Categories Health
Through April 2020, the official recommendation by the Journal of the American Medical Association was unambiguous.
“Face masks should not be worn by healthy individuals to protect themselves from acquiring respiratory infection...
...because there is no evidence to suggest that face masks worn by healthy individuals are effective in preventing people from becoming ill.”
https://t.co/7CHdVGLeZS
Part of that lack of evidence in fact showed that cloth facemasks actually increased influenza-linked...
...illness.
https://t.co/CqRtlg0yro
In contravention to established science, States, municipalities and businesses have violated the legal requirements for the promulgation of medical counter measures during a public health emergency stating a “belief” that face masks limit...
...the spread of SARS CoV-2. To date, not a single study has confirmed that a mask prevented the transmission of, or the infection by SARS CoV-2.
All parties mandating the use of facemasks are not only willfully ignoring established science but are engaging in what amounts...
...to a whole population clinical trial. This conclusion is reached by the fact that facemask use and COVID-19 incidence are being reported in scientific opinion pieces promoted by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and
Our latest editorial https://t.co/tnJnSMe1UN reports the context and outcome of our investigation on this paper https://t.co/l1GBwoGmon on mentorship, and explains changes to our editorial processes.
— Nature Communications (@NatureComms) December 21, 2020
1. The gender analysis was "only meant to be exploratory” and used techniques that “cannot be claimed to establish causality” but causal inferences were made anyway.
Causal claims were justified by pointing out that other people do it too. "While this technique does not establish the existence of a causal effect, it is commonly used to infer causality from observational data."
Amnesty just wants you to hate Jews.
Ken Roth doesn't like good news about Israel's vaccinations, so he's trying to twist it into an act of racism.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 4, 2021
Here's how he deceives:
1/ Law. He says "as occupying power," Israel "has not vaccinated a single Palestinian." But the PA is responsible for health & vaccinations. https://t.co/Ag0TIri9zw
Founded in 1961, Amnesty built a reputation for supporting prisoners of conscience who were non-violent.
While some in the global NGO still do good work, Amnesty has lost direction, often supporting antisemites, misogynists, homophobes &
In 2010, Gita Sahgal, then head of the organization's gender unit, was fired for exposing Amnesty's shameful ties & support for Britain's most famous Taliban advocate, former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg. https://t.co/XYSqQpeRMX
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) November 12, 2019
In 2010, Gita Sahgal, then head of the organization's gender unit, was fired for exposing Amnesty's shameful ties & support for Britain's most famous Taliban advocate, former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg.
Supporting terrorists has been a recurring theme with Amnesty. In 2015, a senior employee of Amnesty International was found to have undeclared private links to men alleged to be key players in a secretive network of global Islamists, revealed The Times.
Christopher Hitchens wrote that Amnesty’s actions backing the Taliban & against whistleblower & gender unit chief Gita Sahgal exemplified the organization’s “degeneration and politicization,” reflecting “a moral crisis that has global implications.”
2/ This week we’ll touch on the association of racial bias and burnout, prompted by @FutureDocs thread last week reflecting on #DrSusanMoore and so many other victims of systematic disparities and racism.
I really can\u2019t stop thinking about #DrSusanMoore. I reread a paper today by @ColinWestMDPhD @dyrbye which showed physicians who were more burned out were more likely to show bias towards Black people. Important to consider for surge \U0001f9f5 @JAMANetworkOpen https://t.co/vmupbtxc98 pic.twitter.com/PmmZHcdmGE
— Vinny Arora MD MAPP (@FutureDocs) December 28, 2020
3/ As a biostatistician, I think it’s interesting that in statistics “bias” is defined as a systematic error or deviation from the truth. This is worth reflecting upon as we debate whether racism and other biases are inherent in our systems – by definition, bias is systematic!
4/ Led by @dyrbye, we published on racial bias and burnout last year. Collaborators included @RRHDr @Ivuoma @bcunningMDPHD @van_ryn
Association of Racial Bias With Burnout Among Resident Physicians https://t.co/cm8JrLyzLO via @JAMANetworkOpen part of @JAMANetwork
5/ This report is part of the multisite longitudinal CHANGES study with @van_ryn as PI. I’m hopeful that this amazing all-star team might have additional clarifying comments: @dyrbye @RRHDr @Ivuoma @bcunningMDPHD
For historical purposes remember, I was able to get rid of the INDIVIDUAL MANDATE, the most unpopular and expensive part of ObamaCare. You are no longer forced to pay a fortune for the \u201cprivilege\u201d of NOT getting bad healthcare. This ended ObamaCare as we knew it. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2021
I created a simple table to illustrate the individual impact of the "flexible second dose timing" now recommended in the UK.
