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itsandysmith.bsky.social
Helping biopharma humanise their healthcare & corporate communication, with a side order of guitar (mostly musical theatre)
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FDA’s rare disease hub continues after staff cuts, with just one departure, director Amy Comstock Rick says — though broader agency changes will still affect its work.

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Even in 2025, some things still shock. Like the apparent selection of a long-time vaccine opponent who was disciplined & fined for practicing medicine without a license to conduct a new HHS study into whether there's a link between vaccines and autism. www.statnews.com/2025/03/26/r...

submitted 79 days ago • 28 comments

PubMed, a free online database of medical literature, appears to have been taken down overnight! (Shocking, but somehow not surprising in the context of recent events.) Thankfully for anyone in urgent need of the latest medical info, Europe PMC covers much of the same territory

submitted 103 days ago • 0 comments

Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...

submitted 104 days ago • 63 comments

I've been proud to be part of of developing and writing this report. #RareNext is a broad look at the tensions and challenges facing the #RareDisease community, drawn from experts throughout the #Havas Health Network, with insights and potential routes towards collaborative solutions.

submitted 107 days ago • 0 comments

A new approach to academic publishing: just pour right-wing money into your own vanity journal. “Peer reviewers” paid $500 per review but are not allowed to advise against publishing the article. Wonder who’s on the editorial board… www.importantcontext.news/p/a-new-acad...

submitted 126 days ago • 15 comments

Fascinating paper in today's Lancet, suggesting that NICE recommendations for funding new NHS treatments have displaced more health value than they added. But the analysis hinges on estimated NHS cost-effectiveness that's a decade old. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

submitted 161 days ago • 0 comments

Important to bear in mind with GLP-1s

submitted 164 days ago • 0 comments

In tonight's #D&D game, I gave one of my players' characters anaphylaxis from fighting giant shrimp - is this a first?! Thankfully, the rest of the team were able to notice and stabilise him :-)

submitted 166 days ago • 0 comments

We produce medical animations, and I often end up recording the voiceovers - I totally agree with this!!!

submitted 177 days ago • 0 comments

The first severe case of human H5N1 infection is is deeply concerning. This piece in Science less than 2 weeks ago explains why www.science.org/content/arti...

submitted 177 days ago • 0 comments

GLP-1 RAs (and related multi-agonists) shouldn't be seen as an isolated "cure" for obesity, but as a tool to jump-start a process of shifting perspective and behaviour. And the benefits of that total package of self-care could compound as people build new habits, even post-treatment

submitted 177 days ago • 0 comments

submitted 179 days ago • 18 comments

How to write a good scientific review article. #PhD #scisky #medsky Open Access febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

submitted 191 days ago • 1 comment

Scientists, academics, researchers: We’re excited to share that @altmetric.com is now tracking mentions of your research on Bluesky! 🧪

submitted 192 days ago • 467 comments

The HPV vaccine has been recommended in the US since 2006. New study out today shows that cervical cancer deaths in young women in the years that followed have plummeted, decreasing 15% per year from 2013-2015. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

submitted 198 days ago • 99 comments

The impact of climate change on health is far broader and more complex than one might think. Could this also mean that the health benefits of positive change on climate might be felt sooner?

submitted 198 days ago • 0 comments

Just listened to this fascinating interview while out running. I'm planning to buy her book tomorrow. I already subscribe to @prospectmagazine.bsky.social and recommend you do too!

submitted 209 days ago • 0 comments

Seems that folks are seeding the algorithm, so why not: 🎸Guitar (rock, jazz, country, whatever) 🎷Reeds 🎭Musical theater (in the band, on the stage) ⚛️Sci-fi & modern literature 🎲TTRPGs & actual play (Worlds Without Number, Critical Role) ⚕️Medical / Corporate communications for pharma / biotech

submitted 215 days ago • 0 comments

A very middle-aged birthday: lazy morning, gentle 10km run and starting to read Naomi Klein's latest book

submitted 216 days ago • 0 comments