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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · 12d

Over the summer I had the chance to visit the Nanyao village in southwest China, 10 years after my first visit in 2015. I wrote about the Zhang family, the changes they have witnessed over the past 25 years and their grandson’s career aspirations.
offthesilkroad.com/2025/09/21/n...

Nanyao, A Decade Later: Returning Home to a Village in Transition - Off the Silk Road

Preface: I have recently completed a recent two-week stay in China, my 21st since 2006 and first since September 2023. I wanted to share with you all a series of reflections from this trip, the Read m...

offthesilkroad.com

Reposted by Benjy Renton

Ashish K Jha @ashishkjha.bsky.social · 14d

In my weekly podcast, I had a fabulous conversation with a brilliant Obstetrician about how she advises pregnant women about the risks and benefits of taking a medicine

Dr. Elizabeth Langen is really good

This is worth your time

Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · 14d

How should we think about the data and evidence on Tylenol during pregnancy? On this week's episode of @amomentinhealth.bsky.social, @ashishkjha.bsky.social and Dr. Elizabeth Langen discuss how to weigh the risks and where to go from here.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

What Do Data and Science Tell Us About Advising Women on Tylenol and Pregnancy?

Podcast Episode · A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha · 09/23/2025 · 15m

podcasts.apple.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · 14d

How should we think about the data and evidence on Tylenol during pregnancy? On this week's episode of @amomentinhealth.bsky.social, @ashishkjha.bsky.social and Dr. Elizabeth Langen discuss how to weigh the risks and where to go from here.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

What Do Data and Science Tell Us About Advising Women on Tylenol and Pregnancy?

Podcast Episode · A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha · 09/23/2025 · 15m

podcasts.apple.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jul 18

An important story on the effects of measles outbreaks in day cares: A nine-month-old who was exposed is too young to be vaccinated and his parents have to take unpaid vacation days to stay home. Many do not have the savings to stay home for weeks.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Day care measles exposure forces Iowa family to take weeks off work for baby: 'It only takes one'

There have been at least 1,309 confirmed cases of measles in the U.S. this year. Hundreds or thousands of other families have most likely had their lives upended after being exposed.

www.nbcnews.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jul 11

Thank you as always for your advocacy!

Reposted by Benjy Renton

Megan Ranney MD MPH @meganranney.bsky.social · Jul 9

Important new case-control study in @jama.com - Insecure firearm storage is associated w/adolescent suicide - but not adult suicide.

In other words, secure storage [locked, unloaded] is IMPORTANT for reducing kids' suicide, but may not be sufficient for adults.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Firearm Storage and Firearm Suicide

This case-control study assesses the association between firearm storage practices and suicide method (firearm vs nonfirearm) among individuals who lived in a home with firearms in the last year of th...

jamanetwork.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 28

More than 10,000 people subscribe to the @pandemiccenter.bsky.social's Tracking Report, a newsletter led by @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social and her team.

Have you subscribed? Go to thepandemiccenter.org.

www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

www.wpri.com

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Reposted by Benjy Renton

Dr. Stephanie Psaki @spsaki.bsky.social · Jun 25

Gavi works in close partnership (operationally and financially) with governments around the world to distribute life-saving vaccines to children. Their work has saved nearly 20 million lives since 2000.

Kennedy is either misinformed or lying, but either way children will die as a result.

Kennedy Withdraws Funding Pledge to International Vaccine Agency

www.nytimes.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 20

Thank you to @dwallacewells.bsky.social for featuring our work (led by @jeremyfaust.bsky.social) on the political divides of vaccine exemptions.

"It is a war from above on public health — and public trust."
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/o...

Opinion | ‘I Think He Is About to Destroy Vaccines in This Country’

www.nytimes.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 19

"In considering what comes next, U.S. policymakers should strive for a balance that maintains a focus on saving lives and promoting economic growth while maximizing soft power benefits to advance U.S. strategic interests,"
@spsaki.bsky.social writes.
www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/us-s...

U.S. Soft Power: Next Steps After the Foreign Aid Withdrawal | Think Global Health

A former White House official on the future of advancing strategic interests while saving lives and growing economies

www.thinkglobalhealth.org

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 19

Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV, was approved yesterday by the FDA. It's the longest-acting prophylactic drug to date. We need to do more to ensure this scientific innovation is accessible to all in the US and around the world.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/h...

Regulators Approve a Twice-Yearly Shot to Prevent H.I.V. Infection

www.nytimes.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 18

In the aftermath of the recent firing of previously serving members of CDC's ACIP, @ashishkjha.bsky.social calls for states + medical societies to step up in protecting access to vaccines — committing to science-based policy and ensuring vaccines remain free.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | RFK Jr. is sabotaging the vaccine program. Here’s how to stop him.

