It could be argued that I’ve wasted 20 years of my life doing the same. My first article about RFK Jr.’s antivax conspiracies was in 2005.) Most—although, in fairness, not all—of my colleagues looked askance at my activism, as though it was a quirky hobby rather than very, very necessary. - ThreadSky

gorskon.bsky.social • 7 days ago

It could be argued that I’ve wasted 20 years of my life doing the same. My first article about RFK Jr.’s antivax conspiracies was in 2005.) Most—although, in fairness, not all—of my colleagues looked askance at my activism, as though it was a quirky hobby rather than very, very necessary.

Reposted from 🦋Dr. Natalia🕊🌻🪬

I wasted 5 years of my life trying to prevent this from happening. I blame medical establishment, organized medicine, & academic institutions that looked at us like we were crazy & never joined the fight.

www.politico.com/news/2024/11...

Comments

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

Long ago, in 2008, a former SBM contributor, Dr. Val Jones coined a term for most doctors: Shruggies. https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/a-shruggie-awakening/

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

Shruggies knew that quacks, antivaxxers, and people like RFK Jr. were peddling dangerous pseudoscientific and quack bullshit, but didn’t think it was much of a threat. More importantly, they didn’t think that it was worth their energy and time to really fight it.

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

The takeover of CDC, NIH, and FDA by COVID contrarians, antivaxxers, quacks, and grifters is the result of a failure of the medical profession to see the threat. Too many of us were shruggies. Now US medical science and public health are utterly screwed for at least four years.

cranberryhorn.bsky.social•7 days ago

The Attorneys did the same thing. If the Bar Associations had stopped the Trump Attorneys and Judges with disbarment he’d be in jail and the science and law would be functional.

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

The damage done by Donald Trump, RFK Jr., and their minions will be immense and irreparable in what remains my lifetime. It will be the legacy of shruggies as much as it will be of Trump and RFK Jr./end

cphickie.bsky.social•6 days ago

I have nothing to add except: (1) it's been 15 years for me working against anti-vaccinationism, (2) I greatly appreciate and admire your efforts, and (3) sadly you are 100% correct. Right now it feels like we are shuffling deck chairs on a sinking ship and triaging the lifeboats.

quokkafella.nafofellas.com•7 days ago

It is the result of a populist embracing ridiculous conspiracy theories that appealed to the dumbest third of the electorate to get himself elected; I’m not sure I see what the medical profession did wrong or could have done to affect a different outcome.
🤔

sarahmd.bsky.social•7 days ago

Not just shruggies, I'm afraid. I worked with many physician anti vaxxers. Most, frankly, were surgeons.

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

They are different problem. I’ve been warning my colleagues nearly as long that there are a lot more antivax docs than they can imagine. They didn’t listen. I hate being right about this.

tubadrew.bsky.social•7 days ago

Sadly, I'm with you on this one. Several docs haven't been involved with vaccine efforts over the years and don't understand the anti-vaccination landscape but have now given credibility to RFK and his followers. It's so depressing.

tubadrew.bsky.social•6 days ago

In my experience, it’s been ortho, derm and Ophthalmology.

sarahmd.bsky.social•6 days ago

Ortho and Ophthalmology here too and even a general surgeon. And, sadly, other anesthesiologists.

pettirosso.me•7 days ago

I do think this is an aspect that has been way overlooked. Lots of people cannot afford proper medical care and do not trust a system that they feel looks down on them and would leave them broke.

mattpt55.bsky.social•7 days ago

I would agree, the imposition of "for profit health care" has completely eroded trust between both doctor and patient to the detriment of both...

pettirosso.me•7 days ago

Most every America knows what it’s like to have that 15 minute doctors appointment .. after waiting half an hour (if you’re lucky).

ricks54.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thanks for trying. Seriously.

I worked as a biomed engr at Hopkins and MGH for 40+ years. Never met a doc who didn’t give it all for his or her patients. Ran into some big egos, but mostly humbled at having the honor to help.

Some did have blinders to the world around them. But more like you.

zoonotic1.bsky.social•7 days ago

This is when I started following his bullshit too. I was working on my dissertation modeling the effect of a 2nd dose of varicella vax and I saw that salon article and your piece and others like it. When I was a professor I would always carve out time to talk about vaccines, no matter the class.

livingonferenginar.bsky.social•6 days ago

medicine is extremely bourgeois. And the bourgeois can't stand raised voices. Or non-mainstream opinions. Or caring about things.

gvnmcly.bsky.social•6 days ago

Didnt waste anything. Couldve been even worse if not for ur efforts.

charleslawrence.bsky.social•7 days ago

No, you did not waste any time at all! I and many others have been greatly helped by you and @solnatamd.medsky.social exposing the B.S. that is R.F.K. Jr. Dont you even think about letting up! YOUR NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER!

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thank you. Unfortunately, since August, just when I seem to be the most needed, personal challenges related to the declining health of my elderly parents have hugely limited my available time to devote to the struggle.

gorskon.bsky.social•7 days ago

If any regular readers wonder why my personal blog has been mostly fallow since November and why I’ve missed a couple of weeks on Science-Based Medicine since last summer (something that NEVER used to happen), that’s why. It’s also why I’m more depressed now than I probably normally would have been.

charleslawrence.bsky.social•7 days ago

I have been busy reading the older material from both the Respectful Insolence blog and you and others contributions to the Science Based Medicine blog,

Because I am relatively new to the battle against anti-vax disinformation (the last two and half years) I have had a lot of catching up to do!

solnatamd.medsky.social•7 days ago

Thank you! I will do my best to continue to fight and educate the public about the dangers we face.

charleslawrence.bsky.social•6 days ago

Definitely!

gridflay.bsky.social•7 days ago

Been reading your work for most of those 20 years, and it wasn't all in vain. My whole extended circle has largely rejected quackery, often because of evidence you put forward. It may be a little thing, but thank you for it!

loveliberty.bsky.social•7 days ago

RFK built a large following over years

As a presidential candidate he had a small % of votes

Trump did a deal to get those votes

But Trump is proud of 'warp speed' covid vax

RFK called it mass murder

We need to remind Trump of this & hope he falls-out with RFK & fires him as he did others

worldweariness.bsky.social•5 days ago

The dumb has won. Look what dumb has done. And the dumb has just begun.

bugsythedog.bsky.social•5 days ago

#antivaxwacks calling for the names and schools of your #antivaxwacks who do sports booster clubs and call in for the hotdog and Walking-taco police to inspect food sales at sports events but don’t vax their kids.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply