Simon Spichak
@spichaksimon.bsky.social
Neuroscience MSc
🦔 dad
Founded Resolvve Inc to make therapy affordable for students
Science, health and tech journalist published in Being Patient, NYT, The Guardian's Scientific Observer, The Sick Times, and The Daily Beast
🦔 dad
Founded Resolvve Inc to make therapy affordable for students
Science, health and tech journalist published in Being Patient, NYT, The Guardian's Scientific Observer, The Sick Times, and The Daily Beast
CBC's flagship program doubles down on quackery, adds patient blaming rhetoric after pushback on the Gill Deacon interview.
I've updated the story: simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
Brief summary below with Alt Text.
I've updated the story: simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
Brief summary below with Alt Text.
![Then it shifts to patient blaming. At around 5:26, host Ian Hanomansing cued up a question about the legitimacy of brain retraining, which is criticized by most in the patient community.
“I think there can be a tendency to double down on your ‘I am really sick’ and ‘I am really having these symptoms’ and maybe get [sic] develop some kind of reluctance or resistance to having an open mind to what else might work best,” Deacon responded. She followed up the patient-blaming rhetoric by saying she doesn’t judge people for how they handle the disease.
This rhetoric is common tactic in alternative medicine where patients are blamed for not benefiting for a treatment because they aren’t trying hard enough or aren’t open-minded enough. The same rhetoric wouldn’t fly for cancer, multiple sclerosis, or other disease so but it appears acceptable for Long COVID. Are the journalistic standards more flexible when the person being interviewed is a former colleague or when they’re trying to sell a book?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:urwemz7ofbk2oz5ridp42aw4/bafkreibkbpjfkdwbszwf47yovkucyy5c2msofc2ewb3uox2wuuy6eubcuq@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM
CBC's flagship program doubles down on quackery, adds patient blaming rhetoric after pushback on the Gill Deacon interview.
I've updated the story: simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
Brief summary below with Alt Text.
I've updated the story: simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
Brief summary below with Alt Text.
In a statement, CBC told me:
"After reviewing the interview, we concluded that it needed to be re-edited and re-posted to include further context and questions around the procedure and treatment Deacon experienced. That has now been done."
Will update the story with this soon.
"After reviewing the interview, we concluded that it needed to be re-edited and re-posted to include further context and questions around the procedure and treatment Deacon experienced. That has now been done."
Will update the story with this soon.
Earlier this week, the CBC broadcast an interview with Gill Deacon, discussing her Long COVID recovery using brain retraining.
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
CBC’s Flagship Program Platforms “Quackery” for Long COVID
CBC's national broadcast aired an interview with Gill Deacon about her Long COVID recovery. Deacon used an unproven program called the Lightning Process that's been criticized for exploiting patients ...
simonspichak.beehiiv.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:17 PM
In a statement, CBC told me:
"After reviewing the interview, we concluded that it needed to be re-edited and re-posted to include further context and questions around the procedure and treatment Deacon experienced. That has now been done."
Will update the story with this soon.
"After reviewing the interview, we concluded that it needed to be re-edited and re-posted to include further context and questions around the procedure and treatment Deacon experienced. That has now been done."
Will update the story with this soon.
Reposted by Simon Spichak
Our #LongCOVID journalism requires reader support — with your help, we can prepare our non-profit newsroom for whatever 2026 brings.
Will you donate today and help us keep this vital work going? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/
Will you donate today and help us keep this vital work going? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/
November 7, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Our #LongCOVID journalism requires reader support — with your help, we can prepare our non-profit newsroom for whatever 2026 brings.
Will you donate today and help us keep this vital work going? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/
Will you donate today and help us keep this vital work going? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/
Day 3 of the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference is up as a live thread and now a brief writeup.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/day-3-of-t...
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/day-3-of-t...
November 7, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Day 3 of the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference is up as a live thread and now a brief writeup.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/day-3-of-t...
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/day-3-of-t...
Thread for Day 3 of the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference. My attempt at simultaneously sharing on X and Bsky.
