Doses of Reality: A Matter of National Health Security

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 29 October 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

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Summary

In this episode, Jess and Sarah welcome Dr. Seth Berkley, a leading public health expert, to examine pressing global health security challenges. The scientists explore the concerning resurgence of preventable diseases and the critical role of vaccination programs in protecting populations. Dr. Berkley shares insights on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing persistent issues of vaccine inequity and hesitancy across different communities. The conversation tackles the troubling rise of anti-science legislation and the erosion of public trust in scientific institutions, while also examining the tensions between individual health freedom and collective public health responsibility. Throughout the episode, the experts offer both sobering assessments of current challenges and hopeful perspectives on future advancements in global health and scientific progress. Video available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Pv-sFW8--Mo (00:00) Intro and Public Health Update (04:01) What Is A News Item That Caught Your Attention And Why? (08:44) Dr. Berkley's Work During The Covid-19 Pandemic (12:33) How Likely Is It That We Have Another Pandemic Type Situation? (25:17) Vaccine Inequity Vs. Hesitancy (20:50) Vaccine Recommendations And Availability (25:29) The Role Of Sanitation In Disease Control (28:38) The Bigger Picture Of Public Health In America (31:40) Philosophical Perspectives On Health And Freedom (36:04) What Is Giving Hope In Public Health And Science? https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethberkley/ https://www.ucpress.edu/books/fair-doses Fair Doses: An Insider's Story of the Pandemic and the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity on Amazon https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aea7053 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interested in advertising with us? Please reach out to advertising@airwavemedia.com, with “Unbiased Science” in the subject line. PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals. Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual. As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional. If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance. The information provided herein do not represent the views of our employers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:26.4	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:30.9	Where your host is Dr. Jess Steyer and Dr. Sarah Scheidman.
0:40.1	And today we are joined by a very special guest to talk about a topic that should be important to all of us,
0:46.0	health security, the resurgence of diseases, and of course, one of our favorite topics,
0:46.7	vaccines.
0:53.2	Before we get into it, something that caught my attention in public health is a lot of attention to aluminum. Aluminum as an ingredient.
0:57.6	Aluminum salt is an ingredient in vaccines. Aluminum salts are used as adjuvants in some vaccines,
1:03.6	which I like to say is sort of like a megaphone for the immune system. It helps the vaccines
1:09.0	work well and be effective. They're a very critical
1:12.3	ingredient in vaccines. And so, you know, many of us are concerned that if attention shifts to
1:19.6	aluminum, if people start saying that it's dangerous and that we move to try to remove it from
1:25.1	vaccines, it would have a really major, major impact. We could
1:29.4	talk much more about this. And just to summarize, there is absolutely no evidence of harm of
1:35.1	aluminum adjuvants and vaccines, certainly no link to autism whatsoever. This is something
1:41.2	we've talked about ad nauseum and we'll talk more about. Without further ado,
1:46.5	let us meet today's guest, Dr. Seth Berkeley. Sarah, do you want to read Dr. Berkeley's
1:52.9	really intimidating bio? I would love to. And I was actually reading it before we, before we
1:59.2	jumped on with him. And I was getting a little nervous. But then as soon as we started talking, I realized that he's just the nicest guy. So I'm so
2:06.5	excited for this episode. You guys, Dr. Seth Berkeley, MD is an infectious disease epidemiologist,
2:13.5	currently advising vaccine, biotechnology, and technology companies, and is an adjunct professor
2:19.7	and senior advisor to the Pandemic Center at Brown University.
	...

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