Eric Boodman
Journalist writing narrative features for @statnews.bsky.social and occasional essays elsewhere.
- In the Trump administration's vaccine rhetoric, you'll hear a refrain: "shared decision-making." But shared decision-making researchers worry that the feds may be hijacking the term to sow doubt when the evidence of benefit is in fact very strong. www.statnews.com/2026/01/20/s...
- A hard but important read from @mmolteni.bsky.social about Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse who was shot by federal agents in Minneapolis www.statnews.com/2026/01/26/a...
- After an order from Trump, federal officials unilaterally slash recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11, @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @helenbranswell.bsky.social report. Public health experts worry the move will sow confusion for parents. www.statnews.com/2026/01/05/c...
- A great profile from @isabellacueto.bsky.social about LA-vegan-restaurateurs-turned-tallow-embracing-MAHA-evangelists in small-town Texas. www.statnews.com/2025/10/16/m...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanSmart story from @jonathanwosen.bsky.social and @angusrohan.bsky.social on the dangerous new territory Trump waded into Monday as he issued direct medical advice regarding the use of Tylenol. Almost makes one nostalgic for the days of some light bleach-pushing. www.statnews.com/2025/09/23/t...
- "Health care's dirty little secret": To avoid being fined for hospital-acquired infections, some administrators discourage clinicians from testing for them, even when that worsens patient care. Important reporting from @tarabannow.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/h...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanIf you run a life science lab where research has either significantly slowed or shut down completely due to Trump administration policies, I’d like to hear your story. I'm a biotech and life sciences reporter for @statnews.com, and you can reach me at jonathan.wosen@statnews.com #journorequest
- Reposted by Eric Boodman#NIH director Jay Bhattacharya says the #BARDA mRNA contracts were terminated because the platform isn't viable because people don't trust it. Experts question some of the claims Bhattacharya made. www.statnews.com/2025/08/11/m...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanNEW: Massive and confusing inconsistencies at NIH. New director says health disparities research is critical yet grants are being cut left and right. With @aniloza.bsky.social and @ericboodman.bsky.social. (Also my last story for STAT. 😢) www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanIncredibly well reported deep dive on NIH and health disparities research in STAT. 🧵 www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/n... 1/31
- Reposted by Eric Boodman. @lizzylawrence.bsky.social takes a look at the lead up to Vinay Prasad's abrupt departure from #FDA. The now former #CBER head "wasn’t able to outrun his firebrand persona," she writes. www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/v...
- He didn't have ALS. At least, not yet. But clearly some of his nerve cells had died. Would an experimental drug prevent him from getting it? Great piece from @jasonmast.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/a...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanSenate passes Trump’s tax-cut bill that would slash Medicaid spending www.statnews.com/2025/07/01/s...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanYou can't make this stuff up. Fortunately, my brilliant colleague @jasonmast.bsky.social, was around to explain to you all what happened at the first meeting of the new #ACIP. www.statnews.com/2025/06/26/c...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanImportant story: Native American longevity rates even lower than previously thoughts because their race is often recorded wrong on death certificates. Story by new STAT intern Marissa Russo. www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/l...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanThe newly reconstituted CDC vaccine advisory committee will discuss the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine, among other things, at its meeting next week. It has been on the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule for decades. www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/r...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanNEW: Vinay Prasad will now hold three separate jobs at the Food and Drug Administration, solidifying his position as a top adviser to Commissioner Marty Makary. www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/v...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanBREAKING: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors. Story here, will be updating: www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/s...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanTwo critical labs at the #CDC were inexplicable targeted for closure in April. The #STD & viral #hepatitis laboratories are among the parts at the agency where terminations have been rescinded. www.statnews.com/2025/06/16/c...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanVeteran photographer Michael Nigro was shot in the head with a non-lethal bullet while covering anti-ICE protests in LA. "It felt very very intentional," Nigro tells NPR, "a chilling effect to convince us to go away." Other reporters say they have been targeted too. My story below:
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanBREAKING: federal judge overrules hundreds of NIH grant terminations www.statnews.com/2025/06/16/n...
- As Harvard scientists grapple with massive funding cuts, one lab at the school of public health turns to funding from private equity, Allison DeAngelis reports for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/06/16/h...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanRFK Jr. said he dismissed an entire vaccine advisory board because of conflicts of interest. But new members appear to have their own conflicts. Many question how the secretary defines COI in the first place. Via @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/06/13/r...
- Wrote about why fallopian tube removals are replacing "tube-tying" — and how pathologists came to believe that the most common kind of so-called ovarian cancer often begins in the tube. www.statnews.com/2025/06/16/o...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanLast week, Marco Rubio said no one has died from USAID cuts and "No children are dying on my watch." This mother begs to differ, and researchers suspect there are tens to hundreds of thousands more stories like hers. By @gabrielleemanuel.bsky.social and me www.npr.org/sections/goa...