November 6, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Thread for Day 3 of the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference. My attempt at simultaneously sharing on X and Bsky.
I'll be back live tweeting/skeeting the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference tomorrow. Will try to get it going on BlueSky AND X simultaneously.
#ICanCME
#ICanCME
And coverage for Day 1 of the #ICanCMEConference by the
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
Day 1 of the ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
A brief summary of the presentations.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:18 AM
I'll be back live tweeting/skeeting the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social conference tomorrow. Will try to get it going on BlueSky AND X simultaneously.
#ICanCME
#ICanCME
I wrote about the approval of Leqembi for Alzheimer's in Canada for Being Patient.
Compared to other countries, there's less transparency with the approval process. It took more than 2 years for regulators to decide.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-d...
Compared to other countries, there's less transparency with the approval process. It took more than 2 years for regulators to decide.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-d...
Alzheimer's Drug Leqembi Approved in Canada
Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi will soon be available in Canada, but it isn’t clear whether it will be covered by public health insurance.
beingpatient.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:13 AM
I wrote about the approval of Leqembi for Alzheimer's in Canada for Being Patient.
Compared to other countries, there's less transparency with the approval process. It took more than 2 years for regulators to decide.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-d...
Compared to other countries, there's less transparency with the approval process. It took more than 2 years for regulators to decide.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-d...
And coverage for Day 1 of the #ICanCMEConference by the
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
Day 1 of the ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
A brief summary of the presentations.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:00 AM
And coverage for Day 1 of the #ICanCMEConference by the
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
@icancmeresearch.bsky.social. Features a link to my live tweets.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/icancme-da...
Covering the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social live over on the other app.
Will be posting a brief summary of the day's talks as well.
x.com/SpichakSimon...
Will be posting a brief summary of the day's talks as well.
x.com/SpichakSimon...
Simon Spichak on X: "A little late to the party but following the @ICanCMEResearch conference. First keynote coming on" / X
A little late to the party but following the @ICanCMEResearch conference. First keynote coming on
x.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Covering the @icancmeresearch.bsky.social live over on the other app.
Will be posting a brief summary of the day's talks as well.
x.com/SpichakSimon...
Will be posting a brief summary of the day's talks as well.
x.com/SpichakSimon...
Reposted by Simon Spichak
#ICanCME2025 is happening this week!
This was an initiative driven by people with ME and their loved ones with the support of many along the way! We’re so thankful for everyone’s support so far.
And please be patient with us this week if we run into any issues. 🤞💙
This was an initiative driven by people with ME and their loved ones with the support of many along the way! We’re so thankful for everyone’s support so far.
And please be patient with us this week if we run into any issues. 🤞💙
November 3, 2025 at 3:51 PM
#ICanCME2025 is happening this week!
This was an initiative driven by people with ME and their loved ones with the support of many along the way! We’re so thankful for everyone’s support so far.
And please be patient with us this week if we run into any issues. 🤞💙
This was an initiative driven by people with ME and their loved ones with the support of many along the way! We’re so thankful for everyone’s support so far.
And please be patient with us this week if we run into any issues. 🤞💙
I'll be doing asynchronous coverage of the ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on #ME which is going from Nov 4 to 6 this week. Hope to share tweets and short summaries of the talks at the end of the day.
icancme.ca/research/202...
icancme.ca/research/202...
2025 ME Conference - ICanCME
icancme.ca
November 3, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I'll be doing asynchronous coverage of the ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on #ME which is going from Nov 4 to 6 this week. Hope to share tweets and short summaries of the talks at the end of the day.
icancme.ca/research/202...
icancme.ca/research/202...
Goober is running the bases! ⚾ 🦔
November 2, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Goober is running the bases! ⚾ 🦔
Earlier this week, the CBC broadcast an interview with Gill Deacon, discussing her Long COVID recovery using brain retraining.
