America Dissected

Latest Episodes:

RFK Jr’s Measles Doublespeak Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

This week Abdul is joined by physician and writer Dr. Dhruv Khullar, who is subbing in for Dr. Katelyn Jetelina this week.

Abdul and Dhruv discuss a rash of alarming news out of HHS, including its uneven measles response, more cancelled meetings, a policy change to end public comment, and the re-evaluation of a key bird flu vaccine contract. They also break down the Republican budget plan and explain why its proposed cuts would likely gut Medicaid.

Then Abdul sits down with Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, about the impact of ICE raids on the immigrant community.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out! This episode was brought to you by:

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A Conversation with the Former FDA Director Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn discuss some worrisome changes at HHS, including RFK’s decision to postpone a key immunization committee’s scheduled meeting and the Trump Administration’s short-sighted strategy to combat bird flu. Then Abdul talks to Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf about the impacts of the federal workforce purge.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts and “Make America Scientific Again” ballcaps!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Boll & Branch: Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at bollandbranch.com/AD.

RFK at HHS Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn talk about RFK Jr.’s first actions at HHS, including his first meeting with employees, where he promised to investigate the pediatric vaccine schedule and the use of mental health meds. Then they break down the nature vs modernity debate, and why the good old days weren’t all good. They also track the most recent firings in the federal workforce purge. Then Abdul interviews physician, professor and writer Dr. Dhruv Khullar about his recent piece in the New Yorker about ultra processed foods.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts!

Knee-capping the NIH Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn explain how Trump’s cuts to NIH will hobble U.S. research labs and their surrounding economies. They also speculate on RFK Jr’s first moves at HHS, and a new bird flu mutation. Then Abdul sits down with Drs. Joseph Wright and Helen Burstin to learn more about their efforts to root race-based clinical algorithms out of healthcare.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Make America Scientific Again” ballcaps!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Thrive Market: Head to thrivemarket.com/AD and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!

Boll & Branch: Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at bollandbranch.com/AD.

“America First,” Global Health Last Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn discuss the RFK confirmation hearings, the gutting of USAID, and the erasure of CDC data. Then Abdul sits down with the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills, about the public health process the NFL used to reduce concussions.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our brand new “Science Won’t Be Silenced” long-sleeved t-shirts and “Make America Scientific Again” ballcaps!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out:

Calm: Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at calm.com/DISSECT.

Quince: Indulge in affordable luxury. Go to Quince.com/ad for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

Who’s Afraid of a Scientist with a Microphone? Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn pose questions for RFK’s Senate Confirmation hearings. Then they discuss the fallout from Trump’s sledgehammer on our government agencies, including:

A freeze on most federal grants and aid, here and abroad (now rescinded)
A pause on health agency communication and travel
Removing all DEI programs from the federal government, including diverse clinical trials
Offering all federal employees 6-months of pay to resign from their jobs

Then Abdul talks to epidemiologist and author Dr. Caitlin Rivers about her new book Crisis Averted: The Hidden Science of Fighting Outbreaks. Caitlin tells us where we are in the current flu season, and how public health professionals can build back trust with Americans.

You can find Caitlin Rivers’ newsletter Force of Infection here.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our brand new "Science Won't Be Silenced" long-sleeved t-shirts!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Our Big Shot: This new podcast series explores one of the biggest achievements in human history: the worldwide effort of immunization. You can listen to “Our Big Shot” wherever you get podcasts.

The WHO, What, and Why of Trump’s first Health Executive Orders Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

In this supersized episode, Abdul and Katelyn break down Donald Trump’s first executive orders targeting public health and healthcare. Then they discuss the final actions of the Biden Administration, including the preemptive pardon for Dr. Anthony Fauci, a directive to identify bird flu cases in hospitals, and adding Ozempic to this year’s Medicare prescription drug negotiations. Abdul also shares hopeful thoughts about the ceasefire in Gaza. Then he interviews Cornell Law Professor and Marguerite Casey Foundation Freedom Scholar Sabeel Rahman about the legal protections that will help buffer our public health institutions.

Check out our shop at store.americadissected.com for our new America Dissected merch – including logo shirts, hoodies and mugs. And don’t miss our “Vaccines Matter. Science Works.” t-shirts!

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Calm: Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at calm.com/DISSECT.

Imagining a Disease Free World, from the new podcast One Big Shot Jan 18, 2025

Show notes

Sharing an episode of the podcast Our Big Shot. It asks the question: What if we could build a disease free world? Well, we almost have. We are at a point in history where we have a Big Shot to make that happen. Dr Seema Yasmin, expert in disease control, brings you the stories of disease eradication, and the pioneers who can tell us how to finish the journey. These conversations will make you smarter, entertain and surprise you, and give you hope for the future of humanity.

LA Fires. Bird Flu Updates. And Ultra-Processed Foods. Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn break down the latest public health headlines, including the devastating fires in Los Angeles, how urban fires impact human health, another case of avian influenza in a child, and a nationwide drop in the rate of childhood vaccinations. Then Abdul talks to physician and author Dr. Linda Eckert about her new book “Enough,” which chronicles the fight to end HPV through the development of the cervical cancer vaccine, and the barriers that prevent women (and men!) from receiving it.

To help those impacted by the wildfires in Southern California, you can donate to:

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles

The California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Boll & Branch: Get 15% off, plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at bollandbranch.com/AD.

Thrive Market: Head to thrivemarket.com/AD and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift!

Our Big Shot: America Dissected is brought to you by “Our Big Shot,” a new podcast series exploring one of the biggest achievements in human history: the worldwide effort of immunization. Search for and subscribe to “Our Big Shot: Wiping Out Disease” on Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.

Fluoride & IQ. An H5N1 death. Jimmy Carter. And our annual mailbag! Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Abdul and Katelyn take your questions after catching up on some of the most pressing health headlines over the holidays–including a new fluoride study, the first H5N1 death, and the passing of public health hero Jimmy Carter.

This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by:

Calm: Get 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library at calm.com/DISSECT.

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