Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over

Statement from the American Academy of Neurology: “This decision was made without consulting key neurology stakeholders, and there was no formal announcement nor a clear succession plan for NINDS leadership. NINDS plays a vital role in funding and directing research into the brain”

A really important piece. The times when we have opened our country to talented people from around the world are among the moments when America has been truly great. Trump is destroying that legacy and fomenting unconscionable racism. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/o...

NIH official resigns after flap over risks of seasonal flu virus study | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

💡An important commentary on vaccines from ESCMID by the Vaccines Subcommittee Director, the Chair of the Vaccines Study Group & the ESCMID Executive Committee jointly published in CMI & CMI Comms. CMI: https://ow.ly/HUGM50XNByv CMI Comms: https://ow.ly/xmbk50XNByx #IDSky #clinmicro

This year has felt like being awake during surgery but also it’s unsuccessful surgery and also also now you have an infection and none of that is covered by your insurance anymore

1/ 📈🌎 This year we’ve had record breaking numbers of reported measles cases, outbreaks, and importations in the US since elimination was declared in 2000. 🦠 There have been more than 1900 cases and greater than 45 outbreaks reported in 2025. www.cdc.gov/measles/data...

This afternoon, I was in a meeting with Jay Bhattacharya, and I can confirm this is *exactly* what he both wants and will be doing. THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.

Frikkin amazing stuff.

Our #TrackingReport was highlighted by @ashishkjha.bsky.social in the @bostonglobe.com. Our newsletter started as a tool for transparency and now is used by local health departments and communities to stay informed with timely, reliable data. More here www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/24/o...

In this peer-reviewed journal... @jeremymberg.bsky.social @gregggonsalves.bsky.social @alt-nihscience4all.altgov.info www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

A Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Maternal Infection Outcomes | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

I really did not enjoy Jay Bhattacharya & Matthew Memoli’s screed against pandemic & virology research for the flagship blog of a “free-market think tank." Instead of getting mad, I accepted @jeremyfaust.bsky.social's kind invitation to take a factual & scientific blowtorch to it.

Antimicrobial drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) infections in men using doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis. A substudy of the ANRS 174 DOXYVAC trial. ✅ Just Accepted

The deadly fever in Ethiopia has been identified as Marburg disease. It’s the first time a Marburg outbreak has been identified in Ethiopia. #IDsky 🧪 www.afro.who.int/countries/et...

Ending my evening with an email to Director Bhattacharya regarding @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social 1/3

The suspected outbreak of a hemorrhagic vial illness in Ethiopia has now been confirmed to Marburg Virus Disease. So far 9 cases have been identified in a part of the country that shares a border with Sudan. apnews.com/article/ethi...

We're only beginning to understand the relationship between the immune system and lifelong infection w/ #herpesvirus #EBV Epstein-Barr virus reprograms autoreactive B cells as antigen-presenting cells in systemic lupus erythematosus | Science Translational Medicine www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

🚨 HEADS UP Washington State has reported a suspected human H5N1 case with no cattle exposure likely bird-linked (or from contaminated milk). The patient is severely ill in hospital. Clade pending (D1 vs B3). CDC confirmation awaited. If confirmed, it will be Washington’s first H5N1 case of 2025.

As noted, it's never good to be flying blind into winter respiratory virus season. Let's hope we start seeing data from US CDC ASAP

New Jersey man's death first one to be tied to tick-related meat allergy Though deadly anaphylaxis had been considered a theoretical outcome of the allergy, it had not yet been seen until this case. www.cidrap.umn.edu/t... Photo: CDC

Richard Jefferys is giving the Jonathan Lax Memorial Lecture at the Wistar Institute on 11/17/25. “The late Jonathan Lax was a pioneering activist in the 80s at a time when many living with HIV/AIDS experienced fear, stigma and isolation,” Jeffreys said. Register: web.cvent.com/event/f94abb...

ByHeart, the company linked to a botulism outbreak in infants, shut down one of its manufacturing plants this year after federal investigators found a series of safety violations, including a leaking roof and hundreds of dead bugs where infant formula was produced.

Thank you to Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, for starting #AAMC25 with the opening plenary, “Leadership in Uncertain Times,” reminding us how empathy, connection, & resilience can guide us through change. Murthy certainly set the tone for an incredible meeting ahead.

Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.

