Rita Rubin
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ritarubin.bsky.social
Rita Rubin
@ritarubin.bsky.social
160 followers 82 following 37 posts

Lead senior staff writer, Medical News @jamacurrent.bsky.social. Mountain Mama, short story author, Medill & Hopkins alum.

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Economics 45%
Public Health 28%
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Reposted by Rita Rubin

physiciandemocracy.medsky.social
Physicians for a Healthy Democracy @physiciandemocracy.medsky.social · 21h
www.upi.com/Health_News/...
Traveler might have exposed many to measles in Massachusetts - UPI.com
A visitor from Texas who was afflicted with measles might have exposed many to the airborne virus while in Massachusetts, health officials announced.
www.upi.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin, Richard M. Carpiano

alt-nihscience4all.altgov.info
Alt-NIHscience4ALL @alt-nihscience4all.altgov.info · 2d
1/n: More leadership changes at NIH, with institute director positions likely to start being filled soon. Too many good people are leaving.

www.science.org/content/arti...
NIH official resigns after flap over risks of seasonal flu virus study
Agency may be expanding list of pathogens subject to dangerous “gain-of-function” regulations
www.science.org

Reposted by Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Daniel Webster , and 11 more

yalesph.bsky.social
Yale School of Public Health @yalesph.bsky.social · 3d
A new report from researchers at the Yale School of Public Health warns that the U.S. government’s abrupt cancellation of funding for mRNA vaccine research could have devastating health and economic consequences for the nation.
New report sounds alarm on health fallout from mRNA vaccine funding cuts
A new report from the Yale School of Public Health warns that the U.S. government’s abrupt cancellation of funding for mRNA vaccine research could have
ysph.yale.edu

Reposted by Rita Rubin

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 4d
CDC funds controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in African newborns: Experts doubt there's practical or expert justification. www.science.org/content/arti...
CDC funds controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in African newborns
Scientists question the value of the proposed study, which will investigate a vaccine long known to be efficacious and safe
www.science.org

Reposted by Rita Rubin

altcdc.altgov.info
Alt CDC (they/them) @altcdc.altgov.info · 6d
Leaving you tonight with a reminder of the works of our forebears. The greatest generation.

Funded by moms across America mailing in their dimes to help prevent a disease they all feared.
April 12 1955: Polio Announcement
YouTube video by March of Dimes
youtu.be

Reposted by Rita Rubin

artofsumo.bsky.social
Robin Redruth Bray @artofsumo.bsky.social · 6d
RFK Jr. should have paid more attention to the comics in 1968.

Reposted by Rita Rubin, Daniel S. Goldberg

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 7d
Prof. Lawrence Gostin and I wrote about the threat to states school immunization requirements from both litigation and legislation, especially worrying given federal actions undermining vaccine access
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
State Vaccine Law and Policy—A New Threat to Public Health
This Viewpoint discusses the importance of understanding the evolution and current trajectory of state-level vaccine requirements for assessing the stability of the nation’s immunization infrastructur...
jamanetwork.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 8d
Debating Science: No Thanks; that's the choice of those who have no data, but want to obscure that with theater, explains @pauloffit.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/pauloffi...
Debating Science: No Thanks
Anti-vaccine activists RFK Jr., Aaron Siri, and Steve Kirsch have asked that I debate them on vaccine safety. One of them offered me $1 million to do it. Here’s why I declined.
open.substack.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin

aliciaault.bsky.social
Alicia Ault @aliciaault.bsky.social · 8d
The law will apply to adults who have incurable, irreversible illnesses and six months or less to live, and each patient will need the sign-off of three doctors.

#Medsky #Psychsky #cancer #Neurosky #dementia #Alzheimers #ALS #Parkinsons
N.Y. Governor Will Sign Right-to-Die Bill for the Terminally Ill
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin

mcbridetd.bsky.social
Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 8d
The Most Feared Person at the NIH Is a Vaccine Researcher Plucked From Obscurity www.theatlantic.com/health/2025/...
The Most Feared Person at the NIH Is a Vaccine Researcher Plucked From Obscurity
While NIH director Jay Bhattacharya focuses on podcasting, his second in command is dramatically remaking the agency.
www.theatlantic.com

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop , and 35 more

Reposted by Rita Rubin

boghuma.bsky.social
BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 11d
Measles cases in the US:
2020 - 13 cases
2025 - 1912 cases so far and 3 deaths
This is a 147x increase.
There's no spin DHHS can put on this explosion of measles cases that will make this justifiable or acceptable.

Reposted by Rita Rubin, Andrea Iaboni

caulfieldtim.bsky.social
Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 11d
Again, NO evidence to support current COVID vax fearmongering.

ONE recent example:

"...results found NO increased risk of 4 yr all-cause mortality in individuals vaccinated against COVID..."

"...further supporting the safety of the mRNA vaccines..."

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in France
This cohort study uses the data from all adults aged 18 to 59 years living in France on November 1, 2021, to evaluate whether there is an association of receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with long-t...
jamanetwork.com

Reposted by Will Jennings, Benjamin Mason Meier, Rita Rubin , and 8 more

irishtimes.com
The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 11d
‘I heard 40, 50 shots’: Witnesses fled Bondi Beach as gunmen targeted Jewish event
‘I heard 40, 50 shots’: Witnesses fled Bondi Beach as gunmen targeted Jewish event
Gunshots ripped through a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, killing at least 12 people
www.irishtimes.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin, James Goodwin

cnn.com
CNN @cnn.com · 16d
The National Weather Service is working to hire back hundreds of positions laid off or otherwise cut by the Trump administration, but it’s progressing at a snail’s pace, with about 80 final job offers accepted for meteorologists, hydrologists and other specialized staff. https://cnn.it/3MvtkPN

Reposted by Rita Rubin

cidrap.bsky.social
CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 16d
#RSV tied to heart problems, breathing issues well after infection in adults

Researchers identify nearly 5 excess cardiovascular events per 100 patients in the year after diagnosis.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/r...

Reposted by Rita Rubin

westvirginiawatch.com
West Virginia Watch @westvirginiawatch.com · 16d
The head of one of the country's largest anti-abortion organizations wants President Donald Trump to fire U.S. Food and Drug Administrator Marty Makary over access to medication abortion, reports @jennifershutt.bsky.social.
Leader of major anti-abortion group calls for Trump's FDA chief to be fired • West Virginia Watch
The head of one of the country's largest anti-abortion groups wants Trump to fire the FDA administrator over access to medication abortion.
westvirginiawatch.com

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Rita Rubin

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 16d
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants www.reuters.com/business/hea... via @reuters.com
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants
U.S. health regulators informed senior executives at Merck, Sanofi and AstraZeneca last week that their approved protective RSV treatments for infants would face fresh safety scrutiny following concer...
www.reuters.com

Reposted by Scott L. Greer, Rita Rubin

gavinyamey.bsky.social
Prof Gavin Yamey @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 19d
I think the *speed* at which RFK Jr and his Great Barrington Declaration/anti-vaxx/Brownstone wrecking crew have been dismantling the US public health system has been really astonishing
elizabethjacobs.bsky.social Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 20d
Well, Senators Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, you wanted RFK Jr. to “go wild” at HHS.

Congratulations. You’ve achieved your goal. He is well on his way to completely destroying the US vaccine program.

Reposted by Rita Rubin

aliciaault.bsky.social
Alicia Ault @aliciaault.bsky.social · 20d
Cody Meissner has a few things to say to Aaron Siri, starting with his assertion that Siri's presentation was a "gross distortion".

#ACIP #Medsky #CDC #MMR #pediatrics #vaccines

Reposted by Rita Rubin

enirenberg.bsky.social
Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · 20d
So with this chart, Siri is trying to argue that ACIP recommendations for routine use followed very shortly after vaccine licensure. That's... how it's supposed to work? If the FDA approves a vaccine, we need guidance on how to use it.
Pre-Licensure Safety of the U.S. Vaccine Schedule Importance of Clinical Trials 11 * Stand-alone vaccines for children, excluding influenza; IPOL date is an estimate; DTP date uncertain. Source of data: see accompanying memorandum. Vaccine* Year Licensed for Children Year ACIP Recommended for Routine Use in Children [Earlier Non-Routine Use] Days Between Licensure & Recommendation DTP (various) M-M-R-II (Merck) Menomune Recombivax HB (Merck) Engerix-B (GSK) PedvaxHIB (Merck) Ipol (Sanofi) ActHIB (Sanofi) Varivax (Merck) Havrix (GSK) Vaqta (Merck) Infanrix (GSK) Prevnar 7 * 1978 1981 1986 1989 1989 1990 1993 1995 1995 1996 1997 2000 1966 1978 1991 1991 1990 1997 1993 1996 2006 2006 1997 2000 * 49 days 1948 days 816 days 133 days 2580 days 24 days 294 days 4104 days 3703 days 73 days -1 days [1985] [1987] [1990] [1994] [1996] [1996] [1264] [331] [192] [1691] [674] [273] Vaccine* Year Licensed for Children Year ACIP Recommended for Routine Use in Children [Earlier Non-Routine Use] Days Between Licensure & Recommendation Daptacel (Sanofi) Boostrix (GSK) Adacel (Sanofi) Menactra (Sanofi) Gardasil (Merck) Hiberix (GSK) Prevnar 13 (Pfizer) Menveo (GSK) Gardasil-9 MenQuadfi (Sanofi) Vaxneuvance (Merck) Priorix (GSK) Prevnar 20 (Pfizer) 2002 2005 2005 2005 2006 2009 2010 2010 2014 2020 2022 2022 2023 2002 2005 2005 2005 2006 2009 2010 2010 2015 2020 2022 2022 2023 52 days 24 days 20 days 27 days 21 days 30 days 0 days 19 days 78 days 62 days 5 days 17 days 56 days Current routine vaccine recommended for children. Previously recommended for children and used as control to license currently recommended vaccine.

Reposted by Rita Rubin

enirenberg.bsky.social
Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · 20d
that is not true. Petitioners may sue vaccine manufacturers after going through the NVICP, and the NCVIA does not grant immunity for cases of negligence or fraud.

We are off to a good start when a lawyer lies about the law in the field he directly litigates. Insane choice of presenter.
Are vaccine makers ‘exempt from all liability’?
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to change federal policy on vaccines, a billboard in Morgantown, W.Va., says vaccine makers are “exempt from all liability for vaccine injury and death.” That’s exaggera...
www.politifact.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin

enirenberg.bsky.social
Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · 20d
because he represents people who believe they have been harmed by vaccines and has no medical or vaccine science credentials.

His presentation literally recycles anti-vax memes. It is overt propaganda.

He does disclose his COI about his legal work and his book.
www.cdc.gov

ritarubin.bsky.social
Rita Rubin @ritarubin.bsky.social · 20d
My latest for @jama.com:
jama.com JAMA @jama.com · 20d
A new FDA-cleared blood test makes #Alzheimer biomarker screening possible in primary care, but experts say it’s important to understand what such tests can and cannot do. ja.ma/4a3jnmF

Reposted by Rita Rubin, Smith, Timothy D. McBride

brandyzadrozny.bsky.social
Brandy Zadrozny @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social · 20d
The country's biggest anti-vaccine lawyer, the guy behind weakened school mandates in Mississippi and West Virginia, who pulls in millions a year harassing the CDC on behalf of Del Bigtree's anti-vaxx org is ... presenting at ACIP. This panel is anti-vaccine theater. It's a cruel joke.

Reposted by Rita Rubin

jama.com
JAMA @jama.com · 20d
A new FDA-cleared blood test makes #Alzheimer biomarker screening possible in primary care, but experts say it’s important to understand what such tests can and cannot do. ja.ma/4a3jnmF

Reposted by Rita Rubin

doritreiss.bsky.social
Dorit Reiss @doritreiss.bsky.social · 20d
#ACIP invites anti-vaccine lawyer Aaron Siri to present on the schedule, since apparently they could not find any vaccine experts to do that.
Apparently they invited Drs. Offit and Hotez who refused, maybe because Malone called them "industry experts."

Reposted by Rita Rubin

westvirginiawatch.com
West Virginia Watch @westvirginiawatch.com · 26d
The small community of Webster Springs has honored West Virginia National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom with days of candlelight vigils, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.
‘Quiet strength’ — Sarah Beckstrom’s West Virginia hometown remembers slain National Guard member  • West Virginia Watch
Webster Springs community members gathered Saturday to honor West Virginia Army National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom.
westvirginiawatch.com

Reposted by Rita Rubin

jama.com
JAMA @jama.com · 26d
📢 Applications for the 2026-2027 Morris Fishbein Fellowship in Medical Editing are due January 5.

This one-year fellowship at JAMA’s Chicago headquarters offers physicians hands-on experience in editing and publishing a leading medical journal.

ja.ma/3IctQRe
Morris Fishbein Fellowship in Medical Editing: Call for Applications

Reposted by Rita Rubin

mcbridetd.bsky.social
Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 26d
Scientific evidence shows no link between COVID19 vaccines and child deaths
www.defendpublichealth.org/resource/sci...
Scientific evidence shows no link between COVID19 vaccines and child deaths | Defend Public Health
In response to claims by the Trump administration that COVID19 vaccines caused 25 pediatric deaths, Defend Public Health reviewed the scientific evidence from rigorous vaccine safety surveillance syst...
www.defendpublichealth.org