What in the Health?!

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Thank you.

Well, I don’t know about you, but this morning I am exhausted. I am also breathing easier than I have in, I don’t know, 653 days. That’s…

Nov 4, 2026 · Shelley Facente

Pre-Midterms Edition:What in the Rural Health?!

Here it is, just two days from Election Day. I can’t wait for it to be Wednesday, I must admit. I don’t even live in a swing state, and the amount of calls, texts,…

Nov 2, 2026 · Commentary & Calls to Action

They keep saying they’re restoring trust. Here’s the scorecard.

Almost a year ago, I wrote a post about all the ways trust is being damaged between the public and public health, a field that is inherently about trying to help the…

Oct 11, 2026 · Commentary & Calls to Action

When “gold standard” has lost all meaning.

You want to know what’s a term that will be forever tarnished? “Gold standard.” If I never hear the term “gold standard science” ever again, it will be too soon. Like…

Aug 14, 2026 · Vaccines & Immunization

One of RFK Jr.’s most tone deaf appearances yet.

A year ago I wrote a post about the shooting at CDC. On August 8, 2025, Patrick Joseph White went to CDC headquarters and fired nearly 500 rounds at the building,…

Aug 10, 2026 · Commentary & Calls to Action

Could we have prevented the outbreak from diarrhea lettuce?

You had to know I couldn’t let this meme-filled national conversation about “diarrhea lettuce” pass by without a comment on this Substack. What in the health?!…

Jul 19, 2026 · HIV, AIDS & Infectious Disease

Last Chance: Take action NOW to stop Russell Vought from revamping the federal funding landscape.

A recent article by Elizabeth Kolbert at The New Yorker was aptly titled An O.M.B. Plan to Defund Science—and Anything Trump Doesn’t Like. Most articles about this issue…

Jul 12, 2026 · Federal Policy & Funding

We need to protect trans kids—during Pride, and always.

San Francisco is wrapping up another fantastic Pride celebration weekend. These days I don’t get so excited about going into the fray for the alcohol-fueled party with…

Jun 29, 2026 · LGBTQ+ & Reproductive Health

URGENT ACTION: This is a five-alarm fire for science in the United States. This affects YOU.

A quick note from me up front: Today’s post is about a proposed change to U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and regulations. This might sound dry, or boring, or…

Jun 17, 2026 · Federal Policy & Funding

Our response to Ebola is not making Americans safer.

On Thursdays, the CDC releases their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It summarizes essential information about current or recent disease outbreaks, environmental…

Jun 7, 2026 · HIV, AIDS & Infectious Disease

The cost of military spending.

By April 29 of this year, the United States government had spent $25 billion on the war with Iran. To put that into perspective, in the two months after “Operation Epic…

May 12, 2026 · Federal Policy & Funding

Whiplash.

If you are anything like me, these days you wake up and think “What in the world happened while I was sleeping? Is the Strait of Hormuz open today? Or closed?” This is…

Apr 22, 2026 · Commentary & Calls to Action