Health Nerd
@gidmk.bsky.social
Epidemiologist. Research Fellow. Doctor of Spreadsheets. Writer (Slate, TIME, Guardian, etc). PhD, MPH. Host of senscipod Email [email protected] he/him. Find my writing on Substack and Medium.
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Are Administrators To Blame For Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs?
The story of a viral meme
gidmk.substack.com
My new piece looks at a meme that's been going viral for the last 6 years, and whether healthcare administrators are really causing healthcare costs to skyrocket in the United States.
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
It's quite remarkable watching the very minimal respect I had for Vinay entirely disappear.
November 30, 2025 at 6:31 AM
It's quite remarkable watching the very minimal respect I had for Vinay entirely disappear.
The Guardian investigation into freebirthing is one of the most horrifying things I've read in a long time.
Just awful. So many preventable deaths.
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Just awful. So many preventable deaths.
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:43 AM
The Guardian investigation into freebirthing is one of the most horrifying things I've read in a long time.
Just awful. So many preventable deaths.
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Just awful. So many preventable deaths.
www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
I've come across a trial which randomized in blocks of 4 but had baseline allocations of 54 vs 35.
This does not seem possible to me. Am I missing something?
This does not seem possible to me. Am I missing something?
November 27, 2025 at 1:20 AM
I've come across a trial which randomized in blocks of 4 but had baseline allocations of 54 vs 35.
This does not seem possible to me. Am I missing something?
This does not seem possible to me. Am I missing something?
The stuff you find when you actually read the RCTs in a systematic review...
This paper is one of the foundational studies on vitamin D to prevent respiratory infections in kids. Cited 1,400 times as per Google Scholar.
This paper is one of the foundational studies on vitamin D to prevent respiratory infections in kids. Cited 1,400 times as per Google Scholar.
November 26, 2025 at 9:15 PM
The stuff you find when you actually read the RCTs in a systematic review...
This paper is one of the foundational studies on vitamin D to prevent respiratory infections in kids. Cited 1,400 times as per Google Scholar.
This paper is one of the foundational studies on vitamin D to prevent respiratory infections in kids. Cited 1,400 times as per Google Scholar.
Scientific error-checking, difficulty: easy
Find some issues in this table of results from an RCT of vitamin D for COVID-19. There's a couple of obvious issues, and some that are less easy to spot.
Find some issues in this table of results from an RCT of vitamin D for COVID-19. There's a couple of obvious issues, and some that are less easy to spot.
November 25, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Scientific error-checking, difficulty: easy
Find some issues in this table of results from an RCT of vitamin D for COVID-19. There's a couple of obvious issues, and some that are less easy to spot.
Find some issues in this table of results from an RCT of vitamin D for COVID-19. There's a couple of obvious issues, and some that are less easy to spot.
Scientific error-checking, difficulty: easy
Find the problems in this table of results from an RCT. Two main things I've noticed so far.
Find the problems in this table of results from an RCT. Two main things I've noticed so far.
November 25, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Scientific error-checking, difficulty: easy
Find the problems in this table of results from an RCT. Two main things I've noticed so far.
Find the problems in this table of results from an RCT. Two main things I've noticed so far.
Every time I think that the story of vitamin D supplementation can't get any more ridiculous, it somehow does.
The most used pill in the world and we know it's probably a waste of time for most people.
The most used pill in the world and we know it's probably a waste of time for most people.
November 24, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Every time I think that the story of vitamin D supplementation can't get any more ridiculous, it somehow does.
The most used pill in the world and we know it's probably a waste of time for most people.
The most used pill in the world and we know it's probably a waste of time for most people.
My new piece is on the idea that Batman can make us more ethical and why it is very unlikely to be true.
gidmk.substack.com/p/does-batma...
gidmk.substack.com/p/does-batma...
Does Batman Make Us More Ethical?
The story of a very unlikely finding.
gidmk.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:03 AM
My new piece is on the idea that Batman can make us more ethical and why it is very unlikely to be true.
gidmk.substack.com/p/does-batma...
gidmk.substack.com/p/does-batma...
Ah, Bryan Johnson: the man who looks a decade older than he is and has almost certainly harmed his health through a cocktail of useless - but harmful - supplements.
Also, he pays millions a year for the privilege. HEALTH.
Also, he pays millions a year for the privilege. HEALTH.
And then there was Bryan Johnson, a Silicon Valley multimillionaire known for his extreme anti-ageing ‘biohacks’, like receiving plasma from his teenage son.
