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

President Donald Trump tweeted today that he will soon leave Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he has been receiving treatment for Covid-19.

Trump’s physician said the president is not “entirely out of the woods yet” but that the patient could continue his ongoing treatment regimen from the White House.

In this episode Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the available facts about the U.S. president’s illness, current condition and ongoing medical care. In addition, our co-hosts have answers to the following Covid-19 questions:

[00:51] What’s the latest on President Trump’s health status following his diagnosis of COVID-19 late last week? What treatment(s) has he received? Why was he given them under a “compassionate use” request? And what’s next?

[04:17] Does Trump have a legal right to patient privacy or do Americans deserve to know the president’s health status?

[07:18] What are the latest virus developments *outside* of the White House?

[10:42] The U.S. mortality rate: what is it for Covid-19 and why is it important?

[14:46] What’s happening economically in the county right now?

[17:23] Where do drug makers stand with vaccine development?

[22:11] People remain skeptical about the safety of the vaccine. Are they wise to be concerned at this stage?

[25:07] Trump continues to tout new treatments. Do any of them look scientifically promising yet?

[28:50] News outlets are reporting about a new strain of the virus. What are the medical implications? Is it more lethal?

[30:41] Which healthcare topics did the presidential candidates fail to touch on in last week’s debate?

[32:07] Will the healthcare specifics (or lack of) in last week’s debate sway votes?

[34:14] Listener question: If the Supreme Court strikes down the Affordable Care Act in the near future, how would that impact coronavirus treatments?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #22: What do (and don’t) we know about Trump’s illness and treatments? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

There has been no shortage of surprising statistics to emerge from this pandemic.

Dr. Robert Pearl’s upcoming Forbes article, “Three Misleading, Dangerous Coronavirus Statistics” (available here on Tuesday, Sept. 21), examines a trio of figures that are based on actual data but have proven to be misleading and hazardous to the nation’s health.

This episode of Coronavirus: The Truth features several statistics that might surprise you. Take the recent CBS opinion poll, which found that just 21% of voters would take a free vaccine if one became available in the near future (more on that at the 18:32 mark of this podcast). Or what about the new Axios poll, which found that 51% of college students who say it was not the right choice for their schools to allow students on campus (see 21:56 below).

Tune in for more surprising stats, along with answers to the following Covid-19 questions:

[00:51] What did health experts learn this past week about the coronavirus?

[06:28] How are other nations dealing with resurgences of the diseases?

[07:47] What are the latest “miscommunications” to come out of the CDC?

[09:41] Where are we on the passage of a new stimulus bill in Congress?

[12:02] What’s the status of Covid-19 vaccine development?

[16:28] How will we know if a vaccine is truly safe and effective?

[18:32] Will Americans trust and be willing to take an FDA approved vaccine?

[19:49] What’s known about the potential long-term health effects of the virus?

[21:56] What’s the deal with college campuses and spikes in cases?

[24:54] Why do people in different parts of the country interpret the threat of this virus so differently?

[26:36] Elected officials in New York are under fire from critics and local business owners. What’s the latest?

[29:28] Listener question: “Is there any chance this virus will be here forever?”

[34:42] What hobbies/activities keep our co-hosts happy and mentally healthy?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #21: Do these coronavirus statistics surprise you? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

In this, the 20th episode of Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr address the most pressing questions concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are “super spreaders”? Will the FDA approve a COVID-19 vaccine before phase-three testing wraps up? What do we know about latest testing controversy enshrouding the CDC? And how did Iowa, of all places, become the latest coronavirus hotspot?

Since March 2020, this podcast has delivered science-based updates on the coronavirus, insights from public health officials and clinicians, along with an unbiased look at how the COVID-19 news and information impact American life. With informed commentary, helpful context and reporting from only the most credible sources, Coronavirus: The Truth cuts through the politics and misinformation to bring listeners the truth.

Questions answered in this episode include:

[00:50] What did we learn last week about the coronavirus pandemic? 

[03:22] The CDC is at the center of another COVID-19 testing controversy. What are the details?  

