Five questions for Dr. Rubin, armed with a microphone and a tie

Nonsense is cheap but truth is expensive. Anyone with half a brain cell can spread wild misinformation that goes viral, wasting the time and expertise of highly trained people who feel an obligation to tell others the truth. Today I want you to meet one of these highly trained people, Dr. Zachary Rubin, who is working on the front lines against scientific and medical misinformation.

Robin is a pediatric allergist and immunologist and author of the book It’s all about sensitivity. He probably came across my TikTok feed because I’m craving anti-misinformation content; One of my other favorite people doing this work Robin’s colleague is Dr. Idris Mughalalso known as Dr. Eds, is fighting the good fight against wellness scammers and other miscreants. You can find Robin on Instagram, Tik Tokand YouTube.

Robin knows how to spread the word, often seen with a small microphone in hand and always sporting his signature bow tie. His speaking style invokes authority but is never condescending, which is one of the reasons I think he is a great scientific communicator.

Robin has a medical practice, but I asked him five questions about his other job: helping rid the world of junk science and making us all more informed.

The journey to becoming a doctor is long and difficult. Before we get started on your online business, please tell me why you embarked on this path.

I’ve always been fascinated by how the human body works. Medicine attracted me because it combines science, problem solving, and the privilege of helping people through some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. I was lucky to see these moments early in my life because my father is a pediatrician. Allergy and Immunology was especially compelling because the immune system touches nearly every aspect of health, and many of the conditions I treat can improve dramatically when patients finally receive proper diagnosis and treatment. Becoming a doctor has been extremely challenging, but also one of the most rewarding decisions I have ever made.

You are a great communicator of science and medicine. (By the way, your signature tie is a nice touch.) Your videos show a rare combination of talent that the world needs, especially since we’re plagued by a hose of misinformation. You could have remained silent while you were in clinic with your patients. Why wade through the mud online?

I realized that misinformation doesn’t stay on the Internet; He comes into my exam room every day. Patients deserve access to understandable, evidence-based information before they need to see a doctor. Social media allows me to reach millions of people with the same conversations I have in the clinic every day. My goal is not to tell people what to think. It’s to help them think critically about health claims, understand what the evidence actually shows, and feel empowered to ask better questions.

What is the number one thing you wish people understood about science and/or medicine?

This uncertainty is not a weakness, but rather one of science’s greatest strengths. Science is not a set of established facts. It is the process of getting closer to the truth. Good scientists are willing to change their minds when better evidence emerges. Unfortunately, this can seem like inconsistency to the public, when in fact this is how progress happens. Confidence should always be proportional to the quality of evidence.

What is your favorite thing about fighting misinformation online, and what is the most challenging?

The most rewarding part is hearing someone say, “I changed my mind.” This is extremely rare today, and reminds me that respectful conversations can still make a difference.

The hardest part is that misinformation spreads faster than nuance. A confident but incorrect statement can go viral within minutes, while explaining the evidence often takes much longer. Add to that algorithms that reward anger, and it becomes an uphill battle, but that’s exactly why more doctors and scientists need to get involved in the conversation.

America is 250 years old. This country has been behind a lot of great science and medicine. What are we doing wrong, and what can we do better?

The United States has an exceptional history of scientific discovery because we invest in research, encourage innovation, and welcome people with diverse ideas and experiences. I hope we continue to appreciate these strengths.

One area we can improve is scientific literacy. We should spend more time educating people how To evaluate the evidence, and not only What To save. At the same time, scientists and doctors need to become better communicators. If we don’t explain our work clearly and transparently, someone else will fill that void. Trust is not built by having all the answers, it is built by being honest about what we know and don’t know, and how we are working to find out.