Great/devastating interactive dashboard from our friends at @firedbutfighting.bsky.social! CDCDataProject.org

I wrote an explainer about the mass firings—the RIFs. The RIFs all year have been clearly illegal. Russell Vought is using them to lawlessly clean out federal agencies. Lower court judges have said so. But the Calvinball Supreme Court has allowed them. 1/

Congratulations to Cynthia Sears, MD, FIDSA, recipient of IDSA’s 2025 Alexander Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement! 🎉 Her groundbreaking research, leadership & mentorship have advanced understanding of the microbiota’s role in colorectal cancer: bit.ly/4ndv5xG

Congratulations to Christopher D. Busky, CAE, recipient of IDSA’s 2025 Society Citation Award. 🎉 As CEO of IDSA & the IDSA Foundation, Chris has led through pivotal challenges, from advancing IDA&E to guiding the Society during COVID-19. We thank him for his steadfast leadership.

Vaccination against herpes zoster, or shingles, is linked to lower risks of heart disease, dementia and death in people age 50 and older, according to new research presented at #IDWeek2025. https://bit.ly/471biNp

We’re thrilled to honor Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo at #RIAA2025! Appointed Director of NIAID in 2023, she’s a true leader in advancing research and health equity. Join us in celebrating her incredible contributions on October 20, 2025! www.treatmentactiongroup.org/support-us/r...

You really need to read this letter from @jeremymberg.bsky.social to NIH Director, RFK Jr ally, & true MAGA/MAHA hero Dr Bhattacharya The appointment of a new NIEHS Director to the dear, dear friend of Vice President JD Vance without the standard rigorous due processes should be ringing alarm bells

NEW WIRED led the way in reporting on Elon Musk's efforts to dismantle the US government. My colleagues and I spoke to 100s of employees at dozens of agencies to understand what happened. This is the definitive story of DOGE as told by those who experienced it www.wired.com/story/oral-h...

All my emails to Director Bhattacharya now available... jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

My quote of the day When hypocrisy is a character trait, it also affects one's thinking, because it consists in the negation of all the aspects of reality that one finds disagreeable, irrational or repugnant. Octavio Paz

The chaos from the first day of a meeting of the federal vaccine committee appointed by RFK Jr. bled into the second day, as the panel reversed one decision and indefinitely postponed a vote on a hepatitis B vaccine they had already deferred once. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/h...

Two babies have died of Whooping cough in Louisiana, a vaccine preventable disease. All pregnant patients and their families should be vaccinated to protect the newborn. This is Louisiana's worst Whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak in 30 years. buff.ly/pez25q3 #medsky #pedsky🛟😷

So... I did some analysis of grants that did receive noncompetitive renewals. In particular, I looked a those award where the title of the grant changed. Warning: The results are just what I expected, but oooph... 1/4

WHO shares more DR Congo Ebola outbreak details as more suspected cases reported Responders are still investigating the source of the outbreak, along with the index patient's symptom onset and health visit history. www.cidrap.umn.edu/e... Photo: NIAID/Flickr cc

We previously reported that the number of people receiving treatment at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center - known as America's research hospital - declined from February-April. Since then, I obtained newer data through mid-August. And it's gotten worse. youtube.com/shorts/yT5Vc...

Papua New Guinea confirms its first human polio case The case involves an unvaccinated 4-year-old boy who developed acute flaccid paralysis caused by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2.

Rumor (but we’re gonna guess it’s not wrong): HHS told Monarez to fire Dan Jernigan, Demetre Daskalakis, and Deb Houry. She refused. Then they fired her and said they would still fire all of three of them, so they all resigned.

Abbe Lowell and I represent CDC Director #SusanMonarez. Contrary to govt statements, Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor yet been fired. She will not resign. We have issued the following statement:

A technology that played a key part in saving millions of lives during the pandemic should be celebrated. Yet in the US, research into mRNA vaccines is being cut. While sadly not unexpected, it’s irresponsible as we argue in our editorial this week 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Nature: Cancelling mRNA studies is the highest irresponsibility go.nature.com/3HDx4wD cc Jay Bhattacharya

Journal will NOT retract the Danish paper that found aluminum in childhood vaccines wasn't linked to increased risk of conditions like autism & asthma. Retraction calls — including from Sec. Kennedy — appear to be based on a dislike of the findings, editor says. www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/au...