Podcast appearances and mentions of julie gerberding

Health reporter Martha Rosenberg discusses her article, "Conflicts of interest are eroding trust in U.S. health agencies." Martha outlines how faith in government health bodies like the FDA and CDC has plummeted due to escalating conflicts of interest, tracing some concerns back to the 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), which allowed drugmakers to fund aspects of the drug approval process. She points to a pattern of FDA commissioners, such as Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Dr. Robert Califf, and Dr. Margaret Hamburg, having significant financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, and notes the concerning practice of drug trials being funded by the manufacturers of the drugs under investigation. Martha also examines the CDC Foundation, which accepts private donations, and cites several CDC directors, including Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, Dr. Tom Frieden, Dr. Julie Gerberding, and Dr. Robert Redfield, who faced scrutiny over alleged conflicts or ethical issues. The conversation delves into the pervasive influence of pharmaceutical lobbying on Congress and the increasing tendency of medical journals to publish industry-funded research, highlighting the danger these interwoven interests pose to public trust and patient well-being. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

In this episode of the podcast we talk with Drs. Julie Gerberding and Courtney Silverthorn from the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). They're bringing us updates on the Bespoke Gene Therapy Consortium's new regulatory playbook that is designed to help get certain types of genetic therapies for rare diseases approved and available to patients more quickly. We're also joined by Sharon King, the Co-Founder of Taylor's Tale a non-profit that advocates on behalf of rare disease patients. She talks about why timely development of gene therapies is so important for people like her daughter, who lived with CLN1 disease. Learn more about the FNIH and the BGTC Regulatory Playbook here. Learn more about Taylor's Tale and the ways there are helping rare disease patients here.  Editor's Note: Chronic conditions and rare diseases don't discriminate. Patient Worthy and our partners are interested in amplifying the voices of those from all identities and backgrounds. If you have a story to share, learn more about how your voice can help spread awareness and inspire individuals from all walks of life here: https://shorturl.at/sPV02

In the fourth episode of the CommonHealth Live! series, Vanessa Kerry, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health and Austin Demby, Minister of Health and Sanitation for Sierra Leone join Julie Gerberding, CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security Co-chair and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health for a discussion about the intersection of climate change and global health. How do you make new partnerships around climate and health work? What are the expectations for wealthy countries and the United States in particular to find solutions to these challenges? How do you make the case for climate and health in a divisive environment, with scarce financial and political resources? 

Richard Burr, former US senator and current chair of DLA Piper's Health Policy Strategic Consulting practice, talks with Julie Gerberding, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and current CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). The wide-ranging conversation includes thoughts on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), lessons learned from COVID-19, and potential benefits of AI in therapeutic research and development.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of Moving Forward, Giving Back features the “Reputation Reboot: Steps to Restoring Public Trust in the Biopharma Industry,” panel discussion that took place at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 9th in San Francisco. The panel brought together several industry heavy-hitters to tackle how we can enhance trust by demystifying our work, sharing empathy and information, and providing opportunities for communities to engage. Introduced by Rob Perez, the Founder and Chairman of Life Science Cares, and moderated by Jim Weiss, the Founder & Chairman of Real Chemistry, the panel includes Ted W. Love, the Chairman of BIO, Julie Gerberding, CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and California State Senator Josh Becker.The esteemed group of executives have a multifaceted, dynamic discussion about the general public's perception of the life sciences industry today, the need to increase general awareness of the industry's positive activities in local communities, the importance of actively connecting with all levels of government, as well the impactful actions that organizations like Life Science Cares are doing both locally and nationally. 

In this episode, Dr. Julie Gerberding, President and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), Dr. Jay Bradner, FNIH board member and former President of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, and Jim Weiss, Founder and Chairman at Real Chemistry and FNIH board member, discuss the power of collaboration, how trust in science is essential for progress, emerging areas in medicine and the challenges of the current healthcare landscape. Listen to the full episode to gain valuable insights and to learn how FNIH is pioneering public-private partnerships to tackle complex health issues.

While rare diseases often get left behind in the race for cures, a new approach from the National Institutes of Health hopes to make clinical trials more efficient, less expensive, and more accessible to patients who are suffering from rare genetic diseases. WBZ's Laurie Kirby spoke with Dr. Julie Gerberding, CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, about the new "Bespoke" Consortium.

We close out the fourth season with Dr. Julie Gerberding, the former CDC director, the current CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, and one of the pre-eminent infectious disease physicians in the country. In this interview, we discuss pursuing a career in public health, lessons learned from leading the country as CDC director during prior SARS outbreaks, anthrax attacks, the H1N1 influenza virus, and parallels between Dr. Gerberding's career start during the AIDS epidemic and young professionals pursuing public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We then dive into the role of spearheading global health at a large pharmaceutical company during Dr. Gerberding's role as Chief Patient Officer at Merck. We end the conversation discussing the Foundation for the NIH and solutions enabled by public-private partnerships in scientific discovery and global health. Throughout the conversation, we explore the importance of proactive measures, collaborative efforts, and equitable approaches to protect and promote the well-being of individuals and communities around the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tdio/message

Meet Our Guest: Deborah H. Telman is the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and General Counsel at Gilead Sciences, Inc., responsible for Government Affairs, Policy, Public Affairs, Legal, and Compliance functions. She has over 25 years of experience in providing legal counsel both in-house and in private practice, including experience in global mergers and acquisitions and governance. Deb holds a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a board member of AtriCure, Inc. and City Colleges of Chicago, and a Board Member of the Chicago Humanities Festival.Key Insights: Deb's career philosophy emphasizes the importance of following one's passion, taking risks, and pivoting when necessary. ● Your Career is a Lattice. Deb maintained a focus on following her passion and making an impact, and believes that the zigzag in her career has helped her become comfortable with being uncomfortable.● Pivot! Throughout her career, Deb demonstrated a willingness to take risks, pivot as needed, and always keep her priorities in mind. She encourages others that it is never too late to go after what you want.● Great Minds. It is important to collaborate with like-minded individuals, regardless of their background, and build relationships so that you can bring the best value to the company or situation. This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and is the Chief Executive Officer for the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.Relevant Links: Read more about Deb TelmanCheck out Gilead's website

Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Michael Osterholm, joins Zerlina on the show to discuss the state of the COVID-19 Pandemic.Dr. Osterholm is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota.https://twitter.com/mtosterholmIn November 2020, Dr. Osterholm was appointed to President-elect Joe Biden's 13-member Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. From June 2018 through May 2019, he served as a Science Envoy for Health Security on behalf of the US Department of State. He is also on the Board of Regents at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.He is the author of the New York Times best-selling 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs, in which he not only details the most pressing infectious disease threats of our day but lays out a nine-point strategy on how to address them, with preventing a global flu pandemic at the top of the list.In addition, Dr. Osterholm is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center's Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.From 2001 through early 2005, Dr. Osterholm, in addition to his role at CIDRAP, served as a Special Advisor to then–HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on issues related to bioterrorism and public health preparedness. He was also appointed to the Secretary's Advisory Council on Public Health Preparedness. On April 1, 2002, Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Thompson to be his representative on the interim management team to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With the appointment of Dr. Julie Gerberding as director of the CDC on July 3, 2002, Dr. Osterholm was asked by Thompson to assist Dr. Gerberding on his behalf during the transition period. He filled that role through January 2003.Previously, Dr. Osterholm served for 24 years (1975-1999) in various roles at the Minnesota Department of Health, the last 15 as state epidemiologist. He has led numerous investigations of outbreaks of international importance, including foodborne diseases, the association of tampons and toxic shock syndrome, and hepatitis B and HIV in healthcare settings.Dr. Osterholm was the principal investigator and director of the NIH-supported Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (2007-2014) and chaired the Executive Committee of the Centers of Excellence Influenza Research and Surveillance network.Dr. Osterholm has been an international leader on the critical concern regarding our preparedness for an influenza pandemic. His invited papers in the journals Foreign Affairs, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature detail the threat of an influenza pandemic before the recent pandemic and the steps we must take to better prepare for such events. Dr. Osterholm has also been an international leader on the growing concern regarding the use of biological agents as catastrophic weapons targeting civilian populations. In that role, he served as a personal advisor to the late King Hussein of Jordan. Dr. Osterholm provides a comprehensive and pointed review of America's current state of preparedness for a bioterrorism attack in his New York Times best-selling book, Living Terrors: What America Needs to Know to Survive the Coming Bioterrorist Catastrophe.The author of more than 315 papers and abstracts, including 21 book chapters, Dr. Osterholm is a frequently invited guest lecturer on the topic of epidemiology of infectious diseases. He serves on the editorial boards of nine journals, including Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology and Microbial Drug Resistance: Mechanisms, Epidemiology and Disease, and he is a reviewer for 24 additional journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, and Science. He is past president of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and has served on the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors from 1992 to 1997. Dr. Osterholm served on the IOM Forum on Microbial Threats from 1994 through 2011. He has served on the IOM Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health in the 21st Century and the IOM Committee on Food Safety, Production to Consumption, and he was a reviewer for the IOM Report on Chemical and Biological Terrorism. As a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Dr. Osterholm has served on the Committee on Biomedical Research of the Public and Scientific Affairs Board, the Task Force on Biological Weapons, and the Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance. He is a frequent consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Defense, and the CDC. He is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.

