Alex Kong
@alexckong.bsky.social
PhD International Health, Johns Hopkins
PharmD, University of Kansas
Former “radical lunatic” working to prevent malaria deaths at USAID.
Access to medicine/antimicrobial resistance are my jam. Views/opinions are my own.
PharmD, University of Kansas
Former “radical lunatic” working to prevent malaria deaths at USAID.
Access to medicine/antimicrobial resistance are my jam. Views/opinions are my own.
Dusting off my Bluesky to happily share that I've joined Maisha Meds: a start-up I was introduced to early in my (too) short time at USAID. MM equips 5k+ pharmacies in Africa with point-of-sale software, develops innovative programs to increase access to meds, and sheds light on critical data gaps.
November 4, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Dusting off my Bluesky to happily share that I've joined Maisha Meds: a start-up I was introduced to early in my (too) short time at USAID. MM equips 5k+ pharmacies in Africa with point-of-sale software, develops innovative programs to increase access to meds, and sheds light on critical data gaps.
At least we have herd immuni—funding for scientific resear—non-partisan public hea—support of evidence-backed interven—
The Pandemic’s Biggest Missed Opportunity: Treating clean indoor air as a public good would have protected Americans against all sorts of airborne diseases | The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
The Pandemic’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
Treating clean indoor air as a public good would have protected Americans against all sorts of airborne diseases.
www.theatlantic.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
At least we have herd immuni—funding for scientific resear—non-partisan public hea—support of evidence-backed interven—
Reposted by Alex Kong
Telling researchers to keep doing the work & adapt while weathering the storm ain't gonna cut it. American higher education simply cannot survive this systematic dismantling and attack. There's no weathering a category 5 hurricane. Many will simply leave if this continues
www.wsj.com/health/healt...
www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Johns Hopkins Plans Staff Layoffs After $800 Million Grant Cuts
Local and international health research efforts are already winding down as the university braces for even more potential cuts.
www.wsj.com
March 12, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Telling researchers to keep doing the work & adapt while weathering the storm ain't gonna cut it. American higher education simply cannot survive this systematic dismantling and attack. There's no weathering a category 5 hurricane. Many will simply leave if this continues
www.wsj.com/health/healt...
www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Reposted by Alex Kong
DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION:
My reporter Brett Murphy obtained a remarkable directive to folks at USAID: Empty the safes with the classified and personnel records and then,
"Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break."
My reporter Brett Murphy obtained a remarkable directive to folks at USAID: Empty the safes with the classified and personnel records and then,
"Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break."
March 11, 2025 at 3:42 PM
DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION:
My reporter Brett Murphy obtained a remarkable directive to folks at USAID: Empty the safes with the classified and personnel records and then,
"Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break."
My reporter Brett Murphy obtained a remarkable directive to folks at USAID: Empty the safes with the classified and personnel records and then,
"Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break."
Reposted by Alex Kong
if you've had an NIH grant terminated, I want to hear about it. Signal: katherinejwu.12
March 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
if you've had an NIH grant terminated, I want to hear about it. Signal: katherinejwu.12
Reposted by Alex Kong
Where Being Gay Is Punishable by Death, Aid Cuts Are ‘Heartbreaking.’ Uganda’s #LGBTQ+ population, already struggling with the fallout of a harsh anti-gay law, sees disruption of U.S. aid put people at even greater risk, by @lattif.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/w... via @nytimes.com
Where Being Gay Is Punishable by Death, Aid Cuts Are ‘Heartbreaking’
Uganda’s L.G.B.T.Q. population was already struggling to cope with the fallout of a harsh anti-gay law when the disruption of U.S. aid put people at even greater risk.
www.nytimes.com
March 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Where Being Gay Is Punishable by Death, Aid Cuts Are ‘Heartbreaking.’ Uganda’s #LGBTQ+ population, already struggling with the fallout of a harsh anti-gay law, sees disruption of U.S. aid put people at even greater risk, by @lattif.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/w... via @nytimes.com
Chris Coons [D-Del.], "...says even some Republicans have been shocked by the scope of cuts. “‘We wanted to squeeze the ‘woke’ out of it. We wanted a little reshaping, but we didn’t mean to starve children’,” was their reaction, he says."
