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

December 10, 2025MTT #101: From measles outbreaks to GLP-1 hype, the data every patient should know
In this week’s episode of Medicine: The Truth, hosts Jeremy Corr and Dr. Robert Pearl examine a wide range of stories shaping American health. From new research on the lifesaving effects of health insurance to troubling vaccine policy changes in Washington, this episode offers an objective and insightful look at what’s working, what’s failing and what lies ahead.
The show opens with a study that functions as a natural experiment on health coverage. When the IRS sent letters warning uninsured Americans about Affordable Care Act penalties, researchers found a striking result: those who signed up for insurance had significantly lower mortality over the next two years. For Dr. Pearl, the takeaway is clear. As political battles over insurance subsidies begin, the stakes are measured in lives saved and lives lost.
From there, the hosts turn to the second round of Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. Cuts as large as 85% will save billions of dollars, but Pearl warns that negotiating prices alone cannot fix America’s drug-pricing problem. The root issue, he notes, is the ability of manufacturers to extend monopolies for years through patent thickets, evergreening and litigation strategies that delay competition. Until those practices change, the United States will continue paying far more than any other nation.
Here are more pressing stories from this month’s episode of Medicine: The Truth:
Expiring ACA subsidies: Enhanced marketplace subsidies for 24 million Americans are scheduled to sunset, threatening large premium hikes.
Private insurance costs: Covering a family of four now averages $27,000 per year. Employers may shift even more of the burden onto employees.
U.S. health spending vs peer nations: America spends nearly $14,000 per person on healthcare, far above any comparable nation, yet underinvests in preventing and managing chronic disease complications.
Measles resurgence: Falling vaccination rates and permissive school exemptions have made measles endemic again, with outbreaks in multiple states.
Biosimilars and insulin pricing: The FDA plans to streamline biosimilar approvals by focusing on molecular similarity rather than repeated clinical trials.
COVID infections during pregnancy: A Massachusetts study of nearly 18,000 births found higher rates of neurodevelopmental diagnoses in children whose mothers had COVID while pregnant.
Social media and mental health: In a small study, young adults who reduced daily social media use from two hours to 30 minutes saw sharp drops in anxiety and depression.
Obesity trends and GLP-1s: New Gallup data show adult obesity declining slightly from 40% to 37% since 2022, with the largest gains among women ages 40 to 64 (a popular demographic for drugs like Ozempic).
Estrogen therapy reconsidered: The FDA has removed its black box warning from estrogen-containing products after new evidence showed substantial cardiovascular, bone and cognitive benefits when started near menopause.
As the episode continues, Dr. Pearl highlights fascinating findings on peanut allergies and preterm birth disparities, looks at the likelihood of a severe flu season with the new H3N2 strain and a stern warning about the politicization of vaccine decisions.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #101: From measles outbreaks to GLP-1 hype, the data every patient should know appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
48 min
November 26, 2025 FHC #196: Revisiting Thanksgiving 2020 at Covid’s peak
For this Thanksgiving week, we’re revisiting an important and emotionally charged episode from the first season of “Medicine: The Truth.” = When this episode debuted in 2020, the podcast was called “Coronavirus: The Truth,” which began when readers of Dr. Robert Pearl’s newsletter, “Monthly Musings on American Healthcare,” started asking for much-needed facts and context surrounding the pandemic.
It was a moment hard to fathom now. Covid cases were climbing fast, the nation was exhausted and vaccines weren’t yet available. Fear and frustration were everywhere. Five years later, with vaccines protecting all but the most vulnerable, it’s worth remembering just how uncertain and divisive the world felt heading into those holidays.
A big question people wanted answered was whether they should change their Thanksgiving plans. Dr. Anthony Fauci had urged Americans to avoid big gatherings. The reaction was immediate and intense. Polls showed three in four people were less excited about the holidays than the year before. Families were fighting over safety. Many felt hopeless and isolated. Against that backdrop, listeners asked the question weighing on millions: Should we gather at all?
