The hottest Health Politics Substack posts right now

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Top Health Politics Topics

Heterodox Views In The Academy Could Save Lives

Heterodox STEM • 142 implied HN points • 22 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Scientific research Policy Debate Pandemic response Epidemiology
  1. The lab leak theory is still debated, but political biases can influence how openly this is discussed in science.
  2. Gain-of-function research helps study viruses but poses risks, as it could lead to pandemics if not handled properly.
  3. Honest communication about scientific topics can help build public trust, which is crucial for handling future health crises.

Hawaii "Keep Vaccines Optional" Rally

Who is Robert Malone • 13 implied HN points • 10 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccination policy Vaccine Mandates Public Health Child Health Health Advocacy COVID-19 Government Policy
  1. The West Coast Health Alliance continues to endorse, promote, and even mandate widespread childhood COVID-19 vaccination despite claims of risk of death and disability in children.
  2. A "Keep Vaccines Optional" rally took place in Hilo (Big Island) on January 9, 2026, and a video of the address is available.
  3. Coverage of the rally is published publicly as part of a reader-supported newsletter that encourages sharing and subscriptions.

NEWS UN-COVERED: health insurer rate hikes and Medicare Advantage ads in 2024

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 239 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare Costs Insurance Issues Government Policy Consumer Rights
  1. Medicare Advantage ads are misleading, and there is an effort by the government to make them more transparent. Consumers need to be careful and do their research before signing up for these plans.
  2. In 2024, health insurers are planning significant rate hikes that could affect employers and consumers. This could lead to higher overall healthcare costs and impact inflation.
  3. There is increasing pushback from employers against these rate hikes. They are using new transparency rules to negotiate better deals with health insurers.

BIG INSURANCE 2022: Revenues reached $1.25 trillion thanks to sucking billions out of the pharmacy supply chain – and taxpayers' pockets

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 539 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Insurance Medicare Pharmaceuticals Government programs Healthcare Costs Regulation
  1. Big insurance companies made a lot of money in 2022, reaching $1.25 trillion in revenue. They mainly got this money from managing drug benefits and government health programs.
  2. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are becoming really important for these insurers, as they now make up a huge portion of their profits. They control a lot of the drug pricing and decide which pharmacies patients can use.
  3. Most growth for these companies is coming from government programs like Medicare, while their commercial insurance business is struggling. Many people are now finding it harder to afford their healthcare costs.
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Medical Heretics from Rome to COVID

Bastiat's Window • 235 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Medical education COVID-19 Response
  1. Western medicine has a history of stifling dissent and vilifying those who question medical orthodoxy.
  2. The intertwining of social action projects and medical practice has led to harmful consequences in history and is a growing concern, especially since COVID.
  3. Trends in medical education and public health are increasingly influenced by politics and ideology, posing threats to medical care quality and civil society norms.

No evidence that the US childhood vaccine schedule saves lives

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccination Public Health Health Policy Child Health Epidemiology
  1. There is a claim that no credible study shows the US childhood vaccine schedule, or any vaccine schedule worldwide, provides an overall net mortality or morbidity benefit.
  2. Real-world examples are cited saying unvaccinated children in some pediatric practices and communities like the Amish appear healthier and have lower rates of conditions such as autism.
  3. The argument insists vaccine mandates and mainstream messaging rest on belief rather than solid evidence, and that media and health authorities are ignoring or suppressing this lack of proof.

State and local governments are acting to unburden millions in medical debt but federal action is still needed

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 299 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare access Medical Debt Policy Reform Insurance Issues
  1. Many people, even with health insurance, struggle to pay medical bills. High deductibles and out-of-pocket costs can make accessing healthcare really stressful.
  2. State and local governments are starting to help by abolishing medical debt for residents, providing immediate relief. This makes a huge difference in people's lives and encourages them to seek necessary healthcare.
  3. While local actions are positive, more federal support is needed to truly tackle medical debt. There’s a call for Congress to lower out-of-pocket costs and improve insurance protections so that medical debt doesn't become a lasting issue for many families.

Why can't anyone show us the study showing vaccines save lives?