Um.
Um.
Can international aid survive in a crumbling world order?
https://www.ft.com/content/b3667445-a242-46fb-bcb3-0a21386ce355
https://www.ft.com/content/b3667445-a242-46fb-bcb3-0a21386ce355
Can international aid survive in a crumbling world order?
As western governments dramatically scale back budgets, remaining funding is likely to be a more obvious tool of geopolitical interests
www.ft.com
March 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Chris Coons [D-Del.], "...says even some Republicans have been shocked by the scope of cuts. “‘We wanted to squeeze the ‘woke’ out of it. We wanted a little reshaping, but we didn’t mean to starve children’,” was their reaction, he says."
Um.
Um.
Reposted by Alex Kong
Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
February 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Every day we are finding a new way to trumpet that we are not reliable partners: for development assistance, medical guidance, geopolitical support, clinical trials, higher education funding, and (even before these PubMed scares) preserving decades of research and data. Our word means nothing now.
March 2, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Every day we are finding a new way to trumpet that we are not reliable partners: for development assistance, medical guidance, geopolitical support, clinical trials, higher education funding, and (even before these PubMed scares) preserving decades of research and data. Our word means nothing now.
Reposted by Alex Kong
So.
It has officially happened. I have been officially let go from my position at CDC. I wasn’t a probationary employee. I had stellar performance reviews every year.
I’ll be ok. But please understand that many worked HARD to get into these positions and were doing great public health work.
It has officially happened. I have been officially let go from my position at CDC. I wasn’t a probationary employee. I had stellar performance reviews every year.
I’ll be ok. But please understand that many worked HARD to get into these positions and were doing great public health work.
February 21, 2025 at 8:14 PM
So.
It has officially happened. I have been officially let go from my position at CDC. I wasn’t a probationary employee. I had stellar performance reviews every year.
I’ll be ok. But please understand that many worked HARD to get into these positions and were doing great public health work.
It has officially happened. I have been officially let go from my position at CDC. I wasn’t a probationary employee. I had stellar performance reviews every year.
I’ll be ok. But please understand that many worked HARD to get into these positions and were doing great public health work.
Especially when COVID rapid tests have only gone up in price and when there are multiple circulating respiratory illnesses. Lowering the barrier for individuals to test can help people to make more informed decisions on the risk they might pose to others at a very delicate time.
This paragraph from @washingtonpost.com's reporting on Trump potentially ending free COVID tests is factually incorrect.
According to CDC wastewater data, COVID levels are currently HIGH.
COVID still causes serious illness and death for too many. People still need free tests!
According to CDC wastewater data, COVID levels are currently HIGH.
COVID still causes serious illness and death for too many. People still need free tests!
February 18, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Especially when COVID rapid tests have only gone up in price and when there are multiple circulating respiratory illnesses. Lowering the barrier for individuals to test can help people to make more informed decisions on the risk they might pose to others at a very delicate time.
I genuinely wonder how quickly this gov will reverse course on health when the diseases USAID/CDC scientists prevented/contained arrive, vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks spread, and people become more susceptible to severe infection bc they can’t afford their routine meds. Maybe all at once.
February 15, 2025 at 1:57 AM
I genuinely wonder how quickly this gov will reverse course on health when the diseases USAID/CDC scientists prevented/contained arrive, vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks spread, and people become more susceptible to severe infection bc they can’t afford their routine meds. Maybe all at once.
Reposted by Alex Kong
It is really short-sighted and stupid to be gutting public health and outbreak surveillance capacity right now:
- H5N1 nationwide - uncontrolled
- TB in Kansas - largest U.S outbreak
- Measles in Texas - Expanding
- Seasonal flu - Worst in 15 years
- Pertussis - outbreaks in multiple states.
