125 Comments

Thank you. Such a breath of fresh air to read your much more reasonable, thoughtful, and accurate summary of Dr. Makary. Thankful to have him and you doing the work that not enough physicians are doing.

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Makary did an episode with Russ Roberts, Econtalk 9/16/2024.

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Thank you. I’ll look for it.

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There’s a reason Trump won…and MSM is imploding while platforms like Rogan, Greenwald, and Taibbi are growing in leaps and bounds…

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Rogan, a real beacon of intelligence. I don't watch MSM but get real.

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He's extremely intelligent, very open-minded. He is a data-collector: someone who loves facts and information. He has curiosity for all kinds of things. You have obviously never listened to many or any of his podcasts. He inspired me to read a book about the Apache Indians - fascinating. He out-thought and out-debated Dr Sanjay Gupta re: honest talk during covid. on and on. I learned about Chimp Crazy. He interviews politicians, pop culture figures, athletes, comedians, professors, of course the martial arts fighters, etc etc.

The only person I don't think he'd appeal to is someone who really isn't that interested in information as a pursuit or who just doesn't enjoy long-form podcasts. He is one of the few people to have intelligent "conversations" with guests - asks a lot of questions, injects his own information and ideas - is open to modifying his ideas. The best thing - he is not there to embarrass or play "gotcha" with any of them. He's also not using guests to prove his own points. You get to make your own decisions about what you are hearing.

There are other great sources of news and analysis, but he fills an interesting niche.

Who do you consider a "beacon of intelligence"?

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I love it when people tell me that I've never listened to his podcasts. Actually, I have. Stop presuming you know anything about what other people consume, media wise.

Rogan is massively overrated bad comedian. His interview with Trump was pathetic, not a single challenging question.

But you keep listening to someone that endorsed a convicted felon and sexual predator for POTUS.

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Ah, now I see your distaste in re: politics. I did not "tell" you what you've done - that wouldn't be very logical. I "suggested" those who I'd think would have such negative opinion. Whether you have listened or not isn't really the point (as how would we really know?)

You seem to misunderstand his format, even so. He doesn't position himself to "challenge" his guests. He's not masquerading as a "news" outlet or platform. I'd imagine you would really enjoy MSM!

I love the "convicted felon" tag. 34 times over! I commend your sensibilities for the felonious "ledger entries" and "invoices for legal services". A "single $130,000 payment" multiplied to magically get 34.

If you want to consider whether someone is some sort of "sexual predator" - watch one of the compilation YouTube videos of Biden acting inappropriately with children. Grabbing them around the waist, putting his nose into their hair. There is something clearly not right. Watch in detail if you have not already. Its disturbing.

How any of this circle back to JR, I don't know.

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I've even listened to a few of his interviews with various fighters. I'd never know anything about BJJ or muay thai. I have no interest in martial arts or fights. But I learned something about each. I also heard some interesting life stories and the drive and intelligence in some of the men who are top in those arenas. For people who love to learn things about people and the world, Joe Rogan is a unique resource. Generally, millions of people agree with me.

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I don't think anyone that get convicted of any kind of felony should be POTUS. Wild, I know.

Yes, Rogan's format is just sooo complicated. Takes such smart people to understand him, bro. Go pick up a book.

Look at you, defending a rapist. We aren't talking about Biden. We're talking about the guy you probably voted for and will continue to defend. Someone who wanted to appoint a pedo as AG. Someone who has cheated on all of his wives. Someone that has assaulted women. But you go, girl.

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Guess what. I didn't vote for 47. I don't like 47. I'm a Bernie person. But you and your tribal, meme-driven, echo chamber attitude reflect the generalized hubris of the D Party. Stop with the ad hominem attacks on Rogan. He's not my fave either, but he's done some v. good interviews. So why don't you get some theory of mind, which would at least elevate your head from out of your ass, and consider the awful possibility that people like you are precisely why 47 was elected.

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He was not convicted of rape.