- Ethical discussions about genome-editing are inextricable from questions about government funding and regulation of science. But some experts' assumptions about the workings of government are now up in the air, @mmolteni.bsky.social writes. www.statnews.com/2025/05/27/g...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanNew: CDC data released today shows a 27% decrease in drug overdose deaths in 2024 compared to the year prior, as fentanyl deaths plummet but deaths involving stimulants like meth and cocaine increase www.statnews.com/2025/05/14/d...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanThe Trump administration’s vast overhaul of the U.S. scientific enterprise is hitting Chinese-American researchers particularly hard, with big implications for the future of global scientific competition and collaboration, Brian Yang writes for @statnews.com: www.statnews.com/2025/05/12/n...
- A laid-off CDC expert is offering free help to Milwaukee during its lead crisis. “As far as I know, it’s still a free country, and if you want to volunteer your time to help people in need, I don’t think that’s proscribed," he said. HHS, though, isn't so sure. www.statnews.com/2025/05/12/l...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanLast night, NIH announced it would no longer be issuing or renewing “foreign subawards”, which currently fund thousands of research projects overseas, including clinical trials. That policy may go even further, according to an internal email obtained by STAT: www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/n...
- Under Trump admin's budget proposal, NIH would lose nearly $18 billion compared with FY 2025, and the CDC would lose $3.6 billion. Centers focused on chronic disease and environmental health would be cut. By @danielpayne.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/05/02/s...
- "In seeking to help him, did I just paint a giant target on his back?" Parents of autistic kids are asking clinicians to erase diagnoses out of fear of the Trump administration's talk of an "autism registry," @rosebroderick.bsky.social reports www.statnews.com/2025/05/01/a...
- I always learn a lot from reading @helenbranswell.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/04/30/r...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanImportant story from @lizzylawrence.bsky.social: Health secretary RFK Jr.’s vaccine criticism is taking hold at the FDA. www.statnews.com/2025/04/29/f...
- "It's like someone ran over your child." A remarkable collection of portraits representing the current devastation to science. By @mmolteni.bsky.social, @angusrohan.bsky.social, @usha.bsky.social, @jonathanwosen.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/04/25/t...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanAdministration walks backs idea of "autism registry." New from @rosebroderick.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/n...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanI made a timeline of all the actions in Trump's (almost) first 100 days that have upended science and health. It was staggering to me to see it all in one place, even though I reported on many on these events. www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/t...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanThe health official who helped convince President Trump during his first term that it’s possible to end the HIV epidemic in the United States is now imploring the president to stay the course.
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanSpeaking to agency advisers, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya called Trump’s anti-DEI orders ‘misunderstood’ and downplayed the administration's leaked reorganization plans. My latest for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/04/21/n...
- Reposted by Eric Boodman“He has simply disappeared,” said a friend. “I have not heard of a disappearance like this in my 40-plus years of practicing and teaching immigration law.,” said one law prof. “This case represents a black hole where due process no longer exists." www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/u...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanAll new research grants have been frozen at the National Science Foundation, Nature reports, as DOGE considers canceling 200 existing grants flagged for terms associated with diversity, equity and inclusion. Story by @dangaristo.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...
- “I just really believed that if anybody would be safe, the veterans would be safe.” www.statnews.com/2025/04/17/f...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanFor an Air Force vet, an FDA layoff brings back symptoms of PTSD. Via @ericboodman.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/04/17/f...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanRFK Jr. says new federal studies will tell us by Sept. what's causing autism. But nearly two dozen prominent researchers, groups + advocates we reached out to have heard nothing about the project. www.statnews.com/2025/04/16/r...
- “If another Flint happened, and a state was like, ‘We need help,’ we wouldn’t have any lead poisoning experts at CDC to help them." www.statnews.com/2025/04/04/c...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanIn the midst of everything else, the National Institutes of Health has been ordered to eliminate 35% of its contract spending, as part of a wider directive to HHS. If you're at NIH and want to talk about what's being lost, I'm mmolteni.13 on Signal. www.statnews.com/2025/04/03/n...
- Reposted by Eric Boodman"When investigators in the field confronted a potentially life-threatening contamination that compromised drug sterility, Pohlhaus was the person they would call. He’s the one who helped them gather evidence that could halt dangerous manufacturing or shut down a pipeline of compromised products."
- Trump promised to “get the cure for cancer" among other things. But in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, there's “No money for kidney cancer. No money for pancreatic cancer. No money for lung cancer." Must-read from @angusrohan.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
- Reposted by Eric Boodman“Instead of doing the science, we’re in meetings about ‘Can I say diversity here, can I say trans-disciplinary, or is it going to be caught up in a word search?,’” she said. “We’re living in the Twilight Zone.” www.statnews.com/2025/03/21/r...
