Gary Schwitzer
@garyschw.bsky.social
Health care journalist for 50 years, now retired except for his Substack. Published HealthNewsReview.org for 16 years. Helping people improve their critical thinking about health care.
Big names. Bad injuries. Bad news for #SuperBowl hopes. But an NFL team MD warns of bad choices pursuing miracle repair claims. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
January 19, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Big names. Bad injuries. Bad news for #SuperBowl hopes. But an NFL team MD warns of bad choices pursuing miracle repair claims. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
The road to the Super Bowl is strewn with big name injuries. But here’s a warning for the pros & for weekend warriors about clinics’ miracle claims. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
January 19, 2026 at 12:23 PM
The road to the Super Bowl is strewn with big name injuries. But here’s a warning for the pros & for weekend warriors about clinics’ miracle claims. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
Reposted by Gary Schwitzer
We have been trying to analyze the Trump health “plan” but I worry that unless Congress puts something real together we are analyzing air. Big Q’s such as are pre-x protected are impossible to answer from their Fact Sheet. What we do know: it partly captured a news cycle.
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
We have been trying to analyze the Trump health “plan” but I worry that unless Congress puts something real together we are analyzing air. Big Q’s such as are pre-x protected are impossible to answer from their Fact Sheet. What we do know: it partly captured a news cycle.
RFK, Jr’s advice: rejected by the German health ministry and rejected by American physicians & hospitals. www.statnews.com/2026/01/15/n...
Hospitals and doctors are ignoring RFK Jr.’s new vaccine schedule and relying on pediatricians’ guidance instead
Their decisions underscore a growing divide between federal health authorities and major medical groups.
www.statnews.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:15 PM
RFK, Jr’s advice: rejected by the German health ministry and rejected by American physicians & hospitals. www.statnews.com/2026/01/15/n...
Germany tells RFK Jr. to mind his own business. But why did he even pick a fight with the German health minister? Don't we have enough health care/policy issues of our own to deal with? garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/germany-re...
January 16, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Germany tells RFK Jr. to mind his own business. But why did he even pick a fight with the German health minister? Don't we have enough health care/policy issues of our own to deal with? garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/germany-re...
Minneapolis: once known for its parks but now, thanks to ICE, best known for fear, federal firearms, and a f’ing invasion.
The parks are cancelling youth sports this weekend because we are under attack from our federal government.
January 15, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Minneapolis: once known for its parks but now, thanks to ICE, best known for fear, federal firearms, and a f’ing invasion.
Marty Makary’s FDA crunched by criticism at JPM Healthcare Conference for flip-flopping, politicizing, chaos. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/at-big-hea...
January 14, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Marty Makary’s FDA crunched by criticism at JPM Healthcare Conference for flip-flopping, politicizing, chaos. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/at-big-hea...
"Sowing confusion and fear...misleading...unethical…erroneous...not based on evidence." garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/cdc-distor...
January 12, 2026 at 12:47 PM
"Sowing confusion and fear...misleading...unethical…erroneous...not based on evidence." garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/cdc-distor...
Time for an update on RFK Jr.’s rogue behavior. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
RFK Jr.'s rough ride so far in 2026
In less than 2 weeks of the new year, the heap of criticism is piling up.
open.substack.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Time for an update on RFK Jr.’s rogue behavior. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
“A philosophy professor who is not allowed to teach Plato? What kind of university is that?" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
Texas A&M, Under New Curriculum Limits, Warns Professor Not to Teach Plato
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:05 PM
“A philosophy professor who is not allowed to teach Plato? What kind of university is that?" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/u...
RFK, Jr. says seed oils are poisoning Americans. The overall evidence simply doesn't support that fear-mongering. undark.org/2026/01/08/s...
As Guidelines Shift, a Curious Debate Over Seed Oils Persists
Despite contradicting studies, seed oils have been blamed for America's ills. Where did the backlash come from?
undark.org
January 9, 2026 at 6:35 PM
RFK, Jr. says seed oils are poisoning Americans. The overall evidence simply doesn't support that fear-mongering. undark.org/2026/01/08/s...
Multiple stories tout a knee arthritis breakthrough without mentioning “in mice” in the headline. The stories’ body text also made some absurd claims. I offer some advice.
garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
Breaking down the knee arthritis "breakthrough"
Headlines matter. So does what appears in the story itself.
garyschwitzer.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Multiple stories tout a knee arthritis breakthrough without mentioning “in mice” in the headline. The stories’ body text also made some absurd claims. I offer some advice.
garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
Oz raises doubts about flu vaccine, then advises sunlight & sleep as important protectants. Also - reader pushback on WaPost touting his “positive reviews.” open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
No wizardry in Dr. Oz flu advice
His message on flu protection fails a wary, weary population.
open.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Oz raises doubts about flu vaccine, then advises sunlight & sleep as important protectants. Also - reader pushback on WaPost touting his “positive reviews.” open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
Update on this post from mid-year. With 2025 ending today, I have totaled a whopping 202 invitations this year from fake/predatory journals or from fake medical/scientific conferences. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
I’m prey for predatory journals & conferences
If I’m getting invites, imagine who else is
open.substack.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Update on this post from mid-year. With 2025 ending today, I have totaled a whopping 202 invitations this year from fake/predatory journals or from fake medical/scientific conferences. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
Carl Elliott on a troubling track record at the U of Minnesota. www.startribune.com/umn-professo...
