I'm still thinking about Baby KJ's appearance at the STAT Summit in Boston. That little tuxedo! His father's story about worrying he'd never watch an Eagles game with his son! Check out his bowtie and read about the panel here.
Meanwhile, this week's episode of the "First Opinion Podcast" was particularly timely. I spoke with Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the CDC. He also practiced as a pediatrician for more than 30 years. We spoke about vaccine policy and the destruction of the institution he once led. But the most compelling part was Besser's perspective on productive dialogue. He noted that in his first couple of years as a pediatrician, he turned away prospective patients whose parents did not want to vaccinate. But he eventually changed his mind, realizing that if he worked with those families and they came to trust him, he might be able to reach them.
Along those lines, he's increasingly going on conservative media, even doing call-in shows. He believes that that's the best way to reach those whose minds are not completely closed to evidence-based medicine.
Listen here, and don't forget to subscribe. You might also want to check out an RWJF-supported podcast Besser mentioned: "Why Should I Trust You?" It connects public health leaders and MAHA supporters to try to find common ground and restore trust.
It reminds me of something I am still trying to get off the ground at STAT: a debate or discussion format between two people who disagree in good faith but respect each other. Do you want to participate in a written debate with someone you know, like, and think is wrong? Email me.
Recommendation of the week: I just finished the first season of "Wayward," a Netflix show about a "therapeutic" boarding school for troubled teens and the dangerous, charismatic leader at its helm. While it goes off the rails a little, I'll watch anything with Toni Collette and/or a cult.
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