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
CBC’s Flagship Program Platforms “Quackery” for Long COVID
CBC's national broadcast aired an interview with Gill Deacon about her Long COVID recovery. Deacon used an unproven program called the Lightning Process that's been criticized for exploiting patients ...
simonspichak.beehiiv.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Earlier this week, the CBC broadcast an interview with Gill Deacon, discussing her Long COVID recovery using brain retraining.
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
They didn't tell you the specific brain retraining program, the Lightning Process, has been accused of exploiting patients.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/cbc-flagsh...
1/n
Happy to share that I've been selected for the @nationalpress.bsky.social Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship.
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
NPF Selects More Than 60 International Journalists for 2025 Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship - National Press Foundation
Congratulations to the more than 60 journalists selected worldwide to participate in the National Press Foundation's 2025 Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship, Nov. 17-21!
nationalpress.org
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Happy to share that I've been selected for the @nationalpress.bsky.social Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship.
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
Reposted by Simon Spichak
Story in Being Patient about Alzheimer's disease funding noting the decrease in the funding of number of new projects due, in part, to the number of multiyear funded grants from the National Institute on Aging.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
NIH Alzheimer’s Research Funding Is Back — for 49% Fewer Projects
Though the NIH director is calling for $187 million more in funding for Alzheimer’s, the NIH is funding fewer new projects.
beingpatient.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Story in Being Patient about Alzheimer's disease funding noting the decrease in the funding of number of new projects due, in part, to the number of multiyear funded grants from the National Institute on Aging.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
Reposted by Simon Spichak
Review of Charles Piller's book "Doctored" about Alzheimer's disease research.
beingpatient.com/doctored-cha...
1/4
beingpatient.com/doctored-cha...
1/4
Has Fraud Really Hijacked Alzheimer’s Science? Book Review: Charles Piller’s ‘Doctored’
Charles Piller’s outlines claims that scientific fraud has blocked potential new discoveries to treating Alzheimer’s.
beingpatient.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Review of Charles Piller's book "Doctored" about Alzheimer's disease research.
beingpatient.com/doctored-cha...
1/4
beingpatient.com/doctored-cha...
1/4
Alzheimer's research funding is back. But far fewer projects are getting funding.
Thanks @jeremymberg.bsky.social for the insights.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
Thanks @jeremymberg.bsky.social for the insights.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
NIH Alzheimer’s Research Funding Is Back — for 49% Fewer Projects
Though the NIH director is calling for $187 million more in funding for Alzheimer’s, the NIH is funding fewer new projects.
beingpatient.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Alzheimer's research funding is back. But far fewer projects are getting funding.
Thanks @jeremymberg.bsky.social for the insights.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
Thanks @jeremymberg.bsky.social for the insights.
beingpatient.com/alzheimers-r...
CBC is platforming unproven pseudoscientific brain retraining programs for #LongCOVID. In reality, some people recover others do not, no matter what they try.
This approach lays the blame on patients who don't get better because they're not trying hard enough.
This approach lays the blame on patients who don't get better because they're not trying hard enough.
October 27, 2025 at 10:50 PM
CBC is platforming unproven pseudoscientific brain retraining programs for #LongCOVID. In reality, some people recover others do not, no matter what they try.
This approach lays the blame on patients who don't get better because they're not trying hard enough.
This approach lays the blame on patients who don't get better because they're not trying hard enough.
Reposted by Simon Spichak
As an overall note, people can say shit that sounds good but do absolutely nothing to improve people's quality of life. Take that into consideration on everything you hear.
September 18, 2025 at 7:56 PM
As an overall note, people can say shit that sounds good but do absolutely nothing to improve people's quality of life. Take that into consideration on everything you hear.
For a story in @beingpatient.bsky.social, I'm looking to speak with #neurologists who've had healthy patients come to them because they believed they had Alzheimer's after taking a direct-to-consumer Alzheimer's blood test.
DM me or get in touch at simon (at) beingpatient (dot) com
DM me or get in touch at simon (at) beingpatient (dot) com
September 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
For a story in @beingpatient.bsky.social, I'm looking to speak with #neurologists who've had healthy patients come to them because they believed they had Alzheimer's after taking a direct-to-consumer Alzheimer's blood test.
