Medicine: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr

By Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy CorrNews Medicine Health & Fitness Politics Daily News

Medicine: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr episodes

September 29MTT #111: Why are patients paying more before they get care?
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl dig for the facts beneath healthcare’s biggest headlines. Today’s show opens with a problem more Americans are facing every year: rising out-of-pocket costs and the growing demand that patients pay before they receive care.
Pearl explains that the listener’s concern is increasingly the rule, not the exception. Total health costs per employee now average more than $20,000 a year, including premiums and out-of-pocket obligations. With projections for next year showing costs rising another 9% to 11%, workers are likely to shoulder an even greater financial burden.
But higher deductibles are only part of the problem. Doctors and hospitals are increasingly asking patients to pay out-of-pocket costs in advance before scheduling non-emergency procedures. Pearl says 92% of U.S. healthcare providers now either strongly encourage or require advance payment, up from 81% a year earlier. That means a patient who needs a hernia repair, gallbladder surgery, ACL repair or other painful but non-emergency procedure may be asked to pay thousands of dollars before care can proceed.
For Pearl, this is a warning sign of a larger affordability crisis. As premiums, deductibles, drug prices and hospital charges rise, medical costs are increasingly being treated like a hot potato, passed from the federal government to states, from insurers to employers and from employers to workers.
Here are the other major storylines from episode 111:
President Trump has nominated Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the FDA following Marty Makary’s departure. Her support for scaling back childhood vaccine recommendations has already drawn concern from Senate Health Committee chair Dr. Bill Cassidy.
The battle between politics and science is expanding. Pearl points to HHS hiring an Army doctor to investigate unsupported claims that thousands of U.S. service members died after receiving COVID vaccines, despite Pentagon reports finding no vaccine-related deaths.
Personalized mRNA cancer vaccines remain one of the most exciting areas in oncology. Early Moderna and Merck data in melanoma are promising, though the full results have not yet been published.
A new FDA-approved drug for advanced pancreatic cancer has generated enthusiasm because it extended life in patients who had already failed chemotherapy. But the drug is expected to cost about $480,000 a year.
The Lone Star tick is spreading beyond the Southeast into New England and the upper Midwest. Unlike the deer tick associated with Lyme disease, the Lone Star tick can trigger a potentially dangerous allergic reaction to red meat.
Measles cases are rising at a record-setting pace in 2026, with preventable deaths occurring among unvaccinated individuals. Falling immunization rates put the United States at risk of losing its measles elimination status.
Employers are bracing for the largest healthcare cost increase in two decades. Some are responding by dropping GLP-1 coverage, limiting spousal coverage or shifting more costs to workers.
New evidence from Amsterdam supports the value of long-term primary care relationships. Patients who saw the same clinician for 15 to 20 years had lower odds of emergency hospital admission, and cost reductions appeared strongest among those with relationships lasting 10 to 15 years.
In a comparison of tirzepatide and semaglutide for weight loss, Pearl says tirzepatide produced greater weight loss and slightly better A1c reduction, while semaglutide had fewer reported side effects. He emphasizes that both drugs are highly effective and that cost is often the main reason patients stop taking them.
The episode closes with Pearl’s provocative thoughts on generative AI. He says the time has come for healthcare professionals to stop denying its clinical power.
Pearl acknowledges the existential risks associated with advanced AI, but says the same capabilities also create enormous opportunities to improve outcomes, save lives and make care more accessible and affordable. American medicine, he argues, is not performing well enough to defend the status quo. Misdiagnoses, preventable medical errors and poor chronic disease control continue to kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.
Meanwhile, patients are already turning to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other large language models when they have symptoms or medical questions, especially when doctors’ offices are closed or appointments are days or weeks away. Pearl says the question is no longer whether generative AI will provide clinical expertise to patients. As both a physician and a patient, he hopes healthcare professionals seize the opportunity before someone else does.
Tune in to hear the full discussion and subscribe to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based analysis of the medical, scientific and policy stories shaping American healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #111: Why are patients paying more before they get care? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
39 min
August 26MTT #110: Peptides, politics & the perils of medicine without evidence
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl go in search of the facts beneath healthcare’s biggest headlines. Today’s show opens with one of the hottest and least understood medical topics: experimental peptides.
