Category: Public Health
Trouble in (MAHA) paradise?
Even as President Donald Trump is inaugurated today and his pick for HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. prepares to face confirmation hearings, there is trouble in "make America healthy" paradise.
COVID Is Still Here, But Changing
My hospital just reinstituted mask mandates for all staff working with patients. They also advise patients to wear masks while in the hospital, but have not made it a requirement. I still have a stash of N95 masks so it was easy, and all too familiar, for me to comply, but I admit it created an unpleasant flash-back. All things considered, I...
Surgeon General Alcohol Warning
In 1964 the US Surgeon General released its first report on the health risks of smoking and tobacco use. This turned out to be a landmark move, paving the way for the following decades of progressively more restrictive regulation of public tobacco use and marketing. In 1964 smoking was at its peak in the US, when 42% of Americans smoked. Today the...
The Semmelweis gambit: A red flag for defending bad science and quackery
A proponent of the Great Barrington Declaration is comparing rejection of its "natural herd immunity" approach to the pandemic to the rejection of Ignaz Semmelweis and his findings. It's a deceptive comparison beloved of all manner of scientific cranks.
Reality
Reality. Doesn't care what you think.
Health Benefits of the Weekend Warrior
I tend to view skeptically science reporting that leans heavily on simplistic concepts and flashy titles. However, “skeptical” does not mean “dismissive”. Mainstream reporting may focus on click-bait terms but that does not necessarily mean anything about the underlying science. I have seen lots of recent headlines about the benefits of being a “weekend warrior” and decided to look at the primary...
Suggested questions for Donald Trump’s health nominees during confirmation hearings
It won't be long before we're treated to the spectacle of Senators grilling antivax nominees like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (HHS) and Dr. Dave Weldon (CDC). We exist to serve, which is why I'm suggesting some questions for Senators to ask all of Trump's health picks.
Antivaxxers, grifters, and quacks: RFK Jr.’s MAHA takes over federal health agencies
President-Elect Donald Trump has now announced most of picks to lead critical federal health agencies. These picks predictably prioritize grift, quackery, and antivax ideology.
RFK Jr. vs. the NIH: Say goodbye to the greatest engine of biomedical research ever created
President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated antivaccine activist and anti-pharma conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. I've written about the damage he will do, if confirmed, to the CDC and FDA, but what about NIH, the greatest engine of biomedical research ever?
Questions About Pandemic Preparedness
The theme at SBM this week is questions for Trump’s nominees for key health positions within the federal government. David got the ball rolling with an excellent summary of the nominees and questions for each. Jonathan followed up with his own list of questions. I would like to continue the theme, focusing on our preparedness for the next pandemic. It is arguably...