Blake Murdoch
@blakemurdoch.bsky.social
JD, MBA. Canadian health policy academic, bioethicist and science communicator.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
To highlight Mark’s call out here, EBM acts in a way that reflects underlying colonial values labelling some types of knowledge as ‘savage’ and others as pure and holy.
When used to control information this is colonialism manifest.
Same strategy used to place Western knowledge over Indigenous.
When used to control information this is colonialism manifest.
Same strategy used to place Western knowledge over Indigenous.
...have inflated EBM, GRADE and other variants into an entire Lysenkoist pseudoscience.
Evidence from outside the EBM bubble is erased by EBM's doctrine of terra nullius - conveniently allowing those grabbing for power to claim their checklists give them the understanding to Be In Charge, but...
Evidence from outside the EBM bubble is erased by EBM's doctrine of terra nullius - conveniently allowing those grabbing for power to claim their checklists give them the understanding to Be In Charge, but...
🧵(1/n) An unfortunate example of confusion around the value of RCTs common to practitioners with limited research training. RCTs are a useful scientific method, but they are only a small part of the biomedical researcher's deep toolbox.
bsky.app/profile/mark...
bsky.app/profile/mark...
November 19, 2025 at 1:12 PM
To highlight Mark’s call out here, EBM acts in a way that reflects underlying colonial values labelling some types of knowledge as ‘savage’ and others as pure and holy.
When used to control information this is colonialism manifest.
Same strategy used to place Western knowledge over Indigenous.
When used to control information this is colonialism manifest.
Same strategy used to place Western knowledge over Indigenous.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
i'm sorry to have to relay this, but Leslie Lee III has passed away. if you can help with his family's expenses, please read on. they need the help right now.
November 14, 2025 at 9:12 PM
i'm sorry to have to relay this, but Leslie Lee III has passed away. if you can help with his family's expenses, please read on. they need the help right now.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
💔 Alice Wong’s last words: “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
November 15, 2025 at 6:53 PM
💔 Alice Wong’s last words: “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
We can never thank Alice enough for fighting all the good fights and especially all the hard fights. We all learned so much from your brilliance, your courage, and your indefatigable leadership. We will never forget you.
Guess what has mediated EBV reactivation in millions of people?
November 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Guess what has mediated EBV reactivation in millions of people?
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Looks like he forgot to mention Covid. Oops, what a surprise
November 15, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Looks like he forgot to mention Covid. Oops, what a surprise
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
A new @ca.theconversation.com article, co-authored by @juliamwright.bsky.social (FRSC), explores how updated CSA standards for respirator use can better protect health-care workers and patients — and why adopting evidence-based safety measures is vital for all Canadians. #RSCVoices
The CSA’s revised standard on respirators should help us all breathe easier
The CSA Group — a not-for-profit standards organization — released for review a new draft standard on the “Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators” (CSA Z94.4:25) for workplaces, specifically includin...
rsc-src.ca
November 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
A new @ca.theconversation.com article, co-authored by @juliamwright.bsky.social (FRSC), explores how updated CSA standards for respirator use can better protect health-care workers and patients — and why adopting evidence-based safety measures is vital for all Canadians. #RSCVoices
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Infants younger than six months old get hit the hardest with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, making up almost half of all patients hospitalized for the illness in Canada, according to a new study. @michellegamage.bsky.social reports.
Infants Bear the Brunt of RSV Hospitalizations, UBC Study Finds | The Tyee
Researchers say the province should do more to protect the very small and vulnerable.
thetyee.ca
November 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Infants younger than six months old get hit the hardest with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, making up almost half of all patients hospitalized for the illness in Canada, according to a new study. @michellegamage.bsky.social reports.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Read this thread! 🧵 It’s been clarifying to witness just how fast workplaces went from “we’re all in this together” to “forced infection is a condition of employment”. No discussion about making in-person work safer. CBC’s COVID coverage leaves much to be desired and sadly, this experience tracks.