Pearl explains that an FDA advisory committee narrowly recommended allowing compounding pharmacies to provide six experimental peptides to patients. This is not the same as traditional FDA approval. Rather than reviewing a drug through the usual three-phase clinical trial process, the recommendation would allow suppliers to provide peptide ingredients that compounding pharmacies could use to fill prescriptions.
Pearl then explains why this distinction matters. If the FDA follows the committee’s recommendation, many patients may assume the peptides have been vetted like other approved medications. He warns that this could leave the nation in a medical gray zone, with broad access but little rigorous evidence on safety, effectiveness, dosing or long-term risk.
The episode then turns to several follow-up stories and new medical developments, including the cyclospora outbreak, CDC leadership, pediatric e-bike injuries, AI-designed viruses, Ebola, mRNA flu vaccines and the continuing politicization of vaccine policy:
The cyclospora outbreak appears to be slowing, but the total case count remains high and the exact source has not been fully confirmed.
Erica Schwartz has been confirmed as CDC director, becoming the agency’s first full-time leader in a year. Pearl says Schwartz has strong credentials but will face major challenges, including depleted agency staffing, infectious disease outbreaks and political pressure around vaccines.
Pediatric e-scooter and e-bike injuries surpassed 2,000 incidents from 2020 to 2024, according to data from Johns Hopkins researchers. Pearl warns that more states may need to restrict use among young children.
AI can design viruses that do not currently exist in nature, a new Stanford study showed. This opens possibilities for new treatments but also raising biosecurity concerns. Pearl says the technology could one day help fight antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, but it also raises concerns about bad actors.
Ebola is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with more than 1,500 deaths and a mortality rate estimated at 40% to 50%.
The FDA approved the first mRNA flu vaccine, developed by Moderna, for adults 50 and older. Pearl explains that mRNA technology could improve flu vaccination by allowing scientists to update vaccines closer to the arrival of each year’s viral strain.
The episode closes with Pearl’s strongest warning: medical decisions made on politics rather than science lead to harm. He points to President Trump’s executive order changing childhood vaccine recommendations and encouraging separation of the MMR vaccine into individual measles, mumps and rubella shots.
Pearl says there is no scientific evidence supporting the president’s claim that the combined MMR vaccine may be dangerous, while numerous studies show it is safe, effective and lifesaving. His conclusion: when scientific evidence is overwhelming, leaders need a compelling scientific reason to deviate from it. Whether the subject is experimental peptides, AI-designed viruses, mRNA vaccines or childhood immunization, medicine cannot protect patients if politics replaces data.
Tune in to hear the full discussion and subscribe to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based analysis of the medical, scientific and policy stories shaping American healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #110: Peptides, politics & the perils of medicine without evidence appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
40 min
July 29MTT #109: Healthcare affordability, GLP-1s and the patient revolt ahead
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl dig for the facts beneath healthcare’s biggest headlines. Today’s show opens with the issue most likely to shape how Americans think about healthcare heading into the midterm elections: affordability.
Dr. Pearl explains that medical costs have now reached $5.7 trillion, rising more than 7% for the third consecutive year. Federal actuaries project that healthcare spending could approach $9 trillion by 2034, accounting for more than 20% of the U.S. GDP. For voters, employers, patients and families, those numbers aren’t just an endless string of zeroes. They’re impacting everyday life.
Premiums, deductibles, copays and prescription drug costs are forcing people with private insurance, Medicare and exchange coverage to delay care, take on debt or choose worse coverage. Two major drivers stand out: hospital spending and drug costs. Hospital care remains the largest share of national healthcare expenses, while drug spending is rising fastest, driven in part by the growing use of GLP-1 medications. Pearl sees enormous potential in these drugs to improve health and reduce complications over time, but only if prices fall low enough for the long-term savings to justify the near-term expense.
That tension becomes clearer in the discussion of Medicare’s new GLP-1 pilot program for weight loss. Under the “bridge program,” eligible Medicare enrollees will be able to obtain GLP-1 medications for $50 a month, far below current retail prices. Pearl calls the program an important experiment, but also notes its limitations: coverage is not automatic, eligibility is restricted, administrative hurdles remain and the pilot may end after 18 months. If patients lose access and regain weight, the program could fail despite the promise of the medication.
The episode then moves into several unusual and important stories, including new research into the origins of life, the medical risks of cannibalism, the promise and limitations of wearable health data, a large cyclosporiasis outbreak, rising e-bike injuries among children and adolescents, a new cholesterol-lowering pill, CDC leadership and measles.
Here are the major storylines from episode 109:
Researchers studying the origin of life made progress by taking a counterintuitive approach: building a synthetic cell from simple inorganic materials rather than stripping existing life forms down to their minimum parts.
“Spud cell” research could eventually help scientists understand which genes are essential and create engineered cells capable of producing new medical treatments.
A new study suggests cannibalism may have disappeared in part because of medical consequences, including infections and prion diseases that harmed tribes practicing it.
Wearable devices are generating valuable health data, but most doctors lack the time, reimbursement and regulatory pathways needed to integrate that information into clinical care.
A large cyclosporiasis outbreak has raised concerns about foodborne illness surveillance, produce safety and the difficulty of identifying contamination sources when symptoms appear one to two weeks after exposure.
E-bike injuries are rising, especially among children and adolescents, with head, face and neck injuries posing particular concern.
The FDA has approved a new pill that can lower LDL cholesterol to very low levels, though Pearl emphasizes that most average-risk patients should still rely on low-cost generic statins.
The nomination hearing for Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director highlighted the continuing tension between science and politics, especially around vaccines, RFK Jr. and public trust in federal health agencies.
Measles cases continue to rise, with nearly all occurring among unvaccinated people and with serious risks for those whose immunity has waned.
Generative AI may reduce costs and accelerate parts of drug development, but no AI-generated medication has yet obtained FDA approval.
The episode closes with a broader reflection on Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare. Pearl notes that the concerns raised by guests with large public followings are often different from the priorities emphasized by clinicians and national medical societies. Most Americans are not asking for unreasonable things. They want healthcare that is easier to access, affordable for their families and personalized to their circumstances. That gap, Pearl argues, may change how patients use technology. Large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are available 24/7, provide information at no additional cost and become more personalized as patients share more details. While many doctors worry that hospitals or insurers will replace them with AI, Pearl sees a different threat emerging: patients at home, frustrated by delays, high costs and feeling unheard, turning to generative AI because the healthcare system has not met their needs.
Tune in to hear the full discussion and subscribe to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based analysis of the medical, scientific and policy stories shaping American healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #109: Healthcare affordability, GLP-1s and the patient revolt ahead appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
41 min
July 01MTT #108: Designer babies, chronic disease & AI-powered care
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl probe the facts beneath healthcare’s biggest headlines. Today’s show opens with a scientific breakthrough that could change the future of inherited disease: a new gene-editing technique that may allow researchers to correct DNA errors in human embryos with far greater precision than earlier CRISPR approaches.
Dr. Pearl explains that the advance, developed by researchers at Columbia University, uses a method called base editing. Unlike traditional CRISPR, which cuts out and replaces sections of DNA, base editing can alter individual nucleotides (the “letters” that make up genetic code). The difference, Pearl says, is comparable to moving from rewriting entire pages of text to correcting a single wrong letter inside a single word.
The promise is extraordinary. For families affected by one of the thousands of rare genetic diseases caused by single DNA errors, this technology could one day make it possible to prevent devastating inherited conditions before birth. Children who otherwise might face blindness, severe disability or premature death could instead be born free of the genetic defect.
But the ethical concerns are equally profound. The same technology that could prevent horrific disease could also be used to modify embryos for non-medical traits. Pearl warns that this possibility raises fears about “designer babies,” eugenics, private-sector incentives and the lack of federally funded oversight for embryo research in the United States.
