Dr. Paul Offit

Huge thank you to Dr. Hotez for traveling from Texas for this interview. Keep your eye out for his new book, Science Under Siege, which takes a deep look at how our most trusted scientific institutions are being attacked. If you liked this episode, I think you'll also like my conversation with Dr. Paul Offit. creator of the rotavirus vaccine. So scroll on back to find that episode.

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I'd really appreciate if you could help us find new listeners by giving us a five-star review and leaving a comment. If you enjoyed this episode, we need all the help we can get spreading accurate information these days. And as always, stay happy and healthy.

I'd really appreciate if you could help us find new listeners by giving us a five-star review and leaving a comment. If you enjoyed this episode, we need all the help we can get spreading accurate information these days. And as always, stay happy and healthy.

I don't think it was terribly hard to solve. It just takes a long time to solve these things. Although the veterinarians knew this to be a cause of disease in animals since the 40s, it wasn't really described as a human pathogen until the 70s, so there wasn't a lot of information about this.

I don't think it was terribly hard to solve. It just takes a long time to solve these things. Although the veterinarians knew this to be a cause of disease in animals since the 40s, it wasn't really described as a human pathogen until the 70s, so there wasn't a lot of information about this.

So we developed a small animal model for the disease in the early 80s, and then we figured out, and simply put, which part of the virus made you sick. and which part of the virus induced an immune response that was protective.

So we developed a small animal model for the disease in the early 80s, and then we figured out, and simply put, which part of the virus made you sick. and which part of the virus induced an immune response that was protective.

And with that information, we then combined strains that were avirulent, benign, with virulent strains to knock out the virulent part but include the protective part, thus summarizing 26 years of work in 40 seconds.

And with that information, we then combined strains that were avirulent, benign, with virulent strains to knock out the virulent part but include the protective part, thus summarizing 26 years of work in 40 seconds.

And with that, you know, the vaccine really eliminated hospitalizations from this country. Most pediatric residents in our hospital have never seen an inpatient with rotavirus, which is amazing because it dominated my residency.

And with that, you know, the vaccine really eliminated hospitalizations from this country. Most pediatric residents in our hospital have never seen an inpatient with rotavirus, which is amazing because it dominated my residency.

Oh, yeah. No, over the winter, you were just flooded with kids, both in the emergency department and coming into the hospital, severe dehydration.

Oh, yeah. No, over the winter, you were just flooded with kids, both in the emergency department and coming into the hospital, severe dehydration.

And now the hospitalizations are gone.

And now the hospitalizations are gone.

I mean, I don't know if you listen to the whole Rogan thing, but he attacks me all the time because I committed the unpardonable sin of being the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, which, by the way, saves about 165,000 lives a year in the world. I thought that was a good thing, but apparently, according to him, I'm just a pharma show.

I mean, I don't know if you listen to the whole Rogan thing, but he attacks me all the time because I committed the unpardonable sin of being the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, which, by the way, saves about 165,000 lives a year in the world. I thought that was a good thing, but apparently, according to him, I'm just a pharma show.

Not publicly. I mean, I don't know. I don't know how his brain works.

Not publicly. I mean, I don't know. I don't know how his brain works.