Mario Elia
@supermarioelia.bsky.social
Family physician, Host of Keeping London Healthy on Rogers TV London. Writer, MedicalPost. Peer Leader with OntarioMD. Views are my own.
Western University
Western University
Reposted by Mario Elia
shocking to see an editor of @jama.com argue that public opinion determines what is settled science
NO
if people say the world is flat, its still settled science that its not
more research = veiled attempt to validate vaccine hesitancy
🙏 please everyone, even in a room of children, be an adult 🙏
NO
if people say the world is flat, its still settled science that its not
more research = veiled attempt to validate vaccine hesitancy
🙏 please everyone, even in a room of children, be an adult 🙏
March 7, 2025 at 1:21 PM
shocking to see an editor of @jama.com argue that public opinion determines what is settled science
NO
if people say the world is flat, its still settled science that its not
more research = veiled attempt to validate vaccine hesitancy
🙏 please everyone, even in a room of children, be an adult 🙏
NO
if people say the world is flat, its still settled science that its not
more research = veiled attempt to validate vaccine hesitancy
🙏 please everyone, even in a room of children, be an adult 🙏
Reposted by Mario Elia
Purging dissent in the security services and giving loyalists power is something we *instantly* recognize in other contexts.
EXCLUSIVE: Candidates for national security roles in the new administration have been posed loyalty questions, such as: Was Jan. 6 an inside job, and Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? They were asked to give straight "yes" or "no" answers. Here's our story.
wapo.st/3EF3aWN
wapo.st/3EF3aWN
U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test
Candidates for top intelligence and law enforcement jobs were asked to give “yes” or “no” responses to questions such as: Was Jan. 6 “an inside job?”
wapo.st
February 9, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Purging dissent in the security services and giving loyalists power is something we *instantly* recognize in other contexts.
Reposted by Mario Elia
When Trump fired all those inspector generals, one of them was the IG for the Defense Department. He was examining whether Musk/ SpaceX were failing to meet reporting protocol to safeguard state secrets as huge beneficiaries of Pentagon contracts. 3/
newrepublic.com/article/1913...
newrepublic.com/article/1913...
February 8, 2025 at 12:44 PM
When Trump fired all those inspector generals, one of them was the IG for the Defense Department. He was examining whether Musk/ SpaceX were failing to meet reporting protocol to safeguard state secrets as huge beneficiaries of Pentagon contracts. 3/
newrepublic.com/article/1913...
newrepublic.com/article/1913...
Reposted by Mario Elia
Research universities are often the largest employers in their region. They are often the primary health care providers to communities. This funding shift will not only reduce US research leadership, it will put working people out of work and reduce healthcare access.
Excellent 🧵 on this evening's NIH announcement of a dramatic reduction in indirect rates for research institutions, which amounts to a generational restructuring of the US research and development ecosystem. These cuts are effective immediately, not just for new grants but for existing ones.
6. The policy does not just affect funding going forward. All existing NIH grants will have their indirect rates cut to 15% as of today, the date of issuance.
For a large university, this creates a sudden and catastrophic shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars against already budgeted funds.
For a large university, this creates a sudden and catastrophic shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars against already budgeted funds.
February 8, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Research universities are often the largest employers in their region. They are often the primary health care providers to communities. This funding shift will not only reduce US research leadership, it will put working people out of work and reduce healthcare access.
Reposted by Mario Elia
7. This order did not come out of nowhere. It was a core component of Lindsey Burke's Dept. of Education chapter in the Project 2025 report.
(Private foundations typically pay 10-15% overhead rates, and the logic of this comparison is made explicit in today's Supplemental Guidance from NIH.)
(Private foundations typically pay 10-15% overhead rates, and the logic of this comparison is made explicit in today's Supplemental Guidance from NIH.)
February 8, 2025 at 12:41 AM
7. This order did not come out of nowhere. It was a core component of Lindsey Burke's Dept. of Education chapter in the Project 2025 report.
(Private foundations typically pay 10-15% overhead rates, and the logic of this comparison is made explicit in today's Supplemental Guidance from NIH.)
(Private foundations typically pay 10-15% overhead rates, and the logic of this comparison is made explicit in today's Supplemental Guidance from NIH.)
Reposted by Mario Elia
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates NOT-OD-25-068. OD
grants.nih.gov
February 8, 2025 at 12:18 AM
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Mario Elia
Colchicine in Acute Myocardial Infarction - Did not reduce the incidence of the composite primary outcome (death from cardiovascular causes, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned ischemia-driven coronary revascularization).
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Colchicine in Acute Myocardial Infarction | NEJM
Inflammation is associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Data from recent trials suggest that colchicine reduces the risk of cardiovascular events. In this multicenter trial with a 2-by-2 fac...
www.nejm.org
November 18, 2024 at 1:48 AM
Colchicine in Acute Myocardial Infarction - Did not reduce the incidence of the composite primary outcome (death from cardiovascular causes, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned ischemia-driven coronary revascularization).
