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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH

@rmcarpiano.medsky.social

13K followers 5.4K following 5.3K posts

Professor, University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy. Faculty Director, Science to Policy (S2P). Public health scientist & sociologist keen on population health & community issues. Sometimes in the news, often for troubling topics. 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 .. more

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · Nov 9

Welcome new followers! About me beyond my profile: I post on a range of public health, sociological, & policy topics in my expertise areas (e.g., vaccinations, misinformation, health disparities) & other stuff I find important, intriguing, or fun/funny. Journalists: happy to chat (part of my job).

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 12h

And let's not forget the defunding of BARDA grants focused on mRNA vaccines to quickly respond to epidemic threats...

www.forbes.com/sites/joshua...

RFK Jr. Cuts mRNA Vaccine Research, Defunding Emergency Preparedness

Karikó and Weissman persisted in their mRNA research because they believed the platform held promise for vaccines that could trigger an immune response to fight diseases.

www.forbes.com

Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

Significance of those cross-state alliances on East and West Coasts is getting amped.

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Reposted by Michael H. Whitworth, Richard M. Carpiano

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 13h

Trump got his COVID19 vaccine today.

He will always have access to everything he needs to maintain his health while denying others the same.

White House memo that says MEMORANDUM
October 10, 2025
TO: KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
PHYSICIAN TO THE PRESIDENT CAPTAIN, U.S. NAVY
SUBJECT: President Donald J. Trump Completes Comprehensive Follow-Up Evaluation at
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
President Donald J. Trump successfully completed a scheduled follow-up evaluation today at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The visit was part of his ongoing health maintenance plan and included advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventive health assessments conducted by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. These evaluations were performed in coordination with leading academic and medical consultants to ensure optimal cardiovascular health and continued wellness.
Comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters.
In preparation for upcoming international travel, President Trump also received preventive health screenings and immunizations, including annual influenza and updated COVID-19 booster vaccinations.
President Trump continues to demonstrate excellent overall health. His cardiac age-a validated measure of cardiovascular vitality via ECG-was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age. He continues to maintain a demanding daily schedule without restriction.
SUMMARY: President Donald J. Trump remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 14h

I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

Reminder: Security from infectious diseases is an important element of national security.

Lora Kolodny @lorak.bsky.social · 14h

and the contagions don’t give a crap about borders and tariffs

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 14h

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

Sleep tight, taxpayers.

Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

Source: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Vaccine poll asks parents what they think about RFK Jr. and their pediatricians

A Washington Post-KFF poll finds that pediatricians are the most trusted source for vaccine information and that confidence in them is a strong predictor of vaccination.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 13h

WaPo-KFF Poll July 18-Aug. 4, 2025 shows heartening & disturbing results:

Q: In general, how much do you trust each of the following to provide reliable info. abt vaccines?

Child's pediatrician highly trusted across groups BUT 54% of Republicans trust RFK Jr. “a great deal”/“a fair amount.”

Screenshot of graph in weblink provided in the post showing responses to that q by all parents, democrat parents, republican parents, and independent/other parents with regard to "your child's pediatrician" (overwhelmingly the most endorsed across those categories from 82% for Independents/other to 85% for Republicans to 93% for Dems) and other sources of information including "your local public health dept.," The CDC, friends and family, the FDA, Pharmaceutical companies, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Jeremy Faust, MD @jeremyfaust.bsky.social · 13h

This is the first visual confirmation of a new round of HHS terminations—promised earlier today by Russel Vought, Trump’s former OMB director—who warned a shutdown would be used as cover to dismantle the CDC.

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Lora Kolodny @lorak.bsky.social · 14h

and the contagions don’t give a crap about borders and tariffs

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 14h

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Reposted by Scott L. Greer

Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 14h

👇👇 "...all current (civilian) Epidemic Intelligence Service, and several people working on the Ebola response." 🛟

Staff at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention across multiple programs being fired tonight, including all current (civilian) Epidemic Intelligence Service, and several people working on the… | J...

www.linkedin.com

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Reposted by Michael Wagner, Benjamin Mason Meier, Steven S. Smith , and 8 more Michael Wagner, Benjamin Mason Meier, Steven S. Smith, Lesley A. Hall, David R. Miller, Scott A. Imberman, Erin O’Donnell, Kent Johnson, Richard M. Carpiano, Jason Williams, Timothy D. McBride

Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 14h

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 14h

Well, Trump is up to date now on his flu and COVID shots...

www.newsnationnow.com

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 14h

This paper shows an impt pt about level of analysis in IDing gaps in vax coverage. But also indirectly shows the challenges of working w/ whatever data a state makes available (e.g., for TX, datasets that report public school stats aggregated to school district alongside solo private school stats).

