Beth Bourdeau Duke
@bourdeauduke.bsky.social
HIV public health researcher & informed citizen
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
A new profile of RFK Jr offers fresh insights into how he works, the bond he shares with Trump, & how he's moved HHS “from evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making." Story by @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social, @caseyross.bsky.social, & me:
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
How RFK Jr., America's celebrity health secretary, is steamrolling science
RFK Jr. is plowing ahead with sweeping changes to U.S. health care that have thrilled supporters, purged opponents, and horrified critics.
www.statnews.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:03 PM
A new profile of RFK Jr offers fresh insights into how he works, the bond he shares with Trump, & how he's moved HHS “from evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making." Story by @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social, @caseyross.bsky.social, & me:
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/18/r...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
But, really, always include alt-text. It's what good people do.
November 18, 2025 at 3:42 AM
But, really, always include alt-text. It's what good people do.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
The second Trump administration’s deep federal spending cuts, including at the NIH, have halted at least 383 clinical trials, affecting more than 74,000 patients, according to a new analysis.
www.fiercebiotech.com/research/nih...
www.fiercebiotech.com/research/nih...
NIH grant cuts have disrupted hundreds of clinical trials, study finds
The second Trump administration has been defined by widespread cuts to federal spending, including at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). | The second Trump administration has been defined by wid...
www.fiercebiotech.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The second Trump administration’s deep federal spending cuts, including at the NIH, have halted at least 383 clinical trials, affecting more than 74,000 patients, according to a new analysis.
www.fiercebiotech.com/research/nih...
www.fiercebiotech.com/research/nih...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
While the government was shut down, 379 NIH study section meetings (containing 24,380 grant applications) were postponed. NIH is committed to getting these reviewed, but please be patient and understanding with staff, as this is a complex and heavy lift.
November 13, 2025 at 1:25 PM
While the government was shut down, 379 NIH study section meetings (containing 24,380 grant applications) were postponed. NIH is committed to getting these reviewed, but please be patient and understanding with staff, as this is a complex and heavy lift.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Research on brain disorders may slow as young neuroscientists struggle to find jobs and research grants. n.pr/4pgmAna
As funding falters, young brain scientists rethink careers in research
Research on brain disorders may slow as young neuroscientists struggle to find jobs and research grants.
n.pr
November 15, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Research on brain disorders may slow as young neuroscientists struggle to find jobs and research grants. n.pr/4pgmAna
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Given that Trump's most consistent MO is to accuse others of the wrongs he himself committed ("they tried to steal the election!" "they committed fraud on their loan documents!"), this is the ultimate tell.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
Trump Demands Inquiry Into Epstein’s Ties to Prominent Democrats
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Given that Trump's most consistent MO is to accuse others of the wrongs he himself committed ("they tried to steal the election!" "they committed fraud on their loan documents!"), this is the ultimate tell.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/u...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Most decisions that are problematic happen at the editorial level.
Many talented frontline reporters exist, including at the NYT.
I can see how criticisms might make them feel defensive, but I wish they directed their energies at the structures within which they work rather than than at readers.
Many talented frontline reporters exist, including at the NYT.
I can see how criticisms might make them feel defensive, but I wish they directed their energies at the structures within which they work rather than than at readers.
November 13, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Most decisions that are problematic happen at the editorial level.
Many talented frontline reporters exist, including at the NYT.
I can see how criticisms might make them feel defensive, but I wish they directed their energies at the structures within which they work rather than than at readers.
Many talented frontline reporters exist, including at the NYT.
I can see how criticisms might make them feel defensive, but I wish they directed their energies at the structures within which they work rather than than at readers.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
All these connections might seem strange til you realize how few people are involved, how tiny Epstein's world was. It's a tiny, horrible bubble of privilege and power, where people see forcibly taking sex or elections as no big deal. As their birthright.
Let the Epstein files burn it all down. 6/
Let the Epstein files burn it all down. 6/
November 13, 2025 at 3:25 AM
All these connections might seem strange til you realize how few people are involved, how tiny Epstein's world was. It's a tiny, horrible bubble of privilege and power, where people see forcibly taking sex or elections as no big deal. As their birthright.
Let the Epstein files burn it all down. 6/
Let the Epstein files burn it all down. 6/
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
This isn’t even the stuff they’re trying to actually stop from getting out.
November 12, 2025 at 10:59 PM
This isn’t even the stuff they’re trying to actually stop from getting out.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
NEW: Jeffrey Epstein said in emails that he had been advising the Russian government on how to deal with Donald Trump, one of several cases in which he wielded his connections to try to influence the course of foreign affairs. w @nahaltoosi
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 12, 2025 at 8:43 PM
NEW: Jeffrey Epstein said in emails that he had been advising the Russian government on how to deal with Donald Trump, one of several cases in which he wielded his connections to try to influence the course of foreign affairs. w @nahaltoosi
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Democrats at every level of power could simply repeat "he must resign" over and over and over again. It's what the GOP would do if the situation were reversed. Further erode his power by pushing him to lash out more.
November 12, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Democrats at every level of power could simply repeat "he must resign" over and over and over again. It's what the GOP would do if the situation were reversed. Further erode his power by pushing him to lash out more.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
As Trump & MAGA decimate scientific research & the federal science agencies, I’m authoring legislation to fund scientific research in California. If the federal government won’t lead on science, California will.
