Radio Advisory 278: Dr. Emily Oster on fighting misinformation and rebuilding trust in healthcare
Dec 2, 2025
Dr. Emily Oster, economist, Brown professor, and founder of ParentData, who translates data for parents and public health. She talks about how panic headlines and low-quality studies fuel distrust. She explains why people now demand reasons behind guidance. She outlines ways clinicians can communicate clearly, use questions to lower conflict, and anchor advice to the best evidence.
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Data-Driven Communication Is Her Superpower
- Emily Oster's work centers on analyzing data to answer empirical questions about health and parenting.
- She pairs statistical methods with translation for the public so people can use evidence in decisions.
Delivery Often Fuels Panic More Than The Science
- Panic headlines trigger emotional reactions even in people who know better.
- The delivery of information can scare people more than the underlying weak research does.
Audience Still Panics After Weak COVID Study
- Emily described people coming to her after a weak COVID study hit headlines and still feeling freaked out.
- Even knowing how to evaluate the paper didn't prevent emotional reactions.