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Abstract image depicting a DNA strand, a leaf, and a computer chip. — Image created with Gemini AI.

Welcome to the November 2025 Apothek Dispatch, where we decode the signal from the noise on health, environment, and technology.

November’s dispatch opens with my latest publication in STAT News on why health insurance decisions often defy logic. We’ll examine the CDC website update on autism and vaccines, UNAIDS projections for global HIV infections, and mounting evidence on how air pollution, extreme heat, and lead exposure compound health risks. On the technology front, we’ll explore how AI systems may be erasing traditional and local expertise from our collective memory. As usual, we’ll close with current opportunities: jobs, consultancies, fellowships, and grants for those working at these critical frontiers.

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This month I co-authored a piece in STAT News with Alison Hoover examining how emotions drive health insurance decisions. Drawing from our own experience of losing coverage after leaving federal service, the article explores how fear, anxiety, and cognitive biases shape the choices millions of Americans face when navigating insurance options. With 17 million people set to lose coverage over the next decade due to federal cuts, understanding these emotional underpinnings will be critical as we design solutions to fill the gap. We argue for reducing complexity in coverage options and integrating emotional science into medical training so providers can better support patients through these decisions.

With World AIDS Day fast approaching on December 1, UNAIDS projects 4 million additional HIV infections globally by 2030, driven largely by the collapse of prevention services following massive cuts to international aid and the dissolution of USAID (full report here). This is a grim reversal at the very moment when new prevention tools should have brought the end of the pandemic within reach. The funding cuts have gutted programs that provided testing, treatment access, and prevention services across vulnerable populations worldwide. Meanwhile, federal gag orders have restricted communication from U.S. agencies on these developments, limiting public understanding of how policy decisions are reshaping the global HIV response.

The CDC quietly updated its website language on vaccines and autism this month, shifting from a clear (evidence-based) statement that “vaccines do not cause autism” to saying that “studies have not ruled out the possibility” of a link between them. The response from the medical community has been one of strong opposition to this change, as the new language ignores established principles of the scientific method (e.g. null hypothesis framing) and ethical science communication. As former CDC official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis put it, “There’s also no evidence that umbrellas don’t cause kittens.” The change reflects growing pressure from vaccine skeptics despite decades of research demonstrating the safety of vaccines.

New studies on misinformation reveal why these debunked claims persist: people often endorse easily disproven statements not because they believe them, but to signal symbolic strength and tribal loyalty. This returns us to a question we’ve explored before in this newsletter on why we believe in health myths. The answer has less to do with evidence and more to do with identity.

COP30 concluded in Belém with an 11th hour deal that, while far from ambitious, at least avoided a rollback of global ambitions. The agreement reinforces the global vision to phase out coal, oil, and gas production. The deal came after tense final hours of negotiations, with developing nations pushing for stronger commitments on climate finance funding to support their transition. While climate advocates note the agreement falls far short of what scientists demand to curb warming, it marks a shift from previous conferences where fossil fuel interests dominated the conversation.

The health stakes of these negotiations on our environment are already visible in new research. A study in JAMA Neurology links long-term air pollution exposure to increased dementia risk in older adults, while extreme heat from climate rollbacks is projected to increase deaths across vulnerable populations. India reported hundreds of heat-related fatalities during recent heat waves, and given the challenges of data collection, the true impact could be as high as 150,000 deaths per year from a typical season.

Ending this section on a more hopeful note, cities are planting microforests in urban areas to combat heat islands, improve air quality, and restore biodiversity. These dense, native plant installations grow faster than traditional forests and create pockets of green space where they are needed the most. The movement represents a practical, community-level response to environmental degradation: small interventions with measurable benefits. While global policy lags, local action continues to demonstrate what’s possible when people prioritize the connection between healthy environments and healthy communities. For those of you in the Washington, DC region, visit the Forager’s Forest on George Mason’s Fairfax campus for a local example of this approach.

VIDEO LINK in microforests: click here.

For our technology review this month, we can’t help but return to the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Another frequently explored topic on the Apothek platform.

AI systems are fueling what researchers call a “global knowledge collapse.” As generative AI becomes the primary way people find information, local and traditional wisdom is disappearing from the digital record. The training data for these systems prioritize English-language sources and well-documented Western knowledge. This means that query responses erase the indigenous perspectives of local communities whose knowledge has never been digitized. It seems like we’re building a universal search tool that narrows what we can find.

Even a soul submerged in sleep
is hard at work, and helps
make something of the world.
-Heraclitus

A month-long art exhibition titled “Remembering USAID Through the Arts” will take place in March 2026 at the Compass Atelier. The exhibit will showcase works that tell the story of USAID employees, implementing partners, and their families who dedicated themselves to saving lives and global cooperation. For anyone seeking more information on themes, submissions, and registration, see this prospectus document (submission deadline January 31, 2026).

Looking for a co-working space in DC? Former Gov and Eaton House are providing a weekly co-working space for the former government and military community on Tuesdays from 9a-5p. This is also a chance to connect with colleagues from @ Career Pivot for resume review or a mini-coaching session. Sign up here.

Here’s a video I found helpful this month: “40 Harsh Truths I Wish I Knew In My 20s.” My favorites? Don’t work with jerks; Over time, you’ll regret what you didn’t do; Simplify; Consistency beats intensity; Think positive sum (win:win); Take a break or you’ll break; Sleep is a superpower; Love wins ❤️.

