The hottest Public Health Substack posts right now

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Top Health & Wellness Topics

The Circle of Death

Break Free with Karen Hunt • 1454 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Masks are made of toxic nanoplastics and were mandated by Dr. Fauci, potentially causing harm to individuals.
  2. Plastics are synthetic and not naturally balanced like David Latimer's terrarium, leading to environmental and health hazards.
  3. Fauci and other health leaders are accused of distorting reality and normalizing untruths, emphasizing the need for independent thinking and scrutiny.

Building the mRNA Empire

Break Free with Karen Hunt • 1454 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. The world is seeing the rise of mRNA vaccine production facilities globally.
  2. Billions of people have been conditioned to believe the narrative around mRNA vaccines, despite their actual effectiveness.
  3. The story of Katalin Karikó exemplifies the push for mRNA technology, despite past ethical concerns in vaccine development.

For the resisters

Disaffected Newsletter • 2098 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Resisters are a minority who often don't get recognition or support from society, but their actions matter. It's important to document what they did and how they stood against mainstream pressure.
  2. There has been a cultural shift where some people are starting to realize the wrongness of past actions, but many won't apologize or acknowledge their mistakes. This creates an uneasy silence about the issues faced by resisters.
  3. It's vital for resisters to share their stories and actions, no matter how small, as they can inspire future generations. Even the smallest act of resistance can be significant for someone else.

‘Polio Ravaged My Family.’ Political Violence Is Back. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2207 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Polio vaccines have saved many lives and prevented unimaginable pain for families. Ignoring their value can lead to serious health risks.
  2. Political violence is increasing again, and it seems people are accepting or even supporting it more. In the past, similar patterns led to chaos.
  3. In Georgia, protests are happening every night, reflecting deep concerns about the country's direction. People are fighting for their future and EU membership.

A Closer Look at the 2026 U.S. Food Guidelines

Experimental Fat Loss • 77 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The 2026 U.S. dietary guidelines emphasize "eat real food" and cut back on ultra-processed foods. They stop demonizing saturated fat and explicitly include full-fat dairy and traditional fats like butter and tallow.
  2. The guidelines push prioritizing protein (about 1.2–1.6 g/kg), which will likely nudge people from processed, seed‑oil‑heavy foods toward more meat and dairy and may help population health, though some individuals do better with lower protein.
  3. Because government guidance shapes hospital, school, military, and packaged food choices, this shift could meaningfully reduce seed oil use and change what Americans actually eat, making the institutional impact as important as the individual advice.
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February 6, 2026

Letters from an American • 32 implied HN points • 07 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The president and his team have used racist imagery and doctored photos to stoke racial divisions and try to break the broad coalition opposing them, but those tactics are rallying criticism instead of support.
  2. Immigration and law enforcement actions reveal mismanagement and apparent constitutional abuses, with chaotic chains of command and people detained without clear legal authority.
  3. Policy moves across the administration—from stripping civil service protections and pushing strict voter ID rules to mishandling public health, jobs, and support for farmers—risk harming communities and undermining democratic norms.

German Public Television Reports on the Wuhan Cover Up

The DisInformation Chronicle • 705 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. German scientists suggest that the COVID-19 virus may have been engineered in a lab, challenging the idea it came from nature.
  2. Some scientists faced backlash for trying to raise concerns about the virus's origins, leading to fears that scientific integrity is at risk.
  3. Documents reveal past proposals to create similar viruses, raising questions about the responsibility of researchers in handling dangerous pathogens.

Bari’s Picks of the Week: Right from Wrong

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 616 implied HN points • 01 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. There's growing concern about the acceptance of violence in politics, shown by online reactions to a tragic murder. Many are questioning how society has shifted to celebrate such events.
  2. A respected doctor, Dr. Vinay Prasad, faced a smear campaign that led to his removal from a key health position. This highlights issues of trust and transparency in public health.
  3. In the chaos of war, accurate information is critical yet often hard to find. Voices in Israel are grappling with how to navigate conflicting reports about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

A lot more Americans are dying of COVID than the flu. It’s not too late to get your updated vaccine.

News from Those Nerdy Girls • 786 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Winter respiratory illness season is approaching, and there is a significant surge in COVID cases.
  2. COVID is more deadly than the flu, with more Americans dying of COVID compared to flu.
  3. The updated COVID vaccine is effective and worth getting, providing strong protection against infection and severe outcomes.

Weekend of a Lifetime

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 32 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Community programs that start as personal recovery can naturally become service: simple, regular group movement and no-pressure social time give people a safe place to breathe, connect, and feel less alone.
  2. Framing struggles as "nervous system health" rather than clinical "mental health" can make the path forward clearer, because sleep, routine, exercise and community help settle the nervous system and build resilience.
  3. Real cultural change comes from people giving themselves to something bigger and from everyday rituals and honest conversation; a suicide-free future will be built one regulated nervous system and authentic connection at a time.

Covid Situation Report: May 30, 2024

Independent SAGE continues • 219 implied HN points • 31 May 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Covid positivity rates in England have recently peaked and are starting to decline, indicating that this small wave of Covid is likely over.
  2. The Spring 2024 booster campaign is doing well, with over 3.6 million doses given, but many immunocompromised individuals still need better vaccine coverage.
  3. A new variant called KP.2 is spreading, but it doesn't seem to be significantly more effective than other existing variants at this time.

H5N1 Update: January 7

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1940 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. H5N1, or bird flu, is still spreading among animals and has now caused its first human death in the U.S. It's a serious virus, but the general public's risk remains low for now.
  2. Experts are worried about H5N1 because it could mutate and become more dangerous, especially if it spreads among animals that are close to humans. Keeping tabs on this virus is important.
  3. Right now, there's not much for the average person to do except stay informed. Avoid sick animals and unpasteurized milk to stay safe, and let health officials manage the outbreak.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 18

Force of Infection • 66 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Flu activity is falling across most of the country but remains elevated, especially in the Northeast and among young children. It might rebound, but usually there’s a single peak and activity typically winds down by March.
  2. COVID-19 indicators are generally declining and ED visits have dropped, yet wastewater levels remain high in parts of the country, with the Midwest currently the hardest hit. Continued monitoring is needed as regional trends differ.
  3. Several food recalls are underway, including a large multistate Salmonella-linked supplement recall, so check and discard any affected products you may have. Wastewater surveillance is also showing value as an early warning tool for outbreaks like measles.

NZ's Midwifery Council wants to stop using the words 'mother' and 'baby' for mothers and babies.

A B’Old Woman • 679 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. New Zealand's Midwifery Council wants to change the terms 'mother' and 'baby' to be more inclusive. This is to recognize people who identify differently but may give birth.
  2. The decision has faced criticism for erasing traditional language related to motherhood. Many believe it undermines the focus on women's rights in midwifery.
  3. The changes to the language used in midwifery can impact how health professionals operate. Clear language is crucial to ensure safe and effective care.

Interpreting the Turnaway Study Correctly

Bet On It • 150 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The study finds that women denied abortions report similar long-run life satisfaction to those who got abortions, suggesting the subjective benefits of parenting can offset its objective costs.
  2. Being denied an abortion still leads to real harms: prolonged financial hardship, changed life trajectories, worse relationships, health risks, and in a few cases death — emotional resilience doesn’t erase those effects.
  3. Policy claims should depend on measured magnitudes; researchers should pre-specify the effect sizes that would justify different laws, because findings that don’t change policy recommendations are misleading.

Meet the MAHA Moms. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1683 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing strong opposition in his Senate confirmation hearing as Trump's pick for Health and Human Services. The situation shows a surprising shift in political relationships as former friends now oppose him over party lines.
  2. The rise of the MAHA moms is being compared to the influential soccer moms of the past. These women are rallying around health issues for their children and using their voices to impact legislation.
  3. Critics of the MAHA movement warn that it may overlook the needs of working-class Americans who struggle with health issues and don’t have the means to support the lifestyle changes promoted by the movement.

2.7 million Spanish children and teenagers. ZERO Covid deaths.

Unreported Truths • 93 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A large Spanish study of 2.7 million children and teenagers reported zero Covid deaths from mid-2021 through the end of 2022.
  2. The study found little difference in hospitalizations for unvaccinated under‑12s and estimated about 38,000 adolescent mRNA shots were needed to prevent one Covid hospitalization, leading to the claim that mRNA vaccines for kids are unnecessary and potentially risky.
  3. The article argues US child Covid death totals are likely overstated because they don’t always distinguish deaths "with" versus "from" Covid, and it criticizes public health agencies for continuing to promote mRNA shots for children.

Tools: Seed Oil Supply by Country Visualizer

Experimental Fat Loss • 106 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🍲 Food & Drink Public Health
  1. Seed oil availability has risen a lot over the decades — in the U.S. it climbed from roughly 270 kcal/person/day in 1961 to about 715 today, so seed oils now make up a large share of average daily calories.
  2. The dataset reports food "supply," not what people actually ate, and it has harmonization and reporting problems across countries, so absolute numbers and direct comparisons should be treated cautiously.
  3. Different seed oils have very different linoleic acid content and countries use different mixes, so potential health impact varies; some countries have stopped or reversed the rise (e.g., Japan, France) while many others saw rising seed‑oil supply alongside increases in obesity.

New Emails From Anthony Fauci And Francis Collins Show More Purposeful Dishonesty On COVID Vaccines

Unmasked • 56 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Fauci shifted key public health stances over time, including on masks, school closures, and lockdowns, creating conflicting guidance.
  2. Newly released emails are presented as evidence that Fauci and Francis Collins knowingly misled the public to push vaccine messaging and mandates.
  3. The piece argues that media and officials largely failed to hold them accountable, and that critics of strict COVID policies were vindicated.

The Smearing of a Health Hero. Plus. . .

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 593 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Dr. Vinay Prasad faced a smear campaign that led to his resignation from the FDA, causing concern about the impact on public trust in health authorities.
  2. Sydney Sweeney stirred controversy with an ad, highlighting societal reactions towards attractiveness and body image in today's culture.
  3. Donald Trump's recently announced trade deals, including high tariffs, are being criticized as embarrassing, impacting U.S. trade relationships with countries like the EU and India.

The ZYNpocalypse

Invariant • 687 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Nicotine pouches, like ZYN, have been targeted based on concerns of youth usage, but data shows low prevalence among underage users.
  2. Efforts and resources spent on regulating low-risk nicotine products could be better diverted to more pressing societal concerns.
  3. Regulation of novel nicotine products is lagging behind innovation, creating uncertainty in the industry and fostering misinformation.

Sam Harris Is Wrong (Again)

Holly’s Newsletter • 1507 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Sam Harris's arguments on vaccine mandates and emergency situations have logical flaws.
  2. Critical thinking and skepticism are important when assessing information from experts and institutions.
  3. Maintaining principles, like bodily autonomy, even in difficult times is crucial for trust and integrity.

The Dose (January 3)

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1867 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Winter is here, and respiratory illnesses like flu, COVID, and RSV are on the rise across the country. It's important to stay aware as health services could get overwhelmed.
  2. The new COVID-19 vaccine is showing good results, especially for older adults, helping to reduce hospital visits significantly. Keeping up with vaccinations can strengthen your immunity.
  3. Some Costco eggs may be contaminated with salmonella, so it's best to check your fridge and avoid those eggs to keep your family safe.

I’m hosting a free webinar on Thursday. Here’s why you should tune in and how to register.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 459 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A free webinar titled 'Safeguarding Health Care's Runaway Train' is happening on March 21, 2024, at 2 PM EST. It'll cover important changes in health care and why you should be interested.
  2. The health insurance industry is facing possible changes, as some employers are starting to find ways to bypass big insurance companies to offer better benefits.
  3. This webinar is part of a series aimed at providing insights into the U.S. health care system, helping people understand the ongoing issues and proposed reforms.