Here are the other major storylines from episode 108:
A large study of 9 million patients found that four risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking) are associated with nearly all heart attacks and strokes.
The FDA approved a new sunscreen ingredient already used in Europe for decades, highlighting both the promise of better melanoma prevention and the slow pace of U.S. sunscreen regulation.
Employers are preparing for further increases in healthcare premiums, deductibles and copayments, with many companies limiting or eliminating GLP-1 coverage for obesity.
Preliminary data show U.S. infant mortality has reached an all-time low, but progress remains slow.
Medicaid work requirements could cause millions of eligible people to lose coverage because of paperwork errors, shifting costs to emergency rooms, hospitals and state budgets.
New rules under the No Surprises Act aim to speed dispute resolution between insurers and providers, but Pearl warns that payment disputes will continue as long as healthcare costs rise faster than people’s ability to pay.
Pearl outlines three requirements for real healthcare transformation: keeping people healthy by controlling chronic disease, moving more care into the home with generative AI support and shifting payment from fee-for-service to capitation.
The episode closes with two examples of AI already helping clinicians see what they might otherwise miss.
Tune in to hear the full discussion and subscribe to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based analysis of the medical, scientific and policy stories shaping American healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #108: Designer babies, chronic disease & AI-powered care appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
43 min
June 03MTT #107: How politics is weakening America’s public health defenses
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl probe the facts beneath healthcare’s biggest headlines. Today’s show examines the accelerating progress of generative AI, the political turmoil inside America’s leading health agencies and the infectious disease threats testing the nation’s public health readiness.
The conversation opens with a listener question about how close generative AI is to matching clinicians. Dr. Pearl explains that the technology is advancing faster than he predicted in ChatGPT, MD, with recent research showing an OpenAI model outperforming experienced physicians on emergency room triage and management in text-based clinical cases. He cautions that medicine is more complicated than written scenarios but argues that the trajectory is clear: before today’s incoming medical students finish training, generative AI tools are likely to be used in emergency rooms across the country
From there, the episode turns to the resignation of former FDA commissioner and Dr. Marty Makary, a two-time Fixing Healthcare guest. Pearl describes Makary as a respected clinician and patient-safety expert who found himself caught between scientific rigor, political pressure, industry opposition and public health critics. His departure, along with other leadership upheaval at FDA, CDC, NIH and HHS, raises a larger concern about whether America’s once-trusted scientific agencies can regain their independence and credibility.
Here are the other major storylines from episode 107:
RFK Jr. removes preventive-care leaders. Pearl criticizes the firing of two respected co-chairs of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, warning that prevention policy may be pushed away from scientific evidence.
The surgeon general nomination moving toward confirmation. Nicole Safier appears more confirmable than Dr. Casey Means because her vaccine views are closer to the scientific mainstream.
A hantavirus outbreak raises public health concerns. A cruise ship outbreak involving the Andes virus appears to have spread person-to-person, causing at least 13 cases, several severe illnesses and three deaths.
The U.S. remains vulnerable to fast-moving outbreaks. Pearl says the slow federal response to hantavirus shows how weakened public health capacity could become dangerous if a highly lethal virus were also easily transmissible.
Tick bites are rising sharply. ER visits related to tick bites have climbed well above typical levels, driven in part by warmer temperatures and the spread of deer ticks into the Midwest and South.
Ebola exposes the cost of global health cuts. A new Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo has no vaccine or effective treatment, and the outbreak was recognized only after spreading for weeks.
USAID and WHO cuts increase risk to Americans. Pearl argues that reducing global public health support does not put “America first” because viruses ignore national borders.
Patients should be more concerned when doctors avoid AI entirely. Pearl says he would worry more about clinicians who refuse to use reliable generative AI tools than those who consult them regularly.
Opioid overdose deaths are falling but remain devastating. New CDC data show overdose deaths down for the third straight year, but annual fatalities still total roughly 70,000, with overdoses remaining the leading cause of death among adults ages 18 to 44.
Vaccine safety data are being suppressed. Pearl closes by describing blocked FDA and CDC research showing COVID and shingles vaccines to be safe and effective, warning that political censorship undermines trust and harms patients.
