11-Mar-19
This Joe Rogan podcast features Peter Hotez, a leading expert in tropical diseases and vaccines. Hotez dives into the complex and often controversial topics surrounding autism and vaccines, debunking misconceptions while highlighting the crucial role of vaccines in public health. He delves into the underlying themes of scientific literacy, the impact of misinformation, and the importance of addressing poverty-related diseases.
- The Autism-Vaccine Debate:
- Hotez dispels the myth that vaccines cause autism, citing robust scientific studies and the discovery of 99 genes linked to autism that act during early fetal development.
- He explains the importance of serial MRIs in predicting autism in early childhood and how these methods demonstrate the independent origins of autism from vaccines.
- He criticizes the anti-vaccine lobby’s “vaccine whack-a-mole” tactic, whereby they shift their claims regarding the link between vaccines and autism as evidence refutes their previous assertions.
- He discusses the powerful influence of the anti-vaccine lobby online and the need for counter-messaging to combat misinformation.
- The Impact of Misinformation:
- Hotez highlights the pervasive influence of the anti-vaccine lobby online through websites, social media, and the promotion of phony documentaries.
- He emphasizes the lack of a robust pro-vaccine advocacy network to counter misinformation, leaving academics like himself to fight an uphill battle.
- He expresses concern about the spread of harmful autism therapies promoted by elements of the anti-vaccine lobby, such as bleach enemas and chelation therapy.
- He attributes the persistence of anti-vaccine sentiment to a combination of deeply held beliefs, a lack of understanding of the science, and the difficulty in letting go of ingrained ideas.
- The Importance of Vaccines:
- Hotez emphasizes the negligible risk of adverse reactions from vaccines, far lower than the risk of contracting a preventable disease.
- He highlights the crucial role of vaccines in eradicating diseases like smallpox and reducing mortality from measles and polio.
- He expresses concern about the resurgence of diseases like measles due to declining vaccination rates and the misinformation campaign against vaccines.
- He stresses the importance of vaccination, especially for vulnerable populations like infants, to protect against outbreaks of highly contagious diseases.
- Neglected Tropical Diseases:
- Hotez discusses the impact of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which disproportionately affect individuals living in poverty, including hookworm, toxoplasmosis, and toxocariasis.
- He highlights the debilitating effects of NTDs, contributing to poverty and impacting cognitive development.
- He emphasizes the presence of NTDs not only in developing countries but also in the US, particularly within impoverished communities.
- He argues for increased awareness, research, and investment to combat NTDs, advocating for a public health approach that prioritizes those most affected.
- The Importance of a Public Health Approach:
- Hotez critiques the reliance on private companies to develop vaccines for poverty-related diseases due to the lack of financial incentives.
- He advocates for a public sector investment model to prioritize these diseases, highlighting the cost-effectiveness and cost-savings of vaccines.
- He emphasizes the need for improved diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines specifically tailored to poverty-related diseases.
- He calls for increased awareness, education, and action to address the neglect of these diseases in impoverished communities.
This podcast is a powerful call to action, urging listeners to become informed advocates for scientific literacy, public health, and the well-being of those most vulnerable.
5 Memorable Quotes:
- “Vaccines don’t cause autism because autism is already underway. In early, early brain development.”
- “The anti-vaccine lobby owns the internet right now.”
- “If you really want to if you really think there’s some environmental link to autism. We’ve got a list of at least 6 chemicals during early exposure and pregnancy that are probably causing mutations and things like that. That are leading to autism. Why aren’t we why isn’t anybody looking into that? It’s just crazy.”
- “I’ve been called a round earth shell.”
- “The world has changed. You know, this this old norm of global health developed for is developing. It still exists, but it’s going away.”