“I have never met an infectious diseases physician who wasn’t also an advocate The nature of the work demands it bc pathogens do not exist in a vacuum, & neither do the people they affect.” Grateful to learn from @boghuma.bsky.social & ID physicians, patients, & epidemiologists

There is not a facepalm big enough for RFK Jr claiming the 1918 flu was a lab leak. We didnt even know the flu virus existed in 1918. It was not in a lab! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ Good thread tho

Epidemiology: An Introduction is our ebook spotlight for #InternationalDayOfEpidemicPreparedness Learn epidemiologic concepts which shape pandemic response worldwide. This essential text makes epidemiology simple, coherent and accessible. Read your copy: https://rcn.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1425947945

Happy Boxing Day to my Canadian friends! This was always my fave day of the holidays, spent in my PJs playing with the gifts I got. If you got some holiday $$$, use the code WHISKYJACK to get 20% off everything in my store. www.jerthorp.me/category/all...

Merry Christmas, epi friends 🎄🎄 Did you remember to randomly assign your bedtime so you could test the Sleeping —> Santa —> Presents hypothesis?

A story that stays with me A child nearly survived his cancer But he contracted chickenpox & died This is far less common after the chickenpox vaccine reduced the chance of individuals having severe disease & reduced community spread Thanks for sharing @drjoshs.bsky.social & @sanders.senate.gov

rfk jr. is a predator, and this is how he implements his policies. by pushing a little further each time, stepping away when there’s too much heat, and then circling back to go even further.

This is the worst case scenario that everybody was worried about

I don't want to support NYT but this is a free article, I don't have a subscription anyway, and this is well-written about how bonkers the childhood vaccine recommendations are getting: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...

Earlier this year, I had to withdraw a publication on genocide hours before it was to be published due to senior Harvard administrators’ threats to my Harvard-employed coauthor. Last week, they fired Mary Bassett for refusing to ignore Palestine. My response: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Just your daily reminder that the occurrence of frequent uncontained measles outbreaks in a country is not a flex, it is a marker of under development and a failed public health system.

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gifts? Epidemiology An Introduction is now available in English *and* Italian!

What direction will we take the future of our field of public health? We are at a crossroads Dr. Mary Bassett represents the best of us, and I hope will continue to be supported in leading the way forward Heartened to see much support for her on this petition docs.google.com/document/d/e...

It's difficult to convey the magnitude of appreciation I have for Dr. Mary Bassett's principled leadership and contributions to public health, but This video from her last day as the New York City Department of Health Commissioner comes close fb.watch/DVGL9J9Ew1/?...

These days I enjoy a good fairy tale to distract from everything. Let's talk about one I recently read. I promise there's a public health connection! open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

👋 Breastfeeding & infant feeding expert here! All babies need safe, accessible nutrition. Most people already want to breastfeed and 84% start out doing so but can’t realize their goals. What we need are *policies* that make it possible to breastfeed for all who desire to do so and…

there are of course many examples of political constituencies that have in fact killed scores of children (en route to some other evil goal), but I can't offhand think of any historical examples of a political constituency organized for that specific purpose

How has ACIP changed as an institution? How does it align with the ACIP charter? I learned a lot from this comment letter by @democracyforward.org & @nhelp.bsky.social democracyforward.org/wp-content/u...

Did you know? 190 countries have infant immunization schedules that include the Hep B vaccine 115 countries recommend a universal birth-dose of the Hep B vaccine, one of the key actions WHO recommends to reduce Hep B prevalence Read more in the WHO Hep B Report ➡️ iris.who.int/server/api/c...

If I had all the resources of the federal government and a particular interest in long-term follow-up studies of vaccine trials, I would simply DO long-term follow-up studies of all the vaccine trials we’ve already done.

That warm fuzzy feeling when a friend sends you a pic of a talk they are at & it cites your work 🥰

If your marginal (expected) return from outside labor is greater than your marginal cost of forgoing domestic work, it's because you have more power than the person who ends up doing the domestic work that you've forgone.

ACT UP NY announces HEALTHGATE, “a campaign released on the heels of World AIDS Day…that condemns Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s deadly pseudoscience-led healthcare death circus while calling for the implementation of the New York Health Act & sustained funding for public & global health”

Great question. Anyone have any resources on the ethics of epigenetics & behavior for Bonnie the Bunny?👇🏼 (fyi: adorable bunny pic in thread!)

