Critically Speaking

When a globally respected infectious disease expert is abruptly sidelined by an anti‑vaccine administration, what does it reveal about the future of public health and scientific integrity?
 
In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo discuss her termination and whistleblower lawsuit against the U.S. government. She highlighted NIAID's critical role in infectious disease research, funding $6.6 billion annually. Dr. Marrazzo criticized the new administration's anti-vaccine stance, cessation of global HIV/AIDS funding, and termination of clinical trials, which she argued endangered public health. Dr. Marrazzo filed a whistleblower complaint in September 2025, leading to her firing in October. She now leads the Infectious Disease Society of America, advocating for evidence-based policies and scientific integrity.
 
 Key Takeaways:
Tuberculosis (TB, formerly known as Consumption) is now the top global killer as an infectious disease.

Shutting down clinical trials and cutting international research funding mid‑stream doesn't just waste taxpayer dollars; it endangers patients who rely on those therapies and violates core ethical standards.

Political ideology overriding scientific evidence can rapidly dismantle decades of progress in vaccines, global health research, and public trust.

Independent professional societies and medical organizations now play a critical role in evidence above ideology, preserving rigorous guidelines, publishing unbiased research, and speaking truth to power when government agencies are silenced or hollowed out.

 
"What I don't think people realize is the power of the platform that the Secretary and indeed the President have. The tragic part about this is that we've spent decades building up that trust, trying to make sure that it was justified, and to see that just summarily destroyed, there's no other word for it, is really, really tragic. I don't know what it's going to take to build it up again." —  Jeanne Marrazzo, MD
 
Connect with Jeanne:
Professional Bio:  https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/jeanne-marrazzo-md-mph 
Website: https://www.idsociety.org/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanne-marrazzo-203463179 
 
Connect with Therese:
Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net
Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social
Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast
Email: [email protected]
 
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In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Chelsea Polis discuss the evolution of reproductive rights in the U.S., highlighting the 2022 Supreme Court decision revoking the right to abortion and the historical context of contraception access. Dr. Polis also explains fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) and their effectiveness, noting that some methods have moderate quality studies suggesting high effectiveness, while others are less reliable. She emphasizes the importance of evidence-based information, the need for stronger regulation of femtech products, and the potential privacy risks associated with reproductive health data. Dr. Polis also addresses the broader political strategy to limit reproductive rights and the importance of reproductive justice.
 
 Key Takeaways:
Fertility tracking technologies are becoming more common (often called femtech), but it is important to note that only two apps have currently been cleared by the FDA for contraceptive purposes - Natural Cycles and Clue (the second is not currently available on the market). While others can help with tracking your cycle, they are not cleared for contraceptive use.

FABMs focus on observing real-time signs from the body - such as cervical mucus changes and basal body temperature. Over a dozen have been studied in clinical trials, but some methods have been marketed or promoted for contraceptive use without strong evidence from appropriately designed effectiveness studies.

For people who are in a partnership that is limited in terms of communication, or not supportive, or certainly abusive, or anything along those lines, FABMs would not be a method that somebody could rely on for pregnancy prevention. 

Be very cautious about getting your information on contraception from social media influencers or companies selling specific products, because there is a lot of misinformation out there.

 
"As my colleagues at Guttmacher have documented, you can't seek to restrict one aspect of sexual and reproductive health without tightening other types of care and people's overarching reproductive freedoms. All of these things are deeply interconnected." —  Dr. Chelsea Polis
 
Episode References: 
Guttmacher: https://www.guttmacher.org/united-states/contraception 

Emergence of FemTech in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Landscape: https://www.contraceptionjournal.org/content/femtech 

 
Connect with Dr. Chelsea Polis:
Professional Bio: https://www.guttmacher.org/about/staff/chelsea-polis 
Website: https://www.chelseapolis.com/index.html 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chelseapolis 
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cbpolis.bsky.social 
 
Connect with Therese:
Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net
Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social
Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast
Email: [email protected]
 
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Keith McCormick discuss what you need to know about osteoporosis and bone health. Dr. McCormick explains what causes osteoporosis, the importance of early bone density tests, and breaks down some of the lifestyle factors that affect bone health. They discuss the need for personalized treatment beyond only medication, and Dr. McCormick advocates for patient empowerment and comprehensive understanding to improve treatment outcomes. 
 
 Key Takeaways:
50% of women will get osteoporosis. 20% of men will get osteoporosis. 

People should be getting bone density tests in their forties, not waiting until their fifties or sixties. The sooner it is discovered you are having symptoms, the sooner you can begin to treat and prevent. 

