Kevin McIntyre
@kevinmci.bsky.social
Postdoc @ RCSI Converge 🇮🇪, PhD from Western University 🇨🇦 in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Research interests in diabetes, chronic illness, global surgery, causal inference, Bayesian stats, evidence synthesis & research methods
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
UPDATE: Canada has announced that it has lost its measles elimination status.
This is a direct result of the increase in anti-vax disinformation, which has caused large, sustained outbreaks in the country over the last year.
This is a direct result of the increase in anti-vax disinformation, which has caused large, sustained outbreaks in the country over the last year.
November 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
UPDATE: Canada has announced that it has lost its measles elimination status.
This is a direct result of the increase in anti-vax disinformation, which has caused large, sustained outbreaks in the country over the last year.
This is a direct result of the increase in anti-vax disinformation, which has caused large, sustained outbreaks in the country over the last year.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Canada budget update: A $2.7bn cut to international assistance over 5 years, or about 10-12% of the budget. Particularly focusing on global health, which is worrying because it's a core Canadian priority
Not sure we need a resurgence of polio on top of everything, but what do I know
Not sure we need a resurgence of polio on top of everything, but what do I know
What I'm looking for in the Canadian federal budget: Development
- Canada's budget for international stuff is complex. There's the International Assistance Envelope, OECD-measured ODA, plus stuff that falls under Canada's own Act. Plus provincial spending. They all overlap
- Canada's budget for international stuff is complex. There's the International Assistance Envelope, OECD-measured ODA, plus stuff that falls under Canada's own Act. Plus provincial spending. They all overlap
November 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Canada budget update: A $2.7bn cut to international assistance over 5 years, or about 10-12% of the budget. Particularly focusing on global health, which is worrying because it's a core Canadian priority
Not sure we need a resurgence of polio on top of everything, but what do I know
Not sure we need a resurgence of polio on top of everything, but what do I know
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Other countries are not coming to save scientific research & academia. Maybe to poach a few high-profile scholars. But no one is going to do things at scale to replace 🇺🇸, & most every other rich country is also doing educational austerity.
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
We are in an era of deadweight loss - this stuff just won't happen. Even a country committed to filling the gap cannot possibly do it by an order of magnitude overnight - they would need to do something like double every year for a decade. And we'd need a lot of countries to do the same.
The US funds the bulk of biomedical research globally by far. It's not like other countries can simply take up the slack. The more likely: people leave research, new people don't become researchers. There is no happy ending. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
November 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Other countries are not coming to save scientific research & academia. Maybe to poach a few high-profile scholars. But no one is going to do things at scale to replace 🇺🇸, & most every other rich country is also doing educational austerity.
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
bsky.app/profile/mcop...
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
There are (theoretically) ways to do causal effect estimation with simulated data. This was the topic of my doctoral thesis. But there are many many ways to get it wrong and simply reproduce your starting assumption as if it were a finding.
October 17, 2025 at 12:30 PM
There are (theoretically) ways to do causal effect estimation with simulated data. This was the topic of my doctoral thesis. But there are many many ways to get it wrong and simply reproduce your starting assumption as if it were a finding.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Ugh... This study has existed for decades, providing valuable health data for all sorts of topics and publications. This is just more awful news. 🛟😷 Sociology medsky
CDC team running top survey on health and nutrition is laid off
NHANES has collected data on eating patterns, diabetes, and other common diseases for decades. The CDC team that runs it has been fired.
www.statnews.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Ugh... This study has existed for decades, providing valuable health data for all sorts of topics and publications. This is just more awful news. 🛟😷 Sociology medsky
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
MMWR stole the show in the first round of headlines about CDC cuts but in the chaos, many missed that the NHANES mobile team remains RIF'd. This is the backbone of this key survey that contains some of the only representative anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary data on the country.
Protecting the nation’s public health demands data, whether it be new measles cases, a surge in ER visits, or shifting patterns in obesity. The most recent job cuts at the CDC threaten the mostly unseen foundation of that research enterprise.
www.statnews.com/2025/10/14/c...
www.statnews.com/2025/10/14/c...
CDC team running top survey on health and nutrition is laid off
NHANES has collected data on eating patterns, diabetes and other common diseases for decades. The CDC team that runs it has been fired.
www.statnews.com
October 14, 2025 at 4:29 PM
MMWR stole the show in the first round of headlines about CDC cuts but in the chaos, many missed that the NHANES mobile team remains RIF'd. This is the backbone of this key survey that contains some of the only representative anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary data on the country.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
NHANES runs mobile clinics that travel the country measuring height, weight, & blood pressure while collecting blood and urine samples. These samples are our only national source for tracking everything from blood sugar to hormones, heavy metals, and more.
The entire operation has been eliminated.
The entire operation has been eliminated.
Everyone across biomedicine should be very loud about this so this team's RIF status gets reversed. Nhanes has been key for tracking obesity & diabetes rates, identifying high blood lead levels in kids in the 70s, tracking progress on cholesterol lowering, guiding nutrient fortification programs etc
October 14, 2025 at 9:20 PM
NHANES runs mobile clinics that travel the country measuring height, weight, & blood pressure while collecting blood and urine samples. These samples are our only national source for tracking everything from blood sugar to hormones, heavy metals, and more.
The entire operation has been eliminated.
The entire operation has been eliminated.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
The Trump administration has been spreading anti-vaccine propaganda for months. Tonight, Trump's physician announced he just received a flu shot and a COVID booster.
October 11, 2025 at 1:30 AM
The Trump administration has been spreading anti-vaccine propaganda for months. Tonight, Trump's physician announced he just received a flu shot and a COVID booster.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
You would not fire these people—including the staff of the hugely, HUGELY important 'Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report'—if you cared at all about public health, if you wanted people to live.
And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
October 11, 2025 at 2:39 AM
You would not fire these people—including the staff of the hugely, HUGELY important 'Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report'—if you cared at all about public health, if you wanted people to live.
And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.
There are more ways of knowing things than just RCTs. Yes randomized trials are a great tool for answering all kinds of questions but they can't be used for everything. Making causal inferences from observational data is a fascinating field at the intersection of philosophy, math & content knowledge
Friendly reminder that there has never been a randomized, controlled clinical trial of smoking and lung cancer or heart disease or emphysema. And there never will be.
I’d like Retsef Levi to explain how it is that we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that smoking causes these conditions?
I’d like Retsef Levi to explain how it is that we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that smoking causes these conditions?
September 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM
There are more ways of knowing things than just RCTs. Yes randomized trials are a great tool for answering all kinds of questions but they can't be used for everything. Making causal inferences from observational data is a fascinating field at the intersection of philosophy, math & content knowledge
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Sec Kennedy said he doesn’t know how many people died of COVID in the US. But cites what percentage of world COVID deaths occurred in the US. US deaths divided by worldwide deaths X 100. So either he knows how many people died in the US or doesn’t know percentages.
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Sec Kennedy said he doesn’t know how many people died of COVID in the US. But cites what percentage of world COVID deaths occurred in the US. US deaths divided by worldwide deaths X 100. So either he knows how many people died in the US or doesn’t know percentages.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Deaths averted by vaccination since the 1970’s
August 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Deaths averted by vaccination since the 1970’s
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
I mean let's say you're a terrible person and you don't care about children but only about money and work.
It might still be worth it to vaccinate.
Think about that.
It might still be worth it to vaccinate.
Think about that.
August 29, 2025 at 6:09 AM
I mean let's say you're a terrible person and you don't care about children but only about money and work.
It might still be worth it to vaccinate.
Think about that.
It might still be worth it to vaccinate.
Think about that.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Domestically made, updated Moderna vaccines
Let’s Go Canada 🇨🇦 !
Let’s Go Canada 🇨🇦 !
I mentioned to a couple of people that I had a surprise waiting to be shared when Moderna got approval for its updated COVID-19 vaccine. It’s approved, and the big news??? Completely produced domestically!!!!! 🥳🤩
Approved as usual for all aged 6mo+!
Approved as usual for all aged 6mo+!
August 23, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Domestically made, updated Moderna vaccines
Let’s Go Canada 🇨🇦 !
Let’s Go Canada 🇨🇦 !
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
This is the heart of the piece - it has been utterly horrific
August 15, 2025 at 8:33 PM
This is the heart of the piece - it has been utterly horrific
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
A reminder that the mRNA vaccine technology saved millions of lives during the Covid pandemic and received the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine
August 10, 2025 at 12:26 AM
A reminder that the mRNA vaccine technology saved millions of lives during the Covid pandemic and received the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
mRNA vaccines are a game-changer. Faster to develop, generally safer, easy to modify, huge potential for wider applications (e.g. cancer). If the vaccine has been approved, it's already been thoroughly tested in randomised controlled trials. Nobody's trying to poison anyone with these vaccines.
August 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
mRNA vaccines are a game-changer. Faster to develop, generally safer, easy to modify, huge potential for wider applications (e.g. cancer). If the vaccine has been approved, it's already been thoroughly tested in randomised controlled trials. Nobody's trying to poison anyone with these vaccines.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
As I'm getting further from my PhD years, the reflections of that experience are becoming (hopefully) more useful to share with the ones who are just making their academic baby steps 🐾
👀 New blog post (my first not for R-bloggers) inspired by @clauswilke.com's post
🔗 ikashnitsky.phd/2025/sidekic...