An effort to Educate Massachusetts State Reps hamstrung by biased reporting

An Insult to Intuition • 1277 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. An effort to educate Massachusetts State Reps about proposed bills protecting individual rights faced challenges with low attendance from legislators.
  2. The presentation highlighted concerns about the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines, questioning the data and potential negative outcomes.
  3. Issues were raised about biased reporting by a news service, labeling presenters as 'vaccine skeptics' and not fully representing their evidence-based arguments.

Updated flu report, national edition

Force of Infection • 80 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Flu activity is very high nationwide, with outpatient ILI visits around 8.3% and levels not seen in more than two decades, and many states appear to be at or near their peak.
  2. This season is driven by a new H3N2 subclade (K), but early estimates show this year’s vaccine still gives moderate protection—about 30–40% against hospitalization in adults.
  3. Children are bearing the biggest burden with the highest outpatient and emergency visits while adults 65+ have the highest hospitalization rates, and every region is seeing rising activity with the Northeast and South especially hard hit.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 4

Force of Infection • 86 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Flu activity is very high across the country, with emergency visits and hospitalizations elevated in many states and several areas near or past their seasonal peak.
  2. COVID-19 and RSV are both rising; COVID remains generally low but has notable increases in some states, while RSV is at moderate levels and climbing with some states reaching seasonal baselines.
  3. Norovirus activity is increasing and highly contagious, so hand washing and surface cleaning are important. Multiple food recalls and a large measles resurgence also highlight the need for food safety and vaccination.

Capitalist Individualism Is Killing Us

JoeWrote • 130 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Capitalism concentrates power in workplaces where workers lack democratic control and are paid less than the full value of their labor.
  2. That system fuels hyper‑individualism which erodes social solidarity, turning people into competitors and undermining collective actions like public health measures and social safety nets.
  3. Democratic workplaces and strong social programs can rebuild mutual care and solidarity, aligning individual wellbeing with the common good.

THE TRUTH COMES OUT: NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya Nukes The ‘Experts,’ Confirms Lab Leak A ‘Near Certainty'

Unmasked • 37 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Jay Bhattacharya sharply criticized the pandemic ‘experts’ and declared a COVID-19 lab leak to be a near certainty.
  2. He argued the lab leak theory is closely connected to decisions like lockdowns and mask mandates that followed the outbreak.
  3. The piece claims lockdowns caused massive financial and social harm and urges a clear investigation of the pandemic’s origins and responses to avoid repeating those mistakes.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 11

Force of Infection • 70 implied HN points • 11 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Influenza activity is very high nationwide but shows signs of declining in most regions; children improved most, yet cases, hospitalizations, and deaths remain substantial and precautions are still advisable.
  2. COVID-19 is trending upward — wastewater levels and hospitalizations are increasing, with the Midwest hardest hit, the Northeast and South rising, and the West still low.
  3. RSV and several other respiratory viruses are rising (with RSV test positivity and hospitalizations up), norovirus wastewater signals are high in many regions, and several food recalls mean people should check and discard affected products.

FOI Clinical: A new outbreak monitoring service

Force of Infection • 54 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. The CDC reported New World screwworm cases on the Mexico side of the Texas–Mexico border; it mainly affects livestock but can infect people, and there are no U.S. cases yet though the threat is approaching.
  2. Front-line clinicians don’t have a quick, recurring, plain-language briefing that tracks reportable diseases, emerging outbreaks, and policy changes that affect patient care.
  3. FOI Clinical is launching a clinician-focused outbreak monitoring service to fill that gap with briefings and alerts, with a first edition expected in February 2026 and subscriptions open to clinicians and medically vulnerable people.

