Doctor Mike Takes On RFK Jr.’s MAHA Machine

How can doctors effectively counter medical misinformation when it's amplified by figures in the highest levels of government? On this hard-hitting episode of the Tara Palmeri Show, board-certified family physician and YouTube sensation Doctor Mike joins to take on RFK Jr.'s MAHA agenda and the broader wave of health misinformation sweeping the administration. He breaks down why engaging skeptics through real conversations on social media beats top-down fact sheets, critiques recent HHS changes to vaccine recommendations that bypass expert panels and risk higher rates of preventable diseases like measles, and explains the flaws in comparing U.S. policy to smaller nations with different systems. Doctor Mike also addresses trust erosion in institutions post-COVID, the underuse of social media by medical organizations, the dangers of fear-based messaging around vaccines, and why lifestyle changes remain harder to implement at scale than quick-fix claims. From debunking the "natural fallacy" to calling out misplaced priorities in food and research funding, this conversation dives deep into reclaiming public health through science and human connection. What steps should medical professionals and institutions take next to rebuild public trust in an era of viral misinformation? For more of her reporting, subscribe to her weekly newsletter, "The Red Letter." https://tarapalmeri.substack.com/ https://www.tarapalmeri.com/subscribe Latest from the Red Letter: https://www.tarapalmeri.com/p/venezuela-isnt-a-raid-its-an-occupation https://www.tarapalmeri.com/p/marjorie-taylor-greene-is-waging https://www.tarapalmeri.com/p/what-the-cards-say-about-washingtons To support her mission of independent journalism, consider donating to her GoFundMe account: https://gofund.me/0c46f9a5 Doctor Mike's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UC0QHWhjbe5fGJEPz3sVb6nw Tara Palmeri is one of the most feared and fearless reporters covering power and politics. She has 15 years of experience covering national politics and foreign affairs. She was formerly a White House Correspondent for ABC News where she covered the first Trump administration. She was the chief National Correspondent for POLITICO during the Biden administration. She has been a political analyst for CNBC, CBS and CNN. She started her career as a columnist for the Washington Examiner and then went on to report for the New York Post. She was a foreign correspondent for POLITICO Europe, where she covered international affairs, including Brexit. She hosted the Ringer's political podcast "Somebody's Gotta Win" and wrote a column for Puck. Tara also hosted two acclaimed podcasts on Jeffrey Epstein, "Broken: Jeffrey Epstein" and "Power: The Maxwells." Tara currently hosts the Tara Palmeri Show. Follow Tara: https://www.instagram.com/tarapalmeri/ https://x.com/tarapalmeri https://www.tiktok.com/@tarapalmeri For inquiries, email: [email protected] #DoctorMike #RFKJr #MAHA #PublicHealth #Vaccines #Health #Medicine #Medical #Doctor #Healthcare #Vaccine #Misinformation #TaraPalmeriShow #TaraPalmeri Doctor Mike Takes On RFK Jr ’s MAHA Machine Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Tara Palmeri Show 01:36 Doctor Mike joins the Tara Palmeri Show 02:41 Entering political territory in healthcare 04:42 Engaging skeptics instead of ignoring them 07:00 Why trust in medical institutions has eroded 08:14 Social media's role in public trust 10:27 What makes RFK Jr persuasive 11:28 Countering short-form misinformation 12:16 Walking back viral health claims 14:26 Changes to vaccine recommendations 16:17 Flawed comparisons to other countries 17:30 Rising measles outbreaks 19:55 Long-term impacts of policy flip-flops 21:33 Charlatans in the wellness space 24:00 Systemic issues in food supply 26:37 Most dangerous MAHA policies 29:27 Debunking the natural fallacy 31:38 Path forward for medical community 35:25 Thanks for watching the Tara Palmeri Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices