Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
@tawmussohhh.bsky.social
Dad
Assistant Prof of Medicine @ BU
Academic Hospitalist & Medical Educator
Progressive, Antiracist, ANTIFASCIST
Loudmouth Bostonian speaking only for myself.
Assistant Prof of Medicine @ BU
Academic Hospitalist & Medical Educator
Progressive, Antiracist, ANTIFASCIST
Loudmouth Bostonian speaking only for myself.
Pinned
Hello, I joined Nov ‘24 and I have incredibly shitty opinions
Ouch
Reposted by Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
Vaccines based on mRNA can be tailored to target a cancer patient’s unique tumor mutations. But crumbling support for cancer and mRNA vaccine research has endangered this promising therapy
Personalized Cancer Vaccines Are Almost Here—But Federal Funding Cuts Could Derail Them
Vaccines based on mRNA can be tailored to target a cancer patient’s unique tumor mutations. But crumbling support for cancer and mRNA vaccine research has endangered this promising therapy
www.scientificamerican.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Vaccines based on mRNA can be tailored to target a cancer patient’s unique tumor mutations. But crumbling support for cancer and mRNA vaccine research has endangered this promising therapy
Reposted by Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination
Audio recordings, intercepted phone calls and other intelligence link Mohammed bin Salman to killing that Saudis say was conducted by rogue elements.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:05 PM
A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
You know what? Go for it. It’ll probably collapse the health insurance industry and we’ll be in Medicare for all by the end of the decade.
Trump: "THE ONLY HEALTHCARE I'LL SUPPORT OR APPROVE IS SENDING MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE W/ NOTHING GOING TO THE BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO HAVE RIPPED OFF AMERICA LONG ENOUGH. THE PEOPLE WILL BE ALLOWED TO NEGOTIATE & BUY THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, INSURANCE. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!"
November 18, 2025 at 2:54 PM
You know what? Go for it. It’ll probably collapse the health insurance industry and we’ll be in Medicare for all by the end of the decade.
I’m going to say it over and over: if your goal is to drive up the number of medical bankruptcies, this is the way to do it.
Cassidy: "The president is proposing that we take the $26b that would be going to insurance companies if we just do an extension and give it directly to the American people in which 100% of the money is used for them to purchase healthcare on their own terms. That makes them an informed consumer."
November 16, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I’m going to say it over and over: if your goal is to drive up the number of medical bankruptcies, this is the way to do it.
If the bill was so great and bipartisan, why did only 2030 cycle and retiring senators vote for it?
The contempt these reactionary centrists have for the intelligence of their voters is staggering.
The contempt these reactionary centrists have for the intelligence of their voters is staggering.
Tim Kaine: "It would be political malpractice of the highest order for the House to not take up a bipartisan bill coming out of the Senate."
November 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
If the bill was so great and bipartisan, why did only 2030 cycle and retiring senators vote for it?
The contempt these reactionary centrists have for the intelligence of their voters is staggering.
The contempt these reactionary centrists have for the intelligence of their voters is staggering.
Stay strong #Charlotte. As fine a city as we have in this nation. Don’t let these fascist fucks break you!
November 16, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Stay strong #Charlotte. As fine a city as we have in this nation. Don’t let these fascist fucks break you!
Reposted by Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
Priests being arrested
November 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Priests being arrested
This is such a terrible idea that it beggars belief. Laypeople do not understand how health insurance works. (Many clinicians don’t either!) It’s nothing like buying car or life insurance.
Paying out of pocket for services is nothing like a major consumer purchase either.
Paying out of pocket for services is nothing like a major consumer purchase either.
TRUMP: We’re going to give Americans the money to buy health insurance
REPORTER: But won’t they buy it from
Insurance companies?
TRUMP: Ahhh. Some may. I mean they’ll be negotiating prices
REPORTER: But won’t they buy it from
Insurance companies?
TRUMP: Ahhh. Some may. I mean they’ll be negotiating prices
November 15, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This is such a terrible idea that it beggars belief. Laypeople do not understand how health insurance works. (Many clinicians don’t either!) It’s nothing like buying car or life insurance.
