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Rachel Fabi Ph.D.

@fabioethics.bsky.social
1.9K followers 1K following 364 posts

associate professor of bioethics • immigration, public health ethics, crosswords • she/her • abortionpuzzles.com • views my own

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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"In the past, most unaccompanied minors in ORR custody were children who had recently crossed the US-Mexico border by themselves—not kids who arrived with a parent and had been living in the country for years." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
“You kidnapped my son”
ICE is now separating children from their parents and deeming them “unaccompanied.”
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Austin Kocher, PhD @austinkocher.com · 14h
Kids are spending longer than ever in ORR custody, and attorneys have turned to habeas petitions to get them out. Jill Williams of Acacia and Becky Wolozin of the National Center for Youth Law explained the strategy to me. austinkocher.substack.com/p/no-chil…
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Kayte Spector-Bagdady @kaytesb.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Alas but not surprising. You can still find all of our (archived) materials here: library.georgetown.edu/collection/d... thanks @georgetownuni.bsky.social!
sitearchives.georgetown.edu
About the Commission | Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I mean I know someone who just started dragon age origins with the intention of playing through the whole series, on the advice of another person I know, not naming any names 👀 the most deeply irresponsible and also incredible decision one could make?
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
Lilia Cervantes @cervantes-lily1.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Today the American Society for Clinical Investigation published an open letter to NIH leadership on proposed changes to K awards, co-signed by 30 professional societies and foundations. Thank you to the ASCI working group and every society and foundation that signed beta.the-asci.org/news/advocac...
beta.the-asci.org
Open letter to the NIH regarding proposed changes to K awards - The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Read more about Open letter to the NIH regarding proposed changes to K awards at The American Society for Clinical Investigation
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
So excited to be part of this absolutely STACKED lineup for the Boswords Fall Themeless League (with Rebecca, my Stormy Division pairs solving partner 4ever!)
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
👏👏👏👏👏
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
❤️‍🩹
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I had a great conversation with Dr. Judith Flores for the “Unsettled: Migrant Health in the U.S.” podcast about immigration and reproductive justice 💛✨ Check it out here! open.spotify.com/episode/6BDN...
open.spotify.com
Immigration and Reproductive Justice
Unsettled: Migrant Health in the U.S. · Episode
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
IMO, it's not enough for the moment we're in, but I'm glad they're thinking about it! According to the union president, this contract language is some of the first of its kind around AI in education, and other higher ed unions are planning to follow UUP's lead on it?
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I'm in this same union and attended a meeting where they went over the new contract. You're spot-on, this clause is meant to prevent universities from replacing human teachers with AI (and I think also to keep them from feeding our course materials to AI?)
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Dana Howard @thedanahoward.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Finally submitted my OMB comment! You can do so here: www.regulations.gov/document/OMB... I used this comment app to help structure my comment and it was a breeze: ombcomment.netlify.app Also copy and paste the comment and send to your representatives: actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...
actionnetwork.org
Oppose OMB Proposal to Put ALL Federal Government Funding Decisions in the Hands of Political Appointees
On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), OMB-2026-0034, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. The scope of this proposed regulation is...
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
Elizabeth Lanphier @ethicselizabeth.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
As of almost 24 hours ago, over 98,000 public comments have been submitted in response to the OMB Proposed Rule that would upend the allocation of over a trillion dollars of annual federal funding. I just added mine. Since they are public, might as well post them here!
Dear Mr. Vought:

I am writing as a scholar working within the humanities and academic medicine, and as a concerned citizen, community member, and parent, to provide comment on Proposed Rule: Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034; FR Doc. 2026-10817). 

The proposed rule would usher in sweeping changes to the allocation of over a trillion dollars in federal grants. This would impact not only our academic research enterprises, but also essential shared goods that are important to the well-being of all Americans, like our public schools, public roads, and public assistance programs for basic needs like food and housing. 

I am the parent of a child in a Title I public school. I am concerned about the impact of the proposed rule changes on my child’s school, and that of many other children across the country whose families rely on schools to provide trusted education, safety, and meals to our children daily. Proposed rules in Section § 200.300 that would prohibit activities the administration deems related to “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” undermines the very idea of Title I funding. As defined by existing policy, Title I is designed specifically so that all children have an “opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.” Equity is central to the role and function of Title I, as a matter of fairness and equal opportunity. If Title I funds are compromised, this would be a major loss to public schools in Ohio, where I reside, and where most children attend public school. Yet in Ohio the state budget will cover less than a third of public-school costs, already pushing a huge burden onto property owners to finance public education. Eroding Title I would only put further pressure on Ohio’s working middle-class property owners to fund public education, a public good that is owed to and expected of all children in the United States. Considerations of fairness and equality are core to my expertise and work as a philosopher working within an academic medical setting to support accessible, fair, and just healthcare delivery. I see every day the existing barriers to these goals. I am concerned that these proposed rules will deepen the gap in providing high quality healthcare to all Americans. Health and illness are non-partisan issues, experienced by all individuals, regardless of political affiliation, ideological views, or voting record. 