Aldén et al. showed us that SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) mRNA (RNA) can be reverse-transcribed & integrated into the genome of human cells; shit, did Malone know this? I know he knew but was silent! Can he be

Alexander News Network -Dr. Paul Elias Alexander's substack • 569 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) mRNA can be reverse-transcribed and integrated into the genome of human cells, leading to potential implications and questions regarding the knowledge of certain individuals.
  2. The up-take of BNT162b2 into human liver cells can result in changes in genetic expression, potentially suggesting rapid effects of mRNA exposure.
  3. Studies have shown that mRNA from vaccines can be reverse transcribed into DNA within human cells in as fast as 6 hours, indicating a swift biological process.

Exclusive Interview: NIH Director Details Crack Down on Fees Monopoly Publishers Charge American Taxpayers

The DisInformation Chronicle • 590 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The NIH is working to make sure taxpayers can access research without high fees. Taxpayers currently pay twice for studies they funded, first through grants and then again through expensive publication fees.
  2. Many science publishers have a monopoly and charge unfairly high fees for open access to research articles. This system makes it difficult for researchers, especially in poorer countries, to publish their work.
  3. Some prominent science journals may promote certain narratives, which can influence public trust in scientific research. It's important to question the accuracy and motives behind studies published in these journals.

A Response to France’s Best-Selling COVID Skeptic

Integrity Talk • 66 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Saying there was no excess mortality during COVID is misleading because standardizing past deaths to a recent age structure ignores rising life expectancy and doesn’t fit global excess-death patterns.
  2. Arguing tests don’t detect illness confuses being infected with being symptomatic; PCR reliably finds viral material and antigen tests do a good job ruling out infection, even though no test perfectly indicates sickness.
  3. Claiming vaccines don’t work mixes valid worries about industry conflicts with a misunderstanding of trial goals; trials were powered to show reduced symptomatic COVID and large real-world studies later showed much lower death rates among vaccinated people.

The Damage Caused From COVID Policies Is Utterly Jaw Dropping

Unmasked • 62 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Lockdowns and many other COVID policies were implemented without solid evidence they would reduce transmission, yet they were used widely.
  2. Officials largely ignored or failed to study the likely harms, causing major social, economic, and mental-health damage that still lingers.
  3. Many interventions, such as school closures and business restrictions, lacked rigorous trials so their benefits are unclear. This shows we need evidence-driven policies that consider harms as well as benefits.

(Some Of) Your July 2025 Questions, Answered

Singal-Minded • 486 implied HN points • 05 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. There are ongoing discussions about whether Congress should question health experts on youth gender medicine. Some believe these experts owe the public clear explanations, especially since government funding is involved.
  2. Celebrating Pride in schools is debated due to differing parental comfort levels with LGBTQ+ materials for young children. Finding the right balance between inclusivity and respect for diverse beliefs is challenging.
  3. Research on brain differences between transgender and cisgender individuals is complex. Understanding these differences doesn't necessarily answer how society should treat trans people, as each individual's experience can vary greatly.

Freakonomics, But for Medicine

Range Widely • 1159 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Natural experiments in medicine provide unique research opportunities that can't be replicated in a lab setting.
  2. Even small disruptions, like marathon road closures, can have significant impacts on public health and mortality rates.
  3. Factors like doctor's prescribing habits and patient age can have lasting effects on opioid use and patient outcomes.

The fluoride debate

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1979 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Fluoride helps strengthen our teeth and prevents cavities, which is why it's in toothpaste and is often added to public water supplies.
  2. Fluoridated water has been effective in reducing tooth decay overall, especially in communities with less access to dental care.
  3. The safety of fluoride is based on careful dosage; while high levels can be harmful, the amount used in drinking water is considered safe for everyone.

The Forced Medication of All Citizens

Break Free with Karen Hunt • 1139 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Historically, the acceptance of medication started with voluntary use, then shifted to recommendations, and eventually became mandatory for safety.
  2. The current trend suggests a future where medication may be mandated by law, conditioning people to comply without question.
  3. Global emergencies are being used to justify stockpiling medication and giving organizations like the WHO significant control over policies and responses.