Ben Pierce
@benfpiercephd.bsky.social
Health, real world data, data science, stats, science, vaccines, research. Pro-science. All views/opinions are my own.
The White House wants you to forget how many lives were saved by #publichealth leaders, particularly: Fauci.
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
August 22, 2025 at 6:11 AM
The White House wants you to forget how many lives were saved by #publichealth leaders, particularly: Fauci.
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...
I trust RNA vaccines because the data show that their benefits FAR outweigh the risks. Don't you?
For creating falsities about their risks and putting millions at harm, RFK Jr and Bhattacharya, the current heads of the HHS and NIH, must go.
For creating falsities about their risks and putting millions at harm, RFK Jr and Bhattacharya, the current heads of the HHS and NIH, must go.
August 15, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I trust RNA vaccines because the data show that their benefits FAR outweigh the risks. Don't you?
For creating falsities about their risks and putting millions at harm, RFK Jr and Bhattacharya, the current heads of the HHS and NIH, must go.
For creating falsities about their risks and putting millions at harm, RFK Jr and Bhattacharya, the current heads of the HHS and NIH, must go.
AI won't be replacing this Calabrian painting legend any time soon
August 12, 2025 at 12:15 PM
AI won't be replacing this Calabrian painting legend any time soon
Why, oh why, didn't anyone on the nomination committee look at his books earlier this year. They are full of this conspiracy theory nonsense technoblab bullshit.
August 12, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Why, oh why, didn't anyone on the nomination committee look at his books earlier this year. They are full of this conspiracy theory nonsense technoblab bullshit.
Just finished this during the summer holidays; one of the best books I've read in a very long time! 📚
August 8, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Just finished this during the summer holidays; one of the best books I've read in a very long time! 📚
More summer #reading 📚, though apparently an unpopular opinion: I didn't like "Everything is Tuberculosis" by Josh Green. Few narratives on patient experience and highlights of treatment inequity, but absolutely no details on pathogen itself, transmission, pathology, or research.
July 21, 2025 at 5:49 AM
More summer #reading 📚, though apparently an unpopular opinion: I didn't like "Everything is Tuberculosis" by Josh Green. Few narratives on patient experience and highlights of treatment inequity, but absolutely no details on pathogen itself, transmission, pathology, or research.
Challenging to have co-written this paper, in honor to a dear friend taken far too young by glioblastoma, with his widow. Hopefully, research will progress so we can get closer to effective treatment for #glioblastoma #cancer 💙
July 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Challenging to have co-written this paper, in honor to a dear friend taken far too young by glioblastoma, with his widow. Hopefully, research will progress so we can get closer to effective treatment for #glioblastoma #cancer 💙
Perhaps related is that there is a left-handed DNA helix on the cover page?
July 4, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Perhaps related is that there is a left-handed DNA helix on the cover page?
I can't put my finger on it, but something about RFK Jr's MCHA / MAHA report makes me think it's not a reliable source of information
May 22, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I can't put my finger on it, but something about RFK Jr's MCHA / MAHA report makes me think it's not a reliable source of information
Very much enjoyed an evening out hearing from @neildegrassetyson.com - lots of good #scicomm lessons and had a wonderful time!
May 8, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Very much enjoyed an evening out hearing from @neildegrassetyson.com - lots of good #scicomm lessons and had a wonderful time!
Do it while you can, America.
May 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Do it while you can, America.
April 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Here's from the paper I was trying to recall, where they found immunization / prophylactic vaccinations as the 4th and 5th most important features of a RF model 'predicting' ASD.
This is reproducible and the #scicomm messaging of this sort of work will likely be intentionally misleading.
This is reproducible and the #scicomm messaging of this sort of work will likely be intentionally misleading.
April 22, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Here's from the paper I was trying to recall, where they found immunization / prophylactic vaccinations as the 4th and 5th most important features of a RF model 'predicting' ASD.
This is reproducible and the #scicomm messaging of this sort of work will likely be intentionally misleading.
This is reproducible and the #scicomm messaging of this sort of work will likely be intentionally misleading.