I am particularly concerned that provisions in Section § 200.300 and Section § 200.340 that prohibit funding “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” would disproportionately harm Americans served by rural hospitals that often treat those most excluded from healthcare access. These rural hospitals rely on federally funded programs like Medicaid that are specifically designed to address inequities in resources, including healthcare resources. Such facilities that function specifically to enhance equity, inclusion, and accessibility of healthcare would be vulnerable to the application of Section § 200.300. Under Section § 200.340, they could face discretionary termination of federal funding that keeps healthcare flowing to rural populations, effectively cutting off parts of the population from even emergency healthcare services, let alone the kinds of preventative and ongoing care necessary to keep healthcare costs low, and populations healthy. 

As a researcher and scholar, I am also concerned about Sections § 200.300 and § 200.340 as they relate to research and scholarship. The proposed revision indicates that Section § 200.300 is “intended to prevent discrimination on the basis of federally protected characteristics,” something already upheld by existing research ethics and regulations, which must adhere to anti-discrimination policies. Introducing the thinly defined concept of “Unlawful DEI” in Section § 200.300 creates unnecessary confusion about ac…I am also deeply concerned about Section § 200.205, which contradicts core principles of academic freedom by permitting political appointees, not expert peer-review, to guide funding decisions; Section § 200.218, which disallows federal funding of certain research methodologies, allowing ideology rather than expertise to inform research topics and frameworks; and Section § 200.461, which directly contradicts existing federal requirements that federally funded research be open-access by limiting the ability of federal awards to support open-access publishing fees. 

As a philosopher working within academic medicine, I work in interdisciplinary teams, collaborating on research that is not — and should not be — categorized narrowly as either basic research, applied research, or experimental development. Therefore, I am concerned that Section § 200.202(g), requiring such categorization of research awards, shows a fundamental misunderstanding of research and particularly how excellent and innovative research is produced. Mandating such misleading categorization would be a step in the wrong direction for advancing American achievement across all disciplines.  

My professional work within healthcare delivery and healthcare research affirms my belief that there could be improvements to how each of these is funded at the federal, state, and local levels. However, my experience also shows that these proposed changes would lead to certain harm, not helpful improvement. As a researcher I am concerned for the future of innovation, understanding, and intellectual and scientific progress. But as a parent, a community member, and a citizen, I am concerned for the ways in which these proposed changes will harm every aspect of our lives — from the healthcare we can receive, to the roads we drive on, to the education my own children and each of our children receive. Given these clear harms, I ask that the entire proposed rule OMB-2026-0034 be withdrawn. 

I look forward to your respo…
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
Elizabeth Lanphier @ethicselizabeth.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Last year @fabioethics.bsky.social wrote a helpful piece on the International Journal for Feminist Approaches to Bioethics on Public Comments as advocacy that remains timely. Check it out here:
fabnet.org
Bioethics and Public Notice-and-Comment In Federal Rulemaking
<p>In this essay by Rachel Fabi, Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Education in the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University, Dr. Fabi provides a helpful explainer a...
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
So long, sabbatical, it’s been grand 👋
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
5.5 - 3.5 is wayyyyy too close on what was an obvious, open-and-shut constitutional question.
ROBERTS, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which
SOTOMAYOR, KAGAN, BARRETT, and JACKSON, JJ., joined. JACKSON, J.,
filed a concurring opinion, in which SOTOMAYOR, J., joined as to the introduction and Part I. KAVANAUGH, J., filed an opinion concurring in the
judgment and dissenting in part. THOMAS, J., filed a dissenting opinion,
in which GORSUCH, J., joined. ALITO, J., and GORSUCH, J., filed dissenting
opinions.
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Remember when scotus sweeps week was fun?
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
My new First Opinion piece in @statnews.com discusses the forthcoming birthright citizenship decision in Trump v. Barbara (and gives a little preview of one chapter of my still-being-written book about immigration and reproductive justice!) www.statnews.com/2026/06/23/b...
statnews.com
Ending birthright citizenship could be a public health disaster
If the Supreme Court upholds the executive order ending birthright citizenship, it could “have stark consequences at the intersection of bioethics and public health.”
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
These Puzzles Fund Abortion @tpfa.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
THAT’S A WRAP! We raised over $38K this year! Thank you to everyone for your generous contributions! 💜 This means we raised over $7.6K for each of the 5 funds we support! @iwrising.bsky.social @chiabortionfund.bsky.social @abortionfundmd.bsky.social Tampa Bay Abortion Fund OurJustice 💜
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
I'm so proud of our These Puzzles Fund Abortion team and the puzzles we put out and the community that rallies around the abortion funds we support! Please consider donating to support this important cause — the fundraiser ends on Sunday! fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6
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These Puzzles Fund Abortion @tpfa.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
✨Editor Spotlight✨ @burrata.bsky.social (he/him) is an editor of @avcx.bsky.social. He is based in Queens, NY, and is honored to be part of TPFA once again. Ben edited “Round These Parts” (grid shown here) by @fabioethics.bsky.social and @rebecculous.bsky.social! fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6
A 15x15 crossword grid with rotational symmetry. Several squares have circles in them.
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
I also wrote today's @theatlantic.com crossword! www.theatlantic.com/games/daily-...
theatlantic.com
Crossword - The Atlantic
This mini puzzle gets a little more challenging every day: Mondays are the easiest, with the biggest, most difficult puzzle on Sunday.
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Thanks so much!!!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Ahh thanks Sarah!!!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Lemme know how it goes!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Thank you!!!! So glad you gave it a shot 🙏💜
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Thanks John!!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!! With the brilliant @adamwagner.bsky.social
The Crossword
"Come Full Circle"
Fill the grid with answers.
Ready?
Play
May 10, 2026
By Rachel Fabi and Adam Wagner
Edited by Will Shortz
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
Midis for Minnesota @midisforminnesota.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
If you haven't yet gotten access to Midis for Minnesota, now is a great time to do so! Now through Sunday, donations will be matched AND in addition to the digital files, you also have the option of being mailed a limited-edition booklet! For more info, visit our website: www.midisforminnesota.com
Graphic with this text:

THIS WEEKEND ONLY:
DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT
(and get a limited edition booklet!)

Rent is due, and many families need immediate financial support to stay in their homes. 

Now through Sunday (5/3), donations made to get access to Midis for Minnesota will be matched by a generous donor (up to $1000 total).

In addition to their donation being matched, donors will also have the option to be mailed a Midis for Minnesota booklet! (While supplies last)

To donate or to get more details, visit our website: midisforminnesota.com
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
my Roman Empire
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Thanks Lily!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
You’re the best! 🙏🙌
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Reposted by Rachel Fabi Ph.D.
🐈Rex Parker🐈‍⬛ ✏️ 🧐 @rexparker.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Had the thrilling experience of solving Friday’s puzzle on my phone in my hotel room (not the thrilling part) and not knowing who the constructor was and halfway through thinking “damn this is good, who made this?” and then afterwards finding out it was my ❤️friend❤️ @fabioethics.bsky.social !!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Wow Eli this was so kind!! Really glad the puzzle resonated with you! (And if you feel like adding a little PS about TPFA, I’d be so grateful!)
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
And if you enjoyed the puzzle, please consider checking out These Puzzles Fund Abortion, a crossword puzzle fundraiser that supports five abortion funds around the country! fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6
These puzzles fund abortion 6 logo, with a 6 made from the blocks of a crossword puzzle in front of a purple crossword pattern background
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Thanks Emily!!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Just sad SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE is too long!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Oh nice!!! Thanks Eli!!!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Back in the #nytxw with a Friday puzzle that is very ~online~
The Crossword, Friday, April 17, 2026
by Rachel Fabi, edited by Will Shortz

A portion of a blank crossword grid with the central entry highlighted and the clue 36A. Worst of all imaginable chronologies
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Medical schools must continue to teach students about structural barriers to care www.statnews.com/2026/04/15/l... via @statnews.com
statnews.com
Medical schools must continue to teach students about structural barriers to care
“Patients don’t experience illness in a vacuum,” writes Uché Blackstock.
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
hey thanks!!! def let me know what you think! we're pretty proud of them :)
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Friday and Saturday were both 🔥🔥🔥!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
might I recommend some progressive crossword puzzles to while away the insomnia? fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
(so sad not to be there this year 😭)
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
If you're at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament this weekend and you're craving more crosswords, consider checking out These Puzzles Fund Abortion after the finals! #acpt fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6
fund.nnaf.org
These Puzzles Fund Abortion 2026
{{MetaTags.description}}
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Midis for Minnesota @midisforminnesota.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
We are excited to announce Midis for Minnesota, an upcoming crossword pack by Minnesota constructors. Proceeds will support immigrant families in Minnesota who have been impacted by ICE activity. Pack will be released in late April. A preview puzzle by Zhouqin Burnikel is available now.
midisforminnesota.com
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
I am so impressed by the quality of her scholarship and her dedication to this project — I can't wait to read the final product!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
I've had the privilege of working alongside Seçil for the past month at the Brocher Foundation in Switzerland as she's been putting the finishing touches on this book. I have learned so much from her about syphilis in the Ottoman Empire, and the history of Ottoman medicine in general!
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Still laughing about this
JUSTICE BARRETT: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but what about the Constitution?
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Rachel Fabi Ph.D. @fabioethics.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
if it wasn't a whole-ass chapter of my book-in-progress, I too would prefer to wait til I die 🫠
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