America Dissected

Abdul and Katelyn discuss the week in public health, which includes: RFK Jr’s MAHA Report, and why it fails to deliver meaningful change The leaked report that revealed RFK Jr will tie Tylenol use to autism The firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, and the mass resignations that followed RFK Jr’s Senate testimony, which included a grilling from top Republicans Then Abdul talks to Natalie Foster, president of the Economic Security Project, about the power of guaranteed income in health outcomes. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Work. Science Matters.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Quince: Go to Quince.com/AD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. APHA: Listeners of this podcast get a 10% discount for the 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo using code: Dissected25. Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code DISSECTED at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/dissected

Abdul and Katelyn discuss another inundating week in public health, which includes: The sudden departure of the CDC Director, Susan Monarez, just weeks after her confirmation The resignations of three other top leaders at HHS FDA’s approval of the fall Covid booster, which limits the vaccine to seniors and people at high risk, as well as new alternative recommendations from major medical organizations A Supreme Court ruling that puts a new legal wrinkle in the fight to restore NIH grants The rise of radioactive shrimp and flying flesh-eating maggots Then as we look ahead to Labor Day, Abdul sits down with Dr. Taylor Walker, the president of the largest labor union representing physicians. We are dark next week for the holiday. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Work. Science Matters.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code DISSECTED at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/dissected OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code DISSECTED at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod

Abdul and Katelyn are energized by the first meeting of the Vaccine Integrity Project, which was founded to serve as an alternative to RFK Jr’s ACIP. They also discuss: A new letter to Congress, signed by more than 700 CDC employees, which calls HHS Secretary Kennedy complicit in endangering the nation's health and the recent shooting at the CDC headquarters The fallout from a draft report on childhood chronic disease, which suggests RFK Jr is folding on his promise to ban agricultural pesticides The future of vaccines in the US without mRNA research, following RFK Jr’s decision to cut $500 million in research grants Then, Abdul sits down with Dr. Michael Osterholm, a founding member of the Vaccine Integrity Project Steering Committee, to discuss the goals, processes and future of the organization. To read and/or add your name to the CDC’s letter to Congress, click here. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: NPR Life Kit: Listen now to the Life Kit podcast from NPR.

Abdul and Katelyn condemn the violence at the CDC headquarters last week, and the startlingly weak response from lawmakers. Then they unpack Trump’s newest executive order, which seeks to give his own appointees the power to approve federal grants. They also discuss the future of the FDA as Vinay Prasad makes his return, following his resignation last month. Then Abdul talks to Sherrell Byrd, founder of SOWEGA Rising, which has organized in rural Georgia to bring fresh produce to rural communities that lack grocery stores. They discuss the health implications of food deserts, and how food justice can change lives. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Work. Science Matters.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Quince: Go to Quince.com/AD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

In this insightful conversation, guest Brian Willoughby, a professor at Brigham Young University specializing in teen dating and online pornography, shares his research on the impact of explicit content on youth. He discusses alarming trends in adolescent exposure to pornography, contrasting them with previous generations. Willoughby emphasizes the urgent need for parental guidance in navigating these issues and the importance of fostering healthier understandings of relationships and intimacy in a digital age heavily influenced by social media.

Abdul and Katelyn unpack the latest headlines on RFK Jr and HHS, followed by some optimistic news on the spread of measles and Covid. Then Abdul talks to public health educator Dorian Johnson about the wild world of TikTok and Instagram - and how health professionals can harness it to build more trust and goodwill with the public. This episode was made in collaboration with our sponsor deBeaumont Foundation. You can follow Dorian Johnson on social media @thephuncle on TikTok and Instagram. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts!

Dr. Elaine Batchlor, CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Healthcare, passionately discusses the impending Medicaid cuts and their dire implications for low-income patients. She dives into the alarming rise of GI cancers among younger people and the challenges of accessibility in healthcare, especially for marginalized communities. The conversation also touches on the paradox of declining heart attack rates juxtaposed with increasing health disparities. Batchlor emphasizes the critical need for cohesive healthcare policies and community support to address these issues.

Abdul and Katelyn discuss the latest in public health news, including: Why the cancellation of a key federal health meeting could spell trouble for the future of preventative care in America The Trump Administration's latest move to intimidate doctors Medicare’s plan to use AI to help make decisions on prior authorizations Moderna’s new Covid vaccine, and why it’s only authorized for kids at high risk Then Abdul talks to fitness influencer Dr. Mike Israetel about his approach to explaining evidence-based science on bodybuilding, and how to build trust with an audience prone to fringe theories. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:Ground News: Go to groundnews.com/AD today to get forty percent off the Ground News Vantage plan and get access to all of their news analysis features.

Abdul and Katelyn catch up on a harrowing week in public health, after Republicans passed Trump’s mega bill. They discuss: New work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP beneficiaries Why rural hospitals risk closure due to the upcoming changes to Medicaid New renewal requirements for people who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces A new high in measles cases, which now jeopardize our “elimination status” distinction A recent court ruling that halts RFK Jr’s plans to restructure HHS Then Abdul talks to Dr. Andres Lopez from the Coalition of Communities of Color about their organization's innovative work in community data collection. This interview was produced in collaboration with our sponsor deBeaumont Foundation. Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts! This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Quince: Go to Quince.com/AD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Boll & Branch: Get 20% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at BollAndBranch.com /AD. 

Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of Michigan and co-host of Strict Scrutiny, joins the discussion to dissect pressing health news. She highlights the troubling implications of an inexperienced ACIP amidst rampant vaccine misinformation and shares insights on significant Supreme Court rulings that could reshape public health. The conversation also delves into the implications of a court ruling reinstating NIH grants and the importance of civic engagement in advocating for health equity in a polarized environment.