iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

“Is it ethical to use customer’s data to try to scoop their customer?”

Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

In 33 of 38 studies, women were less likely to get treatment! After a heart attack, women get meds while men have surgery. Men w Parkinson’s get deep brain stimulation. Men w liver failure get a transplant. Female kidney patients use a catheter longer. Women are less likely to get opioids for pain.

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This shocking new action would cripple research and innovation as we know it at US institutions. It’s hard to imagine how we continue without the opportunity to work with the best and the brightest.

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

“Vaccine dosing is a scientific challenge and vaccine access a policy problem. But vaccine refusal is a much bigger obstacle, made even harder by a growing political divide in vaccine acceptance.“ History, science, politics, & a call to action. Great piece from @aetiology.bsky.social!

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Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

“But, we are repeatedly told, employers want students with skill at using generative AI. This doesn’t mean, however, that this skill needs to be taught in every class or to every student. Employers want many things, and we are not all responsible for teaching all of them.“

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

I’m just home after visiting family in Michigan. This outbreak came up at every meal and absolutely influenced what folks were eating. Rapid, coordinated public health responses (or lack thereof) shape our lives in so many big and small ways!

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

“A broad-based coalition for public health can be built, but if your starting place is kicking back a cup of coffee in the Ohio diner w/ MAHA influencers, rather than with the miners in Belmont County dying of black lung disease while the feds block new silica protection rule…Which side are you on?”

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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Congress rejected massive cuts to US science budgets for 2026, but much of the money still isn’t flowing to researchers. The culprit? The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is quietly slow-walking the release of funds. 🧵👇

nature.com

White House stalls release of approved US science budgets

The US Congress rejected sweeping cuts to science agencies. But the NIH, the NSF and NASA have had their spending slowed.

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BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The full results of the STOMP trial are now published in @nejm.org Tecovirimat did not shorten time to symptom resolution or impact symptoms of clade II mpox. The findings are similar to PALM007 trial which found no beneficial effects of the drug for clade I mpox www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

nejm.org

Tecovirimat for the Treatment of Mpox | NEJM

Tecovirimat is approved for smallpox treatment under the Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule on the basis of efficacy in nonhuman primate models of mpox (previously known as monkeypox). Howeve...

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Delthia Ricks @dricks.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

8 more children died from influenza complications last week, according to CDC's FluView report, bringing the total to 60 pediatric deaths so far this season. The agency keeps tabs on childhood deaths caused by the flu, but doesn't recommend flu shots as a way to prevent infection👇

cdc.gov

Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 4, ending January 31, 2026

Seasonal influenza activity remains elevated nationally.

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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

As if Nipah virus weren’t bad enough, some patients in Asia were coinfected with an emerging bat virus called Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV). Symptoms of PRV include fever, disorientation, abnormal gait, and difficulty breathing. PRV seems to have traits that increase likelihood of zoonosis.

cidrap.umn.edu

Emerging bat virus found in stored throat swabs from 5 patients with suspected Nipah virus infection

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Proud to be one of so very many people who had the chance to learn from Dr. Foege. I admire that he was often leading with a call to action, asking each of us how we can contribute to a healthier world. Rest in peace, Dr. Foege.

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Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 23/01/2026

WHO removing Us Flag

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

I realize I should articulate a professional opinion about the new dietary guidelines (I will). And also there are even more important things happening in the US right now. But I have to get this off my chest… IMO the new food pyramid is bad graphic design! It’s both unclear and ugly, right?

New food pyramid, and inverted pyramid comprised of food icons. A steak is in the top left corner. Carrots in the top right corner. Whole grains in the bottom point of the inverted pyramid.

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Shematologist, MD @shematologist.medsky.social · 06/01/2026

The CDC changed the universal vaccine schedule & no longer recommends Rotavirus Hepatitis A & B Meningitis Influenza RSV I’ve cared for previously healthy kids who died from RSV, influenza and meningitis. We all are going to be caring for a lot more now. In our already overflowing hospitals

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Brandy Zadrozny @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

RFK Jr's HHS had a press call to announce they were — based on no new data — overhauling the childhood vaccine schedule. Senior officials at HHS answered questions but refused to go on the record, saying we could only attribute the quotes to "officials." www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

washingtonpost.com

U.S. overhauls childhood vaccine schedule, recommends fewer shots

The U.S. no longer broadly recommends vaccines for flu, hepatitis A and B, and RSV. Health officials say the guidance aligns with that of peer countries.

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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), run by Oz and his boss, RFK Jr., will no longer require physicians to report vaccination rates. Instead, they plan to start having doctors report if they’ve discussed “alternative” vaccine schedules.

cidrap.umn.edu

CMS to stop requiring states to report childhood vaccination levels

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Areas with ⬆️ numbers of exemptions to vaccine requirements 🔜 have more disease 🦠

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

Wrapping up the last few bits and bobs for friends and colleagues. T minus six hours until holiday break!

Black and white dog sitting amid holiday wrapping paper and ribbon.

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Dr. Cecília Tomori @drtomori.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

👋 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…

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The American Academy of Pediatrics @ameracadpeds.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

The decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to downgrade its recommendations to protect infants from hepatitis B is a dangerous move that will harm children. Click here to read AAP's full statement: bit.ly/3Y9ZQJT

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

A perfect time to reshare a few of these key studies that highlight the importance of universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.

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CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Multistate infant botulism outbreak adds 8 more cases, 23 total All 23 cases involve hospitalization. www.cidrap.umn.edu/b...

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Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 13/11/2025

🚨Dept. of Education proposes to exclude public health degrees from the “professional degree” category. That means new public health experts could lose access to key higher ed resources, like loan limits & reimbursement. A bold strategy to let infectious diseases win! 🦠 aspph.org/department-o...

aspph.org

Department of Education Proposal Excludes Public Health Degrees from “Professional Degree” Definition

Discover the new results and implications of Dept of Ed consensus regarding professional degree programs and public health education.

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

“So the plan is to have a plan — eventually.” @rollingstone.com with the healthcare and US policy analysis we need.

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

There are ongoing claims that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy causes autism. Here’s five things you should know 🧵

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Dr. Genevieve Eastabrook, MD FRCSC (she/her) @placentadoc.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Nearly 1 in 5 Urinary Tract Infections Linked to Contaminated Meat New study finds people in underserved neighborhoods face the highest risk of foodborne infections Primary source study posted in thread

publichealth.gwu.edu

Nearly 1 in 5 Urinary Tract Infections Linked to Contaminated Meat | Milken Institute School of Public Health | The George Washington University

New study finds people in underserved neighborhoods face the highest risk of foodborne infections

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Excellent thread on the paper out this week in Nature suggesting COVID mRNA vaccines may support the immune system in responding to cancer ⬇️

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 24/10/2025

1. We ( @jbakcoleman.bsky.social, @cailinmeister.bsky.social, @jevinwest.bsky.social, and I) have a new preprint up on the arXiv. There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.

Three schematic diagrams. The first illustrates selective publishing of internal resection, the second selective causal focus, and the third selective access and funding for researchers.

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Dan Goldberg, PhD @dgoldbergaq.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

New 📄! We inter-compare satellite-based NASA TEMPO column NO2 with ground monitor surface NO2. Correlation is very good; best in the mid-AM and worst in the late-PM. The work highlights when and where satellite data best represents surface air quality. agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...

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Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

Just another normal HHS week: CDC researchers cannot present work at an annual Infectious Disease conference in (checks notes) Atlanta. As a CDC researcher put it: “It appears to me that HHS’s goal is to prevent the dissemination of scientific information. It’s insane.” apnews.com/article/infe...

apnews.com

Government shutdown means many CDC experts are skipping a pivotal meeting on infectious disease

An annual conference about infectious diseases is seeing a dramatic attendance decline, in part because Centers for Disease Control and Prevention experts can’t participate.

