Why Should I Trust You?

Brinda Adhikari, Tom Johnson, Maggie Bartlett, Dr. Mark Abdelmalek
  • 4.5 (117)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Bold, unfiltered, and uncompromisingly honest, Why Should I Trust You?  is a weekly podcast that looks at the breakdown in trust for science and public health. It drops every Thursday, with occasional additional special episodes sprinkled in. Hosted by Brinda Adhikari, the former executive producer of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” and a former TV news journalist; Tom Johnson, the former executive producer of “The Circus,” and also a former TV news journalist; Dr. Maggie Bartlett, a virologist and assistant research professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Dr. Mark Abdelmalek a skin cancer surgeon, a medical journalist and a dermatologist practicing in Philadelphia -  each week we try to figure out what is behind this staggering collapse in trust and see if we can rebuild towards trust again. 

  1. 14H AGO

    A Polling-palooza: Is Health the Driving Issue of These Midterms? A Conversation w Pollsters from KFF, Navigator Research + A MAHA Supporter

    With the midterm elections approaching, health care is emerging as a central issue. So today, we’ve gathered a group of top-notch pollsters to help us understand where Americans’ heads are right now when it comes to health. Yes, this is about rising health care costs—a visceral concern and a growing factor in the upcoming elections—driven in part by expiring ACA subsidies and potential Medicaid cuts. But it’s also about nutrition, school lunches, ultra-processed foods, and pesticides. This isn’t the old “for or against Obamacare” debate. The lines are shifting, and MAHA sits right in the middle of it all. As one political analyst put it, “Health care policy is going to be a top issue in all competitive House races this cycle.” So at a time when Americans are deeply concerned about the cost of daily life, where does health care fit in? How do people feel about MAHA’s nutrition agenda, pesticides and pollution, or changes to childhood vaccine guidance? We’re joined by polling analysts Liz Hamel and Ashley Kirzinger from KFF, and Melissa Toufanian of Navigator Research—along with our friend Aaron Everitt, a MAHA supporter and writer. Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett Dr. Mark Abdelmalek (off) Guests: Liz Hamel,  senior vice president and director of public opinion and survey research, KFF Ashley Kirzinger, director of survey methodology and associate director for public opinion and survey research, KFF Melissa Toufanian, managing director, Navigator Research Aaron Everitt, MAHA supporter, writer for Besides the Revolution, Kennedy supporter, writer for House InHabit Why MAHA Needs Public Health by Aaron Everitt https://besidestherevolution.substack.com/p/why-maha-needs-public-health Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 17m

  2. 6D AGO

    Special Ep: Meet the Democrats Working w MAHA: A Conversation w Reps. McGovern & Pingree w MAHA Activist Kelly Ryerson

    Today, we explore an unlikely alliance. The Make America Healthy Again movement is nearly always associated with MAGA and the Republican Party. But on one issue, the political lines are being scrambled. It is Democrats in Congress, and not Republicans, who are standing with the movement in opposing liability protections for pesticide manufacturers.   At the center of the fight is a controversial provision in the new Farm Bill that critics say would give pesticide manufacturers a legal liability shield. We’re joined by two key Democrats who fought to stop it—Congresswoman Chellie Pingree of Maine and Congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts—one of whom called the proposal “an outrage.” We’ll also hear from influential MAHA environmental advocate Kelly Ryerson. Are Democrats willing to work with MAHA on some issues? Is MAHA willing to break with Republicans when their goals diverge? And what could this unusual coalition mean for the coming midterm elections and, most importantly, the health of Americans? Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett Dr. Mark Abdelmalek Guests: Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), is the Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and also serves on the House Agriculture Committee. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), serves on House AppropriationsCommittee and House Agriculture Committee. Kelly Ryerson, MAHA activist, Glyphosate Girl, currently advocating to oppose legal protections for pesticide manufacturers.  Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 2m

  3. MAR 19

    ACIP Chair Dr. Kirk Milhoan Returns to Talk Court Order Stopping Their Work + A Group Conversation On Covid Vax Injuries

