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Today was a very, very odd day
I testified before @senatehomeland
They held a hearing on hydroxychloroquine.
Yup, HCQ
In the middle of the worst surge of pandemic
HCQ
It was clear how our information architecture shapes questions of science and medicine of COVID
A thread
I testified before @senatehomeland
They held a hearing on hydroxychloroquine.
Yup, HCQ
In the middle of the worst surge of pandemic
HCQ
It was clear how our information architecture shapes questions of science and medicine of COVID
A thread
There were 4 witnesses.
3 who strongly supported HCQ
They believed thousands of Americans were dying from lack of HCQ
And then, there was me
This split was not a reflection of evidence or the consensus in medicine
It reflected ability of the majority to seat more witnesses
3 who strongly supported HCQ
They believed thousands of Americans were dying from lack of HCQ
And then, there was me
This split was not a reflection of evidence or the consensus in medicine
It reflected ability of the majority to seat more witnesses
The hearing was a testament to how politicized science has become
I shared evidence of studies that have failed to find benefit of HCQ
3 other witnesses shared personal experiences
And suggested my testimony was reckless because it would deny people access to lifesaving HCQ
I shared evidence of studies that have failed to find benefit of HCQ
3 other witnesses shared personal experiences
And suggested my testimony was reckless because it would deny people access to lifesaving HCQ
There was an attempt to make it personal
I passed
I’m not big on personalizing disagreement
I am more comfortable talking data, evidence, science
Their engagement with data was sparse
And they were horrified that I disagreed
I passed
I’m not big on personalizing disagreement
I am more comfortable talking data, evidence, science
Their engagement with data was sparse
And they were horrified that I disagreed
Most shocking?
@RonJohnsonWI, other witnesses essentially argued there is coordinated effort by America's doctors to deny patients HCQ
Why would we do this?
Because we’re in bed with Pharma
A version of the anti-Doctor rhetoric from @realdonaldtrump, his "expert" @scottwatlas
@RonJohnsonWI, other witnesses essentially argued there is coordinated effort by America's doctors to deny patients HCQ
Why would we do this?
Because we’re in bed with Pharma
A version of the anti-Doctor rhetoric from @realdonaldtrump, his "expert" @scottwatlas
I tried to explain that doctors don’t want to kill their patients by withhold therapy
But evidence matters
They tried to flip the narrative: that evidence was misinformation
And “art of medicine” was what mattered
And most amzing?
That @US_FDA, @NIH, Pharma were all corrupt
But evidence matters
They tried to flip the narrative: that evidence was misinformation
And “art of medicine” was what mattered
And most amzing?
That @US_FDA, @NIH, Pharma were all corrupt
On a personal note, it was disheartening to be personally attacked during the hearing
By the witnesses, @RonJohnsonWI
And on @Twitter during and after
But you may be wondering
What is going on?
Why hold a hearing on HCQ in the middle of the worst surge of the pandemic?
By the witnesses, @RonJohnsonWI
And on @Twitter during and after
But you may be wondering
What is going on?
Why hold a hearing on HCQ in the middle of the worst surge of the pandemic?
Why talk Hydroxy when so many Americans are dying?
Because it was meant to push a narrative
That masks and distancing don’t matter
If you get infected – no big deal – take some HCQ
Its stunning
Because it was meant to push a narrative
That masks and distancing don’t matter
If you get infected – no big deal – take some HCQ
Its stunning
I'm left pondering a quote from @barackobama
An idea any American, liberal or conservative, would understand
"If we do not have the capacity to distinguish what’s true from what’s false... the marketplace of ideas doesn’t work. And by definition our democracy doesn’t work"
Fin
An idea any American, liberal or conservative, would understand
"If we do not have the capacity to distinguish what’s true from what’s false... the marketplace of ideas doesn’t work. And by definition our democracy doesn’t work"
Fin