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Alejandro Alvarez @aletakesphotos.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Washington, D.C.’s No Kings protest is converging on a rallying point just west of the Capitol building. This was one of several locally-organized feeder marches just before merging with an even bigger crowd on Pennsylvania Avenue 👇

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 15/10/2025

THIS WEEKEND! Join us for No Kings Day nationwide, across 50 states, in DC and Puerto Rico, and internationally! We're standing up for science and democracy, and in solidarity with fired federal workers. #standupforscience #nokingsday

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

“Genomic analysis identified an Ebola virus with more than 99·5% identity to the lineage that was responsible for the first outbreak in Yambuku in 1976.”

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Here is the students' @idsnews.bsky.social report out of Indiana University, where the student media director was fired today. www.idsnews.com/article/2025...

idsnews.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS: IU fires student media director after he refused to censor the IDS

Indiana University directed the IDS to stop printing news.

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Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

NEW: More than half of the roughly 1,300 layoffs notices at @CDCgov have been rescinded. But analysts with top-secret clearance working on biodefense preparedness at another health agency have lost their jobs, per sources. Our story 1/4 @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

washingtonpost.com

Hundreds of CDC layoffs reversed, but biodefense preparedness staff hit

More than half of the roughly 1,300 CDC layoff notices have been rescinded, but workers at health agencies who work on biodefense and mental health still lost their jobs.

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STAT @statnews.com · 11/10/2025

The White House’s mass firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease. www.statnews.com/2025/10/11/c...

statnews.com

‘It’s a massacre’: CDC battered by government shutdown firings

The White House’s mass firing of CDC staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease, according to four people familiar with t...

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Did I ever tell y’all about the first time I was in Paris (recently!), sat down at a cafe, and ordered “French onion soup”? The waitress looked confused and said something to the effect of, “erm you mean onion soup”?! Yes, of course.

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Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 28/09/2025

"As medical care evaporates it is moms who die in childbirth. As food disappears overwhelmed husbands abandon wives and children. As social order unravels it is mostly girls who are raped. And when times are desperate it is girls who are married against their will." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | The Tax on Being a Girl

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Erin Lockwood @erinkaylockwood.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Thanks so much for your reporting on this, Ben. I just got an email from my campus's IT office triumphantly advertising free student access to four different AI models -- at the same time as we have a hiring freeze, caps on grad enrollment, and a 7% budget cut -- and wanted to scream.

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Before prescribing leucovorin, doctors would first need to determine whether a patient suffered from the deficiency, Dr. Kesselheim said. How they would arrive at that diagnosis short of a risky, expensive spinal tap was not clear, he said. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/h...

nytimes.com

F.D.A.’s Approval of a Drug for Autism Upends Review Process

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Mollie Wood @anecdatally.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

It’s hard to know whether talking about these things is helpful or just gives them more oxygen, but the current acetaminophen fire is already roaring so here we go. Most importantly: ACOG affirms their position that acetaminophen is safe in pregnancy bsky.app/profile/acog...

"In more than 2 decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children." -ACOG President Steven J. Fleischman, MD, MBA, FACOG

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

And FWIW a study of medication use during pregnancy in the United States from 2011 to 2020 found that while use of acetaminophen with opioids declined over this period, trends for acetaminophen use remained stable (Mansour et al. AJOG 2024) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

sciencedirect.com

Prescription medication use during pregnancy in the United States from 2011 to 2020: trends and safety evidence

Medication use during pregnancy has increased in the United States despite the lack of safety data for many medications.This study aimed to inform res…

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Indeed, untreated fever in pregnancy is linked to miscarriage, birth defects, and preterm birth. Unmanaged pain in pregnancy is linked to high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression which are all bad for both mom and baby. So yes, “toughing it out” and avoiding meds in pregnancy is dangerous.

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

For you epi nerds inspired to brush up on analytical challenges in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology, here is a nice piece from @anecdatally.bsky.social! Associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure & child neurodevelopment: Truth, bias, or a bit of both? pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and child neurodevelopment: Truth, bias, or a bit of both?

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Emily R Smith, ScD, MPH @dremilyrsmith.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

ACOG and all other professional societies continue to affirm the safety of using Tylenol, also known as as acetaminophen or paracetamol, in pregnancy to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.

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