Paying out of pocket for services is nothing like a major consumer purchase either.
Paying out of pocket for services is nothing like a major consumer purchase either.
Reposted by Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
Nuzzi's fawning coverage of the sociopathic conspiracy crank she was having an affair with aided his rise to political power, which he is using to perpetrate the worst intentional public health catastrophe of our unnecessarily shortened lifetimes, and THAT is the STORY.
November 15, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Nuzzi's fawning coverage of the sociopathic conspiracy crank she was having an affair with aided his rise to political power, which he is using to perpetrate the worst intentional public health catastrophe of our unnecessarily shortened lifetimes, and THAT is the STORY.
I truly never needed to know why a moronic journalist fell in love with Leatherface or to get the visual of one president blowing another into my brain.
In other words, that’s probably enough internet for today.
In other words, that’s probably enough internet for today.
November 14, 2025 at 9:22 PM
I truly never needed to know why a moronic journalist fell in love with Leatherface or to get the visual of one president blowing another into my brain.
In other words, that’s probably enough internet for today.
In other words, that’s probably enough internet for today.
Reposted by Tom Ostrander, MD, MPH
“Housing shortage – Jews to blame," letter sticker, German Reich, 1938
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
November 14, 2025 at 2:16 AM
“Housing shortage – Jews to blame," letter sticker, German Reich, 1938
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
Ah yes, undocumented immigrants, famously buying up all the houses.
It’s not enough to tell endless lies. Apparently they have to lie in an insultingly lazy fashion.
(Also: jd believes he’s doing god’s work by lying about & demonizing immigrants. Seriously. Look it up).
It’s not enough to tell endless lies. Apparently they have to lie in an insultingly lazy fashion.
(Also: jd believes he’s doing god’s work by lying about & demonizing immigrants. Seriously. Look it up).
JD Vance: "A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who were taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens."
November 14, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Ah yes, undocumented immigrants, famously buying up all the houses.
It’s not enough to tell endless lies. Apparently they have to lie in an insultingly lazy fashion.
(Also: jd believes he’s doing god’s work by lying about & demonizing immigrants. Seriously. Look it up).
It’s not enough to tell endless lies. Apparently they have to lie in an insultingly lazy fashion.
(Also: jd believes he’s doing god’s work by lying about & demonizing immigrants. Seriously. Look it up).
So fetterman fell and went to the hospital but the statement said he had a VF event. They’re downplaying it but this is holy shit territory. He must have an ICD because VF is life threatening. People don’t have spontaneous VF events unless they have serious heart disease.
November 13, 2025 at 10:56 PM
So fetterman fell and went to the hospital but the statement said he had a VF event. They’re downplaying it but this is holy shit territory. He must have an ICD because VF is life threatening. People don’t have spontaneous VF events unless they have serious heart disease.
Idk why anyone would be surprised that the NYT killed stories that might be damaging to trump back in 2015, while hyping the ever-loving shit out of stories about people on the left. They’ve always been like this.
November 13, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Idk why anyone would be surprised that the NYT killed stories that might be damaging to trump back in 2015, while hyping the ever-loving shit out of stories about people on the left. They’ve always been like this.
What passes for republican healthcare ideas include some really bad ones. High risk pools, purchase insurance across state lines, direct to consumer subsidies, Medicaid work requirements, uncompensated care funds. All of these make things much worse.
November 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
What passes for republican healthcare ideas include some really bad ones. High risk pools, purchase insurance across state lines, direct to consumer subsidies, Medicaid work requirements, uncompensated care funds. All of these make things much worse.