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ok, last go at it. #1. Lawfare. #2. Rogan not complicated - actually simple. That's why he has mass appeal. (not so much with elitist liberals, who are generally more highly educated and know better than the rest of us).

#3. I was actually defending JR, whose podcast I enjoy.

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He asks questions. That’s more than a lot of people.

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That's what people should be recognizing: that the bar is so low that Rogan impresses people.

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Asks questions. Wow, how incredible.

I mean, seriously? You can do better.

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Softball questions at that. He doesn't call out BS either.

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You don't trust yourself to form your own opinion?

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Yes 👏

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That's more frightening

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Wonderful article and nice tribute to Dr. Makary. My only quibble is where you state that nothing can be mandated without evidence of third party benefits. I would argue, nothing can be mandated, no matter the benefits whether proven or perceived.

I used to hope that you would get a role in the new administration as well BUT I have changed my mind. I think we need you to stay on the outside to present honest criticism of public health. After all, no one is right 100% of the time and we need trustworthy outside voices to keep an eye on things. Please continue to keep us informed.

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Many of the vaccines infants are expected to receive also have no third party benefits. The hepatitis b vaccine? Why would my children need to have it if their entire family is negative and they aren’t engaging in risky behavior. They aren’t a threat to no one. It’s not evidence based to mandate a vaccine for a person that has no benefit or utility for that person. “What ifs” aren’t evidence based.

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Hep B at birth is a bizarre thing that is really difficult to defend. I will say, though, that if you do the work while you're pregnant, you can avoid this travesty (or have a really good lawsuit if they do it against your explicitly expressed wishes). By the time my child was born, I had already spent more than an hour with her future pediatrician, and had discussed in detail all potential birth interventions and procedures with my OB/GYN.

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Another fantastic article Vinay!!! I’m very excited by these picks!

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Dr. Prasad, I certainly appreciate these logical and levelheaded thoughts/essays. But asking MSM to stop being a wing of DNC is like pissing into the wind. *YOU* get the blow back. No one else. I'm glad the MSM viewership is plummeting. I'm glad these cultists are going to get fired. I'm glad that people are waking up to biological facts. I'm glad that Jaguar will go bankrupt. I'm glad that Disney will be bankrupt. But MOST OF ALL, I'm glad that sane adults are back in charge at HHS, NIH, and FDA. And BTW, YOU should be working at FDA. I hope Dr. Makary asks you to join him. You've certainly earned it.

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Fox News, the most popular cable news channel, is the furthest thing possible from the DNC. Next.

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And the nonFox network CEOs support the RNC. If anyobe thought MSNBC and CNBC are an arm the DNC, they weren't listening.

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Dr. Makary and Dr. Prasad are on my shortlist of Hero's. Both were, and continue to be, voices of reason in a sea of vitriol, censorship, propaganda and govt overreach.

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Let’s hope he gets the MRNA shots banned on January 21 2025.

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Lol, he supports the mRNA vaccines….just the evidence based use of them.

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Looks like I’m not the only one enjoying deep breaths of fresh air the past few weeks!

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Question to Vinay Prasad: I have a question:

I remember believing in 2020 that herd immunity would eventually suppress COVID illness and control COVID spread. However, the mRNA vaccine was introduced in December 2020, and herd immunity has never effectively been achieved. Ultimately ... even as the SARS-COV-2 virus evolved ..., repeat and even multiple episodes of COVID have occurred in previously infected people who were jabbed multiple times, ... possibly as the mRNA vaccine created an immune response injury with an impaired immune response to subsequent SARS-COV-2 challenges. It is unusual, in my experience, to see unvaxed people with a presumed normal immune response to SAR-COV-2 contract COVID multiple times.

Did the COVID mRNA vaccines’ transfection with the spike protein component of SARS-COV-2 interfere with the development of COVID herd immunity, possibly due to how it affected individuals’ immune response to subsequent exposure to the entire SARS-CoV-2 virus? Could we more likely have achieved herd immunity to COVID if the mRNA vaccines had never been widely deployed to treat COVID?

