Why Trust In Public Health Still Feels Broken

We react to new revelations and public frustration around the Fauci hearing, then zoom out to how trust and transparency shape the way people read health guidance. We also break down summer health risks and medication headlines so you can turn scary news into practical decisions. 
• our take on the Fauci hearing and why repeated Fifth Amendment answers fuel mistrust 
• why shifting COVID-era guidance still affects confidence in public health 
• measles case headlines in 2026 and how to read them without panic 
• the historical drop in measles fatality rates before vaccines and what that suggests about early treatment and hygiene 
• medications that can reduce heat tolerance and the heat illness warning signs to watch for 
• heat stroke symptoms plus hydration strategies that actually help 
• what watermelon can and cannot do for heat safety and why seasonal foods matter 
• Cyclospora and cyclosporiasis outbreaks, likely links to fresh produce, and prevention steps for safer food handling 
• GLP-1 drugs and rare smell or taste disturbances, how to think about relative vs absolute risk 
• FDA class II recalls for certain blood pressure and thyroid meds and why you should not stop prescriptions abruptly 

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Transcript

Welcome And What’s Ahead

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Today on the Frontline Health Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Great to be reminded that fatality rates for measles in the year 1911 and 1912 were 21 out of a thousand people. So every 21 people or every thousand people that got it, 21 of them died. But by 1953, between 1953 and 1962, which was a full decade prior to the first vaccination that came out for measles, it was one in a thousand cases. So what they found was it seems like less of an effect of the vaccines and more of an effect of the fact that we were able to treat people early.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Welcome back to the Frontline Health Podcast by Centurion, where we share health news, tips, and insights to help you take ownership of your health. My name is Evan Patrick, and with me Troy Duell, founder and CEO of Centurion Health. And today we are diving into some of the latest health headline highlights.

Fauci Hearing And Public Trust

SPEAKER_00 1:01

And uh we've got a lot of interesting highlights that we're going to get into today, but we could not start this episode without addressing what we heard at the time of recording this podcast yesterday with the congressional hearing of Dr. Anthony Fauci. Troy, I just want to start by asking you, what do you make of what you saw yesterday?

SPEAKER_01 1:21

I'd like to start by saying I invoke the Fifth Amendment. I've been given counsel because apparently that's all that that hearing really was about, because he invoked the Fifth Amendment over a hundred times, which is insane. I think I I had read somebody counted 111 times he actually invoked the Fifth Amendment. But the some of the exchanges that were going on, I guess they weren't really exchanges. They were more, I guess, discussions or monologues from some of the senators about what had taken place. And most of that seemed to come from his diaries, which was interesting because there were several things that stood out in those diaries that the man certainly liked some publicity. I don't know how much you caught of that, but that publicity hog part was big in his uh in his diary, we'll put it that way. And then he he talked about the fact that he actually had a pulmonary infarction. So he had a health episode after he had the COVID-19 vaccine himself and did not disclose it with anybody for fear that it would cause people to not want to get the vaccine. I mean, it just goes on and on with everything that uh we found out through his diary and the fact that he was wanting to force colleges to make sure that every kid had a vaccine without even knowing if it was actually going to help. I mean, it was it was eye-opening and disturbing all at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Yeah, it definitely was. And, you know, even still, we are in the year 2026. We are are now years away from COVID, and thank goodness. But you can still see just the the lack of trust that there is from the public in public health officials, and understandably so, even still, as we're we're uncovering new things that were were not brought to light that were extremely relevant during the the pandemic. And so it'll just be interesting. We don't have that much information on this at the moment. I mean, as you just said, we listened to senators question Dr. Anthony Fauci over and over and over again. And I think it was 111 times he played the fifth. And so it was just really not a very productive hearing, other than just to expose some of the some of the things that were brought to light from Dr. Fauci's diary and just some other things that were not shared with the public that were of importance.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Yeah, and I I think you hit the nail on the head that we're still suffering from a lot of the lack of faith and trust in our medical community when you find out that the the whole six-foot distancing piece was a fraud, that there was no data behind it. When you find out that masks in many ways were a fraud. I mean, you even had him changing his mind from one interview to the next on masks. And um, you had time and time again where the leaders in our medical community and whoever put him as the man in charge over this, I think they just lost face. And because of that, we've lost a lot of confidence and faith in our medical community.

