Can the CDC Regain Public Trust? (with Julie Gerberding)

Dr. Bob calls up Dr. Julie Gerberding to address vaccines, the CDC, and how public trust factors into both. Julie has vast experience with all of those topics, having served as president of Merck vaccines and also as CDC director under George W. Bush, the first woman to serve in that role. First, Bob and Julie discuss the vaccine rollout, how the variants may affect things, and Merck's failed efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Then, an important discussion about the CDC, and how to avoid politics from interfering with science in the future. Plus, the lifelong lessons she learned about infectious diseases during the HIV epidemic as Bob's Chief Resident at UCSF in the 80s.

Follow Dr. Bob on Twitter @Bob_Wachter and check out In the Bubble’s new Twitter account @inthebubblepod.

Keep up with Andy in D.C. on Twitter @ASlavitt and Instagram @andyslavitt.

In the Bubble is supported in part by listeners like you. Become a member, get exclusive bonus content, ask Andy questions, and get discounted merch at https://www.lemonadamedia.com/inthebubble/

Support the show by checking out our sponsors!

• Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NEJFhcReE4ejw2Kw7ba8DVJ1xQLogPwA/view

Check out these resources from today’s episode:

• Read this op-ed from Julie Gerberding and other former CDC directors about how President Biden can rebuild public trust in the CDC: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/cdc-was-damaged-marginalization-politicization-how-biden-can-fix-it-ncna1254135
• Learn more about Julie’s experience caring for patients with AIDS at San Francisco General Hospital in the 1980s: https://www.merck.com/stories/lessons-from-dual-pandemics/
• Check out this article about Merck’s decision to stop developing its two COVID vaccine candidates: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/25/960294852/merck-stops-developing-both-of-its-covid-19-vaccine-candidates
• Learn more about Dr. Bob Wachter and the UCSF Department of Medicine here: https://medicine.ucsf.edu/

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to www.lemonadamedia.com/show/in-the-bubble shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.