Politics, Science, and Other Assorted Musings
I love helping people understand issues and look at them from a different perspective. In this blog, I hope I can offer you some new insights—bridging the gap between basic science and your medicine chest—as I am still a practicing physician, as well as having had broad clinical research experience. I'm interested in developing new medicines and treatments, as well as caring for patients—and explaining these topics for you.
As medicine has evolved, so have my interests. I have also become increasingly interested in health disparities, social justice issues, and ethics. I invite you to join me as we explore a variety of territories. I hope that reading these posts will encourage you to learn, engage, and above all, work for the forces of good.
If there are topics you'd like to see me cover, please let me know—I welcome your input as to what you would like us to discuss in this column.
Coronavirus - COVID19
Please note that I will be posting Coronavirus Tidbits of news here. You can sign up for updates by clicking the box at the right and subscribe to Covid, Politics, and Science. All Covid posts will go here, and I will upload back issues as I have time. Please share w friends. Thanks!
I’m going to have a reference file here for articles I have found particularly worthwhile, and will update this here as we learn new information. Click on the COVID-19 Resources, below, to expand that.
If you see something terrific, please share. We’re all in this together.
Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Excellent thread from Ed Yong. Start here: ~ ~ ~ After many childhood vaccinations got put on hold at the start of the pandemic, global measles cases are expected to spike in the coming years. (Vox) Diagnostics: still an incredible, negligent lack of accurate rapid testing. Drugs: ~ ~ ~ Small study–COVID-19 survival among elderly patients could be improved by arthritis drug baricitinib The research team say the findings are being followed up with large-scale clinical trials. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-11/icl-csa111320.php ~ ~ ~ Gates Foundation adds $70 million more funding for COVID vaccines for poor thru COVAX and GAVI An extra $50 million will go to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) led by the GAVI vaccine alliance, the foundation said, and another $20 million to the Coalition for Epidemic…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. I have 2 new posts: President-Elect Biden Names New Covid-19 Task Force – What’s The Enthusiasm About? I’m thrilled that appointees are well-respected physicians and scientists, though there are some additional groups that need to be represented. There is a focus on social justice and health disparities among the appointees. https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2020/11/09/president-elect-biden-names-new-covid-19-task-force–whats-the-enthusiasm-about/?sh=398fbb86458f ~ ~ ~ Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine Results Look Exciting—But Come With Big Warnings My somewhat contrarian view of the Pfizer vaccine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2020/11/10/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-results-look-exciting-but-come-with-big-warnings/?sh=fdf9d021bc88 News Cases are skyrocketing across the US, especially in areas which ignore masking and distancing. ~ ~ ~ I still find this shocking: “Despite President Donald Trump’s brazen negligence in handling the coronavirus, the president actually performed better this year than he did in 2016 in counties with high COVID-19 death rates, according to an internal analysis from Reuters. The…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I have been immersed in #GOTV, text banking and voter hotline. Took today off, then already found a need for texting again for ballot curing in AZ, and have signed up to volunteer for GA. We need all hands on deck for that one! Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News My first reaction to the electoral vote counts: Alleluia, The Great Storm Is Over words and music by Bob Franke The thunder and lightning gave voice to the night, The little lame child cried aloud in her fright, Hush little baby, a story I’ll tell, Of a love that has conquered the powers of hell. CHORUS: Alleluia, the great storm is over, Lift up your wings and fly! Alleluia, the great…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I have been immersed in #GOTV. Now I will shift to ballot “curing” briefly, and mourning the divide and craziness in our country. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News Incomprehensible to me how, despite Herculean efforts to get out the vote on one side (and overcome voter suppression), the vote is so close this am. That half the US voted for a lying narcissist who is hell bent on ignoring science and destroying the environment for his profit, is heartbreaking and sickening. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Diagnostics: still an incredible, negligent lack of rapid, accurate testing. Drugs: Regeneron, Lilly Setbacks Raise Questions on the Effectiveness of Antibodies in Severe COVID-19 By Alex Philippidis November 2, 2020 …
