This week, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted unanimously to recommend the Pfizer vaccine be given to kids ages 12-15. We invited long-time ACIP member Patsy Stinchfield on the podcast to talk us through how this decision was made and when other age groups might be eligible. We asked her all the questions about risks, benefits, and safety. If you have a question, there's a good chance she answered it in this podcast! Links from the show: Twitter thread on VAERS (...
May 14, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Chelsea Clinton comes from a background of public service, so why is she working so hard on global health right now? And why is she willing to take a stand for vaccines? We invited her to Vax Talk to discuss this, and so much more! Links from this episode Disinformation Dozen: https://antivaxwatch.org/ Clinton Foundation: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/ Remember to check out the In Fact podcast, hosted by Chelsea Clinton!
Apr 21, 2021•51 min
Don't worry! We aren't switching sides. Heather Simpson, former anti-vaccine influencer, already switched sides. She took a look at the science and decided she needed to vaccinate herself and her daughter. This is the audio from a previous Facebook Live event. If you prefer to watch with your eyes and ears, go here: https://www.facebook.com/279714615481820/videos/1107546256424937
Mar 29, 2021•49 min
Dr. Peter Sears is the not-famous brother of Dr. Jim and Dr. Bob Sears and a family physician. He is also an strong advocate for on-time immunization, even as his brother Bob is perceived as having close ties with the anti-vaccine world. We invited Dr. Peter to the podcast to talk about alternative schedules, ingredient fears, and vaccine mandates. Don't forget to check out our FB chat with Heather Simpson, former anti-vaccine influencer: https://www.facebook.com/VoicesForVaccines/videos/1107546...
Feb 22, 2021•56 min
Millions of people have received a COVID-19 vaccine, which gives us a lot of information about the safety of these vaccines. We asked Dr. Stanley Plotkin, inventor of the rubella vaccine and co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine, to join us to answer our questions and to make some predictions. Links from podcast: Wisconsin pharmacist--https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-pharmacist-steven-brandenburg-ac00faee3cf10a9558665d472123b96c V-Safe--https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/...
Jan 08, 2021•55 min
It's here! The COVID-19 vaccine is going into people's arms as you read the letters in these show notes. Everyone we know has said, "If Paul Offit says it's safe to get the vaccine, I will get it." So we had him on our podcast and asked him that and so much more. Also, check out Tara Haelle's piece answering any COVID-19 vaccine question you could possible ask: https://elemental.medium.com/every-covid-19-vaccine-question-youll-ever-have-answered-9a0eeb334ded
Dec 14, 2020•45 min
The anti-vaccine movement is as old as vaccines, but it has been evolving recently to new leaders who emphasize the autism disinformation campaign less and their own big media empires more. We invited Vaccinate Your Family's Erica DeWald to our podcast to discuss where the modern anti-vaccine movement came from and where they are going. Links from the podcast: COVID vaccine effectiveness: https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/09/covid-19-vaccine-from-pfizer-and-biontech-is-strongly-effective-early-da...
Nov 16, 2020•54 min
On October 15, 2020, folks from across the Midwest (and the U.S.) gathered on Zoom to celebrate the good immunization does in the Heartland. We had nearly 20 speakers give quick testimonials about vaccines, from how they protect immunocompromised people to how VPDs have affected their lives. We also invited a U.S. Senator, an Ohio state senator, an IL state representative, and a former White House occupant on to speak to us. If you would like to watch the full video, it is available here: https:...
Oct 28, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Vaccine science is now fairly widely understood in the media and the general public, so where does someone wanting to spread disinformation about vaccines turn? To court. We invited UC Hastings professor of law, Dorit Reiss, to our show to discuss what sorts of lawsuits are being filed, why they are being filed, and how these lawsuits are connected to harassment (both legal and petty) of pro-vaccine advocates. We also discuss a possible emerging medical specialty: time travel vaccines.
Sep 28, 2020•59 min
In this episode celebrating National Immunization Awareness Month, Karen talks to loyal listener Amy and then quizzes her to see if she can spot a fake quote about vaccines versus a real one. Karen and Nathan also talk about de-platforming, especially the de-platforming of a certain disease from an entire continent! Links from the episode: Dr. Ianelli's fake quotes about vaccines: https://vaxopedia.org/2020/07/15/fake-quotes-about-vaccines/ Clinton Global Initiative webinar: https://youtu.be/tnh...
Aug 28, 2020•43 min
Often, when we scratch beneath the surface of someone who is anti-vaccine, we find conspiracy theories abound. We are also seeing them grow during the time of COVID. Why are anti-vaxxers prone to conspiratorial thinking and what can we do to turn people toward rational thought, instead? In this episode, Karen and Nathan discuss these very matters with Dr. Stephan Lewandowski, an expert on the matter from the University of Bristol. Want to be a guest on Vax Talk? Email us at info@voicesforvaccine...
Jul 27, 2020•38 min
While the world is consumed with justifiable fears of COVID-19, measles, polio, and even diphtheria are finding pathways to resurgence. What is going on with those routine childhood vaccines? Are they really important right now? Karen and Nathan discuss this critical topic and what you can do to make sure we are preventing multiple health crises at once. Remember: we rely on each other. Links from the show: SIDS rates: https://vaxopedia.org/2020/06/22/has-sids-decreased-during-the-covid-19-pande...
Jun 24, 2020•50 min
The world's vaccinologists are racing against time to find a safe, effective vaccine to protect against SARS-CoV-2. We talked to renowned vaccinologist, Dr. Stanley Potkin, about how vaccines are typically developed and what is being done now to make the one vaccine the world desperately wants now. Links from the episode: Dr. Boonstra's Routine Immunization During the Pandemic article: https://www.unitypoint.org/blankchildrens/pedsgeekmd-article.aspx?id=40db0f95-f142-4126-83f2-ebae9fedb947&A...
Apr 21, 2020•55 min
A lot of misinformation and disinformation is circulating concerning COVID-19, and people are unsure how to talk to others about the pandemic. We invited journalist Tara Haelle to talk to us about how to get the best information to your family and friends. See Tara's Forbes site for more information: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/#2b7c80f3136d
Mar 17, 2020•52 min
No vaccine for coronavirus exists (yet?), but learning about this newest emerging disease and watching how the epidemic is handled can teach us a lot about public health strategies that include vaccines. So we invited Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, on to talk about coronavirus. Links from the episode: Interim CDC Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6907a1 Minnesota Rally: https://www.facebook.com/MnCIC/posts/2252712808358489?_...
Feb 24, 2020•51 min
What happens when you bring to HPV champions together? A great conversation about how to encourage parents to start and complete the HPV vaccine series in order to prevent six forms of cancer. For this episode, we brought Minnesota champion Dr. Andrea Singh to talk to Karen and Nathan--the Iowa HPV Vaccine is Cancer Prevention Champion. Links from the episode: Dr. Plotkin videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUv9oht3hC6TqM6ubm4UfosW0U_pZq0ak WHO conspiracy debunked: https://respectfuli...
Jan 21, 2020•45 min
Shelle Allen's healthy, happy daughter, Madi, was 12 years old when she asked to be picked up from a birthday party. They never imagined that what would follow would be a months-long battle with influenza. We invited Shelle, who is the President of Families Fighting Flu, on our podcast to tell Madi's story. Nathan and Karen also discussed rebranding anti-vaxxers and the measles outbreak in Samoa. Links from the episode: Families Fighting Flu: https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/ It's Not Too Lat...
Dec 11, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Thank you for being a Vax Talk listener. Support this podcast by becoming a Voices for Vaccines donor at www.voicesforvaccines.org/support.
Dec 03, 2019•1 min
More frequently than outright refusing vaccines, parents sometimes ask doctors to give vaccines at a slower rate or with more visits than the CDC recommends. What is behind these requests, and are these "alternative schedules" a good idea? We asked Dr. Paul Offit to explain the science behind vaccine schedules and the dangers of delaying vaccines. Links from this episode: John Philip Ryan: https://www.facebook.com/116317855073374/photos/a.794399590598527/2562294067142395/?type=3&theater The ...
Nov 20, 2019•48 min
Nathan and Karen traveled to Seattle for the Washington State Immunization Summit to talk to attendees about vaccine hesitancy! This is the episode we have been waiting to do! SLIDES FROM THIS EPISODE: https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/content/uploads/2019/10/Vax-Talk-Live.pdf Dorit Reiss's Doximity shout-out: https://opmed.doximity.com/articles/as-tiring-as-it-is-you-re-in-good-company-fighting-anti-vaxxers-says-this-legal-expert?_csrf_attempted=yes
Oct 14, 2019•48 min
Dr. Richard Pan has been a champion for community immunity his entire career, from his beginnings as a resident in Pittsburgh to his work in the California legislation to eliminate non-medical vaccine exemptions. We invited him to the show to give us the broad perspective of the work he has done and the work we all need to do.
Sep 19, 2019•57 min
Nurses Who Vaccinate's Melody Butler swung by the podcast and threw down the gauntlet, challenging Nathan to a trivia duel. Who knows more about vaccines and their history? Listen to find out. Thank you to our friends at Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for the questions. Play for yourself at https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/parents-pack/play-just-vax-vaccine-trivia-game Other sources include History of Vaccines: https://www.historyofvaccines.org/ HPV and nuns...
Aug 19, 2019•36 min
Continuing with our NIAM2019 GAME SHOW theme, this time inviting Keith Law to play Offit, Wakefield, or Dan Brown. Keith Law is an ESPN contributor, baseball expert, author, and vaccine enthusiast, making him the perfect person to compete against Nathan in naming the author of various vaccine-related book excerpts. Find Keith's book at: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062490223/smart-baseball/
Aug 12, 2019•30 min
You first met him on Facebook when he pretended to be customer service for Large Retail Store. Because he has also satirized the world's most notorious anti vaccine activists, we invited Ben Palmer to play Troll or Be Trolled in celebration of National Immunization Awareness Month. But the only trolling we do is trolling VPDs with our vaccines. Most of the Tweets can be found the Voices4Vaccines handle--except Rob Schneider's because he has blocked us on Twitter.
Aug 05, 2019•25 min
August is the month every year that the U.S. celebrates the good work vaccines do in our community. For NIAM 2019, we have decided to celebrate with Game Show Month! Our first game is Fact Checker. We invited health journalist Tara Haelle aboard to listen to a media interview with a self-proclaimed vaccine expert rebutting Jon Oliver. Watch the original Jon Oliver piece here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VG_s2PCH_c Watch the full rebuttal video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ViZRj4V1...
Jul 29, 2019•47 min
Polio is *this close* to being eradicated, so we invited Rotary International's Dr. Carol Pandak to the show to discuss their mission to end polio. In addition, Nathan and Karen discuss Jessica Biel and SB 276 as well as Karen's Big ACIP adventure, and other methods anti-vaccine activists use to legitimize their cause. Links from the episode: https://www.endpolio.org/ https://jezebel.com/well-heres-jessica-biel-apparently-lobbying-california-1835444312
Jul 10, 2019•56 min
In this episode, Karen and Nathan discuss the latest measles outbreaks with Dr. Paul Offit. He takes us through how these outbreaks behave, what causes them, measles elimination, what measles is actually like, and how we can all work together to prevent future outbreaks. Links from the show: Marcia Brady: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/28/717595757/brady-bunch-episode-fuels-campaigns-against-vaccines-and-marcia-s-miffed Bjarke Monsted: https://twitter.com/bjarkemoensted/status...
May 28, 2019•53 min
In this special NIIW mini-episode, Karen talks to a different Dr. Nathan (Dr. Chomilo) about the 25th anniversary of National Infant Immunization Rates and how the reasons for not vaccinating have changed over the years. They also discuss current measles outbreaks. Links/sources from the episode: What is NIIW? https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/overview.html StarTribune editorial: http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-s-disgraceful-do-nothing-session-on-measles-vaccine/508972482/ 695 measle...
Apr 29, 2019•29 min
A few months ago, Ethan Linenberger was just a teenager with a Reddit account. He used that account to find out how to get himself vaccinated, and now he is one of the youngest--and smartest--vaccine advocates around. We talked to him about vaccines, social media, and how teens can engage in this space. Find Ethan at his website to learn more about what he has done: https://www.adolescentadvocate.com/
Apr 10, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Vaccine buzz is buzzier lately, with a new, young advocate (Ethan Lindenberger) traveling to Washington, D.C. to testify about why he got vaccinated after his mother had refused to vaccinate him and with anti-vaccine activists trying to "inundate" the ACIP meeting at the CDC. We will tackle those topics and talk to three special guests about ACIP updates. L.J. Tan discusses with us the latest flu data, Lori Boyle talks about why nurses need to represent, and Amy Pisani talks HPV and PCV. Links f...
Mar 08, 2019•44 min