Meet Sara Sawyer: Sara Sawyer, Ph.D. has received national and international prizes in virology. In 2022, she was awarded a Pioneer award from the National Institutes of Health, and in 2011 she was the recipient of the PECASE award from President Barack Obama at the White House. Dr. Sawyer serves as a Senior Editor at eLIFE, and as a consultant to the U.S. government on the topic of pandemic preparedness. In 2020, she co-founded Darwin Biosciences, a diagnostics company located in Boulder, CO.Key Insights: Dr. Sawyer combines methods from bioinformatics, genomics, and evolutionary theory to investigate emerging human and animal viruses.● Growing Up During a Pandemic. Dr. Sawyer was 10 years old when the HIV/AIDS pandemic started to be described. Those images influenced the rest of her life and career trajectory.● From the Oil Industry to Darwin Biosciences. Her first career was working on offshore oil drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Once she got involved in HIV/AIDS research, she Co-Founded Darwin Biosciences to work on infectious disease testing.● Advice to Her Undergraduate Students. As a professor for BioFrontiers Institute, Dept. of MCDB University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Sawyer tells her students life is about the pursuit of a good problem and the problem solving that comes from it.This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and is the Chief Executive Officer for the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.Relevant Links: o Read more about Dr. Sara Sawyero Discover Darwin Biosciences

Meet Leslie Norwalk:Leslie Norwalk serves as Strategic Counsel for Epstein Becker & Green. She sits on the boards of directors of Arvinas, ModivCare, Neurocrine Biosciences, NuVasive, and several privately held health care corporations. Leslie is also a member of APCO Worldwide's International Advisory Council. Previously, Leslie served the Bush Administration as the Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She received a bachelor's degree in economics and international relations from Wellesley College and a J.D. from George Mason University.  Key Insights:Leslie Norwalk provides career insights, as well as a perspective on the implementation of Medicare Part D.  Testifying for CMS. Leslie had to testify before Congress on multiple occasions. She recommends answering questions as straightforward, truthfully, and informationally as possible. Remember that your audience is broader than the person asking the question.Ignore the Bias. As a rule, Leslie tries to ignore the fact that there is gender bias. However, she still knows it exists, and always tries to be the most prepared person in the room.Sponsorship. Leslie thinks sponsorship may be as important if not more important than mentorship. To get on her first board of directors, someone sponsored Leslie and introduced her to the right people. This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and is the Chief Executive Officer for the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. Relevant Links:Read more about Leslie NorwalkRead “Epstein Becker Green Attorneys Recognized by 2023 Best Lawyers for Excellence in the Legal Profession” 

The COVID pandemic caught the U.S. and the world off guard in 2020. Nearly three years later are we prepared for the next biological threat? Do we have strategies for developing treatments and vaccines and the supply chains to deploy them? Hear from Dr. Julie Gerberding of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health; Dr. Matthew Hepburn, who leads pandemic preparedness for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and Dr. Monique K. Mansoura of MITRE. Mansoura co-led a team that developed MITRE's 10-point action plan on sustaining a biopharma industrial base to enhance our health, economic and national security. Hepburn leads a White House team that recently published a progress report on the nation's pandemic preparedness.

On this 147th episode, we are offering the fireside chat, held on August 30 at CSIS, at which CDC Director Rochelle Walensky laid out her newly announced reform agenda, moderated by Julie Gerberding and Tom Inglesby. Julie is former director of the CDC and current director of the Foundation of the National Institutes of Health, and co-chair of the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America's Health Security. Tom is Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center on Health Security and co-chair of the Commission Working Group on CDC.  

Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) Dr. Michael Osterholm joins Zerlina on the show to discuss the latest in Covid-19 news and how we can keep ourselves safe as we head into the summer. Dr. Osterholm is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota.In November 2020, Dr. Osterholm was appointed to President-elect Joe Biden's 13-member Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. From June 2018 through May 2019, he served as a Science Envoy for Health Security on behalf of the US Department of State. He is also on the Board of Regents at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.He is the author of the New York Times best-selling 2017 book, Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs, in which he not only details the most pressing infectious disease threats of our day but lays out a nine-point strategy on how to address them, with preventing a global flu pandemic at the top of the list.In addition, Dr. Osterholm is a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Council of Foreign Relations. In June 2005 Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to the newly established National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity. In July 2008, he was named to the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center's Academy of Excellence in Health Research. In October 2008, he was appointed to the World Economic Forum Working Group on Pandemics.From 2001 through early 2005, Dr. Osterholm, in addition to his role at CIDRAP, served as a Special Advisor to then–HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson on issues related to bioterrorism and public health preparedness. He was also appointed to the Secretary's Advisory Council on Public Health Preparedness. On April 1, 2002, Dr. Osterholm was appointed by Thompson to be his representative on the interim management team to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With the appointment of Dr. Julie Gerberding as director of the CDC on July 3, 2002, Dr. Osterholm was asked by Thompson to assist Dr. Gerberding on his behalf during the transition period. He filled that role through January 2003.Previously, Dr. Osterholm served for 24 years (1975-1999) in various roles at the Minnesota Department of Health, the last 15 as state epidemiologist. He has led numerous investigations of outbreaks of international importance, including foodborne diseases, the association of tampons and toxic shock syndrome, and hepatitis B and HIV in healthcare settings.Dr. Osterholm was the principal investigator and director of the NIH-supported Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (2007-2014) and chaired the Executive Committee of the Centers of Excellence Influenza Research and Surveillance network.Dr. Osterholm has been an international leader on the critical concern regarding our preparedness for an influenza pandemic. His invited papers in the journals Foreign Affairs, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Nature detail the threat of an influenza pandemic before the recent pandemic and the steps we must take to better prepare for such events. Dr. Osterholm has also been an international leader on the growing concern regarding the use of biological agents as catastrophic weapons targeting civilian populations. In that role, he served as a personal advisor to the late King Hussein of Jordan. Dr. Osterholm provides a comprehensive and pointed review of America's current state of preparedness for a bioterrorism attack in his New York Times best-selling book, Living Terrors: What America Needs to Know to Survive the Coming Bioterrorist Catastrophe.The author of more than 315 papers and abstracts, including 21 book chapters, Dr. Osterholm is a frequently invited guest lecturer on the topic of epidemiology of infectious diseases. He serves on the editorial boards of nine journals, including Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology and Microbial Drug Resistance: Mechanisms, Epidemiology and Disease, and he is a reviewer for 24 additional journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, and Science. He is past president of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and has served on the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors from 1992 to 1997. Dr. Osterholm served on the IOM Forum on Microbial Threats from 1994 through 2011. He has served on the IOM Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health in the 21st Century and the IOM Committee on Food Safety, Production to Consumption, and he was a reviewer for the IOM Report on Chemical and Biological Terrorism. As a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Dr. Osterholm has served on the Committee on Biomedical Research of the Public and Scientific Affairs Board, the Task Force on Biological Weapons, and the Task Force on Antibiotic Resistance. He is a frequent consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Defense, and the CDC. He is a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).Dr. Osterholm has received numerous honors for his work, including an honorary doctorate from Luther College; the Pump Handle Award, CSTE; the Charles C. Shepard Science Award, CDC; the Harvey W. Wiley Medal, FDA; the Squibb Award, IDSA; Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UMN; and the Wade Hampton Frost Leadership Award, American Public Health Association. He also has been the recipient of six major research awards from the NIH and the CDC.

Meet Denise Cardo, M.D.:Denise Cardo, M.D. is the director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She first joined the CDC as a medical epidemiologist. Prior to the CDC, she worked in the division of infectious diseases at Escola Paulista de Medicina in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she also received her medical degree. Key Insights:Denise Cardo, M.D. brings partners together to achieve goals in patient safety. Developing Partnerships. For creating effective partnerships, Dr. Cardo recommenders setting common goals and clear expectations. Develop trust and understanding before a crisis occurs, so that uncertainty can be faced with teamwork. (5:26)Embracing Identity. Dr. Cardo was nervous about having an accent, but a mentor told her to take advantage of it instead. She jokes that she never has to introduce herself on a conference call. Dr. Cardo decided that her accent, and affinity for brightly colored clothing, made her unique and she should embrace her full identity. (19:53)Empowering Ourselves. Dr. Cardo shares that sometimes people will talk to a male colleague over her, even though she is the division's director. She was worried about how to stand up for herself in those types of situations, because she knows she represents her program. Dr. Cardo chose to enlist the help of her male colleagues to combat these instances of sexism. (24:03)This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and the Chief Executive Officer at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.Relevant Links:Learn more about Dr. CardoLearn more about the Division of Healthcare Quality PromotionRead “Public Health Hero: Denise Cardo” 

Meet Cindy Lawrence:Cindy Lawrence is the Executive Director and CEO of the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath). She started as a volunteer for the organization, and served in a variety of roles including Chief of Operations, Associate Director, and Co-executive Director. She also directs extracurricular mathematics programs with Brookhaven National Laboratory. Previously, she was a Lead Instructor and National Editor for Becker Professional Education. Cindy received a Bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Buffalo, and an MBA from Hofstra University. Key Insights:Cindy Lawrence is a math enthusiast and leader of the only museum of mathematics in North America: The National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath).Fundraising Through Passion. Asking people for money can be awkward. However, Cindy found that if she focuses on sharing what she's excited about, and ignites interest in others,the fundraising naturally follows. She has raised millions of dollars for MoMath, and credits it to her passion for math. (4:07)Virtual Museum. Early on, Cindy directed her leadership team to brainstorm and prepare for a potential shut down. This allowed MoMath to smoothly transition to zoom events when the pandemic started. Now, Cindy is working on optimizing hybrid programing for in-person visits, as well as for groups around the country that enjoy MoMath virtually. (17:03)Be Careful What You Volunteer For. Cindy started as a volunteer, but found that she spent more and more of her time at MoMath. She eventually made the leap, leaving an organization she had worked with for 18 years, to work at MoMath full-time. (26:08)This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and the CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.Relevant Links:Learn more about The National Museum of MathematicsListen to “Steven Strogatz Interviews Cindy Lawrence, Executive Director & CEO of National Museum of Mathematics”Stay update with MoMath on Twitter

Meet Jessica Posner Odede:Jessica Posner Odede is the CEO of Girl Effect. She is also a Co-founder and Board Member of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO). Previously, she was an Associate Direction at Novastar Ventures. Jessica is the author of “Find Me Unafraid: Love, Loss and Hope in an African Slum.” She received a bachelor's in African American Studies from Wesleyan University. Key Insights:From Denver, Colorado to Nairobi, Kenya, Jessica Posner Odede is changing the world for adolescent girls. What is Girl Effect? Girl Effect utilizes media and technology to connect adolescent girls to services and opportunities, like education, finance, and healthcare. They work to decrease barriers and combat internalized gender norms, to create a world where girls are able to take control of their bodies, health, and livelihoods. (1:36)Creating Demand. Investments in services for adolescent girls has increased over time; however, the public and social sector fall short in decreasing the demand gap. Driving demand for important services requires tackling gender norms, decreasing barriers, and providing role models. (17:44)COVID's Impact on Women. There are 20 million girls out of school due to the pandemic, and many will never go back. The pandemic has decreased schooling and vaccination rates, and increased gender-based violence. The pandemic has created additional challenges for women across the world. (23:32)This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and the Chief Patient Officer and Executive Vice President at Merck.Relevant Links:Learn more about Girl EffectFollow Jessica on TwitterWatch “WISE On-Air: A Conversation On Girl Empowerment Through Media”

