Amit Chandra, MD
@amitchandramd.bsky.social
Emergency Physician | Public Health Diplomat | ex-USAID
Health x Environment x Tech
Writing featured by: Science, BMJ, Ars Technica, StatNews, & Salon
https://apothek.substack.com/
Health x Environment x Tech
Writing featured by: Science, BMJ, Ars Technica, StatNews, & Salon
https://apothek.substack.com/
Pinned
👋🏽 New to Bluesky! My background spans #EmergencyMedicine and #GlobalHealth diplomacy (ex-USAID), with deep dives into #DigitalHealth #Innovation, #PandemicResponse, and #PlanetaryHealth. Excited to connect with others exploring the future of healthcare and tech for social good.
Thanks @kffhealthnews.org for featuring my latest article in Monday's morning briefing!
kffhealthnews.org/morning-brea...
kffhealthnews.org/morning-brea...
November 19, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Thanks @kffhealthnews.org for featuring my latest article in Monday's morning briefing!
kffhealthnews.org/morning-brea...
kffhealthnews.org/morning-brea...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
"Tribal nations have always practiced hunting and agriculture... [but] Displacement of nations from their traditional homelands and the establishment of reservations nearly destroyed tribes’ abilities to feed themselves."
#GreenSky
grist.org/indigenous/t...
#GreenSky
grist.org/indigenous/t...
The government froze food aid. Tribes are thawing old traditions.
Decades of work to rebuild traditional food systems are paying off, but droughts and funding cuts threaten to unravel the progress.
grist.org
November 9, 2025 at 5:28 PM
"Tribal nations have always practiced hunting and agriculture... [but] Displacement of nations from their traditional homelands and the establishment of reservations nearly destroyed tribes’ abilities to feed themselves."
#GreenSky
grist.org/indigenous/t...
#GreenSky
grist.org/indigenous/t...
AI generated letters are flooding scientific journals. Usually misquoting their citations to fabricate their arguments. After his latest publication, @carloschaccour.bsky.social reviewed a critical letter to the editor citing his own research with fabricated conclusions. 🧪
The Editor Got a Letter From ‘Dr. B.S.’ So Did a Lot of Other Editors.
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:12 PM
AI generated letters are flooding scientific journals. Usually misquoting their citations to fabricate their arguments. After his latest publication, @carloschaccour.bsky.social reviewed a critical letter to the editor citing his own research with fabricated conclusions. 🧪
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Sharing my latest article, published today in @statnews.com First Opinion
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
How emotions affect health care coverage decisions
Where logic and reason fail us, emotion takes over — including in choosing health care coverage.
www.statnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Sharing my latest article, published today in @statnews.com First Opinion
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
"The next global health emergency... will not be triggered by a virus but by the economic conditions that allow disease to spread unchecked."
The fiscal anatomy of the next pandemic
“Debt, austerity and collapsing public budgets are becoming the true accelerants of future pandemics, leaving countries too fiscally suffocated to respond, even if science delivers the tools to intervene.
mg.co.za/health/2025-...
“Debt, austerity and collapsing public budgets are becoming the true accelerants of future pandemics, leaving countries too fiscally suffocated to respond, even if science delivers the tools to intervene.
mg.co.za/health/2025-...
The fiscal anatomy of the next pandemic
Pandemic preparedness is no longer being discussed solely in hospitals and laboratories, but has entered treasuries, debt offices and credit-rating meetings
mg.co.za
November 8, 2025 at 2:38 PM
"The next global health emergency... will not be triggered by a virus but by the economic conditions that allow disease to spread unchecked."
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Love this. All about how to connect meaningfully with others by becoming aware of and breaking norms we regularly take for granted and just go along with without thinking www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
A moment that changed me: I gave up small talk for a month – and the world came alive
I was fed up with discussing the weather, so I started to ask unexpected questions. The conversations that resulted were revelatory
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Love this. All about how to connect meaningfully with others by becoming aware of and breaking norms we regularly take for granted and just go along with without thinking www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Essential reading if you want to understand how sick the US health care system is and why #Medicare4All is NOT a radical proposal to fix it. 👇
“The US system is drowning in private-sector bloat and bureaucracy. .The result is staggering inefficiency: roughly one in four dollars spent on health insurance goes to something other than care, like marketing, billing, profits, or middlemen.” open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
5 ways our health care system has become utterly insane
A deep dive into the U.S. health care system: rising costs, corporate takeover, and why reform keeps failing.
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Essential reading if you want to understand how sick the US health care system is and why #Medicare4All is NOT a radical proposal to fix it. 👇
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
New blog with @rorytodd98.bsky.social : The EU Should Ban Exports of Lead Chromate
November 7, 2025 at 10:09 AM
New blog with @rorytodd98.bsky.social : The EU Should Ban Exports of Lead Chromate
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Scientists point to a long list of findings that emerged out of fundamental research, the type of studies the US government is cutting, and went on to change the world. Nature lists a few of their examples. 🧪
7 basic science discoveries that changed the world
Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government.
go.nature.com
November 16, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance reached its target of vaccinating an estimated 86 million girls with the vaccine that prevents HPV www.devex.com/news/gavi-an...
