In this episode, Therese Markow and Kim Mutcherson discuss the legal and ethical implications of the increasing number of frozen embryos and the complications of assisted reproductive technologies. With an estimated over 1 million frozen embryos in the United States, this is a complex topic, particularly around state laws, embryo disposition, the financial costs of IVF, and the potential increased regulation and legal challenges moving forward.

Key Takeaways:

• There is no hard data on how many embryos are currently frozen around the world, but there are estimated to be millions.

• States differ, legally speaking, as to whether an embryo is considered a person. How do we determine what obligations related people have to an embryo?.

• There are many different options for what you can have done with your embryos, and those outcomes should be included in the contract before any medical care is provided. Because laws regarding frozen embryos vary from state to state and this should be considered when people are looking to set up a clinic or go through the process.

"Once you have created a business - an industry - that creates human beings, it is inevitable that you are going to run into all sorts of really difficult issues. You can't get around it. It's just the nature of the thing. And so if we're going to have this industry, and if it's going to exist, we're going to constantly be asking ourselves difficult legal questions, difficult ethical questions, and difficult moral questions." — Kim Mutcherson

Connect with Kim Mutcherson:

Professional Bio: https://law.rutgers.edu/kimberly-mutcherson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-mutcherson/

X: https://x.com/ProfessorMutch

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

The opinions expressed by Dr. Beyrer are his own and not those of his employer.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Chris Beyrer discuss the importance of USAID, highlighting its role in global health and development, particularly through programs like PEPFAR, which has saved 25 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections. Dr. Beyrer emphasizes that the economic and security benefits of USAID, whose support amounts to less than 1% of the total US federal budget, have had important benefits at home in the United States. It protects us from infectious diseases like Ebola and MPOX. Cuts to USAID could lead to a resurgence of HIV, polio, malaria, and other diseases. Finally, Dr. Beyrer advocates for listeners to become informed, to understand what is happening, and to engage in their citizenship rights for the benefit of all.

Key Takeaways:

• By law, USAID was only allowed to buy food from US farmers, but stopping USAID has thrown farmers into crisis due to the unstable purchasing now.

• Until January 20, 2025, USAID was supporting about 21 million people worldwide on antiviral therapy. It was also one of the biggest funders and supporters of HIV prevention because treatment is not enough - you must reduce new infections to get out from under the treatment burden.

• The only group right now that we are supporting PrEP for is pregnant or lactating, breastfeeding mothers who are at risk for HIV. Everybody else who is on PrEP has been abruptly halted. 2025 could be the year that we see the beginning of the second wave of the AIDS pandemic.

"These programs really save lives. They have saved millions of lives. We know that; we've documented it carefully. It is so important to be informed, to stay informed, to understand what is happening, and really to engage. Now, more than ever, engage in your citizenship rights." — Dr. Chris Beyrer

Connect with Dr. Chris Beyrer:

Professional Bio: https://globalhealth.duke.edu/people/beyrer-chris

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Adam Berinsky discuss political rumors and misinformation. Dr. Berinsky defines rumors as unsubstantiated claims without evidence, emphasizing their social transmission. He identifies two factors influencing rumor belief: conspiratorial thinking and partisan polarization. Berinsky's research reveals that while some people firmly believe rumors, others are ambivalent and more open to correction. He suggests focusing on these undecided individuals rather than entrenched believers. Berinsky also highlights the role of political leaders in spreading misinformation and the need for creative messaging to counteract it.

Key Takeaways:

• Political rumors (or misinformation) are claims that are unsubstantiated by the balance of publicly available information.

• Republicans and Democrats are equally (or very nearly) likely to believe different pieces of misinformation that they're presented with. Currently, Republican politicians are more likely to spread misinformation.

• The more attention you pay to politics, the more likely you are to listen to people on your side.

• Better-educated and more informed people should be more likely to reject misinformation, but what we find is that actually, they're more attuned to the partisan angle of that information.

"Maybe our effort is better spent on trying to get these people who are not sure where they stand, because those are the people that we can move." — Dr. Adam Berinsky

Connect with Dr. Adam Berinsky:

Professional Bio: https://polisci.mit.edu/people/adam-berinsky

Website: https://berinsky.mit.edu/

Book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691158389/political-rumors

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-berinsky-7b9830/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

BlueSky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.