The Danish [Vaccine] Model (Assembly Required)

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 21 January 2026

⏱️ 36 minutes

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Summary

In this episode, Jess and Sarah welcome Dr. Jennifer Reich, a sociologist and researcher at the University of Colorado Denver, to examine vaccine hesitancy and recent changes to the U.S. vaccine schedule. The scientists explore the cultural and structural factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, including American society's emphasis on personal responsibility and the intense pressure parents face in making health decisions for their children. Dr. Reich provides critical insights into the lack of transparency in recent policy changes and discusses why direct comparisons between U.S. vaccine policies and those of countries like Denmark oversimplify complex healthcare system differences. The conversation addresses unique American challenges including healthcare access disparities and diverse population needs. Despite examining serious obstacles, the episode concludes optimistically as Dr. Reich discusses opportunities for building coalitions and fostering community support to improve public health outcomes, emphasizing the shared desire for healthy children and thriving communities. Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0QAtjUlxz_s (00:00) Intro & Public Health Update (08:58) 'Personal Choice' On Vaccines (12:00) Comparing US vs Denmark on Vaccines (17:15) The Effect Of Cultural Differences (21:41) Where Does Vaccine Hesitancy Come From? (26:00) What Is Driving The New Appeal To "Natural Is Better"? (30:30) What Is Something In The Science/Health World Giving You Hope Right Now? Calling The Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qSCFQC https://nyupress.org/9781479812790/calling-the-shots/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/opinion/vaccine-hesitancy.html @jenniferreich on Bluesky https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferreichphd/ @Jenniferreichphd on threads ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
0:20.5	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:26.7	We're your hosts Dr. Jess Steyer and Dr. Sarah Scheinman.
0:31.2	And this week, we are talking about something that is relevant, has been relevant, will continue to be relevant, the topic of
0:39.7	vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. And we are joined by a very special guest who Sarah will
0:46.3	introduce in just a moment, who authored a piece that really caught her attention earlier this,
0:52.7	well, I guess in fall of 2025, now we're in the
0:55.6	new year. But it was incredibly well written and it aligns with a lot of the things that we observe
1:03.8	and we write about and we really can't wait to pick her brain. So with that, Sarah, why don't you
1:10.2	introduce our guest because then our, our, you know,
1:12.6	intro or our public health intro, I think we should loop her into the conversation.
1:17.4	Absolutely. So we are delighted today to be joined by Dr. Jennifer Reich, who is a sociologist and
1:23.5	a researcher at the University of Colorado, Denver, studying vaccine hesitancy.
1:29.6	And right before we jumped on, she was telling us that she started her research in 2007.
1:33.8	So she has been at this for a while now.
1:36.6	She has authored a fantastic guest essay in the New York Times that's titled,
1:41.5	What 20 Years of Listening to Vaccine Hesitant Parents has taught me.
1:45.8	I read that right before we jumped on.
1:47.6	It's fantastic.
1:48.8	We will link that in our show notes.
1:50.6	She also has authored the book Calling the Shots.
1:53.6	She authored it back in 2016.
	...

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