Categories
Medicine Politics Science

Why do RFK Jr. apologists think eliminating NIH study sections is a good idea?

Since the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya for NIH Director, I’ve been seeing a suggestion from certain contrarian doctors for a “randomized trial” of study sections vs. a “modified lottery” to determine which grant applications are funded by the NIH. Why do RFK Jr. apologists think this is a good idea?

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Politics Pseudoscience Quackery

Senators: Please grill RFK Jr.’s health nominees with these suggested questions

It won’t be long before we’re treated to the spectacle of Senators grilling antivax nominees like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (HHS) and Dr. Dave Weldon (CDC). I exist to serve, which is why I’m suggesting some questions for Senators to ask all of Trump’s health picks.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Quackery

RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary will be a catastrophe for public health and medical research

President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated antivax activist, conspiracy theorist, and all around crank Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. We are so screwed.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Politics Popular culture

Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s antivax assault on public health: Will it infect the federal government?

Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s Florida Department of Health recently released guidance on COVID vaccines based on antivax tropes. Could they metastasize to the federal government if Donald Trump wins in November?

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics

Stanford University promotes disastrous “natural herd immunity” approaches to the pandemic

A week and a half ago, Stanford University announced a conference on pandemic policy that features several of the usual suspects who spread misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Truly, Stanford has become the “respectable” academic face of efforts to undermine public health.