@reflexhammer.bsky.social
🇺🇸 physician, now in 🇨🇦. Committed to democracy.
-ACIP is just one front in the administration's attack on vaccines. I don't even think it's the main front, because its members seem to be worried about angering the public with their anti-science/anti-vaccine machinations.
Remember, this is a multi-front assault on vaccines.
-Suspending funding for vaccine research
-Hindering vaccine approvals
-Hindering vaccine updates
-Reducing vaccine access
-Altering vaccine recommendations
-Shifting costs to patient
-Spewing antivaccine misinformation
-Sowing general confusion
-Suspending funding for vaccine research
-Hindering vaccine approvals
-Hindering vaccine updates
-Reducing vaccine access
-Altering vaccine recommendations
-Shifting costs to patient
-Spewing antivaccine misinformation
-Sowing general confusion
December 7, 2025 at 8:10 PM
-ACIP is just one front in the administration's attack on vaccines. I don't even think it's the main front, because its members seem to be worried about angering the public with their anti-science/anti-vaccine machinations.
-That doesn't mean vaccines are safe. The FDA is signalling that it will try to regulate vaccines into oblivion. RFK can force vaccine manufacturers out of business by saddling them with massive liability whenever a patient accuses them of a vaccine-induced injury.
December 7, 2025 at 8:08 PM
-That doesn't mean vaccines are safe. The FDA is signalling that it will try to regulate vaccines into oblivion. RFK can force vaccine manufacturers out of business by saddling them with massive liability whenever a patient accuses them of a vaccine-induced injury.
-The next ACIP meeting is February 25-26. My prediction is that ACIP will continue to gradually erode its vaccine recommendations without making a dramatic change.
December 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
-The next ACIP meeting is February 25-26. My prediction is that ACIP will continue to gradually erode its vaccine recommendations without making a dramatic change.
-My experience in federal government is it's much easier to slow things down than it is to reverse things.
It's much easier to slow the approval of new flu vaccines than it will be to take flu vaccines off of the recommended immunization schedule. It's easy to subject things to additional reviews.
It's much easier to slow the approval of new flu vaccines than it will be to take flu vaccines off of the recommended immunization schedule. It's easy to subject things to additional reviews.
December 7, 2025 at 8:03 PM
-My experience in federal government is it's much easier to slow things down than it is to reverse things.
It's much easier to slow the approval of new flu vaccines than it will be to take flu vaccines off of the recommended immunization schedule. It's easy to subject things to additional reviews.
It's much easier to slow the approval of new flu vaccines than it will be to take flu vaccines off of the recommended immunization schedule. It's easy to subject things to additional reviews.
-ACIP could have passed a resolution that would cut off federal subsidies (via Vaccines for Children) of Hep B vaccines, but they didn't.
I think all the ACIP members understand, deep down, that vaccines work. And they're scared of blowback if they fully cut off access to childhood vaccines.
I think all the ACIP members understand, deep down, that vaccines work. And they're scared of blowback if they fully cut off access to childhood vaccines.
December 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
-ACIP could have passed a resolution that would cut off federal subsidies (via Vaccines for Children) of Hep B vaccines, but they didn't.
I think all the ACIP members understand, deep down, that vaccines work. And they're scared of blowback if they fully cut off access to childhood vaccines.
I think all the ACIP members understand, deep down, that vaccines work. And they're scared of blowback if they fully cut off access to childhood vaccines.
-Why did ACIP go after Hep B vaccine first? Perhaps it's because the consequences are so far in the future. If newborns acquire Hep B now, they may not find out until decades later when their livers fail. If you go after MMR or flu or COVID vaccine, people get sick right away.
December 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
-Why did ACIP go after Hep B vaccine first? Perhaps it's because the consequences are so far in the future. If newborns acquire Hep B now, they may not find out until decades later when their livers fail. If you go after MMR or flu or COVID vaccine, people get sick right away.
I especially hate when a physician says they’re Harvard-trained because they got their undergrad degree in philosophy at Harvard.
You know who you are.
You know who you are.
December 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I especially hate when a physician says they’re Harvard-trained because they got their undergrad degree in philosophy at Harvard.
You know who you are.
You know who you are.
Talk to your doctor to see if AI is right for you. Possible side effects include becoming romantically involved with your AI.
December 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Talk to your doctor to see if AI is right for you. Possible side effects include becoming romantically involved with your AI.
I agree with you, can you flesh this thought out more though? What does the precipice look like? What kind of trouble?
December 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I agree with you, can you flesh this thought out more though? What does the precipice look like? What kind of trouble?
Sorry this is happening, always appreciate your advocacy.
Social media isn't that important in the long run, don't feel bad about taking a break.
Social media isn't that important in the long run, don't feel bad about taking a break.
December 2, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Sorry this is happening, always appreciate your advocacy.
Social media isn't that important in the long run, don't feel bad about taking a break.
Social media isn't that important in the long run, don't feel bad about taking a break.
This is yet another Trump administration policy with substantial societal and economic costs that will persist long after Trump is gone. Vaccines save lives and extend lives. In addition, vaccines save us a lot of money. Prevention is better than disease. [END]
December 2, 2025 at 7:38 PM
This is yet another Trump administration policy with substantial societal and economic costs that will persist long after Trump is gone. Vaccines save lives and extend lives. In addition, vaccines save us a lot of money. Prevention is better than disease. [END]
Undermining Hepatitis B vaccination is a cruel and expensive folly. The impact will be immediate (there immediately will be newborns who become infected with Hep B who wouldn't have otherwise) and also lifelong (Hep B is very difficult and expensive to eradicate once it takes hold).
