Crescent Martin

A ‘hostile takeover’: ousted CDC official raises alarm over RFK Jr approach to infectious disease Debra Houry speaks after testifying on eight months under Kennedy, who critics say shuns science and spreads falsehoods

“It really represents a hostile takeover of the agency,” said Deb Houry, former chief medical officer of the CDC. “It gives me concern about what we can trust coming out of the overall agency as well, not just on vaccine safety.”
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Subtly indicting anyone who cant do the same. This idea that, if we are only clever enough, we can outwit a structural mismatch between working hours and childcare is the foundation that is bleeding a net 212,000 women 20 and over from the workforce since January. Thanks Jen, I hate it.

One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."

Another call for sources: I'm reporting on pediatric Covid vaccine access. If you've had trouble finding pediatric doses in stock, or if your child was turned away, I'd love to hear from you: maggie.astor@nytimes.com.

Thanks to those who replied to my pregnancy callout; that story will be out soon.

Breaking: HHS, Commerce, Probably Other Agencies Send Entire Staff Email Blaming Democrats for Shutdown Please forgive the multiple editions in one day — occasionally I'll send breaking news out such as this. If you're new here, read more about the deal here and please subscribe below! On Tuesday after...

I'd love to get 35 new free subscribers (then 200 more, but start small) to Gravity Is Gone, with my independent reporting and writing on science, politics, and policy. I got laid off a month ago, trying to build this, lfg!

www.gravityisgone.com

I published two things just yesterday; the first:

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

As for Klein saying that the Democratic Party “wants to do nothing differently,” it actually already has a long history of embracing anti-abortion politics and has never fully supported bodily autonomy. Former president Joe Biden could barely muster a defense of the right to choose, and when he did, he still infected it with anti-abortion stigma. Rather than rejecting any government interference—which would be a real difference—Democrats have always compromised by allowing states and the federal government to ban the procedure later in pregnancy under the Roe v. Wade framework.

What would *actually* be different is if the Democratic party offered an unapologetic defense of bodily autonomy. That has never happened at the highest levels—"restore Roe" doesn't count.
www.jezebel.com/only-an-idio...

hi, medical toxicologist that knows a lot about Tylenol here👋 Claiming that tylenol use in pregnancy causes autism is fearmongering

here's what you need to know 🧵

graph of rates of covid-associated hospitalizations showing rates highest among youngest and oldest age group in oct. 2024- sept. 2025

This graph on COVID-associated hospitalizations shows the burden of the disease on infants.

The interim CDC director who will rubber stamp the ACIP recommendations on MMRV vaccine and COVID vaccine is neither a scientist nor a physician. He is a former silicon valley executive.
When was the last time you consulted a corporate executive for guidance on your health? 🤔...I'll wait.

Listening to ACIP meeting which is a catastrophe, as predicted. I’d like emphasize in all this that the CDC subject matter experts and leads have been tremendous and continue to represent good science on our behalf. I am very grateful for their dedication, despite internal and external pressure.

With Hepatitis B vaccination under threat, here is one frustrating fact about testing for Hep B. It’s super complicated, based on multiple tests. I’ve often consulted this chart to interpret tests, and occasionally ended up in the dreaded “four interpretations possible” section.

Vote language: www.cdc.gov/acip/meeting...

Final Agenda: www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...

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"They're feeling very traumatized." Dr. Debra Houry, Former CDC Chief Medical Officer who recently resigned in protest, testified today at a Senate hearing. She shared with Jen Psaki what she's hearing from current employees at the agency.

It is indefensible that "vaccine skeptics" has become the house style for describing such people in straight news journalism.

NEWS: The D.C. Council just passed an emergency bill allowing anyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine without a doctor's prescription, which have been requested recently due to changes in federal vaccine recommendations. (And some D.C. residents have had to go to Maryland or Virginia.)

When health insurance plans voluntarily cover a service that they would otherwise not have to cover, you can pretty much bet that they know the service saves health, lives... and, of course, money.

Regardless of the disgraceful nonsense we will likely hear from this administration in the coming days on vaccine “recommendations,” Americas healthcare insurers issued a joint statement tonight saying coverage for Covid and flu shots will remain unchanged from prior years.

Speaks for itself.

Red flag in this wasteful move: a USAID spox falsely claimed that birth control pills, IUDs, and arm implants cause abortions.

“The administration will no longer supply abortifacient birth control under the guise of foreign aid.” 🚩🚩🚩

CALL FOR SOURCES: If you're in one of these categories, I'd love to hear from you.

1. pregnant and struggling to get a Covid shot, or confused by federal guidelines regarding vaccination in pregnancy

2. an OB-GYN who is seeing confused/worried patients

firstname dot lastname at nytimes dot com

Dear Democrats: I'm the guy who's moving heaven & earth to get the tax credits extended, and I'm telling you not to cave for a short-term fix. This is gonna be one of the stranger references I've made on this site, but bear with me. Back in 1996 there was an HBO movie called "The Late Shift" which told the story of the Late Night TV show bat...

🚨 Dear Democrats: I'm the guy who's moving heaven & earth to get the #ACA enhanced tax credits extended, and I'm telling you NOT to cave for a short-term fix:

acasignups.net/25/09/11/dea...

Demand the Head of RFK A (maybe) winnable ask for a budget compromise

I think Ds should ask for the firing of RFK in the budget negotiations. It's a big, easily understandable ask, which would massively benefit the American ppl, and I think it would split the gop, many of whom want rfk gone anyway. www.everythingishorrible.net/p/demand-the...

Aside from the incredibly flimsy evidence claiming a link between ASD and acetaminophen use in pregnancy, there is something remarkably cruel about effectively trying to restrict one of very few pain medications that are known to be safe in pregnancy.

It's clear that printing and distribution of my publication TASKS FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD IN CHICAGO is going to disrupt my life at a time when I have no time, so here are files you can print from. It's a double-sided 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper. Please do not edit the text. Have fun!

Come join us! We start at 11AM on Tuesday September 16th and end at 11AM on Wednesday September 17th. We have researchers from around the world talking about how their work has revolutionized health and saved millions of lives from HIV/AIDS. end/

The fun (?) thing about this besides that it is bullshit, is that pregnant people already have very few choices in pain relief and constant emphasis on potential harms to the fetus leads to fewer and fewer effective pain medications during a time when people's bodies are changing and being stressed.

a graph of federal employment falling 100k from Jan to August

Federal government employment is down nearly 100k since the start of the year amidst DOGE cuts—that's more than 3% of the Fed workforce

Keep in mind that this significantly undercounts the true extent of cuts because workers on deferred resignation are still counted as federal employees

friendly reminder that RFK has a voice disorder known as spasmodic dysphonia. Plenty of legit reasons to criticize him. Don't need to make fun of his voice and breathing.

Opinion | Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: We’re Restoring Public Trust in the CDC The agency’s Covid failures stem from politicized science, bureaucratic inertia and mission creep.

"I was told to preapprove the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed antivaccine rhetoric."

www.wsj.com/opinion/robe...

Opinion | Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC and Me I was fired after 29 days because I held the line and insisted on rigorous scientific review.

gift link to dr. susan monarez’s piece in the wall street journal this morning.