The hottest Public Health Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

We’re still here!

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1815 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. YLE has reached its 4th anniversary with continuous growth and a dedicated audience.
  2. The YLE audience is globally diverse, primarily in North America and Australia, with a strong trend of educated readers interested in healthcare and science.
  3. Looking into the future, YLE plans to expand its content beyond virus-related topics, engage more in local health issues, and diversify its audience.

Now The Truth Can Be Told: Media Acknowledges COVID Vaccines May Have Caused Deaths Of Children

Unmasked • 50 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Mainstream media and regulators are said to be acknowledging that COVID vaccines may have caused harm, including deaths, in some children.
  2. Because children faced very low risk from COVID, vaccinating them is argued to have offered minimal benefit while exposing healthy kids to potential side effects.
  3. Public health officials, political leaders, and the media are accused of promoting universal vaccination, dismissing dissenting views, and gaslighting critics, with a recent FDA memo and a large study presented as vindication.

Never Forget What They Told Us About COVID Vaccines

Unmasked • 48 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A recent memo says researchers found a link between COVID vaccines and the deaths of at least ten children and alleges earlier officials either hid or didn’t look for that link.
  2. Early experts and officials strongly claimed vaccines would stop transmission or even eliminate the virus, but those promises didn’t hold up and the public messaging shifted over time.
  3. Given these changing claims and possible concealment, people should do their own due diligence, ask questions, and demand transparency when making vaccine decisions.

Our elites are so mediocre

Unreported Truths • 68 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The leaders in finance and tech stayed quiet during the Covid lockdowns, prioritizing their profits over public welfare. They could have spoken up to help the economy but chose not to.
  2. Many executives from various industries avoided speaking out because they feared losing their jobs. They thought it was safer to stay in their lanes during that chaotic time.
  3. The actions taken during the pandemic led to a wealth gap, benefiting the rich while harming the working class. This self-centered behavior seems to echo the troubling decisions seen in the Epstein scandal.

Accelerated Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in US Deer Populations

LIL Science • 471 implied HN points • 29 Aug 23
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. SARS-CoV-2 can evolve quickly in deer populations and may become very different from current variants.
  2. Zoonotic transmission is the spread of a virus between humans and animals, which can lead to new variants that may be problematic for human immunity.
  3. Monitoring wildlife for zoonotic diseases is crucial to prevent the emergence of highly divergent variants that could infect humans.
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Do red and processed meats cause cancer?

Unsettled Science • 840 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The World Health Organization says processed meats cause cancer, but only one type of cancer has been linked directly to them, which is colorectal cancer.
  2. The IARC's decision was based on a small number of studies, which raises questions about how strong the evidence really is.
  3. Many people reacted strongly to the news, fearing that all red meats are dangerous, but the evidence used may not support that broad conclusion.

An epidemic of medical debt is devastating American families as health insurers ratchet up out-of-pocket demands

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 439 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Many American families are struggling with medical debt because health insurance companies are making them pay more out of pocket before they get any help. This leaves lots of people feeling like they don't have any insurance for most of the year.
  2. The rise in medical costs is leading to serious financial problems, with a large number of people owing money due to health care expenses. This debt crisis affects millions, and many people feel they might never fully pay it off.
  3. The way healthcare is organized forces people to pay higher costs for their care, often putting them in tough situations where they can't afford necessary treatments. Despite promises of affordable care, the system still seems to favor higher spending on healthcare.

The Dose (October 18)

Your Local Epidemiologist • 883 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Currently, levels of Covid-19, flu, and RSV are low, which is a good time to get your vaccines.
  2. A recall of over 11.7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat is happening due to detected Listeria bacteria, so stay cautious.
  3. In California, H5N1 bird flu is spreading among dairy farms, but the overall risk to the public is still low.

Covid Situation Report: Apr 4, 2024

Independent SAGE continues • 139 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Covid case numbers are low in England, and hospital admissions are stable. This shows that the winter surge is over, but we still need to be cautious.
  2. The Spring 2024 booster campaign is starting for older people and those with weakened immune systems, highlighting the importance of vaccinations.
  3. Changes in Covid testing mean fewer routine tests will be available, but Covid hospital admissions will still help track how the virus is spreading in the community.

No Visitors

Natural Selections • 8 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Strict pandemic rules like 'no visitors' policies cut families off from loved ones during critical hospital moments, making decisions and goodbyes painfully hard.
  2. A young adult got severely sick with COVID and died after a year of disrupted work and schooling, leaving the family with deep, lasting grief and trauma.
  3. The family feels anger and wants accountability for how the pandemic was handled, while also holding a nuanced view that both living in fear of the virus and mocking it are wrong.