- H5N1 nationwide - uncontrolled
- TB in Kansas - largest U.S outbreak
- Measles in Texas - Expanding
- Seasonal flu - Worst in 15 years
- Pertussis - outbreaks in multiple states.
February 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
It is really short-sighted and stupid to be gutting public health and outbreak surveillance capacity right now:
- H5N1 nationwide - uncontrolled
- TB in Kansas - largest U.S outbreak
- Measles in Texas - Expanding
- Seasonal flu - Worst in 15 years
- Pertussis - outbreaks in multiple states.
- H5N1 nationwide - uncontrolled
- TB in Kansas - largest U.S outbreak
- Measles in Texas - Expanding
- Seasonal flu - Worst in 15 years
- Pertussis - outbreaks in multiple states.
Reposted by Alex Kong
With an anti-science conspiracy theorist leading the US Department of Health and Human Services, preventative action is critical to protecting your health and the health of your community.
A good place to start would be getting back into the practice of regularly wearing a mask.
A good place to start would be getting back into the practice of regularly wearing a mask.
February 14, 2025 at 3:29 AM
With an anti-science conspiracy theorist leading the US Department of Health and Human Services, preventative action is critical to protecting your health and the health of your community.
A good place to start would be getting back into the practice of regularly wearing a mask.
A good place to start would be getting back into the practice of regularly wearing a mask.
Reposted by Alex Kong
I am worried about:
- the future of vaccines
- the unchecked spread of bird flu
- the suppression of public health voices
- the rolling back HIV care access
- the assault on science and researchers
Today more than ever, I am worried about these things and the threat to our collective health.
- the future of vaccines
- the unchecked spread of bird flu
- the suppression of public health voices
- the rolling back HIV care access
- the assault on science and researchers
Today more than ever, I am worried about these things and the threat to our collective health.
February 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I am worried about:
- the future of vaccines
- the unchecked spread of bird flu
- the suppression of public health voices
- the rolling back HIV care access
- the assault on science and researchers
Today more than ever, I am worried about these things and the threat to our collective health.
- the future of vaccines
- the unchecked spread of bird flu
- the suppression of public health voices
- the rolling back HIV care access
- the assault on science and researchers
Today more than ever, I am worried about these things and the threat to our collective health.
Reposted by Alex Kong
#USA: We are calling on the US government to immediately resume funding for the full range of PEPFAR operations as well as other critical health and humanitarian aid.
Uncertainty around PEPFAR program puts millions of people at risk
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/uncer...
Uncertainty around PEPFAR program puts millions of people at risk
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/uncer...
Uncertainty around PEPFAR program puts millions of people at risk
MSF is calling on the US government to immediately resume funding for the full range of PEPFAR operations as well as other critical health and humanitarian aid.
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
February 13, 2025 at 3:03 AM
#USA: We are calling on the US government to immediately resume funding for the full range of PEPFAR operations as well as other critical health and humanitarian aid.
Uncertainty around PEPFAR program puts millions of people at risk
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/uncer...
Uncertainty around PEPFAR program puts millions of people at risk
www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/uncer...
Reposted by Alex Kong
BOOM: Federal judge orders CDC, NIH & FDA to restore websites & datasets in response to @drsforamerica.bsky.social lawsuit:
acasignups.net/25/02/11/boo...
acasignups.net/25/02/11/boo...
Boom: Federal judge orders CDC, NIH & FDA to restore websites & datasets in response to DFA lawsuit
Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social BREAKING: In response to doctors' lawsuit, Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, orders CDC, NIH, and FDA to put back up websites and datasets cited b...
acasignups.net
February 11, 2025 at 7:04 PM
BOOM: Federal judge orders CDC, NIH & FDA to restore websites & datasets in response to @drsforamerica.bsky.social lawsuit:
acasignups.net/25/02/11/boo...
acasignups.net/25/02/11/boo...
I've been holding my tongue for the past couple weeks since being furloughed at USAID, but today I finally got the termination notice. I was one of sixteen Science for Development Fellows working at USAID. It was the 1st year of the fellowship which was meant to bring more STEM expertise to USAID. 🧵
February 11, 2025 at 11:56 PM
I've been holding my tongue for the past couple weeks since being furloughed at USAID, but today I finally got the termination notice. I was one of sixteen Science for Development Fellows working at USAID. It was the 1st year of the fellowship which was meant to bring more STEM expertise to USAID. 🧵
This ban incapacitates research and could physically harm individuals. I've been thinking a lot about what less diverse clinical trials could mean for safety in some groups, especially when we consider who is often underrepresented in these trials. Diversity makes for better, and safer, science.
Ban on DEI Language Sweeps Through the Sciences: President Trump’s executive order is altering scientific exploration across a broad swath of fields, even beyond government agencies, researchers say. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/09/s...
A Sweeping Ban on D.E.I. Language Roils the Sciences
President Trump’s executive order is altering scientific exploration across a broad swath of fields, even beyond government agencies, researchers say.
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This ban incapacitates research and could physically harm individuals. I've been thinking a lot about what less diverse clinical trials could mean for safety in some groups, especially when we consider who is often underrepresented in these trials. Diversity makes for better, and safer, science.
Read the room, LinkedIn.
January 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Read the room, LinkedIn.
This week has been like 3,000 years long.
January 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
This week has been like 3,000 years long.
Reposted by Alex Kong
PURPOSE-2 results are now published. It demonstrates high level effectiveness of twice a year Lenacapavir for HIV prevention in Men and gender diverse persons.
An important milestone for long acting injectables for PrEP. Now we need to address the issue of access.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
An important milestone for long acting injectables for PrEP. Now we need to address the issue of access.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention in Men and Gender-Diverse Persons | NEJM
Twice-yearly subcutaneous lenacapavir has been shown to be efficacious for prevention
of HIV infection in cisgender women. The efficacy of lenacapavir for preexposure prophylaxis
(PrEP) in cisgende...
www.nejm.org
November 28, 2024 at 12:47 PM
PURPOSE-2 results are now published. It demonstrates high level effectiveness of twice a year Lenacapavir for HIV prevention in Men and gender diverse persons.
An important milestone for long acting injectables for PrEP. Now we need to address the issue of access.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
An important milestone for long acting injectables for PrEP. Now we need to address the issue of access.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
In pharmacy school, we were mostly presented with two, maybe three, paths: community/hospital or Pharma rep. I was on my (never completely fulfilled) drug development path, but being in the access space (first in the Netherlands, and again now), it’s been really cool to see other PharmDs here.
November 26, 2024 at 1:32 PM
In pharmacy school, we were mostly presented with two, maybe three, paths: community/hospital or Pharma rep. I was on my (never completely fulfilled) drug development path, but being in the access space (first in the Netherlands, and again now), it’s been really cool to see other PharmDs here.
Every two years, the @who.int EML is updated, and I go down a rabbit hole to read up on notable additions (and rejections). It's nice to see this deeper dive into representation of diseases, applicants, and experts over two decades, that provides greater context on this priority-setting exercise!
November 25, 2024 at 3:58 AM
Every two years, the @who.int EML is updated, and I go down a rabbit hole to read up on notable additions (and rejections). It's nice to see this deeper dive into representation of diseases, applicants, and experts over two decades, that provides greater context on this priority-setting exercise!
I’m still masking in 2024 in large part because my partner has seen his health plummet since first getting COVID in 2022. I’m okay being the odd one out in the room, but I do grieve the fact that health has become so politicized, and masking while sick hasn’t become a courtesy/the norm.
November 19, 2024 at 1:15 PM
I’m still masking in 2024 in large part because my partner has seen his health plummet since first getting COVID in 2022. I’m okay being the odd one out in the room, but I do grieve the fact that health has become so politicized, and masking while sick hasn’t become a courtesy/the norm.