Erin Fanning Madden, PhD, MPH

(paywalled, but happy to share a pdf with anyone who requests)

"Addiction vaccines" have been studied since the 1970s and attracted millions in federal government research dollars. Me and a fellow medical sociologist, Kristin Barker, take a deep dive on the promise and failures of this intervention. Read our 🌶️spicy take in SSM: doi.org/10.1016/j.so...

The Board of Governors decided, unilaterally, that no published textbook in the field of sociology could be used in compliance with the law for an Intro to Sociology class. None. Victor: There's not a single existing textbook on the market that could be used that would qualify under state law? Zachary: Correct. Victor: I'm sorry, that's kind of funny. Like, the absurdity of not a single sociology textbook getting past the censors. I mean, it makes me kind of proud of our colleagues, but...

I do want to shout-out my fellow sociologists, who have collectively created a discipline so woke that not a single one of our introductory textbooks can make it past Florida's censors.

Great work everyone.

I am so sick of reading admissions essays written by AI. If you mentor undergrads, advise them when they’re applying to grad school that we can always tell. I am almost grateful for the shoddily written ones now because at least I know a human drafted them.

Excellent interview, I learned a lot.

U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies

The U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office.

A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies. Read more: https://scim.ag/4boPkq8

Science personnel and funding gutted at astonishing scale in the US:

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

crackdown. We've ir'entified 28 such incidents, including 14 shootings, as of January 7. They include the shootings of three people observing or documenting ICE raids; the shootings of five people driving away from traffic stops or evading an enforcement action; and the September 30 raid on a Chicago apartment building, during which half-asleep tenants and their children were held at gunpoint. At least four people have been killed and five others have been injured.

She was not alone.

Immigration agents have shot at least 14 people over the past year. That includes:

-3 people who were observing ICE.

-5 people who were driving away.

-4 people who’ve been killed.

-5 people injured.

www.thetrace.org/2025/12/immi...

Trends and characteristics during 17 years of naloxone distribution and administration through an overdose prevention program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Objective Describe time trends during 17.5 years of community-based naloxone distribution Methods Analysis of administrative records from a harm reduction program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, c...

Not only are the findings interesting (more evidence we don't need higher dose naloxone!), the mix of quantitative analysis and the experiential knowledge of on-the-ground harm reductionists is 🤌. Work by @nabarund.bsky.social and the UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Research on "millionaire migration" shows that it rarely happens and that states could raise their top tax rates way higher.

www.asanet.org/wp-content/u...

I’m one of them!

“when shown a rendering of the site, [Elizabeth, a homeless woman] was skeptical. “OK, so straight up, this reminds me of a concentration camp,” she said. “Trying to get all the homeless in one area by the airport. I mean — would we be able to leave of our own free will?””

“the effort will include an “accountability center” for those with addictions.” They’re proposing these be involuntary. This is going to be a disaster.

Any fellow substance use-focused people on here watching Real Housewives of Salt Lake City? I am continually impressed with how Mary is handling her son's substance use disorder. She's doing a pretty dang good job being nonjudgmental & supportive, despite being a pretty judgmental person overall.

Teen opioid addictions often untreated as youth overdose deaths rapidly rise in US – study Drug overdoses are now a leading causes of death among US teens as fentanyl possibly drives surge, researchers warn

"In 2023, 557 teens died of opioid overdose, nearly threefold as many as in 2018, while adult opioid deaths only went up by 65% during this time, according to the study. Drug overdoses are now among the leading causes of death for US teenagers."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Opinion | A Loss of Faith in Forced Drug Treatment

Aaron Fox & Sarah Wakeman wrote great responses to an op-ed in the @nytimes.com arguing for involuntary addiction treatment. It is not only logistically infeasible given service shortages, it also violates human rights and is often ineffective & even dangerous. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/o...

It doesn't have much data now, but the goal is for people to share which pharmacies are dispensing these meds so others can quickly locate them too.

Please enter a ZIP code to find and report pharmacies with bupe near you.

A new crowdsourcing tool from @opioidpolicy.bsky.social for sharing/getting info on which pharmacies are dispensing buprenorphine (i.e., Suboxone): bupe.opioidpolicy.org

Abortion Funds See Dwindling Donations as Demand and Cost Rise A flood of cash following Roe’s fall has dried up, leaving Texas nonprofits struggling to keep pace with the state’s abortion access crisis.

"'[R]age donations' have dried up."

"While [nonprofits] grapple with a decrease in donations, the price for abortion care is rising, creating a perfect storm."

"[C]an we actually keep this going?"
#Texas #USA #Healthcare

This makes a lot of sense for many reasons, but one is the ability to afford vaccines. In Tunisia, the pediatric meningitis vaccine costs about a minimum wage worker’s monthly income. So most people don’t get it.

The summary is that they are trying to criminalize every aspect of homelessness so they can arrest & forcibly commit unhoused people. Currently(/before), there are not enough mental health & substance use treatment beds/facilities, and this does not add anything, which only leaves imprisoning people

Exclusive: NIH to dismiss dozens of grant reviewers to align with Trump priorities The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews.

NEW: In an unprecedented move, the NIH will soon disinvite dozens of scientists about to take positions on advisory councils that make final decisions on grant funding.

NIH staff were told to select others aligned with the Trump administration and told to expect placements by political appointees.

I've been getting multiple daily invitations to review over the past month. I try to review 3 papers for every paper I submit as first or senior author. I have done much more than that this year already, and I really cannot do more. Is anyone else getting many more request than usual right now?

And another link incase the free access link above expired: doi.org/10.1016/j.jo...

⚠️New study⚠️: Stigma training lessens prejudice towards people who use drugs, but stigma is more than just attitudes! Training does 🚫not🚫 clearly improve stigmatizing workplace culture or plans to provide better care among healthcare professionals. Read here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lNMWAUkM2...

While I deeply disagree with you, I also didn’t say anything about electoral strategy in swing regions. I liked his response to a question. Take a dang chill pill.

Nothing shuts down centrists like an MLK quote. Well played 🌹

Given so many people turn to detox as a first step for addressing opioid use disorder, I think qualitative research is really needed on the patient, caregiver, and facility/professional dynamics and experiences. If this exists and i just overlooked it, please tell me what's what!

YouTube video by Advanced Rapid Detox Clap back to haters of sedation #detox

For example: www.youtube.com/shorts/wjw_o... "our 5-year clean rate is 85%" It's a bit ambiguous as to what that means (like they do 5yr follow up with clients? Or over the past 5yrs 85% of patients complete the detox?). I totally get why people buy into this modality with those kinds of claims.

I'm especially interested in the world of for-profit detox facilities. I see big promises and high "success rates" being cited in social media content from these places. I question the veracity of their claims, but also curious about patient and caregiver experiences with the modality.