My writing has discussed two related topics: a virus and a movement, COVID and MAHA. These weren’t just dangerous; they were obviously dangerous.
Nonetheless, there was a coordinated effort to numb people to their risks, spearheaded by seemingly credible doctors and academics. These novocaine pushers, as I will call them, claimed to be “nuanced” and “evidence-based.” They produced an overwhelming amount of calming content, often in the “liberal” media, though they were sheltered from the consequences of their words.
Below are 20 examples, 10 for COVID and 10 for MAHA, of their soothing message- don’t worry, everything will be just fine.
“How To Stop Living in Fear of COVID”
A Fiasco in The Making? As The Coronavirus Pandemic Takes Hold, We Are Making Decisions Without Reliable Data, Dr. John Ioannidis, March 2020:
If we assume that case fatality rate among individuals infected by SARS-CoV-2 is 0.3% in the general population — a mid-range guess from my Diamond Princess analysis — and that 1% of the U.S. population gets infected (about 3.3 million people), this would translate to about 10,000 deaths. This sounds like a huge number, but it is buried within the noise of the estimate of deaths from “influenza-like illness.” If we had not known about a new virus out there, and had not checked individuals with PCR tests, the number of total deaths due to “influenza-like illness” would not seem unusual this year. At most, we might have casually noted that flu this season seems to be a bit worse than average. The media coverage would have been less than for an NBA game between the two most indifferent teams.
Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?, Drs. Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya, March 2020:
Fear of Covid-19 is based on its high estimated case fatality rate—2% to 4% of people with confirmed Covid-19 have died, according to the World Health Organization and others. So if 100 million Americans ultimately get the disease, two million to four million could die. We believe that estimate is deeply flawed…
If our surmise of six million cases is accurate, that’s a mortality rate of 0.01%, assuming a two week lag between infection and death. This is one-tenth of the flu mortality rate of 0.1%. Such a low death rate would be cause for optimism.
This does not make Covid-19 a nonissue. The daily reports from Italy and across the U.S. show real struggles and overwhelmed health systems. But a 20,000- or 40,000-death epidemic is a far less severe problem than one that kills two million.
Reentry After the Panic: Paying the Health Price of Extreme Isolation, Dr. Scott Atlas, April 2020:
With a world-wide sense of relief, progress continues in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Projections have been revised downward for virtually every major negative consequence of the disease… Remember, medical care is not necessary for the vast majority of people who are infected.
Herd Immunity is Still Key in the Fight Against Covid-19, Dr. Martin Kulldorff, August 2020:
As a society we should appreciate young adults who help generate herd immunity by living normal lives and keeping society afloat. Thank you, thank you, thank you. When people throw misguided complaints at you, falsely claiming that you are endangering others, remember that the opposite is true. Also, think of your grandfather. While risking his life fighting in World War II, he had much worse things thrown at him….
Covid-19 is a formidable enemy, and in any war, one must take advantage of the opponent’s weaknesses. That weakness is the near inability of the virus to kill younger people.
How To Stop Living in Fear of COVID, Drs. Zubin Damania and Monica Gandhi, October 2020:
You can still see your friends and family while keeping yourself safe, and you’re not gonna die of this. And we have to keep everyone safe so they won’t die of it. And I’m sorry that people are so fearful because I think it feels terrible.
No, Young Adults Should Not Live in Fear from Coronavirus by Drs. John Mandrola and Andrew Foy, December 2020:
An excess of 12,000 deaths sounds bad, but Professor Don Boudreaux, from George Mason University, has noted that there are nearly 88 million people in this age group. Thus, the individual risk for a person this age is found by dividing 4,560 (the number dead from COVID19 in this study) by 88 million. This equates to a 0.0052% risk of dying from COVID19.
Risk of COVID is Now Very Low — It’s Time to Stop Living in Fear: Doctor, Dr. Marty Makary, May 2021:
COVID cases are collapsing in front of our eyes. Daily cases are now one-tenth the number of daily flu cases in the middle of a mild flu season, with a now-identical case fatality rate. That’s because the few Americans testing positive are often young, feel fine, and underwent testing as a screening requirement for playing sports or attending gatherings.
