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Infectious DoseAuthor: Infectious Dose
Infectious dose is the shot of science you need to protect yourself from misinformation. Heather McSharry, PhD, an expert in viral pathogenesis, brings her blog to the airwaves to help bridge the dangerous gap between the science of infectious diseases and public misperception. On the podcast website, infectiousdose.com, all episodes have corresponding blog posts with the information contained in the episode along with links or PDFs for all sources used. To prevent unwelcome surprises, episodes with limited, mild profanity are marked as explicit. *Podcast intro and outro music are adapted from Heather Novas song, I Miss My Sky. Used with permission. Language: en Genres: Life Sciences, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 41 - ACIP Undone: Proof, Policy, and Panic Over a Hepatitis B Vaccine
Episode 42
Tuesday, 16 December, 2025
Show Notes — ACIP Undone: Proof, Policy, and Panic Over a Hepatitis B Vaccine This episode unpacks everything you need to know about hepatitis B and the life-saving vaccine that helps prevent chronic liver disease and liver cancer later in life. From the biology of the virus to the science behind the birth dose, we explore how this vaccine works, why it’s given so early, and what’s at stake now that ideology is overriding evidence in U.S. vaccine policy. We also confront a dangerous shift in public health: the dismantling of expert-driven systems in favor of anti-vaccine rhetoric. The result isn’t just political—it’s personal. And it puts newborns at risk. In this episode: How hepatitis B infects the liver and evades the immune system Why newborns are uniquely vulnerable to chronic infection The history and science behind the universal birth dose What the ACIP overhaul means for public trust and public health Vaccine safety, ingredients, and long-term effectiveness Debunking the most common lies circulating on social media All citations are in the blog post for this episode at infectiousdose.com