Takes that “the surrender was good, actually” seem to come in a few varieties:
1. People who were suffering from the shutdown get relief
2. Dems were never getting the subsidies.
2. Rs & trump took lots of damage, best to quit while you’re ahead
3. Shutdown going into the holidays was a loser
1. People who were suffering from the shutdown get relief
2. Dems were never getting the subsidies.
2. Rs & trump took lots of damage, best to quit while you’re ahead
3. Shutdown going into the holidays was a loser
November 11, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Takes that “the surrender was good, actually” seem to come in a few varieties:
1. People who were suffering from the shutdown get relief
2. Dems were never getting the subsidies.
2. Rs & trump took lots of damage, best to quit while you’re ahead
3. Shutdown going into the holidays was a loser
1. People who were suffering from the shutdown get relief
2. Dems were never getting the subsidies.
2. Rs & trump took lots of damage, best to quit while you’re ahead
3. Shutdown going into the holidays was a loser
People were mobilizing everywhere. Digging in, making connections, donating. Coming off a huge win, wind at your back. Then all of the sudden they throw in the towel?
Corporate masters snapped their fingers and they fell in line. There was way more than 8 that wanted it. Believe it.
Corporate masters snapped their fingers and they fell in line. There was way more than 8 that wanted it. Believe it.
November 11, 2025 at 2:53 AM
People were mobilizing everywhere. Digging in, making connections, donating. Coming off a huge win, wind at your back. Then all of the sudden they throw in the towel?
Corporate masters snapped their fingers and they fell in line. There was way more than 8 that wanted it. Believe it.
Corporate masters snapped their fingers and they fell in line. There was way more than 8 that wanted it. Believe it.
It’s the same in Mass. I badly want to switch to independent because the dem party fills me with disgust right now. But you can’t vote in primaries here as a registered independent. And I intend to vote the most progressive option every time from here on out.
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
It’s the same in Mass. I badly want to switch to independent because the dem party fills me with disgust right now. But you can’t vote in primaries here as a registered independent. And I intend to vote the most progressive option every time from here on out.
The epitaph of the modern democratic party right here. Etch it in stone.
November 10, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The epitaph of the modern democratic party right here. Etch it in stone.
The dem party did permanent damage to itself last night. My expectations were already low but holy shit.
November 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
The dem party did permanent damage to itself last night. My expectations were already low but holy shit.
This would be another point of failure in my “jamming johnson on an Epstein vote” hypothesis
Democrats will soon be one more vote short of forcing a bipartisan vote to release the Epstein files, as Mikie Sherrill must resign from the House before she is sworn in as governor.
No telling whether Mike Johnson will let her successor be sworn in
No telling whether Mike Johnson will let her successor be sworn in
November 10, 2025 at 3:46 AM
This would be another point of failure in my “jamming johnson on an Epstein vote” hypothesis
One thing that’s clear: schumer has got to go. He can’t possibly remain as minority leader after today. He was cucked by his own caucus.
Heh. Cuck schumer
Heh. Cuck schumer
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
One thing that’s clear: schumer has got to go. He can’t possibly remain as minority leader after today. He was cucked by his own caucus.
Heh. Cuck schumer
Heh. Cuck schumer
It’s looking like this will indeed need to go back to the house but I’m not 100% on that. So the gambit is still alive (though no one else is talking about it so I might be hallucinating that whole situation). Also I don’t believe that’s what the traitor caucus was really up to anyway.
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 AM
It’s looking like this will indeed need to go back to the house but I’m not 100% on that. So the gambit is still alive (though no one else is talking about it so I might be hallucinating that whole situation). Also I don’t believe that’s what the traitor caucus was really up to anyway.
I’m not going to lose my shit until I see what actually happens. There is a high risk gambit that might work as a longer play, but I’m not sure I fully have the edges of it.
Basically, you force the house to vote on the deal. Johnson then has to swear in Grijalva and you can force an Epstein vote.
Basically, you force the house to vote on the deal. Johnson then has to swear in Grijalva and you can force an Epstein vote.
November 9, 2025 at 11:39 PM
I’m not going to lose my shit until I see what actually happens. There is a high risk gambit that might work as a longer play, but I’m not sure I fully have the edges of it.
Basically, you force the house to vote on the deal. Johnson then has to swear in Grijalva and you can force an Epstein vote.
Basically, you force the house to vote on the deal. Johnson then has to swear in Grijalva and you can force an Epstein vote.