Welcome to the October 2025 Apothek Dispatch, where we decode the signal from the noise on health, environment, and technology. Every month, I’ll share the developments, breakthroughs, and hidden revolutions that matter.
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This month’s dispatch arrives amid turbulent times: the government shutdown grinds through its 28th day with healthcare premiums emerging as a flashpoint in negotiations. Select state governors have begun stepping into the void to coordinate public health responses traditionally managed at the federal level. We’ll examine recent findings on lead contamination in protein powders and I’ll share my latest article published in Ars Technica exploring how AI poses new risks to the integrity of health research. On a greener note, we’ll also share a webinar recording on native plants and their role in supporting both biodiversity and community health. As usual, we’ll close with current opportunities: jobs, consultancies, fellowships, and grants for those working at these critical frontiers.
Open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace begins November 1 and runs through January 15, arriving this year against the backdrop of a government shutdown centered squarely on healthcare costs. A combination of rising base prices and expiring subsidies mean that some Americans will see their premiums double. This article in the New York Times, attempts to untangle the complex landscape of options including marketplace plans, employer plans, Medicare, and Medicaid. All flavors of coverage are under duress, and the result is that an estimated 17 million Americans will lose their health coverage over the coming years.
As our public health infrastructure weakens, we face the spectre of diseases like polio and diphtheria resurging in communities that once believed them conquered. A polio survivor’s powerful essay reminds us of the human cost behind each case of the disease, and the lives forever altered before the miracle of the polio vaccine. Meanwhile, a recent outbreak of diphtheria in Somalia offers a stark warning of what happens when vaccination rates fall. For those on the fence about routine annual vaccines, their benefits go beyond prevention against this next outbreak. A new study suggests the shingles vaccine may reduce dementia risk, adding to growing evidence that immunizations offer protective effects beyond their primary targets.
To fill the lapses in guidance from national health authorities, fifteen Democratic governors launched the Governors Public Health Alliance this month as a coordinating hub to monitor disease outbreaks, establish health policy guidance, prepare for pandemics, and coordinate vaccination campaigns. While billed as nonpartisan and building on existing regional collaborations, the initiative reflects growing concern about maintaining public health functions when federal coordination falters.
Finally on the personal wellness front, a recent Consumer Reports investigation found troubling levels of lead in popular protein powders and shakes, with more than two-thirds of the 23 products tested exceeding safety thresholds. Some bad news for those trying to reduce their consumption of animal products, plant-based protein powders showed the highest contamination with an average of nine times the lead levels found in dairy-based proteins. Repeated exposures to lead accumulates in the body over time and poses health risks including kidney damage, accelerated cardiovascular disease, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Check the Consumer Reports link to see if your favorite brand made the list. Consider replacing supplements with whole food sources of protein like beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, and lean meats.
Climate change continues to reshape ecosystems in dramatic ways. This month, Iceland recorded mosquitoes for the first time in its history with three specimens discovered near Reykjavik, ending the country’s status as one of the few mosquito-free places on Earth. Closer to home, rising carbon dioxide levels are supercharging poison ivy. Elevated CO2 levels can double both the size of the plants and the strength of the allergenic oil on its leaves.
For a bit of good (or at least better) news, entomologist, author, and professor Doug Tallamy shares his views on meaningful actions we can all take to support biodiversity and climate action. See the webinar below for more. TLDR: it’s native plants!
For this month’s technology section, I’m sharing an article I recently coauthored with Luke Shors in Ars Technica. We explore how AI hallucinations and sycophancy pose serious risks when applied to health research and clinical decision-making. For a deeper dive into the implications and potential solutions, read the full article at Ars Technica and our companion analysis on Substack exploring what this means for the future of evidence-based medicine.
“No tengas miedo a la perfección, nunca la alcanzarás.”
-Salvador Dali
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.
Motwani Jadeja India Fellowship for mid-career US professionals. Deadline October 31, 2025.
