Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark Canceled By Science, Now Running It: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Brings Humility to the NIH
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Jan 3, 2026 
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a physician and epidemiologist known for his work on COVID policy, discusses the importance of humility in science and the need for rigorous data supporting health decisions. He critiques pandemic-related school closures and highlights the fallout from lockdowns. Jay reflects on the suppression of dissenting voices during the COVID crisis and emphasizes the role of free speech in fostering scientific progress. He also shares plans to restore trust in the NIH while advocating for open debate to realize better health outcomes for all.
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Science Used To Justify Harmful Practices
- Jay Bhattacharya argues that science was used to justify harmful medical practices like irreversible gender-transition procedures for minors.
- He calls the pandemic-era lockdowns and school closures a scientific perversion that caused widespread harm.
Be Humble And Let Data Rule
- Jay says scientists must combine confidence with humility and change views when data contradicts them.
- He advises letting experiments and reality decide what's true rather than clinging to authority.
Pressure To Conform In 2020
- Jay recounts being pressured at Stanford in 2020 to fall in line with lockdown policies and seeing colleagues silenced.
- He describes finding at NIH that scientists previously needed leadership permission to publish papers.