In this rerun, Dr. Robert Pearl revisits the facts that mattered most at the time: why drug makers were pausing some vaccine and treatment trials, what was happening on college campuses and why premature births had unexpectedly declined during lockdowns. He explains why he expected 500,000 Covid deaths, a number that shocked listeners in 2020 but ultimately proved accurate (by half).
The episode also dives into deeper issues that shaped the national mood. Most of all, it captures the anger and divisiveness that blanketed the country. A tension that continues today.
There is much our nation can learn today from the experiences of five years ago. This Thanksgiving rerun offers a powerful reminder of where we were and how far we’ve come.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 FHC #196: Revisiting Thanksgiving 2020 at Covid’s peak appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
33 min
November 04, 2025 MTT #100: From COVID-19 to ChatGPT, a close look at the last 5 years
When this podcast launched in March 2020 as Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr set out to give listeners clear science and accurate analysis during a moment of chaos. Now, 100 episodes later, as Medicine: The Truth, the duo sit down and revisit the most important medical stories of the past five years, explaining what the nation learned, what it didn’t and what urgent questions remain.
The episode opens where the show began: the early days of COVID-19, when exponential spread of the virus threatened to overwhelm U.S. hospitals. Pearl walks through the original goals of public-health measures like masking and social distancing. He reflects on what the country got right, what it got wrong, and why communication failures around testing and vaccines deepened distrust that still affects medicine today.
But as the crisis evolved, so did the podcast. What began as a weekly pandemic explainer shifted into a broader analysis of why the United States spends more on healthcare than any other wealthy nation, yet it delivers worse outcomes.
In this episode, the conversation moves from reflections on the pandemic to a look at some of the show’s longest-running themes: clinician burnout, workforce shortages and a healthcare system struggling to meet rising demand.
Alongside the difficult news that lingers in American healthcare, episode 100 also highlights genuine progress: breakthroughs against Alzheimer’s and colon cancer, advances in prevention and diagnosis, and a growing role for generative AI.
Pearl explains how GenAI could save hundreds of thousands of lives, reduce medical errors, increase healthcare affordability and alleviate clinician burnout. But, none of this will happen unless the financial incentives shift away from fee-for-service and toward value.
Pearl closes with a simple message: crises will return, and science can save lives. However, success will require Americans to follow the research rather than be distracted by politics. To prepare for the next pandemic, he argues that the nation must better control chronic disease, rely on scientifically validated clinical evidence, and reward superior clinical outcomes, rather than simply the volume of care provided.
The first 100 episodes of what is now Medicine: The Truth serve as clear and powerful reminders of the dedication and courage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. But they also warn of how easy it can be for the American healthcare system to lose its way.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #100: From COVID-19 to ChatGPT, a close look at the last 5 years appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
49 min
October 07, 2025MTT #99: The frightening state of U.S. medicine as politics replace science
This Halloween-themed episode of Medicine: The Truth finds hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr confronting the real horrors haunting American medicine today.
When Corr asks what scares him most, Dr. Pearl doesn’t hesitate: it’s the chaos, confusion and politicization that have replaced science and reason. From vaccine policy to drug and insurance pricing to Medicaid cuts, Pearl explains how bad decisions by government and industry leaders are endangering lives.
The conversation begins with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s newly appointed vaccine advisory committee, whose erratic decisions could jeopardize national immunization efforts and patient trust. It moves quickly to Donald Trump’s claim that Tylenol use during pregnancy causes autism. Pearl explains why the claim is biologically implausible, breaks down the real risks of acetaminophen overdose, and warns of the harm caused when political figures replace data with personal belief.
The hosts then turn to Mississippi’s infant mortality crisis, where a lack of OB-GYNs and the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid have pushed death rates to record highs. It’s a chilling illustration, Pearl says, of what happens when ideology trumps compassion.
From there, the episode moves through a series of pressing stories:
Affordable Care Act turmoil: Subsidies that keep exchange plans affordable are set to expire, threatening coverage for millions and sending premiums soaring by up to 15%.
Private equity in emergency rooms: A new study shows higher mortality rates in PE-owned hospitals, where cost-cutting has replaced patient safety.
A new oral GLP-1 pill: Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug could improve convenience but only if pricing reflects fairness, not greed.
Cardiovascular disease data: Despite progress, heart disease remains America’s top killer, with worsening risk factors across income groups.
Generic approval for mifepristone: The FDA’s move to expand access to abortion medication marks a rare policy victory for evidence-based care.
Music as medicine: Brazilian researchers find that music before heart imaging reduces anxiety and lowers blood pressure (an example of low-cost care with real impact).
HPV-linked cancer breakthrough: New AI-driven blood tests may detect head and neck cancers years before symptoms arise.
Obesity and cancer: Death rates tied to obesity have quadrupled in two decades, rising fastest among women and rural Americans.
As the episode continues, Dr. Pearl highlights grim data on America’s declining health outcomes compared to other wealthy nations, the spread of Chagas disease across U.S. states, and the crushing cost of employer-based insurance. Together, these stories reveal a nation spending more, living shorter and losing faith in its medical institutions. A scary story, indeed.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #99: The frightening state of U.S. medicine as politics replace science appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
49 min
September 09, 2025MTT #98: Can patients and doctors still trust the CDC, FDA?
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr dig into growing public distrust in the two government agencies charged with protecting Americans’ health: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Recent shakeups, including the resignation of top leaders and staff reductions, highlight just how politicized these organizations have become. Pearl doesn’t mince words. He calls the situation “chaotic and unscientific,” warning that the politicization of vaccine policy under the Kennedy administration could undermine decades of scientific progress and further erode public trust in medical guidance.
He walks listeners through what changed, why it matters and what might happen next—including how states and medical societies are beginning to defy federal policy by issuing their own vaccine recommendations.
Other key topics discussed:
New vaccine restrictions under RFK Jr.: COVID vaccines now limited to high-risk individuals under 65, with added barriers for children under 18.
Loss of expert oversight: RFK Jr. fired all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, replacing them with politically aligned individuals, some lacking immunization expertise.
Fragmented guidance: For the first time in 30 years, national medical societies have issued their own vaccine guidelines that contradict CDC policy.
mRNA research halted: A $500M grant program supporting mRNA vaccine innovation has been canceled, threatening progress in cancer, autoimmune disease and rare conditions.
A clear explainer on mRNA tech: Pearl delivers a step-by-step explanation of how mRNA vaccines are developed and why they’re safer, faster and potentially life-saving in pandemics and cancer prevention.
RFK Jr.’s false claims: Pearl debunks Kennedy’s assertion that mRNA vaccines are the “deadliest ever made,” calling it one of the most unscientific claims in recent memory.
Draft autism report warning: Pearl criticizes an upcoming government report on autism that he expects will repackage discredited vaccine-autism links.
Food industry appeasement: The “Make America Healthy Again” agenda is criticized for lacking concrete actions on nutrition policy, instead promising more studies of already well-documented problems.
Medicare funding risks: If federal deficits continue, automatic cuts could slash Medicare by $500B between 2027–2034, which would further destabilize the system.
Price transparency report: A new analysis from Trilliant Health reveals 9-to-1 variation in what insurers pay for the same surgery, even within the same state or hospital.
Tech & dementia risk: A meta-analysis of 37 studies finds that older adults using smartphones, computers and the internet may have a reduced risk of cognitive decline, possibly due to reduced social isolation.
Stalking & heart disease: Women who are stalked or file restraining orders have a significantly higher risk of heart attacks and strokes (up to 70% more) due to prolonged stress and fear.
Flu shots & allergies: A listener asks about egg allergy risk. Pearl reassures listeners that even in patients with anaphylaxis history, flu vaccines are safe and strongly recommended.
HPV awareness gap: More than one-third of U.S. adults haven’t heard of HPV, and over half don’t know it causes oral and cervical cancer—despite a highly effective vaccine.
Child mortality shame:S. babies and children are nearly twice as likely to die before adulthood compared to peers in other wealthy nations.
Screwworm fly case: A Maryland man becomes the first confirmed U.S. case this year after travel to El Salvador. Pearl explains the biology behind this gruesome but rare parasite.
Tune in to hear Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cut through the noise with their signature mix of clarity, candor and evidence-based analysis. Once again, the duo exposes misinformation, challenges political spin and helps listeners make sense of what’s really going on.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #98: Can patients and doctors still trust the CDC, FDA? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
42 min
August 13, 2025MTT #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cover a whirlwind of headlines, from a White House push to tie U.S. drug prices to wealthy-nation benchmarks (with tariff threats) to a Big Tech pledge to make medical records truly interoperable. They also unpack what ACA exchange enrollees should expect in 2026 as cost-sharing subsidies teeter and insurers file double-digit premium hikes.
On care delivery, the hosts examine the direct primary care + HSA shift: what it could improve, and where it might widen disparities. They then turn to the FDA’s accelerated approvals, gene-therapy turmoil and why scientific independence matters.
Other key topics discussed:
Kids’ health: Hand-foot-and-mouth disease basics (spread, home care, when to call) and a rare, deadly flu-related encephalopathy — another reason childhood flu vaccination matters.
Cancer prevention: How hepatitis B/C control, metabolic health and alcohol use drive (and can prevent) liver cancer.
Exercise clarity: Why 7,000 steps/day delivers nearly all the health gains long credited to 10,000.
Lyme 101: Ticks, timelines, treatment (and why prompt checks for bites are protective).
Pharma’s DTC pivot: Drugmakers selling directly via telemedicine, and what that means for GLP-1 access and brand bias.
Rural stability: A new $50B Rural Health Fund aimed at offsetting Medicaid-related shortfalls for hospitals.
Maternal health: 56% of new moms miss recommended postpartum visits, even as one-third of maternal deaths occur after discharge.
CTE explainer: What we know (and don’t) about repetitive head trauma and long-term brain disease.
* * *
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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
43 min
July 22, 2025MTT #96: Cancer confusion, obesity clarity & a $3M drug failure
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine a wide range of healthcare headlines. From the Supreme Court’s ruling on preventive care to heat-related deaths, experimental diabetes treatments and the continued unaffordability of life-saving drugs, this episode focuses on biggest stories in medicine today.
It opens with a breakdown of the Supreme Court’s recent 6–3 decision on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV. While the ruling preserves access to services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Pearl warns that it introduces new risks.
“When politics or finances enter the healthcare world, clinical outcomes suffer,” says Pearl. He draws parallels to the ousting of experts on the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and highlights the danger of eroding scientific independence.
Pearl then turns to a longstanding pain point in American healthcare: prior authorization.
While insurer companies claim this process guarantees safe, necessary care, studies show it often delays treatment or leads patients to abandon care altogether. Despite new promises from more than 50 insurers to streamline their processes by 2027, Pearl offers words of caution.
“Although this pledge sounds like a major commitment, clinicians remain doubtful Clinicians remain doubtful … And, of course, 2027 is two years away.”
Other key topics discussed in this episode include:
Statin underuse: Research shows that prescribing statins to all eligible Americans could prevent 39,000 deaths and 165,000 major cardiac events annually, saving up to $25 billion a year.
CT scan overuse: New data show that frequent surveillance scans for cancer recurrence do not improve survival and may lead to physical, psychological and financial harm.
Cancer screening clarity: Only four cancers (breast, lung, cervical and colorectal) have strong evidence supporting screening. For the rest, benefits remain unproven or may be outweighed by risks.
Colon cancer detection: FIT tests are as effective as colonoscopy in low-risk patients, especially those ages 40–49. Yet screening rates remain far too low.
Heat-related health threats: Climate-driven “heat domes” pose rising risks to children, the elderly and patients with chronic disease.
New HIV drug dilemma: The FDA approved an injectable PrEP option with a near-perfect success rate. However, at a staggering $28,000+ annual cost, it may remain out of reach for most.
FDA under scrutiny: Accelerated approvals are allowing high-cost drugs to enter the market despite safety concerns. Pearl discusses the recent deaths of two children treated with a $3.2 million drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Experimental type 1 diabetes cure: A new stem cell therapy enabled 10 out of 12 patients to stop insulin injections. But lifelong immunosuppression and likely high costs may limit uptake.
Autism breakthrough: New genetic analysis identifies four distinct ASD subtypes, helping pave the way for earlier diagnosis and personalized support strategies.
Alarming pediatric trends: Childhood obesity and mental health issues have risen sharply in the last 17 years. Climate change is also driving a spike in tick-related illnesses in children.
Obesity science simplified: A global study confirms it’s not lack of exercise driving obesity—it’s excess calories, particularly from ultra-processed, high-fat foods.
The episode closes with a hard truth: U.S. healthcare spending is expected to exceed 20% of GDP by 2033. “Despite spending more, we’re not seeing improvements in outcomes,” Pearl says. He promises to revisit this issue in a future episode of Diving Deep.
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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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #96: Cancer confusion, obesity clarity & a $3M drug failure appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
39 min
June 18, 2025MTT #95: Politics vs. science—Who really controls America’s vaccines?
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr explore significant updates and controversies in healthcare, from battles over vaccine recommendations to skyrocketing healthcare costs and promising cancer research.
The CDC recently clashed with Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, over Covid-19 vaccine recommendations. Kennedy declared no additional Covid booster shots necessary for healthy children and pregnant women, sparking immediate backlash. Pearl clarifies the complexity here, explaining Kennedy’s claims are politically charged rather than scientifically supported.
In economic news, healthcare costs for a family of four reached an alarming average of $35,000 per year, nearly triple the amount 20 years ago. With healthcare expenses rising 6% annually — far outpacing wages and inflation — Pearl highlights the growing financial strain on American families.
On a brighter note, groundbreaking research has demonstrated the powerful impact of exercise on cancer survival. A robust international study revealed structured exercise programs significantly reduced the risk of cancer recurrence and death, underscoring lifestyle medicine’s vital role in patient outcomes.
Other key topics discussed in this episode:
Measles epidemic slowing as vaccinations increase
New RSV vaccine dramatically reduces infant hospitalizations
Soaring economic cost of opioid addiction and the financial benefits of treatment
Promising results from at-home cervical cancer screening
Implications of NIH budget cuts, including termination of crucial HIV/AIDS vaccine research
Concerns around hospital profits amid rising healthcare expenses
The growing threat of a “brain drain” in medical science as U.S. scientists increasingly seek positions abroad
Final annual data confirming soaring new drug costs
Billy Joel’s diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus and what it means
Elon Musk and controversies surrounding ketamine use
Tune in as Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr bring clarity and in-depth analysis to the headlines, scientific breakthroughs and policy decisions shaping American 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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #95: Politics vs. science—Who really controls America’s vaccines? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
48 min
May 21, 2025MTT #94: Measles, meds & misinformation: Can we still trust American science?
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr unpack a troubling set of healthcare developments—from surging vaccine-preventable illnesses to steep hikes in drug costs and the looming threat of Medicaid cuts.
Measles cases have now topped 1,000, with Texas experiencing the worst outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. Meanwhile, other infectious diseases like pertussis and influenza are resurging. Dr. Pearl explains how falling vaccination rates could soon lead to tens of thousands of preventable deaths.
