Good morning! Today is the day the @Commonwealthfnd Commission on a National Public Health System releases its recommendations.
Thread ... nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/…
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The nonpartisan Commission is chaired by Dr. Margaret Hamburg and includes public health leaders who have worked for both democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives. Included are former health commissioners of NC, TX, MI, and NY.
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Aug 12, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Child health policy: There are real and serious risks of COVID to children.
NOT child health policy: It's much more likely that older adults will die of COVID than children. 1/4
Child Health Policy and the COVID-19 Pandemic ja.ma/2VRQ96r via @JAMAHealthForum
Child health policy: All children potentially at risk for severe consequences.
NOT child health policy: No need to worry about all children b/c risk worse for children with chronic illness 2/4
Child Health Policy & the COVID-19 Pandemic ja.ma/2VRQ96r
Aug 31, 2020 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
This is a brief thread on a critical and underappreciated difference between *approval* and *emergency authorization* by the FDA for drugs and vaccines.
It relates to the difference between “shall” and “may” 1/8
For approval, the law makes clear that once specific standards are met, including evidence of safety and effectiveness, the Secretary “shall issue an order approving the application.”
Another way to say this: Meeting the FDA’s approval standards ---> approval. 2/8
Aug 4, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
The pandemics of COVID-19 and racism are intertwined in discussions of reopening schools. The educational divide is widening in front of our eyes, as private schools hire more staff and otherwise invest to reopen when public schools cannot. 1/4
The Maryland Governor, who vetoed long-sought funding for public schools, is now intervening to permit private schools to move forward even during times of high viral spread...which risks more community transmission...which will make it even harder for public schools to open. 2/4
Jul 15, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
In the early 1980s, my father worked with Dr. Anthony Fauci at @NIH. A brief thread. 1/4
At the time, the stigma against AIDS patients was fierce. My dad vivdly recalls that Dr. Fauci was fully devoted to those in his care.
He took time to answer every question his patients had, and was deeply affected when they died. 2/4
Jun 21, 2020 • 5 tweets • 4 min read
Remember crib bumper pads? (1/5)
*Associated with infant deaths ... but still for sale in most of US
This thread is about risk of #COVID2019 in rural health systems, many of which were facing major financial challenges even before this crisis. @ruralhealth
For @CMSGov attention now. 1/
Small hospitals that rely on fee-for-service reimbursement need elective admissions to stay afloat. But status quo uses PPE urgently needed for #coronavirus. 2/
Mar 10, 2020 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Time for the President to declare an emergency due to the novel coronavirus.
Why? A Presidential declaration is needed to facilitate certain state and local actions that may already be needed in some areas and may soon be in others. 1/4
One example is Section 1135 Waivers. When the President declares an emergency, there is authority to waive certain requirements @CMSGov 2/4
Mar 7, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
The @CDCgov 2018 guide to communications in a public health crisis is based on 6 principles. 1/4
The @CDCgov 2018 guide to communications in a crisis warns against 5 pitfalls. 2/4
Feb 4, 2020 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
Thanks @baltimoresun for covering our new interactive website demonstrating the impact of poor physical conditions in Baltimore City Public Schools, including 1.5 million hours of school time lost over the last 5 years. 1/ bit.ly/equityschoolsB…
How big is the disparity between Baltimore's schools and others in Maryland? State surveys show far fewer in good or superior condition. 2/
Jan 26, 2020 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
How not to spend an opioid settlement.
A play in 5 (mistaken) acts. 1/6
washingtonpost.com/business/2020/…
Back when I served as Secretary of Health, Maryland banned the sale of crib bumpers on the basis of evidence of no meaningful benefit versus a rare -- but real -- risk of *death* via asphyxiation, suffocation, etc.
Ohio and NY State have since passed bans too. 2/
Dec 16, 2019 • 4 tweets • 4 min read
So @CDCgov recommends in January 2019 that @CBP start vaccinating people in custody against #influenza ...
...but @CBP does not do it. By May, 2 more children have died in part from flu. 1/3.
So physicians offer to vaccinate themselves ... and show up with vaccines on hand ...
... but @CBP says no, and @DHSgov insults the doctors on twitter. Some of the doctors are arrested for civil disobedience. 2/3
Dec 13, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Terrific discussion today @JohnsHopkinsSPH on the Baltimore outbreak of measles this spring. Rapid response, rapid containment. 1/5
Critical success factors: let’s start with an awesome @BMore_Healthy health department, which jumped into action. Special hero: Dr. Adena Greenbaum who worked around the clock. Cc: @DrTishCommish 2/5
Oct 27, 2019 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
I am mystified by a recent report from @macpacgov. In part, Congress had asked @macpacgov to assess whether managed care organizations (MCOs) in Medicaid are inappropriately restricting access to medications for opioid use disorder.
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The @macpacgov report finds that managed care plans put in place prior authorization and quantity limits for methadone and buprenorphine, neither of which have a legitimate basis in evidence. Remember, these medications reduce *mortality* by 50% or more.
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Oct 14, 2019 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Important @nytimes story about @US_FDA and vaping ... but my view is that headline of “FDA inaction” is misleading. 1/4 nytimes.com/2019/10/14/hea…
In 2008 and 2009, FDA acted and was stopped by the courts. In 2015, FDA acted and was stopped by the White House. Members of Congress were also trying to stop FDA. 2/4
Aug 1, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
A few days into the (bizarre) national discussion about #Baltimore, what many people may not recognize his how much @RepCummings is respected in this area. 1/5
I'm sure many, many people in Baltimore have stories to explain why they see @RepCummings as so much more than a typical politician.
Here's mine. 2/5
Jun 1, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
With a temporary court order now keeping the last @PPFA clinic in St. Louis, Missouri open for now --> a few tweets about regulation of abortion services at the state level cnn.com/2019/05/31/hea… (1)
The @NASEMhealth published a terrific consensus report explaining what regulation based on science should look like -- and what regulation not based on science does look like. A *must-read* for anyone thinking about state involvement in abortion care. (2) nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/20…
