H Lanthorn

First, those leaders in the Congress who purportedly were to serve as guardrails for Sec. Kennedy need to acknowledge they were misled and withdraw their support from his dangerous policies. They should listen to Doctors for America, which says that Sec. Kennedy is “unfit to serve as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary” and “has used his position to advance health misinformation, dismantle public health services, and undermine HHS’s mission to “to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans.”” [28] Doctors for America and the American Public Health Association are both calling for RFK Jr. to resign or be fired [27,29]. Congress can hold hearings and investigate RFK Jr.’s actions, and pass legislation correcting the worst of Mr. Kennedy’s actions—or at least resolutions calling them out. References: [27] Zhou F, Jatlaoui TC, Leidner AJ, Carter RJ, Dong X, Santoli JM, et al. Health and economic benefits of routine childhood immunizations in the era of the vaccines for children program - United States, 1994-2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73(310):682–5. [28] Doctors for America. Statement Release: Doctors for America calls for the resignation or removal of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. https://doctorsforamerica.org/statement-release-rfk-resignation/; April 15, 2025. [29] American Public Health Association. Secretary Kennedy and his policies are a danger to the public’s health. https://www.apha.org/news-and-media/news-releases/apha-news-releases/secretary-kennedy-and-his-policies-are-a-danger-tothepublic’s-health; April 9, 2025.

We ask: "What can be done, given the current administration’s vigorous efforts to undermine vaccination?"

We suggest 4 priorities:

1. Congressional leaders must recognize they were misled in supporting RFK Jr. He must resign or be fired. Congress can hold hearings & investigate his actions.

2/5

Any Econ PhD students at Harvard (or elsewhere in the U.S.) worried about visa status, the @iies.su.se has openings for PhD students who have completed their coursework and are at the dissertation stage, starting in the fall. Apply here:
www.su.se/institute-fo...

Reminder that the term “peer review” was introduced precisely to avoid political meddling in funding decisions

Aside from the bigger picture, I’m not sure where Cassidy gets the idea that “states are supposed to pay 40%.”

FMAP is calculated according to a formula in statute, which enforces a floor of 50% and a ceiling of 83% match.

Louisiana is only paying 32 cents on the dollar.

There are different ways in which honesty can be understood and what people consider to be the truth.
One approach relies on evidence and is concerned with the state of the world.
The other approach relies on intuition and is concerned with sincere expression of belief.
4/n

Is anyone studying improvements in grad student mental health as a result of having AI to 'talk through' your thesis with?It'd be a rough diff-in-diff but my working H1 is that it is quite helpful in a lonesome process. I had to bribe @johnquattrochi.bsky.social et al with beer to listen! ;-)

Should probably prioritize re-watching Tombstone tonight over all else.

Opinion | To the Pandemic Czar: Are We Prepared to Talk About Bird Flu? Effective communication across all levels of government is as important as a vaccine

In an #OpEd, Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH, and Heather Lanthorn, ScD, MPH (@hlanthorn.bsky.social), warn Gerald Parker, DVM, PhD, of H5N1's risks, urging state and local health departments to build trust with the public through expertise, transparency, and honesty.
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

I don't want to be in the position of defending Leana Wen... but the idea that only people who work in clinical or academic medicine can 'do' public health is also infuriating.

If you’re a federal worker and you feel it prudent to respond to the Musk/Trump demand for an accounting of your work last week, this tool could be quite helpful.

Team: some schools, or departments, of public health, do actually focus on policy and even politics.

Check out what is happening in your very own school!

Please don't ask whether some real or hypothetical event "would make you more or less likely to support [CANDIDATE]" -- it prompts people to share their preeixsting feelings on the event/person, produces misleading results, overestimates impact and makes me personally sad

It's giving Cabaret.

I hate yesterday Heather who snoozed 10+ emails to today so much

Seriously. I’m just finishing up the touches on a sprawling talk showing how our 10+ years of research reveals the participatory dynamics of right wing media and he just … goes on Fox News and blurts out the punchline.

Scientific institutions have a long history of anticipatory obedience Societies should learn from this and speak up to support inclusion

„Anyone who has studied science under the Nazis, as I did for my book Serving the Reich, cannot fail to be dismayed and alarmed at the parallels in the response so far of scientific institutions and academies to the purges and abuses of power following Trump’s executive orders“ 🧪

So for every $1 in NIH funding to Alabama, there is $2.35 in economic activity supported. That’s a 135% ROI.

Some people might see that as a good a thing.

Who do I know who is focused on #ruralhealth in the US? Let's (re)connect!

Let them eat internet.

I am not convinced "soft power" branding has resonance with those making decisions.

One thing I see missing from almost every argument about saving PEPFAR and USAID more generally is why it _must_ be government and not the private sector to carry out these functions.

If you are doing a primary qualitative data collection, please don't just make your research questions into your interview questions.

The persuasive effects of political microtargeting in the age of generative artificial intelligence Abstract. The increasing availability of microtargeted advertising and the accessibility of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT,

In this next paper (doi.org/10.1093/pnas...), we showed in several experiments that that is indeed the case: 8/n

All, I'm in #Nairobi working on health systems (and, in particular, making innovation introduction and access more effective, efficient, and equitable).

Who's here and who do I need to meet?

Denial of a wanted abortion increases a woman's risk of death by 2.5pp within 9 months, and causes more health issues, lower educational attainment, reduced labor force participation, and higher rates of poverty in the long-run.

Opinion | 'Safe and Effective' Is FDA-Speak. It's Time to Put It to Bed. This kind of language doesn't tell people why vaccines are worth it

'Safe and Effective' Is FDA-Speak. It's Time to Put It to Bed.

Great piece by TNG's Executive Director Dr. Sara Gorman and other co-authors in MedPage Today.
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

Is "Make America Healthy Again" on Your FYP? Here's What to Know Here's the link between RFK Jr.'s fringe views and some wellness influencers.

We need to invest in supporting & protecting trustworthy information sources and their ability to connect with the public through high-quality communication that reaches folks where and how they consume health content. On @popsugar.com. cc @kkjetelina.bsky.social

www.popsugar.com/health/make-...

5/
🌟 Use high-quality messaging: empathetic & authentic (not bureaucratic)
🌟 Meet people where they are: clinics, libraries, social media

We'd be delighted to hear what happens when you use this! We think it's worth it to try!

4/ Highlight practical benefits for health, school, work, and family, including when vaccines protect against, but do not fully prevent, illness.

3/ Preview risks as mild and manageable, to be balanced against benefits.