The US positive rate is now at a record low, below 3%. Projections for the coming weeks and months are even more favorable. That’s because roughly 80% to 85% of adults are now immune — more than 6 in 10 adults are now vaccinated and more than half of unvaccinated adults have natural immunity from prior infection. In public health, when a virus has trouble jumping around because more than 8 in 10 adults in a community are blocking its transmission, we call that herd immunity.
Your Unvaccinated Kid Is Like a Vaccinated Grandma, Professor Emily Oster, March 2021:
Children are not at high risk for COVID-19. We’ve known since early in the pandemic that they are much less likely to fall ill, especially seriously ill. Although scientists don’t quite understand why, kids seem to be naturally protected. As a result, you can think of your son or daughter as an already vaccinated grandparent….
Here is where the concept of herd immunity comes in to save the summer. If the Israeli Pfizer study is anywhere near right, then case rates will fall once a large share of adults are vaccinated. They are likely to fall a lot as the virus finds fewer and fewer receptive hosts. Children will gain some protection from infection simply because not as much virus will be in circulation.
I’ve Been Yearning for an End to the Pandemic. Now That It’s Here, I’m A Little Afraid, Dr. Lucy McBride, March 2021:
The pandemic will end. With dropping case rates and three incredible vaccines robustly protecting us from COVID-19, soon we’ll be able to relax the restrictions of pandemic life.
Should We Let Children Catch Omicron? Dr. Vinay Prasad and Allison Krug, February 2022:
For children, getting sick and recovering is part of a natural and healthy life… Dropping masks, quarantines, distancing, and all other mitigations will allow children to develop the kind of broad immunity gained by living a normal life… And while the death of any child is a tragedy, Covid-19 is less deadly to children than many other risks we accept as a matter of course, including drowning, vehicle accidents, and even cardiovascular disease.
“Why Doctors Should Learn to Stop Worrying and Love MAHA”
Why Doctors Should Learn to Stop Worrying and Love MAHA, Dr. Joseph Marine, November 2024:
RFK threatens to upend a system under which they have succeeded. He plans to turn over the moneychangers’ tables in the medical temple. I argue that we should embrace the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda and try to convince our medical leaders to work for major changes in our dysfunctional health agencies and deteriorating health care system.
RFK Jr has tapped into a strong sense among the public that government health agencies, and the health system at large, have been corrupted by corporate interests that have become increasingly misaligned with the public interest, a fact that was exposed by the disastrous authoritarian covid response.
Restoring Trust in Public Health, Frances Lee and Stephen Macedo, November 2024:
Trump should nominate Stanford University’s Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya exemplifies qualities that were lacking in our nation’s scientific leadership during the pandemic… If the country had had more scientific leaders like Dr. Jay Bhattacharya—and more who were willing to listen to him—our policymaking could have been based more on evidence and less on hubris. During the pandemic democracy’s “truth-seeking” institutions were infected by politics, partisanship, and dogmatism.
RFK Jr Will Disrupt the Medical Establishment, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Kevin Bardosh, November 2024:
A Covid-era political realignment facilitated Trump’s electoral win last week, with a coalition that included disenchanted Left-liberals who rejected the centralised power of scientific bureaucrats and found an ally in Kennedy. Yet the officials continue to deny their own culpability, avoiding a long look in the mirror.
Kennedy can be that mirror. A successful environmental lawyer and erstwhile darling of the centre-left — so much so that Barack Obama floated him to lead the Environmental Protection Agency in 2008 — he is the most high-profile figure to tackle these problems head-on. His rebranding of MAGA to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) can carry broad appeal for Americans.