🆄🅽🆂🅰🅵🅴 🅸🅽 🆃🅷🅴 🆆🅾🆁🅺🅿🅻🅰🅲🅴
how the CBC forced me to resign over COVID
and why we’re all worse off for it—especially our kids
a 🧵
(on the occasion of my son’s [5th] and the CBC’s [89th] shared birthday, nov. 2)
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
[links to referenced articles in ALT text]
how the CBC forced me to resign over COVID
and why we’re all worse off for it—especially our kids
a 🧵
(on the occasion of my son’s [5th] and the CBC’s [89th] shared birthday, nov. 2)
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
[links to referenced articles in ALT text]
November 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Read this thread! 🧵 It’s been clarifying to witness just how fast workplaces went from “we’re all in this together” to “forced infection is a condition of employment”. No discussion about making in-person work safer. CBC’s COVID coverage leaves much to be desired and sadly, this experience tracks.
Hey look, there goes the Overton Window moving again. "Progressive" parties won't even talk about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Surely if you just move a little more to the right all problems will be solved.
Surely if you just move a little more to the right all problems will be solved.
Vaccines save lives.
I got my flu shot to help protect myself and the people around me. It’s a simple choice that makes a real difference.
Book your appointment online today: myhealth.alberta.ca/topic/immuni...
I got my flu shot to help protect myself and the people around me. It’s a simple choice that makes a real difference.
Book your appointment online today: myhealth.alberta.ca/topic/immuni...
October 30, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Hey look, there goes the Overton Window moving again. "Progressive" parties won't even talk about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Surely if you just move a little more to the right all problems will be solved.
Surely if you just move a little more to the right all problems will be solved.
The state of societal and moral regression:
October 30, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The state of societal and moral regression:
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
It's been truly stunning to me the amount of scientists and doctors who think we can just wash our hands of a novel pathogen first encountered 5 years ago. I used to believe these were data-driven experts who put health concerns first. That illusion has been trampled many times over.
October 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
It's been truly stunning to me the amount of scientists and doctors who think we can just wash our hands of a novel pathogen first encountered 5 years ago. I used to believe these were data-driven experts who put health concerns first. That illusion has been trampled many times over.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
I just want to make this *abundantly clear*.
When “experts” say COVID-19 is mild for kids…
THEY HAD, AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TEN YEARS WORTH OF INFECTIONS WILL CAUSE.
When “experts” say COVID-19 is mild for kids…
THEY HAD, AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TEN YEARS WORTH OF INFECTIONS WILL CAUSE.
October 28, 2025 at 10:20 AM
I just want to make this *abundantly clear*.
When “experts” say COVID-19 is mild for kids…
THEY HAD, AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TEN YEARS WORTH OF INFECTIONS WILL CAUSE.
When “experts” say COVID-19 is mild for kids…
THEY HAD, AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TEN YEARS WORTH OF INFECTIONS WILL CAUSE.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
The 3rd annual Canadian Long COVID symposium wrapped up yesterday. It was a great meeting, and I got some nice news at the end!
PDF of the poster is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e8wh6...
MP3 of a 5-minute verbal overview is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ej0lw...
PDF of the poster is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e8wh6...
MP3 of a 5-minute verbal overview is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ej0lw...
October 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The 3rd annual Canadian Long COVID symposium wrapped up yesterday. It was a great meeting, and I got some nice news at the end!
PDF of the poster is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e8wh6...
MP3 of a 5-minute verbal overview is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ej0lw...
PDF of the poster is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e8wh6...
MP3 of a 5-minute verbal overview is here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ej0lw...
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Got off the plane and walked into a drug store in Ottawa and got my COVID vaccine in under 5 minutes. No line up. No appointment. No cost.
Was even asked if I wanted Moderna or Pfizer.
It’s unconscionable that we can’t get this same level of service in Alberta.
Was even asked if I wanted Moderna or Pfizer.
It’s unconscionable that we can’t get this same level of service in Alberta.
October 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Got off the plane and walked into a drug store in Ottawa and got my COVID vaccine in under 5 minutes. No line up. No appointment. No cost.
Was even asked if I wanted Moderna or Pfizer.
It’s unconscionable that we can’t get this same level of service in Alberta.
Was even asked if I wanted Moderna or Pfizer.
