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Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
@DrEricDing
Mar 1, 2024 • 17 tweets • 9 min read • Read on X
I am devastated—I saw with my eyes what’s coming from CDC tomorrow. My sources told me on what their rationale is based. And based on what I know (epidemiologist for 20 years)—it is complete bullshit crafted on thin flimsy data. I can’t believe CDC has such incompetent leaders.🧵 Image
2) what the CDC is doing is relaxing the guidelines of isolation to effectively ‘you can go out and have fun as long as you’re improving since yesterday’. Yes it’s ridiculous. Others have written on it. And it is totally public health abdication. newrepublic.com/article/179304…
3) but what are the hell are folks at the CDC thinking??? First of all, someone in CDC did a very basic short term state-level analysis of a certain unnamed states (you can guess which) that did the shitty policy early and look at the rough short term correlations. But covid had already peaked / peaking in the big state by the time the crap policy was enacted!!! Why is this junk? ….
4) Well if they base recs on a peak that is passing / has passed, then there would be little signal. In epidemiology, the “signal to noise” ratio matters to detect a signal over background noises in the data. Also if it based on mainly one major (mega) state— then any signals hard to see. Plus, third no signal seen if ALMOST NOBODY IN LAY PUBKIC HEARD THE POLICY in first place!
5) Now let’s talk about junk state level ECOLOGIC CORRELATIONS— when I first started my doctoral epidemiology program, I was warned by faculty mentors of a golden rule in epidemiology — never trust short term ecological studies. I was taught to almost never do state level epidemiology correlations because of their notorious unreliability in short term data for both reasons of ECOLOGIC FALLACY, CONFOUNDING bias, and junk NOISE NOISE NOISE!
6) What “Ecological fallacy”? Well it’s when you label a higher unit of analysis with the same label pretending people inside the group do the same thing — eg correlation analysis of “violent crime by state, versus condom / BC pill use frequency by state” — if you did such an analysis you would spuriously conclude that birth control use leads to violent crime, or crime leads to pill use” — it is not only CONFOUNDED, but you also ***don’t know*** that PILL USERS are the actual ones who committed the crime!!! Or in our case that just cuz a policy was quietly enacted in a mega state that anyone heard about it or actually did the thing the policy told them to. This is the ecologic fallacy of state level data—you don’t know who’s actually doing the thing.
7) Now about the other CONFOUNDING bias problem — as we all know US states are highly highly different from one another—a myriad of social cultural political and demographic difference between states. Whenever you do correlation analysis of them (especially in short term data), the correlation with “other factors” besides the X factor of interest can completely bias the results. Classic example is a study of people’s “condom use and household appliances” — very strong association - but does it mean using condoms will lead to spontaneous more toasters and TVs? Or buying TV sets will lead to more condom use? Of course not. Such a factor is confounded by other variables like wealth and education, etc. But that’s why STATE LEVEL analysis is very tricky - especially in short term data. I can try to statistically adjust for them, but in short term data it’s very unstable to do so in data. I’ve tried in my early career 20 years ago- got scolded by a trust faculty mentor (who is now a Dean of a major SPH) who told me never try to publish or base policies on state level analysis— short term CONFOUNDING AND ECOLOGIC FALLACIES renders them shoddy and unstable 99% of the time. Yet, this is what the new CDC guidelines are supposedly based on!!! Wtf. They fail Epidemiology 101!!!
8) According to sources, the data analysis is mainly based on change in COVID levels after a certain state announced & enacted a similar controversial isolation relaxation policy — on Jan 9th 2024!!! It’s a brand new policy after the Nov-Dec 2023 wave had already peaked! The peak is visible in the @BiobotAnalytics & CDC’s very own NWSS data. Thus using state data (see other major flaws above) for analyzing a policy enacted after the national wave has already peaked and hoping to find a signal above the noise of the immediate post-holiday season is ludicrous—especially with such short term data!!! Not finding any signal would be the expected default — which is what this kinda shoddy analysis is pre-destined to do! Again, what the holy hell @CDCgov.

Graph by @JPWeilandImage
Image
9) Also, even worse—the enactment of this rule to relax isolation guidelines without any period of public comment is potentially illegal / inappropriate under California law. The @TheWHN will soon be filing a formal complaint that under CA legal framework- “Underground Regulations” - such a health guideline cannot be enacted without a period of public comment. We at the WHN will be posting a formal complaint to CA very shortly. Stay tuned. But hey, CDC will jump at the chance to use shoddy data based on shoddy enacted state level policy.

cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/D…Image
10) if you want to complain to the @CDCgov - then feel free to call the CDC tomorrow at +18002324636 and tell them how you really feel about their new supposed “health” guidelines. According to @jesseintl, the operator will record your email and then type up your complaint!
@CDCgov @jesseintl 11) Think about this— what if the CDC says - 📌‘NO NEED FOR CONDOMS ANYMORE IF YOUR HERPES OR SYPHILIS SYMPTOMS ARE IMPROVING SINCE YESTERDAY!!!’📌—because that is exactly the analogous policy the @CDCgov is now enacting with their new ‘to hell with it’ respiratory guidelines!
12) Oh, if you’re calling the CDC tomorrow to lodge your complaint — please direct complaints to these 3 key individuals 👇who are leading the media briefing.

Again, the toll free CDC phone number is +18002324636. The operator is supposed to write down your email and then type up your complaint… and then send it up!Image
13) Furthermore — If you really want to tell Dr Mandy Cohen and Dr Demetre Daskalakis how you really feel… their business professional public LinkedIn profiles are below. Their message inboxes are open for messages too.




(After consulting with social media safety experts—expert confirm this is NOT considered doxxing because it is their self-declared public professional profiles. In fact, social media experts say that such self-declared LinkedIn is a valid public feedback medium).linkedin.com/in/demetre-das…
linkedin.com/in/mandy-cohen…Image
Image
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14) Remember the outrage when last CDC director said this in Dec 2021? “We shortened the time to encourage people to do the right thing”—when CDC halved the recommended COVID isolation period from 10 to 5 days—already dubious. But today’s lunacy is worse.
15) BREAKING--We have filed a legal complaint against California Dept of Public Health and Cal OSHA regarding their isolation guideline drop--the impetus and data behind the CDC's new isolation rule drop. the CA rule was illegally enacted--thus invalid!
16) CONFIRMATION... precisely as I said yesterday-- CDC based their new rule from shoddy data from California -- which again was enacted, checks notes... only on Jan 9th 2024 after the peak had passed! (see above why this is bullshit). I hate being right. but hopefully we can get CA to realize their rule was illegally enacted and force it back...Image
17) Clear as mud… the new CDC isolation guidelines were written to be as vague as possible — it’s the stuff of corporate lobbyists’ dreams…

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More from @DrEricDing

Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Jun 16
📍 THE 17 FIRED MEMBERS OF CDC’s VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACIP) speak out…

📍“As former ACIP members, we are deeply concerned that these destabilizing decisions, made without clear rationale, may roll back the achievements of US immunization policy, impact people’s access to lifesaving vaccines, and ultimately put US families at risk of dangerous and preventable illnesses.” 🔥

Full text:

Vaccines are one of the greatest global public health achievements. Vaccine recommendations have been critical to the global eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio, measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome in the US. They have also dramatically decreased cases of hepatitis, meningitis, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, tetanus, and varicella (chickenpox), and prevented cancers caused by hepatitis B virus and human papillomaviruses.1 Recent scientific advancements enabled the accelerated development, production, and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines, leveraging novel technologies that are estimated to have prevented approximately 1.6 million hospitalizations and 235 000 deaths in the US alone.2
For more than 60 years, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—codified in the federal regulations (42 USC 217a: advisory councils or committees)—has served as a panel of experts that reviews the most up-to-date evidence on vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (eg, against respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]), providing sound recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding how vaccines should be used. ACIP recommendations are the cornerstone of the immunization program in this country. First, they serve as guidance and are the national standard for the use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and licensed vaccines, providing a unified and trusted approach to vaccinations for the diverse array of immunization providers across the US. Second, they ensure science-based and tested immunization schedules that are optimized for well-timed protection against serious diseases. Third, the recommendations affect insurance coverage and safeguard broad access for vaccines. Fourth, ACIP’s continued monitoring of disease epidemiology and scrutiny of vaccine safety inform timely updates to recommendations that have maintained the trust and protection of the population. This transparent and ongoing surveillance of vaccines is one of the most stringent around the world, historically making the deliberations and decisions of this committee a beacon for immunization programs globally, while also serving as the foundation for recommendations harmonized with leading medical organizations in the US.3,4
ACIP committee members have always been selected through a rigorous process based on their expertise in immunology, epidemiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, internal and family medicine, geriatrics, infectious diseases, and public health. Historically, committee members were chosen because they worked at hospitals, clinics, health departments, universities, and other organizations where they dedicated themselves to caring for patients, conducting research, and helping to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Members’ deep understanding of immunization issues ensured that vaccine policies were grounded in scientific evidence, aligned with the needs of economically, socially, and medically diverse US communities, and always considered the public value, trust, and acceptability of vaccines.
Despite recent suggestions to the contrary, health care providers and the US public trust ACIP. For the past 18 years, the National Immunization Survey has shown that 99 of every 100 children in the US have received at least some recommended vaccines by 2 years of age, consistent with acceptance of ACIP recommendations implemented by trusted clinicians (National Immunization Survey - Childof Healthy People 2030).…Image
2) Full text part 2:

This does not suggest the population is so distrustful that it warrants dismantling the process by which vaccines have been recommended. ACIP standard procedures have minimized the risk of alleged conflicts of interest and biases. For decades, members of ACIP have undergone a thorough application and review process to participate. Proposed members submitted letters of support from other known experts and peers, completed an interview process, underwent a background check, and disclosed financial interests that might be considered a conflict, including any professional or financial relationships of immediate family members. Historically, it has taken up to 2 years for nominees to be approved to join ACIP.
Once part of the committee, ACIP members spent significant time preparing for meetings, reviewing the scientific evidence, and chairing work groups that, along with many CDC public health officials, led to the final recommendations that were determined during public meetings, which also included opportunities for public comment. Recordings of these meetings, agendas, and presentations were publicly available. Additionally, members agreed to ongoing monitoring and disclosure throughout their tenure. For example, potential conflicts of interest were reviewed throughout their time on the committee. Statements about potential conflicts were required during each meeting and before each vote, and members recused themselves from voting if any conflicts were identified. These disclosures have also recently been posted on the CDC website for public scrutiny. ACIP was among the most stringent and transparent of the federal committees, and we hope those criteria will apply to any new members joining the committee.
The abrupt dismissal of the entire membership of the ACIP, along with its executive secretary, on June 9, 2025, the appointment of 8 new ACIP members just 2 days later, and the recent reduction of CDC staff dedicated to immunizations have left the US vaccine program critically weakened.5,6 These actions have stripped the program of the institutional knowledge and continuity that have been essential to its success over decades. Notably, the ACIP charter specifies that committee members serve overlapping terms to ensure continuity and avoid precisely the disruption that will now ensue. The termination of all members and its leadership in a single action undermines the committee’s capacity to operate effectively and efficiently, aside from raising questions about competence.
Compounding these concerns, recent changes to COVID-19 vaccine policy, made directly by the HHS secretary and released on social media, appear to have bypassed the standard, transparent, and evidence-based review process.7 Such actions reflect a troubling disregard for the scientific integrity that has historically guided US immunization strategy. The newly stated strategy to replace ACIP members with individuals who will “exercise independent judgment, refuse to serve as a rubber stamp, and foster a culture of critical inquiry” is already leading to warnings by academic and scientific institutions, professional organizations, and the public who for decades have known well that these sought-after qualities precisely characterized the now-dismissed members of the ACIP.5
3) Part 3:

