How to Combat Medical Falsehoods in the RFK Jr. Era.

We could be entering a new era of medical disinformation if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as U.S. secretary of health and human services in January.

The former presidential candidate has made false claims about vaccines and claimed he will “make America healthy again” by removing fluoride from drinking water, which prevents tooth decay. His nomination as health secretary has sparked concern among scientists and medical experts across the country.

In 2021, the US Surgeon General released an advisory on how to address healthcare misinformation. This came after widespread misinformation about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine.

“It can cause confusion, sow distrust, harm people’s health and undermine public health efforts,” Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, US Surgeon General.

Is the United States sliding into a land of medical disinformation? How does disinformation kill? How can you address misinformed talking points about what’s happening in the health sciences community?

Guest:

Peter Hotez is a pediatrician and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine. His new book is called “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science.”

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*This interview will be recorded on Thursday, December 5, 2024.