Timothy Caulfield
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caulfieldtim.bsky.social
Timothy Caulfield
@caulfieldtim.bsky.social
Professor of health law and science policy, author, speaker, and commentator. #ScienceUpFirst

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/caulfieldtim
🚨 Key.

Peter Attia, the Epstein Files and the Lie Propping Up Big Wellness www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/o...

"Many health influencers have ties to supplement companies, make money from lawsuits against vaccine companies or receive financial backing from politically powerful billionaires..."
Opinion | Peter Attia, the Epstein Files and the Lie Propping Up Big Wellness
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Emotional resonance & participatory misinformation: misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/emot...

"Online misinformation thrives in environments of uncertainty, where emotional cues fill in gaps left by ambiguous or contested facts."

"...emotional performance influences assessments of credibility"
Emotional resonance and participatory misinformation: Learning from a K-pop controversy | HKS Misinformation Review
In today’s digital media environment, emotionally resonant narratives often spread faster and stick more firmly than verifiable facts. This paper explores how emotionally charged communication in onli...
misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu
February 7, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Example of how bad research can damage policy & perceptions...👇

A 20-year-old study claiming a baby died from opioid poisoning through breast milk under fire www.cbc.ca/news/health/... w @davidjuurlink.bsky.social

“...falsification of toxicological data, authorship issues, and ethical concerns”
Was a Canadian baby poisoned by breast milk? Experts say no. Yet a 20-year-old case study remains influential | CBC News
A controversial Canadian medical paper, which pinned a baby’s death on codeine passed through breastmilk, is under renewed scrutiny a full two decades after it was published. The paper sparked a sweep...
www.cbc.ca
February 7, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Complex, but debunking CAN make a difference!

Study: Do Beliefs Echo? On the Persistent Effects of Misinformation After Effective Corrections www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

"...the correction was demonstrably effective, we find no evidence that #misinformation continues to shape attitudes."
Do Beliefs Echo? On the Persistent Effects of Misinformation After Effective Corrections
Does misinformation continue to influence political attitudes even after it has been effectively corrected? According to some influential studies, the answer is yes: while corrections may eliminate...
www.tandfonline.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:39 PM
The Placebo Myth Picked the Wrong War www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/... by @jonathanjarry.bsky.social

"It’s possible we are looking at a Frankenstein’s creature of a placebo myth, which is still regularly cited in the medical literature as fact."
The Placebo Myth Picked the Wrong War
There’s a medical myth with which a friend of mine and I have become obsessed: this idea that scientific research into the “placebo effect” began in earnest during World War II. As I’ve written before...
www.mcgill.ca
February 7, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Sum: Just assume RFK Jr is full of (evil) sh*t.

Newly revealed emails undermine RFK Jr testimony about 2019 Samoa trip ahead of measles outbreak
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Newly revealed emails undermine RFK Jr testimony about 2019 Samoa trip ahead of measles outbreak
Kennedy later said the purpose of his trip had nothing to do with vaccines. US embassy and UN staff at the time said otherwise, emails show
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:54 PM
He’s like a child.

His actions are so over the top offensive & infantile that it feels like satire. Alas, nope.
February 6, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Alarming’ and unproven autism treatments abound theijf.org/article/fake... @bethanylindsay.bsky.social

@marcozenone.bsky.social: “They use some really smart — unfortunately — tactics that really gain the trust of parents & it gives the illusion that this is a real option and scientifically proven."
‘Alarming’ and unproven autism treatments abound on Facebook. Is it time for Canada to tighten regulations?
Public service journalism
theijf.org
February 6, 2026 at 10:40 PM
So many complex variables associated with dementia (sleep, hearing loss, hypertension).

Poor sleep may account for a large share of dementia cases www.sciencenews.org/article/poor...

From study: "Addressing insomnia could be a promising target for dementia prevention efforts in aging populations."
Poor sleep may account for a large share of dementia cases
Researchers estimate that roughly 12 percent of U.S. dementia cases could be tied to insomnia.
www.sciencenews.org
February 6, 2026 at 10:25 PM
The distrust that fuelled this decline CREATED by (often politically motivated) misinformation mongers.

Vaccine hesitancy = ideological flag

U.S. vaccination rates are plunging wapo.st/4adkPB7

"The correlation btw conservative communities & low vaccination rates reflects a national pattern."
February 6, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Marketing fear?

Telehealth platforms push multi-cancer detection tests before evidence of benefit www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t... via @statnews.com

“...a pretty big disconnect here. They’re marketing these tests as ways to live longer. And that by itself is a fundamentally unproven statement.”
Hims, other telehealth platforms push multi-cancer detection tests before evidence of benefit
Test makers and telehealth providers say they want to give people a chance to catch cancers early and seek treatment.
www.statnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Reposted by Timothy Caulfield
"...the movement illustrates a phenomenon that took off during the pandemic — when an issue becomes 'more about your ideological flag and your community than what the evidence says'":

@caulfieldtim.bsky.social

www.nationalobserver.com/2026/01/29/n...
Months after BC ostrich cull, why does the protest movement continue?
Melody Leinweber's latest tattoo is a stylized portrait of an ostrich with a colourful beak, pink and turquoise stars around its head and a twinkle in its eyes.
www.nationalobserver.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Hear, hear! Harmful and science-free BS.

