Gary Schwitzer

Introducing the BOMB squad health policy news summary Acronym for federal health folks: "Bobby" (as Trump calls him), Oz, Makary & Bhattacharya

Sagging public confidence in the BOMB squad - “Bobby,” Oz, Makary, Bhattacharya. Here’s a wrap on their week so far. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/introducin...

Just 2 days after the first Health News Pinocchio Award, here’s #2 - for Oz claiming that RFK Jr. “has been at the very front” of advocating for measles vaccines. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/2nd-health...

Analysis of ads for “simple blood test” for multicancer early detection that missed more cancers than it found. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...

An estimated $48 million spent on a couple of minutes of health-related Super Bowl commercials. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...

Introducing the “Health News Pinocchio Award” For the most egregious recent lie about health care that caught my eye.

Guess who wins the inaugural award? garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/introducin...

Live from the heart of ICE-occupied Minneapolis: The Gated Community presents a free streaming concert of protest songs and original material. All donations will go to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. thegatedcommunityband.com/home

Hims, other telehealth platforms push multi-cancer detection tests before evidence of benefit Test makers and telehealth providers say they want to give people a chance to catch cancers early and seek treatment.

Another troublesome Super Bowl ad. Buyer beware. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...

Why We've Just Sued the Government Sharing A Statement from NewsGuard's Co-Founders About Our Fight for Freedom of Speech

Yay, NewsGuard. Sue the hell out of ‘em. open.substack.com/pub/newsguar...

> Half of Americans disapprove of RFK Jr.’s performance. KFF Poll on Health Information & Trust. www.kff.org/health-infor...

Kennedy Makes Unfounded Claim That Keto Diet Can ‘Cure’ Schizophrenia

The man is out of control. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/u...

It’s very simple to say a problem is “huge” when you don’t provide any evidence. That’s what Dr. Oz did, claiming Russian-Armenian mafia in LA are running fraudulent hospice clinics. If you have evidence, let’s see it. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/giving-no-...

Giving no evidence, Oz claims “Russian-Armenian mafia” in LA hospices California governor sues Oz with civil rights complaint

In what has become standard practice for federal health agency heads - RFK Jr., Marty Makary, and now Dr. Oz - bold claims have been made without any evidence provided to back them up.
garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/giving-no-...

These are headlines about all 3 of the new health news hires by CBS News. They are newsmakers, for sure, but not always admirably. And they are not journalists. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...

The CBS Eye is now black-and-blue Closer look at 3 new health contributors is concerning.

Trust in CBS News plummets after 19 new non-journalist hires. The health-related hires all have considerable baggage. Cronkite & Murrow must be rolling over in their graves. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...

#SuperBowlLX health-related commercials’ flaws. Two promote screening tests with giggles and glitz, but little substance. Telehealth companies, GLP-1 claims, celebrities. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/more-flaws...

Live: Federal immigration surge and Minnesota’s pushback continue Protests, vigils and ringing church bells planned across the metro as two-month-long Operation Metro Surge goes on.

The siege continues - now two months old. www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...

Opinion | Minnesota could finally teach Trump the limits of theatrics The president is learning a hard lesson about policy versus personnel.

“Putting theater kids in charge of a sensitive law enforcement operation was a mistake. That error was compounded by who was sent to carry out their orders.” www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

ICE Expands Power of Agents to Arrest People Without Warrants

Talk of “de-escalate…drawdown” increasingly sounds like a smoke screen. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...

‘No humanity’: Detainees describe conditions inside Whipple Federal Building Immigration sweep brings overcrowded rooms and overflowing toilets. Lawyers say they can’t visit their clients. The Department of Homeland Security says “all detainees receive full due process.”

Disgusting, but sadly, not surprising. www.startribune.com/no-humanity-...

Reflections on an awful past year of US health policy. Rising costs, less vaccine access, more preventable outbreaks, mind-boggling agency direction. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/an-unhealt...

Trump Called for ‘De-Escalation’ in Minneapolis. It Didn’t Last Long.

Another Trump flip-flop www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/u...

The New England Journal of Medicine published a letter from more than 900 Minnesota physicians who describe “an extraordinarily dangerous time.” www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

“The Nation” Nominates Minneapolis for the Nobel Peace Prize With their resistance to violent authoritarianism, the people of Minneapolis have renewed the spirit of Dr. King’s call for “the positive affirmation of peace.”

The Nation is nominating Minneapolis for the Nobel Peace Prize! And we wouldn’t have to go the Venezuelan route like he did! www.thenation.com/article/acti...

Would you go home the same day you had 2 hip replacements? Hospital marketing sometimes promotes the exception as if it’s the rule. A patient advocate protests. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...

RFK, Jr.'s "weird" war rhetoric Public health needs competence, sustained funding & scientific integrity, not warriors.

The macho militarism even extends into health policy rhetoric. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/rfk-jrs-we...

'Beyond Frustrating' and 'Absolutely Despicable': Brooklyn Park Police Chief Decries ICE Tactics Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley decried the tactics that ICE agents are using during Operation Metro Surge.

This is 2nd time this police chief was compelled to speak out against ICE in a week. ccxmedia.org/news/beyond-...

Opinion | The unsettling truth revealed by the attempted attack on Ilhan Omar Ilhan Omar should not have to fear for her safety to espouse her views, even if they are extreme.

“She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” said Trump. Similar BS from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama): “That was pretty much all staged. At the end of the day, this is the Democrats playing games.” www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Judge in Minnesota Says ICE Has Violated Nearly 100 Court Orders

Law-abiding? A federal judge said ICE had disobeyed more judicial directives this month than “some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.” www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/u...

Watch this video to see how battlefield weaponry may greet you when you come to the door in Minneapolis. www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...