In this episode we meet internationally renowned infectious disease specialist, Dr. Julie Gerberding, and profile her life from young HIV doc in San Francisco, to the head of the CDC, and onto the pharmaceutical company Merck, where she most recently Chief Patient Officer. Another new chapter of her life begins as she was recently announced as the new CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.  This episode was made in partnership with the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, a network of academic institutions, nonprofits, and innovative tech, biotech and pharmaceutical companies -- all committed to advancing global health equity and #innovation. You can find this episode and past episodes of A Shot in the Arm Podcast with Ben Plumley on this (and other) podcast platforms. Please subscribe and give us 5 stars! For more information: https://www.bayareaglobalhealth.org  https://www.merck.com https://www.cdc.gov https://bayareaglobalhealth.org/alliance-for-advancing-health-online https://www.fnih.org/ #BayAreaGlobalHealth #ShotArmPodcast #Merck #NIH #CDC #FNIH #HIV #COVID-19 #HPV #therapeutics #Vaccines #Vaccinequity #Vaccineconfidence #pandemicspreparation #publicprivatepartnerships #Healthcareworkers #healthcareforthehomeless #accesstomedicines

Re-meet the Hosts:This episode showcases the Her Story Advisory Council. Ceci Connolly is the President & CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Joanne M. Conroy, M.D., serves as CEO and President of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Kristi Ebong is the head of Partnerships and Market Development at Define Ventures. Julie L. Gerberding, M.D. is Chief Patient Officer and Executive Vice President at Merck. Sanjula Jain, Ph.D. is a co-founder of Think Medium and is an SVP of Market Strategy and Chief Research Officer at Trilliant Health.Key Insights:For young professionals starting their careers, to established leaders looking to refine their skills, Her Story is the show for you. We tell stories by women, for women, to expand the vision of what is possible in healthcare.Bringing Others Along. Ceci emphasizes that women leaders should play a role in supporting and advancing the next generation of leaders. (1:01)Women Together. Dr. Conroy describes how groups of female leaders can help each other find their purpose, create impact, and make meaningful goals a reality. (2:38)Competitive Advantage. Kristi points out that being a woman can be a competitive advantage in male-dominated fields, by providing an outside perspective on the industry. (5:42)Building Your Toolbox. Dr. Gerberding encourages leaders to think of their career as a toolbox – each experience should add a new tool. The more versatile you are, the more opportunities you will have long-term. (7:39)Navigating Healthcare. Dr. Jain describes how healthcare is a complex industry. Her Story explores the multitude of career paths within and associated with healthcare. (9:52)

Meet Robin Bronk:Robin Bronk is the CEO of The Creative Coalition. She is an author, public speaker, and film producer, including producing several award-winning Public Service Announcement campaigns. Robin joined the Creative Coalition in 1998 as the Executive Director. Prior, she was the VP of Corporate Community Strategies at APCO Worldwide. Robin also serves on the New York Cultural Task Force, is a board member of The White House Project, The Close Up Foundation, Carmel Art & Film Festival, Gold Coast International Film Festival, and Young Playwrights Inc. Key Insights:Robin Bronk highlights the power of the entertainment industry and passion for change by its members.More than Art for Art's Sake. The original vision of the Creative Coalition was to lobby Congress and ensure continued funding for the arts across America. The organization expanded their vision, and became involved in social issues, such as destigmatizing mental health and obesity, leveraging the power of art to make a difference. (5:04)A Multi-Pronged Approach. One of the Creative Coalition's campaigns was anti-bullying. They brought WWE Superstars to speak to kids, built a curriculum for teachers, worked with community organizations to prioritize anti-bullying, and worked with state legislations to pass anti-bullying policies. (10:49)Experts in Messaging. The Creative Coalition was asked to help promote vaccinations. They brought together a team of creatives – like writers, producers, and directors – and field experts – including doctors and behavioral scientists. The coalition created scientifically accurate PSAs with audience-specific messaging. (19:13)This episode is hosted by Julie Gerberding, M.D. She is a member of the Advisory Council for Her Story and the CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.Relevant Links:Learn more about The Creative CoalitionFollow Robin on TwitterCheck out Robin's books

Vegetarians have 14% lower cancer risk than meat-eaters, study finds   Oxford University, February 24, 2022   Vegetarians have a 14% lower chance of developing cancer than carnivores, according to a large study that links meat-eating to a heightened risk of the disease. A team of researchers from Oxford University analysed data on more than 470,000 Britons and found that pescatarians had a 10% reduced risk. Compared with people who eat meat regularly – defined as more than five times a week – those who consumed small amounts had a 2% lower risk of developing cancer, the study found.   (NEXT)   Dietary Lutein Modulates Growth and Survival Genes in Prostate Cancer Cells   Indiana University School of Medicine, February 26, 2022   Reports from Indiana University School of Medicine Provide New Insights that Dietary Lutein Modulates Growth and Survival Genes in Prostate Cancer Cells) According to news originating from Indianapolis, Indiana, research stated, "Lutein is a carotenoid pigment present in fruits and vegetables that has anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. In this study, we examined the effect of lutein on proliferation and survival-associated genes in prostate cancer (PC-3) cells." Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Indiana University School of Medicine, "We found that in vitro culture of PC-3 cells with lutein induced mild decrease in proliferation that improved in combination treatment with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) agonists and other chemotherapeutic agents. Flow cytometry analyses showed that lutein improved drug-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in prostate cancer. Gene array and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that lutein altered the expression of growth and apoptosis-associated biomarker genes in PC-3 cells."   (NEXT)   Walnuts may support sperm health, according to new animal research   University of Delaware, Feb. 28, 2022    New animal research suggests eating a walnut-enriched diet may improve sperm quality by reducing lipid peroxidation, a process that can damage sperm cells. This form of cell damage harms sperm membranes, which are primarily made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Walnuts are the only tree nut that are predominantly comprised of PUFAs (one ounce contains 13 grams of PUFAs out of 18 grams of total fat). Research on the health benefits of PUFAs has advanced and most recently the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has emphasized this type of fat as a replacement for saturated fats. As this is an animal study, there is no direct correlation to processes that occur in the human body. However, the findings support previous research suggesting that walnuts provide key nutrients that may be essential for sperm function.   (NEXT)   Broccoli and kale microgreens pack a nutritional punch that varies with growing conditions   American Chemical Society, February 15, 2022   Although microgreens were initially gourmet ingredients for upscale restaurants, they've become popular among gardeners and home cooks. Despite their “superfood” label, the levels of healthful compounds, such as phytonutrients, in most varieties of microgreens are unknown. Researchers in ACS Food Science & Technology now report that kale and broccoli microgreens grown in either windowsills or under commercial growing conditions are rich in phytonutrients, though the levels of some compounds varied considerably between the two environments.   (NEXT)   Sugar's molecular link to Alzheimer's: Study   University of Bath (UK), February 25, 2022   A "tipping point" molecular link between the blood sugar glucose and Alzheimer's disease has been established by scientists for the first time, who have shown that excess glucose damages a vital enzyme involved with inflammation response to the early stages of Alzheimer's. Abnormally high blood sugar levels, or hyperglycaemia, is well-known as a characteristic of diabetes and obesity, but its link to Alzheimer's disease is less familiar. Scientists already knew that glucose and its break-down products can damage proteins in cells via a reaction called glycation but the specific molecular link between glucose and Alzheimer's was not understood. But now scientists from the University of Bath Departments of Biology and Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy and Pharmacology, have unraveled that link.   (RFK)   Adam Nagourney's recent effort to cancel and condemn Robert Kennedy Jr. has registered another low in the New York Times' registry of crank tabloid journalism.  Americans' trust in our media is already at an all time low, down to 21 percent last year, and the lowest in the world. The Times' propensity for fake reporting undoubtedly has contributed to American journalism's steady decline. So if a journalist is clueless about the individual he is writing about, what better weapon to employ than Robert's own family members and friends?  Fortunately Nagourney's article is just a rambling, incoherent diatribe recycling earlier Times hit pieces by Roni Rabin and Robert's niece Dr. Kerry Kennedy Meltzer. Its message is that Robert has turned his life away from being a conscientious advocate for the environment and jumped on the conspiratorial bandwagon. However, there are glaring flaws in Nagourney's reasoning that his apparent ignorance about the subject matter would account for. Nowhere does Nagourney mention Robert's international bestselling book The Real Anthony Fauci, which has caused such a stir worldwide. Did the author bother to read the book?  Highly doubtful. Nagourney's writing seemingly focuses on Hollywood and LBGT issues.  Evidently he is not the ideal journalist for the Times' editorial management to assign an article that otherwise requires many years of research into our nation's federal health system and reams of legal documents and peer-reviewed studies about vaccine efficacy and safety. Robert is publicly on record inviting anyone who wishes to debate and challenge his book's content and the over 2,100 references supporting its claims. Would any of the Times' journalists, who hide behind their quills, have the courage to accept his invitation? To our knowledge nobody from the mainstream media has taken up Robert's offer. We might challenge the Times' editorial management to unearth a single instant where Robert has stated he was not pro-vaccine.  If the Times is so worried about Kennedy being on the wrong side of history and science, then why not review The Real Anthony Fauci with reliable, independent fact checkers to debunk any misstatements and untruths? The fact that the Times and the mainstream media have in unison ignored the book entirely, hoping it will fade away into obscurity, is itself gross negligence. Even Fauci and Bill Gates have failed to satisfactorily make a concerted effort to exonerate themselves from the book's damning evidence. If the Times' fraudulent charge is guilt by association, then yes indeed Robert has a fan base among tens of thousands of anti-vaccination parents across the nation with vaccine-damaged children. But this follows the kind of illogic that Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and Allen Dershowitz should be behind bars for their fellowship with Jeffrey Epstein. Repeatedly, Robert is very succinct about being pro-vaccine and he has reason to be very worried about the credibility of vaccine makers' clinical trial data and the deep conflicts of interest between the drug industry and federal regulators who are too willing and eager to give their Big Pharm masters a green light to licensure. That Nagnourney would resurrect the old vaccine-autism chestnut is to be expected of any hit person assigned to target an anti-vaxxer. Yet there is very sound evidence to support Robert's stance on the vaccine-autism debate. We may recall that it was Robert who filed the Freedom of Information request to uncover the smoking gun behind a CDC study showing that there was indeed a relationship between earlier thimerosal (mercury)-laced vaccines and neurological disorders, including autism. The evidence is clearly outlined in the transcript of a 2000 secret meeting held at the Simpsonwood retreat facility outside CDC headquarters in Atlanta.  During the meeting, the study's chief scientist, Dr. Thomas Verstraeten, stated, “This analysis suggests that in our study population, the risks of tics, ADD, language and speech delays, and developmental delays in general may be increased by exposures to mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines during the first six months of life.”  The clandestine Simpsonwood gathering decided to withhold its findings from the public and, instead, proceed with a recalculation of the same data by employing confounders, or biased criteria selection in order to confirm the CDC's desired results. Later a House Committee on Government Reform's three-year review of the CDC's and FDA's handling of the exponential rise in autism concluded that “It appears that many who participated in the thimerosal debates allowed their standards to be dictated by their desire to disprove an unpleasant theory.” Dr Roger Bernier confirmed a deep concern Robert has been sounding for years to the mainstream media's plugged ears. During the Committee hearings, Dr. Bernier, who was then the CDC's associate director of science, stated, “It [removing thimerosal from vaccines] could entail financial losses of inventory if current vaccine inventory is wasted. It could harm one or more manufacturers and may then decrease the number of suppliers… The evidence justifying this kind of abrupt policy change [immediate removal of mercury from all vaccines] does not appear to exist, and it could entail financial losses for all existing stocks of vaccines that contain thimerosal.” In other words, for the CDC, then as now, protecting pharmaceutical interests and money trump public health and well-being. The Real Anthony Fauci is riddled with similar examples of financial incentives driving health policies directly under Fauci's control. Finally, the Commission recommended that “studies be conducted that pool the results of independent research that has been done thus far, and a comprehensive approach should be developed to rid humans, animals and the environment from this dangerous toxin.” Yet unsurprisingly a subsequent CDC study, after several attempts to massage the original data, was published to deny any relationship between vaccination and autism. This remains the position of the CDC, FDA and HHS despite a large body of independent research, with no conflict of interests with governmental and private industry interests, continues to mount against our policy makers' reliance on tabloid science. Separate from Robert, cases have been adjudicated through the Justice Department to award monetary compensation to victims of vaccine-related autism and encephalitis. However, most dramatic is the whistleblower case of Dr. William Thompson, a senior CDC epidemiologist. Dr. Thompson released thousands of documents to Prof. Brian Hooker, a biologist at Simpson University, providing evidence that the CDC under Julie Gerberding's watch, withheld and later destroyed research data proving the MMR vaccine contributed to higher autism rates in African American boys The documents also proved the CDC has known for years that the influenza vaccines, which still contain mercury, contributed to neurological tics and disorders. If we can easily find these references, certainly it is within the Times' capability to do so also. We should lend an attentive ear to Robert's Covid vaccine warnings because on many occasions in the past he has been on the correct side of history. Perhaps Nagourney's conflating the safety profiles between the experimental mRNA and adenovirus vector Covid injections from traditional pre-Covid vaccines. For example, Robert was a lead attorney in the historic ruling against Monsanto and its carcinogenic glyphosate herbicide or Roundup. The latest legal update is that Monsanto has settled nearly 100,000 lawsuits and paid out $11 billion. Another 26,000 cases remain pending. Throughout his law career Robert has been involved in hundreds of legal cases to protect the environment such as New York City's watershed; enforcement of the Clean Water Act; protecting poor minority, indigenous communities, and military personnel from corporate and federal toxic pollution; and legal victories against the oil, hydrofracking, pipeline and nuclear power industries. Last year, Robert's Children's Health Defense (CHD) won a US Court of Appeals case against the Federal Communications Commission for the agency's failure to review the health and safety guidelines on 5G and other wireless technology. In 2019, 26,000 scientists submitted a petition to the UN, World Health Organization, European Union and world governments demanding a halt to a 5G rollout. There are over 10,000 peer-reviewed studies now warranting global caution about radio frequency radiation's adverse effects to the environment and human DNA, the endocrine system and various organs. Undoubtedly the CHD case unsettled the New York Times; it may be a reason among others for the newspaper to print vindictive articles against Robert. Following the Times' partnership with the telecom giant Verizon to launch a 5G Journalism Lab, the paper's 5G coverage has consistently parroted the telecom industry's talking points. The Verizon collaboration will provide the newspaper with a jump start ahead of other mainstream media to gain “early access the 5G network.” Nor should we forget that the Times' top shareholder is Mexican billionaire and mobile phone magnate Carlos Slim, who is positioned to rake in billions from 5G's rollout south of the border. We might ask why Robert would risk tarnishing the Kennedy legacy, which his siblings seem determined to keep pristine? Quite simply, like his father and uncle, Bobby is a rebel at heart who seeks the truth rather than to preserve a family legacy or bureaucratic ideology. As for the New York Times, on matters of critical domestic and international importance, it has repeatedly proven to be unreliable. This is the same Times, despite its enormous resources and government contacts that has gotten its stories wrong at the cost of countless lives. It got the story of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction reprehensibly wrong, which led to one of the greatest debacles in foreign policy in this century. It got Libya, Venezuela, and Syria wrong. It was wrong about the Obama-Clinton backed coup spearheaded by Hillary sidekick Victoria Nuland.  And to this day the Times has failed to hold the US's co-responsibility for prolonging the Saudis' genocide in Yemen. And the Gray Lady refuses to cover other nations' success stories in their handling the pandemic, including prescribing repurposed inexpensive drugs such as ivermectin which has reduced SARS-2 infections and deaths dramatically. Had Nagourney, Rabin and Robert's siblings and friends spent thousands of hours doing meticulous research to uncover the truth, it would be less likely they would have proceeded in advancing their shared conspiratorial delusions. In the absence of any observable scientific background, to denigrate Robert with personal biases and dogmatic assumptions is disingenuous. Certainly he has spent more time investigating the corruption endemic in our federal health system than anyone in the history of the New York Times. So at what point do the Fed's junk science, misdemeanors, and perjury before Congress pile up to a tipping point whereby nothing coming our health agencies can be taken at their word?  Robert evidently passed that threshold long before the rest of us. As we witness our federal health officials back pedaling or abandoning their own health advice, rewrite scientific analyses, rapidly fund compromised research institutes in order to debunk the next damning study about the inefficacy of masks, social distancing and the Covid vaccines' adverse effects and mandates, we are observing a health system in dismal disarray. Improvising on a meditation by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, who had carried on a correspondence with Robert's mother Ethel, Times' journalists such as Nagourney and Rabin are like people who wander the countryside painting billboards that say “The CDC Saves” or “Prepare to Meet God (Anthony Fauci).”  Oddly, these biased opinion essays should not make us think about the CDC nor Fauci. Rather we should wonder what goes on in these writers' minds. Absent any journalist integrity, we should wonder what their motives are to force THEIR CDC and Fauci upon us by way of condemning the critics of the government's failed Covid pandemic policies. Or rather should we pity these journalists' scorn and vitriol as simply pathetic projections of themselves?

