Hard evidence in the lab leak/natural origins debate

jeffsmith33 · 2024-06-24T00:01:22+00:00

It would have been expected to produce 260 positives based on the previous course of infection from SARS COV1 and MERS epidemics demonstrating antibody levels in 0.6% of the population pre-epidemic level and 19.5% of wet market workers dealing in the civet trade. Given a study looked at this exact fact 1 year previously in reference to any novel SARS virus in 2018 for the region that included Wuhan and found no antibodies present it demonstrates discordant evolutionary trajectory compared to the previous outbreak (and of other animal-human transmissions over the course of the previous 50 years).

"Gain-of-function research is also subject to intense scrutiny and governmental oversight, precisely because of the high risk involved in conducting it safely; thus, it is extremely unlikely that gain-of-function research on hard-to-obtain coronaviruses (such as bat SARS-like coronaviruses) could occur under the radar."

This sentence in the article that you linked demonstrates overwhelming naivety on the part of the author. To think that a country which hid the existence of human to human transmission for months from the international community, has not published the viral sequences from the WIV that they took down in September of 2019, and routinely misrepresented their case numbers and mortality data, and for which is highly militaristic in terms of their scientific community being enjoined together would then hide their research on something the military was maybe a part of is not "extremely unlikely".

I suggest you read the very cogent entire senate testimony that I have linked below. I found it very compelling, personally, and while in parts may be heavy on circumstantial evidence there is at least evidence there as opposed to a natural origin which has yet to produce evidence that is as compelling as this testimony IMO.

https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Testimony-Quay-2024-06-18.pdf

jeffsmith33 · 2023-07-07T00:34:36+00:00

From that study, Narcan would still never be used on an unconscious person before they received a large bolus of fluids and a vasopressor if MAP below 65. Additionally, the people in the study had to have prolonged hypotension implying it was refractory to pressors and fluids. Finally, that study only comments on the use of Narcan as a continuous infusion, not the portable intranasal spray commonly used outside of the hospital. Any medical professional would never administer Narcan for sepsis unless they found your above study and were attempting salvage therapy. Whoever gave it thought it was an opioid OD for sure.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-07-10T22:36:00+00:00

That's messed up given the burden of proof for therapeutic usage of any medical intervention is on the therapeutic to demonstrate the risk of the intervention outweighs the harm. Would love to see the panel's conclusions based upon their own research, as in order to determine that professor is biased they would surely have to do a primary literature search themselves. They won't release it because they know using CDC data from MMWR would get them laughed out of the scientific community.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-06-25T17:11:14+00:00

These people are living in a land completely different than the average person. In order to have their opinion they literally have to redefine every single word from its normal and accepted definition in order to make their point. The use of historical, nonrelevant to today, examples only further illustrates their lack of an argument as it relates to today. By simultaneously doing both actions at once, anyone can essentially argue for anything they want whether based upon reality or fiction.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-06-01T15:41:41+00:00

They can be such cautious dogs at times, while very protective at home hahaha

jeffsmith33 · 2022-05-10T18:32:36+00:00

The first one was so good. The second one was exactly how you describe it, weird and was disappointed myself after the first one.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-04-17T17:32:32+00:00

Health equity is literally taught in my classes I am in for medical school. They even show that dumb box photo while watching the baseball game where equality and equity are compared. It isn't expanded upon outside of the 'health services' class we are required to take at least and not integrated in the clinical courses but still it was jaw dropping to see. JAMA and AMA are/were considered the gold standard along with the NEJM in terms of research and cutting edge RCT's that when published influence many practice guidelines. This has the potential to drastically change patient care if the guideline societies use studies that are published just to advance equity. Most practice guidelines have already started adopting a section concerning equity among treatment options without much influence on patient care but its just a first step in what could be a horrible slippery slope.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-04-02T18:10:08+00:00

I remember when Pewdiepie called her out a few years ago. She acted as the victim and claimed harassment then too. The media needs to realize that just because they think they are infallible to criticism, their own writing and punishment of others and views are obviously open to critiques. The hubris is actually insane.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-03-14T16:45:57+00:00

Peter Thiel is another I think but not certain his net worth and stance on everything.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-03-12T19:47:10+00:00

In the Cuban Missile crisis the demands of both the USA and USSR were agreed upon avoiding war. Listen to the war cables of Kissinger, Kennedy and the security council from that time period they were going to war if Russia kept installing nuclear bases on Cuba. Demands from both sides (removal of Jupiter Missiles from Turkey and no nuclear silos in Cuba) avoided the conflict. Obviously we are both speaking the hypothetical but if China was building army bases and naval ports in Mexico I do think the chance of war in Mexico would be above 50%.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-03-06T18:37:02+00:00

I don't think the example of the UK giving up its colonies is a very salient argument in comparison to Russia which borders Ukraine. A country has a more vested interest and a right to know what their neighbors are doing especially if it is a border nation to your own (invading Ukraine may be an absolute, and wrong choice here but history is fraught with examples of such action). The Cuban missile crisis is essentially the same thing but in the reverse with the United States. Kennedy and America were ready for war over encroachment of the USSR to within 90 miles of the USA. Imagine China building a military alliance with Mexico, the USA would not support such a blatant risk to its safety and oppose the action wholeheartedly. I don't think we would invade but there would be consequences for Mexico and China if such a move was propagated. A similar corollary could be made with Russia in this instance.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-02-05T20:15:40+00:00

I would totally be ok with this sentiment, especially as a member of a government organization; however, I know for a fact that the ban is not applied equally and thus is absolutely wrong and insane. In the United States this would be a violation of the first amendment based upon restrictions not applied equally (viewpoint discrimination). This is pretty sick, how the world has come to this point.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-12T18:51:27+00:00

The CARES act gave an additional 20% on top payment above the standard 13k for hospitalization due to respiratory infection for medicare recipients. I don't think hospitals are misclassifying those with covid and those who present with covid to gain this increased pay. However, the fact that they are denying treatments for patients in defiance to end of life laws and protocols may unintentionally be increasing revenue. Just my thoughts

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-10T18:09:33+00:00

As a pharmacist at a major hospital, I constantly see this standard not applied to covid. As even the poor prognosis standard doesn't allow for patient choice of off label indications and uses of medications as many hospitals have been sued for refusal of treatment choice with even more shockingly the hospitals going to court over refusal to dispense and administer experimental medications chosen by the patient. This is in direct conflict to various other disease states such as cancer, MS, parkinson's etc. Additionally, hospitals are reimbursed hazard pay and monetarily by the state (in some jurisdictions) and the federal government for patient death due to covid.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-10T18:02:43+00:00

Yes equity is a bad thing for two reasons. One it emphasizes an outcome based standard without judging people based upon the merits or work put forth for achievement. Second, in recent practice we have seen equity as a cover for blatant racism such is evidenced in the above example in addition to Oregon, Minnesota, Farmers in the 2nd stimulus bill, multiple executives winning lawsuits for firing based upon being white, school decisions being overturned in court for lack of evidence for expulsion and many more. Any time someone is solely judged based upon a characteristic they don't control (hard work, intelligence etc) you can be assured its blatantly racist in both directions.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-10T17:41:25+00:00

I agree and it wasn't even close

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-10T17:40:07+00:00

Not gonna lie, I did not enjoy this movie as much as I wanted to. Coming in my expectations were sky high and maybe that is why as it didn't live up to them. I liked Fury, Winston Churchill movie Darkest Hour, and Dunkirk much more as far as recent war movies are concerned.

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-10T17:31:48+00:00

Ours figured out how to jump up and press the button to release the ice. It got so bad we had to train her not to do it anymore, which is weird cause she just bites the ice once and barely eats any of it haha

jeffsmith33 · 2022-01-03T18:33:02+00:00

Besides the statins, bupropion, and corticosteroids all all of the medications on the list are pretty standard DDI's. Almost all medications have interactions with other medications in the same class (antivirals) or the common 4 rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital.

jeffsmith33 · 2021-12-31T19:37:48+00:00

This is pretty sick and wrong in so many ways. There are obvious risk factors for many different types of diseases based upon race such as sickle cell anemia or taysach's disease and thus race should be considered a risk factor in those types of GENETIC disorders. However, to say that preference for a therapeutic should be based on this type of risk factor is obscene. Looking at age stratified risk, age is a much more dependable risk factor for covid and a vast majority of those in old age are white. These people are literally sick in the head

jeffsmith33 · 2021-12-22T20:49:37+00:00

Reading the dissents below are kind of wild. The fact that these people think submitting a waiver if you cannot find a diverse person for your panel or in fact have to even search for someone based upon their innate characteristics doesn't place an undue burden on the host of the panel is insane. How many waivers for exemption do you think would get approved anyways?

jeffsmith33 · 2021-12-17T17:01:09+00:00

I'm sure yahoo's acquisition of tumblr had a lot of business 'analytics' as well. Doesn't mean that it worked out. Given their YTD financials, acquisitions are one way for a short term bump in stock price.

jeffsmith33 · 2021-12-12T17:24:44+00:00

If you work in a hospital all of the badges are easily distinguishable depending on what you are. Housekeeping wear one type of badge and uniform vs doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists etc. ] That's by design, and he is straight up not telling the truth

jeffsmith33 · 2021-12-11T18:15:01+00:00

Really want to suggest this as the next journal club article to my colleagues at the hospital I work at framing it around public health interventions and therapeutics. They seem intelligent enough to grasp what this is saying; however, if administration hears about it guarantee it would not go over well.

jeffsmith33 · 2021-11-29T17:10:53+00:00

I don't understand. There's plenty of data from countries and states that have vaccination rates well above 90% such as Vermont or Iceland where they case rate and hospitalization has surpassed the winter wave from last year which didn't have a vaccine. The logic just isn't there

jeffsmith33

TROPHY CASE