Ari B Friedman
@abfriedman.com
This is my personal account. Faculty at UPenn. Emergency doc, health economist, geriatrics and privacy researcher. Views are my own. RT does not imply endorsement.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Dementia has a devastating impact on affected families' finances.
Beginning about six years prior to clinically recognizable dementia, affected families net worth starts to crater.
We should treat dementia risk not just as a medical issue, but as a predictable financial shock.
Beginning about six years prior to clinically recognizable dementia, affected families net worth starts to crater.
We should treat dementia risk not just as a medical issue, but as a predictable financial shock.
January 12, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Dementia has a devastating impact on affected families' finances.
Beginning about six years prior to clinically recognizable dementia, affected families net worth starts to crater.
We should treat dementia risk not just as a medical issue, but as a predictable financial shock.
Beginning about six years prior to clinically recognizable dementia, affected families net worth starts to crater.
We should treat dementia risk not just as a medical issue, but as a predictable financial shock.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Its not that the media is not covering what is happening, but it does feel like the military occupation of an American city should be treated as a national crisis.
A video of ICE agents conducting door-to-door searches today in Minneapolis
The homeowner requests a warrant repeatedly, is told they don't require one, then is told they're getting it, then the agents storm in anyway
They also point a taser at her to try and disrupt filming
The homeowner requests a warrant repeatedly, is told they don't require one, then is told they're getting it, then the agents storm in anyway
They also point a taser at her to try and disrupt filming
January 12, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Its not that the media is not covering what is happening, but it does feel like the military occupation of an American city should be treated as a national crisis.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Using FDA Law to Threaten Medical Practice | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
The expert authors (Lewis Grossman, @nathancortez.bsky.social & @pzettler.bsky.social) explain why this is troubling and may have implications far beyond the treatment of gender-affirming care.
The expert authors (Lewis Grossman, @nathancortez.bsky.social & @pzettler.bsky.social) explain why this is troubling and may have implications far beyond the treatment of gender-affirming care.
Using FDA Law to Threaten Medical Practice | NEJM
Though recent subpoenas from the U.S. DOJ target providers of gender-affirming care,
the legal arguments behind them could affect physicians prescribing off-label treatment
for any reason.
www.nejm.org
January 9, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Using FDA Law to Threaten Medical Practice | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
The expert authors (Lewis Grossman, @nathancortez.bsky.social & @pzettler.bsky.social) explain why this is troubling and may have implications far beyond the treatment of gender-affirming care.
The expert authors (Lewis Grossman, @nathancortez.bsky.social & @pzettler.bsky.social) explain why this is troubling and may have implications far beyond the treatment of gender-affirming care.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
"When it comes to vaccine schedules, the U.S. is now the outlier" www.statnews.com/2026/01/09/c... by @helenbranswell.bsky.social via @statnews.com
And given America's large size, terrible healthcare system & inequities, it would likely benefit more from an inclusive schedule.
And given America's large size, terrible healthcare system & inequities, it would likely benefit more from an inclusive schedule.
January 9, 2026 at 9:12 PM
"When it comes to vaccine schedules, the U.S. is now the outlier" www.statnews.com/2026/01/09/c... by @helenbranswell.bsky.social via @statnews.com
And given America's large size, terrible healthcare system & inequities, it would likely benefit more from an inclusive schedule.
And given America's large size, terrible healthcare system & inequities, it would likely benefit more from an inclusive schedule.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
220,000 Fewer Workers: How Trump’s Cuts Affected Every Federal Agency (Gift Article)
New data offers the first clear view of the impact of the buyouts and firings.
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:33 PM
A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Speaking entirely for myself: for years, I didn't really get flu shots. It was entirely because of laziness.
Then, in 2014ish, I got insanely sick — sickest I've ever been, tbh. Collapsed on my kitchen floor. Lost my sense of smell for a month.
It was the flu.*
I get a flu shot every year now.