From AIDs to SARS to Covid, Dr. Julie Gerberding has helped manage decades of public health crises, as a physician, director of the CDC and now Merck's Chief Patient Officer. One common thread -- and one she is determined to overcome -- is inequities in access to information, medicines and treatments. In this Vanguard Network dialogue, Dr. Gerberding shares her vision for improving access and efficacy in spite of the ripple effect of the pandemic.

COVID-19 has shown us all that pandemics aren't just a public health issue, but a national security one as well. Are America's national security institutions prepared to address this threat? And what role should the intelligence community play in addressing pandemics? To address these questions, Lawfare's David Priess moderated a live recording of the Lawfare Podcast featuring a discussion with Congressman Eric Swalwell, who represents California's 15th congressional district and sits on the House Intelligence Committee; Dr. Julie Gerberding, who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2002 to 2009 and now is a senior leader at the pharmaceutical company Merck; and Matt Berrett, a former CIA assistant director and head of its Global Issues Mission Center, and now cofounder of the Center for Anticipatory Intelligence at Utah State University. The event was held in conjunction with two programs at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy & Government: the biodefense program and the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence, Policy, and International Security.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Julie Gerberding, co-chair of the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America's Health Security and Executive VP, Merck, Inc, joined me at CSIS for a lively conversation with Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI.) Richard walked us through CEPI's genesis in 2017, its mission to accelerate vaccines against dangerous pathogens, its sudden emergence during the pandemic as a foundational element of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT-A), including its emerging role advancing innovative manufacturing, and its vision for how the world can use the lessons we're learning to prepare for the next pandemic. Of special timeliness: why is it in the U.S. national interest to deepen the U.S. partnership with CEPI? And what hope does he have for a post-pandemic consensus on managing health security risks and strengthening the design of preparedness and response institutions? You can also watch the event here: https://www.csis.org/events/cepi-20-critical-inflection-point

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Getting back to normal – What does it mean and what will it take? With millions of Canadians being vaccinated, and provinces slowly unrolling reopening plans across the country, when does Canada return to normal? What does the new normal look like for everyday Canadians and Canadian companies? Our panelists discuss the challenges we faced in continuing to protect Canadians from COVID-19 while getting our economy back to pre-pandemic levels. Our panel discussed the challenges Canada faced with achieving herd immunity, issuing vaccine passports and looking at the challenges Canadian businesses will face getting back to normal. How will we build back better? When do we get back to normal? What is the new normal? Moderator: Mike Kessel, President & CEO - Cleveland Clinic Canada Panelists: Dr. Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H, Executive Vice President & Chief Patient Officer, Merck, Former Director - U.S. CDC Dr. Jia Hu - Chair, 19 to Zero Rocco Rossi, President & CEO - Ontario Chamber of Commerce *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

This week the CSIS Schieffer Series hosted a high-energy exchange on “The Next Phase Of Covid-19.” Steve and Andrew were joined by Jeremy Konyndyk, executive director of USAID’s Covid-19 Task Force, who delivered a stirring keynote address outlining USAID’s vision for addressing the burgeoning pandemic crisis while simultaneously investing in long-term health security preparedness in acutely vulnerable low-income countries. A roundtable followed on the historic legacy of US presidential leadership amid global health crises -- and the lessons for the escalating urgent demands unfolding in South Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere. Steve, Andrew, and Jeremy were joined by Julie Gerberding, co-chair of the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security and executive vice president and chief patient officer of Merck; and Gary Edson, president of the COVID Collaborative and former White House official under President George W. Bush who played a pivotal role in launching PEPFAR and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).  

