Podcast Summary:

That Can't Be True with Chelsea Clinton

Episode: "Hep. B for Babies, Winter Colds, and Why Allergies are Rising with Dr. Zachary Rubin"
Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Chelsea Clinton
Guest: Dr. Zachary Rubin, pediatrician and allergist

Episode Overview

In this episode, Chelsea Clinton sits down with Dr. Zachary Rubin—a board-certified pediatrician, allergist, and prominent medical educator—to unpack some of the most pressing and contentious issues in public health. The conversation focuses on the recent rollback of universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns, rising vaccine hesitancy, the upcoming winter cold and flu season, why allergies and asthma are on the rise, and the persistence of medical myths. With a balance of expertise, humor, and storytelling, Clinton and Rubin help listeners separate pseudoscience from real science, arming parents and the public with actionable, evidence-based insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Hepatitis B Vaccine Rollback for Newborns

(Primary Discussion: 03:24–11:18)

• Recent Decision: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has ended universal hepatitis B recommendations for newborns. Dr. Rubin calls it “a dark day for our babies and our public health.”
• Transmission Clarified: Contrary to misleading rhetoric, hepatitis B is not just sexually transmitted; it can spread through vertical (mother to child) and horizontal (casual contact, blood or open wounds, even on surfaces for up to a week).
  • Quote: “If somebody has a cut, scrape, or open sore… even microscopic amounts could lay on a surface and be infectious for up to seven days.” (Dr. Rubin, 05:09)
• Impact of Universal Vaccination: Before universal newborn vaccination in 1991, approx. 20,000 U.S. babies a year contracted Hep B, with most cases not coming from their mothers. After adoption, cases dropped by 99%.
• Risks Without Universal Vaccination: Babies contracting hepatitis B are at high risk for chronic infection, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and early death.
• Effect on Healthcare Access: The rollback may disrupt insurance coverage, introduce bureaucratic red tape, and disproportionately impact lower-income families and those in states without protective legislation.
  • Quote: “I think there’s gonna end up being more mistakes in terms of who’s going to get it administered. There’s gonna be more parental refusal because of the language itself.” (Dr. Rubin, 08:36)

2. Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation

(11:18–15:13)

• Shift in Parental Attitudes: Dr. Rubin observes rising vaccine hesitancy, fueled by misinformation about vaccine safety, rumors about placebo-controlled trials, and politicized changes to CDC language regarding vaccines and autism.
• Clarification: Vaccines undergo decades of surveillance; initial versions are thoroughly tested in clinical trials, including placebo-controlled studies. It’s now considered unethical to run such trials once efficacy is established.
  • Quote: “Vaccines are the most scrutinized medical intervention that we have… The idea that there’s no placebo controlled trials is just not true.” (Dr. Rubin, 12:33)

3. The Coming Winter Viral Season

(17:09–18:59)

• Concerns: Flu vaccines may not perfectly match circulating strains this year, and declining vaccination rates could mean more severe illness and hospitalizations. RSV and COVID-19 remain concerns.
• Advice: It’s not too late to get vaccinated—especially important for at-risk groups.
• Pediatric Framing: Dr. Rubin tells kids getting the flu shot is “like getting a study guide for a test… It won’t guarantee an A+, but it gives you a leg up.” (18:33)

4. Links Between Early Viral Infections and Childhood Asthma

(18:59–21:02)

• Key Studies: Early RSV (and rhinovirus) infections can dysregulate the immune system, increasing asthma and allergy risks, especially if one parent has asthma.
• Mechanisms: These viruses affect antibody production and gut microbiome composition, both critical in immune development.
• Recent Advances: New monoclonal antibody (nirsevimab) for infants and maternal/electerly RSV vaccines are public health breakthroughs.

5. Air Quality, Pollution, and Health Policy

(21:02–25:14)

• Rollbacks: Reversal of clean air and water regulations increases risk for respiratory diseases, especially in children.
  • Quote: “They want to make America healthy again. Makes absolutely no sense, especially when we know these things to be true.” (Dr. Rubin, 21:59)
• Personal Story: Dr. Rubin started sharing recall notifications during an early Trump administration communications embargo.
• Call to Action: Urges healthcare professionals and the public to speak out against misinformation and policy rollbacks.

6. Critique of Surgeon General Nominee Casey Means

(25:14–27:01)

• Concerns: Means lacks key expertise (didn’t finish residency, no medical license), founded a commercial health enterprise with questionable benefit, and has spread misinformation.
  • Quote: “It’s really hard to take someone like that seriously when they’re just out there spreading misinformation.” (Dr. Rubin, 26:34)

7. The Rise of Food Allergies & Exotic Allergies

(27:01–30:43)

• Trends: Peanuts, eggs, and cow’s milk are most common in children, but tick-induced “alpha gal” red meat allergy is rising due to changing tick habitats.
• Misplaced Blame: Allergies are not caused by vaccines; factors include changes in food introduction, gut microbiome alterations (from antibiotics/antacids), vitamin D deficiency, birth practices, and potentially pollutants.
  • Quote: “It’s not one issue. It’s multiple factors… leading to this rise.” (Dr. Rubin, 30:25)

8. Preventing Childhood Allergies

(30:43–32:01)

• Proactive Steps: Earlier introduction of allergenic foods may reduce risk. Daily moisturizing for infants (especially with eczema risk) could help protect the skin barrier and possibly reduce risk.
• Skin vs. Gut: Disrupted skin barriers may allow sensitization to allergens—moisturizing reduces this risk.

9. Seasonal Allergy Trends & Urban Myths

(32:01–36:53)

• Rising Allergies: Longer, more severe pollen seasons due to climate change.
• Botanical Sexism: The idea that cities only plant male trees (and thus more pollen) is mostly myth—most city trees are hermaphroditic.
• Indoor Allergens: Dust mites, mold, and even gas stove byproducts are growing concerns; good ventilation is key.
• Persistent Misinformation: Myths like “local honey cures allergies” abound, but local honey doesn’t contain the relevant pollens.
  • Quote: “The wellness industry is a multi trillion dollar business… tell little tiny myths here and there.” (Dr. Rubin, 36:26)
• Pro-Tip: Early medical intervention (e.g., allergy shots, pre-season medications) can help control allergic symptoms.

10. Medical Myths: Fact or Fiction Segment

(36:53–44:05)

• Vitamin C and Zinc: No evidence they “boost” immunity in healthy people—most is excreted as “expensive pee.” (37:46)
• Kids & Dirt: Playing outside is beneficial (microbial exposure is good), but “don’t eat the dirt!” (39:23)
• At-Home Allergy Tests: Typically inaccurate, can cause unnecessary anxiety and nutritional problems.
• Can You Cure Allergies?: No cure exists, but some allergies (e.g., egg in children) can resolve over time.
• Hypoallergenic Cats: No such thing; all cats can provoke allergies, though new foods (like Purina Pro Plan LiveClear) can reduce allergen levels in cats’ saliva.
  • Science Note: Chickens are immunized with cat allergen, their egg yolks provide neutralizing antibodies, those are included in the cat food. (42:17–42:45)
• Breakthrough Treatments:
  • Omalizumab (Xolair): Now FDA-approved for food allergies; helps increase tolerance for exposures.
  • Neffy Nasal Spray: Needle-free epinephrine for allergic reactions.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Hepatitis B’s Transmission:
  "30 to 50% of cases prior to 1991 were from some other reason outside of mom."
  (Dr. Rubin, 05:04)
• On Placebo Trials and Ethics:
  “That’s essentially what was happening with the Tuskegee experiments … and that was unethical.”
  (Dr. Rubin, 13:20)
• On Scientific Progress:
  “Part of the failure is its own success.” (Dr. Rubin, 15:08)
• On Vitamin C “Boosting” Immunity:
  “Vitamin C is just gonna make expensive pee.” (Dr. Rubin, 37:46)
• On “Botanical Sexism”:
  “But the reality is that most trees in the cities are both male and female. They’re hermaphroditic. So that doesn’t ... only goes viral because it makes people upset about a common problem and it oversimplifies it.” (Dr. Rubin, 33:03)
• On Food Allergy Risk Factors:
  “If you have a disrupted [skin] barrier and food or other allergens get onto your skin, it could increase the risk of that sensitization process…” (Dr. Rubin, 31:26)

Useful Timestamps

• 00:06 — Show intro, guest introduction
• 03:24 — The hepatitis B vaccine controversy
• 05:10 — How hepatitis B actually spreads
• 06:49 — Misconceptions about “sexually transmitted” diseases
• 09:50 — State variations on vaccine access post-ACIP changes
• 12:16 — Vaccine hesitancy and parental questions
• 17:09 — Flu/cold season predictions & advice
• 18:33 — How to talk to kids about vaccines
• 19:22 — RSV infections, asthma risk, and new tools
• 21:38 — Pollution, regulation rollbacks, and health consequences
• 25:25 — Critique of Surgeon General nominee Casey Means
• 27:01 — Food allergies—what’s rising and why
• 32:01 — Longer pollen seasons and allergy increases
• 36:53 — Fact or Fiction segment—vitamin C, dirt, and more
• 41:06 — Hypoallergenic cats: Reality check
• 42:53 — New treatments: Food allergy meds and epinephrine spray

Memorable Moments & Tone

• Friendly banter opens the show (bow ties, hula hooping), humanizing Dr. Rubin (01:20–03:24).
• Striking, direct challenges to dangerous medical misinformation, especially around vaccines and public health policy.
• Humor is woven throughout to explain complex science in accessible terms (“expensive pee,” “not something to sneeze at”).
• Clear, actionable advice for parents on topics like food allergy prevention and allergy management.
• Consistent call to arms for experts and the public to advocate for science-based policies.

Overall Tone

Authoritative, frank, and sincere—balanced with warmth, wit, and hope for medical progress. Both Clinton and Rubin communicate complex science accessibly without minimizing the urgency of current threats to public health.

Summary Takeaways

• Hepatitis B vaccine for babies remains essential due to high risks of transmission and chronic consequences without it; political rollbacks are dangerous.
• Vaccine hesitancy is growing due to deliberate misinformation; scientifically sound surveillance and trial data is being misrepresented.
• Cold, flu, and RSV still threaten communities, especially with lower vaccination rates—vaccinate to protect the vulnerable.
• Food allergies are increasing due to multifactorial causes; earlier food introduction and awareness of new allergen trends are key.
• Allergy myths (local honey, hypoallergenic pets, “boosters” like vitamin C) persist but often lack any scientific backing.
• Advances in allergy management and treatment give hope—continued advocacy and expert communication is vital.

Further Resources

• Dr. Zachary Rubin: @rubenallergy on Instagram
• Upcoming Book: "All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More"

This episode is essential listening for parents, public health enthusiasts, and anyone navigating the minefield of medical misinformation. Dr. Rubin’s expertise, combined with Chelsea Clinton’s incisive questions, makes for a powerful, practical guide to the intersection of science, wellness trends, and public health policy.