Coincidentally, @bob_wachter & @ashishkjha just tackled the US policy question in this important piece. 1/
https://t.co/n5bHkdIo0c
In @washingtonpost, @ashishkjha & I argue for the 2nd-shot-deferred strategy, partly by invoking the Mike Tyson principle. https://t.co/ZxrgVj3TJe We both came to this view because of the slow rollout & the new variant. But it's a tough call and reasonable people will disagree.
— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) January 3, 2021
I based this on recent statements from the UK chief medical officers, JCVI, and what we know from prior vaccine development. 2/
JCVI: https://t.co/6FQ25d6MFE
UK Chief Medical Officer (CMO) statement: https://t.co/RTpAIqgE1i
CMO letter to the profession:
This table and thread focuses on the AZ vaccine, where more data on a delayed second dose is available than with the Pfizer vaccine. It is not intended to address questions about single-dose regimens or mix & match approaches. 3/
In the table, persons “A” and “B” both receive their first dose in January. “A” receives their second dose in February (4 weeks later), and “B” receives their second dose in April (12 weeks later). “C” receives their first dose in April and second dose in May (4 weeks later). 4/
I made a qualitative comparison the potential efficacy during the two months between “A” and “B’s” second dose, as well as the potential longer-term efficacy after “B” receives their second dose. 5/
I am so confused by Aust Twitter over the past week. The tribalism, invective, mean spiritedness and fanaticism over the pandemic from normally stalwart people is abhorrent in its gruesome frenzy.
— Amy Gray (@_AmyGray_) January 3, 2021
Now, trauma doesn't make you a racist, but being a racist does inflict trauma.
When you're triggered and vulnerable (and being vulnerable feels unsafe), this can lead to fear. In a desperate attempt to avoid that fear, and lack of control, people can try to control everything.
Someone disagrees with you and threatens what you're using to make sense of the universe? You attack, because it feels like an attack on you, and what you think is keeping you safe.
It doesn't mean there aren't things you should be critiquing, or that you can't have discussions, but it does mean you can and should be mindful of how your vulnerabilities are interacting with the ways you are trying to make sense of the world.
The good news is, the Government has funded 20 sessions of Medicare, so hopefully everyone can go to therapy and figure out a way to navigate a world that has changed forever.
I'm finishing up my dissertation now and am on the US post-doc market in clinical psychology so I'd appreciate any leads.
My interests are reinforcement sensitivity, depression/anxiety, and LGBTQ+ mental health.
Shameless thread of recent accomplishments below:
First of all, feel free to visit my website at https://t.co/DK3AaqgRJ4 for my CV and online lectures and articles. Here are twitter threads about some of them from this past year
Here's a meta-analysis on bipolar disorder and reinforcement sensitivity
New meta-analysis on bipolar disorders and reinforcement sensitivity, now online at CPR! \U0001f483\U0001f9d1\u200d\U0001f52c\U0001f483
— Benjamin Katz (@DrBenKatz) November 30, 2020
Shareable link, postprint, sup. materials, data & syntax at the end of the summary thread!
(1/n) pic.twitter.com/A1rFlvveW4
Here's a meta-analysis on depression, anxiety, and reinforcement sensitivity
NEW ARTICLE IN CLINICAL PSYCH REVIEW!
— Benjamin Katz (@DrBenKatz) March 14, 2020
Read on for a thread about a meta-analysis of 253 studies (639 effect sizes) on self-report reward/punishment sensitivity (BAS/BIS), depression and anxiety
Postprint, syntax, data, etc linked further down
(1/9) pic.twitter.com/qOtFj5OFwO
Here's a new tool for implicitly measuring
NEW ARTICLE!
— Benjamin Katz (@DrBenKatz) April 23, 2020
Thread below describes our most recent validation study of the questionnaire-based Implicit Association Test. Postprint, open data and shameless plug for my website at the end of the thread... (1/n) pic.twitter.com/p45gQdpkqz
It\u2019s time to sign!
