The hottest Public Health Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Health & Wellness Topics

Covidiocy

Diane Francis • 459 implied HN points • 26 Jul 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Vaccination rates are low in some states, leading to rising COVID cases. This shows how important getting vaccinated is for everyone's health.
  2. Education plays a big role in vaccination willingness. People with higher education levels tend to get vaccinated more than those with less education.
  3. Disinformation about vaccines is a huge problem, affecting not just America but also other countries. It's important to share accurate information to help combat these false claims.

Health Expert States There's Basically Zero Evidence Supporting N95 Masks. But At Least There's Significant Side Effects

Unmasked • 83 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. There is little evidence that N95 masks are effective, and they may cause significant side effects.
  2. Many health experts and officials seem unwilling to learn from past COVID-19 failures, which could lead to repeated mistakes.
  3. With the possibility of mask mandates returning, it's important for people to question the policies and their actual effectiveness.

Trump Was Right To Pull The United States Out Of The Corrupt World Health Organization

Unmasked • 75 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) has been seen as a positive move. Many believe the WHO was corrupt and not helpful during the COVID pandemic.
  2. The WHO made mistakes by misreporting COVID's mortality rate, which caused unnecessary panic. They also promoted measures like masking without solid evidence backing them up.
  3. Countries like Sweden showed that it was possible to stay open during the pandemic without lockdowns. The WHO's strict measures did not provide real public health benefits and had harmful effects.

$100K prize money to any epidemiologist or infectious disease doctor who will debate me live for 1 hour and show I got it wrong on COVID vaccine risk/benefit

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 5 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. A $100,000 prize is offered to any US-based epidemiologist, infectious-disease specialist, or biostatistics professor with an h-index of 10+ to debate the mRNA COVID vaccine risk‑vs‑benefit live for one hour.
  2. The challenge hinges on Czech KCOR data and asks the expert to show that the cumulative net mortality benefit of two or three mRNA doses in the first two years likely exceeds the mortality risk; the debate will have three mutually agreeable unbiased judges and 30 minutes per side.
  3. Authorized employees of Pfizer or Moderna are explicitly invited to participate, framing the offer as a public call to prompt a real-time scientific dispute and draw attention to the vaccine safety question.

'Experts' Running The COVID Playbook Again As Mask Mandates Return

Unmasked • 86 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Some COVID-19 policies were based on arrogance and made without admitting they failed. It's worrying when experts ignore their mistakes and push for restrictions continuously.
  2. The pandemic showed how dangerous it is when authority figures act with big egos and lack accountability. This issue hasn't disappeared even years later.
  3. Despite all the evidence against them, some people still believe in the effectiveness of masks. Many experts have criticized masks, saying they haven't worked as promised.
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Here is what you need to know in healthcare this week.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 279 implied HN points • 20 May 22
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Insulin prices have skyrocketed, and many diabetics are struggling to afford it. In fact, out-of-pocket spending for insulin doubled from 2007 to 2019 for those on Medicare.
  2. High-deductible health plans are making it harder for low-income workers to get preventative care. People earning less than $75,000 a year often avoid necessary medical check-ups due to high costs.
  3. Private insurers are paying much more for healthcare services than Medicare, which leads to higher premiums for consumers. This shows that privatizing healthcare isn't necessarily better for controlling costs.

URGENT: Biden pardons Fauci

Unreported Truths • 80 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Biden pardoned Fauci, raising questions about why someone who did not commit a crime needs a pardon. Many wonder if this is protecting him from accountability.
  2. The pardons given by Biden, including for Fauci, are seen as a misuse of presidential power and could lead to more distrust in public health officials.
  3. There is a feeling that investigations into the origins of Covid and the actions taken during the pandemic are crucial, and the pardons might hinder the pursuit of truth.

The War On Drugs Was Never About Safety

Tripsitter • 59 implied HN points • 21 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The War On Drugs has not been about safety, but rather about control and power, with questionable motives behind it.
  2. The War On Drugs has cost an enormous amount of money, ruined lives, and made it harder for people with addiction to seek help.
  3. Decriminalization and legalization of drugs have shown promise in other countries, like Switzerland and Portugal, as alternative approaches to dealing with drug-related issues.

KCOR v6 enables radical transparency into vaccine data

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. KCOR v6 fits a Gompertz gamma‑frailty model to cohorts' cumulative hazards to remove heterogeneity and allow fair comparisons between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
  2. Applied to Czech data, KCOR shows a net harm signal (KCOR > 1) for mRNA COVID vaccines over time, with boosters appearing especially harmful in the weeks after vaccination.
  3. The method depends on assumptions (Gompertz mortality, gamma frailty, and that vaccine harm subsided by mid‑2022) and has limits: it can miss very early post‑shot spikes, long‑term monotonic risk increases, and non‑proportional hazard effects.

URGENT: A young child died of cardiac arrest after being jabbed during Moderna's key Covid vaccine trial

Unreported Truths • 84 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A young child died from cardiac arrest after receiving a Moderna Covid vaccine during a trial. This incident hasn't been publicly reported in official channels.
  2. Moderna did not mention the child's death in their published results, raising concerns about transparency in their clinical trial process.
  3. The safety results from the trial show that children given the Moderna vaccine had more serious side effects compared to those who received a placebo.

If You Have Pests, Now Feels Like The Time to Deal with Them.

OK Doomer • 84 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. Using poison for pests can lead to serious problems, like dead animals causing bad smells in your home. It’s better to try and keep them out in the first place.
  2. Mice can carry diseases that can affect humans, so it's important to get rid of them quickly. A mouse problem is serious and can affect the safety of your home.
  3. One effective way to prevent pests, especially in apartments, is to protect your vents. Keeping these areas secure can help stop pests from getting in.

Broad-Spectrum Cancer Treatments

Rough Diamonds • 37 implied HN points • 03 Jun 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. There is a growing belief that broad-spectrum cancer treatments could be possible since many cancers share common traits. This means a single treatment could potentially help a lot of people instead of just a small group.
  2. Recent discoveries show that certain substances and methods might give us new ways to identify and target cancer cells across different types of cancer. This can lead to more effective treatments for a wider range of patients.
  3. To find these new treatments efficiently, researchers need to work together and share information from different types of cancer. A structured research program could help speed up the discovery of these promising therapies.

Outbreak Outlook - National - June 23

Force of Infection • 35 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. COVID-19 levels are currently low, but some areas are seeing a slight increase in activity. It's important to keep an eye on different regions as the situation can change.
  2. Influenza cases are very minimal right now, with fewer people visiting doctors for symptoms like fever or sore throat. Most age groups report low levels of flu illness.
  3. Norovirus cases are declining, which is a positive sign as we head into summer. Keeping track of these trends helps us stay prepared for any outbreaks.

New Czech dataset has ICD10 codes of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated female deaths

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 20 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A Czech record-level dataset links women's vaccination histories to ICD‑10 underlying causes of death and spans back to 1994, but it only covers women and originally reported events at monthly resolution rather than weekly.
  2. A preliminary ICD‑10 comparison finds different cause distributions between vaccinated and unvaccinated deaths (for example, higher shares of heart failure, diabetes, COVID, and neurologic causes among vaccinated deaths and higher cardiovascular shares among unvaccinated), but aggregate counts are confounded by long pre-vaccine records, older vaccinated populations, and baseline mortality differences.
  3. The data and analysis code are available for further study, and because the file records only underlying cause (not multiple causes) and has limited time resolution, careful age- and time-restricted analyses are needed to look for possible safety signals such as acute kidney injury.

Stop Blaming The US For Measles

Marginally Compelling • 29 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Measles cases in the US are at a 30-year high, but vaccination rates are still mostly above 90%. This means the situation might not be as dire as it sounds.
  2. The real risk for measles outbreaks tends to come from communities with low vaccination rates, especially close-knit groups that may reject vaccines altogether.
  3. Many of the measles cases come from neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico where vaccination rates are lower, highlighting the importance of international vaccination efforts.

The National Academy of Medicine is only inducting COVID commenters who were incorrect

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 103 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The National Academy of Medicine is mostly recognizing people who gave wrong advice about COVID-19. It's surprising that many who commented about COVID-19 and were inducted were incorrect.
  2. There seems to be a focus on honoring those who were strongly in favor of measures like masking and lockdowns. This suggests a loyalty to a specific viewpoint rather than evaluating based on facts or merit.
  3. This trend can hurt public trust in health institutions. If organizations are driven by ideology instead of balanced evidence, it makes people skeptical about their recommendations.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 23

Force of Infection • 85 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Flu season is picking up, with more people visiting doctors for symptoms like fever and cough. Younger kids are seeing higher rates of flu, but older adults face the biggest risks.
  2. COVID-19 is on the rise again, especially in the Midwest, as wastewater and test positivity rates increase. People should stay cautious during the holidays.
  3. RSV cases are also climbing, with infants and older adults being especially at risk. It's important to be careful during gatherings with people of different ages.

To Paul Offit: An invitation to a public, evidence-bounded discussion

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. A focused public discussion is proposed to answer one narrow question: whether mRNA COVID-19 vaccines showed a clear net mortality benefit based on peer-reviewed studies.
  2. The discussion would be strictly evidence-bounded and structured: 60 minutes, only peer-reviewed papers (each side submits up to three in advance), materials shared 14 days before, equal talk time, and a method-focused review of assumptions and bias.
  3. To encourage participation and transparency, a charitable donation would be offered to the invited expert, the session and referenced materials would be made public, and an alternative expert is acceptable if the invitee declines.