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Policy Pediatrics Data
  1. No US record-level study has been found showing fully vaccinated children have lower all-cause mortality than under-vaccinated peers, despite searches by humans and AI.
  2. Many studies offered as evidence don’t meet the specific criteria cited here — they can be non-US, use modeled data, focus on single vaccines or short time windows, or lack individual record-level information.
  3. Because of the claimed absence of such US record-level evidence, the argument is that vaccine mandates rest on belief rather than direct data, and that a proper study should be done before mandating mass childhood vaccination.

CDC Warns CDC’s Own Scientists That Their Finding on Masks “Is Not Scientifically Correct”

The DisInformation Chronicle • 865 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Masks CDC Whistleblowers Policy
  1. CDC Director Mandy Cohen did not dismiss the idea of reinstituting mask mandates for toddlers.
  2. CDC's own scientists are in disagreement with the claim that N95 respirators are more effective than surgical masks.
  3. CDC has faced controversy over shifting stances on mask efficacy in stopping the spread of COVID.

Statistical Methods Links

In My Tribe • 303 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Mental health Public Health Substance Use Social media
  1. The more time teens spend on social media, the more likely they are to face mental health issues. This shows a clear relationship between social media use and negative effects on mental well-being.
  2. Historical evidence suggests that violence can lead to increased social advantages, but it doesn't prove that violence is beneficial overall. There could be alternative outcomes for peaceful behavior that aren't considered.
  3. Combining multiple studies doesn't automatically correct biases in research. If all the studies have flaws, their average result will likely still be flawed.

New Study: Higher-than-Expected Fetal Losses after mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination in Early Pregnancy

jackanapes • 139 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Vaccination Pregnancy Research Public Health Women's Health
  1. Women vaccinated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in early pregnancy experienced more fetal losses than expected. This means that for every 100 women vaccinated, there were more losses than what was normally seen.
  2. Most of these losses happened later in pregnancy, especially after week 24. This suggests that there are possible biological reasons behind the increase in losses, not just behavioral factors.
  3. In contrast, women who got the flu vaccine during the same early pregnancy window actually had fewer losses than expected. This comparison helps show that the risks associated with the COVID-19 vaccine might be different.

With Public Trust In Decline, Medical Establishment And Media Lash Out At Kennedy And Bhattacharya

Public • 386 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Trust Issues Political Influence
  1. Trust in medical institutions is decreasing, especially after issues with Covid, gender discussions, and addiction treatments. This loss of trust is causing people to question the authority of these institutions.
  2. There are growing concerns about the potential nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to significant health positions. Many believe their views could harm public health and spread misinformation.
  3. Experts warn that if these nominations happen, it could lead to worse health outcomes for Americans. There's fear that promoting anti-science ideas could result in increased sickness and death.

The Hidden Cost Of Unreliable Insurance

An Educated Guess • 290 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Health Insurance Public Health Mental health Healthcare policy
  1. Profit-driven health insurance can harm people's health instead of helping them. When companies prioritize making money, they can exploit their customers.
  2. Trust is really important in health insurance. If people feel taken advantage of, they won't believe their insurance will truly support them when they need it.
  3. Having health insurance can provide peace of mind and improve mental health. Just knowing you're covered can help reduce anxiety and depression, but many profit-driven plans don't offer this sense of security.

Three Years In

Force of Infection • 107 implied HN points • 26 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Outbreaks Infection Public Health Health Policy Community health
  1. The newsletter has evolved to focus more on everyday health issues rather than just major outbreaks. This change came from reader feedback about what they find most helpful.
  2. Over the past three years, the newsletter has gained a large audience, reaching over 42,000 readers in many countries. This shows that people value the information provided.
  3. Looking ahead, there is a desire for ongoing input from readers to improve the newsletter. The goal remains to offer clear, trustworthy health information that helps readers make better choices.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Feb 10

Force of Infection • 269 implied HN points • 10 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Epidemiology Disease Prevention Health Policy Health Communication
  1. The flu season is at a record high, with about 1 in 13 doctor visits now related to flu symptoms. This is the worst flu outbreak we have seen in over ten years.
  2. Young children are most affected by the flu, but older adults are at a greater risk for severe illness. It's important for everyone to take precautions to stay healthy.
  3. To prevent the flu, people should wear masks in crowded places, improve ventilation indoors, wash hands often, and get vaccinated. If infected, antivirals can help reduce illness duration.