Then, in 2014ish, I got insanely sick — sickest I've ever been, tbh. Collapsed on my kitchen floor. Lost my sense of smell for a month.
It was the flu.*
I get a flu shot every year now.
Yes, you can still get a flu shot. Tips for staying healthy with cases on the rise.
Yes, you can still get a flu shot. Tips for staying healthy as cases surge.
Maryland officials are urging all residents to get a flu shot as cases and hospitalizations have risen sharply nationwide.
buff.ly
January 7, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Speaking entirely for myself: for years, I didn't really get flu shots. It was entirely because of laziness.
Then, in 2014ish, I got insanely sick — sickest I've ever been, tbh. Collapsed on my kitchen floor. Lost my sense of smell for a month.
It was the flu.*
I get a flu shot every year now.
Then, in 2014ish, I got insanely sick — sickest I've ever been, tbh. Collapsed on my kitchen floor. Lost my sense of smell for a month.
It was the flu.*
I get a flu shot every year now.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Vaccines are a triumph of human ingenuity, modern medicine and public health.
It’s no surprise that when the nation’s most prominent anti-vaxxer rose to the highest health office in the land,US vaccine policies are in disarray and access to vaccines is imperiled.
🧪🦠
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/o...
It’s no surprise that when the nation’s most prominent anti-vaxxer rose to the highest health office in the land,US vaccine policies are in disarray and access to vaccines is imperiled.
🧪🦠
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/o...
Opinion | This Is the Damage Kennedy Has Done in Less Than a Year
www.nytimes.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Vaccines are a triumph of human ingenuity, modern medicine and public health.
It’s no surprise that when the nation’s most prominent anti-vaxxer rose to the highest health office in the land,US vaccine policies are in disarray and access to vaccines is imperiled.
🧪🦠
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/o...
It’s no surprise that when the nation’s most prominent anti-vaxxer rose to the highest health office in the land,US vaccine policies are in disarray and access to vaccines is imperiled.
🧪🦠
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/o...
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Statement from the American Academy of Neurology: “This decision was made without consulting key neurology stakeholders, and there was no formal announcement nor a clear succession plan for NINDS leadership. NINDS plays a vital role in funding and directing research into the brain”
Statement on Sudden Departure of NINDS Director
www.aan.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Statement from the American Academy of Neurology: “This decision was made without consulting key neurology stakeholders, and there was no formal announcement nor a clear succession plan for NINDS leadership. NINDS plays a vital role in funding and directing research into the brain”
This is not how government in a democracy should function. It's not how it functioned until 2025.
The Wisconsin component of the analysis here is revealing. Evidence is consistent with DOGE strategically delaying contract terminations in WI until after the 2025 state Supreme Court elections to mitigate electoral risk.
December 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This is not how government in a democracy should function. It's not how it functioned until 2025.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Did you know that from tomorrow, Qualtrics is offering synthetic panels (AI-generated participants)?
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
December 16, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Did you know that from tomorrow, Qualtrics is offering synthetic panels (AI-generated participants)?
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
What if we could harness the complexity of the real world to guide clinical questions?
Atheen Venkataramani and Lizzie Bair explore this in their new paper by diving into how real-world shocks and policy changes could help answer the Q: Does this treatment work?
evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Atheen Venkataramani and Lizzie Bair explore this in their new paper by diving into how real-world shocks and policy changes could help answer the Q: Does this treatment work?
evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Natural Experiments to Inform Clinical Practice
Natural experiments refer to events or practices that result in similar individuals
receiving different services or interventions for arbitrary reasons. In the clinical
context, researchers may wis...
evidence.nejm.org
April 29, 2025 at 12:43 PM
What if we could harness the complexity of the real world to guide clinical questions?
