How Politics Are Changing Health and Science

Health, science and politics are intertwined in complex ways. Politics can shape access to care, funding for research, and which medical procedures are legal and which ones aren’t.

As we head into the upcoming presidential election, we explore what’s at stake for health and science issues. We’ll find out how scientists pivot their work to dodge political headwinds and protect the integrity of their research; we’ll discuss the emotional impact of online bullying and threats on political candidates; and we’ll find out how abortion restrictions have affected everything from advances in fertility treatments to opinions among Latinas in the state of New Mexico.

Also heard on this week’s episode:

• For years, biomedical engineer Cathi Klapperich had been working on a device that would continuously monitor hormones. But after the Dobbs decision, she had a host of concerns about personal fertility data potentially being used against patients in states that have outlawed abortion. We talk with Klapperich about how politics have transformed her research.
• Over the past two years, 21 states have passed laws restricting or eliminating access to abortion. And that’s had a major impact even on adjacent states where abortion is still available. In this piece, produced in collaboration with Latino USA, Marta Martinez reports on how the recent influx of patients seeking abortions has affected New Mexico, inflaming the passions of its large Latino and Catholic population.
• In 2014, Kiah Morris became one of Vermont’s very few Black state legislators. A few years into her term, Morris started being targeted by online harassment and abuse, even threats of violence. We’ll hear how online bullying is affecting politicians — and the chilling effect it’s having on our democracy.
• Scientists working at federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Environment Protection Agency have adopted new policies to ensure scientific integrity, and to protect researchers from political interference. Reporter Alan Yu talks with some of those scientists about their efforts to guard their work.