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Mario Elia
We all like to yell at the Democrats, but it’s really Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune who are letting Elon Musk and his faceless goon squad make a mockery of their power as leaders of a coequal branch without uttering a peep or lifting a finger.
February 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We all like to yell at the Democrats, but it’s really Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune who are letting Elon Musk and his faceless goon squad make a mockery of their power as leaders of a coequal branch without uttering a peep or lifting a finger.
Reposted by Mario Elia
New: Trump officials have paused all external communications at health agencies like CDC, FDA, NIH.
No health alerts and the famed MMWRs; no updates to key websites or social media posts.
And no indication how long the pause will last.
With @rachelroubein.bsky.social + Lena Sun.
No health alerts and the famed MMWRs; no updates to key websites or social media posts.
And no indication how long the pause will last.
With @rachelroubein.bsky.social + Lena Sun.
Trump officials pause health agencies’ communications, citing review
The agencies are charged with making decisions that touch the lives of every American and are the source of crucial information to health-care providers.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 22, 2025 at 12:30 AM
New: Trump officials have paused all external communications at health agencies like CDC, FDA, NIH.
No health alerts and the famed MMWRs; no updates to key websites or social media posts.
And no indication how long the pause will last.
With @rachelroubein.bsky.social + Lena Sun.
No health alerts and the famed MMWRs; no updates to key websites or social media posts.
And no indication how long the pause will last.
With @rachelroubein.bsky.social + Lena Sun.
Reposted by Mario Elia
Tamiflu (Oseltamivir), the most commonly prescribed influenza treatment, causes more adverse effects (nausea and vomiting) but has little to no effect on clinical outcomes compared with placebo (i.e.mortality, hospitalization, time to alleviation of symptoms). #medsky jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Antiviral Medications for Treatment of Nonsevere Influenza
This systematic review and network meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness and safety of antiviral treatment for patients with nonsevere influenza and thus support an update of World Health Organiza...
jamanetwork.com
January 13, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Tamiflu (Oseltamivir), the most commonly prescribed influenza treatment, causes more adverse effects (nausea and vomiting) but has little to no effect on clinical outcomes compared with placebo (i.e.mortality, hospitalization, time to alleviation of symptoms). #medsky jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Mario Elia
Les Enfants d’Ouranos (flipped), by JR, 2022
January 12, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Les Enfants d’Ouranos (flipped), by JR, 2022
Reposted by Mario Elia
I really, really don't want to do this, but let's do a bit (just a LITTLE BIT) of fact checking about what Zuck said on the Joe Rogan podcast, because this is something I not only followed closely, but also spent time *talking to the actual people at Meta who dealt with this* which WAS NOT ZUCK.
January 11, 2025 at 12:28 AM
I really, really don't want to do this, but let's do a bit (just a LITTLE BIT) of fact checking about what Zuck said on the Joe Rogan podcast, because this is something I not only followed closely, but also spent time *talking to the actual people at Meta who dealt with this* which WAS NOT ZUCK.
Reposted by Mario Elia
If you're going to write "the true story of the Samoa measles outbreak" it's a good idea to include some facts. The author would rather speculate, then later admit he doesn't know what happened but still conclude that RFK had little to do with measles deaths in a weird bootlicking opinion piece.
December 29, 2024 at 8:16 PM
If you're going to write "the true story of the Samoa measles outbreak" it's a good idea to include some facts. The author would rather speculate, then later admit he doesn't know what happened but still conclude that RFK had little to do with measles deaths in a weird bootlicking opinion piece.
Reposted by Mario Elia
"Beyond the absurd suggestion that RFK Jr. is the perfect man to research #vaccines, Drs. Prasad and Kulldorff are perpetuating a dangerous and false anti-vaccine myth" | #sciencebasedmedicine | sciencebasedmedicine.org/python/?utm_...
Trusting RFK Jr. to Research Vaccines is Like Trusting a Hungry Python to Babysit a Kitten | Science-Based Medicine
If RFK Jr. "researches" vaccines, he will certainly "discover" they cause autism. It's possible that this "research" will be used as justification to revoke authorization for vaccines. That's always b
sciencebasedmedicine.org
December 20, 2024 at 5:45 PM
"Beyond the absurd suggestion that RFK Jr. is the perfect man to research #vaccines, Drs. Prasad and Kulldorff are perpetuating a dangerous and false anti-vaccine myth" | #sciencebasedmedicine | sciencebasedmedicine.org/python/?utm_...
Reposted by Mario Elia
RFK Jr thinks Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates are part of a “vaccine cartel” that intentionally killed people by denying them hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin (which don’t work for Covid).
December 21, 2024 at 1:30 PM
RFK Jr thinks Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates are part of a “vaccine cartel” that intentionally killed people by denying them hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin (which don’t work for Covid).