Atheen Venkataramani and Lizzie Bair explore this in their new paper by diving into how real-world shocks and policy changes could help answer the Q: Does this treatment work?
evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Atheen Venkataramani and Lizzie Bair explore this in their new paper by diving into how real-world shocks and policy changes could help answer the Q: Does this treatment work?
evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
"We welcome PhDs to a round table table discussion from assistant professors who were recently on the job market"
December 16, 2025 at 9:28 AM
"We welcome PhDs to a round table table discussion from assistant professors who were recently on the job market"
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
100%. Our Muslim friends and neighbors came forward and stood by us when we needed them. ❤️
Probably worth sharing again that after the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the local Islamic Center not only immediately showed up in person in solidarity but raised a significant amount of funds for victims.
rac.org/blog/muslim-...
rac.org/blog/muslim-...
rac.org
December 15, 2025 at 1:32 AM
100%. Our Muslim friends and neighbors came forward and stood by us when we needed them. ❤️
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Hundreds Quarantined in South Carolina as Measles Spreads #medsky www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/w...
Hundreds Quarantined in South Carolina as Measles Spreads
www.nytimes.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Hundreds Quarantined in South Carolina as Measles Spreads #medsky www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/w...
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
✨NEW SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY✨
For trainees interested in a Geri EM experience!
Must be an AGEM member (free to join with SAEM membership)
Apply NOW until Feb 15, 2026
www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
@saemonline.bsky.social
#emergencymedicine #saem #agem #geriatricmedicine #emergencydepartment
For trainees interested in a Geri EM experience!
Must be an AGEM member (free to join with SAEM membership)
Apply NOW until Feb 15, 2026
www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
@saemonline.bsky.social
#emergencymedicine #saem #agem #geriatricmedicine #emergencydepartment
December 12, 2025 at 7:20 PM
✨NEW SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY✨
For trainees interested in a Geri EM experience!
Must be an AGEM member (free to join with SAEM membership)
Apply NOW until Feb 15, 2026
www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
@saemonline.bsky.social
#emergencymedicine #saem #agem #geriatricmedicine #emergencydepartment
For trainees interested in a Geri EM experience!
Must be an AGEM member (free to join with SAEM membership)
Apply NOW until Feb 15, 2026
www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
@saemonline.bsky.social
#emergencymedicine #saem #agem #geriatricmedicine #emergencydepartment
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
In response to recent posts about fabricated citations, someone was telling me how awesome Gemini is, and implied that because it's Google there's some kind of secondary checking of sources happening.
Anyway I asked for recent books about AI published by academic presses. This was quite a ride. 🧵
Anyway I asked for recent books about AI published by academic presses. This was quite a ride. 🧵
December 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM
In response to recent posts about fabricated citations, someone was telling me how awesome Gemini is, and implied that because it's Google there's some kind of secondary checking of sources happening.
Anyway I asked for recent books about AI published by academic presses. This was quite a ride. 🧵
Anyway I asked for recent books about AI published by academic presses. This was quite a ride. 🧵
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
It might be hard to convey to people outside economics just how seismic this is. The Trump effect has most certainly arrived to US academia.
I am delighted to share that Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will join our Department of Economics @econ.uzh.ch at the University of Zurich on July 1, 2026, as Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics.
🧵 1/7
🧵 1/7
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 PM
It might be hard to convey to people outside economics just how seismic this is. The Trump effect has most certainly arrived to US academia.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Multiple large natural experiments have documented Shingles vaccine is linked with ~20-25% reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. A new report today adds to that and extends the to slowing the progression of dementia @cellcellpress.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
December 2, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Multiple large natural experiments have documented Shingles vaccine is linked with ~20-25% reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. A new report today adds to that and extends the to slowing the progression of dementia @cellcellpress.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Forget about the dystopian nature of this, it will kill tourism through sheer cost of compliance.
NEW: Five years of social media history is only a fraction of what the US Government will shortly demand of overseas visitors.
The full requirements will end tourism in the United States.
Below is the full, mind-blowing list.
🚨THEY. WANT. YOUR. DNA.🚨
1/
The full requirements will end tourism in the United States.
