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Natasha Loder

@natashaloder.bsky.social

15K followers 3.9K following 1.1K posts

Health Editor, The Economist. #Science #medicine #health, aspiring optimist, omnivorous information eater, mother of dragons. Free words at: Overmatter.substack.com

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · Mar 20

The dream of enhancing humanity is becoming a reality, with investments pouring into the human enhancement industry, aiming to make us stronger, smarter, and longer-lived. Notable investors like Christian Angermayer, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk are at the forefront #HumanEnhancement #TechRevolution

Cover of the Economist with words Rise of the Superhuman and futuristic blue enhanced Vetruvian man with syringes and a brain computer interface.

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 5d

In this talk I'll reflect back on what journalism's past tells us about the future of science journalism. I'll also talk about my long love affair with journalism, and how to get a bikini wax on expenses. Do come and join us, and let us debate the future.

M Smallman @melaniesmallman.bsky.social · 5d

Still time to join us on 15th October to talk the future of science journalism with @natashaloder.bsky.social as @stsucl.bsky.social hosts the @aaas.org @kavlifoundation.org Award lecture. Sign up here:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ucl-sts-ho...

UCL-STS Hosts 2025 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award Lecture

From Print to Prompts: What the Past Says About the Future of Science Journalism - A lecture by Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 5d

Head of the MHRA at our AI health summit this week

www.digitalhealth.net/2025/10/we-c...

'We can't afford to wait years for AI regulation' says Tallon

Lawrence Tallon, chief executive of the MHRA, said “we cannot afford to wait years” for AI to be regulated at the pace of innovation.

www.digitalhealth.net

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Reposted by Natasha Loder

Mike Forsythe 傅才德 @pekingmikenyt.bsky.social · 14d

China, for First Time, Vows to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...

U.N. General Assembly Updates: China, for First Time, Vows to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

www.nytimes.com

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

"The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy."

www.who.int/news/item/24...

WHO statement on autism-related issues

The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) ...

www.who.int

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

ah, yes I think that is probably correct.

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

Newsflash: lawyer does job.

The Times & Sunday Times @thetimes.com · 14d

🔺UPDATED: Labour lawyer advised £700k of donations be called ‘admin error’

Labour lawyer advised £700k of donations be called ‘admin error’

www.thetimes.com

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

alas this isn't lefty twitter?

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

When I wrote it I felt that the weight of evidence strongly suggested that something was going on, so you may not have been wrong. But science moves on.

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

Everyone keeps saying this place is lefy-Twitter. Is this true? Are there right-leaning folks on Bluesky? Having a diversity of opinions (well debated) is at the core of a modern functioning democracy and we need different voices.

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 14d

Well, to be fair, there is no real evidence that this was not just a bad seasonal influenza. That piece painted a picture, but since then there are counter arguments that suggest that it didn't start that early. I wouldn't say it is a slam dunk either way.

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 16d

yeah, the press conference was bat-shit crazy. Reminded me of the covid era speculation on the internal use of bleach.

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 16d

Wow, this autism press conference is so laden with errors and mis-statements it is hard to keep up.

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Reposted by Natasha Loder

WIRED @wired.com · 16d

Big Tech's embrace of President Trump has left many of us wondering: What the hell happened to Silicon Valley?

In our new politics issue, we're getting into it.

Also, we're taking this cover across the US in billboards, posters and a mural. Clues to find us in the 🧵: www.wired.com/politics-iss...

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

The big picture on UK pharma exits from Citeline

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Reposted by Natasha Loder

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

So the Royal College of Psychiatrists has quietly endorsed ketamine therapy hoping journalists wouldn't notice. #fail

open.substack.com/pub/overmatt...

British psychiatrists quietly endorse ketamine therapy

But they bury the lede in their new report

open.substack.com

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

🤨

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

That composite statistic makes it difficult to know how effective the covid vaccine is though.

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

Thank you for clarifying.

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 19d

So the Royal College of Psychiatrists has quietly endorsed ketamine therapy hoping journalists wouldn't notice. #fail

open.substack.com/pub/overmatt...

British psychiatrists quietly endorse ketamine therapy

But they bury the lede in their new report

open.substack.com

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 20d

Interesting, thank you! So am I reading this correctly? They are basically saying that most of the economic benefits come from avoided hospitalisation and for omicron the risks are greatly reduced and there are no deaths?

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 20d

Does anyone know why the JVCI decided that in the UK pregnant women shouldn't get covid shots any more during the booster season? Genuinely interested in the reasoning here rather than any kind of mud-slinging one way or another

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 20d

here overmatter.substack.com/p/the-6-revo...

The $6 revolution. How generic weight loss drugs could save millions of lives.

The arrival of generic semaglutide is an unheard of opportunity for global public health

overmatter.substack.com

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 21d

Also if you Subscribed to my Substack you could have read the article first, and completely free.

(My blog and now Substack has been free for TWO decades!)

Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 22d

So @petersinger.bsky.social and I just published a piece about the "$6 revolution" in generic GLP-1 drugs in Canada's @theglobeandmail.com.

You can also read the original, longer version, on our Substacks. (see below)

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Opinion: Canadians can benefit from tumbling prices on weight-loss drugs

Affordable semaglutide can improve the health outcomes for the more than 1 billion people living with obesity worldwide

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Natasha Loder @natashaloder.bsky.social · 22d

Substack version here.

overmatter.substack.com/p/the-6-revo...

The $6 revolution. How generic weight loss drugs could save millions of lives.

The arrival of generic semaglutide is an unheard of opportunity for global public health

overmatter.substack.com

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