Gavi and partners reached HPV vaccine goal, immunizing 86 million girls
The vaccine alliance reached its target of immunizing an estimated 86 million girls with the vaccine that prevents human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted infection which can lead to cervical can...
www.devex.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance reached its target of vaccinating an estimated 86 million girls with the vaccine that prevents HPV www.devex.com/news/gavi-an...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Let’s pretend he is serious (he isn’t) about “purchasing the healthcare they need” with cash.
He’s a surgeon. He knows that even a basic appendectomy is 10k. Open heart surgery 100k+.
What do those people do? Just die quietly??
He’s a surgeon. He knows that even a basic appendectomy is 10k. Open heart surgery 100k+.
What do those people do? Just die quietly??
November 17, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Let’s pretend he is serious (he isn’t) about “purchasing the healthcare they need” with cash.
He’s a surgeon. He knows that even a basic appendectomy is 10k. Open heart surgery 100k+.
What do those people do? Just die quietly??
He’s a surgeon. He knows that even a basic appendectomy is 10k. Open heart surgery 100k+.
What do those people do? Just die quietly??
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means is an advocate of “functional medicine.” She, MAHA, and a new “board certification” will falsely legitimize quackery. sciencebasedmedicine.org/surgeon-gene...
Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means and functional medicine: Legitimizing quackery
Surgeon general nominee Dr. Casey Means is an advocate of "functional medicine." She, MAHA, and a new "board certification" will falsely legitimize quackery.
sciencebasedmedicine.org
October 20, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means is an advocate of “functional medicine.” She, MAHA, and a new “board certification” will falsely legitimize quackery. sciencebasedmedicine.org/surgeon-gene...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
The brain drain that this administration’s policies are resulting in will hobble us as a nation for generation. Say goodbye to our leadership in science. Before you know it, China and the EU will lap us.
A Nature poll found that 75% of U.S. researchers are considering leaving the country.
Guyz, even the *historians* are leaving or contemplating / likely to go. Including, at least 3 historians that I know of in my subfield. 😢
Guyz, even the *historians* are leaving or contemplating / likely to go. Including, at least 3 historians that I know of in my subfield. 😢
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
A poll from the journal Nature found that 75% of researchers in the U.S. are considering leaving the country. That includes a man who’s been dubbed the "Mozart of Math." Stephanie Sy examines what’s b...
www.pbs.org
October 31, 2025 at 9:14 PM
The brain drain that this administration’s policies are resulting in will hobble us as a nation for generation. Say goodbye to our leadership in science. Before you know it, China and the EU will lap us.
Sharing my latest article, published today in @statnews.com First Opinion
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
How emotions affect health care coverage decisions
Where logic and reason fail us, emotion takes over — including in choosing health care coverage.
www.statnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Sharing my latest article, published today in @statnews.com First Opinion
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
My co-author and I both lost our jobs and health insurance with #USAID this summer. Navigating the ACA marketplace taught us what millions face, & why behavioral & emotional science matters in healthcare access.
#HealthPolicy
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Shocked, I tell you. Shocked! FFS
Burns and his team have held advance screenings of "The American Revolution" across the country, including in DC. Kerger described GOP lawmakers who voted against PBS $$$ waiting in line to shake his hand:
November 17, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Shocked, I tell you. Shocked! FFS
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
the white house is trying to destabilize the ACA markets by wrecking the risk pools. the end result is vulnerable people die
November 16, 2025 at 4:41 PM
the white house is trying to destabilize the ACA markets by wrecking the risk pools. the end result is vulnerable people die
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
I've somehow never seen this clip from 2006 until today. Monsieur Goma is my new hero:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Y2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Y2...
Guy Goma: 'Greatest' case of mistaken identity on live TV ever? BBC News
YouTube video by BBC News
www.youtube.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:39 PM
I've somehow never seen this clip from 2006 until today. Monsieur Goma is my new hero:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Y2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Y2...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Love this quote via @how-sen.com ... "...the energy equivalent of cartridge-free printers already exists."
Energy is one of the most abundant things in the universe. The only reason it costs so much money is because corporations want to sell us fuel.
Instead of letting us just gather and store it locally, they created an energy system where power would stop if we didn’t buy fuel to power it.
Instead of letting us just gather and store it locally, they created an energy system where power would stop if we didn’t buy fuel to power it.
November 8, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Love this quote via @how-sen.com ... "...the energy equivalent of cartridge-free printers already exists."
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
A primer on endocrine disrupting chemicals from www.pew.org
"Studies show that virtually every American—more than 97% of the population, according to one survey—has at least one EDC in their body."
Sources of exposure: Baby bottles & cups, personal care & cleaning products, upholstery, & cookware.
"Studies show that virtually every American—more than 97% of the population, according to one survey—has at least one EDC in their body."
