Gerald Evans
@skepticaliddoc.bsky.social
ID Doc at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Professor of Medicine at Queen's University | Editor-in-Chief of JAMMI | Rhythm guitarist in Old Docs New Tricks | Happy to be a 🇨🇦 | Opinions are my own
So, when AI doesn't have an answer, it just lies and makes up stuff?
The use of the colour orange in the graphic of this article is perhaps telling. theconversation.com/ai-systems-c...
The use of the colour orange in the graphic of this article is perhaps telling. theconversation.com/ai-systems-c...
AI systems can easily lie and deceive us – a fact researchers are painfully aware of
In stress-testing AI models, it’s not hard to push them to the brink and make them threaten to harm humans.
theconversation.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
So, when AI doesn't have an answer, it just lies and makes up stuff?
The use of the colour orange in the graphic of this article is perhaps telling. theconversation.com/ai-systems-c...
The use of the colour orange in the graphic of this article is perhaps telling. theconversation.com/ai-systems-c...
Contributed to this article by @egpayne.bsky.social about the challenges with improving vaccination rates of health care workers against influenza this year. ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n...
Hospitals scrambling to convince more staff to get flu shots
Declining uptake of flu vaccines among health workers comes at a time when officials are anticipating a severe influenza season.
ottawacitizen.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Contributed to this article by @egpayne.bsky.social about the challenges with improving vaccination rates of health care workers against influenza this year. ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n...
Having just participated in a provincial health care tabletop exercise dealing with special pathogens, this real life report is similar to one part of a scenario that was used. www.afro.who.int/news/ethiopi...
Ethiopia reports suspected viral haemorrhagic fever outbreak
Health authorities in Ethiopia are carrying out further investigations and ramping up response after suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever were reported in the country’s South Ethiopia Region.
www.afro.who.int
November 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Having just participated in a provincial health care tabletop exercise dealing with special pathogens, this real life report is similar to one part of a scenario that was used. www.afro.who.int/news/ethiopi...
We fast-tracked the peer-review on this paper given the potential implications for this year's influenza season.
Kudos to our Canadian colleagues for their work.
Kudos to our Canadian colleagues for their work.
Let’s talk about why I am increasingly uneasy about the upcoming flu season. A new H3N2 influenza variant has been emerging globally, and it carries mutations linked to immune escape i.e the virus’s ability to bypass some of our pre-existing immunity. 🧵
utppublishing.com/doi/10.3138/...
utppublishing.com/doi/10.3138/...
Emergence of seasonal influenza A(H3N2) variants with immune escape potential warrants enhanced molecular and epidemiological surveillance for the 2025–2026 season | Journal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada
Background: All of the major antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) viruses since 1968 have involved mutations at just nine amino acid positions, called cluster transition sites, surrounding the receptor binding region of the hemagglutinin surface protein. During the northern hemisphere (NH) 2024–2025 influenza season, A(H3N2) variants emerged with multiple parallel substitutions affecting cluster transition sites 135, 145, 158 and/or 189, with implications for the 2025–2026 season. Methods: Using >24,000 global A(H3) sequences between September 2024 and August 2025, we assess the nature and frequency of amino acid mutations among emerging NH and southern hemisphere (SH) A(H3N2) variants relative to the 2024–2025 subclade J and updated 2025–2026 subclade J.2 vaccine reference strains. We contextualize based upon historic amino acid variation among >210,000 global A(H3) sequences since 1968 and publicly available antigenic characterization data relative to 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 vaccine reference strains Results: Virtually all circulating A(H3N2) viruses in 2024–2025 were subclade J.2. In Europe, about one-third had cluster transition site mutations, mostly T135A with S145N. In North America, more than two-thirds had cluster transition site mutations, including T135K or S145N, with late-season increase in doubly mutated J.2.3 (N158K + K189R) and J.2.5 (S145N + N158K) subclades. The SH 2025 season showed increase in J.2.3 and emergence of J.2.4 (T135K + K189R) including a further drifted J.2.4.1 variant with additional N158D and other mutations, recently renamed subclade K. A substantial proportion of J.2.3 and J.2.4 viruses are antigenically distinct from the 2025–2026 influenza vaccine. Conclusion: Influenza A(H3N2) variants with a combination of cluster transition site mutations emerged during the NH 2024–2025 season. A further drifted and vaccine-mismatched variant now called subclade K arose during the SH 2025 season and is projected to predominate among A(H3N2) viruses for the NH 2025–2026 season. While mismatched vaccines may still provide protection, enhanced genetic, antigenic and epidemiological (eg, vaccine effectiveness) monitoring are warranted to inform risk assessment and response.
utppublishing.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
We fast-tracked the peer-review on this paper given the potential implications for this year's influenza season.