Tune in for more fact-based analysis and practical perspective on the healthcare policies, technologies and trends shaping medicine today.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #107: How politics is weakening America’s public health defenses appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
39 min
April 29MTT #106: Trump’s 2027 budget & the other threats to U.S. healthcare
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl probe the facts beneath healthcare biggest headlines. Today’s show features an in-depth look at sweeping federal budget cuts, the expanding (and often misunderstood) impact of GLP-1 medications and what’s destabilizing health coverage.
The conversation opens with a stark warning. Dr. Pearl reviews the president’s proposed 2027 budget, which includes a $15.8 billion reduction in healthcare spending. He explains why cuts to Medicaid, NIH research and global health programs could have consequences that extend far beyond the next fiscal year, potentially slowing innovation, increasing patient risk and shifting costs to states and families.
From there, the episode turns to one of the most asked-about topics from listeners: GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. While these medications clearly produce meaningful weight loss and improve outcomes in conditions tied to obesity, Dr. Pearl cautions that many of the broader health claims attributed to them may simply reflect the benefits of weight loss itself, not unique properties of the drugs.
Throughout the episode, an underlying truth: scientific progress continues but policy decisions, pricing dynamics and system design may limit who benefits (and at what cost).
Here are the other major storylines from episode 106:
Federal health cuts threaten long-term progress: The proposed budget reduces overall healthcare funding by 12.5%, cuts NIH support by $5 billion and consolidates public health agencies.
Global health funding drops sharply: International health spending is being cut nearly in half, while continued withdrawal from the World Health Organization leaves the U.S. more vulnerable to future pandemics.
CDC leadership signals a policy shift: The nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz as permanent CDC director suggests a move back toward a more traditional, science-driven approach to vaccines.
RFK Jr. softens vaccine stance amid political pressure: In congressional testimony, the HHS secretary publicly acknowledged the safety and effectiveness of the measles vaccine.
GLP-1 drugs deliver clear weight loss and major benefits: Studies show 10-20% weight reduction, along with approximately 20% improvements in kidney and cardiovascular outcomes.
Many GLP-1 “breakthroughs” may reflect weight loss alone: Evidence linking these drugs to reduced cancer risk, improved cognition or lower addiction rates remains fuzzy at best.
Exercise rivals the impact of breakthrough drugs: A large study shows vigorous physical activity reduces risks of dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death at levels comparable to or greater than GLP-1 outcomes.
Stress does not directly cause cancer: Pearl explains that while many Americans believe stress leads to cancer, the real risk comes from behavioral responses such as increased smoking and alcohol use.
Concierge medicine expands access for some: Patients who can afford annual fees gain faster access and more time with physicians, but the model reduces availability for others.
China rapidly closes the drug development gap: New data show China’s share of global pharmaceutical research rising to over 32%, nearly matching the United States.
Exchange coverage declines and risk pools worsen: Millions may lose insurance due to subsidy changes, premium nonpayment and shifts to high-deductible plans.
Drug prices continue to rise despite reform efforts: Under the TrumpRx program, lower prices on select drugs have been offset by increases elsewhere, with new medications averaging $353,000 annually.
Robotics and AI may arrive faster than expected: A dramatic improvement in robot race performance leads Dr. Pearl to revise his estimate for clinical adoption of robotic procedures.
Tune in for more fact-based analysis and practical perspective on the healthcare policies, technologies and trends shaping medicine today.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #106: Trump’s 2027 budget & the other threats to U.S. healthcare appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
42 min
March 31MTT #105: New science on aging, rising medical debt & healthcare’s fax problem
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl balance two sides of American healthcare: the encouraging scientific advances that could help people live longer and healthier lives, and the growing affordability and trust crises threatening patients across the country.
The conversation opens on an optimistic note. Dr. Pearl highlights new Yale research showing that aging is far less deterministic than many Americans assume. Rather than a steady and unavoidable decline, the study found that nearly half of adults over 65 improved physically, cognitively or both over a 12-year period.
He pairs that story with new cardiovascular guidance from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, which shifts prevention toward a much longer time horizon and argues that earlier LDL management could prevent a significant share of heart attacks and strokes later in life.
The episode then pivots to the mounting financial and institutional pressures facing patients, hospitals and public-health agencies. From rising medical debt and medication nonadherence to declining vaccine trust, hospital cost inflation and the political barriers keeping GLP-1 drugs unaffordable in the United States, the discussion captures both the promise and the fragility of healthcare in 2026.
Here are the other major storylines from episode 105:
Supplements fail the evidence test: Pearl reviews clinical trial data showing that commonly used supplements such as fish oil, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon and red yeast rice performed no better than placebo in lowering LDL, reinforcing the continued value of lifestyle interventions and low-cost statins.
Medical costs continue to destabilize families: New Gallup-linked research shows that 82 million Americans are already making sacrifices to pay medical bills, from skipping meals to delaying retirement.
Drug unaffordability worsens medication adherence: A new KFF survey finds that nearly 60% of Americans worry about affording prescriptions, with 43% reporting they have not taken medications as prescribed because of cost.
Generative AI adoption surges among physicians: According to a new AMA survey, 81% of doctors now use generative AI in clinical practice, most commonly for documentation, literature summaries and chart support.
Hospitals face intensifying economic pressure: The American Hospital Association reports that care delivery costs rose 7.5% last year, driven by higher labor expenses, drug prices, supply inflation and sicker patients.
Trust in vaccine authorities continues to erode: Following the legal challenge to RFK Jr.’s overhaul of the federal vaccine advisory committee, new polling shows trust in federal vaccine recommendations has fallen sharply.
Newborn preventive care is now affected by distrust: Pearl warns that refusal of vitamin K shots, hepatitis B vaccination and antibiotic eye ointment at birth is rising, reversing decades of scientific progress and reintroducing preventable newborn risks.
Alzheimer’s blood tests show progress, but not prediction: New FDA-cleared blood tests can help identify Alzheimer’s disease as the likely cause of current dementia, but Dr. Pearl explains why they remain far less useful for predicting disease years before symptoms begin.
The fax machine may finally be dying: In one of the episode’s lighter moments, Dr. Pearl notes that CMS is moving to phase out fax-machine communication across HIPAA-covered entities, a long-overdue modernization step that could save taxpayers nearly $1 billion annually.
Residency match reaches record size: The 2026 residency match was the largest in history, with more than 48,000 applicants competing for over 44,000 positions.
Early heat waves carry serious health consequences: With unusual March heat across parts of the country, Dr. Pearl explains why early-season heat is especially dangerous, increasing risks of dehydration, kidney injury, cardiovascular strain and mental health emergencies.
GLP-1 drugs go generic abroad while U.S. prices stay high: As Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster GLP-1 medications go generic in India and other global markets, Dr. Pearl contrasts international pricing with U.S. costs and argues that congressional inaction on drug pricing remains one of healthcare’s clearest failures.
Tune in for more fact-based analysis and practical perspective on the healthcare stories shaping medicine today.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on X and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #105: New science on aging, rising medical debt & healthcare’s fax problem appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
43 min
March 04MTT #104: TrumpRx, rising measles cases & the politics of vaccine science
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl unpack a wide range of developments shaping healthcare in America today, including the TrumpRx drug discount program.
From new legislation affecting telehealth and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to the rapid spread of measles and growing public concern about vaccine policy, this month’s discussion highlights the policy decisions and scientific debates influencing medicine right now.
The episode opens with the latest federal legislation passed to avert a government shutdown. While healthcare was not the central focus of this particular political battle, the bill contains several provisions that affect medical practice. These include extensions for telehealth coverage and hospital-at-home programs, reforms targeting PBM transparency and new requirements designed to address “ghost networks” in Medicare Advantage provider directories.
Dr. Pearl explains that while these provisions represent incremental progress, they are unlikely to solve the larger problems driving healthcare costs and access challenges in the United States.