Legacy Media Still Lying, Calls Atlas, Bhattacharya, Makary 'COVID Deniers'

Unmasked • 67 implied HN points • 14 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Legacy media continues to blame others for their mistakes during the COVID-19 pandemic, refusing to acknowledge their own errors.
  2. There is a pattern of the elite using their influence to enforce unreasonable rules on the public, then blaming people for not following them.
  3. Articles in mainstream publications often contain misinformation and inaccuracies, causing frustration for those looking for truthful reporting.

LNT is prudent.

Gordian Knot News • 205 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🔬 Science Public Health
  1. Pursuing safety in a cost-effective way is crucial to prevent harm and save lives.
  2. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model, while used for regulatory purposes, can come with enormous costs to humanity due to its over-conservatism.
  3. Focusing solely on minimizing radiation exposure without considering other costs may lead to unnecessary harm and consequences, such as deadly evacuations and ruined lives.

More suggestions for FDA reform for a Trump presidency

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 98 implied HN points • 07 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The FDA should stop allowing pharmaceutical companies to advertise directly to consumers. This could help reduce biased promotion of drugs.
  2. It's important to improve transparency in the FDA's decision-making process and ensure that medical advice is based on solid evidence.
  3. We need better oversight of the fees the FDA charges for reviews so that smaller businesses aren't unfairly priced out, and more funding should go into tracking the safety of drugs after they are approved.

kitten corner: CDC ya later

bad cattitude • 197 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The post discusses the delay in 'experts' realizing what 'amateurs' had known for a while, raising questions about other areas of expertise.
  2. It emphasizes the importance of questioning and thinking critically about information, even when it comes from supposed experts.
  3. The post prompts readers to consider the evolving nature of knowledge and the value of diverse perspectives.

Commentator

Castalia • 99 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. AI technology is evolving quickly, but it comes with biases based on who programs it. This can lead to different chatbots representing very different viewpoints.
  2. Russia's actions in Ukraine are rooted in a complex history of imperialism that challenges the modern idea of the nation-state. It's seen as a form of colonialism, impacting cultural identity and governance.
  3. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked debates about freedom and government control. There's a call to revisit decisions made during that time to ensure better approaches in the future.

Good regulation vs bad regulation

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🌞 Climate & Environment Public Health
  1. Some government regulation — like limits on noise and requirements for workplace protections — can improve public health and raise local property values.
  2. Installing noise barriers next to busy roads quickly increases nearby home prices (about 6.8% within 100m) and could unlock roughly $110 billion in lost property value nationwide.
  3. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles reduces traffic noise and could further boost property values (an estimated $77 billion gain), so faster EV uptake would help homeowners near noisy streets.

What RFK Jr. can do as Secretary of Health and Human Services

Unreported Truths • 91 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Limit how often drugs can be advertised to help patients make better choices. It’s important to make sure medicine is about health, not just selling products.
  2. Open up information about COVID-19 and vaccine safety to the public. This means sharing everything from lab investigations to side effects so people can trust what they’re getting.
  3. Make healthcare more affordable by promoting cheaper generic options and limiting hospital executive pay. This can help more people access the care they need without high costs.

NBC Blasts Trump and Kennedy for Wanting to Conduct Vaccine-Autism Studies

Injecting Freedom • 84 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. NBC criticized Trump and Kennedy for wanting to explore a possible link between vaccines and autism. They say it has been thoroughly studied and debunked, but some people think more research is needed.
  2. Many parents of autistic children believe vaccines might have caused their child's autism. However, there haven't been enough studies specifically on this issue to confirm or deny that link.
  3. Despite claims that vaccines don't cause autism, there’s a lack of solid studies backing it up. This raises questions about the safety of vaccines and other health concerns that parents have.

A poll: how many of you are physicians or other medical professionals? (And WHY do you read Unreported Truths?)

Unreported Truths • 28 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Many doctors are unhappy with the healthcare system and feel its problems are not being addressed. They are looking for honest discussions about these issues.
  2. There is a growing disconnect between medical professionals and the institutions they work for. Many feel alienated and unrepresented by established organizations.
  3. The newsletter is gaining traction among medical professionals who feel their views are not considered by major medical journals. They appreciate getting a platform to share their concerns.

upticks in cancer

bad cattitude • 212 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health
  1. There are upticks in cancer cases among young people globally.
  2. The study mentioned in the article only goes up to 2019, excluding data from the COVID era.
  3. There are concerns about the impact of mRNA vaccines on cancer rates and overall health.

The Apex Predator Of Captured Science: Dr Robert Malone

Who is Robert Malone • 33 implied HN points • 14 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Dr. Robert Malone is seen as a threat to the established powers because he has in-depth knowledge of the medical and political systems, which makes him a strong opponent against misinformation.
  2. The media's response to Malone suggests they feel threatened by him, as they use tactics like character attacks instead of focusing on his credentials and contributions to science.
  3. It's important to critically evaluate information and media narratives, especially when there's a coordinated attack on someone, as this often signals that they pose a real challenge to the status quo.

CDC Director Is Exhibit A That 'Experts' Have Learned Nothing From COVID

Unmasked • 73 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. The CDC made mistakes in managing COVID-19, like failing to roll out tests properly and giving confusing mask advice. This led to a lot of public criticism.
  2. Their guidance on masks changed too many times without strong evidence to support the changes. They often relied on poor studies that were quickly disproven.
  3. Despite the backlash and criticism, the CDC didn't seem to learn from their mistakes or adjust their approach effectively during the pandemic.

Covid's most dangerous moment

Unreported Truths • 86 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. In March 2020, WHO suggested that health authorities might need to remove infected people from their homes to control Covid spread. This was a controversial idea, especially considering the risks involved.
  2. At that time, public health officials were in a state of panic, even when it was clear that Covid posed a low risk to most healthy adults. This led to extreme measures that many thought were unnecessary.
  3. If things had been worse, the proposals for quarantining families could have gained more traction. It's important to learn from this history to prevent similar approaches in the future.

Candidate profile: Bethany Mandel

Can We Still Govern? • 193 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Bethany Mandel is posing as a Democrat for a predominantly Democratic region, even though she identifies as a Republican and campaigns in an anti-woke, right-wing style.
  2. Mandel raises concerns about legal fees in the school district yet is actively suing the school while also suing teachers for blocking her on Twitter, showing a lack of consistency.
  3. Mandel, despite not having her children attend school, is critical toward public services, misunderstands the social contract, flip-flopped on vaccines during the pandemic, and lacks tolerance for views diverging from her own.

Show Me Stupid

Diane Francis • 379 implied HN points • 09 Aug 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Missouri, once known for its common sense, has shifted politically and now struggles with logic and skepticism in its governance.
  2. The state's government, particularly under Governor Mike Parson, has been criticized for rejecting science-based measures like mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. High-profile pardons for controversial figures, like the McCloskeys, highlight a disparity in justice, where wealthy individuals receive leniency while others face harsh penalties.

Happy Thanksgiving! And let's all give thanks that Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is about to run the National Institutes of Health

Unreported Truths • 85 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is set to lead the National Institutes of Health, and he is known for being a scientist who values debate and open discussion.
  2. His early research on Covid suggested that the infection rate was higher than reported, which led to questioning the strict lockdown measures that were put in place.
  3. Hopefully, Bhattacharya's leadership will foster a culture of openness in scientific inquiry, allowing for diverse perspectives and research to be explored.

Medicines of Mass Destruction

Diane Francis • 439 implied HN points • 29 Apr 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. The Sackler family played a major role in the opioid crisis by aggressively marketing addictive drugs like OxyContin, causing immense suffering.
  2. Despite the damage caused, the Sacklers faced little real punishment, and many believe that white-collar crimes should have consequences similar to street crimes.
  3. Recent lawsuits and proposed laws aim to hold the Sacklers accountable and ensure that they cannot escape legal repercussions for their actions.

URGENT: Pfizer hid data so it would not have to report good results on its mRNA Covid jab and help Donald Trump before the 2020 election

Unreported Truths • 36 implied HN points • 29 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Pfizer allegedly delayed reporting positive results of its COVID vaccine to avoid giving political advantages to Donald Trump during the 2020 election.
  2. The company's chairman, Dr. Albert Bourla, is accused of misleading the public about the trial's progress and the timing of data release.
  3. There is an ongoing investigation into Pfizer's actions, with claims that they ignored early evidence showing the vaccine worked well to keep results from being shared before the election.

Inaccurate Study Claims More Masking Would Have Stopped COVID

Unmasked • 79 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health
  1. There is no solid evidence showing that wearing masks helps stop the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19. Many studies from before 2020 found that masks are not effective.
  2. Despite the lack of evidence, some people continue to insist that more masking would have made a difference during the pandemic.
  3. It's important to recognize that a lot of the information about masks has been based on political beliefs rather than scientific facts.

Commentator

Castalia • 99 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public Health
  1. Federal agencies have started to support the lab-leak theory as a possible origin for COVID-19, suggesting a need to rethink how we handled the pandemic. Many believe we should have trusted our common sense more rather than just following authority.
  2. A group called Team Jorge has been uncovered as manipulating elections globally using advanced disinformation techniques. This shows how common it is for outside forces to interfere in democratic processes.
  3. The ongoing war in Ukraine highlights the challenges of maintaining global peace while dealing with powers like Russia and China. The U.S. must balance defending its allies while not provoking further conflict.