Dec 5, 2025 3-5pm ET
Friday on The Robert Scott Bell Show:
Hour 1
Special Guest: Judy Mikovits
Dr Mikovits earned a BA in Chemistry from University of Virginia in 1980 and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from George Washington University in 1992. In her forty-year quest to understand the causes, prevent and treat chronic diseases, she has co-authored seminal papers culminating at least a decade of research in each of four fields: immunology, natural products chemistry, epigenetics, and HIV/AIDs drug development.
In 2009 Dr Mikovits led the team that first isolated and characterized a new family of human disease-associated retroviruses, XMRVs/HGRVS. Dr Mikovits has co-authored more than 50 peer reviewed publications and book chapters; holds patent # WO 2012061790 A1. “Combination Therapy for Prostate Cancer using Botanical Compositions and Bicalutamide”.
Dr Mikovits is a New York Times Best selling author of the books, Plague Plague of Corruption and the Case Against the Masks and Ending Plague.The formation of M.A.R.C. Inc. in 2016 with colleague, Dr. Frank Ruscetti, has afforded Dr. Mikovits the opportunity to come full-circle back to her first love, natural products chemistry. In 2020 MARC Inc evolved to become DrJsolutions a company focused not only on education but on providing solutions for prevention and treatment autoimmune/auto-inflammatory diseases resulting from viral infection, drugs and environmental toxins. Her heart and passion is to focus on natural products chemistry and plant based drug therapies.
Her current focus is on medical cannabis with breakthroughs in understanding of the pathophysiology of neuroimmune diseases as acquired endocannabinoid immune dysfunction (AEIDS) including COVID19.
CDC Vaccine Panel Vote Could End Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns The article reports that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is poised to vote on removing its decades-long recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine shortly after birth — a change that would limit the birth-dose to infants whose mothers test positive for hepatitis B or whose status is unknown. The proposed shift would leave vaccination timing for other infants to “shared decision-making” between parents and doctors, with the first dose possibly delayed until two months of age, rather than mandated at birth. The article frames the vote as a major policy reversal, noting that the original universal birth-dose guideline was introduced in 1991 and credited with dramatically reducing childhood hepatitis B infections and related long-term liver diseases. It raises concerns about the potential public-health impact of the change, especially given that not all pregnant people receive reliable screening, some test results may be inaccurate, and new infections can be acquired later in pregnancy or via household exposures. The piece underscores that the alteration is part of broader shifts in U.S. vaccine-policy under current leadership and may reflect evolving priorities in immunization strategy. It warns that scaling back the universal recommendation could lead to increased infections in infants who might otherwise have been protected and stresses the need for careful consideration before adopting such a significant departure from established public-health practice.
‘Unprecedented’ Power Grab: FCC, Congress Race to Strip Local Control Over Cell Towers The article reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and U.S. lawmakers are pushing legislation and rule-changes that would severely undercut local zoning and community control over cell-tower placement, allowing wireless companies to install towers and antennas virtually anywhere — including near homes, schools, and neighborhoods — without meaningful input or consent from residents. The proposed federal American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289) would force local governments to approve wireless infrastructure applications under tight deadlines or face automatic approval, effectively eliminating the ability of municipalities to oppose or regulate such builds. At the same time, the FCC has issued a notice aimed at removing what it terms “unlawful regulatory burdens” on tower and wireless infrastructure deployment, signaling a broad preemption of state and local permitting and zoning laws. Critics argue this amounts to an unprecedented federal power grab, overriding long-standing protections for local democracy, environmental review, and community safety — rights that previously allowed neighborhoods to weigh in on developments that could affect property values, aesthetics, environmental health, or radiation exposure. The article warns that if the bill and FCC rule pass, every U.S. community could lose the ability to meaningfully object to a wave of new wireless installations, undermining local control and stripping residents of their voice in decisions about their own environment and public-health safety.
Supplements Threatened in New GRAS Bill The article warns that a proposed reform to the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) regulatory process in the U.S.—championed by Representative Frank Pallone—would eliminate the existing “self-affirmed GRAS” pathway in favor of a new system requiring full pre-approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before any ingredient can be used in foods or dietary supplements. Under current rules, many vitamins, minerals, botanical ingredients and other supplement-relevant compounds reach market under self-certified GRAS status without FDA review; the bill would reportedly give FDA broad authority to retroactively challenge existing ingredients and reassess GRAS substances without regard to dose, potentially leading to bans or removal of numerous items currently available. The authors argue that this overhaul would raise costs, suppress competition, reduce innovation, and restrict consumer access to a wide array of supplements and natural-product ingredients. They contend that the bill’s overly broad scope threatens not only additives but also micronutrients long considered safe, thereby undermining the supplement industry and limiting consumer choice. While acknowledging that some reformers seek transparency and better safety oversight, the article claims that abolishing self-affirmed GRAS would overburden the FDA and ultimately do more harm than good — likening the change to “throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”
San Francisco Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Ultra-Processed Food Manufacturers The article describes how City of San Francisco, through its David Chiu as City Attorney, has filed what it calls a “first-of-its-kind” lawsuit in Superior Court against ten of the largest food and beverage manufacturers — including Kraft Heinz Company, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Nestlé USA, General Mills, Mondelez International, Kellogg Company, Mars, Incorporated, Post Holdings and ConAgra Brands — accusing them of deliberately engineering and marketing “ultra-processed foods” that have contributed to a broad public-health crisis. The complaint argues these companies used addictive design and aggressive marketing strategies — similar to those historically used by the tobacco industry — to promote products high in sugars, salts, fats, artificial additives and flavorings, marketed especially toward children, low-income communities, and communities of color. The lawsuit alleges that such products played a central role in rising rates of chronic diseases in San Francisco — including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease and certain cancers — and that the cost of treating these illnesses has burdened public health systems and taxpayers. The complaint invokes California’s Unfair Competition Law and state public-nuisance statutes, seeking civil penalties, restitution for medical and social costs, and injunctive relief that would curb deceptive marketing and restrict product distribution and advertising practices. The article frames the lawsuit as a turning point: the first time a U.S. municipal government has attempted to hold food manufacturers legally accountable for population-level health harms associated with ultra-processed foods — an approach supporters see as akin to earlier legal victories over tobacco and lead-paint industries.