Below is the full, mind-blowing list.
🚨THEY. WANT. YOUR. DNA.🚨
1/
December 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Forget about the dystopian nature of this, it will kill tourism through sheer cost of compliance.
@agem-saem.bsky.social Trainee Scholarship for geriatric emergency medicine has been reconceived and now available to medical students, residents, or post-docs. www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
AGEM Geriatric EM Away Rotation Scholarship | SAEM
AGEM is sponsoring a medical student, resident or other trainee (for example, post-doctoral student) interested in completing a geriatric emergency medicine experience.
www.saem.org
December 11, 2025 at 4:28 PM
@agem-saem.bsky.social Trainee Scholarship for geriatric emergency medicine has been reconceived and now available to medical students, residents, or post-docs. www.saem.org/about-saem/a...
tfw the guy who made this chart is going to be in charge of the fed
December 11, 2025 at 4:13 PM
AI in primary care scoping review: new work from Kevin Johnson's group.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
"Several systemic issues emerged from the studies reviewed, including...rapid deployment of commercial AI tools without academic validation."
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
"Several systemic issues emerged from the studies reviewed, including...rapid deployment of commercial AI tools without academic validation."
Artificial Intelligence in Outpatient Primary Care: A Scoping Review on Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions - Journal of General Internal Medicine
Background Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant potential to impact clinical decision-making and improve patient outcomes in outpatient primary care. However, despite rapid advancements, the e...
link.springer.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:50 PM
AI in primary care scoping review: new work from Kevin Johnson's group.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
"Several systemic issues emerged from the studies reviewed, including...rapid deployment of commercial AI tools without academic validation."
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
"Several systemic issues emerged from the studies reviewed, including...rapid deployment of commercial AI tools without academic validation."
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
New must-read from @candicenorwood.bsky.social — how periods in prison become a trap.
Incarcerated women and trans people are forced to choose between maintaining their dignity and health — or facing the penalties.
Incarcerated women and trans people are forced to choose between maintaining their dignity and health — or facing the penalties.
Punished for bleeding: How periods in prison become a trap
Many incarcerated women and trans people are forced to choose between maintaining their dignity and health — or facing penalties.
19thnews.org
December 9, 2025 at 7:57 PM
New must-read from @candicenorwood.bsky.social — how periods in prison become a trap.
Incarcerated women and trans people are forced to choose between maintaining their dignity and health — or facing the penalties.
Incarcerated women and trans people are forced to choose between maintaining their dignity and health — or facing the penalties.
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
“agents told her in the truck that if she didn’t watch herself “they were going to pull me over to the side of the road and give me this OC,” law enforcement shorthand for pepper spray”
In detention, they “cut off her wedding ring”
In detention, they “cut off her wedding ring”
Federal agents are arresting American citizens.
This isn’t about public safety - it’s about stoking fear.
www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
This isn’t about public safety - it’s about stoking fear.
www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
Federal agents arrest citizen observer watching ICE detain neighbors on her north Minneapolis block
Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old American citizen, appears to be the first observer arrested by federal immigration enforcement officers since the agency launched an immigration surge in the Twin Cities l...
www.mprnews.org
December 10, 2025 at 3:26 PM
“agents told her in the truck that if she didn’t watch herself “they were going to pull me over to the side of the road and give me this OC,” law enforcement shorthand for pepper spray”
In detention, they “cut off her wedding ring”
In detention, they “cut off her wedding ring”
Reposted by Ari B Friedman
Waiting for Instacart's rebuttal: "Critics are wrong; we are not extracting consumer surplus via price discrimination. We are merely randomizing prices to estimate a demand elasticity so we can extract consumer surplus better through uniform pricing."
December 10, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Waiting for Instacart's rebuttal: "Critics are wrong; we are not extracting consumer surplus via price discrimination. We are merely randomizing prices to estimate a demand elasticity so we can extract consumer surplus better through uniform pricing."