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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP

@epiren.bsky.social
589 followers 465 following 1K posts

Father. Husband. Epidemiologist. Instructor at GMU and JHBSPH. Fellow at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Believer in Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow. All opinions, my own. Learn more: linktr.ee/rene.najera

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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 8h
Serious vaccine reactions are real but rare. To judge vaccine safety fairly, we must compare those risks with the much greater harms of the diseases vaccines prevent. historyofvaccines.org/blog/vaccine...
historyofvaccines.org
Vaccine Injuries Are Real, Rare, and Dwarfed by the Diseases They Prevent
Vaccine injuries are real but rare. Explore the evidence, compare risks with preventable diseases, and learn why vaccine safety research should remain rigorous.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 14h
🧠 Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay. Depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges can affect anyone. Talk to a professional or someone you trust. Move your body. Stay connected. In the U.S., call or text 988 for crisis support. Mental health is health. 💚 www.who.int/campaigns/wo...
who.int
World Mental Health Day 2026
Find out about this year's World Mental Health Day campaign (10 October) and how you can get involved.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Pennsylvania's October 7 measles update includes older cases: more than 40 of the 74 newly added cases involved illness starting over two weeks earlier. www.phillypublichealth.org/public-healt...
phillypublichealth.org
Public Health Roundup: Pennsylvania Updates, New Research, and Calls to Share Your Work
This week: Pennsylvania measles and health-equity data updates, new research on young adults and lung immunity, plus urgent calls for public health abstracts, reviewers, and a health-policy…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Introducing the Philly Public Health Community Board! A free, independent resource for public health events, jobs, training, and opportunities around Philadelphia. Browse, subscribe, or submit something for consideration. Please share! www.phillypublichealth.org
phillypublichealth.org
Philly Public Health Community Board
Connecting Philadelphia’s public health community with events, opportunities, announcements, and resources.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Philadelphia's 1991 measles outbreak killed nine children. As Pennsylvania faces another outbreak, doctors reflect on those losses and the challenges of prevention. www.inquirer.com/health/1991-...
inquirer.com
Pa. measles outbreak is nation’s worst, echoing deadly 1991 Philadelphia epidemic
Three decades later, physicians who treated children in 1991 can hardly believe that Pennsylvania is again contending with the nation’s worst measles outbreak.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Philadelphia's Food First Health Summit will explore food as medicine on October 27, 2026, from 2–5:30 p.m. ET at WHYY-NPR Studios. An in-person event. www.eventbrite.com/e/food-first...
eventbrite.com
Food First Health Summit Philadelphia
Join Food Tank, FareRX, and Temple University at WHYY-NPR Studios for an exploration of food as medicine in Philadelphia and beyond!
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
A flu shot cannot give you influenza. A sore arm or short-lived aches can be real side effects, but feeling sick afterward does not mean the vaccine caused a flu infection. historyofvaccines.org/blog/no-flu-...
historyofvaccines.org
No, the Flu Shot Did Not Give You the Flu. Here Is What Actually Happened.
The flu shot cannot give you the flu. Learn why you might feel sick afterward, what side effects are real, and what research reveals about vaccine safety.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
7/7 • Oct 20, online (ET) 1pm: APHA on public health and democracy; free. www.pathlms.com/health/webin... 6pm: Free winter vaccine panel from the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. collegeofphysicians.org/events/vacci...
pathlms.com
Rethinking How We Talk About Public Health and Democracy | American Public Health Association
Public health relies on a functioning, inclusive, and participatory democracy. And healthy people are better able to participate in...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
6/7 • Online, ET Oct 19, 1pm: IDSA/PIDS on RSV prevention in children. Sanofi-sponsored. societycentral.zoom.us/webinar/regi... Oct 20, 9am: Bloomberg American Health Summit public livestream. americanhealth.jhu.edu/2026-bloombe...
