Nothing 'Measly' About It: Tracking The Unfortunate Return Of Measles

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

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Summary

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Sarah Scheinman welcome Dr. Adam Ratner to discuss the concerning resurgence of measles and the critical role of vaccination. The scientists examine measles' extraordinary contagiousness, explaining how vaccine hesitancy has contributed to recent outbreaks in specific communities. They explore the virus's mechanisms, potential serious complications including SSPE, and address common vaccination myths. Dr. Ratner provides expert insights on MMR vaccine safety, effectiveness, and recommended scheduling for both children and adults. The conversation emphasizes the historical success of vaccination programs and the continued importance of maintaining high immunization rates to protect vulnerable populations. All our sources from this episode are available at: https://www.unbiasedscipod.com/episodes/ (00:00) Intro (02:42) The Resurgence of Measles and Vaccine Hesitancy (05:54) Understanding Measles: Contagion and Symptoms (09:14) Public Health Success and Vaccine Perception (13:14) Outbreaks in Communities: A Closer Look (14:21) The Importance of Herd Immunity (17:32) Vaccination Schedule and Recommendations (19:26) Adult Vaccination and Immunity (21:23) Understanding Measles Vaccines (22:18) The Measles Virus Mechanism (25:19) The Dangers of Measles (26:20) Rare Complications of Measles (29:20) Debunking Vaccine Myths (32:31) Vitamin A and Measles (34:27) MMR Vaccine Safety and Efficacy (37:32) Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy (39:12) Protecting Vulnerable Populations (40:05) The Importance of Vaccination (43:20) Final Thoughts on Public Health 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.
0:19.7	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:26.1	We're your host, Dr. Jeff Steyer, and Dr. Sarah Scheinman.
0:30.4	And today, we are tackling a topic that is unfortunately very timely.
0:36.3	It is all over the news. Everyone's talking about it.
0:39.7	Measles and of course the MMR vaccine. And we have with us today an expert Dr. Adam Ratner.
0:48.4	I'm going to read his bio in just a second, but he is the perfect person to bring on the podcast to talk about this topic.
0:55.6	Thank you so much, Dr. Ratner, for joining us.
0:58.3	I'm glad you.
0:58.8	Delighted to be here.
1:00.2	All right.
1:00.7	So without any further ado, let me read.
1:03.9	Dr. Adam Ratner is a pediatric infectious disease specialist.
1:07.9	He's been on the front lines of both measles and COVID-19 outbreaks,
1:12.6	helping lead responses and care for hospitalized children. He's also the author of Booster Shots,
1:20.1	an absolute must-read, which we will link to on our show notes, in which he warns of the resurgence
1:26.1	of measles, the anti-vaccine movement, and how we can
1:29.9	prepare for the next pandemic. Before we dive in, I just wanted to read a couple of quotes on
1:37.8	the back of the book. Two of my heroes are quoted here. So Dr. Paul Offit, not only have we largely eliminated measles
1:47.6	from the U.S., we've eliminated the memory of measles. As a result, measles is coming back.
1:53.6	Weaving historical events with personal experiences, Dr. Ratner makes us remember, telling us exactly
2:00.0	what is at stake if we continue along this path.
	...

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