[05:48] Research on the much-ballyhooed saliva test was just published in NEJM. Are these less-painful tests accurate or not?

[07:51] The FDA said it might approve vaccines before phase-three testing results are in. Will that spook the public and would Dr. Pearl take it, himself?

[10:51] Why are men faring worse in this pandemic than women?

[12:27] Listener question: What is a super spreader?

[14:17] What’s with this 6% statistic that pandemic deniers are touting?   

[19:15] Do scientists know anything about the psychological consequences of the pandemic so far?

[21:43] Jeremy Corr’s home state of Iowa now has highest incidence of coronavirus infection. What’s going on there?

[23:40] Why are meat packing facilities continuing to see such high rates of coronavirus infections? Is further disruption to the food chain possible?

[25:41] Is “planned herd immunity” (allowing ~150 million relatively healthy people to get infected) a feasible strategy for ending the pandemic in this country?

[33:06] Listener question: Should the United States join the global search for a vaccine or continue to go it alone?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #20: What’s the truth about super spreaders, saliva tests and vaccine safety? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Americans have time and again seen highly touted solutions fall short of their hype.

Remdisivir, once thought to be a miracle treatment, was recently determined to be statistically no better than standard care. Meanwhile, Russia’s Vladimir Putin announced with great fanfare the production of a Covid-19 vaccine. Yet Western critics point out that the drug “Sputnik V” hasn’t undergone late-stage, large, randomized control trials.

The world seems to be starving for good news concerning Covid-19 that isn’t fake news. On this episode of Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr separate the superlative claims from the true scientific advances while also offering answers to the following coronavirus questions:

[00:52] Update: What should listeners know about the week that was? 

[06:56] Per reports, has the coronavirus mutated? Is this good news or bad?

[08:21] What is convalescent plasma andhow does it work?

[12:19] Yale’s saliva test received FDA approval. What’s the benefit of this Covid-19 test over the alternatives?

[14:37] What are the biggest Covid-19 threats facing sports?

[17:24] What should we make of Russia’s vaccine, now in production?

[18:56] New Zealand had great success containing the virus early on. Last week, the country reported over a dozen new cases. What happened?

[21:27] What’s the latest on schools reopening?

[24:20] How will voters think about healthcare overall, and the coronavirus in particular, this November?

[26:37] What’s the mood on in Iowa, where co-host Jeremy Corr lives?

[28:16] Assuming March was the real onset of this pandemic in the United States, we’re nearing the half-year mark. Where are we now?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #19: What’s the most promising scientific development so far? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Fans of Coronavirus: The Truth have lauded the show’s unbiased, fact-based approach to delivering COVID-19 news and information.

But finding unbiased, fact-based info isn’t easy amid today’s politically charged news environment. Says co-host Jeremy Corr, “I keep getting more and more disheartened about how politicized the pandemic has been.” In this episode, Corr and co-host Dr. Robert Pearl offer their thoughts on where to find facts that aren’t skewed by partisan media or pundits looking to score political points.

In addition, Pearl and Corr provide answers and analysis for the following questions:

[00:50] Update: What should listeners know about the week that was?

[04:22] Where are we with the next Congressional economic package?

[07:04] Presumed democratic nominee Joe Biden released his healthcare proposal: What was in it and how might it impact the post-coronavirus era?

[10:50] What is happening with the economy? Is there a day of reckoning on its way?

[12:04] Many people are disheartened by how politicized the pandemic has become. Where can people go for advice and facts that aren’t skewed by politics?

[14:50] What’s going on with Major League Baseball and other sports leagues? 

[16:41] What can go wrong with a COVID-19 vaccine fail?

[21:20] Local school districts are scrambling. What’s going on with schools now? What’s the right strategy for those moving forward with in-class instruction?

[25:39] Campus safety policies vs. college-student behaviors: Which will win out this fall as students return to campuses?

[28:58] Hypothetical: If all of the restrictions were suddenly lifted and you could return to all of the activities of the past knowing that the virus was still circulating, what would do and what would you continue to avoid?

[30:09] Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, joined the Fixing Healthcare podcast this week. What did she have to say about genetics and COVID-19?

