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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Apr 2

Incredibly tough time for public health right now, but this new article from my old colleague and I highlights a few critical priorities states can take to continue progress on health and wellbeing.

Jill Rosenthal @jillrose.bsky.social · Apr 1

As the Trump administration slashes programs and resources, states are on the hook to reinforce public health protections, mitigate harms, and safeguard the public’s health. See CAP's new article: www.americanprogress.org/article/4-wa...

4 Ways States Can Safeguard Public Health During the Trump Administration

In the face of Trump administration threats to public health, states can empower and equip public health officials with the tools they need to protect their communities.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Marquisha Johns

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · Feb 14

Just in case: @statnews.com has backed up and is monitoring #CDC 's data. www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/t...

STAT is backing up and monitoring CDC data in real time: See what's changing

STAT is backing up and monitoring CDC data in real time: See what's changing.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Marquisha Johns

Katie Sandlin @kmsandlin.bsky.social · Feb 14

Today, along with 2,000 other NIH employees, I had to clear out my office 😭

It was truly the honor of my life to work with such incredibly passionate people focused on improving human health. I’ve never experienced a more positive culture where *everyone* cared about their job and serving others.

Office desk without any personal items or decor

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 14

Absolutely recommend checking out @emmbadger.bsky.social’s new NYT article for those wanting to dig in more on NIH cuts. The combination of my article and hers really highlights the different attacks here—infectious dz, overhead cuts—and what they mean for states!

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 14

Louisiana with yet another bad vaccine policy. It’s almost like they waited to make sure RFK Jr., a vaccine conspiracist, was empowered before make this move. Proud to see my hometown, New Orleans, and its health department taking a stand!

Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · Feb 14

Louisiana's Department of Health says it will no longer promote mass vaccination. www.cnn.com/2025/02/13/h...

Louisiana Department of Health says it will no longer promote mass vaccination | CNN

The Louisiana Department of Health will no longer promote mass vaccination, the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Ralph Abraham, told state health workers Thursday.

www.cnn.com

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

Now is not the time to pull back on investments in public health and scientific innovation.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

Data shows that NIH funding is critical for developing life-saving treatments. NIH funding has contributed to the development of roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

These changes will threaten medical research and advancement, harming people’s health and forgoing billions of dollars that boost economies in every state.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

Cuts to infectious disease research and NIH staff reductions are coming, following the administration’s recent move to limit research institutions’ administrative support to just 15%.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

In my new article, I explain what’s at stake for the largest public funder of biomedical research and its grantees whose research spans more than 300 health topics.

www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...

How Cuts to NIH Research Funding Would Hurt States

Proposed changes to the National Institutes of Health’s $48 billion budget would risk jobs, threaten state economies, and hamper progress toward prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer.

www.americanprogress.org

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 13

We should anticipate even more drastic changes to NIH following RFK Jr.’s confirmation as HHS Secretary—changes that undermine scientific integrity, innovation, and public trust.

www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...

How Cuts to NIH Research Funding Would Hurt States

Proposed changes to the National Institutes of Health’s $48 billion budget would risk jobs, threaten state economies, and hamper progress toward prevention and treatment of diseases such as cancer.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Marquisha Johns

Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · Feb 4

RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine record speaks for itself, even if he tries to deny it. Last week, Sen. @chrismurphyct.bsky.social called out exactly this.

RFK Jr. puts your health at risk. Take action now before it’s too late:
www.americanprogress.org/take-action/...

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Feb 1

👏🏾👏🏾

Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 31

It's happening.

Larry Levitt @larrylevitt.bsky.social · Jan 31

Context for the CDC eliminating data from its website today. This was in Project 2025.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 31

On top of this weirdness, buried here is a provision prohibiting communities from implementing vaccine or mask policies that keep people safe and healthy.

That's going to be perfect if we have another public health emergency as if that's totally out of the realm of possibility!

Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · Jan 31

ICYMI: The Transportation Dept has directed its programs to prioritize giving federal $$$ to places with higher-than-average marriage and birth rates.

All DOT and DOT-backed grants, loans + contracts, including existing agreements.

Totally normal stuff! www.huffpost.com/entry/dot-me...

A New Government Memo Feels Like It’s Straight Out Of 'The Handmaid’s Tale'

The memo also said recipients of federal transportation dollars must cooperate with immigration enforcement, a hit to so-called sanctuary cities.

www.huffpost.com

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 31

A powerful commentary on the role of the medical, science, and public health community in these dark times. Incredibly, proud to call the author a collaborator in the hard work ahead. Great work, Steve!

Steven Woolf @shwoolf.bsky.social · Jan 31

Just published this morning in JAMA, on how medicine and public health should respond to the new administration. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

How Should Health Care and Public Health Respond to the New US Administration?

This Viewpoint discusses scientific, medical, and public health actions, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization, taken so far during the first week of the Trump administration.

jamanetwork.com

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

Unsurprising as they said they would do this in Project 2025. Breathing clean air and drinking clean water should be the most basic things we can agree on and this administration won't even commit to that. Corporate greed is more important that public health.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

Nice closing from Cassidy but he left too open a door for RFK Jr. to feign a shift on the viewpoints we already know he's committed to.

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

RFK Jr.:"I'll comply with the laws."

*Prospective boss that he pledges to serve at the pleasure of proceeds to NOT comply with the laws*

Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

This is unfair to the families affected and a very unserious response to a tragic event.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Jan 30

COLLINS: We don't even yet know the names of the people killed and you're blaming Dems and DEI policies. Don't you think you're getting ahead of the investigation?

TRUMP: No, I don't think so

C: Does it comfort their families to hearing you blaming DEI?

R: That's not a very smart question

Reposted by Marquisha Johns

Andrea Ducas @andreaducas.bsky.social · Jan 30

RFK Jr is asked: 'how will you decide which scientists are good, and which scientists are bad?" Says: the ones that are corrupt. Interesting. I wonder whether profiting off conspiracy theories (say, by making money from litigation against a vaccine you want to limit access to) constitutes corrupt?

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

I literally don't understand why Biden and Obama are even part of the conversation. You're in charge now, let's focus on what you're going to do!

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

Not only does he not understand Medicare (see my previous post). He doesn't understand Medicaid. This program covers almost 80 million people, including children.

Protect Our Care @protectourcare.org · Jan 30

RFK Jr. completely fumbled basic Medicaid facts in his confirmation hearing. He claimed:
❌ Medicaid has premiums (it doesn’t).
❌ It’s fully federally funded (it’s not).
❌ 30M babies are born on Medicaid (8x the total U.S. births!).
This man is not fit for HHS. #StopRFK

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

This program covers 66 million people and the person we're interviewing to lead it doesn't even know the basic components of the program. We're gambling with real people's lives.

Jill Rosenthal @jillrose.bsky.social · Jan 30

There are only four parts of Medicare. How can a HHS secretary nominee make the case to run Medicare when they can't identify the basic four parts?

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Marquisha Johns @marquishajohns.bsky.social · Jan 30

Wow, powerful words from Hassan: Questioning settled science prevents us from moving forward and making critical progress that helps families, freezing us in place.

This is so dangerous not just for health but also for those so worried about us being able to compete with other countries.

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