Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 24/07/2026Really enjoyed working on this perspective with Russell Kempker, who was a fantastic mentor in medical school at Emory — it was fun to reflect on how my roles as mentee and peer mentor have changed since then! 000
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 23/06/2026www.seattletimes.com/opinion/new-...seattletimes.comNew federal rules threaten to obstruct scientific research | Op-EdA new federal policy would give political appointees authority to decide which research gets funding and constrain scientists’ ability to publish findings. 023
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScIDSA @idsainfo.bsky.social · 16/06/2026Candidozyma auris (C. auris) is a frequently multidrug-resistant emerging fungal pathogen notorious for its ability to persist and spread within healthcare environments. In CID, authors describe their institutional experience with C. auris detection via universal screening. bit.ly/4eIG01sbit.lyEnhanced detection of Candidozyma auris colonization with universal screening on admission 022
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 10/06/2026Just out in CID: a report on our experience with universal C. auris screening on inpatient admission 🔎🔎 The majority of patients (80%) with C auris colonization would’ve been missed by existing public health screening guidance— 130
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScUW Infectious Disease Fellowship Program @uwidfellowship.bsky.social · 09/06/2026F1 (and soon to be Chief Fellow) Alison Smith is first author with a bunch of UW peeps on this great look at universal screening for c auris. Do current public health criteria for screening hit the mark? Maybe not… academic.oup.com/cid/advance-...academic.oup.comEnhanced detection of Candidozyma auris colonization with universal screening on admissionAbstract. Universal admission screening for Candidozyma auris (C. auris) identified C. auris colonization in 25/22742 (0.1%) of patients. Most patients (20 052
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 25/11/2025Scenes from our first year fellows’ Friendsgiving — grateful for my co-fellows! @uwidfellowship.bsky.social 🫶 010
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScUW Infectious Disease Fellowship Program @uwidfellowship.bsky.social · 21/10/2025UW pharmacist, Dr Whitney Hartlage, presenting on non-severe CAP, asking the very good question, “do we really need to add empirical atypical coverage routinely?” Spoiler alert, the data suggests “No” #IDWeek #IDSky 0126
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScUW Infectious Disease Fellowship Program @uwidfellowship.bsky.social · 19/10/2025Prolonged applause for Dr Demetri Daskalakis, formerly of the CDC, winner of the HIV Medical Association Transformative Leader Award… #IDSky #IDWeek #IDStrong 211631
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 09/07/2025Thrilled to be part of the first-year fellow class at UW ID! 🦠 @uwidfellowship.bsky.social 181
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScThe New Republic @newrepublic.com · 03/05/2025“I urge you to keep going, keep doing what is right for our country, and I do believe that history will vindicate your service," Jackson told fellow judges.newrepublic.comA Supreme Court Justice Finally Just Stood up to TrumpJustice Ketanji Brown Jackson criticized the president's unsettling attacks on the judiciary. 302518569
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAmy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 05/04/2025This! I’ve never seen this many people in the streets in this many places in the U.S. in my lifetime. It’s inspiring, dammit. 246473
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScHIVMA @hivma.bsky.social · 31/03/2025On #TransgenderDayOfVisibility this year, visibility takes on even greater urgency. HIV clinicians must remain steadfast in the commitment to health equity. All people should receive the compassionate, evidence-based HIV care they deserve. #TDOV #HIVCareForAll 0108
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 28/03/2025On the imperative for ID physicians to speak out against a government that threatens the core tenets of our mission, and the safety of our patients - I'd add another call to action: to pressure university leadership to speak out. The silence from leading institutions has been deafening. 062
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScMark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 27/03/2025Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist at Harvard Medical School, was detained at Logan Airport after returning from France and sent to an ICE detention in Louisiana, The Insider reports. A big critic of Putin and the war in Ukraine, she may now be deported to Russia. 41578094417
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScPeter Kalmus @climatehuman.bsky.social · 12/03/2025Imagine thinking education is the problem 58420
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · 26/02/2025This vote was to start the process of the cuts. It WILL come back for a final vote. There are some chances to slow or potentially stop it. Need constant pressure on GOP Focus on GOP swing seats & key committees. Energy & Commerce is where the Medicaid fight will go down. Ways&Means for tax fight. 11594771412607
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScOni Blackstock, MD MHS @oniblackstock.bsky.social · 24/02/2025“…This could be a golden era of resistance in terms of alternatives, if we choose to seize them, if we come out of our fear, if we come out of our shock, there is gonna be a tremendous amount of experimentation, because there’s gonna be millions of people…” - Kali Akuno, Organizer 2389