November 12, 2025 at 12:38 AM
As Trump & MAGA decimate scientific research & the federal science agencies, I’m authoring legislation to fund scientific research in California. If the federal government won’t lead on science, California will.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
This seems like the most straightforward and also basically accurate message.
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This seems like the most straightforward and also basically accurate message.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Unfortunately still true bsky.app/profile/adam...
American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.
November 10, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Unfortunately still true bsky.app/profile/adam...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Senate Democrats are the only group of people in America that could look at the election results from *less than a week ago* and conclude, “Ah, what the people want now is for us to roll over and show our bellies to the reactionary creeps”
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Senate Democrats are the only group of people in America that could look at the election results from *less than a week ago* and conclude, “Ah, what the people want now is for us to roll over and show our bellies to the reactionary creeps”
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Schumer & Jeffries should have the integrity to resign from their positions in leadership. They've failed, badly. Either they cannot control their caucuses or they're lying & secretly pushed this vote through behind the scenes.
Either way, their betrayal of the American people is indefensible.
Either way, their betrayal of the American people is indefensible.
November 10, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Schumer & Jeffries should have the integrity to resign from their positions in leadership. They've failed, badly. Either they cannot control their caucuses or they're lying & secretly pushed this vote through behind the scenes.
Either way, their betrayal of the American people is indefensible.
Either way, their betrayal of the American people is indefensible.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Great @gbbranstetter.bsky.social read on how throwing trans people under the bus is not a winning political strategy and in fact the opposite is true. Democrats have an opportunity here to not be craven cowards succumbing to transphobic messaging.
Democrats Can’t Blame Trans People for Their Own Failures
Despite the attempts by so many in the party's establishment to paint trans rights as a toxic issue, transphobia was soundly rejected across the country this week.
www.thenation.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Great @gbbranstetter.bsky.social read on how throwing trans people under the bus is not a winning political strategy and in fact the opposite is true. Democrats have an opportunity here to not be craven cowards succumbing to transphobic messaging.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
📉 Public health funding was budgeted by Congress.
🦠 Outbreaks don’t pause for red tape, but budgets sure do per Russ Vought.
👉 When measles outbreaks hit and emergency funds are still “processing,” that’s not efficiency. That’s negligence dressed in bureaucracy.
🦠 Outbreaks don’t pause for red tape, but budgets sure do per Russ Vought.
👉 When measles outbreaks hit and emergency funds are still “processing,” that’s not efficiency. That’s negligence dressed in bureaucracy.
Wielding Obscure Budget Tools, Trump’s ‘Reaper’ Vought Sows Turmoil in Public Health - KFF Health News
Through shrouded bureaucratic maneuvers, White House budget director Russell Vought and DOGE have quietly upended outbreak response, HIV treatment, and dementia care in communities across America.
kffhealthnews.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
📉 Public health funding was budgeted by Congress.
🦠 Outbreaks don’t pause for red tape, but budgets sure do per Russ Vought.
👉 When measles outbreaks hit and emergency funds are still “processing,” that’s not efficiency. That’s negligence dressed in bureaucracy.
🦠 Outbreaks don’t pause for red tape, but budgets sure do per Russ Vought.
👉 When measles outbreaks hit and emergency funds are still “processing,” that’s not efficiency. That’s negligence dressed in bureaucracy.
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 2:36 AM
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
A small study helps explain why some people taking Wegovy and similar weight-loss drugs cut back on alcohol, offering insight into potential new addiction therapies
Why Drugs Like Ozempic Can Make People Drink Less Alcohol
A small study helps explain why some people taking Wegovy and similar weight-loss drugs cut back on alcohol, offering insight into potential new addiction therapies
www.scientificamerican.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:58 PM
A small study helps explain why some people taking Wegovy and similar weight-loss drugs cut back on alcohol, offering insight into potential new addiction therapies
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
It’s time for us to reconnect with the radical, system-changing spirit that was once at the heart of our field. #publichealth #episky #medsky #activism www.thenation.com/article/acti...
Public Health Was a Place for Warriors Once. It Needs to Be Again.
It's time for us to reconnect with the radical, system-changing spirit that was once at the heart of our field.
www.thenation.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:40 PM
It’s time for us to reconnect with the radical, system-changing spirit that was once at the heart of our field. #publichealth #episky #medsky #activism www.thenation.com/article/acti...
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
“I think there’s a collective amnesia right now about COVID-19”
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month, and limited surveillance is hampering health strategies
go.nature.com/3LeRVbd
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month, and limited surveillance is hampering health strategies
go.nature.com/3LeRVbd
COVID-19 is spreading again — how serious is it and what are the symptoms?
Limited COVID-19 surveillance data are hampering vaccination and health strategies, researchers say.
go.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
“I think there’s a collective amnesia right now about COVID-19”
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month, and limited surveillance is hampering health strategies
go.nature.com/3LeRVbd
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been rising in the past month, and limited surveillance is hampering health strategies
go.nature.com/3LeRVbd
Reposted by Beth Bourdeau Duke
Just like when the New York Times did not think the No Kings protests were all that significant, this is indicative of how much mainstream institutions have bought into the idea that only Trump and his supporters represent “real America” and have a right to have their voices amplified.
November 5, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Just like when the New York Times did not think the No Kings protests were all that significant, this is indicative of how much mainstream institutions have bought into the idea that only Trump and his supporters represent “real America” and have a right to have their voices amplified.