Checking in on the summer covid season

Force of Infection • 104 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Infectious Diseases Public Health Epidemiology Health Policy Food Safety
  1. Influenza-like illnesses are currently very low across the country, with almost no hospitalizations. This means fewer people are visiting doctors for flu symptoms right now.
  2. COVID-19 activity is also low, but some states are seeing slight increases in cases and hospitalizations. Hawaii and Florida are the areas to watch as their numbers have been rising.
  3. Norovirus has been active this year, with a new strain causing concern. It's important to stay informed about food recalls and safety alerts, especially regarding unpasteurized milk products.

The choice between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage? It’s easier than you think.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 499 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Medicare Healthcare Insurance Costs Policy
  1. Traditional Medicare lets you see almost any doctor or hospital in the U.S., while Medicare Advantage usually limits you to a specific network of providers.
  2. Medicare Advantage plans sometimes deny necessary care, while traditional Medicare generally ensures full coverage for services recommended by your doctor.
  3. You might save money with Medicare Advantage in the short term, but if you need expensive care later, it could cost you much more than traditional Medicare.

COVID Inquiry Finds Lockdowns Were Terrible, While Reporters Call Bullshit on Government’s Lead Academic Advisor

The DisInformation Chronicle • 815 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Covid response Misinformation Media influence
  1. COVID Inquiry in the UK highlights failures of lockdown policies and issues with government advisors
  2. Top government advisors criticized media for promoting harmful COVID misinformation
  3. Journalists pointed out contradictions in the statements of government advisors during the inquiry

Hawaii and the West Coast Health Alliance

Who is Robert Malone • 12 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccine Policy Emergency powers Public Health State Politics Data Transparency
  1. The West Coast Health Alliance is a regional bloc of California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii that coordinates unified public health policies, promotes routine childhood COVID vaccination, and relies on shared data systems and philanthropic funding.
  2. Hawaii’s governor has used emergency proclamations to expand vaccine access—such as allowing pharmacists to give COVID mRNA shots to young children—and backed efforts to limit non-medical exemptions, moves critics call executive overreach that erodes parental and religious autonomy.
  3. The Alliance has resisted federal vaccine re-evaluation, declined to share pediatric adverse-event data, and outsourced monitoring to private contractors, prompting concerns it protects institutional and donor interests over transparency and informed consent.

Jay Bhattacharya will help make America healthy again

The Dossier • 339 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Pandemic response Healthcare policy Medical Ethics Censorship
  1. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is a key figure in advocating for more sensible COVID-related policies, taking personal risks in his professional life to voice his beliefs.
  2. He has been instrumental in challenging the heavy censorship surrounding opinions that go against popular narratives about the pandemic.
  3. Bhattacharya's courage and qualifications make him a strong leader in efforts to improve public health and address the mistakes made during the pandemic.

INVESTIGATION: CDC Upset Their Own Expert Advisers Not Recommending Masks, Demands They Recommend Masks

The DisInformation Chronicle • 795 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics CDC Masks Experts Guidance
  1. CDC is upset with their own expert advisors for not recommending masks and demands they change their advice
  2. Research shows that N95 respirators don't offer better protection than masks for COVID
  3. CDC's mask recommendations are influenced by political factors and do not align with research findings

Cigna and CVS's CEOs pulled in $632 million while 100 million Americans are buried under medical debt

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 479 implied HN points • 24 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare access Medical Debt Insurance Industry Corporate Accountability
  1. The CEOs of Cigna and CVS made a staggering $632 million while many Americans struggle with medical debt. This highlights a big gap between executive pay and the financial struggles of everyday people.
  2. One of the main issues is that many in the U.S. have extremely high deductibles, which means they take on a lot of out-of-pocket expenses before getting any help from insurance.
  3. There is a huge disparity in pay between these executives and their employees, with ratios reaching as high as 458 to 1. This raises questions about how fairly companies value their workers compared to top management.

My email asking Mark Del Monte, CEO of AAP, for a credible scientific study justifying the CDC childhood vaccine schedule

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccination Public Health Pediatrics Epidemiology Health Policy Clinical Research
  1. No peer-reviewed study has been identified that evaluates the full childhood vaccine schedule with individual-level data and shows a statistically significant net benefit for overall health or all-cause mortality.
  2. Requests for such evidence from major pediatric organizations and advisory committees may go unanswered, and there is skepticism they could produce a study meeting the stated criteria.
  3. Some non-vaccinating practices report lower rates of chronic childhood conditions, and there are claims that researchers who study vaccinated versus unvaccinated groups have been blocked from publishing, raising concerns about suppression of relevant research.

"We have no data"

Who is Robert Malone • 21 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Vaccine Policy Bioethics Public Health Informed consent Government Policy
  1. People must have real informed consent and be free from compulsion, coercion, or enticement when deciding about medical treatments or vaccines.
  2. Science is a dynamic, debate-driven process and public health recommendations should be conservative and based on solid data; making decisions when key data are missing is problematic.
  3. Public outrage and coordinated pressure can cost professionals their jobs and chill open scientific discussion, which undermines trust and the quality of medical policy.

Everything You Need to Know About H5N1 Bird Flu

OK Doomer • 245 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Pandemics Public Health Healthcare policy Epidemiology
  1. H5N1 bird flu is becoming a serious threat and might be spreading through the air from bird droppings, which could put people at risk even in parks.
  2. The current government's lack of transparency and support for tracking outbreaks is concerning, especially as hospitals face rising flu cases.
  3. Historical pandemics show that initial mildness can lead to deadly mutations, and without proper public health measures, we may be repeating past mistakes.

It's Already Worse Than We Thought

OK Doomer • 250 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Disease Control Health Policy Epidemiology Crisis Management
  1. The CDC recently shared worrying info about bird flu that was quickly retracted. This shows how serious the situation is around certain viruses.
  2. Viruses can mutate to become more dangerous over time, not just milder. Sometimes they start off seeming harmless, then turn deadly.
  3. Recent events are confirming fears that many have been labeled as 'doom and gloom' for mentioning. This serves as a reminder to take these warnings seriously.

An Open Proposal to the CEO of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Trust Data Transparency Research Methods Health Policy
  1. A plan to fund multiple independent research teams to analyze the same public government vaccine data, aiming to answer vaccine safety questions transparently.
  2. The effort would use jointly designed study specs, pre-registered protocols, and require public release of data, code, and methods, with publication of results regardless of outcome.
  3. The purpose is to reduce polarization and increase public trust by letting objective, independently verified analyses speak for themselves and involving organizations with different perspectives.

YouTube's CENSORSHIP CONTINUES: Chinese researchers solved the problem of pandemic viral mutations more than 20 years ago in research with 2 MILLION people

DrV’s Newsletter, Notes, Essays, Articles, Videos, and Book Chapters • 117 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Censorship
  1. Chinese researchers solved the problem of pandemic viral mutations over 20 years ago with research involving 2 million people.
  2. YouTube removed a video discussing the antiviral benefits of selenium published around 2000 due to censorship.
  3. Studies have shown selenium's life-saving benefits in regards to viral mutations and selenium deficiency.

Panic and neglect; panic and neglect

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1272 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Pandemic response Healthcare system
  1. The cycle of panic and neglect in public health is not new and can have long-lasting impacts.
  2. Countries like Vietnam have successfully avoided high COVID deaths by investing in public health systems.
  3. In the U.S., addressing the perpetual cycle of underfunding and fragmentation in public health is crucial for future pandemic preparedness.

Pathogenic Priming and Influenza Vaccination

Who is Robert Malone • 13 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Vaccine Policy Public Health Immunology Epidemiology Vaccine Safety Pandemic response
  1. The immune system’s first flu exposure creates a lasting memory that biases future responses, so it often reactivates old antibodies instead of making new ones against changed strains.
  2. That imprinting can help protect against related viruses but also locks in an “epitope hierarchy” where memory B cells outcompete naïve cells, reducing adaptability and sometimes lowering vaccine effectiveness or increasing illness with drifted strains.
  3. Relying on yearly strain-specific shots can reinforce this bias, so vaccine strategies that target conserved viral parts, use alternative prime‑boost approaches or adjuvants, or reduce frequent boosting are needed to restore broader, more flexible immunity.