[31:18] The airline and travel industry continue to be hit hard. What is the latest thinking on their future?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #18: Where to go for nonpartisan COVID-19 info? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

“Voters look to elected officials to lead in times of war,” says co-host Dr. Robert Pearl in this episode of Coronvirus: The Truth. “In the minds of most Americans, this is war. As such, voters will gaze beyond the traditional questions of (insurance) coverage and clinical care” toward questions of leadership amid a national health crisis.

In 2020, Pearl sees three pandemic-related factors influencing the elections:

1. Overall leadership in addressing the coronavirus threat.
2. How voters feel about the economic relief programs.
3. How well society was informed and held together throughout the pandemic.

As a result of these factors, Pearl expects voters are likely to ask the following questions this November: “When the next pandemic strikes, who do I want to be responsible for the health of the people in my state? Who do I want sitting the halls of Congress? And who do I trust to occupy the Oval Office?”

In episode 17 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr look at the latest news surrounding COVID-19, providing answers and analysis for the following questions:

[00:50] What should listeners know about the week that was in Covid-19 news?

[05:28] With multiple reports and anecdotes of Covid-19 patients getting re-infected, do scientists have any idea how long immunity lasts?  

[08:23] Listener question: Is the coronavirus affecting the U.S. birthing rate?

[09:41] Will the upcoming flu season exacerbate the coronavirus pandemic?

[11:17] What will Congress’ next coronavirus relief package include?

[14:00] On last week’s episode, co-hosts Robert Peral and Jeremy Corr talked about the winners and losers coming out of the current pandemic. Listeners wanted more details: Who’s up and who’s down?

[15:53] How is the planning coming for the reopening of schools this September?

[19:11] Co-host Jeremy Corr knows people who’ve been infected. How are they doing and how is Corr feeling during this time of uncertainty?

[21:53] With schools reopening this fall, what do Jeremy and Robert advise for parents worried about kids?

[23:15] What is Robert hearing from hospitals in places that are reportedly at risk of being overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases? Are they actually overwhelmed?

[28:03] How might the coronavirus impact elections this November?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #17: Will Covid-19 sway the November elections? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Four months after President Trump announced a “state of emergency,” Americans are still as confused as ever about the true state of the pandemic. Our confusion starts with the news: Every morning, TV anchors around the country list off the latest numbers of newly confirmed cases.

Podcast co-host Dr. Robert Pearl says, “We pretend the number of positive tests per day has significance. Don’t get me wrong, most likely, the number of cases is going up. But 60,000 per day isn’t anywhere close to the actual number of infections.” That’s just one of three big points of confusion for the general public, all of which have major consequence on American health.

In episode 16 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy look at the latest news surrounding COVID-19, providing answers and analysis for the following questions:

[00:51] What should listeners know about the week that was in COVID-19 news?

[05:03] Any news on sports returning this summer and fall?

[07:15] What was with the bruhaha between physicians and the World Health Organization over coronavirus being transmitted in small, aerosolized particles?

[10:08] What are Americans still getting wrong about COVID-19 today?

[14:51] Dr. Pearl was quoted recently saying, “If I had to pick a word for where we are today, it would be floundering.” What did he mean?   

[20:16] All politics aside, what do we know about the Trump-touted drug hydroxychloroquine? What about other treatments?

[22:45] With positive cases skyrocketing, why are death rates declining?

[26:03] Thousands of small businesses have closed while several big retailers have filed for bankruptcy, yet the stock market is soaring. What’s going on?

[31:42] What kinds of healthcare changes will come from changes in the economy?

[33:08] How would co-host Jeremy Corr alter his day to day decisions if he knew (for certain) that a vaccine wasn’t coming for at least another two years?

[37:27] At what point would it be safe to receive a Covid-19 vaccine?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #16: What are Americans still getting wrong about COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

“One step forward, two steps back,” is how Dr. Robert Pearl describes the recent rise in coronavirus cases throughout the country. He notes that further attempts to hurry the nation’s reopening along will produce similar setbacks.

