Jeff Linder
@jefflinder.bsky.social
General internist, health services and clinical researcher | Health, education, infrastructure, opportunity for all Americans | Bicycles | Opinions, own
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles? blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
Does the new shingles vaccine (Shingrix) protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD)? Yes, according to a new 'natural experiment' study in @natmed.nature.com. But the truth is sadly far less convincing! Pull up a chair and let's examine another peer review failure in a Nature journal. 1/10 🧵
As a grumpy supplement cynic, not surprised... 👇 The link between vitamin intake and depression largely vanishes when factoring in lifestyle www.psypost.org/the-link-bet... From study: "Only weak vitamin–depression associations were observed, and most diminished after adjusting for confounders..."
The link between vitamin intake and depression largely vanishes when factoring in lifestyle
While higher vitamin intake is often linked to better mental health, a new study reveals that this relationship mostly disappears once socioeconomic status, daily habits, and overall physical health a...
psypost.org
The statement that the @ama-assn.org and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine "are (p)roponents of a single time" by @pbsnews.org and Deepti Hajela, as presented in this article, is deeply misleading. Both strongly advocate AGAINST permanent daylight savings time. www.pbs.org/newshour/nat...
America already tried permanent daylight saving time. Could it work now?
It's an idea whose time, as it were, may have come — again.
pbs.org
‼️ AHRQ is in the midst of a mass grant termination event. We (at Grant Witness) need your help to launch a tracker ASAP. If you received an AHRQ termination notice--or if you know of someone else who did--please submit information about the grant here: grant-witness.us/submit-nih.h...
Anyone notice that the IQAir forecast always seems to improve about 8 hours in the future? Makes me think they’re using a historical model rather than fire/atmospheric conditions to drive the prediction. www.iqair.com/air-quality/...
AHRQ was created by an act of congress. Is it legal for the Administration to unilaterally shut it down? www.ahrq.gov/cpi/about/br...
AHRQ: A Brief History | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was created when Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999.
ahrq.gov
AcademyHealth@academyhealth.bsky.social · 2mo agoAHRQ grant cancellations are no longer theoretical, they're happening. We've heard from many researchers and institutions affected by notices ending continuation funding for ongoing projects. Read what we know so far, why these cancellations matter, and how we're responding.
AHRQ grant cancellations are no longer theoretical, they're happening. We've heard from many researchers and institutions affected by notices ending continuation funding for ongoing projects. Read what we know so far, why these cancellations matter, and how we're responding.
AHRQ Has Begun Canceling Research Grants. Here's What We Know.
Researchers across the country have begun receiving official notices from AHRQ informing them that continuation funding for their grants will not be awarded.
buff.ly
Our systematic review on Default Nudges is one of BMJ Quality and Safety Top 10 papers of 2025! 🏆 Blog post here blogs.bmj.com/qualitysafet... Paper here qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/earl... @jefflinder.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Effectiveness of clinician-directed default nudges on reducing overuse of tests and treatments in healthcare: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of clinician-directed default nudges for reducing overuse of tests and treatments. Design A systematic review was conducted to synthesise evidence from randomi...
qualitysafety.bmj.com
Can we make it to 3000 letters to Congress today? Get a friend to send a letter, family members too. Russ Vought wants to take over all federal grant making and put his office in charge of spending at all agencies. A mad power-grab. Let's stop it in its tracks. actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...
Oppose OMB Proposal to Put ALL Federal Government Funding Decisions in the Hands of Political Appointees
On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), OMB-2026-0034, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. The scope of this proposed regulation is...
actionnetwork.org
Have been thinking this for the past 2 days.
Seth Trueger@mdaware.org · 2mo agoone day he’ll get to the bottom of who took the strawberries
OK, people. It takes 2 minutes to write a letter to Congress, a few extra if you personalize it. Russ Vought's attempt to take over ALL federal grant funding is anti-democratic and dangerous. We need MORE letters. Let's tip it over 2000 today. actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...
Oppose OMB Proposal to Put ALL Federal Government Funding Decisions in the Hands of Political Appointees
On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), OMB-2026-0034, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. The scope of this proposed regulation is...
actionnetwork.org
Ok, so maybe the 2 lbs of spaghetti I had last night wasn't the best (there WAS salad involved)... ...but this @thecurbsiders.bsky.social with @joansalgeblake.bsky.social on nutrition had me laughing out loud on my long run this morning. Informative, fun, clear. thecurbsiders.com/curbsiders-p...
GOOD MORNING, DORKS! I have 18k followers and there are just over 8k comments. Which means 10k of you need to head to the link and STAND UP FOR SCIENCE (and democracy) by leaving your public comment. 🔗 fight2win.standupforscience.net @standupforscience.net
Much of this will be well-known to those of us in Primary Care. This is an engaging, authoritative read from Robert Kuttner. Including a cautionary tale about a certain New England health system. prospect.org/2026/06/01/c...
