The Trump and (Likely) RFK Jr. Era is Here. And Paul Offit Won't Back Down.

Amid a blitz of public health-related executive orders issued by President Trump since Monday alone, including one that will pull America out of the WHO, comes news that a date has finally been set for RFK Jr's highly-anticipated confirmation hearing -- as of the moment of publishing, it will take place next week. Dr. Paul Offit, a titan in the medical community and a fierce vaccine advocate, pulls no punches in confronting the very real prospect of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heading Health and Human Services. He grapples with the sharp rise in vaccine hesitancy, the erosion of trust in public health, and the reality that mainstream science is losing the communication battle to popular podcasts and influencers championing skepticism of public health. Still, Offit refuses to back down, ease up, or give in when it comes to defending the power of vaccines. Offit responds to the story we feature of Daniel King, a once healthy, pro-vaccine Army veteran who says his health is now devastated and he wonders if it may have been due to the Covid vaccine—all he is looking for is some help understanding his condition and says the medical community is ignoring his pleas, further pushing him towards alternative sources of information. Finally, with RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings around the corner, what’s the one question Dr. Offit most wants senators to ask? Huge thanks to Braver Angels and David Lapp for helping us meet Daniel King.https://braverangels.org/Hosts:Brinda AdhikariTom JohnsonMaggie BartlettDr. Mark AbdelmalekGuests:Daniel King: medically retired Army veteran; former commercial truck operatorDr. Paul Offit: infectious disease pediatrician, vaccine specialist, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, sits on FDA Vaccines Advisory CommitteeSources:The impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic on vaccination uptake in the U.S.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10484032/Risks of myocarditis associated with Covid 19 vaccinehttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01630-0PEW Research Center: Americans’ Largely Positive Views of Childhood Vaccines Hold Steadyhttps://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/05/16/americans-largely-positive-views-of-childhood-vaccines-hold-steady/#:~:text=Americans%20remain%20steadfast%20in%20their,new%20Pew%20Research%20Center%20surveyRutherford: Troops Discharged for Refusing COVID Vaccine Must Be Reinstated https://rutherford.house.gov/media/press-releases/rutherford-troops-discharged-refusing-covid-vaccine-must-be-reinstatedRoutine childhood vaccination rates lower than pre pandemic levelshttps://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/routine-child-vaccination-rates-lower-than-pre-pandemic-levelsDr. Paul Offit: Don’t Call Kennedy a Vaccine Skeptic. Call Him What He Is: A Cynic.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/13/opinion/rfk-jr-is-a-vaccine-cynic.htmlThanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe! Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]