Michael Mina MD,PhD
michaelmina.bsky.social
Michael Mina MD,PhD
@michaelmina.bsky.social
Epidemiologist, Immunologist, Physician
Previously professor at Harvard Med and Public Health

I work hard to provide clear communications around science/medicine that experts and non-experts can understand
It’s Code Red for Vaccines

The number of changes to vaccine policy is dizzying & RFK Jr is just getting started!

Dissolving the group of experts that drive policy is declaring war on “what was”

I write in @nytimes.com about what is and is not working

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/o...
Opinion | It’s Code Red for Vaccines in America (Gift Article)
How to make sense of all the vaccine policy changes.
www.nytimes.com
June 11, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Today RFK Jr took the single biggest step towards destroying childhood vaccines

When @nytimes asked me in December whether RFK could kill the vaccine program - I said he’d have to remove CDCs ACIP

And… that’s exactly what he just did today

Not good-just like that we cannot trust CDC on vaccines
June 10, 2025 at 2:25 AM
A remarkable escalation by Trump blocking international students from Harvard

For many labs (including the one I led) many of the most advanced research is by international students and trainees

International trainees are core to Harvard’s research
1/

t.co/LjbaMQzTXr
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/us/politics/trump-harvard-international-students.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
t.co
May 22, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
ICYMI: A recording from last week's webinar, "Measles in America: Causes, Risks, and Responses" is now available! @michaelmina.bsky.social @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social youtu.be/Tbwfz6iUqe4
Measles in America: Causes, Risks, and Responses
YouTube video by International Vaccine Access Center
youtu.be
May 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
Did you know? 99% of all new medications resulted from federally-funded university research through #NIH

Learn more about #ResearchSavesLives: hub.jhu.edu/research-sav....
April 16, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
@michaelmina.bsky.social @meganranney.bsky.social @sailorrooscout.bsky.social will look forward to your analysis, and that of other top experts, on this collapse of agencies and fallout.
April 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Come to Learn about **Measles** in America today

"Measles in America: Causes, Risks, and Responses"

April 30: 4-5pm EST
bit.ly/measles-in-a...

Webinar by @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social
IVAC

Professor Bill Moss moderates with:
• me (@michaelmina.bsky.social)
• Walt Orenstein
• Daniel Salmon
April 17, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
Measles and more, with guest @michaelmina.bsky.social

Join us today in The Doctor’s Lounge at 3pm ET on Substack Live👇
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
LIVE SOON: Jeremy Faust, MD on Substack
Starting Apr 8 at 3:00 PM EDT
open.substack.com
April 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Measles is spreading

Under vaccinated communities are getting bigger in size and number

Like bubbles, as these communities get bigger, they merge - the firewalls breakdown -

I’m deeply concerned we are at risk of not hundreds, but epidemics of tens of thousands of cases in US

t.co/C3heJrjwic
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/opinion/measles-epidemic-texas.html?rsrc=ss&unlocked_article_code=1.8k4.o4cy.QYinrRQdW3hU&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
t.co
April 2, 2025 at 1:19 PM
The new nominee for CDC Director, Susan Monarez
is the right type of leader for the CDC today

We need a CDC with a renewed interest in innovating and engineering population health solutions (public healths roots) and drive positive impacts

My new piece in @TIME discusses why

t.co/ug9zmhzjg7
https://time.com/7271890/susan-monarez-right-choice-lead-the-cdc/#
t.co
March 26, 2025 at 11:39 PM
23andMe changed the culture of how people interact with their biological & medical information and changed translational research at population scale

The company is running into bankruptcy

But its impacts beyond its business, on society and science, will last

I wrote in @statnews

t.co/teNnEzRBsI
https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/25/23andme-bankruptcy-patient-empowerment-consumer-genetic-testing/
t.co
March 26, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Live where measles is spreading?

Can your baby get a vaccine early?

YES

The vaccine is safe/effective even down to 6 months

(Note: Its recommended later bc maternal antibodies passed to the fetus vs measles wane around ~9 months and could limit vaccine benefit if not yet gone)

t.co/2rIkfk9qvH
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna198038
t.co
March 26, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Unfortunately, this rings all too true for many with chronic illnesses that dont have a neat diagnosis

Many originate from pathogen exposures and are difficult to identify after acute infection has cleared

A silver lining of COVID is it has highlighted this issue and is driving new research
December 27, 2024 at 9:27 PM
It takes just 1…

Important wake up call

#H5N1 BirdFlu just sequenced by @CDCgov from severe Louisiana patient

Most important, the H5 virus mutated inside the single patient to gain an ability to bind human receptors in the upper respiratory tract

It takes just one

www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spo...
December 27, 2024 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
Antibiotic use increased 16.3% since 2016, driven largely by economic growth in LMIC. Despite concerns on AMR, effective measures like stewardship programs, public awareness, improved infection prevention have helped some high-income nations limit their consumption.