It’s unconscionable that we can’t get this same level of service in Alberta.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Wow. Harvard nuking its PhD programs
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
Harvard FAS Cuts Ph.D. Seats By More Than Half Across Next Two Admissions Cycles | News | The Harvard Crimson
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for th...
www.thecrimson.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Wow. Harvard nuking its PhD programs
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
🚨 This is inexplicable news to share. If in Alberta and you want flu and covid shots for NEXT year (2026-2027), you have only until December 15 of THIS year to order them.
This is not incompetence. It’s a deliberate choice to prevent as many people ..
bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/pr...
1/2
This is not incompetence. It’s a deliberate choice to prevent as many people ..
bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/pr...
1/2
bookvaccine.alberta.ca
October 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🚨 This is inexplicable news to share. If in Alberta and you want flu and covid shots for NEXT year (2026-2027), you have only until December 15 of THIS year to order them.
This is not incompetence. It’s a deliberate choice to prevent as many people ..
bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/pr...
1/2
This is not incompetence. It’s a deliberate choice to prevent as many people ..
bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/pr...
1/2
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Piece on our new study....👇
How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless #stemcell supplements latimes.com/business/sto... by @hiltzikm.bsky.social
Me: "Take an area of science that has ... a foothold in culture, and you use that language to give your product a veneer of legitimacy.”
How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless #stemcell supplements latimes.com/business/sto... by @hiltzikm.bsky.social
Me: "Take an area of science that has ... a foothold in culture, and you use that language to give your product a veneer of legitimacy.”
Commentary: How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless stem cell supplements
Supplement promoters claim their products can enhance your stem cells. Don't believe them
latimes.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Piece on our new study....👇
How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless #stemcell supplements latimes.com/business/sto... by @hiltzikm.bsky.social
Me: "Take an area of science that has ... a foothold in culture, and you use that language to give your product a veneer of legitimacy.”
How Amazon provides a marketplace for worthless #stemcell supplements latimes.com/business/sto... by @hiltzikm.bsky.social
Me: "Take an area of science that has ... a foothold in culture, and you use that language to give your product a veneer of legitimacy.”
October 16, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Yep. For clarity, here's why 'leftists' make unfounded antimasking claims:
1. They feel icky when forced to confront how their actions don't reflect their stated moral code.
2. Admitting they aren't an expert about COVID, eugenics etc. opens up the possibility of being convinced they should mask.
1. They feel icky when forced to confront how their actions don't reflect their stated moral code.
2. Admitting they aren't an expert about COVID, eugenics etc. opens up the possibility of being convinced they should mask.
progressive pundits do more damage spewing COVID disinfo than they know when they feel obliged to comment on it as experts, and have clearly made no effort to familiarize themselves with the facts—but somehow feel as confident breezily vibing on it as they do on topics actually in their wheelhouse
October 16, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Yep. For clarity, here's why 'leftists' make unfounded antimasking claims:
1. They feel icky when forced to confront how their actions don't reflect their stated moral code.
2. Admitting they aren't an expert about COVID, eugenics etc. opens up the possibility of being convinced they should mask.
1. They feel icky when forced to confront how their actions don't reflect their stated moral code.
2. Admitting they aren't an expert about COVID, eugenics etc. opens up the possibility of being convinced they should mask.
Heads up, this guy has done the risk assessment and he’s positive that kids can be serially reinfected with COVID forever with no serious consequences!
To suggest otherwise is fear, just ignore that JAMA Pediatrics has declared long COVID more common than asthma in kids 5 years into its existence.
To suggest otherwise is fear, just ignore that JAMA Pediatrics has declared long COVID more common than asthma in kids 5 years into its existence.
(and i think it is a demand that stems from fear more than a rational assessment of the threat environment)
October 16, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Heads up, this guy has done the risk assessment and he’s positive that kids can be serially reinfected with COVID forever with no serious consequences!
To suggest otherwise is fear, just ignore that JAMA Pediatrics has declared long COVID more common than asthma in kids 5 years into its existence.
To suggest otherwise is fear, just ignore that JAMA Pediatrics has declared long COVID more common than asthma in kids 5 years into its existence.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
“According to the masses: It is not reasonable to place any expectations on the broad back of the majority of society, but it *is* … to pile everything the majority won’t do on the thin slice of disabled people who are carrying their own weight and attempting to carry everyone else’s as they drown.”