Corporations and the Crisis of Care - The American Prospect
The U.S. suffers from a mass exodus of primary care doctors, as medical practice is dictated by corporate masters at the expense of physicians and patients.
prospect.org
SAY WHAT NOW?! @jamanetworkopen.com published a study of what?! Did I miss something over the last 30 years about there being equipoise in the use of antibiotics for <rereads paper title> low back pain!?? jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Efficacy of Antibiotics for Chronic Low Back Pain With Disc Herniation
This randomized clinical trial examines whether amoxicillin-clavulanate is effective in a subgroup of individuals who have chronic low back pain with disc herniation and bone changes detected on magne...
jamanetwork.com
For a change, I am being a good spaced learner and have almost finished relistening to this @thecurbsiders.bsky.social episode with @jordybc.bsky.social. But a question... thecurbsiders.com/curbsiders-p...
Use of a rapid microbiological point-of-care test for respiratory infections did not lead to an expected overall reduction in same-day antibiotic prescribing in #PrimaryCare. Results of the RAPID-TEST clinical trial published in @jamainternalmed.com. 👉 Read the news: tinyurl.com/y3x3hv29
2026: Study questions usefulness of rapid microbiological respiratory test | Centre for Academic Primary Care | University of Bristol
tinyurl.com
This may be my "favorite" result from the study. Despite multiplex respiratory point-of-care testing changing WHICH patients got antibiotics -- in the testing arm, patients with an identified virus were less likely to get abx -- there was no difference in improvement in symptom severity.
JAMA Internal Medicine@jamainternalmed.com · 4mo agoA randomized trial found that rapid multiplex respiratory point-of-care testing did not reduce same-day antibiotic prescribing or worsen symptom severity for patients with respiratory infections in primary care. ja.ma/4frUOSL
@jefflinder.bsky.social & Julie Szymczak comment on the results of the RAPID-TEST clinical trial led by Alastair Hay in this related @jamainternalmed.com editorial. For the trial results, see: tinyurl.com/5f8vv3m9 #AMR #Antibiotics #AntimicrobialResistance #PrimaryCare #GPSky #PharmSky
Jeff Linder@jefflinder.bsky.social · 4mo agoFor antibiotic overuse, I've heard for YEARS about how we just need better tests. But it's not that simple. Julie Szymczak and I have a new editorial in @jamainternalmed.com on modern microbiological testing failing to reduce antibiotic prescribing. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
For antibiotic overuse, I've heard for YEARS about how we just need better tests. But it's not that simple. Julie Szymczak and I have a new editorial in @jamainternalmed.com on modern microbiological testing failing to reduce antibiotic prescribing. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Love this article and intervention! The editorialist put it best: “These findings highlight the critical need to refocus on delivering simple health care with quality, at scale.” www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
A Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Maternal Infection Outcomes | NEJM
Maternal infection and sepsis are major causes of maternal death and severe illness worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Inconsistent implementation of evidence-based recomm...
nejm.org
With Sijia Wei and others @nuintmed.bsky.social @feinberg.northwestern.edu @dukemedschool.bsky.social @duke-university.bsky.social. We found that one of the potential mechanisms heart failure patients with higher SES achieve better outcomes is by having *better clinician networks*.
Peer comparison feedback to hospitalists fails to reduce antibiotic prescribing or improve patient outcomes. WHY? From Witt and colleagues in @jamanetworkopen.com from @emorydeptofmed.bsky.social @emoryhealthcareatl.bsky.social @uofugim.bsky.social jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Benjamin Gallagher from @yalesom.bsky.social in @journalgim.bsky.social writes that measured BPs are more effected by: 1. Regression to the mean 2. Hawthorne effect 3. Visit-to-visit variability Than medication
steroids are overprescribed for URI (colds, bronchitis)– unless it's kicking off an asthma or COPD flare, they don't help most patients + nontrivial side effects/harm great work by @jefflinder.bsky.social @nuintmed.bsky.social @feinberg.northwestern.edu @ipham.bsky.social in @jamanetworkopen.com !
Jeff Linder@jefflinder.bsky.social · 4mo agoWe conducted a multi-faceted stewardship program to address glucocorticoid prescribing for acute respiratory infections. Intervention consisted of a survey, education, feedback, and patient handouts. Glucocorticoid prescribing rate decreased from 20% to 8%. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
We conducted a multi-faceted stewardship program to address glucocorticoid prescribing for acute respiratory infections. Intervention consisted of a survey, education, feedback, and patient handouts. Glucocorticoid prescribing rate decreased from 20% to 8%. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
This benefit is under appreciated by doctors who have infinite sick leave and high salaries: “Paxlovid recipients had a shorter median time to early sustained recovery than the usual-care group (14 vs 21 days in PANORAMIC and 6 vs 9 days in CanTreatCOVID)”
CIDRAP@cidrap.bsky.social · 4mo agoTrials show: Paxlovid doesn’t reduce hospitalization or death rates in vaccinated high-risk COVID outpatients, although it does reduce viral load and speed time to recovery. Read more: ow.ly/zm4m50YONlg 📷: Kches16414 / Wikimedia Commons
I feel like I’m finally getting pretty good at writing grants right when they stopped giving grants away.
