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Adrian Liston @labliston.bsky.social · 2d

A small primer on the #NobelPrize awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi today. This prize was for combining two separate fields of immunology research - genetic research on IPEX and immunology research of regulatory T cells (#Tregs), with enormous impact on biology/medicine

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 3d

Jessie and I wrote at least a dozen times over the last few weeks, and she probably wrote just as much to @jsm2334.bsky.social, @doritreiss.bsky.social who I see are also quoted - as well as to ACIP members and Pfizer.

With thanks to @kevinault.bsky.social, who pinged me to say this was up.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 3d

The relentless Jessica McDonald has spent two weeks and hundreds of emails to fact check claims about the safety of #CovidVaccination in #pregnancy made at the #ACIP meeting.

She couldn't have been any quicker.

A lie can get around the world before the truth can get its shoes on.

FactCheck.org @factcheck.org · 4d

A substantial body of evidence supports the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy, contrary to the suggestions of some members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently reconstituted the committee.

www.factcheck.org/2025/10/vacc...

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Deena Mousa @deenamousa.com · 13d

In 2016 Geoffrey Hinton said “we should stop training radiologists now" since AI would soon be better at their jobs.

He was right: models have outperformed radiologists on benchmarks for ~a decade.

Yet radiology jobs are at record highs, with an average salary of $520k.

Why?

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Mike Raphone @cheatlines.co · Dec 21

When I encounter myself as a different colored cursor because I have the Google Doc open in two tabs

Natalie Portman in Black Swan being menaced by a doppelganger in the mirror

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ACOG @acog.org · 15d

ACOG reaffirms that acetaminophen is safe for managing pain and fever during pregnancy. No reputable studies support suggestions like those in HHS’s recent announcement linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism; in fact, high-quality studies show no such risk. https://bit.ly/47Wxc59

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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 15d

From Politifact: Research doesn’t show using Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism. Here are 5 things to know
www.pbs.org/newshour/hea...

Research doesn’t show using Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism. Here are 5 things to know

There’s no known single cause of autism.

www.pbs.org

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 16d

Yes! This is super-interesting to me. In the UK, we make most of our fund/don't fund decisions in healthcare centrally, based on national statistics, modelling and all that jazz. I'm no fan of for-profit healthcare, but I do wonder if the profit motive is helpful when considering preventative care.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 16d

This also takes into account the financial cost of taking care of sick people, which is why some categories are marked as “cost saving”. At that price/dose in that group, it is cheaper to vaccinate than not. 2/2

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 16d

Across the top is cost per dose of vaccine. The numbers underneath show how much it costs to save one year of someone’s life (adjusted for quality, so taking into account saving people from avoiding disability as well as death) at that cost per dose, in the age group. 1/

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Edward Nirenberg @enirenberg.bsky.social · 18d

Brilliant, baller move by Dr. Bagdasarian.

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 18d

I like this. Since under RFK Jr, Covid shots are now for people with underlying conditions that put them at risk, Michigan’s chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian states that not having the most recent Covid shot constitutes such an underlying condition.

www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside...

In her recommendation, Bagdasarian stated,
"Any person over the age of six months without contraindication who has not received a dose of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved or-authorized 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine may be considered to have an underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 and is thus eligible to receive an age-appropriate dose."

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

“Hotly anticipated US vaccine meeting ends with confusion — and a few decisions”

Hotly anticipated US vaccine meeting ends with confusion — and a few decisions

Vaccine advisers chosen by US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr vote to restrict one childhood vaccine, but delay their decision on another.

www.nature.com

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José Cerca @naturalselection.bsky.social · 18d

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Adrian Liston @labliston.bsky.social · 19d

For our #flowcytometry peeps, would you like to have a single fix/perm protocol that is optimised for everything? One that preserves fluorophores while allowing simultaneous TF and cytokine staining? How about 100-fold cheaper?

You got it:
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

People seems to be cautiously optimistic that, between the way the recommendation is worded, decisions by insurers and state-level legislation, COVID vaccination should still be available for those that want it. And protection of the newborn, I would say, is a good reason to want it. 10/10

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

The recommendations are… kinda unclear. But there does seem to be a stronger recommendation (if we can call it that) for over 65s.

9/

bsky.app/profile/magg...

Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 18d

Okay. ACIP meeting is over. Here are the four things they voted on with regard to Covid vaccines. Votes 1, 3 and 4 passed. Vote 2 (the call for a prescription requirement) did NOT pass.

The language is so unclear that two legal experts I've consulted so far don't know what this means for access.

