When it comes to public health, there is no room for error. We don’t know how or when another crisis may occur. But we do know what it takes to prepare: science, surveillance, technology, the best people, strong institutions, effective communication, general and specialized knowledge. We also know that we save money and lives when we do our jobs. If someone has to go to the ER that costs money. If an outbreak spreads, it can shut down businesses, limit or destroy lives. And if a county begins to experience serious public health problems, the next county needs to worry, and the country. If we fail to do our jobs, disease can threaten other countries, etc. Similarly, if Ebola or AIDS or Polio or Malaria spread and grow, there is nothing that will magically stop the spread. The same hard work, devolution to duty, knowledge, and science, etc. are all that protect us. We are all inter-dependent. As much as some may believe we can isolate ourselves from what we don’t like, there is no evidence to support this view. Indeed, public health failures may spiral into political instability, economic crisis, and violence.
At a time when we know what works, we need to keep learning and not forget everything. If we lose all we have created for public good, we may lose the good that is in all of us.
This entire train wreck is to accomplish one goal. The goal is another 10 tillion dollar tax cut over the next ten years for many people who don't even live in the United States. They are so wealthy they spend most of their time in homes elsewhere on the globe. The trillions already given apparently aren't enough.
As a nurse for over 25 years - I can tell you HHS and most government health agencies weren't perfect, definitely bureaucratic, and (at times) not easily navigable. But, their primary, sole focus was always keeping people alive and as healthy as possible - now, with these cuts - that isn't going to be possible; and, I suspect that's the plan.
I don’t get from any of the reporting exactly what jobs are being eliminated, what functions are really being endangered, and what this will mean in my life. In fact, the starting point in all of the reporting from the left seems to be the government was already rightsized, every employee was crucial to the mission, and therefore hell (without greater detail) awaits all of us because of what’s happening. I didn’t vote for him and I don’t support him, but Trump was elected in part because a majority of voters believe government is bloated and ineffectual. And I can’t say I disagree with that view. Nor can I say that any reporting to date has shed much light on the overall situation other than handwringing.
Did you read the article about which you are now commenting? How many experts would it take to convince you there are functions endangered by these cuts, or do you reflexively believe they are all from the left?
All of government needs reform, but this is not the way to do it. A big part of the problem is the dolts that Trump has made heads of agencies, RFK, jr being just one.
I just received a list of these cuts from the university where I work (an R1) and it's mind blowing. We've been catapulted back into the Dark Ages. From a layperson's perspective, the cuts may look like a bunch of unintelligible acronyms, but we are all going to be a lot less safe now and into the future.
I also received notification from the Kent County Health Department (MI) that if you were at the Detroit airport (DTW) on 3/27-3/28 between 6:45 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. or were in the Delta Sky Club on 3/25 between 11:20 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., you could have been exposed to measles. I wasn't, but no place is safe now.
Welcome to the world as it existed just before the Black Death visited Europe and decimated its populations. No effective public health measures means that world populations become more vulnerable to emerging pathogens - period.
While he's getting rid of highly skilled talent, RFK just hired wholly unqualified David Geier as a researcher. He has no medical degree, was sanctioned for practicing without a license, has no training, expertise or experience, and a judge called him "intellectually dishonest". His only usefulness to RFK is he's a disseminator of misinformation about vaccine/autism link- backing up RFK's lies.
I just googled David Grier. As soon as I saw him describe himself as an anti-aging expert I didn’t need to read any further. I’ll take your word about the other garbage he’s selling.
The cuts to NCIPC could directly affect me, since my research mostly falls in the area of injury prevention. Note that the Freedom of Information Act Office is one of those being cut - another attempt to avoid accountability.
My CEO just sent out an update. My institute has last six projects due to the Trump regime's cuts - two with NIH, one with USAID, one with CMS, and two with states (funded by canceled federal block grants).
I'm just a retired person with a MS in Microbiology who worked in Immunology research for a pharmaceutical company back in the 70's and early 80's before I left to be a stay at home mom to our 3 daughters. But I'm horrified at the cuts taking place in all fields of scientific research. I have a highly treatable form of Non-Hodgkin's that my doctor tells me is the result of research and testing and clinical trials done over the decades because of so many women having breast cancer. So what's going to happen to other diseases that could have been treated with drugs that now may not be discovered? I also know of someone who was going to work for a PhD in Immunology, but has now decided with the present climate to forego that degree. How many other future researchers will decided similarly? This present administration and RFK, jr. are destroying our citizens in so many ways with their dismantling our government.
While many of the HHS cuts will be felt immediately many won't be felt for years and mostly by the absence of things not done that would have been. By the brain drain of scientists and doctors to other western nations and the general decline of new technology in medicine in the US. This will be very expensive in the long term. We will notice the never-ending measles outbreak unless that gets censored because RKF Jr isn't going to push using the vaccine which means it's not going to stop.
This administration is incapable of using anything but a sledgehammer to make cuts. No studies, no thought; just the addled ramblings of someone who, rather than being a doctor or a scientist, has never met a medical conspiracy theory that he didn’t like.
But 47 appointed this person, so he must take a lot of the blame for being the reason why scientific and medical innovation will stall during this administration.
When we get a sane administration, a task force of experts from these fields will have to be appointed in order to figure out how best to fix the asinine mistakes made by the current one.
I met an Irish pharmaceutical scientist in 2023 on a flight. He was headed to DC for a conference. He told me the former (now current) administration idea for replacing FDA review and testing of drugs was to have every drug go to market without drug trials and testing and have people do Amazon style review of drug reactions. It's the Wild West, with no planning or controls.
Before I hit the road this morning believe I'll give myself a dose of Vet Grade Ivermectin, take a shot of chlorox and down a couple Vitamin A tablets. That should do it.
This is such a frightening time for all of us. Do the MAGA people think they are exempt from infectious diseases? That small department that oversees badly needed fuel assistance for people who cant afford to heat their residences was canceled. Will we celebrate when someone is discovered frozen to death because we saved tax dollars ?
When it comes to public health, there is no room for error. We don’t know how or when another crisis may occur. But we do know what it takes to prepare: science, surveillance, technology, the best people, strong institutions, effective communication, general and specialized knowledge. We also know that we save money and lives when we do our jobs. If someone has to go to the ER that costs money. If an outbreak spreads, it can shut down businesses, limit or destroy lives. And if a county begins to experience serious public health problems, the next county needs to worry, and the country. If we fail to do our jobs, disease can threaten other countries, etc. Similarly, if Ebola or AIDS or Polio or Malaria spread and grow, there is nothing that will magically stop the spread. The same hard work, devolution to duty, knowledge, and science, etc. are all that protect us. We are all inter-dependent. As much as some may believe we can isolate ourselves from what we don’t like, there is no evidence to support this view. Indeed, public health failures may spiral into political instability, economic crisis, and violence.
At a time when we know what works, we need to keep learning and not forget everything. If we lose all we have created for public good, we may lose the good that is in all of us.
1) This is somehow even more dispiriting in a way than all that's come before it.
2) This is excellent full fledged reporting on a colossal issue. Bulwark is picking up some great hires. Appreciate my B+ membership every day.
This entire train wreck is to accomplish one goal. The goal is another 10 tillion dollar tax cut over the next ten years for many people who don't even live in the United States. They are so wealthy they spend most of their time in homes elsewhere on the globe. The trillions already given apparently aren't enough.
As a nurse for over 25 years - I can tell you HHS and most government health agencies weren't perfect, definitely bureaucratic, and (at times) not easily navigable. But, their primary, sole focus was always keeping people alive and as healthy as possible - now, with these cuts - that isn't going to be possible; and, I suspect that's the plan.
I don’t get from any of the reporting exactly what jobs are being eliminated, what functions are really being endangered, and what this will mean in my life. In fact, the starting point in all of the reporting from the left seems to be the government was already rightsized, every employee was crucial to the mission, and therefore hell (without greater detail) awaits all of us because of what’s happening. I didn’t vote for him and I don’t support him, but Trump was elected in part because a majority of voters believe government is bloated and ineffectual. And I can’t say I disagree with that view. Nor can I say that any reporting to date has shed much light on the overall situation other than handwringing.
Did you read the article about which you are now commenting? How many experts would it take to convince you there are functions endangered by these cuts, or do you reflexively believe they are all from the left?
All of government needs reform, but this is not the way to do it. A big part of the problem is the dolts that Trump has made heads of agencies, RFK, jr being just one.