Science, Policy, and Values

Your Local Epidemiologist • 904 implied HN points • 09 Oct 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. It's important to separate facts from opinions when discussing science and policy. Confusing the two can lead to mistrust in both.
  2. Values play a big role in public health decisions, and people often disagree on what should take priority, like saving lives versus personal freedom.
  3. We need clear and honest communication about scientific uncertainty. People want to understand evolving data, not just fixed facts.

The Killing of Brian Thompson

The Chris Hedges Report • 719 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was recently killed, sparking questions about possible motives related to healthcare policies and insurance denials.
  2. In the U.S., healthcare spending is highest among wealthy countries, but health outcomes are among the worst, with many people facing financial ruin due to medical bills.
  3. The business practices of health insurance companies are criticized for prioritizing profits over patient care, which can lead to unnecessary suffering and death.

Friday Funnies: The Goal of Socialism...

Who is Robert Malone • 30 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
💥 Comics Public Health
  1. It claims socialism ultimately leads to communism and uses cartoons and humor to make that argument.
  2. The messaging is mocking and provocative, using insults to challenge people who disagree or don’t see the point.
  3. It promotes activism against vaccine mandates, sharing a Hawaii speaking tour schedule and a link to a group that opposes mandatory vaccinations.

Outbreak Outlook: Week 6 of DIY disease surveillance

Force of Infection • 79 implied HN points • 09 Nov 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. COVID-19 cases are low across the country, but there may be a rise coming soon. Most states report minimal emergency department visits for COVID.
  2. Influenza activity is increasing, especially in the Southern states, while RSV is showing regional variations with more cases among young children in certain areas.
  3. Food recalls are happening due to contamination concerns, including infant formula linked to botulism, which is especially dangerous for babies.

[VIDEO] Poor Americans to feel the burn from health insurer Elevence's decision in Medicaid dispute

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Elevance is a health insurer with high denial rates for claims, affecting patients' access to necessary treatments. Many poor Americans are struggling because of this.
  2. In Ohio and Virginia, there's a conflict between Elevance and a major hospital system, leading to unpaid claims amounting to $100 million. This dispute means Medicaid patients may need to find different hospitals for care.
  3. Lawmakers need to step in and address the unfair practices of health insurers like Elevance. This is crucial for protecting low-income Americans who rely on Medicaid services.

It’s Time to Clear the Air on Juul

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 217 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The FDA has authorized Juul's e-cigarettes for marketing after a long delay, and this decision has caused surprisingly little backlash.
  2. The once widespread concern about youth vaping has decreased significantly, with much fewer high school students using Juul compared to previous years.
  3. The debate around Juul seems to have shifted, as many health organizations have not raised strong objections following the FDA's recent decision.

Universal Repeated mRNA Boosting Was (and is) Bad Policy

Who is Robert Malone • 12 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Repeated, frequent mRNA boosters push the immune system toward a tolerance-style response (higher IL-10 and IgG4), so antibodies still bind the virus but trigger less inflammation and cell-killing—this helps prevent severe illness but does not reliably stop infection or spread.
  2. A one-size-fits-all policy of universal, frequent boosting was adopted without solid prospective evidence or proper timing studies, producing predictable immune 'signal stacking'; booster strategies should be risk-stratified, experimentally timed, and driven by shared decision-making.
  3. The tolerance-leaning immune shift from repeated boosting could affect responses to other vaccines and infections and might impair anti-tumor immune surveillance in some contexts, so booster spacing and long-term consequences warrant careful study.

What is Vaccine Beer

Viruses Must Die • 35 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. Live brewer’s yeast engineered to make viral proteins can be put into beer and may trigger antibody responses; the authors drank such “vaccine beer” and reported no discernible side effects.
  2. They show you can recreate the necessary plasmids and brew vaccine-containing beer outside a university lab using commercial DNA synthesis and readily available home-lab and brewing supplies, making the approach accessible to homebrewers and small food producers.
  3. They argue food-based vaccines could lower cost and increase access, and that current US law could allow these products to be marketed as GRAS foods so long as no disease-prevention claims are made, while formal medical efficacy testing would remain under regulatory oversight.

How the Nuka System of Care has improved the quality of medical care (and lives) of Alaska Natives

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 399 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. The Nuka System of Care in Alaska has dramatically improved healthcare by focusing on community-based support and engaging Alaska Natives directly in their health journeys. This system results in happier patients and better health outcomes.
  2. Since the Nuka System started, emergency room visits and hospital admissions have dropped significantly. It also emphasizes personal relationships and understanding each patient's unique needs, leading to high satisfaction rates.
  3. The approach integrates modern medical practices with the values of Alaska Native culture. This has made it a model for healthcare systems worldwide, with many organizations studying its success to learn how to improve their own care.

DEI/Woke Medicine Forever

Who is Robert Malone • 20 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. DEI and 'woke' ideology are now deeply embedded in medical schools and professional organizations, shaping what is taught and how clinicians speak and act.
  2. That influence shifts admissions and hiring toward demographic and ideological criteria instead of pure merit, and it encourages obedience to protocol over independent medical judgment—critics say this helped spread problematic COVID-era guidance.
  3. Proposed responses include using legal and regulatory means to curb guild power and restore merit-based standards, while patients uncomfortable with current trends may need to seek alternative providers who reject DEI-driven practices.

The pox is back

¡Do Not Panic! • 432 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Sexually transmitted infections have spiked to generational highs in recent years globally.
  2. The weakening of population immunity due to mass COVID infections is a likely cause for the rise in STIs.
  3. Environmental toxins and pollution, including air pollution, are damaging sperm counts and threatening reproductive health.

Breaking: Children’s Health Defense Hits AAP With RICO Suit Over Fraudulent Vaccine Safety Claims

Who is Robert Malone • 17 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Children’s Health Defense filed a federal RICO lawsuit accusing the American Academy of Pediatrics of running a decades‑long scheme to promote the childhood vaccine schedule, alleging undisclosed financial ties to vaccine makers and incentives for pediatricians to hit high vaccination rates.
  2. The plaintiffs include parents who say their children were injured or died after routine vaccinations and doctors who say they were professionally punished for questioning AAP guidance; the complaint alleges suppression of contrary research and reliance on a theoretical 2002 paper to justify the schedule.
  3. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and court orders forcing the AAP to disclose gaps in safety testing and stop making unqualified vaccine‑safety claims, and it compares the AAP’s conduct to Big Tobacco while highlighting ongoing legal battles over recent vaccine policy changes.

Dangerous USPSTF Guidelines for Higher-Weight Children Are Open for Public Comment - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 299 implied HN points • 16 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The US Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation for higher-weight children is open for public comment until January 16.
  2. Good news: They aren't suggesting intensive dieting for toddlers and recognize the need for research on weight-neutral interventions.
  3. Bad news: They recommend intensive diet programs for children aged 6 or older based on outdated charts, using predominantly fair quality studies with limited long-term follow-up.

The Ethics of Self-Experimentation

Viruses Must Die • 35 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Self-care is a civil right and people should be free to make choices about their own bodies, including personal experiments, without institutional veto.
  2. The Common Rule’s vague definition of “research” has led IRBs to overreach by treating routine or individual healthcare experiments as human-subjects research.
  3. Self-experimentation can speed scientific progress and avoid harmful withholding; studies done for individual benefit without control groups shouldn’t automatically require IRB approval.

Fresh Air, and The Littlest Convoy

Natural Selections • 10 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The pandemic bred intense social policing and fear of public shaming, leaving people anxious about masks, distancing, and even having their photos shared.
  2. Pandemic rules and vaccine policies had deep personal consequences for families. Some describe being prevented from traveling to dying relatives and question whether shots played a role in sudden illness.
  3. Finding like-minded people and being outdoors offered relief and a sense of belonging after long isolation. Many still want calm, honest discussion and hope future generations learn to spot warning signs and think independently.

The Credibility Crux of COVID Origins

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 29 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. A credibility crisis around COVID origins arose because powerful institutions and some academics suppressed or discredited evidence pointing to a lab origin, poisoning public trust and academic debate.
  2. Forensic bioattribution is hard and underdeveloped, so governments must fund new methods, data sources, and standards to reliably determine whether a virus came from a lab.
  3. A new, insulated national security science institution is needed to recruit top scientists, avoid foreign influence, integrate intelligence and scientific rigor, and restore credible investigation into high‑consequence biological events.

A Toast to Vaccine Beer

Viruses Must Die • 35 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. Vaccines can be delivered through everyday foods like yeast or beer, which could make immunization simpler, cheaper, and more widely accessible.
  2. The current drug approval system’s heavy safety theater and monopoly incentives have increased public distrust and helped anti-vaccine sentiment gain influence.
  3. Treating vaccine-foods as consumer products with independent third-party testing and public reviews could rebuild trust, encourage competition, and provide transparent information on safety and effectiveness.

Nine Reasons Governments Must Reject Proposed Amendments to International Health Regulations

THE FREEDOM BLOG • 255 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Proposed amendments to International Health Regulations give too much power to the WHO during international public health emergencies.
  2. The amendments remove language about dignity, human rights, and freedom and replace it with a focus on equity and inclusivity.
  3. The WHO can unilaterally declare a potential public health emergency, leading to a global bio-surveillance regime and censorship regime.