Covid-19 Vaccines — Vote #1

It is the sense of the committee that the CDC engages in an effort to promote more consistent and comprehensive informed consent processes, and as part of that considers adding language accessible to patients and medical providers to describe at least the six risks and uncertainties included in the WG chair presentation.

Covid-19 vaccines — vote #2

It is the sense of the committee that state and local jurisdictions should require a prescription for the administration of a Covid-19 vaccination.

Covid-19 vaccines — vote #3

It is the sense of the committee that in conversations with patients before Covid-19 vaccination, authorized healthcare providers discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccination for the individual patient. The discussion should consider known risk factors for severe outcomes from Covid-19, such as age, prior infections, immunosuppression, and certain comorbidities identified by the CDC, and include a discussion of the potential benefits and risks of vaccination and related uncertainties, especially those outlined in the vaccine information statement, as part of informed consent.

Covid-19 vaccines — vote #4

The pediatric and adult immunization schedules for administration of FDA-approved Covid-19 vaccines should be updated as follows:

Adults 65 and older: Vaccination based on individual-based decision-making, also known as shared clinical decision making

Individuals 6 months to 64 years: Vaccination based on individual-based decision-making — with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk for severe Covid-19 disease and lowest for individuals who are not at an increased risk, according to the CDC list of Covid-19 risk factors.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

It is frustrating that protection of the newborn was not considered in the ACIP analysis.

Though given that the effects seem to be similar between newborns and over 65, we might make an argument that any recommendation applying to >65 should also apply to pregnancy. 8/

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

Healthcare economics is not my area at all! But of note, the UK equivalent of ACIP (the JCVI) has done a similar analysis and come to similar conclusions.

This js why, in the UK, COVID vaccination is now only free for over 75s and those at high risk (anyone else must pay). 7/

JCVI statement on COVID-19 vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026

www.gov.uk

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

An economic analysis was presented suggesting that COVID vaccination is cost-effective for high risk adults over 65, but not for low-risk adults in the same age group. 6/

www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...

Analysis of cost-effectiveness of COVID vaccination in different age and risk groups, from the CDC presentation linked in the post. Vaccination is cost-saving in at risk over 65, so long as it costs less than $90/dose.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

Taken together with the fact that babies under 6 months old are as at-risk as adults between 65 and 75, this might make a case for vaccination in pregnancy to protect newborns.

These data were presented at the ACIP meeting… 5/

www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...

A slide from the CDC presentation linked in the post. Graph showing that the rate of COVID hospitalisation is similar in babies under 6 months and adults over 65.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

For context, this is a bit less effective at protecting newborns than whooping cough (66-94%) or RSV (80%) vaccination in pregnancy…

…but these are given at a time to maximise newborn protection, whereas COVID vaccination isn’t. 4/

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

3. COVID vaccination in pregnancy is about 55% effective at preventing hospitalisation of infants under 2 months and 40% under 5 months. 3/

Slide from the CDC presentation linked in the post above. Results from test negative case control studies showing COVID vaccination in pregnancy is approximately 55% effective against hospitalisation with COVID in infants under 2 months old.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

2. COVID vaccination is about 60% effective at protecting against ER and urgent care visits with COVID during pregnancy (though there’s a decently wide confidence interval).

2/

www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...

Slide from the CDC presentation linked in the post. Results from test negative case control studies showing COVID vaccination is approximately 40% effective against hospitalisation with COVID in non-pregnancy immunocompetent women, and 60% among pregnant women. The error bars of the two estimates overlap.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

Props to the CDC staff who presented the science at yesterday’s #ACIP meeting.

Key points relating to #CovidVaccination in #pregnancy…

1. No increased risk of any problems in pregnancy, at birth, or for infants

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www.cdc.gov/acip/downloa...

A slide presented at the 18 September ACIP meeting (linked in the post). Links to CDC run studies on COVID vaccine safety in pregnancy. A list of outcomes not associated with COVID vaccination in pregnancy in these studies, including miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, major birth defects, maternal or infant ICU admission.

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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 18d

I started following yesterday’s #ACIP just in time for the votes, fully intending to summarise the outcomes.

I didn’t, because… I couldn’t work out what they had actually decided... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Glad it’s not just me!

Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 18d

Okay. ACIP meeting is over. Here are the four things they voted on with regard to Covid vaccines. Votes 1, 3 and 4 passed. Vote 2 (the call for a prescription requirement) did NOT pass.

The language is so unclear that two legal experts I've consulted so far don't know what this means for access.

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