The hottest Public Health Substack posts right now

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Top Health & Wellness Topics

The war on drugs needs to be fought from the demand side

Unreported Truths • 32 implied HN points • 10 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. We need to focus on reducing the demand for drugs rather than just tackling the supply. Addressing the reasons people use drugs is key to solving the drug crisis.
  2. There's a blurred line between legal and illegal drugs in America. Many prescribed medications can be just as addictive as illegal drugs, which complicates how we treat addiction.
  3. Instead of just accepting drug use as normal, we should be more critical about it and stop promoting drugs like Adderall for conditions that aren't as widespread in other countries.

New Orders from Trump on Health

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The president designated illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. That label unlocks broader law enforcement, financial, intelligence, and potential military tools to disrupt production and trafficking.
  2. Major drugmakers agreed to Most‑Favored‑Nation pricing and to donate active pharmaceutical ingredients to a Strategic Reserve. Those steps aim to lower U.S. drug costs and strengthen supply chains to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing.
  3. Medical marijuana is being fast‑tracked toward Schedule III and expanded research on CBD and cannabis is ordered. This will ease research barriers, likely increase medical access and commercial opportunities, but it does not federally legalize marijuana.

BRB

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1068 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Katelyn Jetelina is taking a two-week break to recharge before the busy respiratory season.
  2. During her break, she plans to enjoy puzzles, books, crosswords, and time in national parks with her toddlers.
  3. She is looking for nonfiction book recommendations that are not related to public health for her downtime.

Everything "That Friend" Wants You to Know About H5N1 Bird Flu

OK Doomer • 310 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in humans, raising concerns about its potential spread this flu season. It's important to be aware of the situation and stay informed.
  2. There are worries that health agencies are not taking adequate measures to control the spread of H5N1. People are feeling uncertain about safety measures and what actions to take.
  3. Historically, mild strains of flu have led to serious outbreaks after mutations. We should remember past mistakes and prepare better this time to avoid repeating history.

Out this week

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1421 implied HN points • 14 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Katelyn Jetelina took a break from newsletter writing this week to work on an emergency with the World Health Organization in Turkey.
  2. A paid subscription to YLE goes beyond commenting powers, as it enables advocacy for necessary change, implementation during emergencies, and saving lives through evidence-based actions.
  3. The subscription also supports advocating for change, implementing changes during emergencies, and saving lives with evidence-based approaches.
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VSRF LIVE TONIGHT: Episode 214: Tamara Ugolini

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 2 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Public health institutions in Canada often prioritize protecting institutions over protecting people, creating a pattern of regulatory capture and failing to deliver accountability.
  2. Transparency is being blocked by slow, heavily redacted information releases and a vaccine injury support program that is delayed and difficult to access, which prevents independent scrutiny.
  3. Specific controversies — including delayed acknowledgment of AstraZeneca-related injuries and a very permissive Medical Assistance in Dying regime — raise serious safety and ethical concerns.

FDA's fall 2023 vaccine plan

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1156 implied HN points • 15 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. COVID-19 vaccines are being updated for the fall 2023-2024 season due to fast mutations and waning effectiveness against hospitalization.
  2. Vaccine formula may shift to target only the Omicron XBB variant for better immune system recognition.
  3. Global alignment on focusing vaccine efforts on the XBB variant signals a step towards addressing the changing landscape of COVID-19.

The Psychology of Collapse: A Deep Dive in Human Misbehavior

OK Doomer • 220 implied HN points • 13 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. People often reject truths that challenge their beliefs, making it hard to change minds. This shows that once someone is convinced of a falsehood, it can be painful to accept the truth.
  2. There is a growing trend of people ignoring health advice and embracing harmful choices, like the demand for raw milk despite public health warnings. This can be seen as a reaction against authority and established knowledge.
  3. Studies in human behavior suggest that society is increasingly turning away from useful knowledge and safety measures, which raises concerns about our ability to respond effectively to real threats.

My friend Shane decided to ignore my advice and listen to his doctor and got a COVID vaccine. He now has permanent heart damage.

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. A friend followed medical advice, got a COVID vaccine, and now has permanent heart damage.
  2. The author is frustrated that people ignore warnings and trust doctors, saying this led to severe injuries and even deaths among friends.
  3. The author believes COVID vaccines provide no benefit and only cause harm, and urges others to spread that message.

People Cannot Wrap Their Heads Around Exponentials

Jay's Data Stream • 5 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Public Health
  1. People struggle to intuitively grasp exponential growth, so they underestimate how fast things like infections or price inflation can accelerate.
  2. Personal feelings about being "behind" often don't match the data; younger generations can feel poorer even when inflation-adjusted measures show they're better off at the same age.
  3. Each generation tends to feel it will be worse off than the previous one, a recurring pattern driven by perception, cognitive biases, and economic shifts like housing-price inflation.

The Amount of Naloxone We're Giving Cops Is Too Damn High

The Medicine & Justice Project • 59 implied HN points • 28 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is an effective opioid overdose intervention that can be administered nasally with minimal training.
  2. Administering too much naloxone can lead to unnecessary side effects, including inducing withdrawal symptoms that can be as severe as the opioid overdose itself.
  3. Higher doses of naloxone may not necessarily improve patient outcomes and could increase the risk of adverse effects, such as flash pulmonary edema.

Former PBM chief medical officer: ‘Our motives were murky at best’

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 399 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The claims by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) about making prescription drugs safer and more affordable are often misleading. Even though they say they help, the reality is much more complicated.
  2. PBMs profit from selling more drugs, not necessarily from helping patients save money. Instead of focusing on what’s best for patients, their main goal can be to keep their own profits high.
  3. The healthcare system in the U.S. is fragmented and expensive, leading to a push for universal coverage. There is a belief that a single-payer system could make healthcare more inclusive and affordable for everyone.

The lunacy of 340B and Medicare’s inability to negotiate drug prices

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 419 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Medicare can't negotiate drug prices, which means taxpayers often pay more than necessary for medicines. It doesn't seem fair that businesses get better deals than we do.
  2. The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created to help hospitals get lower drug prices, but it has grown too big and complicated. Now, many hospitals may be making more money from these discounts than they should.
  3. There is a lack of transparency regarding how much hospitals charge for drugs compared to their purchase prices. This raises concerns about fairness and accountability in the healthcare system.

Making a “Miracle” HIV Medicine

Asimov Press • 206 implied HN points • 23 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Lenacapavir is a new injectable drug that can prevent HIV for up to six months, showing a higher effectiveness than daily pills.
  2. The drug is being offered at reduced prices in many low-income countries, but there are concerns about access and affordability in some regions.
  3. Despite its promise, lenacapavir's future depends on getting it to those who need it, especially given changes in government funding for HIV prevention programs.

Covid "Twindemic"

Diane Francis • 419 implied HN points • 16 Jan 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. COVID-19 is still a huge problem worldwide, with China facing severe issues due to poor vaccination and lockdown strategies. Many people are getting sick, and there are concerns about the virus spreading more because of this situation.
  2. There is a rising trend of both COVID-19 and flu cases happening together, called a 'twindemic', which is making hospitals very busy. People are not taking preventive measures seriously, thinking the worst is over.
  3. Vaccines and boosters for both COVID-19 and flu are very important now. It's essential for people, especially older adults, to stay careful and continue using masks in crowded or poorly ventilated places.

Lessons for the Next Plague

David Friedman’s Substack • 206 implied HN points • 23 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The pandemic response showed many mistakes, like unnecessary lockdowns and wrong theories about how the virus spread. Learning from these errors can help us better handle future pandemics.
  2. Politics played a big role in how people reacted to health measures, with facts becoming linked to personal beliefs. This shows how polarized views can affect public health decisions.
  3. Trust in science was low because there were no clear, reliable sources of information. It's important to establish trustworthy scientific reporting to avoid confusion during health crises.

The DisInformation Chronicle Welcomes You to 2025

The DisInformation Chronicle • 245 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The publication has over 31,000 readers and aims to expose corruption and misinformation in the media and government. It's always important to stay informed about what's really happening around us.
  2. Recent stories cover topics like political manipulation, censorship, and the effectiveness of masks, suggesting there are many hidden truths in the current narrative.
  3. The community is encouraged to support the publication through paid subscriptions, as this helps it to continue growing and uncovering more important stories.

5 Charts Explain How the Pandemic Changed Our Mobility

The New Urban Order • 139 implied HN points • 27 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Walking trips in the U.S. have significantly decreased post-pandemic, with every metro and state experiencing a decline, pointing to a potential long-term shift in mobility habits.
  2. Remote work and delivery services have reduced the need for short walking trips for activities like shopping, affecting public transit use and contributing to an increase in vehicle miles traveled.
  3. Despite some positive changes like an increase in bicycle usage, cities should focus on making walking more appealing and preserving biking gains to address the evolving mobility landscape.

Eight questions "Professor Dave" can't answer

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 12 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The debate became personal and some questions were deleted, raising concerns that ad hominem attacks and comment removal undermined open scientific discussion.
  2. There is a demand for clear, record-level evidence and transparent data (including autopsy results) to show whether COVID vaccines saved lives or caused harm, and a new analysis is claimed to show increased deaths after boosters.
  3. The speaker challenges the opponent's credibility and asks for credentials plus explanations for puzzling findings like odd protective effects in one study, sudden autism cases after vaccination, and unusual cancer trends.

Wait a Minute. Do They Actually Want a Bird Flu Pandemic? A Look at the Preparations.

OK Doomer • 238 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Governments seem to be unprepared for the bird flu crisis, even though the situation is serious and worsening. There's a belief that they are choosing not to act effectively.
  2. There's a concern that some officials might actually want a new pandemic. This is based on perceived intentions to benefit from chaos in the economy.
  3. Pressure is mounting on leaders to take the bird flu threat seriously, but so far, real actions are lacking, pointing to a failure to protect public health.

#PlandemicPlaybook (4) They redefined VACCINE so that the public would accept and doctors would endorse a never-before-seen and never-before tested technology, using preexisting political protections

DrV’s Newsletter, Notes, Essays, Articles, Videos, and Book Chapters • 176 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. The definition of 'vaccine' was broadened during the pandemic to include new drugs for legal and public acceptance.
  2. Ronald Reagan's policy granted financial and legal immunity to drug companies by categorizing new drugs as vaccines.
  3. The original definition of 'vaccine' was changed to protect the drug industry and now even covers agents like vitamin D.

Vaccine expert Peter Hotez was offered $2.6M free and clear to debate RFK Jr. on vaccine safety. He turned it down.

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A prominent vaccine expert turned down multi‑million dollar offers to debate a high‑profile vaccine critic, saying such events risk becoming spectacles rather than serious scientific discussion.
  2. People who backed the offers interpret the refusals as proof that mainstream vaccine experts avoid public debates with challengers and see that as evidence of unwillingness to be held accountable.
  3. The episode highlights how crowdfunding and large public bounties fuel polarized media standoffs, and that many experts prefer education and controlled media appearances over open debate formats.

An open letter to Harvard President, Alan Garber

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 268 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Harvard should show a commitment to academic freedom by reinstating fired professors like Martin Kulldorff. This would help represent a wider range of ideas on campus.
  2. The COVID-19 vaccine mandate by the Biden administration had issues, particularly with not considering natural immunity. This raised questions about individual rights versus public health.
  3. The treatment of some faculty members during the pandemic raises concerns about political bias in academic settings. Harvard needs to correct its mistakes to ensure a true diversity of thought.

