Nina C. Christie | PhD, MPH

'One year of failure.' The Lancet slams RFK Jr.'s first year as health chief In a scathing review, the top US medical journal's editorial board warned that the "destruction that Kennedy has wrought in 1 in office might take generations to repair."

'One year of failure.' The Lancet slams RFK Jr.’s first year as health chief | NPR www.npr.org/2026/02/28/n...

I learned from the best!! Thank you Katie!

During last weekend’s life-threatening freeze, city leaders asked OnPoint’s overdose prevention center (OPC) to stay open 24/7 to keep people indoors, warm, and alive. They did. That’s what OPCs are: community safety infrastructure that saves lives, cuts 911 calls, and connects people to care.

In this @thehill.com op-ed, @ninachristie.bsky.social (@aaas.org) argues that for HHS’ new $100M addiction initiative to work, it must engage with, rather than reject, evidence-based recovery approaches that promote and center community, including harm reduction + housing first models.

Read now. ⤵️

A huge thank you to the Scholar's Strategy Network @scholars.org who provided feedback and support in pitching this piece! They are a truly amazing organization for scientists interested in policy work!

thehill.com/opinion/heal...

RFK Jr. has harmed the US. Most have justifiably focused on what he has sought to destroy, like vaccine access. What he seeks to "build" may be just as harmful. "Great American Recovery" is a return to coerced treatment and departure from evidence-based approaches. See my newest piece in The Hill.

Thank you so much! That is really great to hear!

How did you get the video link a week before I did?! Amazing, thanks for sharing :)

Is Connection at the Core of Addiction? | Nina Christie | TEDxABQ YouTube video by TEDx Talks

Excited that my TEDx ABQ Talk is out now! Tune in to hear some of my thoughts on the intersection of social connection and addiction, and why we should strive to create and maintain meaningful relationships in our own lives.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU8w...

Full Committee Markup of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Acts | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

🧪 Senate appropriators say: NIH's budget gets a... boost!

Rather than 40% cut, NIH gets a $400M *increase* in the Senate committee bill for FY26 (about +1%).

"Congress has your back," said @murray.senate.gov.

ADVOCACY MATTERS! There's still a long road (esp in the House), so keep up pressure.

Shouting from the rooftops again:

Cutting research grants means the loss of that potential knowledge, yes.

But most of the money in a grant supports JOBS. Your local university losing grants means your community losing prosperity. It means your kid having to take more loans for school.

Your dedication and the care you show through this program have helped me tremendously during a difficult time. I am genuinely grateful for everything you’ve done for me since the survey began. Your efforts are appreciated more than words can say.

Thank you again for all that you do.

The Amazon gift cards I received for participating in the survey each week made a real difference in my life. They allowed me to purchase the necessities I needed to get by, and that support meant more to me than I can truly express.

Participating in your nightly survey has been more than just a routine for me it’s been a lifeline. Living in a sober living community and facing weeks of financial hardship while searching for a job has been incredibly challenging.

Hi Nina,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the survey program you run and the support you provide to people in early recovery like myself.

Hi Nina, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the survey program you run and the support you provide to people in early recovery like myself. Participating in your nightly survey has been more than just a routine for me it’s been a lifeline. Living in a sober living community and facing weeks of financial hardship while searching for a job has been incredibly challenging. The Amazon gift cards I received for participating in the survey each week made a real difference in my life. They allowed me to purchase the necessities I needed to get by, and that support meant more to me than I can truly express. Your dedication and the care you show through this program have helped me tremendously during a difficult time. I am genuinely grateful for everything you’ve done for me since the survey began. Your efforts are appreciated more than words can say. Thank you again for all that you do. With sincere appreciation,

Getting this unprompted email from a participant absolutely made my day and gave me a much needed reminder on the role of research in participants' lives, even from something as simple as a daily diary study. Posting with permission from a participant:

BREAKING: Scientists are staging a “science fair” in the lobby of a Congressional building to tell elected officials about the critical knowledge the US will lose because their research grants have been canceled.

In light of recent cuts to funding for HIV prevention, I was re-listening to the Rent soundtrack, and then picked up the novel Four Squares. Both tell human stories of the AIDS crisis in the 80s. Now, I’m thinking about what folks learned then so we can build support for trust in public health now.

My first RSA was a whirlwind! 3 highlights to share: discussing the importance of AA meeting quality for recovery, the mindfulness based relapse prevention workshop by @katiew.bsky.social & @monizlewis.bsky.social, and being a mentee of @katiew.bsky.social who received the Marlatt Mentorship Award!

I am really excited to publish this work from my dissertation which shows that positive social experiences are perceived as especially protective – and negative ones as especially risky – for relapse risk. Fostering positive social connections is crucial, keep on connecting!

Truly incredible statement on current affairs directly from NIH employees.
How can you demonstrate your support? Here is a link to sign in support of science and the Bethesda Declaration here: www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

@standupforscience.bsky.social @sufsnewmexico.bsky.social @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social
@scholars.org

Cassie said it best in yet another great piece in the ABQ Journal from addiction scientists: "We owe it to every person struggling with substance use, and their families, to act now to save the very infrastructure that saves families from unnecessary suffering." Check it out here:

Absolutely worth the two minute listen! What we are facing now with the proposed cuts to NIH is not a 5-year problem, but a 10-year, 20-year, 30-year problem

Trump’s Funding Cuts Jeopardize Fentanyl Overdose Prevention and Recovery - Drug Policy Alliance Q&A: How do Trump's and Congress's proposed federal funding cuts threaten overdose treatment access and other health services?

Only 100 days into his presidency, the Trump admin & Congress are scaling back support for health services that prevent overdose & offer a path to recovery. With $1.5 trillion in cuts still on the table, we continue to fight for care. Learn more: drugpolicy.org/news/trumps-...

Why Has America Ignored Its Best Addiction Treatment? Buprenorphine can stop cravings for opioids, yet its uptake in the U.S. has stagnated.

Great article by @ethanbrooks.bsky.social about the underutilization of buprenorphine. Mallory's story highlights the benefits of this treatment for opioid addiction, while her brother's illustrates our failures in the treatment sector.
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...

OPINION: Why we all need to stand up for science You’ve seen the news, right? The infrastructure that supports American science is being dismantled. Beyond what we will lose, I find myself mourning who we will lose.

www.abqjournal.com/opinion/arti...

OPINION: Why you do everything right and it still ends up wrong In 2015, I graduated college with a degree in psychology and I wanted to conduct research to reduce health disparities. First, I needed more research experience if I wanted to

@faheypsych.bsky.social www.abqjournal.com/opinion/arti...

“Either way, they will use. And so, probably, would you:” A critical discourse analysis of harm reduction portrayal in United States opinion news media Opioid overdose deaths are declining in the United States for the first time in over five years. These reductions are partially attributed to increasi…

Op-eds influence public opinion, which can influence policy. In a paper led by @hannahcarlon.bsky.social, we looked at how harm reduction is portrayed in op-eds. Most used evidence-based reasons to support opioid harm reduction. Write what you know, it matters! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...