Dr. Jessica Edwards is a board-certified family medicine physician, entrepreneur, and founder of Zahra Medical, a hybrid telehealth company improving access to affordable, high-quality primary care. A mom of two—including a son with autism—Dr. Edwards brings a powerful combination of clinical expertise and lived experience to conversations about public health, parenting, and the importance of evidence-based medicine.
In this deeply moving and eye-opening episode of The Humanity of Fame, host Kali is joined by Dr. Jessica Edwards to discuss the resurgence of vaccine-autism myths, the dangerous impacts of misinformation, and the human cost of medical disinformation. The conversation explores the CDC’s decision to revisit a long-debunked study on vaccines and autism—despite a wealth of scientific evidence disproving any link—and how that decision impacts public trust, healthcare funding, and the lives of families like Dr. Edwards’.
Key Topics:
• Debunking the Vaccine-Autism Myth: Why the original study linking vaccines to autism was fraudulent, and how its prolonged existence continues to fuel misinformation.
• Public Health at Risk: How misinformation contributes to measles outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy, and preventable deaths in children.
• Personal Journey as a Mom & Physician: Dr. Edwards shares her emotional story of her son’s autism diagnosis, navigating fear, misinformation, and ultimately choosing advocacy and science.
• The Cost of Rehashing Debunked Science: Why revisiting discredited claims drains funding from meaningful medical research and complicates healthcare providers’ work.
• Healing Through Advocacy: How Dr. Edwards transformed grief into empowerment, helping other parents and advocating for better autism care and awareness.
Potential Questions:
1. Why is the CDC reexamining a vaccine-autism link that has already been debunked?
2. What are the real dangers of vaccine hesitancy for children and public health?
3. How did Dr. Edwards handle her child’s autism diagnosis—both as a physician and a mom?
4. What can parents do to separate fact from fear when it comes to vaccines and health decisions?
References and Links:
• Connect with Dr. Edwards & Zahra Medical: ZahraMedical.com
• Learn more about autism screening and early intervention: CDC Autism Info
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Final Thoughts:
Dr. Edwards reminds us that science doesn’t need to be revisited—it needs to be respected. When misinformation circulates, lives are at risk. And when advocacy is rooted in both love and facts, real change is possible.
Find out more about Kali and the show HERE: https://humanityoffame.com/