Kudos to our Canadian colleagues for their work.
Kudos to our Canadian colleagues for their work.
Well, this case report came as a bit of a shock. www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S221...
Implications of a fatal anaphylactic reaction occurring 4 hours after eating beef in a young man with IgE antibodies to galactose-α-1,3-galactose
The recognition of galactose-α-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) syndrome (AGS) arose from
the availability of the assay for IgE to alpha-gal, which in turn arose from the investigation
of severe reactions to...
www.jaci-inpractice.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Well, this case report came as a bit of a shock. www.jaci-inpractice.org/article/S221...
Amen.
November 12, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Amen.
"We are the dead.
Short days ago, we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved, and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
- Lt. Col John McCrae, MD
Short days ago, we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved, and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
- Lt. Col John McCrae, MD
November 11, 2025 at 10:26 PM
"We are the dead.
Short days ago, we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved, and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
- Lt. Col John McCrae, MD
Short days ago, we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved, and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields."
- Lt. Col John McCrae, MD
If you're not following the erudite, plain-speaking virologist @angierasmussen.bsky.social, you should be.
Here's the link to her latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
Here's the link to her latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
Release The Ostriches' Grippe
The Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the way for the ostrich cull, but fascist extremism isn't so easy to euthanize
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM
If you're not following the erudite, plain-speaking virologist @angierasmussen.bsky.social, you should be.
Here's the link to her latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
Here's the link to her latest Substack post.
open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...
Reposted by Gerald Evans
@glaucomflecken.bsky.social hitting close to home with this ID doc at the soccer game....
Reflexively, I couldn't help screaming in my head...don't put DEET on the net, only use permethrin on clothing!!
#IDSky
www.youtube.com/shorts/Q8UGF...
Reflexively, I couldn't help screaming in my head...don't put DEET on the net, only use permethrin on clothing!!
#IDSky
www.youtube.com/shorts/Q8UGF...
Infectious Disease Doctor Goes To A Soccer Game
YouTube video by Dr. Glaucomflecken
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:39 PM
@glaucomflecken.bsky.social hitting close to home with this ID doc at the soccer game....
Reflexively, I couldn't help screaming in my head...don't put DEET on the net, only use permethrin on clothing!!
#IDSky
www.youtube.com/shorts/Q8UGF...
Reflexively, I couldn't help screaming in my head...don't put DEET on the net, only use permethrin on clothing!!
#IDSky
www.youtube.com/shorts/Q8UGF...
Advanced access report in JAMMI of significant changes in the seasonal influenza A(H3N2) clade likely to dominate in the northern hemisphere season. can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
Emergence of seasonal influenza A(H3N2) variants with immune escape potential warrants enhanced molecular and epidemiological surveillance for the 2025–2026 season | Journal of the Association of Medi...
Background: All of the major antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) viruses since 1968 have involved mutations at just nine amino acid positions, called cluster transition sites, surrounding the recep...
can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Advanced access report in JAMMI of significant changes in the seasonal influenza A(H3N2) clade likely to dominate in the northern hemisphere season. can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
This cartoon reminds me of going to see my family physician a few years back and being asked personal questions by the front staff in earshot of the waiting room.
November 4, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This cartoon reminds me of going to see my family physician a few years back and being asked personal questions by the front staff in earshot of the waiting room.
If you spend too much of your time on social media sites, I suggest a read of this article might be just what you need. psyche.co/guides/how-t...
How to tolerate annoying things | Psyche Guides
Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease
psyche.co
November 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
If you spend too much of your time on social media sites, I suggest a read of this article might be just what you need. psyche.co/guides/how-t...
Well-written piece here on the dangers of not understanding inflammation that is often exploited by non-medical charlatans looking for their next payout. www.theatlantic.com/health/2025/...