December 1 is World AIDS Day, and this year, World AIDS Day is more important than ever! #WorldAIDSDay2025 open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Dr. Prasad send an email to CBER suggesting changes to the approval for respiratory vaccines based, apparently, on the conclusion of an unpublished investigation into VAERS report by unknown people. A few thoughts beyond what was already reported, based on the full email: 1/n

My hot take is that in the era of easily-generated AI nonsense papers journals that want to ensure high quality will need to start hiring full-time professional editors and reviewers instead of relying on volunteer labor from overworked academics.

I’m plotting some December EpiSky fun. To help, hit me with your favorite *named* bias!

Today’s post is brought to you by my horrible neck & nerve pain, and is about the measurement bias we (almost) never bother to discuss in epi: measurement misspecification. open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

This is why I hate RFK Jr’s push to switch to screening pregnant women for Hep B: moms aren’t the only people who can infect babies with Hep B!

Did you know? Kids can be affected by “horizontal transmission” of Hep B without likely exposure to blood or sexual contact Most US articles on horizontal transmission are 30 years old Why? The perinatal dose of the Hep B vaccine — These cases declined after it was recommended by ACIP in 1991

Would really like to know how Sen Bill Cassidy is sleeping through the night these days. And yes, I hold him responsible for RFK Jr’s destruction of the CDC. He could have stopped it with his vote. None of what RFK Jr is doing is a surprise. Cassidy explicitly chose this.

The US has had measles “elimination status” for 25 years. It may be about to lose this status. Measles can severely and fatally impact children, including infants under 1 year old who are too young to be vaccinated. Increasing — and not further decreasing — child vaccination rates is essential.

Today's post is all about why Direct-to-Consumer Lab testing companies, the ones that offer "whole body scans" and "complete blood panels" are not worth your time or money. open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

Over the last few weeks, the weight of the world has really been getting to me and I’ve found it hard to get motivated to write any articles. But today I'm ripping off the bandaid. With a post about ripping off bandaids. Enjoy! open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

Our beloved Alice Wong has joined the ancestors. It was one of the great honors of my life to call Alice my friend, co-author & co-conspirator. She was a true genius, a force of nature the likes of which the world has never seen before. I love you, Alice, and am equal parts grateful and devastated

Over the summer some very important public health program leaders shared their struggles in keeping their work going since the #usaid cuts Here’s an article about it, please share to increase awareness & motivate political action “Decades of progress - undone” www.ips-journal.eu/topics/democ...

Public news is an essential public good The threats are substantial — it has been sad & serious to see cuts to NPR & PBS in the US May leaders in the UK & around the world speak up for the BBC

I am a f*ing health economist and I approve this message.

I have a f*ing M.B.A. and I’m still so confused about how to pick a health insurance plan. Open enrollment should not be this hard!

I have a f*ing doctorate in epidemiology and I’m still so confused about how to pick a health insurance plan. Open enrollment should not be this hard!

Everything is awful but I’ve started taking ballet classes again for the first time since college and wow it is amazing how much joy being this bad at something can bring me!

We’ve lived with microbes for millions of years. They built our immune systems, rewired our DNA, and killed billions along the way. I tried to tally their bill: Humanity’s Deadliest Companions. #EpiSky #MedSky #History #Anthropology #Archaeology #IDSky open.substack.com/pub/theedgeo...

What was life really like before vaccines? The story of what happened to 8-year old George Williams in August 1852 gives us a glimpse. open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

What was life really like before vaccines? The story of what happened to 8-year old George Williams in August 1852 gives us a glimpse. open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

A short history of children's hospitals in case anyone you know thinks like Rob Schneider: open.substack.com/pub/epiellie...

Having a bad pain day today & nerve weakness made me drop and smash my favorite coffee mug😭😭 send gifs plz

I need more people to know about this nonsense happening in my comments… Me: here’s a detailed review of this study. Them: My AI says it’s trending towards significance, tho

Dr. Ellie Murray (THE @epiellie.bsky.social!) is our featured guest at The Pom today, cutting through the chaos for answers to some of our most pressing public health and parenting questions. Don't miss this free piece, nor the opportunity to ask your own questions! www.the-pom.com/p/kids-and-p...