- On Mon, HHS said: for probationary CDC employees who were to be fired 3/14, it was extending leave "with no set end date". But many employees heard nothing. On Wed, some got emails, but *those* said leave was extended through Friday. Wrote about this surreal limbo www.statnews.com/2025/03/20/f...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanExclusive: Eric Green, who has helmed NHGRI for 16 years, was widely expected to be renewed to a new term. Instead, on Monday, employees told us, they learned he'd be leaving his post. www.statnews.com/2025/03/17/t...
- Reposted by Eric Boodmanlol @lizzylawrence.bsky.social with the goods on how the return-to-office mandate at FDA is going www.statnews.com/2025/03/17/f...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanWhat's been happening with the NIH's Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office? First, all its full time employees were reassigned new jobs ahead of the Trump admin coming in. This week, they were all put on administrative leave. My latest: www.statnews.com/2025/03/06/n...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanHHS's new policy on when to include the public in its decisionmaking is facing some pushback from patient groups as the private sector braces for potential impacts. NEW: www.statnews.com/2025/03/06/r...
- My colleagues @statnews.com are tracking Makary's hearing today as Trump's nominee to head the FDA www.statnews.com/2025/03/06/m...
- The most telling signal in Jay Bhattacharya's confirmation hearing yesterday as NIH director nominee lay in what he would not say. Wrote about his faux naiveté and the tightrope he's walking to please Trump/RFK while also trying to telegraph credibility. www.statnews.com/2025/03/05/j...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanRFK Jr. said today that there have been 2 measles deaths this year, not one in the US. STAT doesn't know of a second death, #CDC is referring queries to #HHS & HHS hasn't answered our call or email. If you know anything, please pass the information along. www.statnews.com/2025/02/26/t...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanBREAKING: Federal judge extends the restraining order on NIH capping indirect costs to 15% www.statnews.com/2025/02/21/t...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanTuning in to hearing about NIH's indirect costs policy. The govt's lawyer says the policy would 'reallocate' indirect costs to fund more direct costs of new research. The judge then asks why the NIH tweeted that it would "save more than $4B a year". The post was a "misunderstanding," he said.
- So proud of @bobjherman.bsky.social, @tarabannow.bsky.social, @caseyross.bsky.social, @lizzylawrence.bsky.social for their Polk-winning reporting on UnitedHealth. Not only are they inspiring journalists, but also lovely human beings. Go read their pieces!
- Honored to have won a Polk Award with @bobjherman.bsky.social @tarabannow.bsky.social @caseyross.bsky.social for our series "Health Care's Colossus" examining the reach of UnitedHealth Group into every aspect of a broken health care system. www.statnews.com/2025/02/17/s...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanInteresting: Canada is buying 500,000 doses of #GSK 's #H5N1 vaccine "as part of ... contingency planning to protect people who may be at increased risk of being exposed to the virus through [infected] animals." Wonder what would trigger a decision to use it? www.canada.ca/en/public-he...
- I'm looking to speak with people whose research on disparities in transplantation has been disrupted by the federal funding issues or the executive orders. Signal: eboodman.88. eric.boodman@globe.com Please boost! #journorequest
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanI'm looking to talk with VA employees who may be directed to alter gender-related fields in medical records. Signal: palmer.01. Please boost! #journorequest #veterans
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanLooking to talk with federal employees with disabilities who were terminated this weekend, especially folks hired through Schedule A or disabled veterans. Please boost! #disability #journorequest
- Reposted by Eric Boodman"For Nancy Hastings, the face of the federal government is the young man who picks her up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:45 a.m. to drive her to dialysis...Then suddenly, in late January, word came that he was gone." Must-read by @ericboodman.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/02/18/i...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanCDC's "disease detectives" halved as part of DOGE cuts at health agencies www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-dis...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanJust in: HHS Inspector General Christi Grimm, who was fired along with 7 other IGs by Trump last month, said she found out she was fired while driving. She's been aggressively auditing Medicare Advantage. More than 2,000 investigations now in purgatory. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanIf you are one of the #CDC #HHS #FDA #NIH employees who have learned today that your employment is being abruptly ended, we want to hear from you. @altcdc.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/f...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanThe #2 leader at NIH is retiring, deepening uncertainty inside the agency. Scoop from @levfacher.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/02/12/n...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanUpdates to my and @angusrohan.bsky.social's story! - A federal judge has halted cuts to NIH research payments in 22 states -Another lawsuit was filed this afternoon seeking to halt the research payment cuts nationwide See our @statnews.com for details www.statnews.com/2025/02/10/n...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanBreaking: Halt on Trump administration’s cuts to NIH research payments expanded nationwide, not just in certain states. My latest for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/02/11/j...
- Some global health foreign aid, for treating TB and malaria for instance, can restart, the Trump admin says. But other programs that were supposed to get such waivers are still waiting for funds. www.statnews.com/2025/02/07/t...
- Reposted by Eric BoodmanNEW: NIH grant applications will no longer be scored based on plans to recruit people in underrepresented communities -including pending applications - fundamentally changing which projects are funded. This affects Recruitment Plans to Increase Diversity (Ts, K12s, R25s) & Diversity Plans (R13/U13)