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Deadline November 1, 2025.
Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellows Deadline November 3, 2025.
Asia Foundation Development Fellowship offering coaching, professional development funds, and study tours in the Spring and Fall of 2026. Deadline November 10, 2025.
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.
Emergency Medicine Leadership in Planetary Health (LiPH) Fellowship (Johns Hopkins University) Application open till filled (must be a board certified emergency physician to be eligible).
Executive Director (Virginia Conservation Network) Deadline October 31, 2025.
Deputy Director, AI4Science, Center of Digital and Data Excellence (PATH) Deadline November 5, 2025.
Deputy Commissioner of Disease Control, Division Management & Systems Coordination (New York City Dept of Health) Deadline December 9, 2025.
Senior Director - Scientific Officer (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) No deadline specified.
President and CEO (Jhpiego) No deadline specified.
Director, Public Policy & Advocacy (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) No deadline specified.
Sr. Director, Program Portfolio (FHI 360) 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
International Rescue Committee: Director, Health Policy, Advocacy and Communication No deadline specified.
Mathematics: Sr. Fellow, Value Based Care No deadline specified.
Catholic Relief Services: Project Director, CASCADE No deadline specified.
Malaria No More: CEO No deadline specified.
Partners in Health: Director, Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa in Kigali, Rwanda. No deadline specified.
Evidence Action: Global (Senior) Director, Accelerator No deadline specified.
George Mason University: Master of Public Health (MPH) Practicum Coordinator Deadline September 24, 2025 but application appears open as of today.
Program Officer (Super Pollutant Action Alliance) Soft deadline November 15, 2025 but may be open for longer.
Marketing Associate (Jhpiego) No deadline specified.
Partnership and Communications Associate (The Mission Billion) based in Nairobi, Kenya. No deadline specified.
Sr. Program Officer Infectious Diseases (Johns Hopkins University) No deadline specified.
Senior Associate, Health (The Rockefeller 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 Technical Advisor I (PSI) No deadline specified.
Senior Program Officer, Strategic Planning and Finance (WWF) No deadline specified.
Sr. Program Manager (Health Policy & Management) (Johns Hopkins University) 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.
PSI: Senior Technical Advisor No deadline specified.
Consultant, Health Economics and Outcomes Research No deadline specified.
RF Catalytic Capital: Program Manager No deadline specified.
Manager, HIV Prevention - Global HIV Access Program based in CHAI program country No deadline specified.
Senior Manager, HIV Prevention - Global HIV Access Program No deadline specified.
CHAI: Program Manager, Health Financing and Health Workforce in Malawi. No deadline specified.
CHAI: Senior Program Manager for Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) in Harare, Zimbabwe No deadline specified.
PSI: Health Systems Strengthening Consultant This appears to be an application to join their roster, not a specific call for work). No deadline specified.
CHAI:Technical Advisor, New Vaccine Introductions, Global Vaccine Delivery Preference for location within CHAI program countries (Africa/Asia). No deadline specified.
Events and Partnerships Coordinator (One Campaign) No deadline specified.
Social Media and Content Coordinator (One Campaign) No deadline specified.
Planetary Health Alliance Sr. Administrative Coordinator No deadline specified.
Public Health Program Coordinator (Johns Hopkins University) No deadline specified.
Spring Internship 2026 - Health Program (Bipartisan Policy Center) No deadline specified.
Research Program Analyst (Department of Medicine- Infectious Diseases) (Johns Hopkins University) 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.
Planetary Health Alliance: Program Specialist No deadline specified.
Stanford Global and Planetary Health Research Convening January 28, 2026. Abstracts are due Oct. 28, 2025 (extended deadline).
Consortium of Universities for Global Health conference April 9-12, 2026. Pre-conference workshop submissions are due October 31, 2025.
Global Digital Health Forum December 3-5, 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya
Prince Mahidol Awards Conference January 26-31, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand
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