As former ACIP members, we are deeply concerned that these destabilizing decisions, made without clear rationale, may roll back the achievements of US immunization policy, impact people’s access to lifesaving vaccines, and ultimately put US families at risk of dangerous and preventable illnesses. Vaccines and the anti-RSV monoclonal antibodies are lifesaving, and people in the US deserve to have recommendations and broad access to use them to prevent serious diseases. In this age of government efficiency, the US public needs to know that the routine vaccination of approximately 117 million children from 1994-2023 likely prevented around 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1 129 000 deaths, at a net savings of $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs.8Finally, as individuals, we remain committed to evidence-based vaccine policy, both through our ongoing work in immunization science, public health, and medical education, and by supporting future efforts to keep America healthy that uphold scientific rigor and the public’s trust.
Read 4 tweets
Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
May 8
⚠️Tariffs On Medications Will Make America Sick

We might soon see the Trump WH impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals—patients will suffer and die.

During the past few weeks, President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff wars have rattled the stock market, decimated many Americans’ retirement funds, and promised to send grocery prices soaring—and his administration hasn’t even gotten to critical pharmaceutical tariffs yet. But that will likely be the next shoe to drop.
Trump exempted pharmaceuticals from his first round of tariffs in early April, but recently declared that he intends to impose “a major tariff” on imported medicines “very shortly.” These tariffs, he claims, will prompt pharmaceutical companies to leave countries including China and India and begin “opening up their plants all over the place.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a television interview in mid-April that these tariffs are coming in the “next month or two.”

What will this mean? 

Read on:
progressive.org/op-eds/tariffs…Image
2) The majority of brand name drugs used in the United States are imported. Even generic drugs often rely on ingredients and direct imports from China, including pain relievers and cardiovascular drugs used by millions.
3) The United States was already facing a drug shortage crisis before Trump’s tariff announcement. Now, his policies will drive upnot only the cost of medicines, but also other health care items such as X-ray machines and medical instruments.
Read 8 tweets
Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Apr 10
It’s a trap: CATCH 22—if you register, ICE will deport you. If you don’t register, you’ve now committed a crime for the first time, and ICE will deport you. Trump doesn’t care if you’ve paid all taxes and followed all laws—ICE will deport you.

apnews.com/article/illega…Image
2) The Department of Homeland Security announced that it was mandating that all people in the United States illegally register with the federal government, and said those who didn’t self-report could face fines or prosecution. ***Failure to register is considered a crime***
3) Registration will be mandatory for everyone 14 and older without legal status. People registering have to provide their fingerprints and address, and parents and guardians of anyone under age 14 must ensure they registered. The registration process also applies to Canadians who are in the U.S. for more than 30 days, such as so-called snowbirds who spend winter months in places like Florida.
Read 4 tweets
Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Apr 3
Now economists know how scientists felt back when he pushed “hydroxychloroquine”
2) HCQ preventing COVID deaths has been debunked— and it’s now been linked with deaths.

@JoshuaPCohen1
forbes.com/sites/joshuaco…Image
@JoshuaPCohen1 3) JPMorgan on Trump Tariffs: “The largest tax increase since 1968” Image
Read 6 tweets
Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Mar 28
My god—Earthquake (a Richter ~7.7) causes a skyscraper to collapse in Bangkok. Hope all the construction workers made it out.
2) this skyscraper collapse was captured from a distant car’s dashcam while on a highway

3) another view of the collapse. For those who lived through 9/11, this collapse is a bit triggering.
Read 5 tweets
Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Mar 27
Welp—kiss public health & medical research infrastructure in America goodbye for the next 4 years. RFK Jr plans to cut 10,000 jobs from Trump HHS. Image
2) this will not make America healthy again… not by a long shot. So dangerous and irresponsible.
3) “Kennedy is set to announce Thursday the planned changes, which include axing 10,000 full-time employees spread across departments tasked with responding to disease outbreaks, approving new drugs, providing insurance for the poorest Americans and more”.
Read 5 tweets

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