This meeting of the Commission took place on March 12, 2015. See here for more information on this event. Panel One: The Biosurveillance and Detection Landscape Discussion of key elements of effective biosurveillance and detection, and continued challenges in the effectiveness of ongoing efforts. Dr. Julie Gerberding, Executive Vice President for Strategic Communications, Global Public Policy and Population Health, Merck; former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Julie Fischer, Associate Research Professor, Department of Health Policy, George Washington University Dr. Norm Kahn, Consultant, Counter-­BIO LLC; former Director, Intelligence Community Counter-­Biological Weapons Program Panel Two: Environmental Surveillance and Detection Discussion of the technological and policy challenges to early and reliable detection of environmentally dispersed biological and chemical agents. Dr. Jeffrey Runge, President, Biologue, Inc.; former Chief Medical Officer and Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, Department of Homeland Security Dr. Denise Pettit, Assistant Director, State Laboratory of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Eric Van Geison, Senior Director, Diagnostics and Biosurveillance, Innovation, Global Health, and Security Operations, MRI Global; former Division Chief for Diagnostics and Disease Surveillance, Defense Threat Reduction Agency Lunch Keynote: The Human-­Animal Interface Dr. William B. Karesh, Executive Vice President for Health and Policy, EcoHealth Alliance Panel Three: Clinical Surveillance and Detection Discussion of key elements of an effective clinical surveillance and detection architecture, and impediments to and opportunities in increasing situational awareness for early and accurate disease detection and clinical diagnosis. Dr. Dan Didier, Director of Public Health, Thermo Fischer Scientific • Mr. Dan Desmond, President, The SIMI Group Ms. Deborah Rosenblum, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Threat Initiative Mr. Robert VanDine, Founder, Rapid Pathogen Screening Panel Four: Law Enforcement, Attribution, and the Lone Wolf Discussion of law enforcement activities, attribution of deliberate acts, and the problem of the lone wolf. Dr. Randall Murch, Professor in Practice, School of Public and International Affairs and Research Leader, Office of the Vice President, National Capital Region, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Dr. Yonah Alexander, Director, Inter-­‐University Center for Terrorism Studies Supervisory Special Agent Edward You, Federal Bureau of Investigations Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate Panel Five: Read-­outs from Study Panel Satellite Meetings Representatives from satellite meetings held in support of the Study Panel will present their findings and recommendations, providing a preview into response and recovery issues to be addressed at Meeting 4. Dr. Elizabeth Posillico, Co-­‐Chair, Alliance for Biosecurity Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Vice President, Public Health Preparedness and Response, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center Ms. Beth Maldin Morgenthau, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Policy, Community Resilience and Response, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Mr. Tim Stephens, CEO, MESH Coalition

The Weaponization of the CDC Against Public Health Richard Gale and Gary Null Progressive Radio Network, April 30, 2021   What if you were to know that a cabal of corrupt bureaucrats and scientists at the heart of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have known for almost two decades that vaccines, including the MMR, can lead to autism and other neurological disorders? Most people are unaware that the CDC is a militarized federal agency further influenced by private pharmaceutical interests. Due to the politicization of national immunization, vaccine efficacy and safety has become all but irrelevant.  Its policies drive profits for itself and its partners. Now the agency is committed to have as many Americans mandated to be fully vaccinated as soon as possible, irrespective of how many lives are destroyed.  The very mindset and disregard for human life that created the notorious Tuskegee experiment is alive and thriving in the innards of the CDC.    It is time to take a hard look at the advocates of compromised pharmaceutical science and the motivations that compel the CDC and it’s vaccine network to systematically mislead the public for personal benefit, power, and greed.  We need to begin to understand that the agency operates as an independent “deep state,” secretive, non-transparent, and conducting itself in covert ways behind the disguise of heralding public health. When the brilliant journalist I.F. Stone wrote, “Every government is run by liars, and nothing they say should be believed,” he may have just as well been speaking about the CDC and its alliance with the pharmaceutical industry, many medical journals, and the mainstream media.   The money-driven institutions of evidence-based medicine and science, which have hijacked America's health agencies--the CDC, FDA, Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the USDA-- have plunged a stake into the heart of authentic scientific inquiry, knowledge and innovative medical progress.  Its efforts to hermetically seal and silence the debate on vaccination safety with propaganda, coercion, erroneous and deceptive research, and blatant criminality have succeeded in transforming modern vaccinology into an egregious pseudo-science that is today destroying the lives of millions of infants, children and their families.    The deep-seated problems that reside in the CDC are not going unnoticed by a growing number of Americans. A Rand Corporation survey of public trust in the agency during the Covid-19 pandemic found a 10 percent decline. For decades distrust in the CDC has been high among Black Americans; today, levels of trust among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanic respondents are comparable.  One of the fundamental reasons for Americans’ mistrust and skepticism has been the agency’s culture of muddying the lines between scientific facts and compromised opinions that support gross and deep-seated conflicts of interest.     This problem has also entered the ranks of CDC personnel.  A group of CDC scientists who called themselves SPIDER (Scientists Preserving the Integrity, Diligence and Ethics in Research) became anonymous whistleblowers after releasing a written complaint criticizing the agency for operating as a tax-funded subsidiary of the drug industry in partnership with the FDA.  And after a Congressional Government Reform Committee brought CDC officials to testify before legislators, the Committee concluded the agency had routinely allowed scientists with conflicts of interest with pharmaceutical companies to serve on its two advisory committees that make recommendations on vaccine policy   The blurring of the lines between the pharmaceutical industry and our federal health agencies has been a scandal evolving over the course of several decades. The revolving door between private interests and top government employees never ceases to gyrate.  For example, former CDC director Julie Gerberding left government to become president of Merck's vaccine division, a move that has since earned her upwards to $3 million in stock options.  This may seem to be a modest reward for Gerberding heading the agency now irrefutably responsible for the cover-up of the CDC's own studies proving the MMR vaccine increases the risk of autism in African American boys.  The MMR is manufactured by Merck.   Robert Kennedy Jr, one of the nation’s expert watchdogs in the corporatization of our federal medical establishment, has called the CDC "a cesspool of corruption." Unlike the FDA, which has a contract with the American public to assure warnings about health risks and contraindications of registered drugs and medical devices, the CDC has no such contract with the nation's citizenry.  It seemingly holds no ethical standard and abides by no mandated rules of law. For this reason it may be best regarded as an intelligence agency rather than an institution committed to public health.   One recent example of the CDC's covert activities took place in 2016. Across the mainstream media, journalists en masse denounced the documentary film Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe. The film recounted the events of CDC whistle-blower Dr. William Thompson and his agency's intentional cover-up and destruction of documents of scientific evidence proving the MMR vaccine caused autism. Rather than denouncing the nation's vaccine agenda, the film uncovers massive corruption in the CDC's vaccine division.  But a problem with the media-wide demonization of the film arose, which included outlets such as ABC, CNN, MSNBC, the Guardian, the Washington Post and the New York Times, Forbes, Rolling Stone and many others. The media blitzkrieg occurred before the film's actual release. None of the journalists had watched it. None knew the underlying story line aside from what could be gleaned from a 3 minute trailer. Our investigative article, "Why is the CDC petrified of the film Vaxxed" uncovered a template for an editorial script upon which all of these reviews were based.  They originated from a single source, and the tracks led to the halls of the CDC. The CDC's partnership and fellowship programs with the Association of Health Care Journalists is nothing less than an intelligence indoctrination program to train journalists to be the mouthpieces of the CDC's fake science. The curriculum held at the CDC's Atlanta campus includes propaganda in federal health policies, epidemiology (no authentic gold standard biological science), pandemic preparedness, vaccine safety and autism. Journalists are also instructed to access CDC publications and databases to peruse federal resources, public relations kits, and propaganda.    Vaccine policy and the development and promotion of the childhood vaccine schedule is only one of the CDC's many corporate tasks. It is not exclusively concerned with the physical and mental health of the nation. It is also engaged in the design and development of biological weapons and threats of bioterrorism. Because vaccines are biological drugs that may be weaponized, they fall under the CDC's purview and jurisdiction. Consequently the Centers work closely with the Department of Defense and the intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency with whom there is the exchange of data collection and sharing of classified information.  In its April 21, 2000 MMWR report entitled "Biological and Chemical Terrorism: Strategic Plan for Preparedness and Response" the CDC reported that for "the first time the CDC has joined with law enforcement, intelligence and defense agencies in addition to traditional CDC partners to address a national security threat."    This may have been the turning point when the Centers morphed into a pseudo-intelligence agency and assumed a “deep state” role by adopting an inquisitional task of population surveillance and information data collection as a matter of intelligence gathering instead of improving healthcare. During the past years, this has further grown into spying and covert operations against the critics of our national health and immunization policies. Immunization, as described on the CDC's website, is now a matter of national and global security.  Therefore, no longer are vaccines simply a public health intervention. In fact, immunization has been removed from science altogether and consequently can only rely upon flawed and unreliable research to support policy templates and recommendations that get enacted at state levels. These policies are left for politicians to debate, which is rarely done, and is no longer open for discussion among expert medical researchers outside of the CDC’s ranks and its network of trolls, shills and medical puppets spewing disinformation into the public sector.  This alone is sufficient incentive for targeting and silencing voices challenging vaccine safety and efficacy and who demand a reevaluation of vaccination and its toxic ingredients.    Few people realize that the CDC owns 56 vaccine patents; these patents are licensed to drug makers with royalties who later buy and distribute $4.6 billion worth of vaccines through its Vaccines for Children Program, which accounts for 40% of its budget. This has given rise to a 2015 British Medical Journalinvestigative report accusing the CDC of becoming a lapdog for commercial interests.    The CDC also controls a separate non-profit institution known as the CDC Foundation, which operates like an astro turf organization. Founded in 1992 through an amendment inserted into the George H.W. Bush’s Preventative Health Act, the Foundation operates outside of Congressional oversight. This is clearly stated in its documentation:     “The Foundation shall not be an agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government, and officers, employees and members of the board of the Foundation shall not be officers of the Federal government…. The purpose of the Foundation shall be to support and carry out activities for the prevention and control of diseases, disorders, injuries and disabilities, and for promotion of public health… the Foundation shall establish a fund for providing endowments for positions that are associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…”   In other words, the Foundation has been established as a recruiting service, funded by non-Federal sources, which can include private corporations and drug makers, for the sole purpose to serving the tax-funded CDC.  Moreover, endowments to the Foundation are “unrestricted,” which means they can be spent solely based upon the discretion of the donator and to support the giver’s vested interests.  Among the CDC Foundation’s list of partners we find all of the large vaccine makers – Glaxo, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi Pasteur – and of course the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A Freedom of Information Act submission discovered that the CDC had been providing guidance to the companies for influencing authorities on sugar and beverage policies. For example, the CDC Foundation receives large donations from Pepsi and Coca Cola, and thereby exerts its influence to taint national guidelines about diabetes, liver disease and other illnesses. In another example, Roche, the manufacturer of the drug Tamiflu against influenza infection, donated $193,000 to the Foundation in return for the CDC’s advocating the drug’s benefits for relieving flu symptoms.  This completely undermines the FDA’s own ruling that Tamiflu’s clinical trial data does not support the claims that the drug saves lives or lessens hospitalization.    It has been through the Foundation that Bill Gates’ faux philanthropy has bought off the CDC. Gates has given tens of millions of dollars to the CDC Foundation over the years.  In 2013, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $13.5 million to support the CDC’s efforts to undertake surveillance and increase meningitis and rotavirus vaccination rates in Sub-Sahara Africa.    Furthermore, the Centers' activities are no longer limited to the US' domestic health; after 911, its mission expanded, far beyond its original mandate, and today the agency is globally engaged.  On the Centers’ website, it defines itself as America's "Global Health Protection Agency" in charge of "implementing global health security" and works in partnership with other nations. Since 2006, the CDC claimed it had trained over 115,000 professional personnel in its interpretation of health issues. It’s Global Rapid Response Team of over 400 experts "can deploy in as little as 48 hours" to respond to local and regional health emergencies. In brief, the Centers are immersed in the technology of surveillance, information gathering and analysis. These are among the defining characteristics of an intelligence agency.    Other intelligence activities often associated with a “deep state” and now undertaken by the CDC include pressuring peer-reviewed medical journals to retract studies that challenge their ideology or endanger the agency's reputation.  In 2014, Prof Brian Hooker, a biochemist at Simpson University, reevaluated the CDC's own data showing a 350% increase in autism among African American boys receiving the MMR. Initially approved for publication by the journal Translational Neurodegeneration, the study was shortly thereafter suspended after the CDC pressured the journal with fabricated claims against Dr. Hooker. This is a textbook case of intelligence sabotage of a critic by false accusation.     