School-Level Gaps in MMR Coverage as the Fuel for Measles Outbreaks | Annals of Internal Medicine

www.acpjournals.org

Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano, Timothy D. McBride

Adam Keiper @adamkeiper.com · 14h

You would not fire these people—including the staff of the hugely, HUGELY important 'Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report'—if you cared at all about public health, if you wanted people to live.

And you would not let your thuggish henchmen fire people like this if you were a responsible president.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 15h

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio, Nandita Sharma , and 32 more Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio, Nandita Sharma, Jonathan A. Eisen, Jocalyn Clark, Jennifer A. Richeson, Julie L. Lockwood, Karen R. Lips, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Steve Peers, Benjamin Mason Meier, Philip N. Cohen, Philip Nel, Daniel W. Drezner, Robert C. Richards, Alan Richardson, Silvia Secchi, Aaron Sojourner, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Margot C. Finn, Jason Lyall, Mark Rice, Kent Johnson, Brian Weatherson, Mary Jane Curry, Larry W. Hunter, Richard M. Carpiano, David S. Tanenhaus, Aviel Roshwald, Jae-Young Son, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Timothy D. McBride, Melinda Baldwin, David Darmofal

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 15h

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Dr Noor Bari @njbbari3.bsky.social · 16h

For studies about CO2 and disease transmission… plotting a graph that shows continuous readings per day as three lines would be better than using medians. Maximum recorded, minimum recorded and average.

Because a lot of transmission of COVID can happen in a very short time.

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 18h

“Floridians buying groceries and other household items will be able to openly carry firearms while walking the aisles at Publix, the largest supermarket chain in the state, the company said on Thursday.”

Customers May Openly Carry Firearms in Florida’s Publix Stores, Company Says

www.nytimes.com

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 23h

New KFF poll shows the problem of Trump & RFK Jr. false health claims--not just who believes it but the doubt it sows...

"Most adults... express uncertainty, saying...unproven claim is either 'probably true' or 'prob. false.' ...most Republicans...saying it is either 'probably' or 'def. true.'" 🛟

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Tylenol-Autism Link and Vaccine Policies | KFF

Following the Trump administration’s warning last month that using acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – during pregnancy can increase the risk of autism in children, very few adults say ...

www.kff.org

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

Sure, radio limited cross-over exposure that American recordings brought him at end of his life, but image-wise long iconic even if ppl only knew 1-2 songs of his--sorta anti-country wrt style, politics, arrests, etc. vis-a-vis safe mainstream country, so he had cred in non-country world bf then.

Reposted by Efrén O. Pérez, Michael D. McDonald, Anders Sundnes Løvlie , and 4 more Efrén O. Pérez, Michael D. McDonald, Anders Sundnes Løvlie, Richard M. Carpiano, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Aidan O’Sullivan, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Rep. Buddy Carter: "Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. That's why I'm introducing a resolution today that will honor him with the Nobel Peace Prize."

(It doesn't work like that lol)

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Guan Yang @guan.dk · 1d

You won’t believe what degrading practice the pope just condemned

Communication must be freed from clickbait and misguided thinking, head of Catholic church tells journalists

www.theguardian.com

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

Research shows aluminum exposure in ppl who follow the vaccine schedule is low & "not readily absorbed by the body." But antivax types like RFK Jr. "have long q'd the scientific consensus that the small amt of aluminum...in vaccines is safe." Now, the fed govt is poised to reopen this debate. 🛟😷

Axios Future of Health Care

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano, Manisha Sinha, David Darmofal

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 1d

Reporting live from Chicago, there’s no “hellscape” I’d rather be in.

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

And the thing is that the Danish study wasn't really even looking into Tylenol/acetaminophen. Their hypothesis was about how pain/stressful events may foster some neurodevelopmental problems.

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Reposted by Richard M. Carpiano

Scott Gable @scottgable.bsky.social · 1d

youtube.com/watch?v=k0nZ...
Let US look at the facts!!!

Mike Johnson makes the embarrassing mistake of asking for a fact check

YouTube video by MSNBC

youtube.com

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

As I detailed above, the scientific evidence to justify your suit is super weak and won't hold up well to scrutiny.

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Richard M. Carpiano, PhD, MPH @rmcarpiano.medsky.social · 1d

You ain't kidding. Sure I could've just QT'd that OP w/ simply "False claim" and moved on, but crafting that tread to explain why his claim is BS is time I'll never get back and nothing me in 2004 working on my dissertation would've envisioned I'd be publicly commenting on/refuting now. SMH.

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