Take pro sports, for example. Major League Baseball is moving closer to locking in a 60-game schedule to start in July, despite dozens of players already testing positive. “I fear that pro sports will follow the pattern that we have seen in so many areas of society. One step forward, then two back.”

In episode 15 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy look at the latest news surrounding COVID-19, providing answers and analysis for the following questions:

[00:50] What should listeners know about the past week in COVID-19 news, including plans to move forward with pro sports?

[08:00] As deaths passed 110,000, nearly half were patients from nursing homes. Can we protect this vulnerable population?

[09:05] How are elected official prioritizing the two biggest coronavirus threats their constituents face: the health risks and the economic threats?

[10:57] Dr. Robert Pearl will address the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, June 30. What message do CEOs need to hear?

[16:45] How are businesses are planning for the post-coronavirus era?

[18:33] What’s the latest news on COVID-19 testing and contract tracing?

[20:44] What should Americans learn from the Broadstreet cholera epidemic in 1854 and other historical events that threatened human existence?

[24:49] If we are at a tipping point with coronavirus, what might happen next?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #15: Is it too soon for sports? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Looking back on the coronavirus pandemic and the national response, Dr. Robert Pearl says, “I believe that historians will judge the American people well and nearly all of our leaders poorly.”

Robert’s co-host and fellow history buff Jeremy Corr notes that past outbreaks led to significant social and political shakeups: “Epidemics are the kinds of events in history that set off a chain reaction of other events that often have very serious consequences that change things forever.”

In episode 14 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy examine the available facts and historical trends to imagine what historians will see when they look back on the year 2020. Also, in this podcast, the hosts answer your coronavirus questions relating to masks, sexual transmission and more:

[00:51] What were the biggest coronavirus news updates from the past week?

[04:12] What can be done about the uptick in new cases as states reopen?  

[08:56] The World Health Organization (WHO) caused mass confusion last week concerning asymptomatic transmission of the virus. What happened and what’s the truth?

[16:02] As political debate rages over the use of masks, how can people make sense of what will or won’t keep them safe?

[17:58] Listener question: Can the coronavirus spread through sexual transmission?

[20:23] Are we at the beginning of another surge or a “second wave” of the pandemic?

[22:03] In hindsight, did we shut down too hard for too long?

[25:28] Many have compared the coronavirus to war. What are the biggest parallels and differences?

[29:34] How might historians talk about our current response to this viral pandemic 25 years from now?

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.  

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #14: How will historians look back on our nation’s handling of the coronavirus? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

For prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals, the retraction of an article is an incredibly rare event. Last week, it happened twice: in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. Both articles examined the effects of potential COVID-19 treatments and, following publication, had both an immediate and a significant influence on healthcare delivery in the United States.

The data, it turned out, was suspect at best and fraudulent at worst. With egg on their face, the editors of these journals faced a barrage of questions. Chief among them: How did this happen?

In episode 13 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the contentious debate over the research of possible COVID-19 cures, along with the following subjects:

[00:48] What are the most important coronavirus news highlights from last week?   

[06:24] Why did two of the most prestigious medical journals to retract articles tied to coronavirus treatments?

[10:51] What does it mean that reports of child abuse are down during the pandemic? Will schools give in to pressures to reopen this fall?

[12:12] Will protesters, many marching in close proximity without masks, suffer higher rates of  coronavirus infections?

[15:08] With air travel picking up, what are risks for those choosing to fly? What’s the safest seat on an airplane?

[16:32] How optimistic should we be about an effective coronavirus treatment coming soon? What do “promising findings” really mean?  

[18:47] As the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gains momentum, what is the nation learning about the populations most affected by the coronavirus?

[20:55] Few people in America’s heartland are wearing masks or social distancing. Why?

[23:38] As co-host of a podcast on the coronavirus, how’s Jeremy feeling about his son returning to daycare this week?

[25:16] Listener question: “What do we know now about how the coronavirus is transmitted and has the risk been overrated?”

[27:00] Listener question: “I can’t stand my kids not seeing their grandfather for another month. How can I minimize the risk of harming dad?”

This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.  

*To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.

The post #13: Can we trust scientific research in the era of COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.