Especially since those who do identify as a different gender than their biological sex have a significantly higher burden of depression, which is a serious mental illness.
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I havenât had grants cancelled â I study infectious disease(*), not gender identity. But I do care about alleviating human suffering, which is not a false construct.
(*) Which means I probably will have grants cancelled at some point, since all federally funded biomedical research is currently under threat in the US, with infectious disease research being a likely target.
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Why is depression a mental illness but gender dysphoria as a mental illness is verboten? It wasnât that way 15 years ago. And the numbers are staggering. Itâs been awhile since I last looked at the statistics, but I recall Sweden had to put a stand still on âgender affirmingâ care because it was that unbelievable.
Most depression is not mental illness; itâs common acedia or melancholy. Yes, often a vice. Abigail Shrier has well documented the limited circumstances of gender dysphoria to males in their first few years of life and who often grow out of the confusion. Itâs not the teenage daughters of our liberal, wealthy friends.
As Carl Trueman described in Brave New World, I am still shocked at how fast it happened. A doctor today would lose their license for diagnosising gender dysphoria as they would have been required to when I was a teenager.
I saw an image of a man trying to breastfeed an infant, while others stood around and supported him. No bueno.
Being common does not disqualify depression as mental illness. An influenza or RSV infection is common, but they are still illnesses. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and it is still an illness. When depression causes a person to not live a normal life, that is mental illness.
How could you know this without scientific research?
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Frankly, Iâm more concerned about the ongoing effort to cripple all NIH-funded research (currently held at bay by a court order) than with ideological attacks on a narrow subset of research.
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As am I. There is definitely a debate to be had over indirect costs, but slashing indirect costs to 15% across the board is an attempt to cripple research in general. This isnât to mention across the board freezing of grant money that has already been allocated, and attempts to shut down study sections responsible for awarding grants. It certainly looks like an all out assault on the NIH.
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Right reason.
In the projectâs termination letter, the NIH wrote that the award âno longer effectuates agency priorities.â It added that the project did not satisfy the agencyâs obligation to âcarefully steward grant awards to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in ways that benefit the American people and improve their quality of life.â
âIt is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focus on gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment,â the NIH wrote.
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One concern I have is not just that we ignore the tremendous life saving power of vaccines, but it seems to change the whole focus of the health department from recommending a healthy lifestyle and helping when neededâto nearly blaming the victim for illness. Will they say that we get measles because we didnât eat our greens?
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Yes probably. I am becoming more convinced that RFK Jr. doesnât actually accept the germ theory of disease, especially after reading this blog post.
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I wouldnât say we are doomed. But I do hope the NIH can regain the trust of the American people regarding vaccines. Forcing people who had natural immunity to get a vaccine by way of an OSHA mandate certainly didnât instill trust.
I also couldnât understand the benefit of requiring universal vaccinatation of children against Covid. Was it a messaging issue needing further study, or data that experts couldnât agree on?
Hey Mike, I am confused. I am in primary care, and no one has ever required a shot for a child, of any kind. Can you clarify? Thanks.
Requiring vaccines for certain health professionals is important. Viruses donât respect personal choice, unfortunately. Anyone who has had Covid more than once knows that natural immunity is not sufficient to protect us against transmission. If we are vectors as nurses and docs and carry the bugs to the ill in certain professions, that would be horrible. The vaccine carries nothing that is not in Covid, and is not alive (well, thereâs a bit of Miralax, which we use for kids in constipation).
Now that most of us have some immunity, the impact of Covid has decreased, so the urgency is not so great. However, I vaccinate my kids and myself to protect the elderly and others. Itâs still as bad as flu, or worse.
Thanks.
I am concerned, and I think you are, too. You donât agree with the miasma theory, I am sure.
I anticipate, if history repeats previous pandemics, having a much worse bug than Covid, in the next few decades. It could be the same as the Black Death. We have to prepare, I think. We need to listen to those who try to protect us.
By the way, itâs going to be 60 degrees this weekendâhurray! --but then it will snow Monday. Yike.
Thank you.
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In October 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to make California the first state to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for all schoolchildren (kindergarten through 12th grade) in public and private schools, to take effect once the vaccine received full FDA approval for specific age groups.
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Um well, I think the problem is nothing to do with the NIH. Moreso many people in our country live in a different reality.
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Hm, interesting. Thanks. We did not have that in Michigan. It appears to be only for those congregating. As I recall, my kids studied from home at that time.
Back in '21, the Covid was deadly for 1/4 of those over 90, and I lost quite a few people. If we had vaccinated for those in mass groupings, that may have allowed us to early return to meetings and school, rather than doing it from home. Iâm going to have to read more on that. Did they implement it?
This is part of NIH and CDCâs goalâto only require measures where most needed, I think.
So, if weâd been willing to vaccinate early, and more extensively, it would have helped us to re integrate more freely and safely.
I will have to read more about it. Thanks.
Thanks.
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And the point of those studies when people generally trust the doctor they are speaking to face to face?
âWe are doomedâ 
Thatâs what I appreciated about Robert Malone encouraging the at risk population of being vaccinated. And I can think of nothing good that came out of school closures.