Dr. Karen Remley on Pediatrics, Public Health and Prevention

In this episode of Health Dame, Robin Strongin talks with Dr. Karen Remley, former CEO of the American Academy of Pediatrics, former commissioner of health for the Commonwealth of Virginia and former director of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.Dr. Remley reflects on a career shaped by pediatrics, public health and emergency medicine, and discusses the progress that has helped more children live safer, healthier lives. She explains why prevention still matters, from vaccines and car seats to bike helmets, pool safety and safe sleep practices, and why those gains cannot be taken for granted.The conversation also covers trust in medicine, misinformation, children with complex medical needs, the transition from pediatric to adult care, mental health, crisis communication and the role of families, communities and policymakers in protecting children’s health.At its core, this interview is about what children need to grow, thrive and be surrounded by what Dr. Remley calls “a cocoon of love.”