The Atlantic Lost Its Fact Checkers

The doctors perform an emergency triage on the state of public health leadership this week, starting with a scathing dissection of The Atlantic's profile of RFK Jr. that seemingly skipped the fact-checking department. Drs. Salles and Burgart administer a strong dose of reality as they examine how mainstream media continues to platform dangerous health misinformation with fewer guardrails than a pediatric rollercoaster.Their differential diagnosis extends to the newest clown to emerge from the Clown Car of Public Health - the CDC's latest deputy director Ralph Lee Abraham. An avid COVID vaccine skeptic with min-bogglingly illogical public health positions, we're in for more shenanigans out of the nation's top health administration. Between discussions of pertussis vaccine efficacy and the EPA's concerning moves on PFAS, asbestos, and air pollution regulations, this episode delivers a thorough examination of how public health leadership impacts everyday Americans - no insurance preauthorization required.Joy: Take Two And Call Me In The MorningAlyssa recommends the dark comedy show, Pluribus (AppleTV)"Just look at the degree on that chick" and Dr. Turner’s post on TwitterDistractingly Sexy - I can’t believe this trend is from 2015… In response to Nobel scientist Tim Hunt stating, “Let me tell you about my trouble with girls … three things happen when they are in the lab … You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them, they cry.”)Fact check:The large study Arghavan mentioned was Danish, not Swedish. Apologies!LinksThe Atlantic article about RFK JrThe New Yorker article by Tatiana SchlossbergInformation about the pertussis vaccine (as part of Tdap); adults should get a booster every 10 yearsMore on Ralph Abraham, the new CDC Deputy DirectorOn the Trump administration’s approval of PFASOn the Trump administration’s moves regarding particle pollutionOn the Trump administration’s moves regarding asbestos in talcTo learn more about Text us!Thanks for listening to The Present Illness! Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @ThePresentIllnessCreditsProduction by Arghavan Salles & Alyssa BurgartEditing by Alyssa BurgartTheme Music by Joseph UphoffSocial Media by Arghavan Salles