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I have been immersed in #GOTV efforts. Now there are opportunities to help w post-election challenges. Don’t know if I can muster the energy for that… Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News ~ ~ ~ Another maskless mega-rally. Trump is spreading Covid and hate-mongering throughout sleepy little towns, this in PA–hours after this study came out: What are the health consequences of Pres. Trump’s campaign rallies? A Stanford study examined 18 Trump rallies and estimated that just those rallies led to 30,000 Covid infections and 700 deaths. https://sebotero.github.io/papers/COVIDrallies_10_30_2000.pdf This is also after last week’s sh*t show in Omaha, where fans were left stranded in the cold, with no transportation back to their cars. At least 7 were taken to hospitals for…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: I’ve been trying to stick on a 2x/week schedule recently, weekend and midweek. Since Sunday’s issue failed to send, these two are back to back. But I know you won’t mind, since there is such interesting content and pics, right? First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I’m still immersed in #GOTV efforts. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News Good way of viewing Coronavirus: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Turning the Corner on Covid in the US—Into an Oncoming Tsunami of Cases, Hospitalizations, and Death Dr. Tom Frieden ~ ~ ~ Diagnostics: still an incredible, negligent last of testing. Drugs: ~ ~ ~ Moderna ~ ~ ~ Growing drug shortages–thank our dependence on China (and India) “As of now, 43%…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: Apologies to my fans. Sorry this did not send on Sunday as intended. Do you think DeJoy’s reach has extended to MailChimp??? First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I have been immersed in #GOTV efforts. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. My latest Forbes post: Polio Eradication Program Key In Covid-19 Response on how the infrastructure designed to eradicate Polio is now being used for Covid-19 https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2020/10/24/polio-eradication-program-key-in-covid-19-response/#1c08ef9447a8 News ~ ~ ~ This is a shameful political choice by this administration: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Mike Pence, head of Coronavirus task force, is out campaigning, falsely claiming that is “essential” work, despite his Chief of Staff and 4 others (so far) now testing positive. ~ ~ ~ Recommended reading/training: Choose Democracy How to Beat an Election-Related Power…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I have been immersed in text banking and GOTV efforts. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News ~ ~ ~ Twitter removed tweet from Trump’s Covid Advisor, Scott Atlas, for misleading info: ~ ~ ~ And on the idiocy of promoting herd immunity: ~ ~ ~ Who Are the Scientists Behind the Great Barrington Declaration? — All three have advocated against lockdown measures since the start of the pandemic The Great Barrington Declaration, a statement written by three public health experts from Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford, encourages governments to lift lockdown restrictions on young and healthy people while focusing protection measures on the elderly. This would allow COVID-19 to spread in a population where it is less likely to be deadly, the…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I’m preoccupied with #GOTV efforts in Swing States. That’s been quite gratifying, and I would encourage others to join in. https://www.mobilize.us/ is a good place to start, or email me for other specific groups I like. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News Very useful new Risk Calculator – mycovidrisk.com see Tips for more info ~ ~ ~ New Covid cases surge in Midwest as weather cools and resistance heats up Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin have seen a greater than 25 percent increase in coronavirus cases in the last two weeks compared to the two weeks before. Minnesota has reported more than a thousand new Covid-19 cases for six days in a row, something that hasn’t happened since the start…
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Quick links News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty Announcements: First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting. Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I’m preoccupied with #GOTV efforts in Swing States.That’s been quite gratifying, and I would encourage others to join in. https://www.mobilize.us/ is a good place to start, or email me for other specific groups I like. Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that. News: Immune cell activation in severe COVID-19 resembles lupus In severe cases of COVID-19, Emory researchers have been observing an exuberant activation of immune cells, resembling acute flares of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease. Their findings point towards tests that could separate some COVID-19 patients who need immune-calming therapies from others who may not. They also may begin to explain why some people infected with SARS-CoV-2 produce abundant antibodies against the virus, yet experience poor outcomes. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/ehs-ica100920.php ~ ~…
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