Prof Brendan Crabb AC
@brendancrabb.bsky.social
research scientist in infectious diseases, health equity advocate, director & ceo burnet institute (www.burnet.edu.au), chair, australian global health alliance & pacific friends of global health (www.ausglobalhealth.org)
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose.
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
November 7, 2025 at 6:35 AM
1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose.
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
The Australian Centre for Disease Control is happening! Burnet’s Chief Health Officer, Associate Professor Suman Majumdar, welcomes the new CDC, saying: “Health challenges transcend national borders. The CDC will bolster Australia’s readiness and contribute to global health security.”
November 7, 2025 at 5:50 AM
The Australian Centre for Disease Control is happening! Burnet’s Chief Health Officer, Associate Professor Suman Majumdar, welcomes the new CDC, saying: “Health challenges transcend national borders. The CDC will bolster Australia’s readiness and contribute to global health security.”
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
The future of Australian medical research is being held back, not by a lack of ideas, talent, or urgency, but by the failure to honour a long‐held funding promise, a situation all the more perplexing given that the promised funds are already available.
Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...
Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...
Burnet backs calls to fully release MRFF: media release
The MRFF was established to transform Australian health and medical research. We are calling on all funds to be released.
www.burnet.edu.au
November 7, 2025 at 12:03 AM
The future of Australian medical research is being held back, not by a lack of ideas, talent, or urgency, but by the failure to honour a long‐held funding promise, a situation all the more perplexing given that the promised funds are already available.
Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...
Read more: www.burnet.edu.au/news/burnet-...
An important report by Australia’s science Academy.
You may be breathing in pollutants right now but you wouldn’t know it. That's because Australia doesn't monitor indoor air to scientifically acceptable standards. A new Academy report to be launched today explores the policy pathways to improve indoor air quality.
www.science.org.au/news-and-eve...
www.science.org.au/news-and-eve...
Time to act to improve the air we share indoors
If you’re indoors right now, do you know how much of the air you're breathing is someone else’s ‘breath backwash’ or what pollutants it contains?
www.science.org.au
November 5, 2025 at 10:45 PM
An important report by Australia’s science Academy.
Adding to the already strong case for vaccinating kids against COVID - both its acute and chronic (long COVID) effects
www.9news.com.au/health/covid...
www.9news.com.au/health/covid...
Landmark study makes 'important' finding about COVID vaccines
www.9news.com.au
November 5, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Adding to the already strong case for vaccinating kids against COVID - both its acute and chronic (long COVID) effects
www.9news.com.au/health/covid...
www.9news.com.au/health/covid...
Just called (through gritted teeth).
November 5, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Just called (through gritted teeth).
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Australia’s MRFF is sitting on billions of taxpayers’ dollars which was meant to be invested in world-leading, lifesaving health innovations.
November 4, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Australia’s MRFF is sitting on billions of taxpayers’ dollars which was meant to be invested in world-leading, lifesaving health innovations.
The world learned a painful lesson during COVID; respiratory infections are airborne. This changes a great deal - especially the need for better indoor air quality and high quality masks. If there was a single most important person responsible it was Prof Morawska.
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
World expert in air quality and COVID wins Australia's top science prize
Lidia Morawska, an internationally renowned expert in air quality and its impact on human health, has won Australia's most coveted prize for scientific research.
www.abc.net.au
November 3, 2025 at 9:08 PM
The world learned a painful lesson during COVID; respiratory infections are airborne. This changes a great deal - especially the need for better indoor air quality and high quality masks. If there was a single most important person responsible it was Prof Morawska.
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Atomo Diagnostics and Burnet have partnered to develop a syphilis test that would not only be Australia’s first self-test for the disease but the first syphilis test in the world to be able to differentiate between active and past infections.
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
November 2, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Atomo Diagnostics and Burnet have partnered to develop a syphilis test that would not only be Australia’s first self-test for the disease but the first syphilis test in the world to be able to differentiate between active and past infections.
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
Great work team at @burnetinstitute.bsky.social and partners.
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
www.theaustralian.com.au
November 1, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Great work team at @burnetinstitute.bsky.social and partners.
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medic...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
"We're seeing a shift, and GPs and medical professionals are accepting that long COVID is real.