Similar to the Pentagon and the CIA, the CDC has also infiltrated Hollywood. Hidden within the corridors on the University of Southern California campus is the relatively unknown organization Hollywood Health and Society. Its top funders include the CDC, the National Cancer Institute, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the largest private funder of vaccines, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The small organization's mission is to provide "briefings and consultations with experts, case examples, panel discussions about timely health issues" for Hollywood script writers and producers. Among the main topics listed on its website are influenza, smallpox and autism, all official propaganda stamped with the CDC's seal of approval.    Among the trove of classified national security documents released by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden, were several regarding the government's intelligence agencies' infiltration of the internet in order to manipulate information, deceive the public and destroy personal reputations of opponents, including independent journalists.  Among the documents was a manual, "The Art of Deception: Training for Online Covert Operations." One of its stated missions is to flood the internet with false information and data to destroy the reputation of its opponents.  Furthermore, the manual provides instructions on taking control of online public discourse in order to generate allegiance to the intelligence agency's false point of view.    Vaccine opponents often complain about the blogosphere being riddled with anonymous trolls, most who would be unable to debate their way out of cardboard box on scientific issues regarding vaccines, but who nevertheless follow the intelligence manual's strategies to disparage vaccine critics.  Bill Gates, who is on record condemning parents who refuse vaccines and who is no stranger to the higher echelon of executives in the vaccine industry and department heads at the CDC, funded a professor at the University of Connecticut to develop a monitoring system to track all anti-vaccine internet traffic. Given Gate's utter disdain towards voices speaking out against vaccines, we can be certain this was not for humanitarian, research purposes but as part of intelligence gathering in the CDC's war against the health of the nation.  Others who have been CDC mouthpieces yet are viewed as respectable and medically credentialed kingpins, such as Paul Offit, Peter Hotez, Senator Richard Pan, and others are welcomed by the media as the foremost authorities and final voices on vaccine topics.    To our peril, federal agencies take full advantage of the average American's scientific illiteracy.  An important survey conducted by Michigan State University found that only 4% of American adults had an understanding about stem cells. Seventy percent could "not read or understand" the science section in the New York Times.  An earlier study funded by the US National Science Foundation noted that about half of Americans understood that the earth rotates once around the sun annually, 45% of people had an "acceptable" understanding of DNA, and only 22% knew what a molecule was.  Although scientific illiteracy is an enormous threat to a functioning democracy and an informed public, nevertheless it is a boon for the CDC and the vaccine industry. Manipulating this ignorance with heavy doses of fear tactics, such as revealed through the CDC's press model to guide the mainstream media's role in increasing vaccine compliance, health officials have managed to successfully thwart many efforts to educate the public to evaluate the pros and cons of vaccination.    Along with the corporatization of Washington's three branches of government, and the emergence of a surveillance state watching over the shoulders of every citizen, the politicization of medicine, particularly vaccines, is another sign of the further decay of the nation towards totalitarianism. For almost two decades, fake news and bureaucratic deception, anger, hatred and disproportional distrust has taken the spotlight as the nation's health further erodes. Annually, the quality of Americans' health is declining and this is most evident in the younger generations who have received the bulk of vaccines. While the CDC and its allies conjure distorted statistics with no sound scientific basis from thin air in order to convince us that vaccines have saved countless lives, in fact these screeds are no more scientifically reliable than visiting the local gypsy soothsayer to have your palm read. A doctorate in science or a medical degree from Harvard does not excuse a person from duplicitous chicanery.    The good news is that the tide is slowly turning. The populace is steadily losing its faith in government. Autism rates continue to rise and parents are able to access extensive independent medical research to understand the real dangers of vaccines. A fundamental reason why parents increasingly refuse to vaccinate themselves and their children is quite simple; the cartel of pharmaceutical-friendly bureaucrats writing the nation's healthcare policies has been losing the public's trust. There is no secret why federal health officials and their absolutist claims to mandate vaccine compliance are untrustworthy. In 2016 over 1500 medical researchers surveyed by the prestigious journal Nature failed to reproduce another scientist's experimental results. Over half were unable to reproduce their own experiments. The article concludes that the potential reasons for this lack of scientific confirmation are numerous. However, most important is that no single scientific study or paper can claim to be the final word on any medical issue, and this is especially true with vaccine research. The complexities of the human immune system, its biomolecular mechanisms and epigenetic relationships with external environmental factors are not fully understood.  And there remains much more to discover and digest.  Modern immunology still has a long ways to go and needs frequent revision as new discoveries emerge. In contrast, vaccine science continues to rely partially upon an antiquated understanding of the body's immune system focused almost exclusively on antibody generation.   One example of medical negligence has been the rising epidemic of citizens who are immune-compromised and therefore most susceptible to adverse vaccine reactions. When a severe condition of immunosuppression is clearly diagnosed, it is not uncommon for physicians to withhold vaccinations.  But how many Americans are immune-compromised?  When this question was posed to a researcher at Johns Hopkins University in 2015, to his surprise Theo Schall discovered there were no population accurate statistics and none of our federal health agencies nor medical institutions were tracking it.  Not only are these people at higher risk for vaccine injury, they are also at a higher risk for infection from wild viruses. Federal vaccine policies do not differentiate the population with weakened immune systems from healthier individuals. The CDC' immunization schedule is a one-size-fits-all paradigm/ Its bottom line demands that everyone should and must be vaccinated.    After reviewing the different immune-compromised populations (eg, immunosenescence or weakened immunity due to age in the senior population, malnourishment, cancer patients, people with AIDS and HIV, transplant recipients, patients under immunosuppressive drugs with autoimmune conditions, and primary genetic immunodeficiency disorders, Schall estimated there were approximately 122.6 million Americans with a weakened immune system and stand at higher risk for infections. Our revaluation of the available figures places this figure now at 130.4 million, over one-third of the US population.   The question whether 130 million people, including hundreds of thousands of children, should be subject to injections with infectious viruses-- live, attenuated or killed – or now the new generation of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines that have no prior precedence for observing long-term adverse effects, is never discussed. Volumes of medical and biochemical research confirming the severe vaccine ingredients are also ignored. Nor is any consideration given to the number of vaccines administered and the risks due to the accumulative levels of toxic ingredients when multiple vaccines are given simultaneously or within short time intervals. Nor do pediatricians routinely evaluate the state of children's immunological health before determining whether or not to administer vaccines. There is no profit from delaying or postponing vaccination.  No perks are received from insurance companies for increasing vaccination compliance.  And finally, physicians and pediatricians are largely as ignorant as the general public about the scientific evidence supporting and debunking vaccine safety and efficacy myths.  Their primary source of information is channeled through the CDC and its disinformation campaign.    The CDC has yet to conduct or fund definitive and legitimate studies to determine once and for all individual vaccine safety and whether or not vaccines as exogenous factors are contributing to the onslaught of illnesses ravishing the country. Yes, such gold standard studies, which remain absent from the pro-vaccine arsenal, would be very costly.  But that would be the price to pay to bring sanity to the irrational conclusions of the CDC’s decision makers on our nation’s national advisory vaccine committee. Nevertheless, the cumulative financial cost of all previous government sponsored fake science would be a small price to pay for the future well-being of children.     During Congressional proceedings in 2002 into the causes for the unaccountable rise in autism in the United States, CDC officials confirmed no studies have been undertaken to compare the quality of health between vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Yet the subcommittee was assured by the CDC that such studies would be conducted. A decade later, when the CDC was again yanked back into a subcommittee, still no studies had been conducted, and again, Congress was assured such studies were forthcoming.    We should not hold our breath. Officials at the CDC and Department of Health and Human Services know perfectly well that vaccinated children are susceptible to far more allergies and illnesses than their unvaccinated peers.  Their greatest fear is a thorough long-term study to see whether unvaccinated children are indeed healthier. Otherwise, the necessary research to prove the health advantages of vaccines would have been conducted long ago.    Yet there are reasons why such studies are not mandated nor funded. Health agencies are fully aware that vaccines are a scourge. Instead they pump out ecological and epidemiological cohort studies, notorious for subjective manipulation, confounders and biases to support their dogma. Such studies, which are little more than algorithmic equations for sifting, shifting and fudging data, are scientifically invalid for determining any medical truth.  Nevertheless, epidemiological studies remain the most cited articles by the most vocal proponents of vaccination and vaccine mandates.    However, corruption at the CDC is not limited to national vaccine policies and the deceptive manipulation of scientific data to further advance a national vaccination regime. The agency has also been discovered to mislead the nation on other health issues that in turn shape government policies. Earlier it was accused of inflating numbers of rapes in the US. The CDC estimated 2 million rapes occurred within a single year (2011); however, the Justice Department's crime statistics recorded only 238,000. Later Time magazine reported that the manner the CDC gathered its information was extremely flawed and biased.   In 2016 The Hill reported that the CDC misled Congress with its WISEWOMAN project --  a national screening and evaluation project to help reduce heart disease risks in women between 40-64 and to promote healthier lifestyles.  The CDC's data of the project was all "cooked" to make the results look better than it was and that the project was larger and more inclusive than it actually was   The writings of Hannah Arendt over fifty years ago about the origins of totalitarian ideologies and states have never been more poignant and prophetic than today.  She worried deeply about the language of absolutism, and particularly in the realm of science, which is now the underlying mission of the CDC to politicize immunization. The attempt to reduce all of human life to well-defined processes, to predictable patterns and primitive linear reductionism, was in Arendt's view both self-defeating and extremely dangerous for a healthy society. In a totalitarian state, objectivity is tyrannical. Scientific objectivity that threatens the official policy even more so. In the case of vaccines, the entire industry is a creed that has institutionalized a denial of the most fundamental principles of science and fact finding. And worse, the CDC's ongoing war of terror against the unvaccinated has become lawful.  And this is what gives rise to a totalitarian culture of science.    Arendt was certain that a fascist worldview does not necessarily have to be framed in nationalism, religious doctrine nor based upon race and ethnicity. She worried that science, and its technologies, once they become politicized, would give rise to new forms of totalitarianism and persecution in the future. And today this totalitarian stench breathes through many scientific institutions and universities, throughout the private vaccine industry, and its most pungent odor of rot and decay fills the halls of the CDC. 