The episode also addresses the latest federal budget proposal, which calls for massive cuts to government health programs, even as the U.S. faces new public health crises. Drug prices, already soaring, are now subject to additional stress from rising tariffs, putting more lifesaving medications out of reach.
It’s not all bad news. A major new study suggests that shingles vaccination may reduce dementia risk by 20%, offering a powerful argument for broader preventive care. And despite rising costs, opioid-related deaths are dropping—thanks in part to expanded access to naloxone and other life-saving treatments.
Other key topics covered in this episode include:
Measles outbreak in Texas becomes the largest in 25 years
Pertussis (whooping cough) cases double, marking a return to 1950s-era prevalence
S. drug prices up 11.4% in the past year, with 25% of prescriptions going unfilled
The Trump administration’s proposed $18 billion cut to the NIH and 3.6% CDC funding drop
New at-home tests approved for HPV and common STDs
Universal shingles vaccination may reduce dementia risk by 20%
GLP-1 weight-loss pills are on the horizon
New data reveal CT scans may be responsible for 100,000 cancer deaths
Pig-to-human kidney transplants hit new survival milestones
Smoking still contributes to 20% of all cancer cases
Universal vaccine effort raises scientific and political concerns
Autism’s true origins: What research does—and doesn’t—say
Marijuana during pregnancy linked to preterm birth, low weight, mortality
Five risk factors (including obesity and smoking) cut life expectancy by over a decade
Tune in as Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr bring clarity to the headlines and offer sharp insight into the policies, science and statistics shaping American 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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #94: Measles, meds & misinformation: Can we still trust American science? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
50 min
April 16, 2025MTT #93: Measles death toll rises, healthcare spending hits $5.2 trillion
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the alarming spread of measles across 25 U.S. states (with outbreaks in six). The disease, as of this episode’s publication, has already led to 700 cases and the confirmed deaths of two unvaccinated children.
Meanwhile, healthcare costs have ballooned to $5.2 trillion, federal funding cuts are hampering outbreak response (as well as important scientific research), and Medicaid expansion under the ACA is facing serious threats.
Dr. Pearl discusses the broader implications of these events along with a host of key topics covered in this episode:
Measles cases top 700, with 60 hospitalizations and two pediatric deaths so far—making this the worst year for measles since 2019.
RFK Jr. draws criticism for downplaying vaccine safety and promoting unproven treatments like cod liver oil and vitamin A.
Federal healthcare spending rose 7.4% in 2024 to $5.2 trillion, with site-neutral payment reform under serious consideration.
Massive HHS layoffs are threatening vaccine oversight, chronic disease research and global health initiatives like tuberculosis detection.
Medicaid expansion under the ACA may be on the chopping block as Republicans look to trim $880 billion from federal spending.
New leaders confirmed at the FDA and NIH, but Dr. Pearl questions whether they’ll have true autonomy under RFK’s restructuring plan.
Academic research slows, with grant freezes, staff cuts and rescinded PhD offers throughout leading universities and academic medical centers.
AI scribes reduce burnout, but cost savings remain elusive for providers and health systems.
Tuberculosis remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, and U.S. funding cuts may allow global cases to surge.
GLP-1 warnings grow for women of childbearing age amid limited research and concerns about fetal risks.
New study shows GenAI experienced ‘anxiety’ after reading traumatic stories—raising fresh questions about emotional modeling in virtual therapy tools.
Opioid deaths fall to 82,000, down 25% in the past year, thanks to better treatment access, more naloxone and less fentanyl availability.
Low back pain study finds invasive treatments are least ineffective with ibuprofen, NSAIDs and exercise still the best options.
Allergy seasons are worsening, with climate change driving longer frost-free periods and increased pollen counts.
Tune in as Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr break down these pressing healthcare topics and explore what they mean for the future of American medicine.
* * *
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. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders.
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 #93: Measles death toll rises, healthcare spending hits $5.2 trillion appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.
48 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…