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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Or why grandma might no longer get the long-term care she depends on? Spare us the outrage over cereal. The real danger isn’t and never was in the dyes. Folks like her have shown their true colors: their silence. End

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Eva Mendes has a children’s book about childhood fears and worries. Seriously? Does it explain to kids why their parents can’t afford groceries after HER campaign against food dyes helped gut programs like SNAP? Does it tell them why they’re losing their health coverage? 4/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

It will be toxic air and contaminated water from rolling back EPA protections. It will be children with higher risk of disability because of reduced prenatal care and abortion bans. It will be kids whose grandma worsens after a rural hospital closes. And the most ironic part?...(wait for it). 3/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

But strangely, she’s had nothing to say about the things that will actually harm and disable countless children in this country. Because it won’t be food dyes. It will be the gutting of food assistance programs like SNAP. It will be cuts to Medicaid, which currently covers 30M children. 2/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Has anyone heard from Eva Mendes lately? Or Cindy Crawford, for that matter, the one who once demonized food dyes while her husband owns a tequila brand? Eva deserves an Oscar for her performative outrage over color additives in cereal, and her advocacy for MAHA as an extension of that. 1/n

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Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Too many vaccines in the first year?Your child is 44% more likely to survive to one year if they are vaccinated than if they are unvaccinated.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38367758/ gh.bmj.com/content/9/4/... www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes... www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

These anti-science wingnuts are sabotaging progress made by OUR tax dollars, our public institutions, and our collective investment in health. And Makary, Prasad, and Bhattacharya are enabling this, like the pawns they are. They will ALL have blood on their hands. End

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

This isn’t about “choice”, it NEVER was. The language of "medical freedom" was purely co-opted as a deliberate strategy to dismantle public trust in vaccines, all while masquerading as parental rights and empowerment. 9/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Adjusting for base rate, the risk of hospitalization was double in unvaccinated children relative to vaccinated counterparts. RFK Jr. is knowingly putting pregnant women and children in harm’s way, all to appease a fringe, pseudoscientific agenda. 8/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

This reflects passive immunity passed from mother to baby. And children? We also know that the risk of hospitalization is lower in children ages 5-11 who were vaccinated. Data from the Omicron period in the U.S. showed that a large share, ~87% of the children hospitalized, were unvaccinated. 7/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

This is consistent with CDC data that shows that the risk of hospitalization is 61% less likely in infants (up to 6 months) whose mother was fully vaccinated during pregnancy. Protection against hospitalization was much higher after 21 weeks (80% at 21+ vs. 32% before that). 6/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

A study in Norway looked at ~20,000+ infants during the Delta and Omicron waves. Infants born to vaccinated mothers had a lower risk of COVID-19 infection relative to unvaccinated ones. During Delta: COVID infection rate of 1.2 vs. 3.0 per 10,000 follow-up days During Omicron: 7.0 vs. 10.9. 5/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Newborns of unvaccinated mothers had an increased risk for neonatal death (double relative to non-infected ones). Neonates of vaccinated mothers, especially boosted mothers, had a decreased risk for preterm birth, newborn respiratory distress, and NICU days. 4/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

It didn’t drop down below pre-pandemic levels until 2023 (18.6 per 100,000). A meta-analysis of 67 studies with 1.8+ million pregnant women found that those fully vaccinated had: 61% lower odds of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy 94% lower odds of hospitalization What about the newborns? 3/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Just so we are ALL on the same page: This is a deliberate rejection of science in favor of ideology, and it will cost lives. A quick reality check: The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. surged from 20.1 in 2019 to 32.9 in 2021 (> 50% spike), due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Today, RFK Jr., a man with *ZERO medical credentials, ZERO scientific training, and ZERO experience treating a single pregnant woman with COVID-19 complications*, announced plans to eliminate routine COVID-19 vaccination guidance for children and pregnant women. 1/n

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Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD @kmpanthagani.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Big pharma vs the wellness industry, which is more profitable? Collab with @niniandthebrain.bsky.social.

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Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

(Graphic stolen from the incredible @niniandthebrain.bsky.social)

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

The risk of becoming disabled or needing long-term care is not an outlier, it’s the norm. These systems are a last resort, not just for the poor, but middle-class folks who may become poor through illness. Unlike yachts, these aren't luxuries. They are investments in human health + potential. End

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Another study found that low-income seniors and disabled adults (duals) who lost Medicaid also lost vital Medicare coverage that lowers prescription drug costs. Consequently, they were less likely to fill their prescriptions and were up to 22% more likely to die. 16/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

A study of 37M people found that adults who gained Medicaid through ACA were 21% less likely to die yearly; states that expanded Medicaid saved 27,400 lives (2010–2022). Even younger adults saw strong life-saving effects, likely from mental health and substance use interventions. 15/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Without Medicaid or early or specialized interventions, that child may go without the support they need, not because the help doesn’t exist, but because it’s out of financial reach. We are both neglecting their potential and locking them out of a full and healthy life before it even begins. 14/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

It then becomes one's financial responsibility, at a time when one is trying to build a life and care for children, too. And speaking of children, if a child is born with or acquires a disability, their future depends heavily on whether their family can access the right support. 13/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

As Medicaid is gutted, it won’t just affect “other people.” It leaves parents without home care or pushes them toward disability or long-term care, which is prohibitively expensive and often not covered by Medicare or private insurance. 12/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

