Podcast Summary: "Make America Have Measles Again??"

Podcast: That Can't Be True with Chelsea Clinton
Guest: Dr. Mike Varshovsky (Dr. Mike)
Release Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Chelsea Clinton
Producer: Lemonada Media & The Clinton Foundation

Overview

In this episode, Chelsea Clinton sits down with beloved internet doctor and public health communicator Dr. Mike Varshovsky (“Dr. Mike”). The pair dissect the chaotic state of public health discourse in America, addressing resurging measles cases, vaccine misinformation, the opioid of wellness fads (supplements, peptides, raw milk), and the real-life fallout stemming from current government policies — especially the impact of ICE actions and shrinking research dollars under Secretary Kennedy. The episode features candid, practical discussion on communicating science, confronting pseudoscience, and re-centering empathy in medicine. They end with a lively debunking of common health myths in a "fact or fiction" format.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Evolution of Health Misinformation

[03:23] Dr. Mike recounts:

• Misinformation used to be limited to infomercials and daytime TV (“Miracle cure potion,” “How your zodiac impacts your heart health”).
• Social media’s rise removed old “gatekeepers”; misinformation spreads faster, rewards sensationalism, and is often reinforced in echo chambers.
• AI now delivers information “users want to hear,” not necessarily that which is true, further muddying science education.

  “As physicians, we gotta do a better job at stepping outside our comfort zone… We need to be everywhere… dropping this cloak of narcissism… We need to be communicating with the general public.” (Dr. Mike, 05:00)

Misinformation, Science, and Social Media

• Chelsea and Dr. Mike agree that social media can unite people (e.g., Ice Bucket Challenge) but is a double-edged sword, amplifying both good and bad.
• Health communities must learn to harness social platforms and not just villainize them.

  “Any tool in healthcare, whether it’s therapy, surgery, medication… all have benefits and harms. Social media is the same way.” (Dr. Mike, 14:29)

The Impact of Government Policy: ICE & Secretary Kennedy

[10:38-13:10]

• ICE’s aggressive enforcement has led to immigrants avoiding hospitals, endangering health and lives.

• Dr. Mike describes “a perfect storm” of barriers accelerating poor health outcomes, ER crowding, and delayed care.

  “What this administration has done has been really disappointing… they make it more difficult during a time when our healthcare system is already in shambles.” (Dr. Mike, 10:38)

• Parallels drawn with other countries: Iranian doctors arrested for providing protester care; the Hippocratic Oath must be defended globally.

"Make America Healthy Again”... or “Make America Have Measles Again”?

[15:26]

• Current public health priorities are called out as performative PR (“pull-up bars in airports”, removing single chemicals from candy), ignoring root drivers.

• Major research budget cuts under Secretary Kennedy make meaningful progress impossible, e.g., on ultra-processed food, vaccines, or autism.

  “All that I’ve seen so far is the opposite. In fact, I think he really just made America have measles again more than anything else.” (Dr. Mike, 11:46)
  “If we’re cutting research, how are we going to find out why autism is going up? …Let's do research.” (Dr. Mike, 33:11)

The Importance and Limits of Engaging with Sceptics and Misinformation

[16:32-21:27]

• Dr. Mike argues doctors need to participate in hard conversations — even with “anti-vaxxers” — to show empathy and expose hypocrisy, as opposed to shunning all doubters.

  “I’ve been criticized by some people in the medical community for even engaging in those debates. I don’t know how you feel about it. Do you think it’s valuable to sit with people you disagree with?” (Dr. Mike, 17:53)

• Chelsea draws a distinction between sincere, concerned parents and professional grifters (“dangerous to give platform to those who profit off of people’s fears”).

The Need for Better Institutional Communication

[23:52-26:08]

• Dr. Mike laments how professional organizations (e.g., AMA) have failed to effectively combat viral misinformation.

  “I used to say on my channel: I’m not political, I’m clinical...Absolutely not. Health has to be inherently political. I’m just not partisan.” (Dr. Mike, 24:08)

Supplements, Peptides, and the Wellness Industry

[28:25-31:30]

• Supplements are loosely regulated; most people mistakenly believe the FDA protects them (“we’re anti-marketing gimmicks with supplements”).
• Peptides: a new fad “scamming” people with false longevity promises. Bad actors prey on the desperate and unwell, diverting them from evidence-based care.

  “I have a patient who has prostate cancer… instead of telling him… get treatment, they recommended anti-aging protocols using all these peptides. NAD drips. Trying to essentially scheme this person and hurt him.” (Dr. Mike, 30:10)

AI in Healthcare: Promise & Pitfalls

[34:26-37:20]

• Dr. Mike is “AI negative” but concedes it can reduce clerical burden and improve access if used ethically.