societycentral.zoom.us
https://societycentral.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ViBAKuikSiui1pjQcKnqzw
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
5/7 • Online, ET Oct 14, 3pm: NBPHE on organ donation; free. www.nbphe.org/certified-in... Oct 16, 2pm: APHA on disability-inclusive emergency planning. apha.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
4/7 • Oct 14 (ET) Noon: Drexel on migration and aging; Philadelphia + Zoom. drexel.zoom.us/meeting/regi... 2pm: TFAH on healthy aging across generations. www.tfah.org/webinars-bri...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
3/7 Oct 11–15: APHL Newborn Screening Symposium, New Orleans; paid, in person. aphl.org/events-commu... Oct 13, 3pm ET: ASHP vaccine confidence; free. Moderna grant. elearning.ashp.org/products/142...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
2/7 • Oct 7 2–3pm: CDC on H5N1 in dairy cattle. www.cdc.gov/zohu-call/we... 2pm: Eradicate Hate on preventing targeted violence. eradicatehate.org/programs-ini...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
12 public health events for Oct 7–20, 2026: H5N1, vaccine communication, migration and aging, emergency planning, and more. Mostly online; all times below are Eastern. Links and access notes follow. 1/7
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
At Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, clinicians' misinformation reports guided education on 28 topics. The content's effects weren't measured. www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/clinici...
contemporarypediatrics.com
Clinician-reported misinformation tracking guides pediatric education | Contemporary Pediatrics
A clinician-reported misinformation tracker at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found vaccines accounted for 53.8% of 234 entries and informed education on 28 topics.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
"Rather, the first doctor to see the child’s grave illness is often the pathologist who performs their autopsy." www.propublica.org/article/idah...
propublica.org
Four Kids in One Faith-Healing Family Died. Authorities Could Do Nothing.
An exemption in Idaho law shields faith-healing parents from criminal prosecution for conduct that otherwise would be charged as neglect. It also keeps police and social workers from stepping in to…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
In 73 regional bird flu drills, mostly in New York City, simulated patients were both masked and isolated in only 60% of visits. Passing did not depend on speed. arstechnica.com/health/2026/...
arstechnica.com
Patient-zero drill put health facilities to the test—40% of them failed
Actors with makeup and fake symptoms staggered into 73 healthcare facilities.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A chickenpox party could arrange exposure, but it could not guarantee a mild illness. I wrote about one family and the vaccine that gave others another option. medium.com/microbial-in...
medium.com
A Chickenpox Party That Went Wrong
How one weekend gathering left a child with lifelong disability, and why science moved past this old-school approach.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A free virtual panel on October 20 will discuss winter vaccine guidance, vaccine safety, and measles in Pennsylvania. Details: collegeofphysicians.org/events/vacci...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Rabies vaccines have changed enormously since Pasteur’s first treatment. This post follows the scientists who helped make them safer and easier to use, including Dr. Stanley Plotkin. historyofvaccines.org/blog/how-mod...
historyofvaccines.org
How the Modern Rabies Vaccine Came to Be
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
How do you vaccinate a wild raccoon or fox? You leave a vaccine in a bait it will eat. The story of how scientists developed that approach to controlling rabies is full of clever ideas—and a few that didn’t work. historyofvaccines.org/blog/feeding...
historyofvaccines.org
Feeding Vaccines to Wild Animals
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Skipping a pet’s vaccines can affect more than that one animal. Rabies is one reason pet vaccination matters to people, too. Here’s a look at the diseases behind those routine vet visits. historyofvaccines.org/blog/new-dan...
historyofvaccines.org
The New Danger in the Dog Park
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Most dog owners know why the rabies shot matters. But what about the other vaccines your vet recommends? This post looks at influenza, distemper, and leptospirosis—and why your dog’s routine care is worth a closer look. historyofvaccines.org/blog/beyond-...
historyofvaccines.org
Beyond Vaccines: The Dog Vaccines People Skip
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The Hill reported on September 21 that a proposed executive order could give an outside committee veto power over NIH research grants. It was a reported draft, not an order in effect. thehill.com/policy/healt...
thehill.com
White House drafting executive order to take over NIH grant approvals: Reports
The Trump administration is reportedly putting together an executive order to move the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) grant approval process away from the agency and giving political a…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Dr. Nikola Piljic, a physician in Nis, Serbia, leads the country's first tobacco control NGO. Tobacco kills about 20,000 people a year there, yet Serbia still lacks a comprehensive indoor smoking ban. Read the interview: awellmixedroom.com/posts/interv...
awellmixedroom.com
Tobacco control pioneer in the cigarette capital - A Well-Mixed Room
An interview with Dr. Nikola Piljić on running an anti-tobacco organization in Niš—home of Philip Morris's cigarette factory—the clinical reality of tobacco in Serbia, and the fight for smoke-free…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
An analysis of two RSV vaccines estimated 82% effectiveness against RSV-related hospitalization among US adults 65 and older during 2023-24. <https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/2-studies-find-strong-rsv-vaccine-protection-against-severe>
cidrap.umn.edu
2 studies find strong RSV vaccine protection against severe outcomes in older adults
lucigerma / iStock
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
NYT reports CDC had 30% fewer employees by May 2026 than before the 2025 layoffs. Staff say this is affecting outbreak response and support for health departments. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/h...
nytimes.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/health/cdc-staff-cuts-rfk-jr.html?unlocked_article_code=1.EFE.7FSL.GfHRGKTtr5c0&smid=url-share
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Inspired by my inability to pronounce my daughter’s teacher’s last name and my love of comic books, I wrote this for you. epidemiologist.blog/2026/09/25/s...
epidemiologist.blog
Say It Backward
Clark is convinced his daughter’s teacher may be more than he seems, especially after learning his complicated surname. What begins as a harmless comic-book joke turns into a year-long effort to pr…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
APHA and other health and environmental groups are suing the EPA over its repeal of power plant carbon pollution rules. They say the rollback threatens public health. www.apha.org/news-and-med...
apha.org
EPA Sued Over Repeal of Power Plant Carbon Reduction Rules
Environmental and public health groups sued to stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of critical standards for power plant carbon pollution.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Feral hogs can carry parasites without looking sick. Texas A&M explains why undercooked meat and ticks are concerns for people who handle hogs or eat their meat. feralhogs.tamu.edu/parasite-bor...
feralhogs.tamu.edu
Parasite Borne Diseases - Coping with Feral Hogs
Feral hogs play host to a variety of internal and external parasites.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I "unboxed" the latest edition of the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (CCDM) from the American Public Health Association. Please excuse the mess. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeyM...
youtube.com
CCDM 22nd Edition Unboxing & Review: Every Infectious Disease Epidemiologist Needs This
Join an infectious disease epidemiologist for an unboxing and full review of the brand-new Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (CCDM), 22nd Edition, hot off the press from APHA Press. The CCDM…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A study of 109 state and local public health officials found 76% reported threats or harassment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some left jobs or moved over safety concerns. www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-healt...
cidrap.umn.edu
Local, state public health officials overwhelmingly faced serious backlash during pandemic, report reveals
CentralITAlliance / iStock
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Public health starts with listening. In Zambia, a community based initiative cut maternal mortality by 41 percent by building local trust. As the US faces its own maternal health crisis, these lessons matter. msmagazine.com/2026/09/20/u...
msmagazine.com
Public Health Begins With Listening: Lessons From Zambia and Malawi on Reducing Maternal Mortality
In the Zambian districts where it operated, the five-year Saving Mothers, Giving Life initiative helped reduce the maternal mortality ratio by 41 percent. Its success relied not only on expanding…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The Vaccine Integrity Project will independently review meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines for kids and young adults, after federal guidelines reclassified some meningococcal vaccines to high-risk groups only. www.cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-inte...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Vaccine decisions in Amish and Mennonite communities are not explained by religion alone. Trust, access, safety concerns, and local relationships matter. Public health must pair clear vaccine guidance with respectful listening. phnightschool.substack.com/p/measles-an...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Pennsylvania has reported 676 measles cases this year. Measles is preventable, and vaccination protects people who can be vaccinated as well as babies who cannot yet receive it. historyofvaccines.org/blog/pennsyl...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Chronic disease prevention and infectious disease control are both essential. This opinion piece calls for stronger outbreak surveillance, food-safety efforts, and clear vaccine communication. www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
usatoday.com
I'm a former surgeon general. RFK Jr. has the wrong priorities.
Outbreaks are rising. Response capacity is reduced. And HHS Secretary RFK Jr. holds a unique authority – and responsibility – to act.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
For most people, September and October are the best months for a flu shot. Some children who need two doses and people in their third trimester of pregnancy during July or August may benefit from earlier vaccination. historyofvaccines.org/blog/timing-...
historyofvaccines.org
Timing Your Flu Shot: The Science Behind When to Get Vaccinated
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Measles can return when gaps in vaccination grow. Bangladesh, Samoa, and the United States show why vaccine supply, safe delivery, accessible services, and public trust all matter. historyofvaccines.org/blog/when-va...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Community health workers are trained, trusted neighbors who help people connect with care and overcome barriers such as housing, food, transportation, and paperwork. They need stable funding, fair pay, and real career paths. phnightschool.substack.com/p/the-neighb...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
A cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce shows a bigger issue: FDA foreign food inspections are down nearly 35 percent since 2019, per AP News. It took inspectors a month to reach the farm linked to the outbreak. Food safety needs sustained investment, not just recalls. apnews.com/article/lett...
apnews.com
Cyclospora outbreak followed years of declining FDA foreign inspections
The ongoing outbreak of cyclospora tied to iceberg lettuce has raised new concerns about the safety of imported produce and underscores a worrisome trend: The U.S. is conducting fewer inspections to…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
A cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to lettuce has sickened 11,000+ people in 20 states, killing two. Michigan health workers were overwhelmed weeks before federal confirmation. Experts blame years of food safety underfunding plus recent cuts for slowing detection. www.detroitnews.com/story/news/n...
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
At ten, I delivered newspapers by bicycle in El Paso. Paperboy on the NES felt like a game made from my life. It still brings back memories of heavy Sunday papers, family, and neighborhood rides. medium.com/engage/paper...
medium.com
“Paperboy”, El Paso, and My First Real Job on a Bicycle
A nostalgic look back at delivering newspapers as a ten-year-old in 1980s El Paso and why “Paperboy” on the NES felt like a game made from…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Come explore one of the city’s most distinctive museums during CollegeFest 2026. New and returning students can visit the Mütter Museum as part of Campus Philly’s annual welcome to the city. Learn more: collegeofphysicians.org/events/colle...
collegeofphysicians.org
CollegeFest 2026 at the Mütter
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Federal agencies are moving toward eliminating race and ethnicity data, possibly starting with the 2030 Census. This data helps track health disparities like maternal mortality and overdose deaths. Losing it won't end disparities; it will just make them harder to see and fix. fas.org/publication/...
fas.org
The Public Health Cost of Eliminating Race and Ethnicity Data
This is bigger than a singular elimination of race and ethnicity questions. It could accelerate the second wave of widespread reductions to demographic data, leaving public health officials with even…
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A promising lab result is a starting point, not medical advice. What works in cells may not work safely in people. Ask whether the study tested cells, animals, or people. thequantasticjournal.com/from-petri-d...
thequantasticjournal.com
From Petri Dish to Patient: Why Promising Lab Results Aren’t Medical Recommendations
Pharmacology, randomized trials, and real-world safety must come before a product belongs in anyone’s medicine cabinet.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
New UC Berkeley study: Richmond, CA's Office of Neighborhood Safety cut firearm homicides and injury shootings by 61 percent over 14 years, outpacing national declines. publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spo...
publichealth.berkeley.edu
Violence prevention program responsible for 61% decline in gun violence deaths and injuries
A UC Berkeley study finds the city of Richmond’s gun violence program led to three times the national decline in violence.
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
On September 19, we are hosting Roadmap to Medical School at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. This is a free program for high school and college students as well as their families and teachers. collegeofphysicians.org/events/roadm...
collegeofphysicians.org
Roadmap to Medical School
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
On September 17, Not So Silent Cinema presents Alfred Hitchcock’s early thriller The Lodger, accompanied by a live musical score. The film follows the fear and suspicion surrounding a mysterious new tenant as a serial killer terrorizes London. Details and tickets: buff.ly/7gEhTFH
collegeofphysicians.org
Not So Silent Cinema Presents: The Lodger
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René F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, FCPP @epiren.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The Mütter Museum will open early on Saturday, September 12, for a sensory-friendly morning designed for neurodivergent visitors of all ages and their families. Admission is pay-what-you-wish, but advance registration is encouraged. Learn more and register: collegeofphysicians.org/events/senso...
collegeofphysicians.org
Sensory Friendly — Museum Admission
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