    In today’s episode, Dr. Kirk Milhoan, the chair of the influential ACIP, returns to our show. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss his reaction to major news this week: the federal judge issuing a preliminary order pausing his committee’s work, leading to the cancellation of their scheduled meeting. Since ACIP was expected to take up the issue of vaccine injury, we explore the topic with Dr. Milhoan, alongside Dr. Craig Spencer of Brown University School of Public Health and Dr. Akiko Iwasaki of Yale School of Medicine. Together, we hear the stories of three remarkable individuals who have experienced serious health setbacks following a COVID vaccine. We ask whether enough is being done to care for Americans like them, what challenges stand in the way of better understanding vaccine-related injuries, and how public health should respond to the very real experiences of those affected. Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett Dr. Mark Abdelmalek Guests: Dr. Kirk Milhoan, chairman, ACIP, pediatric cardiologist John West, federal employee, Covid vaccine injured Prof. Akiko Iwasaka, immunologist, Yale School of Medicine Dr. Craig Spencer, ER doctor, public health professor, Brown School of Public Health Jane Rioseco, consultant working on health and justice issues; Covid vaccine injured (recorded voice of Daniel King), Covid vaccine injured; served as active duty military.  Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 48m

  4. MAR 12

    Measles in America: Who Actually Are the Unvaccinated? A Conversation w Health Workers from Spartanburg, SC and West Texas

    Measles has returned to the United States in a way we haven’t seen in more than a quarter-century. The outbreak in South Carolina follows one in West Texas last year, threatening the measles-free status the U.S. achieved in 2000. In today’s polarized climate, the virus has become a political flashpoint. Critics say the rise reflects eroding vaccine trust driven by the MAHA movement and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. Others argue outbreaks like this occur every year, are usually mild, and are just a part of life.  So we went straight to the front lines. We speak with doctors in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and a public health leader from West Texas who worked inside the communities most affected. What are they actually seeing on the ground? How much of this surge is about politics and vaccine mistrust—and how much is rooted in religion, culture, or generations-old skepticism? What is the media getting right about the measles resurgence… and what might we be getting wrong? As one of the most contagious viruses in the world makes a comeback in America, we ask: what comes next? Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett Dr. Mark Abdelmalek Guests: Dr. Robin LaCroix,  a pediatric infectious disease specialist, is the medical director emeritus of Prisma Health Children's Hospital in Greenville, S.C.  Dr. Stuart Simko, a pediatrician with Prisma Health, practices in Greer, South Carolina, has seen several families with measles cases.  Dr. Katherine Wells,  is Director of the Lubbock Public Health District, was the lead from Lubbock in responding to the West Texas measles outbreak.  Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe! Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 8m

  5. MAR 5

    Why Should We Trust GLP-1s? An Honest Conversation About Fighting Chronic Disease w Drs. Dhruv Khullar, Rachael Bedard & Mariela Glandt

    GLP-1 drugs are being hailed as “miracle” treatments for obesity and diabetes, two of the biggest drivers of America’s chronic disease crisis. Nearly 30 million Americans say they’re taking one, and early signs suggest they may be changing not just individual lives, but even national health trends. Could Ozempic actually help reverse the obesity epidemic? But in the era of “Making America Healthy Again,” where the focus is on food, lifestyle, and root causes, how does a blockbuster pharmaceutical fit in? Are GLP-1s a genuine breakthrough or another example of America reaching for the next quick medication fix while deeper problems go unsolved? We’re joined by Rachael Bedard, who recently wrote about GLP-1s for New York Magazine; Mariela Glandt, an expert on metabolic health; and Dhruv Khullar, who has covered these drugs for The New Yorker. Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett Dr. Mark Abdelmalek Guests: Dr. Rachael Bedard, geriatrician, palliative-care specialist, contributing writer for The New York Times (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ozempic-weight-loss-diet-drug-moral-panic.html) Dr. Dhruv Khullar, physician, associate professor Weill Cornell Medical College; staff writer at The New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/02/16/can-ozempic-cure-addiction) Dr. Mariela Glandt, endocrinologist, experience treating diabetes, founder of Owna Health, a virtual clinic that helps people — especially in underserved communities — manage and even reverse type 2 diabetes and obesity through a nutrition-focused plan. (https://owna.health/) Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 9m

  6. FEB 26

    A Conversation with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya: On the NIH, CDC, Funding, DEI & His Vision For Doing Science