December 2, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Undermining Hepatitis B vaccination is a cruel and expensive folly. The impact will be immediate (there immediately will be newborns who become infected with Hep B who wouldn't have otherwise) and also lifelong (Hep B is very difficult and expensive to eradicate once it takes hold).
Hepatitis B disproportionately affects immigrant families and families with lower socioeconomic status. These groups disproportionately rely on federal programs, which means they will be disproportionately affected by the ACIP recs. Once someone acquires Hepatitis B, vaccination no longer works.
December 2, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Hepatitis B disproportionately affects immigrant families and families with lower socioeconomic status. These groups disproportionately rely on federal programs, which means they will be disproportionately affected by the ACIP recs. Once someone acquires Hepatitis B, vaccination no longer works.
ACIP recommendations affect Vaccines for Children, which is the major funding source for childhood vaccinations (the funding goes from federal government to states and clinics). They also can affect coverage for govt employees/servicemembers and their families, and the Indian Health Service.
December 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
ACIP recommendations affect Vaccines for Children, which is the major funding source for childhood vaccinations (the funding goes from federal government to states and clinics). They also can affect coverage for govt employees/servicemembers and their families, and the Indian Health Service.
Because ACIP, in its current composition, is populated by RFK-appointed anti-vaccine quacks, the medical community no longer considers its recommendations to be credible. Still, ACIPs recommendations are impactful, because federal programs are generally required to follow ACIP recommendations.
December 2, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Because ACIP, in its current composition, is populated by RFK-appointed anti-vaccine quacks, the medical community no longer considers its recommendations to be credible. Still, ACIPs recommendations are impactful, because federal programs are generally required to follow ACIP recommendations.
The Hepatitis B vaccine works extremely well. As a result, laypeople in the US generally don't have to think about Hepatitis B because they are protected for life.
The federal advisory committee on vaccines, ACIP, this week is likely to stop recommending Hep B vaccination in newborns.
The federal advisory committee on vaccines, ACIP, this week is likely to stop recommending Hep B vaccination in newborns.
December 2, 2025 at 7:21 PM
The Hepatitis B vaccine works extremely well. As a result, laypeople in the US generally don't have to think about Hepatitis B because they are protected for life.
The federal advisory committee on vaccines, ACIP, this week is likely to stop recommending Hep B vaccination in newborns.
The federal advisory committee on vaccines, ACIP, this week is likely to stop recommending Hep B vaccination in newborns.
The most common way of acquiring the virus is maternal transmission to infant at birth. This makes it especially important to vaccinate newborns. From a practical standpoint, it works especially well to vaccinate newborns in the newborn nursery, or failing that, within the first two months of life.
December 2, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The most common way of acquiring the virus is maternal transmission to infant at birth. This makes it especially important to vaccinate newborns. From a practical standpoint, it works especially well to vaccinate newborns in the newborn nursery, or failing that, within the first two months of life.
now it's an imp with a limp
December 2, 2025 at 8:41 AM
now it's an imp with a limp
If you are looking for accounts to follow regarding developments at CDC, consider:
-former CDC director (under Obama) @drtomfrieden.bsky.social
-recently resigned former director of NCIRD
@drdemetre.bsky.social
-recently resigned Chief Medical Officer
@drdebhoury.bsky.social
-former CDC director (under Obama) @drtomfrieden.bsky.social
-recently resigned former director of NCIRD
@drdemetre.bsky.social
-recently resigned Chief Medical Officer
@drdebhoury.bsky.social
November 30, 2025 at 3:56 AM
If you are looking for accounts to follow regarding developments at CDC, consider:
-former CDC director (under Obama) @drtomfrieden.bsky.social
-recently resigned former director of NCIRD
@drdemetre.bsky.social
-recently resigned Chief Medical Officer
@drdebhoury.bsky.social
-former CDC director (under Obama) @drtomfrieden.bsky.social
-recently resigned former director of NCIRD
@drdemetre.bsky.social
-recently resigned Chief Medical Officer
@drdebhoury.bsky.social
While I am not hopeful for the future, I am grateful that vaccines including COVID vaccine and flu vaccine remain available now. The war is not lost.
November 30, 2025 at 3:42 AM
While I am not hopeful for the future, I am grateful that vaccines including COVID vaccine and flu vaccine remain available now. The war is not lost.
...but rather it is death by a million cuts, often through arcane and obscure bureaucratic maneuvers. And some of the impact will be impossible for us to see, because life-changing vaccines that could have come to market never will because of today's adverse regulatory climate.
November 30, 2025 at 3:39 AM
...but rather it is death by a million cuts, often through arcane and obscure bureaucratic maneuvers. And some of the impact will be impossible for us to see, because life-changing vaccines that could have come to market never will because of today's adverse regulatory climate.
(So far they haven't increased the liability that vaccine manufacturers have to take on but that could be coming.) The point is that this attack on vaccines isn't an on-off switch, where one day they flip the switch and suddenly vaccines are unavailable...
November 30, 2025 at 3:37 AM
(So far they haven't increased the liability that vaccine manufacturers have to take on but that could be coming.) The point is that this attack on vaccines isn't an on-off switch, where one day they flip the switch and suddenly vaccines are unavailable...
-the Trump admin's assault on vaccines is multi-pronged. These prongs include: eliminating research funding, complicating clinical trials, creating regulatory obstacles, hindering ease of access, and increasing cost to patients. They also are disseminating disinformation about vaccines.
November 30, 2025 at 3:35 AM
-the Trump admin's assault on vaccines is multi-pronged. These prongs include: eliminating research funding, complicating clinical trials, creating regulatory obstacles, hindering ease of access, and increasing cost to patients. They also are disseminating disinformation about vaccines.