Measles Cases And Vaccine Debate

SPEAKER_01 4:44

And really, when you're talking about our health headline highlights, one of the ones that jumped out to me as we were going through it was this one that says U.S. measles cases in 2026 were the highest in 35 years. They reported 2,300 cases so far in 45 different states, but they said there are active outbreaks in central Virginia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania currently. And health officials attribute much of that increase to declining vaccination rates. So measle rates or measle vaccination rates fell from 95% in 2019 to the 2019 and 20 year to 92.5% in the 24-25 year. And we know that that's going to continue to fall, I would think. But also, I think if you take a step back, and it's kind of important to look and point out the fact that flu hosp or flu hospitalizations each year is on average 4 to 7%, which is about the same amount that we saw with measle cases. So you're having about 7% of patients be hospitalized, and there have been no deaths reported because of these increase in measle cases. And it was interesting if you start to go back to when they talked about the last major outbreak. It was in 1991, I believe. And the vaccination rate about that time was about 80%. And in 1994, the vaccination rates were around 85%, and there were only 958 cases reported. So, you know, we've got to do a good job of really looking at the whole and not allow us to get fearful just because we see a vaccination rate going down, there are so many things that we've seen that have changed really our outcomes when you're talking about measles.

Measles Death Rates Then And Now

SPEAKER_01 6:39

You know, great to be reminded that fatality rates from measles in the year 1911 and 1912 were 21 out of a thousand people. So every 21 people or every thousand people that got it, 21 of them died. But by 1953, between 1953 and 1962, which was a full decade prior to the first vaccination that came out for measles, it was one in a thousand cases. So what they found was it seems like less of an effect of the vaccines and more of an effect of the fact that we were able to treat people early. We were able to manage those symptoms much better. And we had much better hygiene that allowed people to not get measles as often. But even if they did, they were able to treat them. And I think that's something that we always want to keep in mind that it's not just this one size fits all, because I think there's a lot of fear that comes in that. But we want to look at the whole base of evidence that's out there.

Sponsor Message And Listener Discount

SPEAKER_00 7:43

This episode is brought to you by Centurion Health. We're leading to make life better by providing safe, effective, and affordable health and wellness products made in the USA to help you elevate your health into life. As a special thank you to our podcast listeners, Centurion Health is giving you 15% off when you use discount code FRONTLINE15 at checkout. Visit www.centurion.health to elevate your health today.

How Vaccine Messaging Backfired

SPEAKER_00 8:26

I listened to a good bit by a comedian just on this note as we kind of shift from talking about vaccines, uh, where he was talking about how, you know, he used to be very, uh, very pro-vaccine. They told him to get the flu vaccine. He's like, oh, seems reasonable. Let me uh let me go to the doctor and get my flu vaccine. You know, let me get my measles vaccine. Seems reasonable. I go to the doctor and get my measles vaccine. And then they started telling him he needed to get the the COVID vaccine. And he's like, okay, you want me to to go to my doctor? And they're like, no, go to MetLife Stadium and we'll give you a donut to get this vaccine. And he's like, okay, I got I wasn't I wasn't suspicious of it until you started uh started pushing it so much. Uh, but now I I kind of don't want to get it. So so yeah, this is this is something that people will continue to to be concerned about and want to know more information as we as we learn more. So we will keep talking about it.

Medications That Raise Heat Risk

SPEAKER_00 9:19

Our next headline, which is uh a little bit more relevant to the season, common medications that affect heat tolerance and why millions of Americans may miss heat-related illness warning signs unless they know how their medications could interact with the weather. So many common prescription and over-the-counter medications can increase the risk of heat-related illness as highlighted in this article. We see medications such as diuretics, blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, and ahhistamines, certain pain relievers that can affect thirst, sweating, body temperature regulation, hydration, and electrolyte balance, which makes it harder for the body to cope with extreme heat. And it's important to note heat-related risks are highest for people with additional risk factors, including older adults, children, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and those with chronic health conditions. But this article also highlights that what is really important is early recognition and prevention to help avoid serious heat illness. And, you know, we most people know that know the signs, but it's important to look for things like muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, or excessive sweating. And experts recommend staying hydrated, avoiding peak heat, monitoring heat forecasts, and never stopping prescribed medications without consulting a healthcare provider. But uh, this is something that I I never knew, Troy. You know, I I have always known, you know, drink your water, you know, um get your electrolytes in, but never really knew that medications could have an impact on your ability to tolerate the heat.