AlterAI exposes the corruption at the CDC

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 9 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. An audit alleges widespread corruption at the CDC, claiming data suppression, hidden industry ties, altered analyses, misuse of surveillance systems, and internal censorship to protect the agency’s image rather than public health.
  2. The audit particularly targets autism surveillance from 2000–2015, reporting missing datasets, reclassification of cases, and emails suggesting orders to destroy contradictory draft data, and it notes reports that the CDC said studies have not ruled out a vaccine link.
  3. Reported consequences include criminal referrals to the Department of Justice and a planned public release of roughly 10 terabytes of raw CDC epidemiological data so independent researchers can reanalyze the records and push for accountability.

What is the truth about alcohol consumption

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 235 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Moderate alcohol consumption might not be as harmful as some studies suggest, but it's essential to consider various health impacts when deciding how much to drink.
  2. Understanding what and how much we drink can help manage health risks better. It's important to enjoy alcohol responsibly without overthinking it.
  3. More research is needed to understand the true effects of alcohol on health, and personal experiences and preferences should also play a role in drinking habits.

KCOR results on the Japan record level data shows the same harm pattern as the Czech data

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 6 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. KCOR analysis of Japan and Czech record-level data shows a consistent pattern where recently vaccinated cohorts have higher all-cause mortality than unvaccinated cohorts.
  2. The pattern appears dose-dependent, with second doses linked to higher mortality than first, and KCOR claims to avoid healthy‑vaccinee bias by using fixed enrollment cohorts and adjusting in mortality space rather than 1:1 matching.
  3. The stated conclusion is that COVID vaccines increased the net risk of death, mainstream proponents are described as unwilling to engage with the data, and an open public debate is demanded to resolve the disagreement.

Are the Changes to the Vax Schedule Finished?

Who is Robert Malone • 9 implied HN points • 10 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. HHS revised the childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule on January 5, 2026, cutting routine recommendations from about 17–18 to 11 vaccines and moving others (like flu, COVID‑19, hepatitis, rotavirus, RSV) to high‑risk or shared clinical decision‑making, while keeping all vaccines available and covered by insurance.
  2. The administration ordered more rigorous research—double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trials when ethical and expanded long‑term observational studies—and said advisory committees and agencies will continuously reassess recommendations, so more schedule changes are likely as data emerge.
  3. The move is highly controversial: some medical groups warn it could risk disease resurgence and call placebo trials unethical when effective vaccines exist, while supporters praise greater scientific rigor and parental choice; there are also concerns that CDC management of many trials could introduce bias or face capacity limits.

REVENUES OVER LIVES: health professionals' role in challenging the "medical-financial complex”

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 359 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The healthcare system in America is often driven more by profits than by providing good care to patients. This needs to change for the health of everyone.
  2. There are many ways to improve healthcare, such as making it affordable and accessible for all. Countries like the UK and Canada show that universal healthcare can work.
  3. Young health professionals can be the change-makers. They need to fight for justice in healthcare and challenge the current system that prioritizes money over lives.

A New, Must-Watch Film Is Out Examining The Abuses Of COVID Mandates

Unmasked • 102 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. There's a new film called 'Masking Humanity' that shows how COVID mask mandates might have hurt more than helped. It talks about how laws were made without looking at whether they actually worked.
  2. The film features interviews with healthcare workers who believe masks did not provide benefits and could even create risks for people. It highlights the negative impacts of wearing masks, especially on mental health.
  3. The documentary aims to hold those responsible for mask mandates accountable and to ensure that such mandates, without proper evidence, don't happen again in the future.

Did CCDH and AAMC Cooperate on COVID Censorship?

Who is Robert Malone • 11 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The AAMC and CCDH acted as complementary parts of the same censorship‑oriented ecosystem. AAMC enforced norms inside medicine while CCDH pressured platforms and public discourse.
  2. Coordination came through shared funders, overlapping advisory networks, and participation in government‑led partner calls rather than a clearly documented contract. There’s strong circumstantial evidence of synchronized messaging and influence.
  3. CCDH projects like the "Disinformation Dozen" shaped platform moderation and government talking points, and AAMC statements often echoed that rhetoric, helping to marginalize dissenting medical voices.

How many people died in disasters in 2024?

Sustainability by numbers • 211 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Public Health
  1. In 2024, fewer people died from disasters compared to previous years, thanks to fewer major earthquakes. The estimate was around 9,500 deaths, which is low compared to the high averages from past years.
  2. Floods, wildfires, and storms were the main causes of deaths in 2024. Many fatalities came from extreme weather events, particularly flooding in Africa and wildfires in South America.
  3. It's important to note that data on disaster deaths is often incomplete, especially for temperature-related deaths. Researchers have to estimate these numbers, leading to less reliable statistics overall.

Roots, Origins and Lies

Who is Robert Malone • 15 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A sudden novel coronavirus outbreak upended a quiet life and pushed experienced scientists and clinicians into intense, urgent work to model the virus, repurpose drugs, and help communities prepare.
  2. Public health agencies, big tech platforms, and mainstream media coordinated information controls that led to censorship and suppression of dissenting medical views.
  3. There is a strong call for transparency, open scientific scrutiny, protection for whistleblowers, and defense of free speech and democratic checks to prevent institutional overreach during health emergencies.

MAHA Comes of Age

Who is Robert Malone • 11 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. MAHA became a powerful political force in 2025 with direct access to high-level government leaders. It is helping shape health policy and backing efforts to make national health a top priority.
  2. The movement pushes prevention over treatment and urges people to question medical orthodoxy and corporate influence in healthcare. It promotes informed choice, personalized prevention, and reducing exposure to toxins.
  3. MAHA has built strong media and organizing tools and plans to mobilize millions of supporters to drive policy change and influence the midterms. They aim to be a persistent grassroots force working with governments and institutions.

The Great Dismantling

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. A powerful political and corporate campaign is aiming to dismantle the professional-managerial class by attacking institutions and purging professions, threatening their authority and jobs.
  2. The PMC weakened itself by alienating the working class and turning politics into virtue signaling and managerialism, leaving it politically isolated and lacking strong leadership.
  3. Advances in AI and concentrated corporate power risk making many PMC roles redundant. Unless the PMC organizes with the working class for redistribution and humane AI policies, democratic institutions could be replaced by more dangerous authoritarian movements.

Trees and Politics

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 239 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Seattle has a history of cutting down trees for economic gain, starting from the days of early settlers.
  2. There is a recent shift towards valuing trees and nature for their benefits to both the ecosystem and human health.
  3. The city council is revising the Tree Protection Ordinance, but the proposed changes may not be strong enough to protect trees and support the community effectively.

Vaccines are popular, actually

Force of Infection • 190 implied HN points • 16 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Vaccination rates in America are high, often over 80% for childhood shots. This shows that many people are choosing to get vaccinated.
  2. Public perception of vaccines can be skewed by negative news. When people believe that most doctors don't support vaccines, they are less likely to get vaccinated.
  3. Despite some controversy, many Americans actually see vaccines as a safe and normal choice for health. This is an important point that often gets overlooked.

A historic flu season

Force of Infection • 191 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Flu activity is increasing, with outpatient visits for flu-like symptoms reaching 7.8%. This shows that more people are getting sick and needing medical attention.
  2. This flu season is hitting all age groups hard, with high severity reported among children, adults, and older adults. It’s a tough time for many families right now.
  3. Emergency department visits for flu symptoms in children have been noticeably high, making it crucial for parents to stay alert for signs of illness. Hospitals are also seeing more severe cases than in recent years.

The High Price of Doctors: An Update

Bet On It • 211 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The number of new doctors is slowly increasing, but it's not enough to keep up with the aging population.
  2. The number of new male doctors has been stable, showing little growth over the years.
  3. As the population gets older, the ratio of new doctors to seniors is falling, which is a worrying trend.