'Masculinity crisis': Social media influencers promoting testosterone treatments to young men medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02... @emmagram.bsky.social et al

"Manosphere-driven health narratives can amplify fear, shame and distrust of mainstream health care."
'Masculinity crisis': Social media influencers promoting testosterone treatments to young men
Young men are being encouraged to undergo testosterone testing and start hormone therapy through Instagram and TikTok content that promotes unproven health claims while downplaying medical risks, a ne...
medicalxpress.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Grrr...

Federal Vaccine Advisers Take Aim at Covid Shots www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/h...

Reality: "With over a billion doses of the mRNA vaccines administered, no safety concerns related to residual DNA have been identified"

Study after study: impressive safety profile & clearly beneficial.
Federal Vaccine Advisers Take Aim at Covid Shots
www.nytimes.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:17 PM
MAHA / MAGA public health formula:

Step 1: Create distrust with lies & spin

Step 2: Use anti-science lies to (sigh) "restore trust"

Step 3: End up with LESS trust and a destroyed public health system

See Trust in the CDC www.kff.org/health-infor... via @kff.org @kffhealthnews.org
February 6, 2026 at 3:46 PM
A tale of many twos www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... by @holdenthorp.bsky.social

"...scientific community should strive to bridge gaps within itself while finding a common voice to talk about what has happened & how best to move forward."

Agree! Team science needs to work together! 💪
A tale of many twos
For the American scientific enterprise, the past year has seemed awash in contradiction. On the one hand, it has produced great upheavals and losses for US science. Many universities experienced some ...
www.science.org
February 5, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Basic prevention strategies KEY!

More than 1/3 of cancer cases are preventable, massive study www.nature.com/articles/d41...

"Nearly 40% of new cancer cases worldwide are potentially preventable..."

"...tobacco smoking was the leading contributor ... followed by infections & drinking alcohol."
More than one-third of cancer cases are preventable, massive study finds
Many cancers are linked to two modifiable habits: tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption.
www.nature.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Maddening this is actually recommended by RFK Jr.

A newborn's death likely linked to the mom drinking raw milk while pregnant abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory...

"Raw milk can contain several disease-causing germs, including listeria..."
A newborn's death likely linked to the mom drinking raw milk while pregnant
Health officials in New Mexico have said a newborn baby died from a listeria infection likely linked to the child's mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy
abcnews.go.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:57 PM
From sun safety to sex appeal: what sunscreen ads reveal about beauty ideals and power theconversation.com/from-sun-saf...

"These messages are not only about safety or wellbeing, but about staying youthful, attractive & socially acceptable.

"...focus on a narrow, eurocentric standard of beauty."
From sun safety to sex appeal: what sunscreen ads reveal about beauty ideals and power
Sunscreen shields us from UV rays, but its ads sell perfection, not just protection.
theconversation.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Yep, celebrity culture can normalize exploitive noise👇

Subject of Lyme disease is littered with #misinformation. Celebrities are part of the problem, experts say www.cbc.ca/news/investi...

"Chronic Lyme isn't medically recognized. It’s a controversial term that some say fuels a dubious industry."
Why do so many celebrities say they have Lyme disease? | CBC News
Chronic Lyme disease isn't recognized by conventional medicine. It's a controversial term used by some alternative practitioners to describe pain, fatigue and neurological symptoms they attribute to a...
www.cbc.ca
February 5, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Key drivers of many cancer known. Ditto best evidence-based preventative actions. via @who.int

Don't smoke, drink less (or not at all), exercise, eat real food, get vaccinated, watch sun exposure...
February 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
In America science-sceptics are now in charge www.economist.com/science-and-...

"The most notable victims are vaccine research and policy."

"Harder to estimate are the consequences of retracting funding for future treatments; mRNA vaccines, for example..."

#ScienceMatters
In America science-sceptics are now in charge
The Trump administration seems to want less clean energy and more preventable diseases
www.economist.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Estimated 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe COVID-19: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

"COVID vaccines offered protection against hospitalization and severe in-hospital outcomes..."

"...40% against hospitalization & 79% against invasive mechanical ventilation or death."
Estimated 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Against Severe COVID-19
This case-control study estimates vaccine effectiveness of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines against severe COVID-19 and investigates whether it varied by SARS-CoV-2 lineage or spike protein mutations.
jamanetwork.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Don't believe the doubtmongering... This.👇

Research hailing the benefits of the COVID-19 shot keeps coming www.sciencenews.org/article/bene...

EG: "The percentage of newborns who were preterm was also lower for people vaccinated..."

And "...adults had a lower risk of death from any cause."
Research hailing the benefits of the COVID-19 shot keeps coming
There was more good health news about the COVID-19 vaccine for infants, kids and adults in December. There’s still time to get the shot this winter.
www.sciencenews.org
February 4, 2026 at 5:45 PM
At 82, he’s as fit as a 20-year-old. His body holds clues to healthy aging wapo.st/3O8lCvP

Still no magic. Don't believe longevity influencer noise.

Luck. Exercise. Solid diet. Good community. And luck.

Of course, socioeconomics, public health, etc., key.

But it ain't supplements & cold plunges.
At 82, he’s as fit as a 20-year-old. His body holds clues to healthy aging.
Scientists are studying Juan López García, 82, a world-record-holding ultramarathoner, to learn how we can stay healthy as we age.
wapo.st
February 4, 2026 at 5:03 PM