On Second Thought For Friday, July 8, 2016

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been under the leadership of Dr. Tom Frieden since 2009.  The CDC director has a long history as an advocate for public health and he speaks with us about his agency’s work researching some of the latest global concerns including the Zika virus, ebola, HIV/AIDS, mental health and gun violence. 

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention have made countless appearances on the big and small screen from the 1995 thriller “Outbreak” to an explosive debut on the first season of the hit show “The Walking Dead.”  Reporter Sean Powers walks us through some of the CDC’s most memorable roles and how the agency has been portrayed by Hollywood.  Then, we talk about how public health pandemics have captured all of our imaginations at one time or another with a look at some of the most persistent theories about outbreaks, government cover-ups and global health.  Georgia State University political scientist Sean Richey and Sinead N. Younge, psychology professor at Morehouse College, join us to talk about trusting the government when wellness is at stake. "On Second Thought" celebrates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 70th birthday with this broadcast from its headquarters in Atlanta. CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden begins the show by discussing his agency's work researching some of the latest global health concerns. Then, we talk about how public pandemics have captured our imaginations, on and off screen. Plus, we explore how fear plays into our understanding and awareness of CDC research.

How does fear play into our understanding and awareness of CDC research? We take a walk back through moments of collective fear in history from atomic bombs to deadly diseases with Dr. Terry Pechacek, a professor of health management and policy at Georgia State University.  Plus, we discuss one of the biggest contemporary threats to public health: antibiotic resistance.  David Weiss of Emory University’s Vaccine Center explains what that is and why it’s a top concern for today’s health researchers.