Data Over Dogma | Health Economist Emily Oster

In this episode, Halle Tecco talks to Emily Oster— health communicator, health economist, and bestselling author. Emily shares her journey from academia to becoming an influential health communicator, advocating for data-driven decision making and empowering individuals to make informed choices about their health.

We cover:

• Her non-didactic approach to helping people make their own best decisions
• Her least favorite types of panic headlines, and how no one would thrive on Doritos® dust
• Pros and cons of the Open Access movement
• Combating publication bias
• Speaking up on controversial topics
• Advice for building trust, combating misinformation, and improving health communication

Emily is on a mission to empower parents by providing the data and tools they need to make confident decisions. After getting a PhD in economics from Harvard, she went on to pursue research in health economics and is now a professor of economics at Brown University. As a mom of two, Emily was inspired by her own pregnancy and the lack of clear information to guide her decisions. She decided to use her expertise in reviewing and analyzing data to help other parents navigate these topics. She is a New York Times best-selling author, whose books include Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm and The Unexpected.

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