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1 week ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
A concerning trend has emerged in vaccine-skeptical circles: the use of a 1969 episode of "The Brady Bunch" to downplay the seriousness of measles. The episode titled "Is There a Doctor in the House?" shows the entire Brady family contracting measles, treating it as little more than an inconvenience and even a welcome break from school.
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1 week ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
We shouldn't be surprised that MAHA is winning the messaging war. Right now, "MAHA moms" are standing shoulder to shoulder with the HHS Secretary, effectively dictating health policy in the United States. The movement that began with concerned parents questioning food additives and vaccines has now gained unprecedented institutional power.
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2 weeks ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier |David Higgins |Elana Pearl BenJoseph
This week, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to require all new vaccines to undergo placebo-controlled trials before approval. According to The Washington Post, an HHS spokesperson stated that "all new vaccines will undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure — a radical departure from past practices."Kennedy also emphasized a commitment to “radical transparency.”As public health experts, we're deeply concerned about this development.
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2 weeks ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier |Elana Pearl BenJoseph
Autism has been all over the news with some eye-catching headlines: "Autism rates reach new record!" "1 in 31 children now diagnosed with autism!" “There is an autism epidemic!”Perhaps you've even heard our new Health Secretary RFK Jr. promising to identify the cause of autism by September—just five months from now. But what do these numbers really mean? Are we truly experiencing an "epidemic" as some are claiming?
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3 weeks ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier |Aimee Bernard |David Higgins
As a parent in today's world, you've likely noticed the dramatic rise in peanut allergies. School lunchrooms have transformed into "peanut-free zones," birthday parties require allergen checklists, and the simple PB&J sandwich has become a controversial meal option. This isn't just anecdotal - research confirms that peanut allergies have significantly increased in Western countries over recent decades.
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4 weeks ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier |Aimee Bernard |David Higgins |Elana Pearl BenJoseph
Recently, I came across a thought-provoking tweet from Dr. Michael Mina about the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas. He pointed out something remarkable: during this outbreak, only a small number of fully vaccinated individuals became infected despite what appeared to be tens of thousands of potential exposures. Dr. Mina's calculation suggested an effectiveness rate of approximately 99.9% decades after vaccination—a figure that challenges conventional understanding of vaccine durability.
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1 month ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
Texas is currently experiencing its most severe measles outbreak in three decades. The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 561 confirmed cases as of April 2025, resulting in 58 hospitalizations and three deaths - two unvaccinated children in Texas and one unvaccinated adult in New Mexico (classified as “under investigation”). The outbreak originated in Gaines County's Mennonite community but has since spread to at least 23 Texas counties and crossed state borders.
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1 month ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
Dear Science,I write to you today after reading the news that HHS Secretary Kennedy has announced plans to "determine the cause of autism by September." My pen is heavy with disbelief, my mind reeling at the implication that all this time, you've simply been too lazy or incompetent to find the answer that apparently can be discovered in just a few months.
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1 month ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
Beyond the headlines and social media posts, food allergies represent real, daily challenges for millions of families worldwide. As parents nervously introduce new foods to their infants, as school cafeterias establish "nut-free zones," and as adults scrutinize restaurant menus, the impact of food allergies extends far beyond clinical statistics. In the past few months, food allergies have been receiving an increasing amount of attention.
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1 month ago | 
theunbiasedscipod.substack.com | Jess Steier
Last week, Utah became the first state in the nation to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Despite decades of scientific consensus supporting water fluoridation as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, Governor Spencer Cox signed legislation on March 28th barring communities from adding this mineral to their water systems, effective May 7th.