Vaccines, Science, and Conscience: A Conversation with Dr. Paul Offit on Public Health and Trust
In this compelling episode of Faith in Healthcare, host Dr. Mike Chupp and guest co-host Dr. Amy Givler sit down with Dr. Paul Offit—world-renowned vaccinologist, co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. To help us navigate these questions with both clarity and compassion, guest co-host Dr. Amy Givler, a longtime CMDA member, current CMDA Trustee and family physician who has written and spoken extensively on vaccine ethics.
Together, they address pressing issues at the intersection of faith and medicine: vaccine hesitancy, public trust, COVID-19 lessons, misinformation in the church, and how Christian healthcare professionals can navigate these challenging conversations with compassion and clarity.
From personal stories to global perspectives, Dr. Offit offers science-based insights while honoring the role of faith in patient care. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, church leader, or simply seeking truth in a divided culture, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.
📌 Topics Covered:
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- Why vaccine hesitancy is rising—even in Christian communities
- Lessons learned from COVID-19 and public health communication
- Balancing personal autonomy with public health responsibility
- How to respond to conspiracy theories with grace and truth
- The role of faith in advocating for health and protecting the vulnerable
We’d like to take a moment to personally invite our women listeners in medicine or dentistry to a very special event coming up this September. The Women Physicians and Dentists in Christ commission will be holding their annual conference September 4-7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the beautiful Hotel Albuquerque – right in the heart of Old Town and the rising Sawmill District.
Registration is open, and this conference promises to be worth your time! Alongside special guest Helen Smallbone – mother of the artists known as for KING & COUNTRY – you’ll also hear from host, Dr. Mike Chupp, as he delivers a plenary message on the theme “God Makes a Way” from Isaiah 43:19. This is one of the very best ways to experience the belonging, support, and equipping that is at the heart of the WPDC ministry. CME is available, and we invite you to explore all the conference details and register today at wpdc.cmda.org.
join us for the Northeast Regional Retreat, October 24-26 at Sandy Cove Ministries in North East, Maryland. This year’s theme is Faith Embodied, led by Dr. Stephen Ko – a pediatrician and preventive medicine physician at Mass General Brigham in Boston, and a familiar voice on this podcast. Continuing education credit is available, with a $25 early bird discount through August 1. First-time attendees can also find an additional discount code on the event page. Learn more about all of these events and register at cmda.org/events.
Video Podcast:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Dr. Paul A. Offit is a distinguished expert in vaccinology. He directs the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and holds professorships at the University of Pennsylvania.
A recipient of numerous prestigious awards, Dr. Offit is a co-inventor of the RotaTeq rotavirus vaccine, which is recommended for infants worldwide. He has published over 170 scientific papers and is the author of ten medical books, including Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All and Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine.
Dr. Offit currently serves on the FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee. He is a prominent voice in public health and a strong advocate for vaccine safety and education.
Amy Givler, MD is a family physician in Monroe, Louisiana. She and her husband Don met in 1980 at a CMDA student event her first year of medical school, and they have both been active members of CMDA ever since. Amy graduated from Wellesley College and Georgetown University School of Medicine, and she then completed her family medicine residency at the same indigent-care hospital where she now works part time. Amy loves to write and has written many articles and one book, Hope in the Face of Cancer: A Survival Guide for the Journey You Did Not Choose. She and Don raised three children and have a heart for missions. They travel yearly to Kenya to teach medical students and residents, and they also help lead marriage weekends.