Johnson, on a quest to live forever, wants “competing for the best biomarkers of anybody in the world” to be something of a new sport.
Johnson, on a quest to live forever, wants “competing for the best biomarkers of anybody in the world” to be something of a new sport.
November 22, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Ah, Bryan Johnson: the man who looks a decade older than he is and has almost certainly harmed his health through a cocktail of useless - but harmful - supplements.
Also, he pays millions a year for the privilege. HEALTH.
Also, he pays millions a year for the privilege. HEALTH.
Sad to see the CDC is now spreading fairly straightforward lies.
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Sad to see the CDC is now spreading fairly straightforward lies.
My new piece is on the deeply worrying problem of fraud in the obstetric and gynaecological space and what's being done about it.
gidmk.substack.com/p/the-terrif...
gidmk.substack.com/p/the-terrif...
The Terrifying Problem Of Fraud In Women's Health
A scientific issue impacting pretty much every person with a vagina.
gidmk.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM
My new piece is on the deeply worrying problem of fraud in the obstetric and gynaecological space and what's being done about it.
gidmk.substack.com/p/the-terrif...
gidmk.substack.com/p/the-terrif...
Very interesting data - desk rejections have risen hugely at Frontiers journals due largely to paper mill detections and other fraud checks.
Do any other publishers do this automatically?
Do any other publishers do this automatically?
November 18, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Very interesting data - desk rejections have risen hugely at Frontiers journals due largely to paper mill detections and other fraud checks.
Do any other publishers do this automatically?
Do any other publishers do this automatically?
"There are stupid fabricators and there are more competent ones.
Potentially, LLMs lower the bar and allow the stupid ones to do a better job"
~a chilling problem highlighted by Jack Wilkinson at the International Research Integrity Conference
Potentially, LLMs lower the bar and allow the stupid ones to do a better job"
~a chilling problem highlighted by Jack Wilkinson at the International Research Integrity Conference
November 17, 2025 at 11:38 PM
"There are stupid fabricators and there are more competent ones.
Potentially, LLMs lower the bar and allow the stupid ones to do a better job"
~a chilling problem highlighted by Jack Wilkinson at the International Research Integrity Conference
Potentially, LLMs lower the bar and allow the stupid ones to do a better job"
~a chilling problem highlighted by Jack Wilkinson at the International Research Integrity Conference
Reposted by Health Nerd
Live posting day 2 of the International Research Integrity Conference in Sydney.
researchintegrityconf.com/internationa...
We start with session 4: What might work?
Cyril Labbe with "Detection of Research Rubbish and More"
#IRICSydney
researchintegrityconf.com/internationa...
We start with session 4: What might work?
Cyril Labbe with "Detection of Research Rubbish and More"
#IRICSydney
November 17, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Live posting day 2 of the International Research Integrity Conference in Sydney.
researchintegrityconf.com/internationa...
We start with session 4: What might work?
Cyril Labbe with "Detection of Research Rubbish and More"
#IRICSydney
researchintegrityconf.com/internationa...
We start with session 4: What might work?
Cyril Labbe with "Detection of Research Rubbish and More"
#IRICSydney
Reposted by Health Nerd
Next: Jack Wilkinson @jdwilko.bsky.social with 'Problematic clinical trials and the threat to evidence synthesis'
Systematic reviews are considered the cornerstone of medicine. But some of the eligible trials that could be included might be problematic. They could get included.
#IRICSydney
Systematic reviews are considered the cornerstone of medicine. But some of the eligible trials that could be included might be problematic. They could get included.
#IRICSydney
November 17, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Next: Jack Wilkinson @jdwilko.bsky.social with 'Problematic clinical trials and the threat to evidence synthesis'
Systematic reviews are considered the cornerstone of medicine. But some of the eligible trials that could be included might be problematic. They could get included.
#IRICSydney
Systematic reviews are considered the cornerstone of medicine. But some of the eligible trials that could be included might be problematic. They could get included.
#IRICSydney
Reposted by Health Nerd
We end today's conference day with a discussion led by Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz @gidmk.bsky.social
Anyone who has tried to report concerns will have experienced how journals and institutions defer responsibility to the other party and how they 'investigate' and find 'no misconduct'.
#IRICSydney
Anyone who has tried to report concerns will have experienced how journals and institutions defer responsibility to the other party and how they 'investigate' and find 'no misconduct'.