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The number of infections vaccinated people have had is wild. So yes I think it increased their risk of infection.

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I and my whole family - 2 households with shared custody of a child - had COVID in December 2020. My household and child did not get the vaccine. The other household did, and at least 1 round of boosters. I have tested over a dozen times at the onset of any cold-like symptoms since then. No positive tests. The other household has had at least 2 rounds of COVID since 2020, with positive tests. All this while still sharing custody of our child (who is also unvaccinated and has never tested positive since the Dec 2020 infection).

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Yes, likely so. I had it once in early 2021. Never vaccinated for it. Never had it again. Same for my whole family that we did antibody checks on before vaccination rolled out and everyone was immune. So no Covid vax was done here as I was aware of myocarditis risk for my teens. Nobody has had sars-cov2 again. And we’ve also been very healthy overall compared to friends - last year when it seemed people were constantly sick we weren’t. Same again this year where we’re not getting every little thing. Of the 4 of us who had the virus, I was the only one to develop Covid. It was asymptomatic or mild cold symptoms for everyone else but I was really sick and did have reduced o2 sats and shortness of breath.

(I’ve been exposed as I cared for family who was sick 6 weeks after I’d recovered. I didn’t get sick again. I will note we trust our immune systems and don’t mask or stay distant from others. We do take vitamin D daily though and have for over a decade.)

My extended family largely has been one and done. (None of them vaccinated for Covid either. Most got sick before omnicron variant so no clue if that changes things)

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It’s a mental illness.

MM is so methodically calm and exudes confidence and professionalism.

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And you should be the head of NIH.

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Anyone under attack by MSNBC should wear it as a badge of honor.

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The media bias in reporting here from NYT is laughable.

I am staunchly opposed to Trump, but couldn’t be more happy with this pick. It also makes me feel more secure in the sense that he should serve to balance RFKs misguided notions re: drugs, vaccines, etc.

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You think the wanting to address the absence of active surveillance of vaccines injuries and the absence of placebo controlled safety studies is miguided? Why would you want a child to receive dozens of injections without any postmarketing safety data? The 2013 iom report acknowledged this lack of safety data of the entire immunization schedule and they have yet to do the studies. A CDC study from last year or 2022 found a dose response relationship between aluminum adjuvant and asthma— shouldn’t we participate in the decision making process and be informed that a risk of asthma is associated with the aluminum dosage in vaccines?

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That was a weird tangent. No, I would say his insistence that vaccines cause autism, or any one of his series of other completely wacky/unsubstantiated ideas. He also often simply lies when referencing papers, etc.

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The question whether “vaccines cause autism” is yet to be answered because the studies available only look at one vaccine: mmr, or one ingredient: thimerosal, or cumulative antigens (with lowest exposure being about 12 vaccines) and none of the prior mentioned studies include completely unvaccinated, zero exposed children. So functionally, every child was vaccinated and these are vaccinated vs vaccinated studies. How on earth could that answer the question if every child has vaccines in the study?

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You’re literally making this up

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M18-2101

Just one of several massive cohort studies….all quality trials produce the same results….the question is absolutely answered

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The title of that paper is: “ Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism: A Nationwide Cohort Study” which is literally one vaccine that children get between the ages of 12-18 months, after they’ve already received 3 dtap, 3 hep b, 3 hib, 3 polio, 2 or 3 rotavirus, 3 pneumococcal, a hep a, and possibly a varicella, 2 flu shots etc. The question whether mmr vaccine causes autism could be answered, but not all vaccines, or “vaccination” itself.

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The study adjusted for other childhood vaccines, and is one of many other varied analyses that reach the same conclusion. You are clinging on to an assumptive conclusion, unsubstantiated by any meaningful evidence (or even a well developed theory), with such a tight grip that you will never let go of it, no matter the preponderance of evidence to the contrary

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I am thrilled with the nomination! Talk about sensible medicine!

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Great article - agree 100% Marty is a critical thinker and not in pharma's pocket

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I hope he will live up to the standards i believe he can and hopefully actually does aspire to. But i heave heard his statements on childhood vaccines, and i do not believe he gives shit about moms being forced to cook with 5 major food allergies if it means less deaths from infectious disease. Doctors moved the infectious disease problem from hospital to mom. Moms are tired. And doctors who do this and dont acknowledge it deserve to fuck right off. Just because you dont land in the hospital doesnt mean its better. It can be hell on earth. And if they dont have to see it and deal with it and can deny or ignore it, its not real to them. I hope someone will finally acknowledge tradeoffs and allow people to choose for themselves. Its the same with “back to sleep”. It reduces sids, but causes a massive increase in torticollis. The therapy for torticollis is frequently not covered by insurance, and you get the pleasure of listening to your child scream constantly through the therapy sessions. Guess who deals with that shit - MOM. You know why its more common in firstborn kids? Because parents learn the first time they have been had. And fuck them for not warning people about it. Same exact behavior, same rationale, different issue. I massively regret following conventional advice on both vaccines and back to sleep. Worst fucking decisions i never made. I just defaulted. And i paid for it. I will never stop paying for it. I now ask 20 questions when doctors push me to do anything because i know once they have decided “whats best” theres zero chance they are telling me about tradeoffs. So you better ask questions to tease it out, otherwise shame on you for trusting them. It death prevention, life lengthening - for any price. If thats not your values - beware. I hope Marty can restore scientific integrity and informed consent, but damn its a hell of a ditch to climb out of.

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Actually if you look at the data “back to sleep” didnt actually cause a reduction in SIDS, because if it did, then it also caused the increase in deaths from suffocation and unknown. Look back a few years to 1989 there was a “new definition” for SIDS which required death scene investigation and review of medical history. After 1989 SIDS began to drop, presumably because of this closer scrutiny, and so now deaths that were properly identified migrated to other diagnoses, and suffocation went UP and unknown deaths went up. In 1994 when back or side sleep was introduced, only about 14% of infants slept on their back. By 1996 still only 36% of infants slept on their back. Around this time deaths plateaued, despite an increase in infant back sleeping, up to 70% of infants on their back, no additional drop in SUID is observed. I have some of this on my instagram and I need to explain in a post. But it’s clear there is no causal association between back to sleep and SIDS reduction, just correlation.

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Well that makes it even worse, because the torticollis thing, the flat heads and helmets…. Expensive, unpleasant misery and totally caused by putting them on their backs to sleep. I think i read some study when my son was a baby and it was like a few thousand lives saved and like 600,000 kids needed the therapy. The numbers were insane, and they very clearly were like “dont warn them or they might not listen to you”. Wtf??? I went through it and i have several friends who went through it but the people that let them at least NAP on tummy - they did way better. I went with my friend to her child’s therapy and i kid you not he screamed the entire hour. It was horrible. And it was like $200/hr and they didnt have a lot of money. So yeah - not a win.

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Yea they are recommending back sleeping without any true evidence. There is only correlation, never causation between back to sleep and the “drop” in SIDS. I believe they needed to make it look like the recommendation was working, and take attention off of other things like the DTP vaccine, which they also changed out in 1996 for doses 1-3. Vaccinating an infant at 2 months during the nadir of physiologic anemia of infancy is a more likely cause of SIDS, and points to other factors that occurred simultaneously such as reductions in smoking and increases in breastfeeding and iron fortification of infant formula had effect on reducing true SIDS. And then suffocation’s increased (not true increase) due to the definition change in 1989.

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Well lets hope rfk can find the data, or incentivize someone to produce the data. And then we will see if they care. Tbh at this point i think they are such germophobes that even if every single horrible thing vaccines have been accused of turns out to be 100% true i STILL dont think the CDC will change the schedule. They will find a way to justify the harm. Just wait. They dont care.

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