Jarod Fox MD

8 mile run done! Happy Saturday!

Lipstick on a Pig: Why the Amended Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Trial in Guinea Bissau Remains Ethically Indefensible How Scrutiny and African Leadership Changed the Conversation

Reports said the trial was halted. HHS says it will proceed. The revised protocol remains unethical. Scrutiny must continue until participants are no longer placed in harm’s way. I read the revised protocol and wrote a follow-up.
bktitanji.substack.com/p/lipstick-o...

The full protocol of the study in Guinea Bissau provides no reassurance. If anything is spells out just how insanely unethical the planned study is. The PI who wrote the protocol tried to defend the indefensible by writing to me directly. I responded publicly.
Read 👇
substack.com/@bktitanji/n...

Insidious and dangerous erosion of evidence based guidelines.
Nothing if off limits. The scale of public health destruction we are witnessing will take decades to reverse if at all.

Five big global health wins in 2025 that will save millions of lives From HIV to TB, scientists and doctors made breakthroughs in treatment and prevention of some of the world’s deadliest diseases

Five real global health wins in 2025
1.HPV vaccination scaled faster than expected;
2. measles/rubella eliminated in several countries;
3. long-acting HIV PrEP (lenacapavir) approved;
4. progress on TB vaccines/diagnostics;
5. A promising new antimalarial.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

CDC funds controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in African newborns Scientists question the value of the proposed study, which will investigate a vaccine long known to be efficacious and safe

I am glad to see large media outlets reporting on this. Hopefully it shames the researchers into not continuing with the planned study or at minimum making sure ALL children in the study receive the birth dose of the HepB vaccine.
www.science.org/content/arti...

Massive four-year study finds no increase in deaths linked to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination Data from 30 million French adults suggests COVID-19 vaccines did not lead to higher death rates. Instead, they reduced them.

"A causal link between mRNA vaccination and excess long-term mortality appears highly unlikely."
bit.ly/4q3rGDw

Can we get universal healthcare like our “peer countries”?

Senator Bill Cassidy is a hepatologist, he confirmed a health secretary who is overseeing the come back of hepatitis B related cirrhosis and liver cancer. That legacy is a choice.

The country's biggest anti-vaccine lawyer, the guy behind weakened school mandates in Mississippi and West Virginia, who pulls in millions a year harassing the CDC on behalf of Del Bigtree's anti-vaxx org is ... presenting at ACIP. This panel is anti-vaccine theater. It's a cruel joke.

FIFA just freed up my summer by giving Trump peace award.

Summary of what happened at Temu ACIP this morning:

As expected, they overturned the 30+ year recommendation for the birth dose of HepB vaccine, which has reduced the incidence of pediatric HepB by 99%.

They provided no credible evidence to support this decision.

FIFA just gave Trump some made up peace prize award. Shame on you FIFA. I wanted to attend a World Cup match next year but no longer.

Listening to Aaron Siri spew such nonsense at ACIP meeting is likely bad for my health.

I wish the ACIP members who seem enamored by the Denmark vaccine schedule were as enamored by their universal healthcare.

ACIP making changes to hepatitis b vaccine recommendations based on nothing more than vibes.

I’m really concerned that certain physician members on ACIP are actually practicing medicine as they must have skipped a great number of days in medical school to make some of the comments they have made.

Risky behavior for acquisition of hep B in children include: putting things in their mouths, biting, scratching, touching their eyes, etc.

"Waiting for vaccination until risky behavior" = shortly after birth, so no change?

#ACIP #hepatitisB #HepBVaccine #vaccines

A picture is worth a 1000 words. The birth dose of hepatitis B vaccines in the USA eliminated perinatally acquired hepatitis B infection from over 20,000 cases a year before the vaccine was introduced to <20 cases a year. The gaslighting by the current members ACIP is obscene, unethical and cruel.

🦠What happens when you say you will only protect babies of infected moms, but you are bad at detecting infected moms❓

🚫You miss a lot of babies who needed protection.

This is exactly why in 1991 we went from only vaccinating babies of Hepatitis B positive moms to vaccinating all babies.

Retsef Levi had a diatribe today during ACIP meeting today calling for physicians to be more humble. He is the one who needs to have some humility when he thinks he understands the data on hepatitis b vaccines better than those scientists who have spent their entire careers studying it.

Found it difficult watching the ACIP meeting without having the urge to throw my phone across the room every 5 minutes.

Vaccine Panel Again Postpones Vote on Hepatitis B Shot for Newborns

Excellent reporting by @apoorvanyt.bsky.social . The vote was once again delayed...because there is no evidence to support that voting to eliminate the birth-dose of hepatitis B vaccine is right or in anyway justifiable.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/h...

Risks of Revising Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccination Recommendation This Viewpoint from infectious disease experts cautions about the consequences of rescinding the ACIP policy to immunize all newborns against hepatitis B.

“Delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine dose beyond the newborn period introduces risks that have lifelong detrimental consequences and no measurable health benefit.”

Important and timely piece by an amazing team - Mike Abers, Angela Ulrich, & Rochelle Walensky. 👏👏

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

The Hepatitis B Vaccine: Why the Birth Dose Matters and Why We Must Defend It Defending science, saving newborn lives, and keeping the world on track to end Hepatitis B

The #ACIP meets tomorrow to assault on vaccines that protect children. They will be debating the birth dose of the hep B vaccine. I wrote about this previously but we cannot say it enough stopping the birth dose is unethical given the many benefits.
bktitanji.substack.com/p/the-hepati...

Doctors warn delaying hepatitis B shot for newborns could revive a deadly threat As RFK Jr.'s new vaccine panel ponders changing the hepatitis B vaccination schedule, some doctors recall past patients, including children, who died painful deaths before there was a vaccine.

As RFK Jr.'s new vaccine panel ponders changing the hepatitis B vaccination schedule, some doctors recall past patients, including children, who died painful deaths before there was a vaccine. n.pr/3McwKqG

Not yet including our late big donation as well last minute donations, we have already passed our HIGHEST ANNUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT RAISED for #HCWvsHunger EVER.

Speechless, grateful, and so very happy.

TOGETHER WE CAN DO REALLY GOOD THINGS.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen 💜🍎

Home - Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Fight Hunger. Feed Hope. Learn More Find Food Volunteer Give Today About Us Creating Hope. Nourishing Lives. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a nonprofit organization working to […]

feedhopenow.org

The U.S. government’s failure to acknowledge World AIDS Day takes us back to a troubling time Perhaps AIDS activists’ famous slogan, “Silence = Death,” needs an update for this troubling moment.

A worthy read!
www.linkedin.com/redir/redire...

Healthcare Workers vs Hunger Healthcare workers vs Hunger is an annual friendly competition between teams of healthcare workers to help relieve food insecurity.

Less than 30 hours until the kickoff of #HCWvsHunger 2025!

Form your teams (sign up on our website) and get your wallets ready!

HCWvsHunger.org