Science, anti-science and public health: Debunking Myths with Peter Hotez, MD, part 1

20-Minute Health Talk · Feb 25, 2026 · 17m

In this episode of 20-Minute Health Talk, host Chethan Sathya, MD, speaks with Peter Hotez, MD, pediatrician, scientist and global health advocate. Dr. Hotez shares the story behind his public advocacy: The "planned part" of his career — developing life-saving vaccines for the world's poor — and the "unplanned part" that began when his daughter, Rachel, was diagnosed with autism. Dr. Hotez explains how this experience thrust him into the center of the vaccine debate, which led to him becoming a target of the anti-vaccine movement. He and Dr. Sathya offer a behind-the-scenes look at the…