👀 New blog post (my first not for R-bloggers) inspired by @clauswilke.com's post
🔗 ikashnitsky.phd/2025/sidekic...
Sidekick projects may be worthy distractions for an early academic
Dr. Ilya Kashnitsky is a demographer @ Statistics Denmark.
ikashnitsky.phd
July 22, 2025 at 8:48 AM
As I'm getting further from my PhD years, the reflections of that experience are becoming (hopefully) more useful to share with the ones who are just making their academic baby steps 🐾
👀 New blog post (my first not for R-bloggers) inspired by @clauswilke.com's post
🔗 ikashnitsky.phd/2025/sidekic...
👀 New blog post (my first not for R-bloggers) inspired by @clauswilke.com's post
🔗 ikashnitsky.phd/2025/sidekic...
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
My university (@westernu.ca) is offering up to $160,000 CAD in funding to support doctoral students impacted by recent changes in higher ed in the US.
And I'm keen on supervising students who may be interested (and who conduct research in public health ethics). DM me.
grad.uwo.ca/finances/wes...
And I'm keen on supervising students who may be interested (and who conduct research in public health ethics). DM me.
grad.uwo.ca/finances/wes...
Doctoral Excellence Award
Western University, in vibrant London, Ontario, delivers an academic and student experience second to none.
grad.uwo.ca
July 18, 2025 at 3:36 PM
My university (@westernu.ca) is offering up to $160,000 CAD in funding to support doctoral students impacted by recent changes in higher ed in the US.
And I'm keen on supervising students who may be interested (and who conduct research in public health ethics). DM me.
grad.uwo.ca/finances/wes...
And I'm keen on supervising students who may be interested (and who conduct research in public health ethics). DM me.
grad.uwo.ca/finances/wes...
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
The quote below is from Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, who recently resigned from CDC after co-leading the ACIP COVID work group. The new ACIP jettisoned work group experts in favor of anti-vax activists.
👉Canada's NACI is now the best source for evidence-based vax recommendations in North America
👉Canada's NACI is now the best source for evidence-based vax recommendations in North America
“As a physician and scientist who has devoted my entire career to vaccines and preventing and treating infections, this meeting has been devastating to watch.” ACIP votes to stop recommending some vaccines, even though they're safe and effective. nyti.ms/3ZT1pxg
RFK Jr.’s New Advisers Rescind Recommendations for Some Flu Vaccines
Panelists pulled back some endorsements for certain vaccines containing a preservative that critics have falsely linked to autism.
nyti.ms
June 26, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The quote below is from Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, who recently resigned from CDC after co-leading the ACIP COVID work group. The new ACIP jettisoned work group experts in favor of anti-vax activists.
👉Canada's NACI is now the best source for evidence-based vax recommendations in North America
👉Canada's NACI is now the best source for evidence-based vax recommendations in North America
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
Difficult to overstate how much blood RFK and Trump will have on their hands in the coming years.
Difficult to overstate how many innocent kids will die as a result of the people who cast votes for Trump last November.
Difficult to overstate how many innocent kids will die as a result of the people who cast votes for Trump last November.
A chilling reminder that American science denial does not just affect people in the US, it kills people globally.
June 26, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Difficult to overstate how much blood RFK and Trump will have on their hands in the coming years.
Difficult to overstate how many innocent kids will die as a result of the people who cast votes for Trump last November.
Difficult to overstate how many innocent kids will die as a result of the people who cast votes for Trump last November.
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
This is a travesty & a nightmare. The US was a founder of @gavi.org. It lowers global vaccine costs, has vaccinated 1B children, & averted 19M deaths. This pull out will cost 100s of thousands of children's lives a year - and RFK Jr will be personally responsible.
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
RFK Jr. says US won’t donate to global vaccine effort
Kennedy ripped into Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in a video address at its pledging summit.
www.politico.com
June 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
This is a travesty & a nightmare. The US was a founder of @gavi.org. It lowers global vaccine costs, has vaccinated 1B children, & averted 19M deaths. This pull out will cost 100s of thousands of children's lives a year - and RFK Jr will be personally responsible.
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
www.politico.com/news/2025/06...
Reposted by Kevin McIntyre
I think a lot of people are foolishing resisting experimenting with AI out of the misguided sense that if we all just ignore it then it will go away, but we need to keep in mind our bosses aren't ignoring it.
They're furiously trying to automate our jobs away as we speak.
They're furiously trying to automate our jobs away as we speak.
June 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I think a lot of people are foolishing resisting experimenting with AI out of the misguided sense that if we all just ignore it then it will go away, but we need to keep in mind our bosses aren't ignoring it.
They're furiously trying to automate our jobs away as we speak.
They're furiously trying to automate our jobs away as we speak.