Aaron Vrolijk, MD

Are you affected by the Trump administration’s pause on health communications, science meetings, and reviews? Have you been affected by the Trump administration’s pause on communications, science meetings, and reviews? @statnews would like to hear from you.

PLEASE REPOST: Health equity researchers, Please let me know if your centers or programs are being altered, closed, or threatened by your universities to comply with new EOs or if staff are being laid off. Signal: usha.22 or 👇(Won't use anything without permission.) www.statnews.com/2025/01/25/t...

Apple's New Blood Pressure Feature: Why You Can't Ditch Your BP Cuff Yet Apple Watch blood pressure alerts miss 60% of hypertension cases, especially in younger people. Learn what the research shows and what to do instead.

Dr. Vrolijk on the Apple Watch blood pressure feature: The allure is real (passive monitoring!), but so are the limitations.
Only alerts 4 out of 10 people with high BP. Performs worst for young adults who need it most.

healthed4everyone.org/2025/10/02/a...

#BloodPressure #AppleWatch

If this concerns you too:

- Uplift voices from autistic people
- Help people understand autism (counter bias and misinformation)
-Contact your representatives about disability service cuts

Because once we decide some lives aren't worth living, no one is safe.

Society benefits when autistic people—all of us, including those who need significant support—can contribute our perspectives and strengths.

Different brains aren't defective brains.

The Trump administration’s approach to autism is tangled up with ableism, eugenics, and pronatalism “The current political establishment and their supporters have consistently pathologized difference,” particularly when it comes to autism, a professor of medicine writes.

But instead of building that environment, the current administration wants to eliminate autistic people. They're saying we don't have value and are just a drain on society. This is the same language used throughout eugenics. It's just rebranding.

@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/03/a...

I need to be clear: Some autistic people need much more support than I do. That doesn't make their lives less valuable.

Think of it like wheelchair ramps. We adapt the environment.

These same brain differences have strengths too. When I was seeing patients, I consistently got feedback that I was good with them. I think that's BECAUSE I take people literally. I listen without making the automatic social judgments neurotypical brains make.

Childhood was rough—I didn't have the language or support to understand what was happening. Now I do. Support and accommodation make a massive difference. A fully developed adult brain helps too.

Being autistic makes some things harder. So I get help. I have a therapist, great friends, and mentors who help me navigate workplace dynamics and communication.

Having support makes a huge difference. That's not a failure. That's just building the environment I need.

RFK Jr. says autistic people will "destroy families" and "never go on a date."

I'm autistic. I'm close with my family. I've been on plenty of dates. I'm also awkward as hell and miss social cues constantly.

But awkward ≠ incapable.

I run a nonprofit. According to him, I shouldn't exist. 🧵

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.

As others have pointed out, this outcry is also needed in other areas - see health care access for trans folks.

The pre-event jitters are real! This is our first time tabling, and I keep second-guessing our setup. Any tips from the community outreach pros out there?

#nonprofit #event #communityoutreach

“I trust my immune system. I don’t need a vaccine.”

Ok, I trust mine to protect me too. Which is why I trained it extensively on what the virus looks like so it can handle it.

Boxers don’t enter the ring without a plan. It’s the punch you don’t see coming that knocks you out.

I think I just unlocked a new level for adulthood - I finally figured out how to fold the bottom sheet without it looking like a total mess

Toward the inclusion of transgender and nonbinary residents among obstetrics and gynecology residency programs across the nation: a needs assessment As the number of matriculating transgender/nonbinary medical students continues to increase, residencies should anticipate receiving a greater number …

There are more trans/nonbinary residents, but many programs aren’t sure how to support them. This important paper looks at OB/Gyn programs and has a great toolkit to help residencies

#MedEd #residency #obgyn #transgender #nonbinary

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Infographic with emergency room icon showing text: "The main job of emergency rooms is figuring out if you need immediate medical care. What this means: It's okay if you go to the ER, and they don't find anything. The ER checked for life-threatening problems. Your doctor can help figure out what's wrong."

This is why you might leave the ER without knowing exactly what's wrong. But, this doesn't mean you should have stayed home. The ER did their job by making sure you were safe and giving you next steps.

healthed4everyone.org/home/emergen...