Katy Stephenson

Hey I’m on one of these papers! More importantly, none of this research will continue since the Trump administration is closing down the HIV vaccine discovery pipeline. Call your senators!

Read our full response to reports of the dismissal of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force here: bit.ly/4mjFYOn

1. The pediatric death toll from #flu for 2024-25 continues to climb, with #CDC informed of 5 more deaths last week. That brings the season's total so far to 266, which is only 22 fewer than during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic! Of kids eligible for vax & for whom vax status is known, 90% weren't vaxed.

1. New pediatric #flu deaths for 2024-25 continue to be reported to #CDC; last week 4 more were added. The latest occurred in mid-June.
There've been a staggering 260 deaths in '24-25, the worst year (except the 2009 pandemic) since CDC started tracking peds flu deaths.
www.cdc.gov/fluview/surv...

Today’s FDA panel on SSRIs in pregnancy lacked balance and failed to reflect the evidence. Untreated depression and anxiety can lead to serious health risks for pregnant patients—SSRIs can be lifesaving. Patients deserve access to evidence-based, compassionate care. Learn more: buff.ly/NcCZno8

Congrats to Dr. Marcella Yoseph on her first oral abstract. Brilliant job at #IAS2025 communicating our findings on the PK of CAB-LA in breastfeeding participants and infants. We continue our mission to provide data that expands HIV treatment and prevention options in pregnancy and lactation.

As a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, I support this lawsuit against Secretary Kennedy and Trump’s HHS.

The U.S. government is failing on vaccine policy. The Vaccine Integrity Project is here to help The Vaccine Integrity Project will convene experts to assess the evidence on influenza, RSV, and Covid-19 to equip clinicians with reliable, evidence-based information.

Medical associations are stepping up to fill the gap - look to this group for the best guidance on vaccines for Americans (Happy Independence Day 😉)
www.statnews.com/2025/07/03/v...

Hey there. Today was terrible. I’m grieving for all who will get hurt, sick and die from what the #GOP has done. But I remember dark days in the past during the AIDS epidemic in the US in the 80s, in South Africa in the 2000s. Things looked bleak then. Though me and my friends would be dead. 1/

Trump’s elimination of USAID will lead to the deaths of 14 million people by 2030

Oh wow! Got it just under the wire thanks!

Bush, Obama and Bono Commend USAID Staff Members on Their Last Day

“Is it in our interest that 25 million people who would have died now live? I think it is,” Mr. Bush said. “On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your hard work, and God bless you.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/30/u...

Nostalgic to see it!!

COVID-19 Vaccines and SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the Era of New Variants: A Review and Perspective Abstract. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have yielded definitive prevention and major reductions in morbidity and mortality from severe acute

Thanks for posting! Here’s the original citation for our figure 😀 academic.oup.com/ofid/article...

Oh dang! We made this figure! Remember when we did that Jasmine Marcelin @drjrmarcelin.bsky.social?? Here’s the citation: academic.oup.com/ofid/article...

And yes, COVID-19 vaccines did partially block transmission albeit at varying amounts and much much less during omicron

Omg I’ll look!!

Thank you @jtkantor.bsky.social for playing the Cure for my family (and the whole stadium!) at the Red Sox today! ⚾️ ☀️

An open letter to the American public on respiratory virus vaccines Read an open letter to the general public from the AMA and medical societies reaffirming support for vaccination to protect against flu, COVID-19, and RSV.

Over 70 medical associations representing nearly all physicians in the United States release a joint statement in support of the life-saving power of vaccines for respiratory viruses like influenza - no matter what Trump’s vaccine advisors may say.
www.ama-assn.org/delivering-c...

Oh I did

The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society has elected not to have our liaisons to ACIP participate in today's meeting. We believe the politicization of the committee renders it incapable of an independent, credible, data-driven process to review and recommend vaccines for the American public.

What I’ve seen is an epic truth to power moment.

It’s apparent these ACIP members have never attended a previous ACIP meeting as the format and breadth of data presented by the CDC is exactly the same as provided at every single meeting I’ve watched since 2020.

Listening to the CDC scientists present real data to this ACIP committee feels subversive in a riveting way.

Why do these ACIP members all sound like they’re on trial? And they’ve never used zoom before? I mean, I know the answers. It’s just crazy.

CARTER: The Adolescent Trial Network for HIV intervention received a stop work order that shut down research at 14 sites where 7 studies were being conducted. Were you aware of that?

RFK JR: As far as I know, we haven't cut any clinica--


CARTER: I'm telling you by your own records you are

Missteps, Confusion and ‘Viral Waste’: The 14 Days That Doomed U.S.A.I.D.

One day, god willing, these people will be in jail

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/u...

FDA approves the world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV The Food and Drug Administration has approved the world’s only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV. In two groundbreaking studies, Gilead Sciences’ shot nearly eliminated new infections in people at high...

Given the challenging last few months, this is a bright spot - the approval of lenacapavir twice yearly to prevent HIV.

Unlike past PrEP meds, it was found t be 100% protective in cisgender women.

But it will only work if gets to people, especially those communities that need it most.

There’s a risk that #LEN for #PrEP becomes another squandered opportunity. “But [we could] get this half right with #lenacapavir, & we build the platform to move to 1x yr lenacapavir + a monthly oral tablet by 2028 & we begin to see a decline in incidence. It’s a decision for the world to make."

Regulators Approve a Twice-Yearly Shot to Prevent H.I.V. Infection

BREAKING: The FDA has approved a twice-yearly injection that provided a near-perfect shield against H.I.V. infection in clinical trials. But the Trump administration has gutted the programs that might have paid for it in low-income countries
(Gift article)

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/h...

Anytime there’s a discussion of masks and the police I think of the recent Watchmen