Nobody Cares about Your Health

[Free]

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

RFK Jr starts having a tantrum as Chris Murphy details how he lied during his confirmation hearing about his anti-vax views

bsky.app

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

DeLAURO: Are you planning to break the law by impounding appropriated funds? RFK Jr: If you appropriate the funds, I'm going to spend them D: We have! You're cutting the NIH by $18b. Congress appropriated those funds. How can you justify cutting billions from the biomedical research budget?

bsky.app

 

[Free]

This better not be prep for the Andromeda Strain.

Unidentified Bacterial Strain Discovered Inside China’s Space Station

The microbes could potentially pose a threat to the health of astronauts on board Tiangong.

gizmodo.com

 

[CronoCloud Creeggan]

This better not be prep for the Andromeda Strain.

Unidentified Bacterial Strain Discovered Inside China’s Space Station

The microbes could potentially pose a threat to the health of astronauts on board Tiangong.

gizmodo.com

/me remembers to keep blood either acidic or alkaline, does not stare at flashing lights, and keeps the key handy.

 

[Free]

They likely won't admit to it, but I smell AI is involved here. And it smells real bad.

RFK Jr.'s MAHA report cited nonexistent studies

Certain studies within the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" report do not exist as cited, ABC News has confirmed.

abcnews.go.com

Certain studies within the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" report do not exist as cited, ABC News has confirmed.

Dr. Katherine Keyes, a researcher cited in the report as a first author of a paper on rates of depression and anxiety among teens during the pandemic, confirmed to ABC News that she did not write a paper cited in the report that the White House's Make America Healthy Again Commission headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled last week.

"I was surprised to see what seems to be an error in the citation of my work in the report, and it does make me concerned given that citation practices are an important part of conducting and reporting rigorous science," Keyes wrote to ABC News in an email.

 

[Free]

RFK Jr fires entire US vaccine committee

The US health secretary, a vaccine sceptic who has been criticised by health experts, said the panel was 'plagued' with conflicts of interest.

www.bbc.com

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, has removed all 17 members of a committee that issues official government recommendations on immunisations.

Announcing the move in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy said that conflicts of interest on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip) were responsible for undermining trust in vaccinations.

Kennedy said he wanted to "ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible."

Sure you do.

 

[Free]

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

As it turns out, freeze dried carrot chips are not a suitable replacement for potato chips, even with the most fattening dip imaginable.

 

[Free]

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans

Doctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide could refuse to treat unmarried veterans and Democrats under new hospital guidelines imposed following an executive order by Donald Trump.

The new rules, obtained by the Guardian, also apply to psychologists, dentists and a host of other occupations. They have already gone into effect in at least some VA medical centers.

Medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, color, religion and sex, and all veterans remain entitled to treatment. But individual workers are now free to decline to care for patients based on personal characteristics not explicitly prohibited by federal law.

The administration is claiming this is not true.

VA Disputes Guardian Report on Alleged Discrimination

A VA spokesperson declares core elements in The Guardian’s report to be false

www.hcinnovationgroup.com

I suspect we'll get trumped either way.

 

[Casey Pelous]

The administration is claiming this is not true.

"This is a damnable lie. The order applies to ALL health care workers, not just the VA. Thank you for the chance to clear this up."

 

[Free]

Fuck Cancer - earlier!

Doctors Find They Can Detect Cancer in Blood Years Before Diagnosis

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered that cancer can be detected in the bloodstream a full three years before diagnosis.

futurism.com

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans


The administration is claiming this is not true.

VA Disputes Guardian Report on Alleged Discrimination

A VA spokesperson declares core elements in The Guardian’s report to be false

www.hcinnovationgroup.com

I suspect we'll get trumped either way.

It sounds like they meant to just target transgender people but due to their general incompetence hit other groups with the lazy legal language.

 

[Free]

This looks interesting.

London woman off insulin for Type 1 diabetes after a single dose of experimental manufactured stem cells

Amanda Smith celebrates the day, August 1, nearly two years ago, when she stopped taking insulin to manage her type one diabetes, just a few months after getting a dose of experimental stem cells as part of a study.

www.ctvnews.ca

Amanda Smith celebrates the day, August 1, nearly two years ago, when she stopped taking insulin to manage her type one diabetes, just a few months after getting a dose of experimental stem cells as part of a study.

“I remember, like, being scared and excited, and it’s history now,” she said.

The 36-year-old nurse and mother is part of a small, but what some call “milestone study,” of patients with Type 1 Diabetes using manufactured stem cells, designed to grow in the liver and become the full array of pancreatic islet cells that naturally control blood sugar levels.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report that of the 12 patients who received a single dose of the stem cells, it eliminated the need for insulin in 10 for at least a year and stopped episodes of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, which can lead to dangerous complications, even death. For Amanda, the treatment has been a blessing.

