Ep.249: Blind Spots in Modern Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Marty Makary

In this episode, Dr. Meg Meeker interviews Dr. Marty Makary, author of Blind Spots: When Modern Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health. They explore common medical misconceptions and their wide-reaching effects, including the rise in peanut allergies linked to outdated avoidance advice, the benefits of hormone replacement therapy, the overprescription of antibiotics, and the importance of microbiome health. Dr. Makary advocates for evidence-based medicine and critiques the centralization of medical decision-making influenced by politics and financial incentives. He promotes humility and transparency in the medical field to restore public trust and combat misinformation. Key moments: 02:08 Medical Dogma and Misconceptions 06:33 The Peanut Allergy Epidemic 13:31 Antibiotics and the Microbiome 28:08 Medical Paternalism and Public Trust 34:03 Conclusion: Challenging Medical Dogma Need parenting advice? Grab one of Dr. Meg's coaching spots here. Watch today’s episode 📺 Follow us 📲 Our guest: Dr. Marty Makary is a Johns Hopkins professor and New York Times bestselling author, known for his work in public health and healthcare reform. His latest book, *Blind Spots*, highlights critical health topics often overlooked, such as the microbiome, hormone replacement therapy, the peanut allergy epidemic, and cancer prevention. With over 250 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Makary has served as a visiting professor at more than 25 medical schools and contributed to major outlets like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He has also held leadership roles at the World Health Organization and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Makary leads the Evidence-based Medicine Public Policy Research Group at Johns Hopkins and the Re-design of Healthcare Project, focusing on making healthcare more reliable and affordable. His award-winning research centers on reducing administrative waste and improving medical transparency. Our sponsors: Air Doctor: Breathe Easier, Live Better With AirDoctor! Head to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code DRMEG, and you’ll receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers! Phyla Biotics: Visit phylabiotics.com, enter code DRMEEKER at checkout, and start your journey to healthier skin. Field of Greens: Whole, organic fruits and vegetables. No extracts, no lab-made stuff. Just one scoop a day gives you simple, real nutrition. Visit fieldofgreens.com and use promo code DRMEG for 15% off your first order and FREE rush shipping. Wild Interest: Where the magic happens when kids run the show. Wild Interest: find it wherever you get your podcasts. It’s wild! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices