A Conversation w Dr. Francis Collins On Reforming NIH, Cuts to Research, MAHA, & On Trust

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Francis Collins, the former head of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Collins has spent his career pushing the frontiers of science — from discovering genes linked to deadly diseases to leading the historic Human Genome Project. And during COVID, he helped steer the government’s public health response, including the rapid development of the COVID vaccine — work that still puts him in the hot seat with communities who feel science betrayed their trust.

Now, as the Trump administration and the Make America Healthy Again movement tackle America’s chronic health crisis with a radically different approach, what does he make of what he’s seeing, from the sweeping shift in priorities to widespread cuts in research funding? Does he see common ground with the MAHA movement’s goals? And, after a lifetime devoted to advancing science and health, what does he believe is the best way to rebuild trust and make America healthier?

Hosts:

Brinda Adhikari

Tom Johnson

Dr. Maggie Bartlett

Dr.Mark Abdelmalek

Guest:

Dr. Francis Collins, former director of the National Institutes of Health, author The Road to Wisdom

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