Sources of exposure: Baby bottles & cups, personal care & cleaning products, upholstery, & cookware.
What Are Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals?
From plastic food packaging to drinking water, children’s toys to medical equipment, Americans are regularly exposed to thousands of synthetic chemicals. Many offer convenience, but some can also be h...
www.pew.org
November 11, 2025 at 2:33 PM
A primer on endocrine disrupting chemicals from www.pew.org
"Studies show that virtually every American—more than 97% of the population, according to one survey—has at least one EDC in their body."
Sources of exposure: Baby bottles & cups, personal care & cleaning products, upholstery, & cookware.
"Studies show that virtually every American—more than 97% of the population, according to one survey—has at least one EDC in their body."
Sources of exposure: Baby bottles & cups, personal care & cleaning products, upholstery, & cookware.
This is purposeful "friction."
Requiring SNAP reapplications isn't about efficiency (it's highly wasteful). It's borrowed from the health insurance industry's playbook: make the process so convoluted that people in genuine need simply give up.
The cruelty is the point.
#HealthPolicy
Requiring SNAP reapplications isn't about efficiency (it's highly wasteful). It's borrowed from the health insurance industry's playbook: make the process so convoluted that people in genuine need simply give up.
The cruelty is the point.
#HealthPolicy
In no specific order, here are all the issues with this requirement that come to mind in like 2 minutes before my break ends:
1. Requiring all recipients to reapply will need to happen over time not all at once to have a chance at not crushing state office's. Watch closely how it plays out
1/?
1. Requiring all recipients to reapply will need to happen over time not all at once to have a chance at not crushing state office's. Watch closely how it plays out
1/?
Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits
The move is part of USDA chief Brooke Rollins’ effort to overhaul the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and get rid of “fraud.”
www.politico.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:35 PM
This is purposeful "friction."
Requiring SNAP reapplications isn't about efficiency (it's highly wasteful). It's borrowed from the health insurance industry's playbook: make the process so convoluted that people in genuine need simply give up.
The cruelty is the point.
#HealthPolicy
Requiring SNAP reapplications isn't about efficiency (it's highly wasteful). It's borrowed from the health insurance industry's playbook: make the process so convoluted that people in genuine need simply give up.
The cruelty is the point.
#HealthPolicy
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
I was interviewed for an article about autism and the gut microbiome published yesterday in @science.org. Check it out! www.science.org/content/arti...
Research linking gut microbes to autism is deeply flawed, critics say
Amid growing investment in the field, a new paper argues it rests on shaky foundations
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I was interviewed for an article about autism and the gut microbiome published yesterday in @science.org. Check it out! www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
Hypothesis: the lack of reliable affordable childcare is one of the largest long-term threats to our nation's pipeline of early career scientists
(Obviously current NIH policy chaos + politicization is ALSO a massive threat, but partially separable.)
(Obviously current NIH policy chaos + politicization is ALSO a massive threat, but partially separable.)
November 14, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Hypothesis: the lack of reliable affordable childcare is one of the largest long-term threats to our nation's pipeline of early career scientists
(Obviously current NIH policy chaos + politicization is ALSO a massive threat, but partially separable.)
(Obviously current NIH policy chaos + politicization is ALSO a massive threat, but partially separable.)
Reposted by Amit Chandra, MD
MPH & MS costs often exceed the cap on loans. This policy will make these programs infeasible for many. Most PhD programs explicitly or implicitly require a Masters degree.
It’s a different conversation on if the prices of many programs are fair, but what’s the alternative pipeline for training…
It’s a different conversation on if the prices of many programs are fair, but what’s the alternative pipeline for training…
It really seems like this administration is trying to eliminate the field of public health. MPHs and DrPHs will no longer be considered "professional degrees" by the DOE and, therefore, will face limits to accessing federal student loans.
aspph.org/department-o...
aspph.org/department-o...
Department of Education Proposal Excludes Public Health Degrees from “Professional Degree” Definition
Discover the new results and implications of Dept of Ed consensus regarding professional degree programs and public health education.
aspph.org
November 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
MPH & MS costs often exceed the cap on loans. This policy will make these programs infeasible for many. Most PhD programs explicitly or implicitly require a Masters degree.
It’s a different conversation on if the prices of many programs are fair, but what’s the alternative pipeline for training…
It’s a different conversation on if the prices of many programs are fair, but what’s the alternative pipeline for training…
The article's subtitle says it all: "The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich."
#GreenSky #EnviroSky
#GreenSky #EnviroSky
Climate breakdown is driven by a storm of lies. This lying is systemic, funded and coordinated, and operates across almost all media, old and new.
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column argues that we cannot fight the climate crisis without also fighting the epistemic crisis.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Dark forces are preventing us fighting the climate crisis – by taking knowledge hostage | George Monbiot
The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The article's subtitle says it all: "The fundamental problem is this: that most of the means of communication are owned or influenced by the very rich."
#GreenSky #EnviroSky
#GreenSky #EnviroSky