"But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯
#LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪
"But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯
#LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪
In awe of the team at Clinic Nineteen treating adults & children for long COVID & related diseases. COVID infection is commonplace in the community & repeat infections increase your chances of getting LC so do your best to avoid infection. Indoor air quality is key.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Long COVID patients seeking help 'let down by the system'
Patients are calling for better access to long COVID care after the closure of one of the country's last public clinics.
www.abc.net.au
November 1, 2025 at 3:45 AM
"We're seeing a shift, and GPs and medical professionals are accepting that long COVID is real.
"But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯
#LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪
"But we still struggle with the belief there's nothing you can do about it. There is a lot you can do." 💯
#LongCovid #MEcfs ⚕️🧪
In awe of the team at Clinic Nineteen treating adults & children for long COVID & related diseases. COVID infection is commonplace in the community & repeat infections increase your chances of getting LC so do your best to avoid infection. Indoor air quality is key.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Long COVID patients seeking help 'let down by the system'
Patients are calling for better access to long COVID care after the closure of one of the country's last public clinics.
www.abc.net.au
October 31, 2025 at 8:54 PM
In awe of the team at Clinic Nineteen treating adults & children for long COVID & related diseases. COVID infection is commonplace in the community & repeat infections increase your chances of getting LC so do your best to avoid infection. Indoor air quality is key.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
As our team and others have written about previously, metformin does appear to have some benefit.
thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...
thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...
Metformin has been shown to reduce the risk of Long COVID. Why isn’t it more widely used? - The Sick Times
Recent studies add evidence to a prior phase 3 clinical trial, suggesting that taking the diabetes drug during acute COVID-19 reduces the risk of long-term symptoms.
thesicktimes.org
October 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM
As our team and others have written about previously, metformin does appear to have some benefit.
thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...
thesicktimes.org/2025/10/28/m...
Of course it’s the human thing to do but it’s also economically and societally smart to eliminate poverty. The pandemic showed us that it can be done, and that we all win from that investment.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Price of poverty hurts us all, yet research reveals an easy fix
In 2020, Australia massively increased welfare payments and conducted a live experiment in ending poverty, but when the subsidy was removed, many were thrown back into hardship. Leaving aside the mora...
www.abc.net.au
October 27, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Of course it’s the human thing to do but it’s also economically and societally smart to eliminate poverty. The pandemic showed us that it can be done, and that we all win from that investment.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Terrific explainer on a surprise benefit of mRNA vaccines - not of the antigen in the vaccine, but of the generic nanoparticle itself. More to do on this but very promising, deservingly published in @nature.com - mRNA vaccines offer a great deal for both infectious & non-infectious diseases.
I will try to do a tweetorial about this paper when I have more energy but this is really important data. It looks (tentatively, preliminarily) that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines might significantly enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy (subject to many caveats).
October 25, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Terrific explainer on a surprise benefit of mRNA vaccines - not of the antigen in the vaccine, but of the generic nanoparticle itself. More to do on this but very promising, deservingly published in @nature.com - mRNA vaccines offer a great deal for both infectious & non-infectious diseases.
A good summary of the big challenges ahead for global health. Great to see establishing a CDC at this time.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia must ‘step up to prevent catastrophic and preventable loss of life’ amid Trump cuts, former CDC boss says
Dr Tom Frieden served as director of the US health body under Barack Obama until 2017 and warns about cuts under Donald Trump
www.theguardian.com
October 25, 2025 at 9:32 PM
A good summary of the big challenges ahead for global health. Great to see establishing a CDC at this time.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Bill Gates is deeply misguided on climate. My Newsweek commentary debunking his downplaying of the need for rapid decarbonization is nearly 5 years old, but it is evergreen: www.newsweek.com/right-path-f...
October 24, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Bill Gates is deeply misguided on climate. My Newsweek commentary debunking his downplaying of the need for rapid decarbonization is nearly 5 years old, but it is evergreen: www.newsweek.com/right-path-f...
October 24, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Today on #WorldPolioDay, we reflect on progress made to eliminate polio — and the urgent work ahead.
In PNG, only half of children are fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable.
Dr Fredrick Charles spoke to the ABC about the need for strong immunisation efforts. 💉
www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog...
In PNG, only half of children are fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable.
