Elizabeth Nethery, PhD, RM

Why is universal, first-dollar coverage for birth control so important?

New @bmj.com study in British Columbia finds that costs were a barrier to using the most effective forms of contraception. This has major implications for self-determination, cost of living, health and health care.

... "Women deserve to know if Mr. Kennedy will abuse his power as our country's chief health officer to essentially implement a national abortion ban by restricting access to the safe and legal medication."

... "I took this on back in 1990 when I chaired the first congressional hearing on the topic. The science was clear then. It's even clearer today. Mifepristone is safe. The only reason it's under question in 2025 is because people with a political agenda. have been out lying about it."

And clearly articulated by Sen Wyden in opening "For 8 years. Mr. Kennedy has indicated he's open to restricting access to the abortion medication mifepristone, which remains a primary target of the Republican crusade against reproductive freedom."

Hoping for a soft landing from the ashes of epitwitter.

Tx for the invite code
@doccourtney.bsky.social !

my bias is as a clinician and researcher, I live in the space of how research is distorted in "clinical practice guidelines"

Sadly, when clinical experts review research for practice recommendations, both robust, well designed research and flawed/biased tend to be given equal weight.

I'm not arguing that only biol plausible shouldn't be included in a DAG..

I just want epi research to be very clear that (e.g.) "age" is not 'just' biologic age .. but is a general force representing social factors, physiology.

Imho, mechanisms are important!

If the relationship is NOT physiologically plausible then the proposed cause (ie. age) is representing a composite of other determinants or physiology.

This matters because clinical guidelines make practice recommendations based (eventually) on epi..