The Inflammation Gap
Popular ideas about inflammation have lost touch with medical reality.
www.theatlantic.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Well-written piece here on the dangers of not understanding inflammation that is often exploited by non-medical charlatans looking for their next payout. www.theatlantic.com/health/2025/...
An interesting critique on how post modernism's questioning of universal truth and objective reality has been exploited by various bad actors. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
Ford: We set the stage for Trump who just stomped all over it
Trump is not a phenomenon; we could have predicted his ascendancy, his vulgarity and his bully tactics, writes columnist Catherine Ford.
calgaryherald.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:53 PM
An interesting critique on how post modernism's questioning of universal truth and objective reality has been exploited by various bad actors. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
This is so well-written, it is worth noting the author @chloenazra.bsky.social
This is a must-read for everyone.
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Opinion | The Women Behind the 'Wonderful Secrets'
The government's role in the Epstein case has profound effects on women's mental health
www.medpagetoday.com
September 25, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This is so well-written, it is worth noting the author @chloenazra.bsky.social
This is a must-read for everyone.
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Opinion | The Women Behind the 'Wonderful Secrets'
The government's role in the Epstein case has profound effects on women's mental health
www.medpagetoday.com
September 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
This is a must-read for everyone.
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
A quote to get you started: "It is near impossible to elicit shame in an era of shamelessness."
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Why does the media keep writing: "Science does not back up the assertion that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."?
Here's a clearer statement:
"There is NO reputable scientific evidence that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."
Here's a clearer statement:
"There is NO reputable scientific evidence that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."
a man in a tuxedo sits at a table with his eyes closed and his hands folded
ALT: a man in a tuxedo sits at a table with his eyes closed and his hands folded
media.tenor.com
September 23, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Why does the media keep writing: "Science does not back up the assertion that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."?
Here's a clearer statement:
"There is NO reputable scientific evidence that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."
Here's a clearer statement:
"There is NO reputable scientific evidence that acetaminophen/paracetamol use is linked to autism."
A poignant recounting by a colleague. www.cmaj.ca/content/197/...
Of course he mattered
My pager buzzed, its vibration cutting through the hum of another night on internal medicine call. The familiar number on the screen indicated ward 5. I dialled, and the charge nurse who answered reas...
www.cmaj.ca
September 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
A poignant recounting by a colleague. www.cmaj.ca/content/197/...
Happy Gotcha Day to our lovable girlie!
September 12, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Happy Gotcha Day to our lovable girlie!
I think we all need to be reminded that when Public Health is very successful, nothing happens.
The move to diminish Public Health means bad things are going to happen.
www.vox.com/health/45976...
The move to diminish Public Health means bad things are going to happen.
www.vox.com/health/45976...
The bigger story behind the mass exodus of CDC leadership
The CDC is collapsing. Will America’s health follow suit?
www.vox.com
September 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM
I think we all need to be reminded that when Public Health is very successful, nothing happens.
The move to diminish Public Health means bad things are going to happen.
www.vox.com/health/45976...
The move to diminish Public Health means bad things are going to happen.
www.vox.com/health/45976...
An informative read, which is applicable to Canada's MD recruitment as well.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
The Brain Drain That Keeps the NHS Running
As UK-trained doctors struggle to find jobs, the ethics of recruiting from countries with critical healthcare staff shortages should be scrutinised.
www.medscape.com
August 28, 2025 at 2:24 PM
An informative read, which is applicable to Canada's MD recruitment as well.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
We’re on our summer hiatus, but looking forward to getting together with my bandmates soon to look at upcoming gigs this fall & winter.
August 10, 2025 at 8:21 PM
We’re on our summer hiatus, but looking forward to getting together with my bandmates soon to look at upcoming gigs this fall & winter.
Why #SocMed is not always a good thing. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
Doctors Warn of Rising Risks From Viral Medicine Challenges
One of the trending challenges on TikTok and Instagram is ‘the challenge of taking the strongest medication you have at home.’
www.medscape.com
August 9, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Why #SocMed is not always a good thing. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
A poignant read. macleans.ca/society/conf...
Confessions of the Working Poor - Macleans.ca
I work hard, buy quality clothes and fake my way through dinner-party conversations. I'm also part of a fast-growing Canadian underclass.
macleans.ca
July 30, 2025 at 7:33 PM
A poignant read. macleans.ca/society/conf...