I just received a list of these cuts from the university where I work (an R1) and it's mind blowing. We've been catapulted back into the Dark Ages. From a layperson's perspective, the cuts may look like a bunch of unintelligible acronyms, but we are all going to be a lot less safe now and into the future.
I also received notification from the Kent County Health Department (MI) that if you were at the Detroit airport (DTW) on 3/27-3/28 between 6:45 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. or were in the Delta Sky Club on 3/25 between 11:20 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., you could have been exposed to measles. I wasn't, but no place is safe now.
Hello fellow Michigander! Thanks for the airport update. My brother was there, so I’m going to make sure he knows!
It’s horrifying that our reality now consists of outbreaks of a previously eradicated disease because of idiots like RFK.
Welcome to the world as it existed just before the Black Death visited Europe and decimated its populations. No effective public health measures means that world populations become more vulnerable to emerging pathogens - period.
While he's getting rid of highly skilled talent, RFK just hired wholly unqualified David Geier as a researcher. He has no medical degree, was sanctioned for practicing without a license, has no training, expertise or experience, and a judge called him "intellectually dishonest". His only usefulness to RFK is he's a disseminator of misinformation about vaccine/autism link- backing up RFK's lies.
I mean, birds of a feather, right?
I just googled David Grier. As soon as I saw him describe himself as an anti-aging expert I didn’t need to read any further. I’ll take your word about the other garbage he’s selling.
Reddit has this list of all the divisions and branches of CDC that are being eliminated:
https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1jorwjs/rif_notice_received_this_morning_by_cdc_comrade/
The cuts to NCIPC could directly affect me, since my research mostly falls in the area of injury prevention. Note that the Freedom of Information Act Office is one of those being cut - another attempt to avoid accountability.
Seriously.
WOW.
This needs to be discussed more. Destroying the freedom of info office is as bad as using signal to get out of being on record. This stuff is serious.
My CEO just sent out an update. My institute has last six projects due to the Trump regime's cuts - two with NIH, one with USAID, one with CMS, and two with states (funded by canceled federal block grants).
I'm just a retired person with a MS in Microbiology who worked in Immunology research for a pharmaceutical company back in the 70's and early 80's before I left to be a stay at home mom to our 3 daughters. But I'm horrified at the cuts taking place in all fields of scientific research. I have a highly treatable form of Non-Hodgkin's that my doctor tells me is the result of research and testing and clinical trials done over the decades because of so many women having breast cancer. So what's going to happen to other diseases that could have been treated with drugs that now may not be discovered? I also know of someone who was going to work for a PhD in Immunology, but has now decided with the present climate to forego that degree. How many other future researchers will decided similarly? This present administration and RFK, jr. are destroying our citizens in so many ways with their dismantling our government.
While many of the HHS cuts will be felt immediately many won't be felt for years and mostly by the absence of things not done that would have been. By the brain drain of scientists and doctors to other western nations and the general decline of new technology in medicine in the US. This will be very expensive in the long term. We will notice the never-ending measles outbreak unless that gets censored because RKF Jr isn't going to push using the vaccine which means it's not going to stop.
This administration is incapable of using anything but a sledgehammer to make cuts. No studies, no thought; just the addled ramblings of someone who, rather than being a doctor or a scientist, has never met a medical conspiracy theory that he didn’t like.
But 47 appointed this person, so he must take a lot of the blame for being the reason why scientific and medical innovation will stall during this administration.
When we get a sane administration, a task force of experts from these fields will have to be appointed in order to figure out how best to fix the asinine mistakes made by the current one.
I met an Irish pharmaceutical scientist in 2023 on a flight. He was headed to DC for a conference. He told me the former (now current) administration idea for replacing FDA review and testing of drugs was to have every drug go to market without drug trials and testing and have people do Amazon style review of drug reactions. It's the Wild West, with no planning or controls.
I guess that could be fun with painkillers, but not with oncology drugs.
Before I hit the road this morning believe I'll give myself a dose of Vet Grade Ivermectin, take a shot of chlorox and down a couple Vitamin A tablets. That should do it.
Make sure to inject the Clorox in the appropriate spot.
This is such a frightening time for all of us. Do the MAGA people think they are exempt from infectious diseases? That small department that oversees badly needed fuel assistance for people who cant afford to heat their residences was canceled. Will we celebrate when someone is discovered frozen to death because we saved tax dollars ?