That’s not reality for millions of folks. Healthcare tied to employment is a fragile setup, especially in a country where losing your job can mean losing your doctor, prescriptions, and access to care in a split second. Many people may not realize this yet, but they’re not immune. 11/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

2 in 5 adults >= 65 report having at least one disability. Some argue, “Why not just get a better job with better insurance?” That assumes a lot: – Jobs with coverage are available – That you’re healthy enough to work – That your employer plan is affordable and covers what you need 10/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

....you’re separate from this. That cuts to Medicaid or food stamps affect only “other people.” Social safety nets ARE health interventions. They quietly stabilize lives and reduce risk before things fall apart. You can do EVERYTHING right and still become disabled and financially strained. 9/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

...if circumstances were to change? Or if you live in a rural area where the local hospital shuts down? Because here's the trajectory: -As more people lose coverage, rural hospitals close. -More care gets privatized -Prices go up for absolutely everyone. The lie is thinking that... 8/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

The downstream ramifications spiral quickly, resulting in unstable housing, more poverty, and inconsistent access to meds. Even manageable conditions, like asthma or infections, will turn into ER visits and hospital stays. You may have a decent plan now through your job. But what happens... 7/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

...don’t just create financial strain and food insecurity, they increase risk of physical and mental illness. People who can’t afford enough nutritious food are more likely to develop pregnancy complications, poor childhood development, and chronic conditions.. And that's just the beginning. 6/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

If your kid has a fall that results in a TBI, they are now at higher risk. It also drives up healthcare costs, which are eventually passed on to others through higher premiums and hospital fees. Similarly, cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP... 5/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

...because you have good insurance or can afford groceries, think again. When people lose Medicaid, they don’t stop getting sick. They just stop getting TIMELY care until it’s an emergency. This overwhelms ER capacity, making it harder for ALL of us to access care. 4/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Many people who receive health insurance through their employers or who can more easily afford basic necessities like food often feel detached or unaffected by news of cuts to Medicaid or SNAP benefits that favor lower-income families and individuals. But if you think you’re unaffected... 3/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

As beds filled up, supply chains tumbled, and ER wait times exploded, surgeries were delayed, and even non-COVID emergencies became riskier. The same logic applies now to something less visible but just as dangerous: cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. 2/n

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Often, people don’t understand how something impacts them until it stares them right in the face. That’s why so many dismissed the COVID-19 mitigation measures, believing their health made them invincible, while ignoring how strained hospitals and overwhelmed systems could still hurt them. 1/n

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Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

this may be because I am restricting my consumption of news media in a mostly futile effort to preserve sanity but I feel like politicians are really not connecting/messaging that health is instrumentalized as a foundation for freedom, a central tenet under which this entire country is founded

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

It's sort of comical how you think that you've made a ‘choice’ that exempts you from the rest, when, in fact, your lifestyle and health are made possible by choices made for you by other people in those regulatory roles.

media.tenor.com

a woman sitting in a chair with the words that 's all written on the bottom

ALT: a woman sitting in a chair with the words that 's all written on the bottom

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Those regulatory choices made for you filtered down through many agencies and trickled down to some tragic whole foods store where you fished out that piece of fruit that is now safe for you to eat (btw, it probably DOES have pesticides) and also, ensure the water you drink at the gym is clean.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

You ride on herd immunity, shielded by the very thing you refuse to acknowledge. And yet, if you were to fall ill—when vitamins and organic produce fail you—you won’t hesitate to seek medical intervention, to demand the very treatments developed by the same science you so readily reject.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

That pristine apple? Grown, harvested and transported under agricultural safety laws. You’re also blithely unaware that you don’t experience these diseases—the ones you so confidently dismiss—because vaccines have worked so well that you have the luxury of pretending they were never necessary.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

You believe that through sheer force of will and clean living, you have opted out of the system. But you don’t realize that the very fruit you virtuously selected, the supplements you dutifully ingest, and the gym you frequent all exist within frameworks of regulations designed to protect YOU.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Okay. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go on with your life eating a piece of organic fruit, sipping on your supplement-laden smoothie, and exercising because you are trying to tell the world that you take care of your body and don’t need vaccines or a regulatory framework.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

If Miranda Priestly was in charge of public health communications:

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Commercial aviation (under part 121) consistently demonstrates a remarkably low accident rate; despite millions of flights annually, the actual risk remains minuscule. The FAA oversees over 10 million flights per year.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

These operate under different FAA regulatory frameworks. General aviation (under part 135) includes private & recreational flights. It exhibits a higher accident rate due to varied pilot training, less stringent regulatory oversight, and the inherently different nature of non-commercial operations.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

At the moment, there is insufficient evidence that air travel safety has deteriorated (note: we have had staffing issues for some time now). However, the media is overamplifying events, often by conflating general aviation—primarily private planes—with commercial flight statistics.

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Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Chronic disease: Americans are sick because our society is sick. Companies keep people in poverty by refusing to pay a living wage. Working two jobs means no time for exercise or even rest. We tie healthcare to corrupt health ins. companies that won’t pay. Structural racism harms people of color.

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niniandthebrain @niniandthebrain.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Misinformation is disempowerment masked as rebellion. People think they are on to some truth that no one else has (or that scientists are withholding) when in reality they are being deceived and controlled. End

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