• Concern: private equity, profit motives, and automation could undermine the art of medicine, clinical training, and reduce oversight.

  “We need to constantly not let our guard down… It’s just a tool. But we still need to master the art.” (Dr. Mike, 37:14)

• Encourages patients to bring AI-generated questions to their doctors; engaged, empowered patients get better care.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the impact of ICE and care barriers:

  “We as doctors treat anyone and everyone. We do not judge our patients. If someone that came in, whether they committed a crime, didn’t commit a crime. We deliver the same standard of care. That’s our Hippocratic oath.”
  — Dr. Mike, 12:07

• On handling anti-vaxxers vs. concerned parents:

  “I think it is also really important to always give space and place to parents who are asking questions who you don’t in any way doubt like their motives, their purpose, their real commitment.”
  — Chelsea Clinton, 17:53

• On science, skepticism, and humility:

  “That’s what good science is, being a healthy skeptic. And we’ve lost that and we’ve instead become cynics or completely gullible.”
  — Dr. Mike, 22:27

• On the value and danger of wellness fads:

  “If they want to scheme rich people into thinking that they’re going to live forever, you know, whatever… Who I want to protect are the people who are having real problems by not having access... and are facing true challenges because our government is letting them down.”
  — Dr. Mike, 29:58, 28:25

• On the need for clear, human communication:

  “If you approach a conversation right away with a disagreement with a data point, you’re basically putting a stone in between you and someone who you’re trying to have a productive conversation with.”
  — Dr. Mike, 21:01

Fact or Fiction — Health Myths Debunked

Chelsea and Dr. Mike close with a fast-fire round debunking common wellness trends and media claims.

| Segment | Timestamp | Takeaways | |-------------------------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Melatonin for sleep | 38:20–41:01 | Melatonin can help reset circadian rhythm (e.g., jet lag), but long-term, high-dose use is not well-studied and could cause harm. | | 8 glasses of water | 41:26 | A rough guideline; individual needs vary. Check urine color, not just count glasses. | | Winter hydration | 41:29 | Yes, drier air causes more fluid loss; watch for dry skin/lips and hydrate a bit more.
| Electrolyte drinks | 42:00 | Mostly “the biggest scam to sell you something”; needed only for athletes, not the average person or casual workouts. | | Protein crisis | 43:14 | No current crisis; most people overconsume refined carbs and sugars. More protein can be helpful, but it’s not a “crisis.” | | Fever & contagion | 43:50 | Fever breaking ≠ no longer contagious; depends on condition. Ask your doctor.
| Treating fevers | 44:37 | Don’t reflexively medicate fevers in healthy people; fever helps immune response. Treat underlying cause or in frail/at-risk patients. |

Sleep Hygiene & Media Anxiety

[47:44–51:34]

• Dr. Mike admits to being a blue-light/screen hypocrite — doomscrolling before bed hurts sleep quality.
• Practical sleep advice: If you can’t sleep, get out of bed to avoid building negative associations.
• Chelsea shares her habit of reading bad news in the morning; they agree to try spacing out media exposure for mental health.

Timestamps of Major Segments

• 03:23 – Misinformation’s evolution (TV, social media, AI)
• 10:38 – ICE enforcement, health access, and global context
• 14:29 – Social media’s double-edged sword
• 16:32 – Engaging skeptics, anti-vax debates, changing minds
• 24:08 – The need for public health communication, AMA/organizational response
• 28:25 – Supplements, peptides, and regulation
• 34:26 – AI’s role in healthcare: optimism and concerns
• 38:20 – Mythbusting: melatonin, water, electrolytes, protein, fever, blue light
• 47:44 – Sleep hygiene, doomscrolling, and best practices

Conclusion

Dr. Mike and Chelsea Clinton offer a candid, nuanced look at the current chaos of American public health — from the political fallout affecting hospitals and immigrants, to dangerous pseudoscience trends online and the failure of institutions to keep pace with bad actors. With humor and empathy, they advocate for humility, curiosity, and better, smarter, and above all more human communication between doctors, patients, and the broader public.

Memorable Call To Action:

“Why don’t we have enough primary care doctors to treat America?”
— Chelsea Clinton, 46:29

Find Dr. Mike:

• YouTube, Instagram, TikTok: @DrMike
• Podcast: The Checkup with Dr. Mike

(Ad-free summary; excludes commercials, intro/outro, and sponsor messages.)