States must act swiftly to protect their residents — especially children and the vulnerable.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 16

In 1944, the USS LST-510 carried 200 soldiers and 70 vehicles (including tanks) and landed near Omaha Beach as part of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

Today, 81 years later, she shuttles passengers and cars between Long Island and Connecticut. What a cool piece of history.

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 16

Congrats on your graduation Sarah!

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 14

In the last 20 years we've seen significant advances in vaccines for older adults — most namely shingles and RSV. We need to continue to increase access for this population as the benefits from averted hospitalizaitons and deaths are significant.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/h...

Many Older People Embrace Vaccines. Research Is Proving Them Right.

www.nytimes.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 10

Grateful for the opportunity to work on this with you!

Reposted by Benjy Renton

Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · Jun 9

Excited that my JAMA Pediatrics article with @jeremyfaust.bsky.social @bhrenton.bsky.social @hmkyale.bsky.social and others is now published. It turns out that permissive firearm laws aren’t great if you want to reduce pediatric firearm deaths. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Firearm Laws and Pediatric Mortality in the US

This study attempts to measure excess mortality due to firearms among US children aged 0 to 17 years after the McDonald v Chicago US Supreme Court decision (2010).

jamanetwork.com

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Reposted by Benjy Renton

Seth Boo!-ger Trueger @mdaware.org · Jun 9

“permissive firearm laws contributed to thousands of excess firearm deaths among children living in states with permissive policies”

- the study by @jeremyfaust.bsky.social @mirandayaver.bsky.social @bhrenton.bsky.social @hmkyale.bsky.social

et al (more tags!) in @jama.com Peds

Firearm Laws and Pediatric Mortality in the US

This study attempts to measure excess mortality due to firearms among US children aged 0 to 17 years after the McDonald v Chicago US Supreme Court decision (2010).

jamanetwork.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 7

Declining measles vaccination rates hurt us all. A new study with data from 2,066 counties in 33 states found a mean 2.7% decrease in MMR vaccine coverage. with many counties below the recommended 95% level to prevent spread.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Trends in County-Level MMR Vaccination Coverage in Children in the United States

This study examines county-level vaccination rates for children from 2017 to 2024 for all US states.

jamanetwork.com

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Reposted by Benjy Renton

Brown University School of Public Health @brownpublichealth.bsky.social · Jun 3

In his latest @bostonglobe.com opinion, Dean @ashishkjha.bsky.social reacts to HHS cancelling Moderna’s bird flu vaccine contract—a decision he calls RFK Jr.'s "most dangerous yet." www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/03/o...

Canceling Moderna’s bird flu contract could be Robert Kennedy’s most reckless act yet - The Boston Globe

The federal government should be investing and working to expand the nation’s scientific and public health arsenal, not shrinking it.

www.bostonglobe.com

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 3

Last week we heard from Rhode Island healthcare leaders (in conversation with @danmcgowan.bsky.social and @alexagagosz.bsky.social) about the ongoing crisis that many facilities in the state face. With fewer Medicaid dollars going into the system, the whole population suffers.

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 3

3. Already long ER wait times (an ER visit in Rhode Island is on average nearly 5 hours) would get longer.

In 2003 Oregon's Medicaid disenrolled 50,000 patients. The result? A 20% increase in ER visits. More visits = longer wait times.
www.annemergmed.com/article/S019...

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 3

2. What's the primary payer for nursing homes? Medicaid — covering 63% of 1.2 million residents.

Cuts to Medicaid could force nursing homes to reduce staffing or close entirely. That could mean that loved ones would be unable to get long-term care.
www.kff.org/medicaid/iss...

5 Key Facts About Nursing Facilities and Medicaid | KFF

The substantial Medicaid savings in the reconciliation bill that has been passed by the House could have major implications for nearly 15,000 federally certified nursing facilities and the 1.2 million...

www.kff.org

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 3

1. Your health insurance premiums have been constantly increasing, jumping by 7% in 2023. With more people uninsured and hospitals/providers lose Medicaid dollars, they shift the cost onto private insurers. Consolidation could also push prices up.
www.thirdway.org/memo/medicai...

Third Way

www.thirdway.org

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Benjy Renton @bhrenton.bsky.social · Jun 3

Why should you, someone who gets insurance through your employer, care about Medicaid cuts? Senator Jack Reed brought up some good points tonight:

1. Insurance premiums (for all) will go up
2. Nursing homes will close, hindering long-term care
3. Longer ER wait times for everyone

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