    Our guest today is Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health and acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As he leads the world’s largest biomedical research enterprise and now the CDC--the first time one individual has led both institutions--we discuss his goals, governing philosophy, and vision for the future of American health science. After emerging as a vocal critic of federal health leadership during the pandemic, how does he now approach his new roles? Nearly a year into his tenure, does he believe public trust is being restored? We examine the past year, including cuts to research deemed connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; the administration’s freeze on certain university funding tied to concerns about campus policies it considers discriminatory or antisemitic; his strategic approach to setting funding priorities; and his message to early-career researchers. Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Dr. Mark Abdelmalek Maggie Bartlett (producer role today) Guest: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health; Acting Director of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    1h 2m

  7. FEB 25

    "We're Not Going Anywhere": Major MAHA Voices Zen Honeycutt, Kelly Ryerson & Jenna McCarthy On the Glyphosate EO + the Future of MAHA

    In the wake of the President's executive order on glyphosate, the herbicide widely used on American farms and long derided by MAHA, there is intense focus on the movement. People are asking whether the wheels are coming off, whether this is the moment the MAGA–MAHA alliance begins to fracture. And that question isn’t just coming from critics. Many MAHA supporters themselves are wondering the same thing. President Trump’s executive order invoked the Defense Production Act to safeguard U.S. supplies of glyphosate, calling it critical not only to farmers, but also to the nation’s food security — and even national defense. MAHA and its leader, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have long argued that glyphosate is harming Americans’ health. Yet Kennedy has expressed support for the executive order. That has left many in the movement furious. But is MAHA really splintering? Or are followers beginning to see this as the reality of governance — compromise and patience? We’ve got a star-studded MAHA lineup today: Zen Honeycutt, Kelly Ryerson, and Jenna McCarthy — influential voices with plenty to say about where this movement goes next. Hosts: Brinda Adhikari Tom Johnson Maggie Bartlett (off) Dr. Mark Abdelmalek (off) Guests: Zen Honeycutt, founder + executive director of Moms Across America movement; environmental activist Kelly Ryerson, Glyphosate Girl on social media; environmental activist; regen farming advocate Jenna McCarthy, author of Jenna's Side substack and co-author of The War on Ivermectin with Pierre Kory Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    56 min

  8. FEB 21

    Special Ep: What the Heck Just Happened with Moderna & the FDA? A Conversation w The Atlantic's Ben Mazer

    Now, some of you may have heard the recent headlines that the FDA refused to review Moderna’s application for its new flu vaccine … a vaccine that uses mRNA technology. And then a few days ago, the agency has REVERSED course.  We had an episode planned all about what this decision means and whether or not it speaks to something larger about making vaccines in this moment…. So now we’re rolling with the news of that big reversal. And the truth is, we are kind of still asking the same question. What the heck is going on? This is messy. On the one hand, doesn’t this FDA have a point about setting a higher standard for approving vaccines that they’re being asked to consider no matter how chaotic that might look? On the other hand, how are vaccine makers supposed to operate with all that chaos? And even with the reversal, is this ALREADY having a chilling effect on vaccine makers?  Health journalist and physician Ben Mazer from the Atlantic joins us.  Hosts: Tom Johnson Brinda Adhikari Maggie Bartlett (off) Dr. Mark Abdelmalek (off) Guest: Dr. Benjamin Mazer, surgical pathologist, writer for The Atlantic Thanks for listening! If you like us, please leave a review, rate us, and please subscribe!  Got questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at questions@whyshoulditrustyou.net

    52 min
See All (84)

Trailer

4.5
out of 5
117 Ratings

About

Bold, unfiltered, and uncompromisingly honest, Why Should I Trust You?  is a weekly podcast that looks at the breakdown in trust for science and public health. It drops every Thursday, with occasional additional special episodes sprinkled in. Hosted by Brinda Adhikari, the former executive producer of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” and a former TV news journalist; Tom Johnson, the former executive producer of “The Circus,” and also a former TV news journalist; Dr. Maggie Bartlett, a virologist and assistant research professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Dr. Mark Abdelmalek a skin cancer surgeon, a medical journalist and a dermatologist practicing in Philadelphia -  each week we try to figure out what is behind this staggering collapse in trust and see if we can rebuild towards trust again. 

Information

  • Creator
    Brinda Adhikari, Tom Johnson, Maggie Bartlett, Dr. Mark Abdelmalek
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Why Should I Trust You?
  • Show Website
    Why Should I Trust You?

You Might Also Like