reflects unilateral decisions by RFK Jr, political appointees and the 7 hand-picked ACIP replacements, 6 of whom are anti-vaxxers
@jennifernuzzo.bsky.social posted this in her Pandemic Center Report. It is so on the money.
Vaccine Integrity Project presents reassuring data on #vaccines for upcoming respiratory virus season The new data reveal no notable safety or effectiveness issues. www.cidrap.umn.edu/c...
#IDSky Terrific reporting by @kffhealthnews.org and @stephaniearmour.bsky.social about conflicts of illness. "Big Wellness" has entanglements with RFK Jr and company that rival those of big Pharma. www.medpagetoday.com/washington-w...
A large cohort study 245,498 infants, 46.0% born to vaccinated mothers confirming reduction in influenza in infants of vaccinated moms. These are the kids with the highest risk of hospitalization. Flu Shot in Pregnancy Tied to Fewer Infections in Young Infants www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/v...
#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky The only problem with this nice article by @lenasun.bsky.social is that it repeated the false idea that the panel actually "reviewed the evidence." They heard from an anti-vaccine advocate and ignored the extensive actual science. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
"We will not stay silent." IDSA President Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP, joins @ameracadpeds.bsky.social, @acpimphysicians.bsky.social, @acog.org, and @aafp.org in urging evidence-based vaccine recommendations. bit.ly/443ptQw
#FactsFromtheFronline
“As a physician and scientist who has devoted my entire career to vaccines and preventing and treating infections, this meeting has been devastating to watch.” ACIP votes to stop recommending some vaccines, even though they're safe and effective. nyti.ms/3ZT1pxg
To paraphrase @atul.bsky.social and @drtomfrieden.bsky.social this will result in tens if not hundred of thousands of children dying. Have you no shame?
This is incredibly important for the pregnant parent and for their babies. I worry about more interference from RFK jr and his accolytes
@helenbranswell.bsky.social reports on the odd logic and questioning by the handpicked ACIP members about what should have been and easy vote - adding a second effective RSV monoclonal. CDC vaccine advisers recommend Merck’s RSV therapy for babies www.statnews.com/2025/06/26/c... via @statnews.com
And pregnant people should be getting vaccinated. Those deaths in infants less than six months can be prevented. From @acog.org
7/ Thimerosal isn’t the danger. Flu is. And inaccurate health information kills. More than 200 kids died from flu in the 2023–24 season. CDC data: www.cdc.gov/flu-burd... The vast majority were unvaccinated. That’s the crisis. Not a preservative studied for decades. ✅
Excellent overview of the thimerosal issue by Tara Haelle in SciAm 👇 www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...
I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong by @jakescottmd.bsky.social (congrats Jake - keep it up!) theconversation.com/im-a-physici...
Excellent post on vaccine safety by @jakescottmd.bsky.social 👇👇
#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky There have been many studies showing the small amount of thimerosol in multidose vials of influenza vaccine pose no risk, as summarized by CDC and others. Despite this, the new RFK jr picked ACIP forced a vote on thimerosol. The 5 anti-vax members voted in lock step
I fully agree that ongoing genomic surveillance will be important. In vitro, the antigenic sites on the pre-fusion F seem very conserved, but nature could find a way. I suspect though as Dr. McNeil hypothesized that RSV has already been under strong selective pressure from repeated infection
News: The American Academy of Pediatrics says it will no longer take part in the process of ACIP meetings. “We won’t lend our name or our expertise to a system that is being politicized at the expense of children’s health,” the group's president says. www.statnews.com/2025/06/25/c...
#IDSky Robert Malone asked a strange question about interaction between infant immunization schedule and nirsevimab. It is not clear what the biologic effect of active vaccines at 2, 4 and 6 months would have on a monoclonal antibody at birth
#IDSky @idsainfo.bsky.social Nicely summarized here. Great news on both effectiveness and the population level.
Sickening because the U.S. is turning its back on women and children at risk of death and disability. And sickening because it reflects the invasion of anti-vaccination falsehoods into life-and-death programs.
lots of recycling of misinformation..... apnews.com/article/fact...
They are doing a spectacular job in the face of political pressure and somewhat hostile questions from the panel. I hesitate to refer to them as the ACIP until they go though the same vetting that has been used for other members.
Hepatitis B can be passed from parent to baby at birth - and when that happens, the consequences can be deadly. It is unscientific and dangerous to intentionally ignore the success of U.S. vaccination programs or argue that the U.S. should not vaccinate babies for hepatitis B at birth.
Malone says he wants to see the analyses of all 65 outcomes examined for COVID-19 vaccine safety, a completely reasonable request for a ~30-minute presentation, and wants to know about specifically hypertension, tachycardia and POTS. POTS was examined by NASEM and a clear link was not found.
@idsainfo.bsky.social #IDSky Cody Meissner explains to the other members of ACIP how VAERS is a highly sensitive signal detection system that does not demonstrate causality. Anyone appointed to ACIP should already understand the components of the vaccine safety system
Per ACIP, < 2 years old have the highest rates of hospitalization in peds. < 6 mos similar rates to those 65 – 75 yrs. < 2 yrs hospitalized with COVID, majority had NO underlying condition. 89% hospitalizaed children had not received most recent vaccination.Vaccines work. #PedsIDsky #Rxsky #IDsky
People should have confidence that the level of safety and safety monitorng is high and that new low frequency problems will be detected and reported. Now we will see what the new anti-vax ACIP RFK jr appointees say...
#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky @idsainfo.bsky.social Excellent presentation by Dr. Meyer on vaccine safety surveillance of Covid vaccines. It is well designed, and redundant. It has successfully identified and acted on safety concerns, contrary to what the recent political appointees have claimed
Thanks. That was my vague memory. Sports medicine physician?!? I hope she is willing to let me repair her ACL since I am also an MD but not trained in sports medicine
That was Tracy Hoeg www.reuters.com/business/hea...
www.statnews.com/2025/05/19/t...
ACIP webcast is spending a lot of time showing the speaker, limiting the time we see the slides. This is not particularly helpful for examining the data
This demonstrates the anti-vaccine advocacy and bias of Kennedy's handpicked replacement members for ACIP. There is no semblance of balance or impartiality in among the new appointees, most of whom do not meet the qualifications spelled out in the ACIP charter
I believe the FDA liason is a recent apointee, not a longstanding vaccine expert. Can someone verify?
Presenter is now discussing the vulnerability of pregnant women. TL;DR: The vaccines protect pregnant women. Remember that FDA just stopped recommending COVID vaccines to this group for no real reason.
ACIP COVID vax effectiveness discussion: Kulldorf casts doubt on VE data by claiming cohort design is superior to test-negative. Actually the opposite is true & this has been shown repeatedly for flu VE. The use of test-neg controls reduces bias due to differences in health care seeking behavior.
Looks like ACIP isn’t going to deviate from its evidence-based processes after all. The only difference now is that the evidence can be made up
#FactsFromTheFrontline @idsainfo.bsky.social #IDSky Here is the key summary slide
#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky @idsainfo.bsky.social Among infants younger than 2 years, the number of deaths due to Covid are at least as high as those from influenza. 246 children died of influenza this year
#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky Review of data on Covid-19 at ACIP today shows clearly that infants < 6 months remain at high risk of severe Covid. Hospitalization rate for Covid in these babies is the same as for older adults 65-74 years old. Vaccinating the mother during pregnancy protects both
How Americans feel about the One Big Beautiful Bill: FOX NEWS: 38% favorable, 59% unfavorable QUINNIPIAC: 27% favorable, 53% unfavorable KFF: 35% favorable, 64% unfavorable PEW: 29% favorable, 49% unfavorable WaPo-IPSOS: 23% favorable, 42% unfavorable www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
#IDSky #MedSky Less visible than ACIP, and less of a gross violation of promises made and statements under oath, the disbanding of HICPAC, the committee that advises on patient safety and infection control is damaging to transparency and trust @trtalbot.bsky.social jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
#IDSky #MedSky The real ACIP members, recently fired by RFK Jr., eloquently speak to the value and integrity of the ACIP, and the magnitude of the current threat.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2835626?guestAccessKey=c9bd586f-6272-405d-a88d-ed2427ba1281
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
open.substack.com/pub/pauloffi... RFK Jr.'s fraudulent letter to Congress
South Africa is a medical research powerhouse, little known to people outside the field. Its scientists have been responsible for breakthroughs against major global killers, including heart disease, H.I.V. and Covid-19. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/h...
I just read this excellent piece from Emily Erbelding. I highly recommend it
Fiona Havers was one of CDC's leading experts on respiratory diseases. Her group provided important insights to clinicians, patients, public health officials and of course to help ACIP.
#IDSky @ashishkjha.bsky.social wrote an editorial in WAPO, suggesting an idea whose time has come. He suggests that medical societies will need to reconstitute the functions of ACIP, as under Kennedy it is no longer expert, independent or trustworthy. I agree www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Pregnancy makes women particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, says Flor Munoz-Rivas, MD, FIDSA. Our full media briefing on the impact of the changes in HHS COVID-19 vaccine recommendations: www.idsociety.org/multimedia/v...
#IDSky #MedSky Excellent reporting by @lenasun.bsky.social reveals that even the CDC staff that supports ACIP has been interfered with, including firing Dr. Melinda Wharton, Executive Secretary of ACIP wapo.st/3SROTKy (Only correction is that she probably has closer to 30 years of vaccine expertise)
#IDSky This thread has lots of emerging background on the stunningly unqualified, conspiracy propagating, antivax group that Kennedy has named. He did not even make a tiny nod towards including anyone with expertise, unless you include Cody Meissner, whose recent activities you can read about below
Here again are alternative and credible sources for vaccine information and guidance until sanity returns in US Public Health : WHO - www.who.int/teams/immuni... Canada - www.canada.ca/en/public-he... ECDC - www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/immunisat... U.K - www.gov.uk/government/p...
#IDSky #MedSky This is an evolving story from @helenbranswell.bsky.social Unclear if it is bureaucratic failure due to the layoffs or something more nefarious. marketing.statnews.com/e3t/Ctc/LV+1...
Despite CDC’s recent update, ACOG continues to strongly recommend COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy in any trimester and during lactation. The vaccine is safe, effective, and protects parents and infants, especially in the first six months of the infant’s life. Learn more: bit.ly/3RWsM3z
#IDSky #MedSky Preaching to the choir here, but this is a great video to share with your patients showing all of RFK Jr's myriad untruths (Dr. Mike raises the question of perjury fory lyin under oath to Congress) Doctor Reacts to RFK Jr.'s Health Claims www.medpagetoday.com/popmedicine/...
#IDSky #MedSky Sad news. Since the child died of measles in Canada, I wonder if our US outlets will run with the story www.reuters.com/en/ontario-r...
The title is tongue in cheek but this is a great substack by @angierasmussen.bsky.social about the danger of RFK jr's sabotage of pandemic vaccine preparedness efforts, with a side of self-dealing and self-aggrandizing.https://rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/great-week-for-pandemic-flu-enthusiasts
#IDSky #MedSky The attacks on mRNA technology don't make any scientific sense, but this article gives a sense of how a sense of grievance and conspiracy has spread. It threatens pandemic preparedness but also the potential for use against non-infectious disease www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/m...