Here are the other major storylines from episode 104:
Healthcare costs remain nation’s top concern: A new KFF poll finds that healthcare expenses rank above food, housing and utilities as the economic issue Americans worry about most.
Prior authorization frustrations grow: Many patients report delays or denials of care due to insurance requirements, highlighting persistent tension between insurers, physicians and patients.
Drug pricing debates continue: Pearl examines a new prescription drug website initiative and explains why it may have limited impact compared with broader policy proposals such as “most favored nation” pricing.
Telehealth’s uncertain future: Although the latest legislation extends certain pandemic-era flexibilities, the lack of a permanent solution leaves virtual care programs in limbo.
PBM reforms move forward slowly: New policies aim to increase transparency and reduce incentives tied to drug list prices, though Pearl notes that meaningful change will depend on future implementation.
Site-neutral payment gains attention: A provision requiring unique identifiers for outpatient services could pave the way for policies that eliminate higher reimbursement for hospital-owned facilities providing identical care.
Measles outbreaks surge: Nearly a thousand cases have already been reported in 2026, with the overwhelming majority occurring among unvaccinated children.
Trust in the CDC declines: Polling shows confidence in the agency has dropped significantly following changes to vaccine recommendations.
Independent vaccine review groups emerge: Medical organizations and states are forming new committees to evaluate vaccine evidence as federal guidance becomes more contested.
Early colon cancer deaths rise: The death of actor James Van Der Beek at age 48 highlights the growing incidence of colorectal cancer among younger adults and the importance of earlier screening.
FDA confusion over a new flu vaccine: The agency initially declined to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine before reversing course and agreeing to evaluate it ahead of the next flu season.
Younger Americans face worsening health trends: New claims data suggest chronic disease is appearing earlier among millennials and Gen Z, driven by lifestyle factors and reduced connection to primary care.
Wearable data reveal health disparities: Apple Watch data show significant differences in resting heart rates across states, reflecting variations in lifestyle, access to care and public health conditions.
As the episode concludes, Dr. Pearl warns that growing political conflict around vaccines and biomedical research risks undermining public trust in science. The consequences, he argues, could shape American medicine for decades to come.
Tune in for more fact-based analysis and discussion of the biggest stories in healthcare.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the new book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn
The post MTT #104: TrumpRx, rising measles cases & the politics of vaccine science appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
40 min
February 11MTT #103: Can generative AI safely prescribe medicine on its own?
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl examine a sweeping set of developments shaping American healthcare. From the first state-approved use of generative AI to prescribe medications without human oversight to rising healthcare costs, from worsening vaccine misinformation to the stubborn persistence of preventable disease, this show focuses on biggest stories in medicine today.
The episode opens with a groundbreaking and controversial pilot program in Utah that allows a generative AI system to renew prescriptions for chronic disease without physician involvement.
From there, the conversation turns to the relentless rise in healthcare spending. New federal data show Americans now spend more than $15,700 per person annually on medical care, with costs growing twice as fast as the economy.
While insurance coverage remains high for now, Pearl warns that expiring subsidies, Medicaid restrictions and rising premiums are already pushing millions out of coverage. For many families, healthcare affordability has become a top issue and, increasingly, a political fault line heading into the midterm election cycle.
Here are more major storylines from MTT episode 103:
Exercise as medicine for depression: A large meta-analysis finds that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication for many patients.
Trump’s healthcare plan fades quickly: Pearl explains why the president’s proposal disappeared from the headlines.
Measles returns in force: Cases are nearing 1,000 and outbreaks concentrated in under-vaccinated communities.
Vaccine battles intensify under RFK Jr.: New appointments to federal advisory committees raise alarm among scientists, as anti-vaccine voices gain influence.
Chronic disease remains America’s top killer: Cardiovascular disease continues to claim nearly one million lives annually.
Generative AI’s biggest promise: Pearl makes the case that AI-driven, at-home monitoring could finally transform chronic disease management.
Cancer trends turn ominous: Colorectal cancer deaths among Americans under 50 are rising sharply, becoming the leading cancer killer in this age group.
Genetics vs. lifestyle revisited: New research suggests genetics may account for half of lifespan variation but lifestyle still determines how many of those years are lived in good health.
High-deductible health plans: New data show cancer patients with high-deductible insurance have significantly higher mortality.
GLP-1 weight-loss pills arrive: The first oral GLP-1 drug launches to record demand.
A devastating flu season for children: Despite the availability of safe vaccines, pediatric flu deaths reach alarming levels among unvaccinated kids.
As the episode closes, Dr. Pearl delivers a stark warning about the resurgence of pseudoscience in medicine. Tune in for more fact-based coverage and analysis of healthcare’s biggest stories.

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Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the new book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn
The post MTT #103: Can generative AI safely prescribe medicine on its own? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
40 min
January 13MTT #102: Vaccines under fire, rising disease & the cost of politics in medicine
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr look closely at the stories and controversies shaping U.S. healthcare at the start of 2026.
From a severe flu season and resurgent vaccine-preventable diseases to drug pricing, autism research and the growing role of AI in medicine, the episode offers a data-driven look at where American healthcare is headed.
The show opens with warnings about infectious disease. A dangerous H3N2 flu strain is driving hospitalizations, particularly among children, while measles and whooping cough outbreaks continue to spread among unvaccinated populations.
To Dr. Pearl, these trends do not appear random. They reflect falling vaccination rates, weakened public-health messaging and growing political interference at federal agencies tasked with protecting the public.
From there, the conversation turns to vaccine policy itself. Recent changes at the CDC (including a sharply reduced childhood vaccine schedule and new recommendations against universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination) raise serious concerns. Pearl explains why comparisons to countries like Denmark (with its reduced vaccine schedule) are deeply misleading, and why abandoning universal vaccination in a fragmented U.S. healthcare system risks reversing decades of progress.
Here’s a look at other must-know stories from this episode of Medicine: The Truth:
Positive vaccine evidence: New CDC data show significant reductions in emergency visits among children who received COVID vaccines, reinforcing their safety and effectiveness.
Pandemic lessons for children: Pediatric obesity rose during COVID lockdowns, while mental health outcomes improved after schools reopened, underscoring the tradeoffs of prolonged closures.
Drug pricing deals with manufacturers: The administration’s agreements with pharmaceutical companies apply narrowly to government purchases and exclude many high-cost drugs, limiting their overall impact.
First oral GLP-1 approved: The FDA cleared the first pill version of a GLP-1 weight-loss drug, offering convenience but likely remaining unaffordable until prices fall closer to $200 per month.
Autism research update: Rising autism prevalence is driven largely by broader diagnostic criteria and awareness. Large studies continue to show no link to vaccines or acetaminophen, while new research points to strong genetic factors and distinct autism subtypes.
ACA exchange subsidy uncertainty: Congress has yet to prevent looming premium increases for millions of exchange enrollees. Pearl argues for avoiding coverage cliffs and capping household contributions as a share of income.
Polypharmacy in seniors: One in eight Medicare Part D beneficiaries now takes eight or more medications, increasing the risk of side effects, falls and hospitalizations in a fragmented system.
New dietary guidelines: Federal recommendations now emphasize animal protein alongside stronger warnings against sugar and ultra-processed foods, a shift that may conflict with earlier public-health messaging.
AI’s expanding role in healthcare: OpenAI’s tools increasingly integrate health data from electronic records and consumer apps, signaling how quickly generative AI is becoming part of medical decision-making.
Medicare and AI oversight: Traditional Medicare is moving toward AI-assisted prior authorization for certain procedures, a response to fraud and low-value care that Pearl says is inevitable as costs continue to rise.
Tune in to Medicine: The Truth for more fact-based coverage and analysis of healthcare’s biggest stories.
* * *
Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the new book “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine.
Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.
The post MTT #102: Vaccines under fire, rising disease & the cost of politics in medicine appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
46 min

About Medicine: The Truth with Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr

From the publisher's feed

For three years, all eyes (and ears) were turned toward Covid-19. And for three years, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cut through the fearmongering and misinformation to bring listeners the truth…