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAlt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 17/02/2025The good news: CDC's webpages have been restored following court orders. The bad news: many have this despicable banner attached to them. We will be getting into misconceptions in gender ideology in a later post. For now, we are hurt and ashamed, and we stand with the LGBTQIA+ community. 801310257
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScBK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 17/02/2025The public takes normalcy and a functional public health system, access to vaccines and safe drugs for granted. What's the saying "you don't miss your water till the well runs dry"? Things are going to get very dark for health safety and public health and it will happens sooner that you think. 410427
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 17/02/2025meanwhile our hospitals are full of severe influenza — this is absolutely indefensible 000
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScEli Perencevich @eliowa.bsky.social · 14/02/2025The US healthcare system is no longer safe. Without a strong CDC we can’t control new pathogen outbreaks in our hospitals or benchmark infection rates to prevent surgical infections or pneumonias There is no “private” solution that can make it safe Every hospital CEO should be speaking up 221487
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScMaryn McKenna @marynmck.bsky.social · 14/02/2025If this reporting stands up (and it appears confirmed by multiple sources): devastating. The EIS is the front-line SWAT team of disease detection in the US and globally, and also the training ground for new generations of public health workers. No EIS, no boots on the ground for outbreaks. -> 18575333
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScACLU @aclu.org · 13/02/2025BREAKING: A federal court temporarily blocked President Trump’s executive order aiming to restrict access to gender-affirming medical care for transgender people under age 19 nationwide. This is a major victory for our freedom to access life-saving care. 4458191394
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScGreg Pak @gregpak.net · 12/02/2025Musk killed these people. 1272203021
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScRebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 12/02/2025You have questions. Mostly of the "What Can I Do to Resist This Coup?" variety. Choose Democracy has answers. Here's a really handy guide to the how/what/why of organizing... Share widely. Link here: choosedemocracy.us/what-can-i-do/ 511490686
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScBK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 09/02/2025University leadership in U.S. seems to be finally speaking up. That's a good thing, I guess, but we remember their silence regarding attacks on trans folk, DEI, human rights etc. Indirects on grants are important, but I wish it didn't take that to move the people who lead our institutions on issues. 419023
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScBK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 07/02/2025Editorial from the @thelancet.bsky.social "The health, medical, and scientific communities have a vital role in advocating for their patients, defending programmes, and lobbying for policies and institutions that are good for health and wellbeing." #GoodTrouble 29532
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 06/02/2025now THIS is the energy I want from our elected officials 000
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScThanh Neville, MD, MSHS @thanh-neville.bsky.social · 02/02/2025"To condone policies that the profession knows will compromise health—or to remain silent and look away—is to be complicit in putting population health at risk" To every university, every public hospital, every academic society: SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION. #medskyjamanetwork.comHow Should Health Care and Public Health Respond to the New US Administration?This Viewpoint discusses scientific, medical, and public health actions, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization, taken so far during the first week of the Trump administration. 12599243
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAlt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 01/02/2025The silence from our universities has been deafening. Tell them to grow a spine and stand up for their scientists! Top NIH funded schools: UC - regentsoffice@ucop.edu UW - regents@uw.edu John Hopkins - cbjorklund@jhu.edu Penn - ofcsec@pobox.upenn.edu, (215) 898-7005 Duke - boardchair@duke.edu 613344755
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAngie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 29/01/2025RFK Jr will kill millions just by making vaccines or essential medicines more difficult to access (which he WILL do). And in a health emergency—like, say, an H5N1 pandemic—he would kill millions more. He cannot be confirmed. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/u...nytimes.comRFK Jr., Trump’s Pick for Health Secretary, Faces First Senate Confirmation Hearing (Gift Article)Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies in confirmation hearings before the Senate’s Finance Committee on Wednesday, and will appear Thursday before the health committee. 24461130
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScMark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 27/01/2025Appalling cruelty beyond comprehension. Trump is ordering an immediate, unlawful shutdown of PEPFAR, potentially denying life-saving HIV medication to millions of people. This guarantees a lethal, global resurgence of the HIV epidemic. Just unfathomable sadism. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/h...nytimes.comTrump Administration Halts H.I.V. Drug Distribution in Poor CountriesPEPFAR’s computer systems also are being taken offline, a sign that the program may not return, as Republican critics had hoped. 38770302
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAlt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 28/01/2025The CDC is actively involved in protecting the homeland. One of the most important ways we do that is through participation in WHO’s Global Outbreak and Response Network. Until now. CDC has been told to cease participation. We will no longer be informed when there is a new global health threat.who.intRapidly detecting and responding to health emergenciesRapid detection and verification of health emergencies is essential to save lives. WHO’s global surveillance system picks up public health threats 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Once an event is ve... 26403117
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAlt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 25/01/2025Call your senator and demand a No vote for RFK Jr (202) 224-3121. 34011
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScMatthew Cortland (they) @matthewcort.land · 02/01/2025I think the better strategy is to relentlessly hammer the truth: 1) RFK Jr. is going to stop research into lifesaving cures 2) And he has no experience managing massive, complex programs like Medicare & Medicaid that provide the care you/your family rely on 7925365
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScOni Blackstock, MD MHS @oniblackstock.bsky.social · 21/01/2025This is a moment in time when we need greater global public health collaboration and coordination esp. re: pandemic preparednes, climate crises and other human made crises, not less. 0298
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAmy Westervelt @amywestervelt.bsky.social · 21/01/2025I assume most people know this, but seems important to point out basic truths at this moment in time. There is no energy emergency in the U.S. The U.S. is the world's top producer of oil and gas at the moment, and the top exporter of gas, and U.S. oil and gas producers are making record profits. 352463724
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScEd Belongia MD @belongia.bsky.social · 20/01/2025US withdrawal from WHO would be a disaster for both global public health & nat security. Also very bad for seasonal flu and pandemic prep. US would leave Global Influenza Surveillance and Response network & CDC would not be involved in flu vax strain selection. 👇 www.science.org/content/arti... 14717
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScGregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 18/01/2025THIS is how you do it. @warren.senate.gov is the only Senator that I know of who is throwing down the gauntlet on RFK Jr. What a letter. More Senators should have her courage and resolve. 1227968
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 14/01/2025Interested in the use of antibiotics at end of life? Join our #ESCMID webinar on the topic next Wednesday 9-11am EST! I'm honored to be speaking among the international panel. You can register here! #IDSky docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... 141
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScDarcy Wooten (she/her) @darcy-id-doc.bsky.social · 14/01/2025Reflections from the last 2 weeks of inpatient ID service: We referenced this article on a nearly daily basis so I’m putting it here for all of those out their for whom I know it is relevant (ie everyone): academic.oup.com/cid/article-...academic.oup.comState-of-the-Art Review: Use of Antimicrobials at the End of LifeAbstract. Navigating antibiotics at the end of life is a challenge for infectious disease (ID) physicians who remain deeply committed to providing patient- 3204
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScScott Hadland, MD @drscotthadland.bsky.social · 20/12/2024This is inconceivable. We are entering a dark phase of American public health in which many, many people suffer unnecessarily from vaccine-preventable illnesses. We need to keep fighting, sharing stories of harm from the front lines & disseminating data. #MedSky www.npr.org/sections/sho...npr.orgLouisiana forbids public health workers from promoting COVID, flu and mpox shotsAn NPR investigation found Louisiana health officials told staff to stop promoting vaccines for COVID, flu and mpox, holding flu shot events or otherwise encouraging the public to get those vaccines. 810542
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScOni Blackstock, MD MHS @oniblackstock.bsky.social · 19/12/2024It’s Ok. Tap in, tap out. That’s why we must act as a collective - when some need to tap out and restore, others can tap in. 1182
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScAngie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 13/12/2024Polio vaccines are why parents no longer fear their kids need an iron lung to live. Revoking approval of polio vaccines will result in paralyzed children. Stan Plotkin on Aaron Siri: “I find him laughable in many ways — except, of course, that he’s a danger to public health.” 99436
Reposted by Alison Smith, MD, MScBK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 07/12/2024Incredible reporting as always by @stephanienolen.bsky.social in the NYT on the emergence of Clade Ib #mpox in Kamituga, DRC. It is a must read (not paywalled) article. Gives important insight into the context of the outbreak and real life challenges to the response. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/h...nytimes.comIn Congo, a Medical Mystery Offers Clues to the Mpox EpidemicIn a remote Congolese town, a medical mystery led to the discovery of alarming changes in the mpox virus and, eventually, to a global health emergency. 47727
Alison Smith, MD, MSc @alisongrace.bsky.social · 04/12/2024Headed to Seattle for ID fellowship next year!!! #FellowshipMatch2024 @uwidfellowship.bsky.social 490