Sabotaging RFK Jr’s Confirmation Will Increase Vaccine Hesitancy, Dr. Vinay Prasad, December 2024:
At this point, the best way to curb vaccine hesitancy is to approve RFK Jr, and redirect his energies to generating more data. More data will answer the key questions that remain unanswered: which childhood immunization program is optimal. The worse thing we can do is tank his nomination. Then vaccine hesitancy will explode.
The Cure for Vaccine Skepticism, Dr. Martin Kulldorff. January 2025:
The only way to restore public trust in vaccination – which has taken a big hit since the lies attending the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine – is to put a well-known vaccine skeptic in charge of the vaccine research agenda. The ideal person for this is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Bhattacharya Will Bring Much-Needed Transparency to NIH, Dr. Andrew Noymer, January 2025:
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya – the Stanford professor who is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the directorship of the National Institutes of Health – will bring transparency to this government agency, which sorely needs it… Transparency is a principal (and principled) solution to lack of public trust in institutions. I am confident that Jay’s pursuit of transparency can restore public trust in NIH.
Make America Healthy Again Needs Bipartisan Support, Dr. Marc Siegal, January 2025:
Now along comes Make America Healthy Again, led by RFK Jr, with its hyper focus on battling ultra-processed foods, food dyes, seed oils, obesity, excessive pill popping, and sedentary behavior. The more food and insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies push back against this approach, the more I am hoping and rooting for bipartisan support. Bobby Kennedy comes from a long line of reformers, from his two uncles to his father. He is carrying on in their tradition when it comes to food and lifestyle…
I am confident that once America’s patients start to feel better, they will endorse Make America Healthy Again. It won’t matter whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, you will vote yes to good health.
The Nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services: a New Beginning? Dr. Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer, January 2025:
So what happens in the US concerns us all, and the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be a major disruptive force for years to come.
My prediction? RFK Jr. will be a net positive for public health in the US. The mainstream media – who were the most important enablers of the destructive COVID-19 policies – are falling over themselves and screaming wolf, oblivious to the fact that current US public health is a complete failure.
Sensible Medicine endorses Vinay Prasad for Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the US FDA, Drs. Adam Cifu and John Mandrola, May 2025:
Vinay Prasad is leaving Sensible Medicine to take a senior role at the the US FDA. He has our enthusiastic support. Prasad is slated to be the incoming CBER director, where he will regulate vaccines as well as cellular and gene therapy. In our opinion, there is no better candidate… We can’t think of anyone more qualified to lead the biologics division. Prasad’s lifelong commitment to scientific rigor will help rebuild lost trust in regulatory bodies.
The NIH and FDA Nominees Are Surprisingly Strong, Leana Wen, March 2025:
Watching last week’s confirmation hearings for Jay Bhattacharya and Marty Makary, President Donald Trump’s nominees to lead the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, respectively, I was struck by how normal the candidates were.
Yes, I said normal — and qualified. Unlike their future boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who in his own hearings struggled with basic questions about Medicaid and Medicare and refused to disavow anti-vaccine conspiracy theories — these candidates grounded their answers in facts and science. They were well versed in what their agencies did and had intriguing ideas for how to improve them.
Democrats shouldn’t reflexively oppose these candidates. Bhattacharya and Makary can be allies to limit harm from Trump and Kennedy, and they might even reform biomedical innovation for the better.
On paper, the two candidates have stellar credentials. Bhattacharya received his MD and PhD in economics from Stanford, where he serves as a professor, and has received NIH grants to study aging and chronic disease. Makary studied public health at Harvard and is a cancer surgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins. As I previously wrote, he and I met more than a decade ago when working to reduce hospital medical error. He is an exceptional communicator who has written three best-selling consumer health books.
I share these articles not because they are new to SBM readers, but rather to help explain why so many people yawned at COVID/MAHA and to remind people how we got to this sad moment. A tolerance for COVID disinformation led directly to MAHA.
Meanwhile, as COVID’s death toll spiked upwards and MAHA crumbles downwards, the novocaine pushers never looked back or gave a moment’s thought to those who got hurt along the way.