Alison Farrell
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Alison Farrell
@alisonfarrell.bsky.social
13 followers 8 following 22 posts
Biomedical science editor & communicator, aspiring orchardist, fascinated by mechanisms of human disease.
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Exciting first day at #ERSCongress in Amsterdam and hearing all the updates in #respiratorymedicine. Can you see your study in #PLOSMedicine? If so, please reach out! #ERS2025 @plos.org
September 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Check out this new Perspective by #PLOSMedicine academic editor @petermacp.bsky.social and colleagues on the devastating effects on progress of health funding cuts in Africa:
journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...
@plos.org
Reductions in development assistance for health funding threaten decades of progress in Africa
Countries across Africa face health crises driven by aid cuts, shifting demography, and infectious and environmental threats. Renewed public health strategies, smarter investment, and stronger surveil...
journals.plos.org
September 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
This is extraordinarily shortsighted and limits the US' ability to respond to a pandemic:
www.msn.com/en-us/politi...
MSN
www.msn.com
August 5, 2025 at 11:28 PM
PLOS Medicine has a new team and is setting priorities to help address global health challenges. Read the editorial here: dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
@plos.org
Charting the future of PLOS Medicine: Priorities for evidence, impact, and equity
As PLOS Medicine enters a new chapter, its leadership sets out a bold editorial vision grounded in evidence, impact and equity. In a rapidly evolving global health landscape, the journal reaffirms its...
dx.plos.org
August 4, 2025 at 10:12 PM
SPIRIT 2025 is now live at PLOS Medicine! doi.org/10.1371/jour... Hot on the heels of the CONSORT 2025 statement, these updates aim to improve transparency and reporting quality of clinical protocols and randomized trials, respectively. See our accompanying editorial here doi.org/10.1371/jour...
SPIRIT 2025 statement: Updated guideline for protocols of randomised trials
A complete, transparent, and accessible protocol is critical for the planning, conduct, reporting, and external review of randomised trials The SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for I...
journals.plos.org
April 28, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Massive loss to #FDA, #vaccine research and safety and #science
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/h...
Top FDA Vaccine Official Resigns, Citing Kennedy’s ‘Misinformation and Lies’
Dr. Peter Marks, a veteran of the agency, wrote that undermining confidence in vaccines is irresponsible and a danger to public health.
www.nytimes.com
March 29, 2025 at 2:24 AM
See the last sentence of this article, a quote from MItchell Warren. So important!

Trump Administration Considers Scaling Back H.I.V. Efforts at C.D.C. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/h...
Trump Administration Considers Scaling Back H.I.V. Efforts at C.D.C.
The move comes after a series of cuts to prevention and treatment efforts worldwide. Some functions might be moved to another agency, officials said.
www.nytimes.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:50 AM
#CROI2025 starts this Sunday in San Francisco, the best #HIV conference! I am super excited to attend & hope to see you there!
www.croiconference.org/croi-2025-in...
www.croiconference.org
March 5, 2025 at 9:15 PM
sadly relevant all over again
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
We need leaders that believe in scientific evidence
In a world beset by attempts to undermine scientific evidence and evidence-based policy, we emphasize their important role in helping humanity rise to the challenges of our time.
journals.plos.org
February 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Statement from PLOS in response to the EOs:
theplosblog.plos.org/2025/02/plos...
PLOS statement on recent US Executive Orders and scientific integrity - The Official PLOS Blog
Since its founding over twenty five years ago PLOS has been dedicated to advancing open science, ensuring that knowledge is accessible to…
theplosblog.plos.org
February 21, 2025 at 3:11 PM
very powerful piece
www.theguardian.com/sport/commen...
Trump singled me out for ruining women’s sport. This is my response to him | Austin Killips
The president talks about trans athletes ‘invading’ women’s sports, while doing nothing at all to elevate, fund or support women athletes
www.theguardian.com
February 21, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Staying silent is tacit endorsement and helps no-one.

As outcry builds over Trump cuts to NIH payments, drugmakers are MIA www.statnews.com/2025/02/11/n... via @statnews.com
As outcry builds over Trump cuts to NIH payments, drugmakers are MIA
Drugmakers — major beneficiaries of NIH-backed university research — have been largely silence on the Trump administration's cuts to agency research payments.
www.statnews.com
February 12, 2025 at 2:07 PM
This is unconscionable. Dr. Fauci has served the American population for far longer than any president, and far better than so many. I am speechless with the pettiness of these actions.

Trump Terminates Fauci’s Government Security Protection www.nytimes.com/2025/01/24/u...
Anthony Fauci Stripped of Government Security Protection
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, who was one of the nation’s top health officials for decades, had received death threats during the coronavirus pandemic. He has hired his own security detail.
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
how do you maintain supremacy as a world leader in #science and #medicine with actions like this? #NIH

Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring
Researchers facing
www.science.org
January 23, 2025 at 5:15 AM
This is an important and worrisome development

U.S. records first fatal bird flu case amid growing concerns about virus www.statnews.com/2025/01/06/b... via @statnews.com
U.S. records first fatal bird flu case amid growing concerns about virus
The U.S. has recorded its first fatal case of H5N1 bird flu, in a person from Louisiana who contracted the virus from infected chickens and wild birds in a backyard flock.
www.statnews.com
January 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Interesting results in @science.org & important to understand prevalence of this and other affinity-enhancing HA mutations from other human cases of #H5N1 #avianinfluenza
A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors
In 2024, several human infections with highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b bovine influenza H5N1 viruses in the United States raised concerns about their capability for bovine-to-human or even human-to-h...
www.science.org
December 5, 2024 at 11:26 PM
Incredibly moving Opinion in @nytimes.com and commentary on the disconnect between medicine and palliative care. www.nytimes.com/2024/11/25/o...
Opinion | If My Dying Daughter Could Face Her Mortality, Why Couldn’t the Rest of Us?
A bereaved mother’s case against our grief-phobic culture.
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2024 at 7:47 PM
Exciting step forward with #CARTs for a devastating childhood cancer from Michelle Monje's and Crystal Mackall's labs #StanfordMedicine @mackall-lab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Intravenous and intracranial GD2-CAR T cells for H3K27M+ diffuse midline gliomas - Nature
We evaluated the use of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells targeting GD2 (GD2-CART) for H3K27M+ diffuse midline glioma (DMG), finding that intravenous administration of GD2-CART, followed by i...
www.nature.com
November 15, 2024 at 6:07 PM
We need this on repeat: #CDC Director Mandy Cohen to #CNN Meg Tirrell, " I don't want to have to see us go backwards in order to remind ourselves that
#vaccines work"
milkeninstitute.org/content-hub/...
Panel - Part 2: A Conversation with CDC Director Mandy Cohen | Milken Institute
milkeninstitute.org
November 15, 2024 at 4:58 PM
We really need to understand what are the risk factors for severe outcomes in humans for this avian influenza.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influe...
Canadian teen with suspected avian flu in critical condition
www.cidrap.umn.edu
November 13, 2024 at 6:45 PM