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Liz Szabo

@lizszabo.bsky.social

10K followers 2.6K following 4.2K posts

She/her. Award-winning independent health journalist covering medical news for The New York Times, NBC News, Scientific American, AARP and others. Loves dogs and cats.

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · Apr 1

In his first term, Trump reversed an Obama-era nondiscrimination rule for transgender patients. Although Trump hasn’t yet issued a new rule, a web page created by the Biden administration, which explained legal protections for transgender patients, is now blank.

www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...

Transgender patients and their health providers fear worsening discrimination

Surveys show that mistreatment of transgender patients is common, sometimes leading them to delay or avoid seeking health care.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 2h

In Northern Virginia, home to the largest Bolivian population in the U.S., Coca Luján, a.k.a. K’ancha, serves as “cholita” influencer and cultural preservationist for this community of 40,000.

How a Bolivian construction worker became an online star from her Va. garage

Dressed as a traditional "cholita," a Northern Virginia construction worker is live-streaming Indigenous Bolivian culture and language for her 180,000 followers.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 4h

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 2h

Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | New England Journal of Medicine www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Standing by Our Colleagues in Gaza — A Plea to the U.S. Medical Community | NEJM

In the face of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza’s health system and the catastrophic famine caused by the devastation, U.S. physicians have an ethical obligation to respond and support immediate ch...

www.nejm.org

Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 2h

Pew Research finds only 31 percent of transgender adults surveyed said they are accepted by their parents.

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

More than 9 in 10 LGBTQ adults in the U.S. are ‘out’ to someone

Today, 96% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer adults in the United States say they have told someone that they are or might be LGBTQ.

www.pewresearch.org

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 2h

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Military Personnel and Veterans url: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Military Personnel and Veterans

This randomized clinical trial investigates if brief cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention reduces suicide attempts and suicidal ideation among high-risk suicidal US military personnel a...

jamanetwork.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Lauren Weber @laurenweberhp.bsky.social · 13d

During Kennedy’s confirmation hearings, he faced immense pressure to divest from a financial stake he initially said he would keep in cases he referred to Wisner Baum before becoming secretary.

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Lauren Weber @laurenweberhp.bsky.social · 13d

Research tying Tylenol to autism lost in court. Then it won Trump’s ear

Take a read to learn more about how Wisner Baum, the personal injury firm RFK Jr. consulted for, took an early interest

w/ Dan Gilbert, @arianaec.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Research tying Tylenol to autism lost in court. Then it won Trump’s ear.

Kenvue had gained the upper hand in litigation alleging acetaminophen use during pregnancy can cause autism. Now the Trump administration has breathed new life into research rejected by a federal judg...

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 2d

CDC formally approves RFK Jr. vaccine panel's recommendations on COVID, MMRV shots. www.axios.com/2025/10/06/c...

CDC signs off on RFK Jr. vaccine recommendations

The new schedule drops a broad recommendation that Americans age 65 and older get a COVID-19. vaccine

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 1d

Conversion therapy case lands at Supreme Court with big implications for mental health regulation. www.axios.com/2025/10/07/s...

Supreme Court weighs case on conversion therapy for youth

The case will likely decide the fate of laws in almost half of the states that restrict the practice.

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 1d

Trump admin cuts federal support for disabled Americans facing homelessness. www.axios.com/2025/10/07/t...

Trump administration ends support for disabled Americans facing homelessness

The cutback is the latest in a series of hits to the poorest Americans from the White House.

www.axios.com

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 2h

Thank goodness. WIC helped my friend afford high-priced lactose-free formula when her baby needed it. The baby was so tiny— just 19 lbs at age 2.

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 1d

White House says it's found funding to keep the WIC food aid program afloat during shutdown. www.axios.com/2025/10/07/w...

Scoop: White House says it has funding to save food aid program

The administration will transfer funding derived from tariff revenue to keep WIC going for "the foreseeable future."

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 17h

Organ transplant network disrupted by government shutdown. www.axios.com/newsletters/...

Axios Vitals - 1 big thing: Exclusive — Transplant network stalled by shutdown

www.axios.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · 6h

Some Democrats are more open to placing an income cap on Affordable Care Act subsidies at the center of the shutdown fight. www.axios.com/2025/10/08/d...

Dems open to income cap on ACA subsidies

An income cap is almost essential to a potential deal.

www.axios.com

Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 2d

“I call on vaccine manufacturers to develop safe monovalent vaccines to replace the combined MMR and ‘break up the MMR shot into three totally separate shots’.”
Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into 3 shots www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...

Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into 3 shots

There's no evidence that breaking up the MMR shot would make the immunization safer or more effective.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 2d

2025 Nobel Prize in medicine goes to Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for immune system discoveries. Their research helped explain why the immune system does not attack our own tissues.
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/n...

2025 Nobel Prize in medicine goes to Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for immune system discoveries

Three scientists who uncovered how our body keeps our immune system in check — enabling it to fight off dangerous invaders while recognizing our own tissues as a friend — won the Nobel Prize in physio...

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 1d

Parents are flocking to natural and "clean medicine" brands for Tylenol alternatives and more, leaving medical experts worried.
www.statnews.com/2025/10/07/t...

Parents are flocking to natural and ‘clean medicine’ brands. Medical experts are worried

Parents are flocking to natural and "clean medicine" brands for Tylenol alternatives and more, leaving medical experts worried.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

anil oza @aniloza.bsky.social · 1d

Looking forward to unpacking These Times with such a great panel on Thursday 🫡

If you 🫵 are in Boston, please come hang out and be part of the conversation!

Usha Lee McFarling @usha.bsky.social · 1d

My first post as head of KSJ! Our first public event. This Thursday. Cambridge. Science journalism in a time of crisis. It's going to be 🔥. Join me and @katherinejwu.com @aniloza.bsky.social @sarareardon.bsky.social @akuchment.bsky.social @jeremyfaust.bsky.social and @edenmedina.bsky.social

A flyer showing speakers and describing a panel discussion "Confronting Crisis" to be held 10.9.25 from 4:15-6:15 at 101 Rogers Street in Cambridge.

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 1d

The number of physicians seeking multi-state licensure has ballooned to support the growing field of telehealth
www.statnews.com/2025/10/07/t...

Fueling telehealth's rise, more doctors are licensed in all 50 states than ever before

The number of physicians seeking multi-state licensure has ballooned to support the growing field of telehealth

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 1d

"What RFK Jr. gets wrong about medical school and nutrition education. Instead of focusing on future doctors like me, expand access to registered dieticians."
www.statnews.com/2025/10/07/m...

What RFK Jr. gets wrong about medical school and nutrition education

Doctors are not the only way to improve Americans’ access to nutrition education.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 1d

Peter Marks, the former top vaccine regulator at the FDA, has joined Eli Lilly — a move likely to rile up critics of the revolving door between FDA and industry
www.statnews.com/2025/10/07/p...

Peter Marks, FDA vaccine regulator ousted by RFK Jr., joins Eli Lilly

Peter Marks, the former top vaccine regulator at the FDA, has joined Eli Lilly — a move likely to rile up critics of the revolving door between FDA and industry

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 1d

At the Supreme Court, a majority of justices seemed poised to rule against a Colorado law banning so-called conversion therapy. www.statnews.com/2025/10/07/c...

As Supreme Court weighs conversion therapy, conservative justices question medical authority

At the Supreme Court, a majority of justices seemed poised to rule against a Colorado law banning so-called conversion therapy.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 14h

“When I think of patients who refuse treatment, I don't automatically assume they're uninformed. I kind of assume that they're just informed by different facts.”
www.statnews.com/2025/10/08/b...

When patients refuse cancer treatment

“When I think of patients who refuse treatment, I don't automatically assume they're uninformed. I kind of assume that they're just informed by different facts.”

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Liz Szabo

STAT @statnews.com · 10h

THC is known to induce and exacerbate psychosis — and a new study finds that cannabis use has risen in people with the disorder after the drug was legalized.
www.statnews.com/2025/10/08/m...

More people with psychosis are using cannabis. Medical professionals are worried

THC is known to induce and exacerbate psychosis — and a new study finds that cannabis use has risen in people with the disorder after the drug was legalized.

www.statnews.com

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Torie Bosch @thekibosch.bsky.social · 9h

On this week's episode of the @statnews.com First Opinion Podcast, I spoke with Joy Lisi Rankin and Samyukta Mullangi about when cancer patients decline treatment--and the way oncologists should respond #STATOpinionPod www.statnews.com/2025/10/08/b...

When patients refuse cancer treatment

“When I think of patients who refuse treatment, I don't automatically assume they're uninformed. I kind of assume that they're just informed by different facts.”

www.statnews.com

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Alice Miranda Ollstein @alicemiranda.bsky.social · 14h

NEW: RFK transferred 70 public health officers to work for four months at far-flung Indian Health Service sites. Though the help is desperately needed, the deployment threatens to disrupt vital disease tracking and harm reduction work. www.politico.com/news/2025/10... w/ @mayakaufman.bsky.social

‘Straining everything in our system’: Indian Health Service transfers leave leadership vacuum

The four-month deployments are unusually long and target a chronic issue rather than an isolated emergency.

www.politico.com

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