Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

this is the way

Seth Trueger @mdaware.org · 13d

#TipsForNewDocs

I really try to be super nice to nurses, techs etc I work with mostly because why not, makes it better for everyone but also has the added benefits of they help me out, point out when I may have erred, invite to eat at potlucks, and when I have less common requests are happy to help

GOLIKEHELLMACHINE @golikehellmachine.com · 14d

i say thank you to the bus driver when i get on and yell thank you when i get off every day i ride the bus, and i take two buses to and from work, being nice and friendly costs you nothing and should be your default expectation for yourself because it improves your day and everyone else’s day

November 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Second Ave. Sagas

@2avesag.as

The transit riders vs drivers election.

November 5, 2025 at 1:27 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

JAMA Network Open

@jamanetworkopen.com

In this survey of hospice-eligible patients with blood cancers, transfusion access had the highest importance compared to routine hospice services, highlighting the need for novel hospice models with access to palliative transfusions. ja.ma/3WHqdGt

The image is a boxplot comparing mean SIS for routine vs nonroutine hospice services across various service types. Nonroutine services like blood transfusions & telemedicine show higher mean SIS values.

November 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Chris Hayes

@chrislhayes.bsky.social

The last month of the anti-Mamdani campaign was an absolutely shameful undertaking, an attempt to rip the city and Democratic coalition apart and I'm very happy to see it failed.

November 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Happy to see a campaign based on optimism and love of New York City prevail.

November 5, 2025 at 3:12 AM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Bobby Big Wheel

@kleinman.bsky.social

My "people don't like any of this shit" prediction is holding up so far tonight.

Bobby Big Wheel @kleinman.bsky.social · 16d

I suppose I should make a prediction, this is the most confident I've been heading into an election since 2019. I just don't think that people like any of this shit.

November 5, 2025 at 1:05 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Yikes, risk of arrhythmias with over-repletion of potassium

Swapnil Hiremath 🍁🇨🇦 @hswapnil.medsky.social · 16d

Oooh - this is a dangerous recall

KCl 20 mmol labelled as 10 mmol from the overwrap

#nephsky #pharmsky #emimcc

www.fda.gov/safety/recal...

TOPIC: 20 mEq Potassium Chloride Injection by Otsuka ICU Medical: Recall - Due To Overwrap Mislabeled As 10 mEq Potassium Chloride Injection

AUDIENCE: Patient, Health Care Professional, Pharmacy

ISSUE: Otsuka ICU Medical is recalling for a MISLABELED lot of POTASSIUM CHLORIDE Inj. 20 mEq, NDC 0990-7077-14. The OVERWRAP label of lot 1030613, Expiration Date: 09-30-2026 may incorrectly identify the product as POTASSIUM CHLORIDE Inj. 10 mEq with NDC 0990-7074-26. Otsuka ICU Medical has identified this discrepancy due to a manufacturing issue. The dosage is correctly printed on the labeling affixed to the product bag which is not visible when the 10 mEq OVERWRAP is in place. This notification details the issue and the required steps for you to perform.

If the incorrect dosage on the 10 mEq overwrap is used instead of the correct 20mEq dosage printed on the product, an overdose of potassium chloride is possible. Overdose of potassium chloride can lead to hyperkalemia. Hazards of severe hyperkalemia after large intravenous overdoses causes neuromuscular dysfunction including muscle weakness, ascending paralysis, listlessness, vertigo, mental confusion, hypotension, cardiac dysrhythmias, or death from cardiac arrest. Premature infants, patients on chronic parenteral nutrition, patients who have a history of cardiac arrythmias, patients with chronic renal insufficiency, patients who have acute renal failure, patients on potassium-sparing diuretics—all are at risk for adverse and potentially fatal outcomes.

The affected product lot was manufactured on 15 April 2025 and distributed in the United States between 23 May 2025 through 26 August 2025.

Otsuka ICU Medical LLC has not received reports of adverse events associated with this issue to date.

November 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Cam Schlittler, that is all

October 3, 2025 at 2:11 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Finding pediatric COVID vaccination appointments in NYC has been a challenge (peds offices I've spoken to don't have the vaccine in yet). CVS/Walgreens pharmacies don't vax younger kids. CVS Minute Clinic seems like the best option so far, (though there are only a few sites).

September 18, 2025 at 12:18 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Not great Bob

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · Sep 12

Exclusive at WaPo: RFK Jr's aides are prepping new bid to crack down on covid vaccine by linking it to 25 child deaths

They appear to be citing submissions to vaccine-report database VAERS — despite caution that it's unreliable.

@lenasun.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social w little help from me

Trump officials to link child deaths to covid shots, alarming career scientists

The move to link coronavirus vaccines to 25 child deaths alarms career scientists who say the shots have been extensively studied.

www.washingtonpost.com

September 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

That ship has sailed Bill

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · Sep 10

Bill Cassidy on why he’s holding this hearing

September 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Very easy NYC COVID vaccine experience at CVS today.

September 10, 2025 at 12:37 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Hospitalized patients awaiting rehab placement for prolonged periods is such a waste of scarce inpatient beds

September 9, 2025 at 2:13 AM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Michael L. Barnett

@mlbarnett.bsky.social

We think this reflects the incentives in Medicare Advantage to have very tight networks of nursing homes that they cover and requiring prior authorization. This has been the subject of congressional reports and intense scrutiny.

www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...

Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Releases Majority Staff Report Exposing Medicare Advantage Insurers' Refusal of Care for Vulnerable Seniors | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connect...

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), released a...

www.blumenthal.senate.gov

September 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Michael L. Barnett

@mlbarnett.bsky.social

Overall, we estimate that longer hospital stays for Medicare Advantage patients are contributing to close to 2 million extra hospital bed days occupied by people who don't need to be there any more annually. This is a huge waste and bad for patient care.

Why is this happening?

September 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Michael L. Barnett

@mlbarnett.bsky.social

New paper w/ Brian McGarry, Ashvin Gandhi, and Drew Wilcock in @jamainternalmed.com!

Hospitals are complaining across the US that patients are "stuck" waiting for rehab beds at nursing homes when they are medically stable and ready for discharge. What is going on??

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Question Has hospital length of stay increased more for Medicare
Advantage beneficiaries than for traditional Medicare beneficiaries
since the COVID-19 pandemic?Findings In this cohort study involving more than 89 million
hospitalizations from 2017 to the third quarter of 2023, Medicare
Advantage beneficiaries experienced disproportionately greater
increases in extended hospital stays, especially among those
discharged to skilled nursing facilities.Meaning These findings suggest that the Medicare Advantage
plan design and practices may contribute to hospital discharge
delays, with implications for patient outcomes and hospital
capacity as enrollment continues to rise.

September 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Don Moynihan

@donmoyn.bsky.social

Full resignation letter from Demetre C. Daskalakis, a CDC leader, does not hold back.
"The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud."

My resignation letter from CDC.

Dear Dr. Houry,

I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.

While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles.

The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people. The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership. This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors. Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people.

It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC. The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense. Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function. Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC.

Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc.

I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again. I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.” We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources. At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information.

The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.

Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically.

Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution. If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.

August 28, 2025 at 1:01 AM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

Didn't think it was possible to have less confidence in the CDC under this administration, but here we are.

August 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Dan Diamond

@ddiamond.bsky.social

After news of Monarez's ouster, multiple top CDC officials announced their resignations, per emails obtained by The Post

“I am not able to serve in this role any longer because of the ongoing weaponizing of public health,” said @drdemetre.bsky.social

Today = no precedent at CDC

After news of Monarez's ouster, at least three top CDC officials announced their resignations Wednesday, citing budget cuts, political climate and a broader attack on public health, according to resignation emails obtained by The Post.
"I am not able to serve in this role any longer because of the ongoing weaponizing of public health," Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, wrote, adding that CDC staff "continue to shine despite this dark cloud over the agency and our profession."
CDC's chief medical officer Debra Houry told staff "ongoing changes" prevent her from continuing in her job.
"Vaccines save lives - this is an indisputable, well-established, scientific fact," Houry wrote. "Recently, the overstating of risks and the rise of misinformation have cost lives, as demonstrated by the highest number of U.S. measles cases in 30 years and the violent attack on our agency."

August 27, 2025 at 10:46 PM

Eric Schultz

@ericschul.bsky.social

I wish these ghouls could’ve seen a small percentage of the horrifying things I saw at an overwhelmed NYC hospital in March 2020. Though maybe they lack sufficient empathy to be persuaded even by that.

Emily Moin @emilymoin.com · Aug 14

Sorry, I'm sick of myself even as I type these words, but when I hear "we should never have used it for young people" all I see is someone who has never practiced medicine and certainly did not spend 2020 and 2021 watching healthy 30 year-olds get ARDS.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Aug 13

NIH Director Battacharya on mRNA technology: "We should not be using as a platform for mass vaccination"

August 14, 2025 at 1:31 AM

Reposted by Eric Schultz

Second Ave. Sagas

@2avesag.as

Here's the press release:

19 new stations with connections to 17 subway lines and a runtime of 32 minutes across 14 miles. This truly is a game-changer. No word on estimated completion date. We are probably looking at 2032ish.

www.governor.ny.gov/news/governo...