 

[Free]

I'm not bothered by the initiative, but rather who is leading it. Also, I'm sure the poor will be left of of this great MAHA plan.

RFK Jr. Wants Every American to Be Sporting a Wearable Within Four Years

During a House committee meeting Tuesday, Kennedy announced a large-scale ad campaign from the federal government to hype wearable tech.

gizmodo.com

The road to “make America healthy again” will apparently be paved with Apple Watches. Health and Human Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has just unveiled a campaign that will try to encourage the widespread use of wearables.

RFK Jr. announced the initiative Tuesday afternoon during a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee meeting to discuss the HHS’ budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. In response to a question from Senator Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) about wearables, Kennedy revealed that HHS will soon conduct one of the agency’s largest ever advertising campaigns to promote their use. He added that in his ideal future, every American will be donning a wearable within the next four years.

 

[Casey Pelous]

I'm not bothered by the initiative, but rather who is leading it. Also, I'm sure the poor will be left of of this great MAHA plan.

RFK Jr. Wants Every American to Be Sporting a Wearable Within Four Years

During a House committee meeting Tuesday, Kennedy announced a large-scale ad campaign from the federal government to hype wearable tech.

gizmodo.com

Meh. As of now, there's very, very little evidence that wearables make any measurable difference in outcomes.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002934319305534

 

[Lexxi]

I'm not bothered by the initiative, but rather who is leading it. Also, I'm sure the poor will be left of of this great MAHA plan.

RFK Jr. Wants Every American to Be Sporting a Wearable Within Four Years

During a House committee meeting Tuesday, Kennedy announced a large-scale ad campaign from the federal government to hype wearable tech.

gizmodo.com

I'm willing to be proved wrong and admit when I'm wrong. I reacted with the idea that wrist watch usage is not exactly as common, today, as it was like, say, in 1950. And the initial things I saw did suggest that idea. So, my initial reaction was something along the lines of "RFK jr's big health improvement idea is to get people to wear wrist watches that have health monitor technology in them when wearing watches has been on a downward slop for decades now?" Apparently I'm wrong.

The adoption of wrist-worn wearable devices in the United States has shown a consistent upward trajectory over the past decade. A Nielsen survey from 2014 reported that 15% of consumers were already using wearable technology. 1 By 2019, a Pew Research Center survey indicated that 21% of U.S. adults regularly wore a smartwatch or wearable fitness tracker. 2 Other data from 2019 showed smartwatch adoption among US adults at 18%, increasing to 23% by 2021. 3

Tech-Styles: Are Consumers Really Interested in Wearing Tech on their Sleeves? - Nielsen

nielsen.com/insights/2014/tech-styles-are-consumers-really-interested-in-wearing-tech-on-their-sleeves
About one-in-five Americans use a smart watch or fitness tracker - Pew Research Center

pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/01/09/about-one-in-five-americans-use-a-smart-watch-or-fitness-tracker
Smartwatch Statistics 2025 By Wearables, Technology, Devices - Market.us Scoop

scoop.market.us/smartwatch-statistics
United States Traditional and Smart Watch Market Size, Share

inkwoodresearch.com/reports/united-states-traditional-and-smart-watch-market

The expansion continued into the early 2020s, with wearable device adoption reaching 36.36% in 2022, a notable increase from 28-30% in 2019. By April 2022, a survey found that 45% of Americans regularly wore smartwatches or fitness trackers. More recently, as of March 2024, 41% of respondents in the United States and Canada reported owning wearable devices, with 32% actively using them. This distinction between ownership and active usage is important, as it suggests a segment of owners who may not regularly utilize their devices.

The varying percentages across different sources (e.g., 21% in 2019 from Pew, 36.36% in 2022 from JMIR, 45% in 2022 from ValuePenguin, and 41% ownership/32% usage in March 2024 from Market.us Scoop) can be attributed to differences in survey methodology, sample populations (e.g., "adults," "internet users," "broadband households"), and the precise definition of "wearable device" or "regularly wear" at the time of each survey. Despite these variations, the consistent increase in reported figures from 2019 to 2024 underscores a strong upward trend in the adoption of wrist-worn smart devices. This rapid increase highlights the mainstream acceptance of smart, wrist-worn technology, indicating its movement beyond early adopters to a significant portion of the general population. This also suggests that the market for these devices is dynamic and still expanding, although some analyses suggest it might be approaching maturity in major markets like the US.

Basically, smartwatch ownership (as opposed to usage) has gone from 14% in 2014 to 41% in 2024.

Despite the significant rise of smartwatches, traditional watches continue to maintain a substantial presence in the United States market. The US remains one of the largest global markets for personal luxury goods and high-end watches. In 2017, high-end watches alone represented 77% of total watch sales, indicating a strong preference for classic timepieces among a significant consumer segment.