SPEAKER_01 10:57

Yeah, I think it's a great headline and something to remind a lot of people because it is not something that we think about. We just continue to take our medications and a lot of times don't think about the side effects that the medications or even the supplements that we can take can have, especially when you're talking about the heat that we've had thus far this summer. And it it seems to be continuing to get a little bit warmer. So yeah, I for me, the the electrolytes are are even relatively new. It's not something that we talked about a lot. You know, instead, what we found was this second article when it's talking about heat, I think was what we did as as kids and what we should all do as a whole in order to get our electrolytes

Heat Stroke Signs And Watermelon

SPEAKER_01 11:41

in. It says uh the title was What Are the Symptoms of Heat Stroke and Can Eating Watermelon Prevent It? So we know that heat stroke, most of us do, that it is truly life-threatening, but it's basically when our body just shuts down and it can't keep up with that extreme heat. I I liken it to uh when you have an air conditioner that you've turned down to a lower level, but it's so hot outside it just can't keep up. And after a little while, it just goes kaput and uh has strained so much that it no longer works. And that's ultimately what a heat stroke is about. And to understand what those symptoms are, it includes headache, dizziness. You start to get that rapid heart rate, a little bit of nausea, fatigue, confusion, hot skin, which, you know, if you're hot already, that makes sense, difficulty breathing. And in severe cases, you could end up going into seizure or even have loss of consciousness. So if you start to feel any of those symptoms, get inside, find a cool place, put a cool towel on your back, um, on your neck, and really take in as many liquids as you possibly can and make sure that it's probably decaffeinated liquids. So ultimately you want to limit your heat at that point and get into shade or air conditioning. And what they found was that watermelon could actually support hydration during hot weather, but they said it shouldn't necessarily be considered a standalone method for preventive preventing heat stroke, which, you know, I wouldn't think most people would do that, but maybe. Uh we know it's got a high water content and it has all those electrolytes that we talked about, some of them including lycopene and L-citrulline. And they found that watermelon may help promote hydration and cardiovascular health, but uh preventing heat stroke still depends on a combination of hydration, cooling strategies, and avoiding excessive heat exposure. I was really hoping the article was going to give us a little bit more about watermelon, but all that to say, I still like my very, very cold watermelon on a hot day. I think there's nothing better and more cooling for me than getting a nice slice of cold watermelon.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

You've mentioned this before, Troy, and I think it is just really fascinating anytime we kind of zoom in on something like this. But uh, you know, God has provided the foods for us in season that kind of can help us to to have the nutrients that we need in order to fare well in in different seasons and even in uh in different climates. You mentioned, so we're talking about watermelon here, which is a is a seasonal thing. And, you know, there's uh a lot of people talking about the importance of eating seasonally when you go to the grocery store trying to to get the the fruits and the vegetables that are in season and eating those rather than just the stuff that we kind of force to grow in seasons that it was never really meant to grow. I I think about uh one time when I went to to the the Caribbean and you know there's an abundance of coconuts there, and they talk about how all the locals don't drink energy drink, or they don't drink uh sorry, sports drinks. They drink coconut water, coconut water because it's full of many of the same electrolytes and stuff and without all the sugar and dyes and artificial things that come along with many sports drinks. So thanks for sharing that. And I just think it's uh it's really interesting when we see that God has provided for us in the foods that are in season what we need in order to to thrive and be healthy in those seasons.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

That is so true. So true. And a great reminder for us. I mean, you think about uh watermelon, you think about tomatoes, even apples and some of the the citrus that we take. We talk when we talk about them, we talk about how juicy they are a lot of times because uh they're so full of water, and that's exactly what we need. And it hits the taste buds well. But when it's hitting those taste buds, you know if it's coming from fruit that it's got the electrolytes we need too. So great, great thing to keep in mind for sure when it's hot outside.

Cyclospora And Produce Safety

SPEAKER_00 15:46

This next health headline, not so not so pretty, but one that has been on many people's minds when they have been shopping at the grocery store and going out to eat and questioning every little thing that's on their plate. Diarrhea causing parasites spreads in multiple states. Many people have heard of this uh cyclosporosis. Am I saying that correctly? Yeah. That that this is increasing across multiple states, with Michigan reporting a sharp rise from 170 to 572 cases in just a few days. There have been additional cases reported in states, including New York and Texas, prompting investigations by the CDC and FDA into the source of the outbreak. And it is likely that contaminated fresh produce is the source, although no specific food has been identified. But previous outbreaks have been linked to leafy greens, herbs such as basil and cilantro, berries and peas, leading experts to recommend thoroughly washing produce and cooking it when possible. This cyclospirosis typically causes watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and sometimes fever, with symptoms appearing two to 14 days after exposure. Not sure if that's the mental image that you uh that our listeners wanted right now, but uh, but now you know that is that is what we're up against.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