In short,
➡️187 new early pandemic samples were analyzed
➡️(yet again) no early A-B intermediates detected
➡️C24034T was examined, though still little conclusive info on progenitor sequence
➡️all evidence at hand indicates later sequences evolved from market spillover 7/n 🧪
➡️187 new early pandemic samples were analyzed
➡️(yet again) no early A-B intermediates detected
➡️C24034T was examined, though still little conclusive info on progenitor sequence
➡️all evidence at hand indicates later sequences evolved from market spillover 7/n 🧪
April 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
In short,
➡️187 new early pandemic samples were analyzed
➡️(yet again) no early A-B intermediates detected
➡️C24034T was examined, though still little conclusive info on progenitor sequence
➡️all evidence at hand indicates later sequences evolved from market spillover 7/n 🧪
➡️187 new early pandemic samples were analyzed
➡️(yet again) no early A-B intermediates detected
➡️C24034T was examined, though still little conclusive info on progenitor sequence
➡️all evidence at hand indicates later sequences evolved from market spillover 7/n 🧪
The authors tests the likelihood of different clades being distinct from the MRCA in the 2- versus 1-spillover. Against, the highest probability was that all of these clades these all derived from Lineage A. 6/n
April 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
The authors tests the likelihood of different clades being distinct from the MRCA in the 2- versus 1-spillover. Against, the highest probability was that all of these clades these all derived from Lineage A. 6/n
Had a WIV been the epicenter of the outbreak, then samples deriving from Lineage A would be present in market-unlinked cases. The authors had a close look at C24034T as a marker and concluded that most likely all clades derived from Lineage A (i.e. they were not separate spillover events). 5/n
April 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Had a WIV been the epicenter of the outbreak, then samples deriving from Lineage A would be present in market-unlinked cases. The authors had a close look at C24034T as a marker and concluded that most likely all clades derived from Lineage A (i.e. they were not separate spillover events). 5/n
Very briefly: the authors queried whether there was any evidence of A-to-B intermediates arising EARLIER.
➡️Read the paper for details, but evidence shows intermediates arose only LATER. 4/n
➡️Read the paper for details, but evidence shows intermediates arose only LATER. 4/n
April 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Very briefly: the authors queried whether there was any evidence of A-to-B intermediates arising EARLIER.
➡️Read the paper for details, but evidence shows intermediates arose only LATER. 4/n
➡️Read the paper for details, but evidence shows intermediates arose only LATER. 4/n
If spillover to humans occurred prior to market cases, then A is under-sampled, and there should be intermediates between A and B. In this new paper, the authors show the new sequences to contain a similar proportion of A to B as the previously studied datasets 3/n
April 19, 2025 at 9:09 AM
If spillover to humans occurred prior to market cases, then A is under-sampled, and there should be intermediates between A and B. In this new paper, the authors show the new sequences to contain a similar proportion of A to B as the previously studied datasets 3/n
Certainly a replica. Here's another in the US Embassy in London.
March 18, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Certainly a replica. Here's another in the US Embassy in London.
She once tried telling me that she and Bob agree, but didn't understand his point, than said he and virologists were wrong, and still didn't understand the point.
March 17, 2025 at 10:12 PM
She once tried telling me that she and Bob agree, but didn't understand his point, than said he and virologists were wrong, and still didn't understand the point.
Is this the sort of "scientific dissent" that's acceptable to Jay? Asking for a friend...
March 4, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Is this the sort of "scientific dissent" that's acceptable to Jay? Asking for a friend...
It was the 1930's, so no issues publishing patient-level data. One of the 8 immune-naive pts was a 12-yr female. Despite a typo in the text stating that antibodies were found in "serum of all the six persons studied", all seroconverted. He went on to win the only Nobel awarded for vaccine work. 3/4
March 3, 2025 at 8:30 PM
It was the 1930's, so no issues publishing patient-level data. One of the 8 immune-naive pts was a 12-yr female. Despite a typo in the text stating that antibodies were found in "serum of all the six persons studied", all seroconverted. He went on to win the only Nobel awarded for vaccine work. 3/4
Extreme patience: he passaged the virus 227 times (!), after seeing monkeys safely receive vaccines after 114 passages. Here's the table showing the first 4 people to receive the vaccine, all previously having Yellow Fever.
M.T. = Max Theiler and H.S. = Hugh Smith, the co-authors of the study. 2/4
M.T. = Max Theiler and H.S. = Hugh Smith, the co-authors of the study. 2/4
March 3, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Extreme patience: he passaged the virus 227 times (!), after seeing monkeys safely receive vaccines after 114 passages. Here's the table showing the first 4 people to receive the vaccine, all previously having Yellow Fever.
M.T. = Max Theiler and H.S. = Hugh Smith, the co-authors of the study. 2/4
M.T. = Max Theiler and H.S. = Hugh Smith, the co-authors of the study. 2/4