Here's a final look at CDC's US measles tally for 2025: 49 outbreaks; 88% (1,820 of 2,065) outbreak-associated. In 2024, 16 outbreaks, 69% (198 of 285) outbreak-associated. 93% of cases this year in unvaccinated. Next year could be a doozy. #Medsky #IDsky #vaccines #publichealth

@drdemetre.bsky.social commentary for @medscape.com #Medsky #IDsky #vaccines #flu #influenza #familymedicine #primarycare #pediatrics #geriatrics #publichealth

This is scary. If the pattern persists, then 2025 (with >2000 US measles cases and 3 deaths) won't be seen as an aberration, but a harbringer of worse years to come.

Pre-COVID, 50% of US counties had 95%-plus of kindergartners vaccinated against measles. Now just 28% of counties have herd immunity, according to @washingtonpost.com #Medsky #IDsky #vaccines #publichealth #epidemiology

Leana Wen @washingtonpost.com reporting in her weekly newsletter that CDC updated COVID vaccine guidance in November to recommend 2 doses (spaced) for age 65 and up. The recommendation has not been publicized. #Medsky #IDsky #vaccines #geriatrics #familymedicine #primarycare

"Doctor" Oz's prescription for fighting the flu? sunlight, vitamin D and C, eating right, exercise and "most importantly," sleep. I didn't hear anything about vaccines or antivirals. #Medsky #IDsky #immunology #geriatrics #publichealth

Here's your head of Medicare, supposedly a trained physician. #Medsky #influenza #flu #publichealth #vaccines #IDsky #immunology

The number of pregnant women with syphilis in Mississippi rose by 960.6%, from 33 in 2013 to 350 in 2023. No data on whether it was passed on to babies. But increase seems to be tied to lack of access to prenatal care. #Medsky #IDsky #STI #maternalhealth #obgyn

A rushed, perfunctory end-of-year meeting by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Adcom on Childhood Vaccines led to no recommended policy changes, but the event's public comments foreshadowed potentially profound changes ahead in 2026. #Medsky #vaccines #publichealth #RFK

This was a bad, bad doctor. He sterilized women (mostly Black) without consent. When he was arrested, he had 4 Mercedes and a Bentley, multiple properties, gold, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and retirement accounts. #Medsky #fraud #litigation #obgyn #maternalhealth

One of the executives quoted here clearly has no governance. He said he knew Perwaiz always delivered babies and did other surgeries on Saturdays, but “that was kind of laughed at." #Medsky #fraud #obgyn #Medicaid #healthcarefraud #womenshealth #maternalhealth

"Trump and his team have targeted museum leaders and aesthetic movements while undermining the federal government’s grant-making capabilities—leaving the local organizations that form the bedrocks of American arts floundering for funds or permanently shuttered." #Artsky #art #culture #censorship

Billy Harper: “I would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture” #KennedyCenter #culture #music #arts #WashingtonDC #performingarts #jazz

ICYMI: FDA advises against handling or using anything distributed by Gold Star. Products were contaminated with rodent feces and urine and bird droppings and mostly shipped to halal markets, and small ethnic groceries in MN, IN. #foodsafety #nutrition

Noem seeking to destroy historic buildings on campus of old St. Elizabeths psychiatric institution, where DHS is making its HQ. Preservationists: “If the space within these vacant buildings is accessible,” it’s GSA and Homeland Security that have “failed to effectively secure them.” #Washingtondc

It sounds like this effort to change the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey being guided by OMB, eg Project 2025. Health economists, what would these changes mean? #Medsky #publichealth #healthcarecosts #healthpolicy #insurance #financialtoxicity #burdenofcare #economics

HHS proposing to change MEPS: remove 4 Qs on counseling and treatment, 1 abt birth control, 1 abt aspirin use, and 2 about gender. Will add Qs abt screen time, use of wearables, sleep. Discontinuing: Burdens and Economic Impacts of Medical Care Self-Admin Questionnaire and Diabetes Care Supplement.

Led by George Clinton, the band created a singularly groovy and flamboyant LP with this cosmic funk classic. on.wsj.com/3YQdySs

TCL readers were moved this year by a farewell group photo from staff members of NCI’s dissolved communications team. https://cancerletter.com/cancer-policy/20250523_8a/

Well-played, @reuters.com headline writer!

Happy to see someone expose this super-bad take from the NYT reporter on New College. So many journalistic oversights. It's hard to fathom how this got through editing. #Florida #education #highered

Without Florida, the national execution rate would be like an average year, with fewer than 30 executions across the country.

Joel Habener led research that discovered a hormone dubbed GLP-1, which would later become the key ingredient in Ozempic and Mounjaro.