DM me or get in touch at simon (at) beingpatient (dot) com
DM me or get in touch at simon (at) beingpatient (dot) com
Working on a story for @thesicktimes.org about the quality, utility, and risks of exercise trials in Long COVID (and how often they mention/measure PEM). Looking to speak with anyone that's participated in these trials and experienced PEM/other negative side effects as a result.
September 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Working on a story for @thesicktimes.org about the quality, utility, and risks of exercise trials in Long COVID (and how often they mention/measure PEM). Looking to speak with anyone that's participated in these trials and experienced PEM/other negative side effects as a result.
Reposted by Simon Spichak
Digital Cognitive Tests: How AI Tools Could Transform Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Care beingpatient.com/digital-cogn... by @spichaksimon.bsky.social @beingpatient.bsky.social
#Alzheimers #dementia #AI #ArtificialIntelligence
#Alzheimers #dementia #AI #ArtificialIntelligence
Digital Cognitive Tests: How AI Tools Could Transform Alzheimer's Diagnosis and Care | Being Patient
AI-powered digital cognitive tests like Cognivue, Linus Health, and Altoida aim to detect early dementia and speed up Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
beingpatient.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Digital Cognitive Tests: How AI Tools Could Transform Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Care beingpatient.com/digital-cogn... by @spichaksimon.bsky.social @beingpatient.bsky.social
#Alzheimers #dementia #AI #ArtificialIntelligence
#Alzheimers #dementia #AI #ArtificialIntelligence
There's a suite of new AI-powered digital cognitive tests coming to market.
The goal: Speed up the assessment and spot people who might benefit from more extensive testing sooner.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/digital-cogn...
The goal: Speed up the assessment and spot people who might benefit from more extensive testing sooner.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/digital-cogn...
Digital Cognitive Tests: How AI Tools Could Transform Alzheimer's Diagnosis and Care | Being Patient
AI-powered digital cognitive tests like Cognivue, Linus Health, and Altoida aim to detect early dementia and speed up Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
beingpatient.com
August 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
There's a suite of new AI-powered digital cognitive tests coming to market.
The goal: Speed up the assessment and spot people who might benefit from more extensive testing sooner.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/digital-cogn...
The goal: Speed up the assessment and spot people who might benefit from more extensive testing sooner.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/digital-cogn...
Can antivirals against herpes treat early-stage Alzheimer's? At #AAIC2025, researchers presented data from a clinical trial showing no effect.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/cold-sore-vi...
1/6
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/cold-sore-vi...
1/6
Cold Sore Virus Concept for Alzheimer’s Takes a Hit in Drug Trial | Being Patient
A long-standing theory linked herpes to Alzheimer’s — but the first clinical trial of an antiviral herpes drug found no benefit.
beingpatient.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Can antivirals against herpes treat early-stage Alzheimer's? At #AAIC2025, researchers presented data from a clinical trial showing no effect.
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/cold-sore-vi...
1/6
My latest for @beingpatient.bsky.social
beingpatient.com/cold-sore-vi...
1/6
Delayed Disability Benefit Leaves Canadians Struggling, Facing Bank Fees They Can't Afford
Customers with TD and BMO are affected but it isn't clear how many or when the situation will be fixed.
My reporting on the #CDB delay.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/canada-dis...
Customers with TD and BMO are affected but it isn't clear how many or when the situation will be fixed.
My reporting on the #CDB delay.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/canada-dis...
Delayed Disability Benefit Leaves Canadians Struggling, Facing Bank Fees They Can't Afford
Customers banking with TD and BMO are affected but it isn't clear how many or when the situation will be fixed.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com
August 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Delayed Disability Benefit Leaves Canadians Struggling, Facing Bank Fees They Can't Afford
Customers with TD and BMO are affected but it isn't clear how many or when the situation will be fixed.
My reporting on the #CDB delay.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/canada-dis...
Customers with TD and BMO are affected but it isn't clear how many or when the situation will be fixed.
My reporting on the #CDB delay.
simonspichak.beehiiv.com/p/canada-dis...