Bone strength is a combination of bone density and bone quality. Get both the DEXA and Trabecular Bone Score or TBS. Usually, physicians don't request the TBS, but it is very important.  Ask for it.

Testing should include blood tests for bone turnover markers. Your blood is telling a larger story, and it can get complicated. 

Systemic inflammation can also be tested, as it can contribute to loss of bone density.

The more times you stimulate your body, the more you will stimulate the osteoblasts. 

 
"It's important to understand that you, the patient, are the boss, and you're paying that person, you're asking that person for help, and that they should be working with you." —  Dr. Keith McCormick
 
Connect with Dr. Keith McCormick:
Website: https://www.osteonaturals.com/  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r-keith-mccormick-dc-433a2526/ 
Twitter: https://x.com/OsteoNaturals 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OsteoNaturals/  
 
Books: 
Great Bones: Taking Control of Your Osteoporosis: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Bones-Taking-Control-Osteoporosis/dp/B0BS8RJ2V3 
The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis: https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Body-Approach-Osteoporosis-Strength-Harbinger-ebook/dp/B0056JX49Y 
 
Connect with Therese:
Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net
Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social
Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast
Email: [email protected]
  
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Dawn Sarno, a leading expert on cyber scams, discuss the prevalence and detection of phishing scams. Dawn explains that phishing often targets older adults due to their perceived lack of tech savvy and higher financial stakes, but notes that younger adults are also vulnerable, often due to impulsivity and poor online habits. She highlights the rise of AI-generated deep fakes, which make scams more convincing and harder to detect. Dawn advises slowing down and verifying suspicious communications, emphasizing the importance of cyber hygiene practices, such as using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. She also emphasizes the importance of vigilance and reporting scams to help prevent others from falling victim.
 
 Key Takeaways:
Differences and similarities between fraud, phishing, whaling, deep fakes, scams, and spam.

Older adults are often targeted by scams, but they also typically have more to lose relative to a younger adult. While factors associated with age, like loneliness and abnormal cognitive decline, may make you more vulnerable to falling for a scam, Dr. Sarno's research generally suggests that there may not be a huge difference in detection abilities between younger and older adults. 

Cyberscams are a numbers game. People often send out messages to large groups (such as everyone at a university) rather than targeting one person at a time. 

If you notice that something's not right, report it, because this is going to help the social media platform or your organization's IT department find these scams and prevent them from reaching other people.

 
"One big thing I would stress is that if people are ever in doubt, they should never click a link or open an attachment, because that curiosity alone could lead them to have some problems." —  Dr. Dawn Sarno
 
Connect with Dr. Dawn Sarno:
Professional Bio: https://sciences.ucf.edu/psychology/person/dawn-sarno/ 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dawn-sarno-790a1558 
 
Connect with Therese:
Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net
Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social
Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast
Email: [email protected]
 
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Daniel Buchman discuss chronic pain, affecting over 20% of the population in the US, Canada, and Europe. Chronic pain (persisting pain lasting over three months) includes conditions like arthritis, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, and phantom limb pain, among many others. Daniel highlights the challenges in pain assessment, the role of AI in pain management, and the ethical considerations, including bias in pain reporting. He notes that chronic pain increases suicide risk, and the conversation also touches on the stigma surrounding pain and opioid use.
 
 Key Takeaways:
Pain can come from an identifiable condition, but sometimes doesn't have a clear cause.

Primary pain is the type of pain that is not explained by another disease. Secondary pain is pain that arises because of or is related to an underlying condition - perhaps injury, illness, disease, or other reason.

When we talk about bias in health care providers, we also need to look at the broader societal bias that plays into those biases.

As AI is used more in medicine, we do need to be aware of bias in the data sets that the AI is utilizing to learn and then use to make predictions. 

Pain is a warning sign. It is not, in and of itself, bad. It is telling you that something might need to be addressed in your body. 

 
"There isn't a blood test or a brain scan or anything that can determine how much pain somebody's in, or what it's like to experience that pain. This is subjective because it depends on the person, and it depends on a whole host of factors, not just their biology. It depends on their psychology, social factors, cultural factors, and gender is a big part of this as well." —  Dr. Daniel Buchman
 
Episode References: 
Buchman, Daniel Z.a,b,c,d. 2025 AI and the ethics of techno-solutionism in pain management. PAIN 166: 469-470. | DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003389

 
Connect with Dr. Daniel Buchman:
Professional Bio: https://www.camh.ca/en/science-and-research/science-and-research-staff-directory/danielbuchman 
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/danielbuchman.bsky.social   
X: https://x.com/DanielZBuchman   
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=3Yja_7QAAAAJ&hl=en 
 
Connect with Therese:
Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net
Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social
Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast
Email: [email protected]
 
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.