Aaron Richterman
@draaron.bsky.social
Penn HIV/ID physician-scientist — Poverty/Food Insecurity and Health — Social Protection Policies
https://ldi.upenn.edu/fellows/fellows-directory/aaron-richterman-md-mph/
https://ldi.upenn.edu/fellows/fellows-directory/aaron-richterman-md-mph/
Pinned
New in @thelancet.com: a follow-up to our @nature.com paper on cash transfers and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
New in @thelancet.com: a follow-up to our @nature.com paper on cash transfers and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
November 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM
New in @thelancet.com: a follow-up to our @nature.com paper on cash transfers and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
New in @thelancet.com: a follow-up to our @nature.com paper on cash transfers and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
November 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM
New in @thelancet.com: a follow-up to our @nature.com paper on cash transfers and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
This studies explores *why* cash transfers reduce death, tracing effects on determinants of survival.
free access 🔗: kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...
Within a few years after giving birth, many women with HIV fall out of care. In our new paper from rural Haiti, we explore why this happens—and what might help prevent it
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Money, Medicine, and Motherhood: Developing a Cash Transfer for Pregnant Women with HIV in Rural Haiti - AIDS and Behavior
Improving perinatal engagement in HIV care is critical to prevent disease progression and transmission. In Haiti and other low-resource settings, poverty contributes substantially to poor perinatal HI...
link.springer.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Within a few years after giving birth, many women with HIV fall out of care. In our new paper from rural Haiti, we explore why this happens—and what might help prevent it
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
SNAP benefits may resume—but deep cuts are still coming. Court rulings may soon restart payments, but the One Big Beautiful Bill Act slashes SNAP by $187 billion. LDI Fellows discussed how this will impact food insecurity, worsen health outcomes, and more.
https://bit.ly/4hJLKbl
https://bit.ly/4hJLKbl
Deep Food Cuts are Coming for Millions of Americans
But what many lawmakers, journalists, and Americans fail to recognize is that SNAP is also a hugely successful public health operation.
ldi.upenn.edu
November 4, 2025 at 4:12 PM
SNAP benefits may resume—but deep cuts are still coming. Court rulings may soon restart payments, but the One Big Beautiful Bill Act slashes SNAP by $187 billion. LDI Fellows discussed how this will impact food insecurity, worsen health outcomes, and more.
https://bit.ly/4hJLKbl
https://bit.ly/4hJLKbl
This is a good write up on the unfortunate and likely health consequences of upcoming SNAP cuts.
Not to mention the desperation being experienced by many people now experiencing a delay in Nov benefits.
ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/res...
Not to mention the desperation being experienced by many people now experiencing a delay in Nov benefits.
ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/res...
Deep Food Cuts are Coming for Millions of Americans
But what many lawmakers, journalists, and Americans fail to recognize is that SNAP is also a hugely successful public health operation.
ldi.upenn.edu
November 4, 2025 at 3:43 PM
This is a good write up on the unfortunate and likely health consequences of upcoming SNAP cuts.
Not to mention the desperation being experienced by many people now experiencing a delay in Nov benefits.
ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/res...
Not to mention the desperation being experienced by many people now experiencing a delay in Nov benefits.
ldi.upenn.edu/our-work/res...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
Three major respiratory viruses COVID-19, RSV & flu still drive hospitalizations yearly. A new review of 511 studies shows current vaccines work. COVID-19 mRNA shots targeting XBB.1.5 cut hospitalizations by ~46–50%; newer KP.2-adapted vaccines reached 68% effectiveness.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Updated Evidence for Covid-19, RSV, and Influenza Vaccines for 2025–2026 | NEJM
Changes in the vaccine advisory process in the United States have disrupted immunization
guidance, which reinforces the need for independent evidence review to inform decisions
regarding immunizati...
www.nejm.org
October 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Three major respiratory viruses COVID-19, RSV & flu still drive hospitalizations yearly. A new review of 511 studies shows current vaccines work. COVID-19 mRNA shots targeting XBB.1.5 cut hospitalizations by ~46–50%; newer KP.2-adapted vaccines reached 68% effectiveness.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
Thank you, @cidrap.bsky.social, for covering our new @nejm.org review of Covid-19, RSV, and influenza immunizations.