— Dr. Joy Hataley (@JoyHataley) January 3, 2021
Your nurse and your doctor are!@RNAO@OntariosDoctors @CMAJ @MedicalPost @CKWS_TV @ctvottawa @CTVToronto @CTVToronto @MOHKFLA https://t.co/IPHbuBkuJW
First, Mr. Hillier and I don't share political perspective but we do share a respect for facts. Facts are the foundation of debate and for the development of sound policy. Ontario has no mechanism to robustly debate C19 facts as the legislature is basically shuttered. 2/
So Mr. Hillier has consequently decided to organize rallies and engage in civil disobedience. All rather normal behavior. He has an audience because leaders in the medical/political community haven't convinced the public that draconian actions are necessary. 3/
It may surprise many but the last time such draconian actions were taken were the middle ages. The plague killed half of europe. Lockdowns likely facilitated death, as after people panicked and killed their cats/dogs, rats florished and congregated indoors. 4/
Mr. Hillier tweets acknowledge the unprecedented draconian actions and expand upon concerns centered on civil liberties and the destruction of institutions that maintain the health and well being of Ontarians. Seems rather straightforward. 5/
Nearly half of ICU staff in England treating people in the first corona wave experienced severe anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or problem drinking.
— Louisa Compton (@louisa_compton) January 13, 2021
1 in 7 had thoughts of self-harming or being "better off dead" according to research from Kings College London
When soldiers return from active duty, the TRIM (Trauma Risk Management) system helps deal with issues arising from acclimating back into civilian life. It's designed to provide support in the aftermath of traumatic events. Which is what we have here, on a huge scale.
It won't just be frontline healthcare workers either. I fear a massive trauma response from the wider population, as and when Covid is brought under control and we begin to return to whatever 'normal' looks like at that point.
The armed forces could provide insight into how hospital trusts, schools and businesses could apply this for their staff / students at scale, but it would need government support and...no.
This is the same govt which has decimated mental health care over the past 10 years.
We already had a mental health crisis before Covid.
In 2017 the number of young people arriving in A&E with psychiatric problems had doubled since 2009 but mental health services were cut by £538million.
But we wanted to share the 10 reasons we are proud of 2020 by the S-Lab research group of @PICU_BCH & @BacrUob @unibirmingham
AND to say a HUGE 'thank you' to everyone who has made this possible #teamscience #PedsICU #2020
1)In the last 12 months we have built up a team of Neuro-critical care, resuscitation science, early rehabilitation and COVID19/PIMS-TS researchers for in Birmingham to improve the lives of critically unwell children. Currently called the S(cholefield)-Lab pending a better name!
2)In 2020 we watched our early career researchers shine
Hussin Albargi @AlBaRqi14 (PhD student: paediatric prehospital cardiac arrest)
Mirjam Kool @mirjam_kool (ACF – post-arrest #TTM Intra-arrest physiological monitoring @ILCOR) & 1st publication! https://t.co/9PIOYh8hub
c. Rosie Watts (Med student - BACC-PACK audit of #TTM @PICU_BCH and our need to improve quality of #TTM).
d. Trystan Gruffydd @TrystanGruffydd (BMedSci student – GCS prognostication post-TBI @ISPNeurosurgery ). & many more stars of the future
3) We fought💪with the world against #COVID19
Helped co-ordinate UK @PICSociety involvement in #NIHR & UK #COVID19 / #PIMSTS research. Local PIs to @GenomiccStudy @RecoveryICU
https://t.co/XfdUtytsqI
This paper by Abenavoli was actually pub. in 2019, but I didn’t see it til Jan. My view is that improving outcomes for #devlangdis #DLD requires improved early years provision. However, even for the best programmes, positive effects fade out over time.
The paper provides a useful summary of why that might be and what we can do to address this – hint: we can’t just focus on early intervention, but need to know what comes next. 3/
This paper was written by some of my favourite people and SCALES collaborators. I like it because it is a rare paper that attempts to understand how differences in school placement might affect outcomes. https://t.co/qq1cWHwDA4 4/
I often get asked about this WRT #DLD, but it is hard to say b/c school places are not randomly allocated – they are influenced by child and family characteristics. Th paper by Simonoff et al. gives me some ideas of how we might approach similar questions in SCALES. 5/