Well, and it is not real fun to know that it could come up 14 days after you're exposed to it, because then you really have no idea what food it was that you ate. And something that I didn't know as we were looking through this, an article that popped up was cyclosporosis, an annual summer parasitic infection, and how to protect yourself. So I had no idea that it was an actual seasonal parasite that came out. So cyclospora has a life cycle both outside in the environment and inside its host. It says that cyclosporosis is a seasonal intestinal infection caused by the parasite Cyclospora chiotaninesis. I think I butchered it, but it's okay. You get the you get the idea. Most often linked to contaminated fresh produce. The parasite is found on foods such as leafy greens, berries, fresh herbs, and it causes those symptoms that you already discussed. But unlike norovirus, cyclospora is not typically spread from person to person, which is a good thing to know. It's only acquired through contaminated food or water. It requires a specific stool test if you want to know that you truly have it. But most of those cases will resolve themselves just by making sure that you're staying well hydrated. And they will oftentimes, if they catch it in time, give an antibiotic to help prevent it. But the prevention of this is really about proper food handling and hygiene, especially during the summer months. So we should always be washing our fruits and vegetables, practice good hand washing, remove damaged produce, and cook foods to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit. And those methods alone will help reduce that risk of infection. So something interesting. I never knew that there was a parasite Cyclospora that came out every year, every summer, but uh even greater reason to make sure that you're washing your food and cooking it well before you you dive in.

SPEAKER_00 19:20

Yeah, I I'm really hoping to learn more about how to like effectively wash my produce because I'm never really satisfied. I wonder often, like when I'm washing it in the sink before I I cook it or prepare it for a meal, uh, have am I really like getting this stuff clean? So I wonder if maybe we can have a guest on sometime who can help us, uh, who has a little bit of expertise on on that food handling and uh and cleaning and and maybe can give some insight into that.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

That that may be good. And it it'd also be good to understand a little bit more about those foods that you buy that say they're triple washed or double washed or pre-washed and what exactly all that means, because I I think there are a lot of questions that I have with that as well.

Ozempic Smell Changes And Recalls

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Absolutely. Our final health headline for today Ozimpic class drugs tied to rare smell and taste problems. Here's how significant the risk is, and went to see a doctor. A large study of more than 870,000 adults with type 2 diabetes found that GLP1 medications were associated with a small increase in smell and taste disturbances. Users had a 48% 48% higher relative risk compared with other diabetes medications, but the absolute risk remained low, about 0.37% of GLP1 users versus 0.22% of patients on other diabetes drugs. Researchers believe GLP1 medications may affect areas of the brain and taste buds involved in processing smell and taste, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. Experts are emphasizing that these findings should not discourage appropriate use of GLP1 medications but do warrant awareness and monitoring, and that patients who experience persistent or worsening changes in smell or taste should discuss them with their healthcare provider who may evaluate other possible causes, adjust treatment if needed, or refer to them an ENT specialist. And the FDA has has already announced two separate nationwide class II recalls involving commonly prescribed cardiovascular and thyroid medications due to manufacturing quality concerns. The recall affects certain lots of amylodopene, olmezertan, metamoxyl, medoxymyl, sorry, used to treat high blood pressure because the tablets may not dissolve properly in multiple lots of levothyroxine sodium used to treat hypothyroidism because they were found to be subpotent. The recalled blood pressure medication includes 6,192 bottles manufactured by Alcum Laboratories and distributed by Ascend Laboratories, while the levithyroxin recall affects numerous strengths and package sizes distributed by major pharmaceuticals and cardinal health. Patients should not stop taking these prescription medications without first consulting their healthcare provider or pharmacist. Troy, what do you make of this?

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Yeah, I mean, uh, it's not something that's super uncommon. We see it all the time. This is a class two risk that means that it's really going to be relatively low from the standpoint of risk. But usually in this case, it means that it's not going to work as well as you were hoping. So what you have with thyroid medications, if you're off even 5% and you're talking about your thyroid and you don't have one, then it could have a big impact on your mood, on your energy levels, and everything else. So that's a big reason to make sure that you go in, get a new prescription or get them to refill it with a new lot and make sure that you're within range. But on the blood pressure piece, it may mean that it's just not as good. So it may mean your blood pressure goes up just a hair. But it doesn't sound like with this, because it's a class two recall, that it is anything that is detrimental to somebody's health long term, but it could just uh get you out of balance and out of whack and something that we wanted to make people aware of.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Yeah, thank you for for shedding light on that just from the perspective of a manufacturer, because I think a lot of times the headlines, anytime there is any kind of recall or withdrawal or or issue with a specific lot of any kind of drug or supplement, it is real the reaction is is very strong because it's an easy head headline to kind of throw out there and elicit a lot of fear and reactions from people. So thank you for just kind of explaining uh what that actually means.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Absolutely.

Final Thoughts And Sign Off

SPEAKER_00 23:53

Well, that's it for today's round of health headline highlights. Anything in particular that you want to leave our listeners with today, Troy?

SPEAKER_01 24:00

I'm gonna plead the fift on that.

SPEAKER_00 24:06

This is not uh no medical or legal advice on this show. Uh thank you so much for listening to today's episode of the Frontline Health Podcast by Centurion Health. Go out today and take ownership of your health because you are your best health advocate. See you next time.