"One company that says it will be participating in the CBD pilot program is Charlotte’s Web" and says it will "bring trusted CBD options to underserved seniors battling cancer” #Medsky #Psychsky #pain #oncology #cannabis #Medicare #marijuana #geriatrics #alternativemedicine

Oncologists should support - not oppose - Medicare drug price negotiation. Lower drug prices benefit patients; this should supersede revenue concerns. So @dusetzinas.bsky.social @rachelsachs.bsky.social and I argue today in @jamaoncology.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... 1/

A tale of morale destruction from within CDC. #Medsky #publichealth #federalworkers #HHS #RFK

Things are so bad that even Fox News is urging vaccination. #flu #influenza #vaccines #epidemiology #Medsky #IDsky #pediatrics #geriatrics #immunology

How bad is the flu? Worst since NY health dept began recording in 2004. Current: 189,312 positive cases in NY so far. Hospitalizations up 63% from previous week, to 3,666. #Medsky #IDsky #epidemiology #vaccines #influenza #immunology

Possible measles exposure at two major US airports: Boston and Denver. www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news... via @nbcnews.com

More news (not good) from NIH The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied. I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.

A moving story about covering Trump's destruction of the federal govt by @washingtonpost.com reporter @hannahnatanson.bsky.social, including tales of despair and suicide. #federalworkers #Psychsky #government #politics #DOGE

RFK is on X celebrating this. In 2021 Imran Ahmed's CCDH called the now-HHS sec one of the "disinformation dozen" for spreading anti-vaccine myths and falsehoods. #Medsky #IDsky #vaccines #pediatrics #COVID #publichealth #measles #technology #immigration

A coalition of Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia has sued the federal health department, calling a declaration that rejected gender-affirming care signed by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. an overreach of his authority. www.statnews.com/2025/12/24/g...

Intriguing story by @cohenjon.bsky.social. Sounds like White House working on rules to include seasonal flu as subject to stricter gain of function research rules. #Medsky #IDsky #influenza #vaccines #immunology #pandemic

FDA will hold a "roundtable" on Feb 10 w/small manufacturers to "solicit input on premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) submissions for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)" This is not an adcom. #Medsky #tobacco #nicotine #vape #ecigs #pediatrics #publichealth

They should all get bonuses for this! A capella no less! #music #MariahCarey #christmas

According to the Hopkins/IVAC measles tracker, the SC outbreak is the third largest in the US this year. The nation has now surpassed 2K cases, the most since 1992.

Kennedy Center Ex Officio board member Rep Joyce Beatty of Ohio is suing Trump to remove his name from facade. Beatty also said she was blocked from voting on the change, as she was muted during remote call-in. #culture #arts #theater #music #WashingtonDC #politics

Update on South Carolina measles: 9 new cases since 12/19; total 156 cases this year, 153 related to Upstate outbreak. 249 people in quarantine and seven in isolation. #Medsky #IDsky #publichealth #epidemiology #vaccines #MMR #pediatrics #education

Chilling story--doctors practicing w/out a license and allegedly performing bone marrow harvest with no anesthesia. As @stemcells.bsky.social points out, these stem cell clinics likely have more to fear from state authorities than FDA. #Medsky #orthopedics #cancer #fraud

On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...

Having covered FDA for almost 3 decades, this is sad. Not that the agency hasn't had its share of problems. But so many there are dedicated public health servants. Of course, RFK made it clear it was his intention to drive workers out. #Medsky #politics #science #pharma #biotech #foodsafety

Former Nebraska Republican Sen and ex-U of Florida president Ben Sasse has metastatic pancreatic cancer. #Medsky #oncology #politics

New study from @jamainternalmed.com finds that vastly more Americans are suffering financial stress due to health costs. Insurance coverage lapses--as may happen with expiration of ACA subsidies--likely to worsen the picture. #Medsky #affordability #healthcosts

Go Dr. Noc! The science nerd tries to dispel misinformation and myths--largely coming from the federal government these days--on his social media platforms. #Medsky #influencers #TikTok #instagram

Valacyclovir not effective in early Alzheimer's. via @jamaneurology.com #Medsky #Neurosky #dementia #geriatrics #science #neurology

@washingtonpost.com Health Brief reporting FDA is perusing 11,500 job apps and “recently selected for hire 500 reviewers, inspectors and investigators who will start work after completing their onboarding.” Huh? After the bloodletting earlier this year? #HHS #politics #Medsky

As we near year's end--and starting peak of respiratory illness season--CDC has no confirmed director, and no NCIRD and NCEZID chiefs (in wake of D Jernigan and D Daskalakis depatures). That may be the point for this HHS. #Medsky #IDsky #publichealth

FDA approves the first-ever GLP-1 pill for weight loss-- Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. Starting dose of 1.5 mg will be available in pharmacies and select telehealth providers in January with savings offers for $149 per month, says Novo. #semaglutide #Medsky #obesity #Endosky #familymedicine #Ozempic

Wut. CBS announced the change three hours before the broadcast. Alfonsi accused CBS News of pulling the segment for “political” reasons. #journalism #politics #news #60Minutes