We are failing to learn the lessons of COVID

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 34 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. We failed to learn from COVID because people on all sides refused to honestly examine their own mistakes, leaving us polarized and less prepared for the next pandemic.
  2. Both liberal scientists and conservative critics share blame: liberals often shut down dissent and controlled narratives, while conservatives reacted by grabbing power and excluding others, so neither side showed the humility and inclusion needed for good science policy.
  3. The real fix is rebuilding legitimacy and coalitions across divides — give people a voice, protect dissenting views, and use scientific and institutional power with humility so we can handle the next pandemic better.

GUEST POST: We cannot hate Purdue Pharma or the Sackler family, which owned it, enough

Unreported Truths • 25 implied HN points • 10 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Purdue and the Sacklers ran cold, data-driven marketing that pushed doctors to start and then titrate patients to higher, long-term OxyContin doses, using tactics like savings cards and targeted campaigns to create dependence and drive huge profits.
  2. The Sackler family pulled billions out of the company and used bankruptcy maneuvers to avoid full legal accountability, leaving only limited payouts to victims while the company rebrands and continues operating.
  3. Broader systems — medical organizations, advocacy groups, and parts of the media — promoted aggressive pain treatment and downplayed addiction risks, which let pharmaceutical marketing campaigns normalize heavy opioid use and fuel the overdose crisis.

IMPACT: PAUL, ERNST ADVANCE ROYALTY TRANSPARENCY ACT, ACKNOWLEDGE OPEN THE BOOKS

OpenTheBooks Substack • 172 implied HN points • 07 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Senator Rand Paul is pushing for the Royalty Transparency Act to reveal secret royalty payments in healthcare. This act aims to show how much money changes hands between the government and pharmaceutical companies.
  2. The NIH has made billions in royalty payments to its scientists, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. People deserve to know who benefits financially from public health decisions.
  3. The Royalty Transparency Act would require more honesty about financial dealings in the health sector. It’s important for the public to understand the interests behind the scientific advice they receive.

VERY URGENT: Pfizer's mRNA flu shot failed its pivotal clinical trial in adults 65 and older

Unreported Truths • 56 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Pfizer's mRNA flu shot did not work well for older adults, causing more flu infections and side effects compared to the standard flu shot.
  2. In addition to more flu cases, older people who received the mRNA shot faced serious health issues like kidney problems and respiratory failure.
  3. Despite the disappointing results and higher side effects, Pfizer has not been transparent about the trial findings and seems to be downplaying the issues.

Regional Editions Return

Force of Infection • 66 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. CDC is back online tracking respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and influenza. This means we can now get more details about what’s happening with these illnesses.
  2. Paid subscribers will get regional updates this winter, breaking down data by U.S. regions. This will offer a closer look at how different areas are impacted.
  3. This winter is expected to see higher-than-normal flu cases, so the data updates will be really important for everyone to stay informed.

Why is Musk-Trump the "Mump Regime"?

Thinking about... • 578 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The 'Mump regime' is a term used to describe the influence of Elon Musk and Donald Trump together. This new name suggests that Musk's role is more significant than Trump's, especially considering Musk's wealth and power.
  2. Health and democracy are connected, and the rise of the Mump regime may threaten public health initiatives, like vaccination. This could lead to increased illness and instability in society.
  3. The terms 'mumpers' and 'mumpets' help us understand who actively supports the Mump regime versus those who passively follow. This new vocabulary allows for clearer conversations about politics today.

Why did we lose trust during the pandemic?

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1445 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Public health messaging sounded like a sales pitch, leading to a loss of trust due to data issues, messaging inaccuracies, and a mix of advocacy with scientific communication.
  2. Helpful information, like practical tips for care and specific risk factors, was missing, causing confusion and fear among the public.
  3. Opinions being treated as facts and a disconnect between personal experiences and the official narrative led to frustration and loss of trust, but some improvements are being made to address these issues.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 27

Force of Infection • 515 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Flu cases are on the rise again, especially in children, after weeks of decline. It's surprising to see this rebound during the season.
  2. COVID-19 wastewater levels are decreasing, but it's too soon to know if we’ll avoid a larger wave this winter.
  3. Activity for RSV is declining across the country, but caution is still advised, particularly for babies and older adults.

Bioethics and Freedom to Choose

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Vaccine mandates violate basic bioethical principles like autonomy and informed consent because they use coercion instead of voluntary, informed choice.
  2. Mandates are scientifically questionable since immune responses and risks vary widely between people and natural immunity can also provide protection, so one-size-fits-all policies ignore biological differences.
  3. Mandatory vaccination represents institutional overreach and paternalistic control, so public health should balance community benefit with individual rights rather than imposing blanket requirements.