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Global trends in antibiotic consumption during 2016–2023 and future projections through 2030 | PNAS
Antibiotic resistance is a global public health threat. Many factors contribute to this issue, with human antibiotic consumption being significant ...
www.pnas.org
December 26, 2024 at 9:54 AM
Do you know all you need to about measles?

Maybe… probably not
There is SO much to know

On “Incubation” Podcast (produced by Gladwell), we cover

Measles
Immune Memory
Immune Amnesia
The true toll of the Virus
Measles as a cancer treatment

A short terrific podcast!

www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/inc...
https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/incubation/measles-the-cancer-killer
t.co
December 26, 2024 at 5:32 AM
At times it’s tough to remember why we do what we do

20 years ago today the Indian Ocean Tsunami killed 250,000 ppl

I was a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka when the wave hit the country

It was the survivors in the refugee camp I lived afterwards that cemented for me a life path in public health
1/
December 26, 2024 at 12:34 AM
Physicians/public take note:

@Labcorp just rolled out access to #H5 #BirdFlu test

This is extremely important & shows Criticality of Lab Developed Tests/LDTs (outside of FDA) for the nimbleness required to deal w emergencies and to advance diagnostics

www.labcorp.com/tests/140046...
140046: Influenza A and Influenza B With Reflex to H5 Subtyping, NAA | Labcorp
Labcorp test details for Influenza A and Influenza B With Reflex to H5 Subtyping, NAA
www.labcorp.com
December 24, 2024 at 6:08 AM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
What an amazing read (h/t Jeff Flier) - esp @michaelmina.bsky.social which felt especially raw. #biosky #medsky www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/01/harv...
Harvard Professors Leaving for Private Sector Research | Harvard Magazine
Three distinguished scientists on leaving academia to advance biomedical research
www.harvardmagazine.com
December 20, 2024 at 6:55 PM
It is important for people in countries like the U.S. - where we are so lucky to have measles elimination (for now) - to remember why measles is so important to keep eliminated

Most parents today have never seen measles

It is not good for many reasons

www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/h...
Tiny Coffins: Measles Is Killing Thousands of Children in Congo
Problems with getting vaccines to families have left many children unvaccinated and in danger of contracting the virus.
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2024 at 5:02 AM
YES, rapid Flu/COVID multiplexed tests that are available in stores DO detect H5N1

The tests detect Flu A (as well as Flu B and COVID)

H5N1 is a Flu A virus

So it will detect H5 with a positive Flu A line but will not differentiate if it’s H5 vs H3 or H1
H5 BirdFlu continues to spread

CA declared State of Emergency & now a severe D1.1 case in Louisiana

Two main lineages in US - in cattle (B3.13) & in birds (D1.1)

The US should not wait to prepare
So, again, we’ll need fast tests for starters

www.latimes.com/environment/...
Gov. Newsom declares emergency in California after CDC confirms severe case of bird flu in Louisiana
As the CDC confirmed severe illness in a Louisiana patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency related to the virus.
www.latimes.com
December 19, 2024 at 3:12 AM
H5 BirdFlu continues to spread

CA declared State of Emergency & now a severe D1.1 case in Louisiana

Two main lineages in US - in cattle (B3.13) & in birds (D1.1)

The US should not wait to prepare
So, again, we’ll need fast tests for starters

www.latimes.com/environment/...
Gov. Newsom declares emergency in California after CDC confirms severe case of bird flu in Louisiana
As the CDC confirmed severe illness in a Louisiana patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency related to the virus.
www.latimes.com
December 18, 2024 at 11:02 PM
In ‘21 I left Harvard when my lab was growing quickly, I was an NIH Director DP5 Recipient, millions in grant funding and papers in top journals

But pandemic put grants/publishing into new perspective

Here’s a new interview covering *some* of why I left

1/

www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/01/harv...
Harvard Professors Leaving for Private Sector Research | Harvard Magazine
Three distinguished scientists on leaving academia to advance biomedical research
www.harvardmagazine.com
December 15, 2024 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by Michael Mina MD,PhD
Not every day a leading US academic health system partners with @costplusdrugs.com, bypassing PBMs, to save drug costs for their patients
@pennmedicine.bsky.social + @mcuban.bsky.social
www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-re... a 1st-of-its-kind deal
Penn Medicine partners with Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs
Penn Medicine has partnered with Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company through its innovative Cost Plus Marketplace in a strategic alliance that will allow Penn Medicine to secure the top 100 most frequ...
www.pennmedicine.org
December 7, 2024 at 8:32 PM