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Dr. Tom Frieden

@drtomfrieden.bsky.social
9.3K followers 123 following 503 posts

President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. Former CDC Director and New York City health commissioner. Focused on partnering with communities around the world to save lives.

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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 2h
One easy thing you can do to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke is switch to lower-sodium salt. The taste of your food won’t change. Only your heart will know the difference. I explain: tomfrieden.substack.com/p/pass-the-s...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 20h
The Accra Reset and others are right to push for local pharmaceutical manufacturing anchored in Africa. Since 2023, Resolve to Save Lives has supported manufacturers in Nigeria, and early results are encouraging.
resolvetosavelives.org
Strengthening local manufacturing to improve medicine access in Nigeria
Local pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria is helping reduce hypertension medicine costs and expand access to quality-assured treatment.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Public health is about designing systems to make the healthy choice the easy choice. I wrote The Formula for Better Health to show how the invisible work of public health can protect us, our families and our communities.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Honored by the words of colleagues and friends who have found that The Formula for Better Health offers a roadmap to build a healthier future. The paperback version comes out on October 6. All proceeds go to programs working to improve health around the world. mitpress.mit.edu/978026205096...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Honored to participate in an event organized by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health. Sierra Leone is focused on rapidly protecting maternal and child health.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
See/believe/create is a formula to improve health for communities and individuals. My book, The Formula for Better Health, available in Kindle and audiobook forms, is now releasing in paperback on October 6. I describe how to apply the formula to save lives and create a healthier world.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Public health starts with two questions: what’s killing people, and what can stop these killers? Rwanda created a system to answer these questions.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Analyzing the political landscape is a crucial first step to successful advocacy. If you haven’t mapped out who has the power to affect policy and what levers are available, you may not get far in advocating for change.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Honored to join @michaelrbloomberg.bsky.social, Dr. Yvan Butera, Dr. Patricia Clark and Adalberto Maluf at an event hosted by @bloombergdotorg.bsky.social, Coefficient Giving, and Partnership for a Lead-Free Future to discuss how countries are taking action to prevent deaths from lead.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I first worked with Dr. Raj Panjabi during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Watch as we discuss the outbreak in the DRC – and what’s needed to end it.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"I'm not going to take away anybody's vaccines.” - Health Secretary Kennedy, November 2024. Covid vaccination cuts a child's risk of hospitalization by about two thirds. Half of American children get their vaccines through the Vaccines for Children Program. www.wsj.com/health/healt...
wsj.com
Exclusive | States Delayed in Getting Covid Shots for Children’s Immunization Program
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t opened up the ordering process, raising concerns about delays as vaccination programs kick off.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Learning from the successes and failures of past health emergencies can help us deal with new ones that arise, as Dr. Raj Panjabi and I discussed. The lesson that matters most is that without trust, nothing works. Trust and connection are critical to build community resilience.
tomfrieden.substack.com
Confronting Today's Global Health Threats
A conversation with Dr. Raj Panjabi
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Every death from measles is a preventable tragedy. This outbreak is the largest in the U.S. in decades—proof that when we let down our guard, the virus takes full advantage. We need to see prompt action to engage communities, address parents’ concerns and increase vaccination rates.
abcnews.com
Video Former CDC director on the growing measles outbreak in Pennsylvania
ABC News’ Linsey Davis speaks to former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden on why there’s a rise in measles cases in adults and the current tension between state and CDC health officials.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Funding cuts and upheavals in global health have set back decades-long efforts to eliminate polio. The longer it takes to reinforce weakened health systems, the harder it will be to achieve elimination.
rollingstone.com
Inside the Global Fight to Keep Polio From Making a Comeback
Inside the global fight to keep polio from making a comeback due to humanitarian funding cuts and vaccine skepticism.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I’m excited to talk with Dr. Raj Panjabi on Monday about the threats we face in global health and how to respond to them. Join us live starting at 12:15pm ET on Substack and Instagram!
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Reposted by Dr. Tom Frieden
André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Why Alcohol Is the Forgotten Killer. How the industry undermines health – and what to do about it, by @drtomfrieden.bsky.social substack.com/inbox/post/2...
substack.com
Why Alcohol Is the Forgotten Killer
How the industry undermines health – and what to do about it
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The United States has a hangover from its 14-year experiment with Prohibition: Alcohol is our fourth leading risk factor for death, but we take almost no action to reduce the harms. Alcohol kills an estimated 178,000 Americans a year, one every three minutes. tomfrieden.substack.com/p/why-alcoho...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Every strong health system must deliver five things: universal coverage, sustainable costs, rising care quality, narrowing disparities and public satisfaction. How many of these does the U.S. have?
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Excited to share that the paperback version of my book The Formula for Better Health will be released on October 6! I share stories of scientists, survivors and system changers based on decades of frontline experience in public health. mitpress.mit.edu/978026205096...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The often-invisible work of CDC determines whether the next disease threat stays small or reaches crisis-level. Now is the time to rebuild the public health systems needed to keep us safe from threats that originate anywhere in the world, as I told @susanjaffe.bsky.social in @thelancet.com.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
I asked @zekeemanuel.bsky.social for his top tip for a longer life. His answer may surprise you (and may also change your weekend plans).
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Time is lives. Every day this humanitarian crisis grows is a day more mothers, more health workers, more children are at risk. The virus is moving fast and efforts to build trust have to move just as fast.
tomfrieden.substack.com
The Ebola Outbreak is Out of Control in DRC
Vaccines are important, but building trust is most critical now
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A pregnant woman missed her hospital appointment. Her nurse's worklist flagged it—and she got care in time. Digital tools don't replace clinical judgment, they catch deadly problems that might otherwise fall through the cracks. Rwanda’s digital systems now reach ~70% of the country's health centers.
resolvetosavelives.org
How Rwanda is delivering better health outcomes with digital tools
RTSL partnered with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and health workers to redesign an e-health record that better meets nurses’ needs.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Most of what makes people healthy isn’t what you see in the news or on social media. I spoke with @zekeemanuel.bsky.social about how to live longer. We also touched on the U.S. health care system, AI and the politicization of public health.
tomfrieden.substack.com
Is There A Hack to Live Longer?
A conversation with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
What can individuals, communities and countries do to help ensure we live longer, healthier lives? Join me this afternoon for a live conversation with @zekeemanuel.bsky.social, starting at 3:15pm ET on Substack and Instagram.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Federal vaccine recommendations may change, but the facts haven’t. Vaccines have saved millions of lives from preventable disease and are essential to children's health.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
A new executive order injects disproven claims into the process by which doctors and nurses advise parents and, if followed, will result in more illness, hospitalizations, and deaths of American children.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
A public health system at full strength catches threats when the risk is low and an effective response is easy. A weakened system finds outbreaks late, when they are big and much harder to stop.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Although some evidence suggested that getting vaccinated against shingles also lowers your risk of dementia, it wasn’t enough to be a slam dunk. New studies now offer stronger evidence. So how do we adjust our baseline thinking and recommendations when new information arises?
tomfrieden.substack.com
Why I Changed One Dot to Two
New research strengthens evidence that shingles vaccination reduces dementia risk
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
The Covid pandemic was an unprecedented global emergency. We should look back at what went right and wrong, but vilifying health officials benefits no one.
npr.org
After Fauci Senate hearing, experts worry about 'chilling effect' on public health
The accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci, once the nation's leading infectious disease expert, have some experts worrying that these events may further erode public health staffing in the U.S.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
For more than a century, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has helped protect people across the Americas, including in the U.S., from health threats of all kinds. I joined bipartisan health, national security, business and faith leaders today in calling for continued U.S. funding for PAHO.
friendsofpaho.org
Friends of PAHO
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
This summer, outbreaks flared inside the United States: measles, cyclospora, and screwworm. A public health system at full strength catches threats when the risk is low and an effective response is easy. A weakened system finds outbreaks late, when they are big and much harder to stop.
tomfrieden.substack.com
Don't Take Health Progress for Granted
Recent outbreaks demonstrate the risks we face when systems designed to protect us fray
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Honored by the review of The Formula for Better Health in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. The book offers practical guidance on applicable to public health professionals and anyone striving to live a longer, healthier life. Order your copy: www.amazon.com/Formula-Bett...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Reflecting on my time at CDC working with Dr. Nancy Cox after reading this in memoriam piece by Dr. Dan Jernigan. Dr. Cox's deep legacy on influenza and public health will carry on in communities and countries around the world.
wwwnc.cdc.gov
In Memoriam: The Enduring Influence of Nancy J. Cox (1948–2026)
The Enduring Influence of Nancy J. Cox (1948–2026)
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The closest thing we have to a wonder drug? Physical activity.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
For decades, primary care in Bangladesh ran on paper. A health worker in a crowded clinic saw as many as 300 patients a day. When a patient missed a follow-up visit, no one knew until a stroke or heart attack brought them back. Digital records changed that. tomfrieden.substack.com/p/this-simpl...
A bar chart shows the number of patients in Bangladesh with their blood pressure controlled rising from about 4,000 in 2020 to about 460,000 in 2026.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Ultra-processed food companies are fighting health progress with all they’ve got, bringing lawsuits and costing countries billions of dollars, according to a new report. It’s up to public health advocates to stand strong against these efforts to unwind healthy food policies.
theguardian.com
‘If all else fails, sue’: how ultra-processed food firms are using the courts to obstruct health rules
Exclusive: Global investigation reveals 235 lawsuits have been brought against governments in five countries since 2010
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
It’s only July and confirmed measles cases in the U.S. have already hit a 35-year high.
wired.com
‘The Child Is Terrified’: Measles Doctors Speak Out
Hear from six pediatricians in measles hot spot Utah, as the US faces infection levels not seen in over three decades and prepares to lose its status as a country that eliminated the dangerous disease...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
The current Ebola epidemic in the DRC is a stress test that, as of now, the world is failing. We need to set up systems so the world isn’t scrambling every time there is another health emergency.
time.com
Ebola Returns: How We Can Fight Back
A new outbreak of Ebola is outpacing us again. What will it take to finally get ahead of viruses?
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Public health officials work behind the scenes every day to protect us from outbreaks, not only during times of crisis. Amanda McClelland spoke with @news.abc.net.au about the need for strategic investments in health security.
abc.net.au
On the hunt for the next epidemic - ABC listen
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is once again drawing attention to the threat of infectious diseases. But a new report from the non-profit group, Resolve to Save Lives focuses on...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Aid cuts are unquestionably and tragically costing the lives of children.
npr.org
Trump's team says 'no children' died from USAID cuts. Consider these 3 cases
Both Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, who led the effort to sunset the foreign aid agency, have said that no deaths have been linked to the cutting of its funding. These parents tell a different story.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Heart disease and stroke kill one person every two seconds—more than all infectious diseases combined. The graph below shows two possible futures. The difference between them over the next 25 years is an estimated 76 million premature deaths. tomfrieden.substack.com/p/76-million...
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Progress on tobacco control is being reversed: Lifesaving programs at CDC have been gutted, plans to ban menthol cigarettes have been shelved, and regulations on vaping have been loosened. How do we push back? Listen to someone who has been winning against the tobacco industry for decades:
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
In the US, we're letting down defenses that are necessary to protect against microbial threats. Instead of protecting against these threats, we’re doing the opposite.
kffhealthnews.org
New Disease Threats Follow Trump Administration’s Health Program Cuts - KFF Health News
From screwworm to flesh-eating bacteria, mounting public health risks are emerging in the wake of deep cuts to federal health agencies and programs.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Nigeria’s new public food procurement guidelines are a major step toward creating healthier food environments throughout the country—and they serve as a great example for governments around the world.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
The Tips from Former Smokers campaign helped more than 16 million Americans quit smoking. Unwinding successful tobacco control programs will cost lives.
nytimes.com
Efforts to Help Smokers Quit Stall Under Trump (Gift Article)
The C.D.C.’s tobacco control office has been shut for more than a year. After its most prominent antismoking campaign went off the air, calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW lines have plummeted.
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
I spoke with Matt Myers about advocacy—one of the most powerful tools we have to improve public health, and one he’s spent nearly 30 years mastering as a leader in the tobacco control movement and as the founder and longtime president of @tobaccofreekids.bsky.social.
youtube.com
The Power of Public Health Advocacy
YouTube video by Dr. Tom Frieden
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Reposted by Dr. Tom Frieden
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Fascinating. Selling Candy to Kids: A new exhibit highlights the colorful tactics advertisers use to get children hooked on junk @drtomfrieden.bsky.social
open.substack.com
Selling Candy to Kids
A new exhibit highlights the colorful tactics advertisers use to get children hooked on junk
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
The screwworm barrier worked for nearly six decades because people funded and staffed it. Because we let down our guard, the vampire pathogen is back, and could cost billions of dollars to control.
tomfrieden.substack.com
We Beat a Vampire Fly in 1966. It’s Back.
Screwworm's return to the U.S. is a study in what happens when preparedness isn’t a priority
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Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
A bipartisan group of United States senators is speaking out against plans that would gut PEPFAR, shutter many CDC country offices, and make Americans less safe. Thank you Senators Warnock and Cassidy for leading this effort!
warnock.senate.gov
Warnock, Cassidy Urge Senate Colleagues to Oppose Trump Administration Changes to CDC’s Global Disease Programs » Reverend Raphael Warnock
In a new bipartisan letter, Senators Reverend Warnock and Dr. Bill Cassidy led 23 of their Senate colleagues urging Senate Appropriations committee leadership to oppose the Trump Administration’s prop...
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