The combined US market for traditional and smartwatches was valued at $20.67 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $34.25 billion by 2032. In terms of volume, 74.13 million units were sold in 2023, expected to grow to 125.17 million units by 2032. More broadly, the US watch market (encompassing both traditional and smart) was valued at $22.77 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $34.34 billion by 2033. Luxury watches, driven by collectors and high-net-worth individuals, account for a significant share of this market. The analog segment, specifically, dominated the US luxury watch market in 2024, valued for its timeless appeal, craftsmanship, and prestige.

Despite the widespread adoption of both smart and traditional wristwatches, several factors contribute to individuals choosing not to wear them. The most prominent reason for the decline in traditional wristwatch wearing is the ubiquity of cell phones. With 91% of Americans constantly connected to their mobile devices, a wristwatch can be perceived as redundant for time-telling. Phones are accurate, and since individuals already carry them, there is a perception of "why carry more?".

For smartwatches, specific concerns act as barriers to broader adoption. Privacy and security concerns regarding the collection and transmission of personal data are significant drawbacks. Wearable devices continuously collect sensitive information such as biometric data, activity logs, and location tracking, raising valid consumer anxieties. The potential for distraction and over-reliance on technology is another concern, as wearers may become overly focused on their devices rather than their surroundings.

I don't carry or wear a watch, traditional or 'smart', because of that 'why carry more', I'm already carrying a phone (actually two phones, one for work, one personal). That 'privacy and security concerns' part also plays something in why I do not want RFK jr's Apple watch.

 

[Noodles]

I'm not bothered by the initiative, but rather who is leading it. Also, I'm sure the poor will be left of of this great MAHA plan.

RFK Jr. Wants Every American to Be Sporting a Wearable Within Four Years

During a House committee meeting Tuesday, Kennedy announced a large-scale ad campaign from the federal government to hype wearable tech.

gizmodo.com

I have serious doubts about what is motivating this given these assholes want to surveilence state everyone to the extreme.

And they can be motivating, but I stopped wearing my Fitbit, after like a decade of daily use, because I just, stopped seeing the real value to it. I never did anything with the data. It also felt a bit inaccurate. Plus I don't like that Google bought Fitbit.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

I have serious doubts about what is motivating this given these assholes want to surveilence state everyone to the extreme.

And they can be motivating, but I stopped wearing my Fitbit, after like a decade of daily use, because I just, stopped seeing the real value to it. I never did anything with the data. It also felt a bit inaccurate. Plus I don't like that Google bought Fitbit.

Yeah... such a program would be VERY expensive to implement and this is from people who act like free healthcare is insane socialism. I would be shocked if such an effort got funding at all, and if so, I'd question their motives a lot.

 

[Casey Pelous]

Yeah... such a program would be VERY expensive to implement and this is from people who act like free healthcare is insane socialism. I would be shocked if such an effort got funding at all, and if so, I'd question their motives a lot.

Once you can present them to get through the Loyalty Checkpoints (the approved watches will constantly monitor for Unamerican Speech or Acts) they should catch on quickly.

"Your papers, please? Oh, I see you have a Trumpwatch(TM). One moment while I download the data..."

 

[CronoCloud Creeggan]

Once you can present them to get through the Loyalty Checkpoints (the approved watches will constantly monitor for Unamerican Speech or Acts) they should catch on quickly.

"Your papers, please? Oh, I see you have a Trumpwatch(TM). One moment while I download the data..."

Or they might go more traditional in the Amerikareich: "Papieren bitte. Alles Ordnung."

 

[Free]

RFK Jr Has a Problem: the Synthetic Food Dyes He’s Trying to Eliminate Are in Candy Beloved by Trump

From Adderall to M&Ms, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s health policies keep running counter to president Donald Trump's preferences.

futurism.com

Nowhere has that tension been more clear than in the newly-minted Health and Human Services secretary's war on synthetic food dyes, which is his first battle in what he's framing as a war to reconstitute the United States' ultraprocessed food system.

As the New York Times reports, RFK is already encountering roadblocks from Mars, the manufacturer of popular snacks including M&Ms and Skittles, to his proposed dye ban. Several other major food companies, including Nestle and Kraft Heinz, quickly jumped on board — but Mars is signaling that it won't remove the dyes without regulatory action.

And to get that, RFK will need the political clout of figures going right to the top of the administration. And on that front, unfortunately, he could be stymied by a simple reality: Trump is, on a personal level, very fond of colorful candy.

Earlier this year, Rolling Stone reported that Trump has been so obsessed with candy during both his presidential terms that he has demanded aides keep bowls and baskets filled not just with colorful M&Ms, but also Life Savers and Starburst, among other sugary morsels.

Maybe RFK Jr can convince Trump to start eating healthy snacks.