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Your Local Epidemiologist

@ylepidemiologist.bsky.social

7.5K followers 4 following 1.6K posts

👩🏻‍🔬 Simplifying public health with data-driven insights 💡 Helping you make informed health decisions 🎓 MPH, PhD 👇🏻 Get weekly science-backed updates https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · Feb 10

1/ 🚨 Big changes are coming. We’re entering a new era in America, and it’s messy out there. But I’m here to help you navigate the chaos with evidence-based, clear health information. If you’re tired of the noise, you’re in the right place. 👇

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

7/ If you’d like to read a more in depth breakdown of this or read about the studies referenced, click here
👉 yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/tylenol-an...

Love,
The YLE Team

Tylenol and autism: What parents deserve to know

Nuance and empowerment instead of underestimation.

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

6/ Parents, please take note: seeing headlines like this can be stressful. Know that you are doing an amazing job. Asking questions, seeking evidence, and leading with care is exactly what good parents do. And no, there’s no causal link between Tylenol use and autism in babies or pregnant women.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

5/ So the question is, why do some developing brains take this path while others don't? Autism is complex and rooted in brain development. About 85% of the risk comes from genetics, with the remaining 15% from environmental factors. It doesn’t develop from a single exposure or medication.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

4/ As for the implication that babies taking Tylenol will increase their risk of autism, we know that autism is rooted in brain development, with differences in neuron growth and connectivity forming in utero during the first trimester. Autism doesn't develop from medications taken after birth.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

3/ In 2024, there was a major study from Sweden. This study compared siblings—one exposed to Tylenol in utero, the other not. This type of “natural experiment” is powerful because it controls for genetics and family environment. It found no causal link between Tylenol and autism.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

2/ Let’s be clear: there’s no causal link between Tylenol use and autism in babies or pregnant women. The science simply doesn't support it. Some observational studies have found small correlations, but correlation is not causation. Nothing has proven that Tylenol causes autism.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 23h

1/ In case you missed it, earlier today RFK Jr. implied in a Cabinet meeting that babies who circumcised early have double the risk of autism because they took Tylenol. He’s previously made the same claim about Tylenol with pregnant people. This idea is spreading and it’s scaring parents.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

7/ It’s not all bad out there. Science, compassion, and persistence are still moving us forward.

If you want to hear more good news like this (and stay updated on the hard stuff too), give us a follow or subscribe to the newsletter: yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

Love,
The YLE Team

Your Local Epidemiologist | Katelyn Jetelina | Substack

Providing a direct line of "translated" public health science to you, so you can take action for your community's health. Click to read Your Local Epidemiologist, a Substack publication with hundreds ...

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

6/ The FDA just approved another generic version of mifepristone, a medication abortion drug, giving patients more options and protecting access amid ongoing policy fights.
👉 nytimes.com/2025/10/02/health/abortion-pill-generic-fda.html

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

5/ For the first time, researchers have slowed Huntington’s disease progression by 75% using new targeted gene therapy delivered during a lengthy brain surgery. It’s a major step forward for patients and families affected by this devastating disease.
👉 bbc.com/news/articles/cevz13xkxpro

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

4/ HIV prevention shots that once cost $42K/year will be available for just $40 in over 100 low- & middle-income countries starting in 2027. This Clinton Global Initiative partnership could save millions of lives
👉 clintonhealthaccess.org/news/unitaid-chai-wits-rhi-dr-reddys-lenacapavir-agreement/

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

3/ They also uncovered the key protein FoxP3, which keeps those cells in check. When FoxP3 fails, it can cause a rare but severe autoimmune disease called IPEX syndrome.
👉 nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2025/press-release/

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

2/ This year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine went to the scientists who discovered regulatory T cells. Think of them as the immune system’s peacekeepers. These special cells prevent our immune cells from attacking our own body.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

1/ Hey, do you need some #goodnews? I know I do. Between the noise and the chaos, it helps to stop and remember what progress actually looks like.

Here are four public health wins to give you some good news for the week 👇

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

9/ Want the in-depth answers to these questions?
Click here 👉 yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/routine-va...

Plus, gain access to a PDF version of the top 14 FAQs on routine vaccinations by upgrading to a paid newsletter subscriber!

Love,
The YLE Team & @kmpanthagani.bsky.social

Routine vaccinations, sanitation, and a look back at history

Sanitation vs. vaccine impact, requirements, universal recommendations, Hep B and more

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

8/ Bottom line: vaccines are victims of their own success. They’ve quietly prevented infections, disabilities, and deaths we no longer see. That invisibility fuels doubt, but it doesn’t erase the benefits.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

7/ ❓Why does the U.S. recommend universal vaccines when some countries target only high-risk groups?
Three reasons:
🔹 Behavioral: Universal policies drive uptake
🔹 Financial: Other governments pay, so cost is key
🔹 Safety net: The U.S. has weaker supports, so casting a wider net is critical

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

6/ Before universal hep B vaccination, about 18,000 U.S. kids were infected every year. Half of those infections were at birth. Today, thanks to the policy, fewer than 20 are reported annually, though models do suggest that a few hundred still slip through.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

5/ ❓Why vaccinate every U.S. baby for hep B even if they aren't “high risk”?
Put simply, hep B is a tricky virus: it's often silent, is easily passed from mom to newborn at birth, and can cause lifelong liver disease. Universal birth dosing was an absolute game changer.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

4/ ❓Do the benefits of measles vaccination still outweigh the risks, given low case counts?
Absolutely. Exposure risk changes with coverage, but measles is so contagious that when vaccination dips, outbreaks spread quickly. Benefits far exceed rare vaccine side effects.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

3/ ❓Why require vaccines for diseases that aren’t endemic, like rubella?
Think of vaccination as a dam. It holds back outbreaks. If you tear it down because “flooding isn’t happening,” the water comes rushing back. That’s why we still need the shield for diseases like rubella.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

2/❓Did sanitation and nutrition, not vaccines, actually stop measles?
No. Sanitation helped deaths plummet. But measles *infections* stayed sky-high until the vaccine arrived. Once introduced, cases plummeted as well. The vaccine is the reason measles was declared eliminated in the US.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

1/ A lot of people have genuine questions about #routinevaccines. Between headlines, politics, and fear, it can be hard to find nuanced answers. Let’s walk through some FAQs. 👇

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

10/ We’ll continue to monitor this closely and keep you updated on its implications for you. To make sure you don’t miss that update, click here 👉 yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

Love,

The YLE Team 💖

Your Local Epidemiologist | Katelyn Jetelina | Substack

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 3d

9/ So what does this mean right now? Nothing has happened yet, and all of this depends on how this shutdown shakes out. However, if this passes, health insurance costs are expected to skyrocket for many people.

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