Reposted by Mario Elia
Reposted by Mario Elia
Health insurance industry PR is working overtime right now diverting blame to physicians for claim denials and rising costs. I feel compelled to remind everybody that Optum (UHC) is the largest employer of physicians in the US. We have never had less power in healthcare than we do right now.
December 12, 2024 at 6:03 PM
Health insurance industry PR is working overtime right now diverting blame to physicians for claim denials and rising costs. I feel compelled to remind everybody that Optum (UHC) is the largest employer of physicians in the US. We have never had less power in healthcare than we do right now.
Number of radiologically-confirmed pneumonia cases in the community continues to astound me. Where is the public health messaging around this?
December 13, 2024 at 4:16 PM
Number of radiologically-confirmed pneumonia cases in the community continues to astound me. Where is the public health messaging around this?
Reposted by Mario Elia
Those familiar with the history of the antivaccine movement know Brian Deer as a pivotal person, and he’s been rightfully honoured by his fellow journalists, but in terms of the importance of his work, his name should be far more widely known. Without him, Wakefield might’ve harmed far more children
In light of the ‘vaccines cause autism’ claims once again surfacing in the US, would recommend reading ‘The Doctor Who Fooled the World’ by Brian Deer - reveals how astonishingly fraudulent and unethical some of those original (now thoroughly discredited) claims were.
December 11, 2024 at 7:10 AM
Those familiar with the history of the antivaccine movement know Brian Deer as a pivotal person, and he’s been rightfully honoured by his fellow journalists, but in terms of the importance of his work, his name should be far more widely known. Without him, Wakefield might’ve harmed far more children
November 28, 2024 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Mario Elia
November 27, 2024 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Mario Elia
This was a fascinating meeting on UPF policies and I was happy to present some preliminary results of our ongoing RCT on mechanisms by which diets high in UPFs cause excess energy intake. Here’s a brief summary 🧵
I've arrived in London and I'm looking forward to this meeting tomorrow @imperialcollege on ultra-processed foods! I'll be presenting preliminary data on the mechanisms that diets high in UPFs can cause excess calorie intake and weight gain, Register here: www.imperial.ac.uk/events/18424...
Ultra-processed food: the scope for Government action
Join us for a conference reviewing the science and scope for new policy approaches to address the harmful impacts of ultra-processed foods.
www.imperial.ac.uk
November 27, 2024 at 10:42 AM
This was a fascinating meeting on UPF policies and I was happy to present some preliminary results of our ongoing RCT on mechanisms by which diets high in UPFs cause excess energy intake. Here’s a brief summary 🧵
Reposted by Mario Elia
Always. Be. Selling.
If these people were interested in helping people who need it, they'd advocate a lot more for public health approaches to nutrition.
Instead what they offer are bullshit apps, so-called nutraceuticals, and "functional foods" to sell to the worried well.
If these people were interested in helping people who need it, they'd advocate a lot more for public health approaches to nutrition.
Instead what they offer are bullshit apps, so-called nutraceuticals, and "functional foods" to sell to the worried well.
Professor Tim Spector says eating these foods can prevent long Covid
Nutritional scientist has said that our immune system is closely connected to our gut - and that what we eat can have a major impact on our ability to fight off viruses like Covid
www.express.co.uk
November 26, 2024 at 6:39 AM
Always. Be. Selling.
If these people were interested in helping people who need it, they'd advocate a lot more for public health approaches to nutrition.
Instead what they offer are bullshit apps, so-called nutraceuticals, and "functional foods" to sell to the worried well.
If these people were interested in helping people who need it, they'd advocate a lot more for public health approaches to nutrition.
Instead what they offer are bullshit apps, so-called nutraceuticals, and "functional foods" to sell to the worried well.
Reposted by Mario Elia
Censorship will begin - in the name of "anti-censorship"
Trump has vowed to crack down on universities involved in misinformation research, or what he dubs the "censorship cartel" - e.g. by curbing funds to those that have "flagged content for removal”, or legal threats
“I'm pretty fucking scared," one professor tells me.
www.ft.com/content/bfb4...
“I'm pretty fucking scared," one professor tells me.
www.ft.com/content/bfb4...
Donald Trump’s return sends shivers through the anti-misinformation world
Vow to crack down on the ‘censorship cartel’ has researchers worried — and Big Tech is on notice
www.ft.com
November 25, 2024 at 9:56 AM
Censorship will begin - in the name of "anti-censorship"
Reposted by Mario Elia
Why? Who is this meant to be good for? Nobody wants your shit AI books, never mind 8,000 in a year. Just a terrible idea and a horrible road the publishing industry is heading down.
November 25, 2024 at 9:45 AM
Why? Who is this meant to be good for? Nobody wants your shit AI books, never mind 8,000 in a year. Just a terrible idea and a horrible road the publishing industry is heading down.