Today I got to talk with Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as U.S. Surgeon General during Trump’s first administration, about misinformation, public trust, and what it takes to communicate public health in an environment where so much of health has become politicized.
Because Dr. Adams held this role during such a contentious time, I especially wanted to hear his perspective on how trust in public health has changed, why so many people feel skeptical of health institutions, and what it actually looks like to communicate science in a way that reaches people. We talked about everything from vaccines and the opioid epidemic to social media, surveillance, and the challenge of rebuilding trust in public health.
We also talked about his approach to communication, including his belief that “people need to know that you care before they care what you know,” and why empathy and meeting people where they are matter so much in this work.
And because he has actually done this job, I also asked for his perspective on the current U.S. Surgeon General nominee, Casey Means, and what he believes this role should require.
I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do as well.
You can find a copy of Dr. Jerome Adams’s book, Crisis and Chaos: Lessons from the Front Lines of the War Against COVID-19, here.
If you found this helpful and would like to support the work I do here, please consider upgrading to become a paid subscriber. Every new subscriber helps me reach more people and do more of this work. Thank you.