Opinion | Reflecting on yet another year of scientific fraud at the University of Minnesota
Allegations a scientist doctored images in a paper on Alzheimer’s. Rachel Hardeman's resignation. An investigation into a pediatrician's reports of child abuse. The U saw a number of scientific scanda...
www.startribune.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Carl Elliott on a troubling track record at the U of Minnesota. www.startribune.com/umn-professo...
Review of 2025 health care journalism: GLP-1 drugs, screening stories, Alzheimer’s, celebs, observational studies, cancer. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/reviews-of...
December 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Review of 2025 health care journalism: GLP-1 drugs, screening stories, Alzheimer’s, celebs, observational studies, cancer. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/reviews-of...
My last 5 December newsletters at garyschwitzer.substack.com.
- FDA’s testosterone panel - same old, same old
- Comparing news stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug
- Year-end reviews of RFK, Jr.
- More Marty Makary malarkey
- Ethical questions about NIH/CDC grants & FDA priority drug reviews
- FDA’s testosterone panel - same old, same old
- Comparing news stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug
- Year-end reviews of RFK, Jr.
- More Marty Makary malarkey
- Ethical questions about NIH/CDC grants & FDA priority drug reviews
Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Substack | Substack
Continuing the tradition of my old HealthNewsReview site - still helping people improve critical thinking about health care. Click to read Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Substack, a Substack public...
garyschwitzer.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
My last 5 December newsletters at garyschwitzer.substack.com.
- FDA’s testosterone panel - same old, same old
- Comparing news stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug
- Year-end reviews of RFK, Jr.
- More Marty Makary malarkey
- Ethical questions about NIH/CDC grants & FDA priority drug reviews
- FDA’s testosterone panel - same old, same old
- Comparing news stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug
- Year-end reviews of RFK, Jr.
- More Marty Makary malarkey
- Ethical questions about NIH/CDC grants & FDA priority drug reviews
Political interference in NIH grant-making, in FDA priority review of drugs, and in CDC Danish hep B vaccine grant. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
December 22, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Political interference in NIH grant-making, in FDA priority review of drugs, and in CDC Danish hep B vaccine grant. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
Braggadocio. BS. Balderdash. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/more-makar...
December 20, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Braggadocio. BS. Balderdash. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/more-makar...
Public opinion polls & trust dropping. “Dangerous misinformation, sowing chaos & confusion…a zombie organization.” garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/roundup-of...
December 18, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Public opinion polls & trust dropping. “Dangerous misinformation, sowing chaos & confusion…a zombie organization.” garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/roundup-of...
How Humana inflates benefits of Medicare Advantage for seniors. www.statnews.com/2025/12/16/i...
Data on Humana’s clinics looked dismal. Then its corporate research machine got to work
STAT investigation: Internal documents show how Humana is reshaping the debate over Medicare Advantage.
www.statnews.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:58 PM
How Humana inflates benefits of Medicare Advantage for seniors. www.statnews.com/2025/12/16/i...
The New York Times buried the lede; STAT News didn’t. Compare their stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/comparing-...
December 15, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The New York Times buried the lede; STAT News didn’t. Compare their stories on the new “souped-up” GLP-1 drug. garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/comparing-...
Once again, as a judge for the annual awards, I’m reminded that important investigative health care journalism still thrives in the US.
lowninstitute.org/projects/shk...
lowninstitute.org/projects/shk...
2025 Shkreli Awards - Lown Institute
An annual top ten list of the worst examples of profiteering and dysfunction in health care, named for the infamous "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli.
lowninstitute.org
December 11, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Once again, as a judge for the annual awards, I’m reminded that important investigative health care journalism still thrives in the US.
lowninstitute.org/projects/shk...
lowninstitute.org/projects/shk...
Yesterday's FDA testosterone expert panel was more same old, same old - drug enthusiasts, conflicts of interest, self-congratulatory hyperbole. And they keep calling it Gold Standard Science. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...
December 11, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Yesterday's FDA testosterone expert panel was more same old, same old - drug enthusiasts, conflicts of interest, self-congratulatory hyperbole. And they keep calling it Gold Standard Science. open.substack.com/pub/garyschw...