logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
16m 8s

NIH Director Talks The Pandemic, Vaccine...

NPR
About this episode
Dr. Francis Collins talks with health correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin about Americans' overall health, how tribalism in American culture has fueled vaccine hesitancy, and advises his successor on how to persevere on research of politically charged topics — like guns and obesity and maternal health. Selena talks with host Emily Kwong about the conversation.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
A Lock of Hair Could Rewrite Knowledge Of The Inca Empire
The Inca Empire in South America was one of the most powerful pre-Columbian societies. It was known for the architecture of Machu Picchu, an extensive road network and a system of terraces for agriculture. The society also kept records known as khipu, which involved a system of t ... Show More
11m 31s
Yesterday
Nature Quest: What Does Climate Change Sound Like?
Feel like summers are hotter than they used to be? It’s not just your imagination. Climate researchers say that average annual temperatures around the country have been trending upwards for the past 50 years — and are still on the rise. But it can be hard to represent those numbe ... Show More
13m 31s
Aug 25
Sea Camp: To Mine Or Not To Mine
Deep sea mining for rare earth elements could start as early as 2026, even as 38 countries have called for a moratorium on it. The metals that companies are targeting are used in many green technologies like electric cars and wind turbines – but mining them is destructive to the ... Show More
13m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2021
The Debate Over Vaccine Mandates
Suppressing the spread of Covid-19 in the United States is going to require vaccinating 70-85% of the population. But what happens if not enough Americans voluntarily get the vaccine? CNN’s Chief Medial Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Emily Largent, a lawyer and assistant ... Show More
15m 42s
Dec 2020
Vaccine hesitancy, the next pandemic hurdle
As the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rolls out across the country, and other vaccines await imminent regulatory approval, many public health experts are focusing on the issue of vaccine hesitancy. Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam has spoken out about the "moveable m ... Show More
31m 47s
May 2023
America & Democracy Ep. 2: Jonathan M. Berman on Anti-Vaxxers
In this series of interviews from The MIT Press Podcast, we'll be drawing on the research of various authors to reflect on some of the issues shaping the American political landscape of today.The second episode of this series features a discussion with the author of Anti-vaxxers, ... Show More
39m 41s
Jun 2024
A Conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. But the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t the first public health crisis Dr. Fauci helped Americans navigate, or the first time he’s come und ... Show More
31m 25s
May 2020
We May Never Have A Vaccine
Doctor Richard Besser was the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009, when the H1N1 Swine flu pandemic broke out. The physician-turned-epidemiologist now runs the Robert Wood Johnson foundation with a mission to improve health equality. Reporter ... Show More
16m 1s
Dec 2021
Should There Be A Vaccine Mandate For Airline Passengers?
As some health experts raise concerns about the CDC’s failure to urge negative tests at the end of the new 5-day isolation period, Dr. Anthony Fauci joins to discuss the CDC’s decision. After, Dr Zeke Emmanuel joins to give his perspective on the growing debate on Covid vaccine m ... Show More
43m 54s
Nov 2022
Why public health messaging matters | Peter Hotez
Whether you're aware of it or not, public health messaging shapes many aspects of our lives. The way medical institutions and the government communicate messages to do with our health (like when to get the flu shot or how often to wash your hands) is often the link between scienc ... Show More
14m 36s