Confronting misinformation, with ACP President Jason Goldman, M.D., MACP

American College of Physicians President Jason Goldman, M.D., MACP joins the show to talk about one of the most difficult realities in clinical practice today: medical misinformation.

Goldman discusses the ripple effects he sees in the exam room — confused patients, politicized vaccine debates and growing skepticism toward scientific evidence. He also shares his perspective on the broader challenges weighing on primary care, including stagnant reimbursement, administrative overload and the deepening physician shortage.

This interview was conducted in preparation for Medical Economics' November-December cover story, "Medicine under attack: How physicians can help their patients navigate the disinformation age," which explores how misinformation is reshaping patient trust, public health and clinical decision-making.

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Music Credits:
Coffee Lo-Fi by Mit-Rich - stock.adobe.com
A Textbook Example by Skip Peck - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

0:00 — Intro
Trust in medicine breaks down as misinformation and politicization reshape patient care.

1:12 — The current state of trust in science
Jason Goldman, M.D., MACP, describes a “polarized” environment where echo chambers replace evidence.

2:17 — A public challenge to federal vaccine advisors
Why Goldman says the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices must return to basic evidence standards.

4:59 — The real damage of vaccine politicization
How confusion, outbreaks, and patient doubt are reshaping public health.

7:58 — Vaccine access vs. vaccine uptake
Supply barriers, pharmacy restrictions, and rising patient hesitation collide in clinical practice.

10:53 — How physicians fight misinformation in the exam room
Goldman walks through the communication strategies that work — and the ones that fail.

13:31 — When vaccine resistance harms families
Preventable disease, household transmission, and the limits of “personal choice.”

19:43 — Autism, Tylenol and recycled health rumors
Why debunked claims still gain traction — and what real science says.

23:00 — Life inside the misinformation echo chamber
Why patients rely on filtered sources instead of public data and primary evidence.

25:04 — P2 Management Minute
Keith Reynolds on real-world practice workflows, staff morale and engagement.

26:03 — The reality of private practice economics
Flat reimbursements, crushing regulation and why primary care is financially fragile.

28:53 — Prior authorization: promises vs. reality
Why physicians still aren’t seeing relief from payer restrictions.

31:19 — Fixing the physician shortage
Medical education reform, student debt, and why primary care needs structural investment.

34:01 — A message to primary care physicians
Advocacy, resilience and unity in a strained system.

35:08 — Outro
Final thoughts, credits and where to find future episodes.