Check it out: cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/meta-analysis-covid-rsv-flu-vaccines-fall-provides-sea-data-showing-efficacy-safety
Check it out: cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/meta-analysis-covid-rsv-flu-vaccines-fall-provides-sea-data-showing-efficacy-safety
Meta-analysis of COVID, RSV, flu vaccines for fall provides 'sea of data' showing efficacy, safety
cidrap.umn.edu
October 30, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Thank you, @cidrap.bsky.social, for covering our new @nejm.org review of Covid-19, RSV, and influenza immunizations.
Check it out: cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/meta-analysis-covid-rsv-flu-vaccines-fall-provides-sea-data-showing-efficacy-safety
Check it out: cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/meta-analysis-covid-rsv-flu-vaccines-fall-provides-sea-data-showing-efficacy-safety
👇🏻 our new paper on updated evidence for respiratory virus vaccines
Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
October 30, 2025 at 5:04 AM
👇🏻 our new paper on updated evidence for respiratory virus vaccines
“The evidence-based processes used by the ACIP were adopted to prevent exactly what happened at the first 2 meetings this year: presentation of anecdotes, selective quoting of single studies, and a lack of in-depth evaluation of some of the evidence presented.”
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
ACIP Standards for Assessing Evidence
This Viewpoint discusses Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards for clinical guideline development and measures taken by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to bring ACIP in line wi...
share.google
October 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
“The evidence-based processes used by the ACIP were adopted to prevent exactly what happened at the first 2 meetings this year: presentation of anecdotes, selective quoting of single studies, and a lack of in-depth evaluation of some of the evidence presented.”
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
📢 Important update! Join the Vaccine Integrity Project live stream TOMORROW 8/19 at 2pm ET.
We'll review flu, COVID & RSV vaccine data—focused on safety & efficacy during pregnancy, and for kids & the immunocompromised.
Watch here:
We'll review flu, COVID & RSV vaccine data—focused on safety & efficacy during pregnancy, and for kids & the immunocompromised.
Watch here:
From Data to Decisions: The Evidence Base for 2025 Fall/Winter Immunizations
Join the Vaccine Integrity Project for an expert presentation on the latest publicly available data regarding the safety and efficacy of flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines. In this recorded live stream, the scientific research team will highlight key findings on the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19
www.youtube.com
August 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
📢 Important update! Join the Vaccine Integrity Project live stream TOMORROW 8/19 at 2pm ET.
We'll review flu, COVID & RSV vaccine data—focused on safety & efficacy during pregnancy, and for kids & the immunocompromised.
Watch here:
We'll review flu, COVID & RSV vaccine data—focused on safety & efficacy during pregnancy, and for kids & the immunocompromised.
Watch here:
Tomorrow at 2pm the Vaccine Integrity Project through @CIDRAP will host a live webinar, From Data to Decisions: The Evidence Base for 2025 Fall/Winter Immunizations.
The panel will break down evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness followed by a Q&A.
youtube.com/watch?v=lSuvGl…
The panel will break down evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness followed by a Q&A.
youtube.com/watch?v=lSuvGl…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=lSuvGl…
August 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Tomorrow at 2pm the Vaccine Integrity Project through @CIDRAP will host a live webinar, From Data to Decisions: The Evidence Base for 2025 Fall/Winter Immunizations.
The panel will break down evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness followed by a Q&A.
youtube.com/watch?v=lSuvGl…
The panel will break down evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness followed by a Q&A.
youtube.com/watch?v=lSuvGl…
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
Of every 1,000 children born in Kenya, 32 don’t make it to their first birthdays. A new stumbled onto a straightforward solution: Giving $1,000 to poor families lowered infant mortality rates by nearly half, and deaths in children under 5 by 45 percent.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/h...
A New Way to Reduce Children’s Deaths: Cash
www.nytimes.com
August 18, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Of every 1,000 children born in Kenya, 32 don’t make it to their first birthdays. A new stumbled onto a straightforward solution: Giving $1,000 to poor families lowered infant mortality rates by nearly half, and deaths in children under 5 by 45 percent.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/h...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/h...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
To save the lives of infants and small kids in lower resource countries, there are a handful of tools: anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. A massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another. n.pr/4fKcjw3
Researchers discover a secret weapon that saves babies' lives. And it's not medical
To save the lives of infants and small kids in lower resource countries, there are a handful of tools: anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. A massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another.
n.pr
August 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
To save the lives of infants and small kids in lower resource countries, there are a handful of tools: anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. A massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another. n.pr/4fKcjw3
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
IMPORTANT UPDATE IMPORTANT UPDATE
Regarding APHU/ACLU et al. vs. NIH Lawsuit
Regarding APHU/ACLU et al. vs. NIH Lawsuit
a cartoon of a man and a dog with the words now 's the time for action written on the bottom
ALT: a cartoon of a man and a dog with the words now 's the time for action written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
July 30, 2025 at 11:23 PM
IMPORTANT UPDATE IMPORTANT UPDATE
Regarding APHU/ACLU et al. vs. NIH Lawsuit
Regarding APHU/ACLU et al. vs. NIH Lawsuit
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
I wrote a letter to my mom about Gaza. It's personal, but I wanted to share, in case it can be useful to anyone else who’s decided it’s time to have this discussion with their parents, or any parents who’ve decided it’s time to understand their children. aaronregunberg.substack.com/p/a-message-...
A message to our Jewish parents on Gaza
You taught us to say "Never Again." We need you to say it now.
aaronregunberg.substack.com
July 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I wrote a letter to my mom about Gaza. It's personal, but I wanted to share, in case it can be useful to anyone else who’s decided it’s time to have this discussion with their parents, or any parents who’ve decided it’s time to understand their children. aaronregunberg.substack.com/p/a-message-...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
1. The pediatric death toll from #flu for 2024-25 continues to climb, with #CDC informed of 5 more deaths last week. That brings the season's total so far to 266, which is only 22 fewer than during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic! Of kids eligible for vax & for whom vax status is known, 90% weren't vaxed.
July 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
To me, this is the most remarkable thing about global health: With a relatively small amount of money, you can do a great deal of good for a great many people. This is money well spent, and we should go back to spending it—now.
July 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM
To me, this is the most remarkable thing about global health: With a relatively small amount of money, you can do a great deal of good for a great many people. This is money well spent, and we should go back to spending it—now.
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
A new study estimates that USAID saved 92 million lives from 2001 to 2021, and that its demolition could kill 14 million people in only five years through 2030.
That would make the end of USAID by far the most impactful action Trump has taken this year. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
That would make the end of USAID by far the most impactful action Trump has taken this year. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
USAID cuts could lead to 14 million deaths over the next five years, researchers say
An analysis published Monday in the medical journal The Lancet projects that cuts to the agency will lead to more deaths from diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
www.nbcnews.com
July 1, 2025 at 10:40 PM
A new study estimates that USAID saved 92 million lives from 2001 to 2021, and that its demolition could kill 14 million people in only five years through 2030.
That would make the end of USAID by far the most impactful action Trump has taken this year. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
That would make the end of USAID by far the most impactful action Trump has taken this year. www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
Hepatitis B can be passed from parent to baby at birth - and when that happens, the consequences can be deadly. It is unscientific and dangerous to intentionally ignore the success of U.S. vaccination programs or argue that the U.S. should not vaccinate babies for hepatitis B at birth.
June 25, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Hepatitis B can be passed from parent to baby at birth - and when that happens, the consequences can be deadly. It is unscientific and dangerous to intentionally ignore the success of U.S. vaccination programs or argue that the U.S. should not vaccinate babies for hepatitis B at birth.
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
New from me and the great @hana-kiros.bsky.social reporting on the devastation caused by the USAID cuts Musk championed, Musk’s troubling obsession with “western civilization” and which lives he believes are worth saving (it’s not kids in South Sudan)
Who Does Elon Musk Believe Is Worth Saving?
The tech billionaire wants to shape humanity’s future. Not everyone has a place there.
www.theatlantic.com
June 24, 2025 at 3:31 PM
New from me and the great @hana-kiros.bsky.social reporting on the devastation caused by the USAID cuts Musk championed, Musk’s troubling obsession with “western civilization” and which lives he believes are worth saving (it’s not kids in South Sudan)
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
We know that undernourished persons with TB are at higher risk of mortality, but why?
My incredible mentee Dr. Alexa Tabackman tries to understand why in this new paper:
tinyurl.com/2jc76v8c
A thread 🧵
@buceid.bsky.social @bostonmedical.bsky.social @madhupai.bsky.social
@meganmurray.bsky.social
My incredible mentee Dr. Alexa Tabackman tries to understand why in this new paper:
tinyurl.com/2jc76v8c
A thread 🧵
@buceid.bsky.social @bostonmedical.bsky.social @madhupai.bsky.social
@meganmurray.bsky.social
Impact of premorbid nutritional status on TB severity: Ingenta ConnectBACKGROUNDMETHODSRESULTSCONCLUSIONS
www.ingentaconnect.com
June 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM
We know that undernourished persons with TB are at higher risk of mortality, but why?
My incredible mentee Dr. Alexa Tabackman tries to understand why in this new paper:
tinyurl.com/2jc76v8c
A thread 🧵
@buceid.bsky.social @bostonmedical.bsky.social @madhupai.bsky.social
@meganmurray.bsky.social
My incredible mentee Dr. Alexa Tabackman tries to understand why in this new paper:
tinyurl.com/2jc76v8c
A thread 🧵
@buceid.bsky.social @bostonmedical.bsky.social @madhupai.bsky.social
@meganmurray.bsky.social
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
NEW: The Trump administration said their research did not "enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness."
Thousands of scientists disagreed.
We heard from +150 researchers impacted by the NIH grant terminations on what is being lost in the cuts. 🧵👇
projects.propublica.org/nih-cuts-res...
Thousands of scientists disagreed.
We heard from +150 researchers impacted by the NIH grant terminations on what is being lost in the cuts. 🧵👇
projects.propublica.org/nih-cuts-res...
Shattered Science: The Research Lost as Trump Targets NIH Funding
The Trump administration cut research funding that sought cures for future pandemics, examined the causes of dementia and tried to prevent HIV transmission. More than 150 researchers shared with ProPu...
projects.propublica.org
June 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
NEW: The Trump administration said their research did not "enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness."
Thousands of scientists disagreed.
We heard from +150 researchers impacted by the NIH grant terminations on what is being lost in the cuts. 🧵👇
projects.propublica.org/nih-cuts-res...
Thousands of scientists disagreed.
We heard from +150 researchers impacted by the NIH grant terminations on what is being lost in the cuts. 🧵👇
projects.propublica.org/nih-cuts-res...
Reposted by Aaron Richterman
Anyone that has been around a lab knows that the trainees really drive the research, while most professors just sort of guide the ship. Most innovation comes from our trainees.
Old professors like me will be able to survive these cuts, but our young scientists and our future will be destroyed.
Old professors like me will be able to survive these cuts, but our young scientists and our future will be destroyed.
June 3, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Anyone that has been around a lab knows that the trainees really drive the research, while most professors just sort of guide the ship. Most innovation comes from our trainees.
Old professors like me will be able to survive these cuts, but our young scientists and our future will be destroyed.
Old professors like me will be able to survive these cuts, but our young scientists and our future will be destroyed.
Just published: our commentary on a new study adding to the growing evidence showing how anti-poverty programs improve population health.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
The health dividend of cash transfer programmes
Cash transfer programmes have expanded rapidly across low-income and middle-income
countries (LMICs), from eight countries with programmes in 1960 to 134 countries in
2019, and have demonstrated effec...
www.thelancet.com
June 2, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Just published: our commentary on a new study adding to the growing evidence showing how anti-poverty programs improve population health.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...