Dr Fredrick Charles spoke to the ABC about the need for strong immunisation efforts. 💉
www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog...
Calls for higher immunisation in PNG on World Polio Day - ABC Pacific
As the world marks World Polio Day Papua New Guinea continues to battle an outbreak of the deadly disease.
www.abc.net.au
October 24, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Today on #WorldPolioDay, we reflect on progress made to eliminate polio — and the urgent work ahead.
In PNG, only half of children are fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable.
Dr Fredrick Charles spoke to the ABC about the need for strong immunisation efforts. 💉
www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog...
In PNG, only half of children are fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable.
Dr Fredrick Charles spoke to the ABC about the need for strong immunisation efforts. 💉
www.abc.net.au/pacific/prog...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Big things are coming!
The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will bring together 1,000+ scientists and researchers in a world-class facility — boosting Australia’s ability to tackle future health challenges 💪🌏
The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will bring together 1,000+ scientists and researchers in a world-class facility — boosting Australia’s ability to tackle future health challenges 💪🌏
October 22, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Big things are coming!
The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will bring together 1,000+ scientists and researchers in a world-class facility — boosting Australia’s ability to tackle future health challenges 💪🌏
The new Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) will bring together 1,000+ scientists and researchers in a world-class facility — boosting Australia’s ability to tackle future health challenges 💪🌏
“Whichever figure you use, the numbers are enormous, rivaling conditions like ADHD and autism as one of the most common chronic diseases in American youth today.” - we really have created an enormous problem, yet don’t seem ready to face it. 1/
“I’m battling with the school because they don’t believe anything is wrong with Dakota. They don’t believe he has long Covid. They don’t believe long Covid exists.”
Long Covid Is Real -- And It's Changing an Entire Generation
bit.ly
October 19, 2025 at 9:44 AM
“Whichever figure you use, the numbers are enormous, rivaling conditions like ADHD and autism as one of the most common chronic diseases in American youth today.” - we really have created an enormous problem, yet don’t seem ready to face it. 1/
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Long Covid is having an enormous impact on society.
This article suggests that 1 in 7 people now have #LongCovid
theconversation.com/long-covid-i...
This article suggests that 1 in 7 people now have #LongCovid
theconversation.com/long-covid-i...
Long COVID is more than fatigue. Our new study suggests its impact is similar to a stroke or Parkinson’s
Long COVID isn’t just a bunch of lingering symptoms. A new study shows it can stop peoole doing what they want to do, and need to do.
theconversation.com
October 19, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Long Covid is having an enormous impact on society.
This article suggests that 1 in 7 people now have #LongCovid
theconversation.com/long-covid-i...
This article suggests that 1 in 7 people now have #LongCovid
theconversation.com/long-covid-i...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
"It really can only take one traveller to start an outbreak like we've seen in WA," said Burnet Institute public health researcher Milena Dalton.
She urged anyone born during or after 1966 to ensure they have two documented doses of the measles vaccine.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
She urged anyone born during or after 1966 to ensure they have two documented doses of the measles vaccine.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Measles cases from unknown source climbing in WA
Health authorities say they are not able to trace WA's latest measles cases to a source, meaning they cannot tell how far the virus has spread.
www.abc.net.au
October 14, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"It really can only take one traveller to start an outbreak like we've seen in WA," said Burnet Institute public health researcher Milena Dalton.
She urged anyone born during or after 1966 to ensure they have two documented doses of the measles vaccine.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
She urged anyone born during or after 1966 to ensure they have two documented doses of the measles vaccine.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Reposted by Prof Brendan Crabb AC
Humans causing climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces
“The human magnitude of climate change looks more like a meteorite strike than a gradual change.”
According to Professor Will Steffen who sadly is no longer with us but his worlds live on
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
“The human magnitude of climate change looks more like a meteorite strike than a gradual change.”
According to Professor Will Steffen who sadly is no longer with us but his worlds live on
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
October 10, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Humans causing climate to change 170 times faster than natural forces
“The human magnitude of climate change looks more like a meteorite strike than a gradual change.”
According to Professor Will Steffen who sadly is no longer with us but his worlds live on
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
“The human magnitude of climate change looks more like a meteorite strike than a gradual change.”
According to Professor Will Steffen who sadly is no longer with us but his worlds live on
www.theguardian.com/environment/...