People continue to call COVID advocates’ pleas for masking “unreasonable”.
Yet people who’ve already been disabled by COVID have no choice but to live with the “unreasonable” burdens of constant COVID safety.
My latest:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Yet people who’ve already been disabled by COVID have no choice but to live with the “unreasonable” burdens of constant COVID safety.
My latest:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Beyond all reason
Long COVID patients are constantly harangued about our requests for COVID safety. Yet what we're asking for is far less than what we're called on to do to survive.
substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 5:46 PM
“According to the masses: It is not reasonable to place any expectations on the broad back of the majority of society, but it *is* … to pile everything the majority won’t do on the thin slice of disabled people who are carrying their own weight and attempting to carry everyone else’s as they drown.”
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
Excellent piece.
Every time this discourse rolls around they treat those of us that mask like we’re hypochondriacs.
No we’re the ghosts of infections past.
We plead with you so that you can avoid our fate. In return you mock us.
#MECFS #LongCovid
Every time this discourse rolls around they treat those of us that mask like we’re hypochondriacs.
No we’re the ghosts of infections past.
We plead with you so that you can avoid our fate. In return you mock us.
#MECFS #LongCovid
October 15, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Excellent piece.
Every time this discourse rolls around they treat those of us that mask like we’re hypochondriacs.
No we’re the ghosts of infections past.
We plead with you so that you can avoid our fate. In return you mock us.
#MECFS #LongCovid
Every time this discourse rolls around they treat those of us that mask like we’re hypochondriacs.
No we’re the ghosts of infections past.
We plead with you so that you can avoid our fate. In return you mock us.
#MECFS #LongCovid
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
progressives will wax poetic about the importance of being strong allies and advocates for the marginalized—until it comes to putting their money where their mouth (and nose) is, because masking interferes with their weekly brunch plans
People continue to call COVID advocates’ pleas for masking “unreasonable”.
Yet people who’ve already been disabled by COVID have no choice but to live with the “unreasonable” burdens of constant COVID safety.
My latest:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Yet people who’ve already been disabled by COVID have no choice but to live with the “unreasonable” burdens of constant COVID safety.
My latest:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Beyond all reason
Long COVID patients are constantly harangued about our requests for COVID safety. Yet what we're asking for is far less than what we're called on to do to survive.
substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 9:35 PM
progressives will wax poetic about the importance of being strong allies and advocates for the marginalized—until it comes to putting their money where their mouth (and nose) is, because masking interferes with their weekly brunch plans
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
even the smartest folks whose takes i otherwise appreciate, who otherwise want to resist fascism themselves & encourage others to, find wearing a mask in, at least, public indoor spaces—to prevent the harms of this administration from impacting others—to be a bridge too far; it’s shameful, frankly.
yeah, i think a commitment to public health obligates you to get vaccinated and, when you are sick, do what you can to avoid spreading that to other people. the demand that one mask at all times in public spaces is, i think, unreasonable.
October 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM
even the smartest folks whose takes i otherwise appreciate, who otherwise want to resist fascism themselves & encourage others to, find wearing a mask in, at least, public indoor spaces—to prevent the harms of this administration from impacting others—to be a bridge too far; it’s shameful, frankly.
Reposted by Blake Murdoch
You can declare yourself against “universal public masking”, but that means I can declare you a dick.
Long COVID absolutely wrecked my shit because people just couldn’t see themselves considering the health of others. Knowing you’re comfortable with that tells me everything I need to know.
Long COVID absolutely wrecked my shit because people just couldn’t see themselves considering the health of others. Knowing you’re comfortable with that tells me everything I need to know.
October 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
You can declare yourself against “universal public masking”, but that means I can declare you a dick.
Long COVID absolutely wrecked my shit because people just couldn’t see themselves considering the health of others. Knowing you’re comfortable with that tells me everything I need to know.
Long COVID absolutely wrecked my shit because people just couldn’t see themselves considering the health of others. Knowing you’re comfortable with that tells me everything I need to know.