Stanford led study: at least 20,000 global deaths from COVID jabs

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Epidemiology Vaccine Safety Health Policy Global Health
  1. COVID-19 vaccination likely prevented many deaths worldwide (central estimate ~2.5 million), but that figure is model-based and very sensitive to key assumptions.
  2. Estimates put vaccine-associated deaths on the order of tens of thousands globally (roughly ~20,000; range ~16,000–48,000), so harms are probably much smaller than benefits overall but remain highly uncertain.
  3. The mortality benefit was overwhelmingly concentrated in people aged 60 and older, with children and young adults receiving minimal benefit, suggesting vaccination strategies should account for age-specific risks and benefits.

Stacy Skolnik: The Ginny Suite (excerpt)

Do Not Research • 79 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Health Conditions Medical Research Public Health
  1. Sunnyvale syndrome is a mysterious condition affecting thousands of women globally, with symptoms including amnesia, language loss, and more.
  2. Victims of Sunnyvale syndrome face challenges in getting proper diagnosis and recognition, often encountering skepticism and lack of information from medical authorities.
  3. Social media is amplifying conspiracy theories around conditions like Sunnyvale syndrome, fueling public anxiety and misinformation.

Multi-Million Dollar Contract(s) Up For Grabs

Second Opinion • 196 implied HN points • 18 Apr 23
🏥 Health Politics Legislation Reform Health tech
  1. The US organ transplant system is in need of a significant overhaul to save lives and better serve patients.
  2. Recent government initiatives aim to introduce competition and reform to address long-standing failures in the system.
  3. Health tech builders have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by engaging in the reform process and improving organ donation systems.

Recording now available

Your Local Epidemiologist • 303 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Communication Trust Building
  1. Effective health communication is about more than just facts. It's about building trust and helping people take action, especially when opinions are divided.
  2. Listening to others and framing messages carefully can help get more people on board with health initiatives.
  3. It's important for public health workers to avoid burnout after a long fight, as they still have ongoing challenges ahead.

Medical Guilds are Bad Medicine

Who is Robert Malone • 14 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Regulation Licensing Monopolies Innovation Patient rights Professionalism Public Health
  1. Medical professional organizations act like modern guilds by tightly controlling who can practice, which limits competition, raises costs, and can harm patients.
  2. These groups concentrate power through credentialing, billing codes, publishing, and close ties with regulators and industry, fostering groupthink, censorship, and conflicts of interest.
  3. Meaningful reform — more transparency, open access, and freedom to innovate — is needed, otherwise government intervention or technologies like AI and big data will force change.

The Worst of Lethal Injection Strikes Again Today

The Medicine & Justice Project • 59 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🏥 Health Politics Lethal Injection Ethical Concerns
  1. Oklahoma is using a lethal injection formula that is likely to result in torturous executions, despite knowing the risks.
  2. The history of modern Oklahoma executions involves inventing the lethal injection method and facing challenges with drug availability and effectiveness.
  3. Experts have raised concerns about Oklahoma's lethal injection protocol, highlighting issues with the sedative midazolam and the lack of safeguards against extreme pain during executions.

The Association of American Medical Colleges is the Medical Guild driving DEI and Censorship

Who is Robert Malone • 13 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Medical education Accreditation Licensing DEI Policy Public Health
  1. The AAMC and its partners effectively control who becomes a doctor and what doctors learn by dominating admissions, accreditation, exams, and licensing, functioning like a modern guild that enforces uniform standards.
  2. Diversity, equity, and inclusion and related ideological frameworks have been deeply embedded into medical curricula, funding, and accreditation through semantic rebranding and alternative funding, allowing these programs to persist despite political pushback.
  3. During COVID and afterward the AAMC–AMA–NBME–FSMB alliance centralized messaging and enforcement to suppress dissent, and those same control mechanisms are being repurposed for new areas like climate and AI amid close federal and corporate ties that critics say warrant legal scrutiny.

What a Trump presidency can mean for health care

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 342 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Health Reform Public Health Policy advocacy Nutrition Regulation
  1. We need to eliminate conflicts of interest in healthcare. This means doctors shouldn’t take money from companies that could influence their decisions.
  2. The CDC and NIH are failing in their roles and need restructuring. They should focus better on data and improve how they operate.
  3. Children's nutrition is important. Schools should serve healthier food, and we need to cut down on processed foods to promote better eating habits.