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Prof Gavin Yamey

@gavinyamey.bsky.social

20K followers 3.4K following 3.9K posts

Hymowitz Family Professor of Global Health & Professor of Public Policy at Duke University. Director of the Center for Policy Impact in Global Health. DJ at WXDU (Thursdays, 4-6pm ET, wxdu.org). TIME columnist. He/him. Tallest Jew on Earth.

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

🚨In a new piece that I co-authored with @michaeldgreen.com for @bmj.com, we argue that Trump's war on DEI in medical education will damage the health of Americans

We present research evidence showing that a diverse medical workforce improves population health outcomes

www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Trump’s war on diversity in medical education could shorten Americans’ lives

Building a diverse medical workforce is a crucial step to improving population health outcomes, write Gavin Yamey and Michael D Green The Trump administration and its allies have recently taken seve...

www.bmj.com

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Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 9h

The Trump administration has promoted the anti-vax, anti-science movement which has now produced an epidemic www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Hundreds of U.S. students quarantined amid measles outbreaks

At least 270 unvaccinated kids are staying home from school as measles continues to spread nationwide. "Expect more," one expert said.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Jon Shaffer @jonshaffer.bsky.social · 23h

Scared about the systematic destruction of public health under the Trump regime?

Better get organized!

Here are some ideas how we can do it.

Jon Shaffer @jonshaffer.bsky.social · 8d

How can the justice-oriented public health community build power to fight back & fight for health equity in an era of oligarchy & fascism?

I'm not sure, but here are some podcast reflections on how we at @defendpublichealth.bsky.social are trying our best:

www.infectiousdose.com/post/from-ev...

From Evidence to Power: Organizing for Public Health with Jon Shaffer, PhD

Sociologist–organizer Jon Shaffer, PhD, joins Infectious Dose to explain why organizing—not just evidence—wins public-health protections, how DPH is building state teams, and what you can do next.

www.infectiousdose.com

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Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 22h

“The administration did not like that CDC data did not support their narrative, so they got rid of them. They didn’t like that CDC policy groups would not rubber stamp their unscientific ideas, so they got rid of them”.

The damage to the CDC is “beyond repair”.

‘The damage is beyond repair’: The CDC faces another round of deep staff cuts | CNN

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suffered another round of deep staff cuts late Friday, with disease detectives, outbreak forecasters, policy and data offices among those impacted, ac...

edition.cnn.com

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Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Derek Beres @derekberes.bsky.social · 21h

It's going to take generations to recover from RFK Jr.

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/c...

"CDC is over": RFK Jr. lays off over 1,000 employees in Friday night massacre

Amid the ongoing shutdown, the HHS secretary wiped out entire offices that investigate disease outbreaks, manage infectious disease responses and collect data.

www.msnbc.com

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 1h

youtu.be/SVuVg0-iH1I?...

Amorous Cat

YouTube video by Stan Getz - Topic

youtu.be

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2h

Yup, The Atlantic did a superb job “normalizing” RFK Jr, arguably the world’s most dangerous & extreme conspiracy theorist & anti-vaxx activist 😢

Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 1d

There must be some mistake, I read 50 Atlantic articles about how RFK Jr just wants to help Americans eat more vegetables

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 1d

They continue to eviscerate the public health machinery that has quietly kept Americans, and others around the world, safe and healthy for decades.

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2h

Sure, the Trump Administration is actively destroying US public health, including vaccination systems & much federally funded research, leading to resurgence of previously controlled diseases—but MAGA & MAHA hero Dr Jay Bhattacharya on NEWSMAX says it is “slander” to call Trump anti-science, OK?!

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2h

🎯

Mallory Harris, PhD @malar0ne.bsky.social · 2h

"The administration may claim that some of these RIFs were ‘errors’. By extension, they may try and argue that many RIFs were ‘correct’. We should assume otherwise: the wholesale use of RIFs is a form of political retribution that does not serve federal agency missions. This is a failure by design."

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 20h

New post:

With Malice Toward All and Charity for None:
Oct. 10-11 CDC (Un)Firing Edition

joshuasweitz.substack.com/publish/post...

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 4h

Are the MAGA and MAHA men who are running and ruining US public health—Jim O’Neill, RFK Jr, the Great Barrington Declaration dudes, Dr Makary, Dr Prasad—dangerously incompetent or are they actively nefarious….or is it both?

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 16h

Fact remains hundreds of #CDC staff doing critical work lost their jobs this weekend in the administration’s ongoing destruction of what was the world’s premier public health agency.

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Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 7h

Sunday reading:

I wrote about the aggrieved extremist who is currently firing thousands of federal workers and ravaging state capacity based on conspiratorial nonsense - and about mainstream media’s infuriating tendency to sanitize Russell Vought and the regime he serves.

This week’s piece:

We need to talk about Russell Vought – But Properly

Why certain mainstream outlets insist on sanitizing Vought as a devout “small government” conservative – and what actually animates his war against pluralistic democracy

steady.page

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Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH, SM @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social · 5h

This is a long RFK Jr talking point. He’s on script, I guess.

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 5h

The lab leak conspiracy theorists running the US health agencies are getting kookier & kookier 🤦‍♂️

In fact, research shows that “the Lyme disease bacterium is ancient in North America, circulating silently in forests for at least 60,000 years” (medicine.yale.edu/news-article...)

Jonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 1d

Makary is now saying that Lyme came from a lab too.

youtu.be/bQovoQaaE4w?...

Silly Makary says COVID and Lyme came from labs.

YouTube video by Jonathan Howard

youtu.be

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 7h

Spending the weekend in the mountains……have I missed anything of importance?

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

It was ICE kidnapping someone outside an elementary school 😢

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🎃 public HELLth guy 🎃 @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 2d

project 2025

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

EPA officials directed scientists to assess whether the government could develop methods for detecting abortion pills in wastewater — a practice sought by the anti-abortion movement. The request appears to have originated from a letter sent from GOP members to Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator.

Under Trump, E.P.A. Explored if Abortion Pills Could Be Detected in Wastewater

Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency found that they could develop methods to identify traces of the medication if necessary — a practice long sought by the anti-abortion movement.

nyti.ms

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

bsky.app/profile/gavi...

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

AEIOU (Jim James) 10/10
AEIOU (Wye Oak & The Brooklyn Youth Chorus) 10/10

Rob Davies @byrobdavies.bsky.social · 2d

Fun music game.

Take two songs with the same name and post your combined score out of 10. How high can you get?

No covers/no triples (e.g. Power of Love)

My first effort, which i think is hard to beat...

Zombie (Fela Kuti) 10/10
Zombie (The Cranberries) 7/10

Total score: 17

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

AEIOU (Jim James) 10/10
AEIOU (Wye Oak & The Brooklyn Youth Chorus) 10/10

Rob Davies @byrobdavies.bsky.social · 2d

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

Oh I see, ha ha ha, yes way too srsly!

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

Mark them based on what though?

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

True 😢

Alex Merz 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇦 @merz.bsky.social · 2d

But that is the intent.

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

Yes, we argue vociferously, backed by empirical research, that patients’ wellbeing and health outcomes will suffer from the Trump administration’s push to end DEI policies at US medical schools

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

How is the scoring done?

Reposted by Prof Gavin Yamey

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 2d

www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

Can you put into words what that purpose is? You and the frog have really become icons of this protest.

There’s been a nice overall whimsy that has shown up. The frog is amazing. We had a bunch of other inflatable people here last night, too. I saw people playing Twister the other day.

What they rely on is fear. So by coming out in an absurdist manner, it speaks to them, to some extent, that we’re actually not that afraid.

It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as “war-torn,” it becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it’s, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated

Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

This is astoundingly wonderful writing

@thequietus.com is essential reading for any music lover!

The Ineffable Horror of Joe Muggs @joemuggs.bsky.social · 2d

I dug into the Wierd Eighties for @thequietus.com

Compilation of the Week: The Sheer Action Of Fini Tribe – 1982-1987 | The Quietus

Joe Muggs looks back beyond rigid gatekeeping to the mad flux of the 1980s and the Scottish band who were outsider art and proto-rave

thequietus.com

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Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2d

Yes, we argue vociferously, backed by empirical research, that patients’ wellbeing and health outcomes will suffer from the Trump administration’s push to end DEI policies at US medical schools

The BMJ @bmj.com · 2d

The Trump administration and its allies have taken several steps to ensure that medical schools in the US dismantle all diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

It is patients who will be the victims of this, write @gavinyamey.bsky.social and @michaeldgreen.com
www.bmj.com/content/391/...

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