#IRICSydney
November 17, 2025 at 4:05 AM
We end today's conference day with a discussion led by Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz @gidmk.bsky.social
Anyone who has tried to report concerns will have experienced how journals and institutions defer responsibility to the other party and how they 'investigate' and find 'no misconduct'.
#IRICSydney
Anyone who has tried to report concerns will have experienced how journals and institutions defer responsibility to the other party and how they 'investigate' and find 'no misconduct'.
#IRICSydney
Reposted by Health Nerd
We did a thing. 😬
The link between the gut #microbiome and autism is not backed by science, researchers say.
Read the full opinion piece in @cp-neuron.bsky.social: spkl.io/63322AbxpA
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social, @statsepi.bsky.social, & @deevybee.bsky.social
Read the full opinion piece in @cp-neuron.bsky.social: spkl.io/63322AbxpA
@wiringthebrain.bsky.social, @statsepi.bsky.social, & @deevybee.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM
We did a thing. 😬
This is one of the most remarkable academic debacles I've ever seen.
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
PubPeer - Prevention of acute myocardial infarction induced heart fail...
There are comments on PubPeer for publication: Prevention of acute myocardial infarction induced heart failure by intracoronary infusion of mesenchymal stem cells: phase 3 randomised clinical trial (P...
pubpeer.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
This is one of the most remarkable academic debacles I've ever seen.
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
I've thought for a while that one of the key parts of pandemic success - both in terms of mortality and economics - during COVID-19 was public trust.
I also think that one of the things that really supported public trust was consistency of messaging and implementation.
I also think that one of the things that really supported public trust was consistency of messaging and implementation.
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 AM
I've thought for a while that one of the key parts of pandemic success - both in terms of mortality and economics - during COVID-19 was public trust.
I also think that one of the things that really supported public trust was consistency of messaging and implementation.
I also think that one of the things that really supported public trust was consistency of messaging and implementation.
Reposted by Health Nerd
As a Co-Investigator on the #PANDA Trial, I approve this message. Australian friends and colleagues, take note! 👇
www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
#healthybynature
www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
#healthybynature
We're running a trial of exercise in nature here in Sydney. Free support for exercise and wellbeing for those who participate. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share our link: www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 AM
As a Co-Investigator on the #PANDA Trial, I approve this message. Australian friends and colleagues, take note! 👇
www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
#healthybynature
www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
#healthybynature
Someone asked me about ivermectin for COVID-19 recently and it's such a bizarre blast from the past.
Can't believe it's been more than 4 years since we proved much of the benefit was based on fraudulent research! Wild.
Can't believe it's been more than 4 years since we proved much of the benefit was based on fraudulent research! Wild.
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Someone asked me about ivermectin for COVID-19 recently and it's such a bizarre blast from the past.
Can't believe it's been more than 4 years since we proved much of the benefit was based on fraudulent research! Wild.
Can't believe it's been more than 4 years since we proved much of the benefit was based on fraudulent research! Wild.
We're running a trial of exercise in nature here in Sydney. Free support for exercise and wellbeing for those who participate. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share our link: www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
November 9, 2025 at 10:53 PM
We're running a trial of exercise in nature here in Sydney. Free support for exercise and wellbeing for those who participate. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share our link: www.powerlab.site/research/pan...
It is so bizarre seeing people argue that the incredibly limited data showing that severe cases of Long COVID have some minor immune issues makes COVID-19 anything like HIV.
November 8, 2025 at 6:27 AM
It is so bizarre seeing people argue that the incredibly limited data showing that severe cases of Long COVID have some minor immune issues makes COVID-19 anything like HIV.
My new piece looks at a meme that's been going viral for the last 6 years, and whether healthcare administrators are really causing healthcare costs to skyrocket in the United States.
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
Are Administrators To Blame For Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs?
The story of a viral meme
gidmk.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:18 AM
My new piece looks at a meme that's been going viral for the last 6 years, and whether healthcare administrators are really causing healthcare costs to skyrocket in the United States.
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
gidmk.substack.com/p/are-admini...
Reposted by Health Nerd
Imagine getting headshot by a 14 year old in Arc Raiders and then you report him to the Australian police who ban his account. Incredible. Incredible feeling.
Tbh they should include all such platforms in the ban, it would save me from being owned by 14yos.
November 7, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Imagine getting headshot by a 14 year old in Arc Raiders and then you report him to the Australian police who ban his account. Incredible. Incredible feeling.