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Julie Gerberding who holds a faculty position at UCSF, lead the CDC, and is a senior executive at Merck. We'll uncover what led to Julie's success, her take on the speed of development of COVID vaccines, vaccine hesitancy, the decision criteria she used as she made her career moves, and what leadership lessons she learned along the way.

Dr. Julie Gerberding is Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer at Merck.  She is a vaccine and infectious disease expert who served as former CDC Director under President George W. Bush during my tenure in the Senate.  There she led the CDC in responding to HIV/AIDS, SARS, West Nile Virus, and H5N1 avian influenza.  She joins us to share the latest on Merck's new COVID vaccine announcement, and specifically what we need to do to better prepare for the next pandemic. Visit A Second Opinion's website here: https://asecondopinionpodcast.com/ Engage with us on social media at: Facebook Twitter Instagram

Merck's History of Crimes and Misdemeanors   Richard Gale and Gary Null Progressive Radio Network, June 1, 2020 Which private corporation has likely been responsible for the deaths of more innocent people than any terrorist organization or military regime change in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere?  For us, the answer is evident:  Merck and Company. Iatraogenic medicine, or medical error, is now the third leading cause of death in the US after cardiovascular disease and cancer. The majority of these deaths are caused by FDA approved drugs' adverse effects and from patients taking multiple medications without thorough clinical research to determine the safety of their synergistic effects.  Consequently our health agencies' oversight and monitoring of drugs on the market is dismal.    One of the worst corporate deals the US government may have ever made in modern history was to acquire the American subsidiary of the German pharmaceutical firm Merck and Company during the first world war. Later in 1953, Merck acquired a competitive drug maker Sharp and Dohme, thereby establishing itself as America's largest drug developer and manufacturer. Since then this corporate Medusa has ensnared thirteen other drug firms, including Scherring Plough, which it acquired for $41 billion. The two pharmaceutical giants had earned $47 billion in combined sales at the time the merger was finalized in 2009.   Merck's life of criminal behavior was observed back in the 1970s. In 1975, it was busted by the SEC for illegal payments to foreign government officials from "approximately" 36 nations. The scam was orchestrated through personal bank accounts with the sole purpose of advancing drug approvals through foreign nations' regulatory medical agencies.     One of the largest frauds in recent medical history was the company's anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx that resulted in fines above $4.8 billion for causing over a minimum 60,000 deaths from sudden heart attacks and over 120,000 serious medical injuries. At its height, Vioxx was earning over $2 billion in revenues annually and it is estimated that 25 million patients were prescribed the medication. The securities class action suit against the company alone reached $1 billion, placing it in the top 15 securities lawsuits in US corporate history. The centerpiece of the crime was Merck's intentional withholding of scientific data about the drug's adverse cardiovascular side effects.    Years after the settlement, Ron Unz, the publisher of The American Conservative, undertook his own investigation to validate Vioxx's death toll. Analyzing the drug's adverse effects over a longer time period, Unz estimated Merck may have been responsible for nearly half a million premature deaths in elderly patients, the drug's primary target group. That is roughly the same number of total civilian, military and terrorist deaths from the US's military escapades in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan combined.    Merck's settlement of 47,000 pending lawsuits for personal injuries and 265 class action cases was a small pittance for the harm Vioxx left in its wake. Merck executives were never properly punished for willingly concealing the drug's dangers in order to assure FDA approval.    In Australia, Merck's efforts to increase Vioxx profits employed other forms of malfeasance. The Australian government launched a class action suit against the drug maker on charges that employees schemed a fake scientific paper that was ghostwritten for a medical journal in order to put Vioxx into a positive light. Testimonies during the trial stated data was completely based upon "wishful thinking." Merck also founded the peer-reviewed journal Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine. The journal was a fraud; it was not properly peer-reviewed and its primary purpose was to promote Vioxx on the Australian continent.    Moreover, the class action lawsuit contained Merck emails accessed by Australian officials. The company's internal communications ordered select employees to draft up a hit list of physicians who were critical of Vioxx. According to the documents, these physicians were targeted to be "neutralized" or "discredited." Some, including Dr. James Fries at Sanford University's medical school, were clinical investigators who happened to speak out about the drug's shortcomings. One email said, "We may need to seek them out and destroy them where they live..."     Efforts to target critics for harassment is not limited to Merck. Earlier, Monsanto earned a similar reputation. The Monsanto's parent company Bayer had to release a public apology for the discovery of a Monsanto hit list of 200 French journalists and politicians who opposed glyphosate and its GMO crops. It has acted similarly in other countries including the US, according to veteran journalist Carey Gillam.  The list originated from the multinational public relations firm Fleishman Hillard. Merck has also employed Fleishman Hillard as well as Monsanto's other notorious PR firm Ketchum. One of Merck's Executive Directors, Ian McConnell, earlier served as a vice president at Fleishman. The PR firm's senior adviser on healthcare Dr. Lukas Pfister, was at Merck for 25 years in its government affairs unit. Merck's revolving door is not limited to our federal health agencies, but also fully infiltrates some of the world's most shadowy international PR firms that specialize in whitewashing the public images of executive elites, corporations and in the case of the PR firm Burson-Marsteller even dictators. Following the Vioxx case, Merck had hired B-Marsteller to clean up its public image. MSNBC reported back in 2009, "When evil needs public relations, evil has Burson-Marsteller on speed dial."   But Merck's efforts to conceal the dangers of its products, falsify data about drugs' efficacy and safety and exaggeration of medical claims go back sixty years. In the 1960s, the FDA discovered that the drug maker's arthritis medication Indocin had not been properly tested for efficacy and its adverse effects were being completely ignored.  In the 1970s, Merck's drug dietheylstilbestrol (DES) prescribed for the prevention of miscarriages caused a flurry of vaginal cancer cases and other gynecological disorders. Merck had all along known that DES was carcinogenic based upon its own animal clinical trials. In 2007, its cholesterol drug Zetia was shown to increase liver disease. Again Merck had known about Zetia's liver risks but withheld the clinical trial's damning results.    It would also appear that Merck has managed to hijack US courts as well. This includes an early 2019 ruling by Trump's corporate-friendly US Supreme Court to side with the drug maker and squash hundreds of lawsuits for failing to issue warnings that its osteoporosis drug Fosamax's may contribute to debilitating bone breaks. A federal court in California found that Merck committed perjury for lying in a patent infringement case against Gilead Sciences over the latter's blockbuster Hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The judge ruled that Merck carried out a "systematic and outrageous deception in conjunction with unethical business practices and litigation misconduct."  It turned out that Merck's patent claims were a sham and orchestrated by its legal division.   Besides pushing through the FDA dangerous medications onto the market, the company has also found itself in the courtroom on many occasions for price-fixing, routinely defrauding and overbilling states' Medicare and Medicaid programs, and violating the Anti-Kickback Statute. In 2006, the IRS went after Merck for owing almost $2 billion in back taxes. According to the Wall Street Journal, Merck partnered with a British bank to create an offshore subsidiary in tax-friendly Bermuda to divert taxable revenue on its bestselling cholesterol drugs Zocor and Mevacor through a patent scheme. The company ran the operation for ten years before the FDA uncovered the racket.    Merck is America's leading vaccine manufacturer. Despite public perception and the ruse that vaccines are somehow safer and more effective than pharmaceutical drugs in general, it is the same industry and corporate culture that manufactures both them. Currently Merck markets vaccines for Haemophilus B, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B (individually and in combination), human papilomavirus (Gardasil), Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), pneumococcal, rotavirus, varicella (chickenpox) and Zoster virus (for shingles). More recently it has jumped into the coronavirus vaccine race. In 2010, Merck obtained exclusive rights to MassBiologics vaccine portfolio. The consequence is that Merck's Adult Vaccine Portfolio expanded to include 9 of the 10 vaccines on the CDC's adult immunization schedule. The company now holds almost a full monopoly on the government's vaccines    On its website, the FDA assures the public that "Vaccines, as with all products regulated by the FDA, undergo a rigorous review of laboratory and clinical data to ensure the safety, efficacy, purity and potency of these products."  However, except for Gardasil, not a single one of Merck's vaccines has ever been tested in a scientifically viable double-blinded placebo controlled trial. In each case, the placebo in the control group was not inert, such as the use of sterile saline. Rather Merck only tested the vaccine with the viral component against a faux placebo containing the same ingredients, including aluminum, but minus the virus. Known as a "carrier solution," the standard scientific protocol does not designate it as a proper placebo for measuring the efficacy and disease risks of a drug. And in the case of Gardasil, the trial was statistical trickery to mask Gardasil's adverse effects. Therefore the FDA's claim is patently false. None of Merck's vaccines have ever undergone a "rigorous review" prior to regulatory approval.    Although not completely innocent from internal unfairness and conflicts of interest, the Cochrane Database Collaboration arguably remains the most reliable resource for analysis of drugs, vaccines and medical devices in the evidence-based medical establishment. In its 2016 analysis of Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, the investigators were so alarmed they filed a complaint against the European Medical Agency for failing to adequately assess the vaccine's neurological harms.    As we have recently witnessed with Monsanto's Roundup and Bayer's settlement of $10 billion to cover 80,000 lawsuits, Gardasil may very well become the company's Achilles heel. The Gardasil scandal may very well begin to topple the vaccine regime and raise the public's already increasing awareness and distrust in the official mantra that vaccines are safe and effective. The development, scientific rationale, fraudulent clinical trials and data reporting, and inside negotiations with federal health officials to market the vaccine to pre-teen and teen girls and boys, is a story riddled with misconduct. Today it is Merck's third largest revenue-generating drug after its cancer drug Keytruda and diabetes drug Januvia, earning $3.1 billion in 2018. Its MMR vaccine is fifth having earned $1.8 billion. Gardasil's success has nothing to do with the prevention of an urgent national health need. Instead it was a business strategy through Merck's influence over our nation's regulatory agencies and state politicians whose election campaigns it funds.    In 2018, a French oncologist, Dr. Gerard Delepine, stumbled upon a correlation between the increase of cervical cancer rates with the rising rates of Gardasil vaccinations. Delepine also compared France, which was deliberating on whether to mandate HPV vaccination, with other countries that relied upon pap smears as a preventative measure against cervical cancer. He observed that in all countries that prioritized pap smears, cervical cancer rates were decreasing; whereas, in those countries with higher HPV vaccination compliance, the rates increased. In his letter to the French government in defiance of Merck's lobbying efforts, Delephine stated:   "A compulsory health measure should not be based on faith in vaccination or hidden conflicts of interest, but on proven facts, verifiable by every citizen. However, the facts established by the official records of cancer registries show that HPV vaccination does not protect against invasive cancer of the cervix, but seems rather to maintain its frequency at a high level and sometimes even increase it."   An article published in the French journal Agoravox noted that other national health ministries are coming around to acknowledge that Gardasil is an extremely unsafe vaccine. Japan, Austria and Denmark no longer promote it due to is trail of injuries with fatal consequences. Public demonstrations against Merck's Gardasil have occurred in Japan, Colombia, and Ireland.    Yet none of these efforts to warn the public about Gardasil's risks have reached the American media. Hopefully this may change. Medical researchers at the University of South Alabama presented their paper at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology's annual conference. There is great disparity between HPV vaccine compliance across Alabama counties, which range anywhere between 33 and 66 percent. Yet the epidemiological data suggests there is no evidence that Gardasil lowered cancer rates in counties with higher vaccine uptake. Moreover, there is zero chance of pre-teens and teens getting cervical cancer. The average age for the onset of the cancer is 50 years. Nor has the vaccine been on the market long enough to determine whether it protects a woman when she reaches even close to that age. Its product insert for physicians states the vaccine "may not result in protection in all vaccine recipients" and it "has not been demonstrated to prevent HPV-related CIN 2/3 [abnormal pre-cancerous cervical cells] or worse in women older than 26 years of age." Consequently, there is no scientific rationale for states to mandate the HPV vaccine for schoolchildren let alone even vaccinating them in the first place. In addition, the federal agencies and Merck market the vaccine under a false pretext that HPV infection is the leading cause of cervical cancer; correctly, only a third of cervical cancer cases are caused by the virus.    Robert Kennedy Jr is currently taking steps to sue Merck over the Gardasil deception. Merck's first effort to have the class action suit dismissed was overturned by the court. Kennedy's in-depth investigations through his Children's Health Defense organization has uncovered evidence that the vaccine increases birth defects in children conceived of HPV-vaccinated moms; miscarriages have increased 2000 percent above normal, and girls are experiencing serious reproductive complications, including infertility, at approximately ten-fold above the normal rate. During an interview on the Progressive Radio Network, he noted that there was 10 times greater risk of dying from cervical cancer among Gardasil trial participants compared to the general public. There is a 10-fold increase for ovarian failure, and 1 in 37 girls who receive the vaccine will experience an autoimmune disease after 6 months of receiving the series of injections. When we consider that 1 in 37,000 women have a chance of dying from cervical cancer, it puts HPV vaccines into a completely different light. Sadly, across the nation, politicians from both sides of the aisle in state legislatures, notably Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York, are doing Merck's bidding to mandate Gardasil for all girls and boys upon entering school.    Based upon Kennedy's research and documents received from Freedom of Information Act filings, during Merck's own Gardasil clinical trials, 2.3 percent of girls and women between the ages of 9 through 26 developed a serious autoimmune disease and crippling neurological disorders within seven months of vaccination. Among the 10,700 who received the actual vaccine, 245 (2.3%) had an autoimmune disorder; among the 9,412 who received either an "AAHS Control" -- the aluminum hydrophosphate sulfate adjuvant solution with other ingredients minus the HPV virus vectors, there were 218 (2.3%) life-threatening injuries. The most frequent adverse effects were arthritis and anthropathy, autoimmune thyroiditis, celiac disease, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, Raynaud's Phenomenon, rheumatoid arthritis and uveitis. In other words, it was the aluminum adjuvant responsible for this enormous suffering. He stated during the Progressive Radio Network broadcast that according to Merck's own statistics, girls are one hundred times more likely to experience a serious adverse effect from the vaccine than to be protected from cervical cancer.    In a 2012 article published in the Journal of Law and Medical Ethics, researchers at the University of British Columbia wrote that ever since Gardasil was approved in 2006, Merck has engaged in an "overly aggressive marketing strategies and lobbying campaigns aimed at promoting Gardasil as a mandatory vaccine."  One strategy Merck has employed is to take advantage of FDA loopholes to fast track its drugs. In the case of its expanded Gardasil-9 for adults between the ages of 27 to 45, the company applied for fast tracking two days after the Journal of Toxicological and Environmental Health published a study that the HPV vaccine was lowering the probability of pregnancy for women in their 20s.   Unfortunately, the media has indiscriminately colluded with Merck's scam. Drug companies, according to Kennedy, pay $4.5 billion to the major media networks and publications to promote their drugs. And none of the media outlets are willing to sacrifice their profits for advertising drugs on moral and ethical grounds.    Another scandal erupted within Merck's vaccine business in 2010 after two whistleblowers gave testimony that the mumps' component in its Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine was based on fraudulent data about it's efficacy, and the company knowingly proceeded in order to corner the mumps vaccine market. Merck had been defrauding the US government, which purchases the MMR, for a decade. The government and the two Merck whistleblowers, virologists Stephen Krahling and Joan Wlochowski, filed a lawsuit against Merck for being in violation of the False Claims Act. According to the charges, Merck had "falsified its mumps vaccine test results to hit an efficacy rate of 95 percent. The company achieved this by adding "animal antibodies to a blood sample to give the impression of increased antibodies." This would certainly explain why mumps outbreaks in summer camps and on college campuses are found to occur among those vaccinated.    Merck's has gained enormous political and social influence over the national perception about vaccines.  One example is Merck's behind the scenes aggression against the flim Vaxxed.  When the documentary film was officially selected to screen during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan, we discovered in an earlier report that Merck left its fingerprints on the film's removal and censorship. The Alfred Sloan Foundation is the festival's largest sponsor; pro-vaccine advocate Bill Gates is also a notable contributor. One of the leading persons on the Foundation's board of trustees was Dr. Peter Kim.  Kim happens to be the former president of Merck's Research Laboratories who was directly responsible for the launch of Gardasil and Merck's other vaccines for the Zoster virus and rotavirus. The film presents a harsh indictment against Dr Julie Gerberding, the former head of the CDC who coordinated the cover up of data that confirmed thimerosal's role in the onset of autism. After managing the agency's operations to mine sweep the data and generate new manipulated studies with public funds to suggest thimerosal's safety, Gerberding accepted her reward from the pharmaceutical industry by becoming the head of Merck's vaccine division. In addition, according to the whistleblowing of a senior CDC scientist, Dr. William Thompson, Gerberding was responsible for destroying the CDC's research that showed African American boys were at a substantially higher risk of becoming autistic from Merck's MMR vaccine. Fortunately, Dr. Thompson, who was present during the order to shred documents, saved copies which he subsequently turned over to Congressman Bill Posy and an independent biologist Prof. Brian Hooker. Since then, Congress has failed to hold hearings.    All told, these examples of Merck's culture of greed, deception, political maneuvering and illegal aggression has collectively injured countless people. Merck is a global corporation. Its products, like Monsanto's glyphoste, are marketed globally. To better understand Merck, the company should be perceived foremost as a cash cow for Wall Street. Its prime directive is selling drugs; its history of misdemeanors and criminal activities should indicate the company holds little integrity in its commitment to prevent and treat disease. The full extent of the casualties from Merck's drugs and vaccines may never be properly calculated. For firms such as Merck and Monsanto, injuries and deaths are the necessary collateral damage of getting poorly tested products on the market and as fast as possible. A black box should be slapped on the Merck logo.    What is important at this moment is that many corporations are fast-tracking, without sufficient long-term animal and human clinical trials, Merck is now aggressively making efforts to beat out its competition with a Covid-19 vaccine.  Do we really want to trust such a company with this reputation with a Covid vaccine? Therefore we recommend people to support the efforts of Bobby Kennedy and the Children's Health Defense in its lawsuit against Merck's Gardasil. A victory may well weaken the entire edifice of vaccine pseudoscience and the public will realize that for decades it has been little more than a house of cards.

As the world tests, tracks and traces, what have we learned from this pandemic? Former CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding and Scripps Research Institute's Dr. Eric Topol discuss the lessons we're taking away from our own response to coronavirus, the strategies being employed by other countries, and possible outcomes for the end of this pandemic.

Cancer. Alzheimer's. Precision medicine. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The opioid crisis. These are all areas that stand to benefit from boosted federal funding. On the other hand, other areas may take a hit — immunizations, preparedness for outbreaks and epidemics, and chronic disease prevention programs to name a few. And where does the support for basic research that drives innovation fit in? In this Forum, a panel of experts explored the promises for advancing cutting-edge treatments and research to prevent diseases that affect millions – while looking at the implications for areas where funding may be reduced. What lies ahead in the landscape for the future of medical research? Presented jointly with NBC News Digital, and part of The Andelot Series on Current Science Controversies, this Forum event took place Monday, November 6, 2017.

Outbreaks are inevitable, pandemics are optional,” says Dr Larry Brilliant, a leading figure in the successful global campaign to eradicate smallpox.But does the flawed international response to the Ebola outbreak suggest it is now less likely that the world will come together to defeat diseases with pandemic potential?The Inquiry meets Dr Brilliant and other expert witnesses: Dr Malik Peiris, who identified SARS; Dr Julie Gerberding, president of the Vaccine division at Merck; and Ian Goldin, formerly of the World Bank.Presenter: Helena Merriman Producers: Charlotte Pritchard and Neal Razzell Editor: Richard Knight