Why Should I Trust You?
Bold, unfiltered, and uncompromisingly honest, Why Should I Trust You? is a weekly podcast that looks at the breakdown in trust for science and public health. It drops every Thursday, with occasional additional special episodes sprinkled in.
Hosted by Brinda Adhikari, the former executive producer of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” and a former TV news journalist; Tom Johnson, the former executive producer of “The Circus,” and also a former TV news journalist; Dr. Maggie Bartlett, a virologist and assistant research professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Dr. Mark Abdelmalek a skin cancer surgeon, a medical journalist and a dermatologist practicing in Philadelphia - each week we try to figure out what is behind this staggering collapse in trust and see if we can rebuild towards trust again.
We hear from people who are wary about public statements, recommendations and studies coming from what they view as an elitist and conflict-riddled scientific establishment. And we hear from those in this establishment who fear the consequences of what they see as a dangerous trend towards anti-expertise. And then somehow, we will seek a path through all this!
Why Should I Trust You?
How Covid Radicalized Us All
It's been 5 years since the pandemic and America's trust in public health, medicine, and science has plummeted. It's no secret that the COVID-19 response left a significant portion of Americans seething mad. Now, as the Trump administration, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading the charge, prepares to take control of public health, and with the emergence of a new virus posing a growing threat, Brinda, Maggie, and Tom dig beneath the poll numbers and declining vaccination rates to explore what happens when so many Americans begin to question mainstream science. We speak with a suburban mom and lifelong Democrat about her personal health journey, her experience during the pandemic, and ultimately how her views on science and health led her to vote this time for Donald Trump.
Hosts:
Brinda Adhikari, former executive producer of The Problem with Jon Stewart on AppleTV+; former ABC News and CBS News
Tom Johnson, former executive producer of The Circus, on Showtime/Paramount+, former Bloomberg, ABC News
Dr. Maggie Bartlett: virologist, assistant research professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Guests:
Melinda Hicks, former TV producer, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, skin cancer surgeon, dermatologist, physician
Sources we used for data:
TRUST IN PHYSICIANS DURING COVID
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11292455/
DECLINE OF CHILDHOOD VACCINATION RATES
https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/childhood-vaccination-rates-continue-to-decline-as-trump-heads-for-a-second-term/
PUBLIC TRUST IN SCIENTISTS
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2024/11/14/public-trust-in-scientists-and-views-on-their-role-in-policymaking/ps_2024-11-14_trust-in-science_00-01/
VIEWS ON CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS
https://news.gallup.com/poll/648308/far-fewer-regard-childhood-vaccinations-important.aspx#:~:text=--%20Fewer%20Americans%20today%20consider,2019%20and%2064%25%20in%202001
CDC DATA ON MEASLES UPTICK
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
WHERE WE FIRST READ ABOUT MELINDA:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/us/trump-public-health-dr-oz-rfk-jr.html
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Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net
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