Harvard LEAD Fellowship for Women in Global Health Deadline November 30, 2025.

Harvard American Service Fellowship offering a scholarship and a stipend to enroll in the one-year, on-campus Mid-Career Master in Public AdministrationApplication. Deadline December 1, 2025.

Hoover Institution Post Doc Research Fellowship in Bio-Strategies & Leadership (Stanford University) Applications open now to individuals with a relevant PhD. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis, fellows onboarded in summer or fall 2026.

Senior Vice President (Heifer International) Deadline November 28, 2025.

Chief of Staff (CEPI) Deadline November 30, 2025

Deputy Commissioner of Disease Control, Division Management & Systems Coordination (New York City Dept of Health) Deadline December 9, 2025.

Principal Technical Advisor, MEL (Jhpiego) No deadline specified.

Senior Technical Advisor – MNCH (PACT) No deadline specified.

Executive Director (Children First) No deadline specified.

Sr. Principal, Social Impact Funds (AHA) No deadline specified.

Project Director – CDC Health System Strengthening Activity (CORUS) No deadline specified.

Endowed Chair - Center for Urban Health Equity (Morgan State University) No deadline specified.

Director, Tobacco Control, Africa Region (Vital Strategies) No deadline specified.

Senior Program Officer, Digital Health and AI (12-month LTE*) (Gates Foundation) No deadline specified.

Senior Director - Scientific Officer (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) No deadline specified.

Director, Public Policy & Advocacy (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) No deadline specified.

Capitol Area Food Bank: Managing Director “Food is Medicine” No deadline specified.

Audubon Society: Vice President, Conservation Action No deadline specified.

VOW for Girls: CEO No deadline specified

Mathematics: Sr. Fellow, Value Based Care No deadline specified.

Catholic Relief Services: Project Director, CASCADE No deadline specified.

Evidence Action: Global (Senior) Director, Accelerator No deadline specified.

Senior Program Associates, Science and Global Health R&D (Coefficient Giving) Deadline December 4, 2025.

Program Officer (Super Pollutant Action Alliance) Soft deadline November 15, 2025 but may be open for longer.

Global and Community Health, Assistant/Associate Professor in Epidemiology (George Mason University) Open till filled (initial deadline was November 14, 2025).

Bilingual Sr. Associate (Johns Hopkins Medicine) No deadline specified.

Food is Medicine (FIM) Pooled Fund Project Manager No deadline specified.

Sr. Program Manager (Harvard Graduate School of Education) No deadline specified.

Senior Program Officer/Program Director (The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts) No deadline specified.

Call for Experts: Public Health Evaluation Roster (The Meridian Guild): Call for global health experts with expertise in Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, Kenya, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Ukraine, Haiti, Burkina Faso. No deadline specified.

Program Officer, Health Care (Stand Together) No deadline specified.

Policy Advisor, U.S. Climate Alliance (UN Foundation) No deadline specified.

Specialist, Programs Emergency Response Unit (International Medical Corps) No deadline specified.

Call for Consultants (PSI) No deadline specified.

Senior Program Officer- Market Shaping (R4D) No deadline specified.

Infectious Diseases Advisor – Call for Resumes (ZemiTek) No deadline specified.

Strategic Consultant, Global Health (Dexis) No deadline specified.

Technical Consultant, Global Health (Dexis) No deadline specified.

Senior Program Officer, Strategic Planning and Finance (WWF) No deadline specified.

Post Doctoral Fellow - Dr. Casey’s Lab (Georgetown University) No deadline specified.

Thinkwell: Technical Advisor/Senior Technical Advisor - Health Policy & Strategy No deadline specified.

RF Catalytic Capital: Program Manager No deadline specified.

CHAI: Senior Program Manager for Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) in Harare, Zimbabwe No deadline specified.

CHAI:Technical Advisor, New Vaccine Introductions, Global Vaccine Delivery Preference for location within CHAI program countries (Africa/Asia). No deadline specified.

Intern - Global Health Policy Center (Spring 2026) No deadline specified.

Associate Public Health Consultant (BME Strategies) No deadline specified.

Community Engagement & Program Associate (The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts) No deadline specified.

Clinical Research Coordinator, Department of Cardiology, Internal Medicine, School of Medicine (VCU) No deadline specified.

Special Projects Associate (GovAct) No deadline specified.

Temporary Clinical Research Coordinator (DelRicht Research) No deadline specified.

Program Associate, Tobacco Control (Vital Strategies) No deadline specified.

Health Policy Intern (McDermott+) No deadline specified.

Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine: Program Analyst (Clinical Affairs) PMP certification preferred. No deadline specified.

Deloitte: Healthcare Quality Analyst No deadline specified.

Next Steps for Nature Webinar Featuring Prof Doug Tallamy Click link for recording link! The presentation is titled “How Can I Help? Saving nature with your yard.”

Global Digital Health Forum December 3-5, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya

Prince Mahidol Awards Conference January 26-31, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand

Stanford Global and Planetary Health Research Convening January 28, 2026.

Hopkins India Conference April 1-2, 2026. Call for speakers now open.

Consortium of Universities for Global Health conference April 9-12, 2026.

Help us strengthen the signal. Share any opportunities you've found this month in the comments below.

November 2025 Apothek Dispatch

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