Heidi Larson, a professor of anthropology and vaccine communication, joins Martin McKee, a public health expert, and Jane Ballentyne, a chronic pain management specialist. They tackle the urgent issue of health disinformation, exploring its impact on vaccine hesitancy. The conversation pivots to new guidelines against spinal injections for chronic pain, discussing the difficulties this poses for patients and doctors alike. The episode also reflects on progress in combating racism within UK medical schools, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and change.

Heidi Larson, an expert in vaccine confidence, warns about the dangers of health misinformation on social media. Michael Noetel discusses the effectiveness of exercise in controlling depressive symptoms. Rachel Clarke shares her experiences of the pandemic and the inspiration behind her new TV drama.

BBC journalist Anna Foster and vaccine expert Heidi Larson discuss the intense US election battleground states and concerns about coronavirus vaccine confidence. Topics include election uncertainty, mail-in ballots, UK lockdown legislation, pandemic adaptations, vaccine development, anti-vaccine messages, proactive communication strategies, and Brexit negotiations.

The summer of 2020 has been overwhelming for most of us. This hour, we hear from four guests—each from recent episodes—who sum up where we've been and offer the wisdom we need for the months ahead. Guests include political strategist Tom Rivett-Carnac, political philosopher Danielle Allen, anthropologist Heidi Larson, and writer and scholar Clint Smith.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Can we protect ourselves from future outbreaks? COVID-19 isn't the first pandemic, and likely not the last. This hour, TED speakers share lessons from past pandemics and what they mean for our future. Guests on the show include science journalist Laura Spinney, anthropologist Heidi Larson, ecologist and animal-borne disease researcher Daniel Streicker, and physician economist Anupam Jena. We also hear some personal stories on coping with COVID-19 from TED speakers Susan Pinker, Leticia Gasca, Dixon Chibanda, and Dawn Wacek.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy