Causes or Cures
For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots
Causes or Cures is an independent health podcast hosted by "Dr. Eeks" (ErinKate Stair, MD, MPH). It is an offbeat, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a genuine love of making complicated health topics easier to understand.
Dr. Eeks is a public health professional specializing in applied epidemiology & health communication. By day, she works on challenging public health issues. By choice, she spends some of her free time asking scientists, physicians, researchers, authors, clinicians, and other fascinating people questions she hopes everyone else is wondering too.
Along the way, the podcast has wandered into everything from memory and longevity to self medicating animals, migraines, gene drive mosquitoes, strange public health history, the spiritual realm, and the occasional existential detour. If it has something to teach us about health or what it means to be human, it is probably fair game.
Recurring segments include Public Health is Weird, which uncovers strange but true stories from public health history, WTF Health News, where Dr. Eeks breaks down bizarre or buzzworthy health headlines, and Eeks Speakeasy, a more personal corner of the podcast where curiosity occasionally spills over into life, philosophy, and whatever else deserves a drink and a discussion.
A few housekeeping notes...
This podcast is for information, curiosity, and conversation. It is not medical advice.
Although Dr. Eeks has an MD, she does not practice medicine. She is a full time public health nerd and will never tell you what to do with your own health. If you have a medical question, your healthcare provider knows you far better than a podcast ever could.
Guests are invited because they have something interesting to contribute, not because Dr. Eeks agrees with every opinion they hold. Likewise, she does not endorse miracle supplements, mysterious oils, magic socks, potions, or anything that promises to solve all of life's problems.
If an episode is sponsored or underwritten by a company she genuinely enjoys working with, she will always tell you.
Causes or Cures is also not a news site. It is a place for thoughtful conversations. Dr. Eeks believes people can disagree respectfully, ask difficult questions, change their minds, and occasionally laugh at themselves along the way. Some of the best conversations she has ever had happened in hole in the walls, on sidewalks, and in places where nobody was trying to win an argument.
Sometimes Barnaby, her dog and unofficial executive producer, contributes his thoughts as well. Fortunately, he is a pretty smart dog.
Above all, Dr. Eeks hopes this podcast encourages people to stay curious, compassionate, honest, open minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful, delightfully messy thing, and one worth protecting.
The views expressed on this podcast are Dr. Eeks' own and do not reflect the views of any organization she contracts with or consults for.
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Want to sponsor or underwrite an episode?
Causes or Cures works with a limited number of sponsors and episode underwriters in health, science, and public health. Partnerships are kept separate from editorial content and guest selection. If your organization might be a fit, reach out at: erin@bloomingwellness.com
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Causes or Cures
The Story of Ivermectin and COVID-19, with Dr. Pierre Kory
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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health.
Ivermectin is an anti-parasite drug that has been used in human and animal medicine for many years. Early in the pandemic, it was suggested that it might help prevent and/or treat COVID-19. The NIH felt there was not enough evidence to support its use against COVID-19 and in August made a recommendation AGAINST its use. In early January of 2021, the NIH invited doctors from the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance ( FLCCC), a group of crtical care physicians who strongly advocated for the use of Ivermectin for COVID-19, to present evidence for its use to their Treatment Guidance Panel. Following that meeting, the NIH removed their recommendation against its use, leaving it up to individual doctors. The WHO is currently assessing a new meta-analysis by Dr. Andrew Hill et al of Liverpool ( in preprint) on the evidence for Ivermectin and should make a ruling on its use soon.
One of the doctors to provide testimony on the benefits of Ivermectin is Dr. Pierre Kory, the president of the FLCCC Alliance. He presented evidence to both the NIH and the Senate Homeland Security Committee in a video that has now gone viral and gained millions of views. He joins Dr. Eeks on this episode of Causes or Cures to discuss Ivermectin in detail, the current evidence base for its use in treatment and prevention, the dosing riddle, and how he responds to critics. He also discusses how he thinks the future of the pandemic will play out.
Dr. Kory is a pulmonary and critical care specialist and considered a world pioneer in the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients. In addition to numerous publications, he developed the first national course in Critical Care Ultrasonography in the US and is the senior editor of the most popular textbook in the field titled "Point of Care Ultrasound." The book is translated into 7 languages worldwide. During the pandemic, he has led ICUS in multiple COVID-19 hotspots, including New York City, Greenville and Milwaukee. He helped author 2 protocols regarding the use of Ivermectin in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, which you can find here. Early on in the pandemic, he received widespread criticism for promoting the use of dexamethasone as treatment for COVID-19. Month later, and after more research emerged, dexamethasone became a standard part of treatment for COVID-19 patients.
***Please keep in mind that at the time of this podcast, Ivermectin is NOT approved for use for COVID-19. You should NEVER take Ivermectin outside a doctor's supervision. This podcast is information only and never to be taken as medical or health advice.
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