Scientists Warn: 76% of People Are Not Getting Enough of This Vital Nutrient New research from University of East Anglia, University of Southampton, and collaborating institutions finds that roughly 76% of people globally are not consuming sufficient amounts of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids — especially the essential EPA and DHA — based on a comprehensive review contrasting actual intakes against recommended nutritional targets. The review synthesizes dietary guidelines from many countries across all life stages and compares them with population-level consumption data; it concludes that the majority of people fall short of the intake levels considered optimal for general health. EPA and DHA, which the body cannot synthesize in adequate amounts on its own, are primarily found in marine sources such as oily fish and algae (or via fortified foods/supplements). These omega-3 fats play key roles in maintaining healthy cell membranes, supporting cardiovascular and cognitive function, regulating inflammation, and contributing to neural development and immune health. The authors highlight that achieving sufficient EPA and DHA from diet alone can be challenging for many, especially in regions with low consumption of oily fish, limited access to seafood, dietary restrictions, or sustainability concerns. Given this gap, the study calls for more accessible and sustainable sources of omega-3s — including enriched foods or supplementation — especially for populations at risk (such as pregnant individuals, children, older adults, and those with low fish intake). The researchers argue that addressing this shortfall should be a public health priority, given the wide-ranging benefits of omega-3s and the potential long-term consequences of chronic underconsumption.
HHS Responds to Governor Pritzker’s Vaccine Legislation The article explains that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a pointed response to Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker after he signed a law allowing the Illinois Department of Public Health to independently determine the state’s vaccine recommendations and require insurers regulated by the state to cover those vaccines, even if they diverge from federal guidance. HHS criticized the move as undermining national public-health cohesion, arguing that it risks fragmenting vaccine policy at a time when federal officials are attempting to rebuild public trust. A spokesperson for the agency stated that the Kennedy-led HHS is working to reinstate what it calls evidence-driven, transparent standards and suggested that state-level deviations could create confusion for clinicians and patients. Supporters of the Illinois law argue that it preserves state autonomy and allows Illinois to maintain continuity with longstanding vaccine schedules, but HHS contends that such actions reflect political resistance to federal reforms rather than a scientific disagreement. The article emphasizes the broader conflict emerging between states seeking to preserve pre-existing vaccine frameworks and a federal health agency attempting to overhaul national vaccine policy, illustrating how vaccine governance is becoming an increasingly contested arena between state authority and federal oversight.
Hour 2
12 former FDA chiefs blast Prasad’s move to toughen vaccine standards Twelve former commissioners of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a letter in The New England Journal of Medicine condemning recent proposed changes to vaccine-review standards by current vaccine regulator Vinay Prasad as a dangerous departure from the agency’s tradition of rigorous, science-based regulation. The former regulators argue Prasad’s plan to require large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials for nearly all new or updated vaccines — including annual flu shots and COVID-19 boosters — would significantly slow access to vaccinations, raise costs for manufacturers (especially smaller biotech firms), and reduce the ability to quickly update vaccines in response to emerging pathogens. The critique specifically targets Prasad’s justification for the overhaul: a leaked internal memo claiming at least 10 child deaths following COVID-19 vaccination, based on unverified reports from the passive Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The commissioners point out that VAERS is designed only as an early warning system and cannot reliably establish causality; earlier FDA reviews had reached different conclusions after analyzing the same cases. They warn that treating such reports as definitive evidence and letting them drive sweeping regulatory changes undermines public trust, threatens the timely availability of vaccines, and abandons a model that historically balanced safety, efficacy, and accessibility — especially critical during public-health emergencies.
The MAHA Classroom: How One Ohio Teacher Is Reviving Real Food in a Public School The article highlights how Newark High School culinary arts teacher Leona Vrbanac is transforming student health, food literacy, and community culture by introducing ancestral eating principles and hands-on food education rooted in MAHA-style real-food traditions. In a neighborhood marked by food insecurity, limited access to fresh produce, and school meals dominated by ultra-processed foods, her classroom has become a hub of excitement and change, with waitlists forming as students seek out her popular courses. Vrbanac teaches gardening, knife skills, fermentation, nose-to-tail cooking, herbal teas, and nutrient-dense homemade meals inspired by Weston A. Price practices, helping students unlearn the belief that food comes only from plastic packaging and Styrofoam trays. Many of her students arrive unfamiliar with fresh produce or real meat, yet through gentle encouragement she invites them to “embrace every edible opportunity,” exposing them to ingredients they’ve never tasted and helping them overcome fear of real food. Her efforts ripple outward as students influence siblings and parents, particularly as the surrounding food desert begins improving with a new butcher and farmers market. Vrbanac observes dramatic emotional and behavioral improvements in students who begin nourishing themselves with whole foods, noting how simple changes such as hydration, salt, fermented foods, or herbal teas help them reconnect with their bodies. Her curriculum integrates foundational texts on ancestral nutrition, mental health, and traditional cooking, reinforcing the “why” behind every skill. Administrators and families report better behavior, more engagement, and deep gratitude for the program. Vrbanac’s message emphasizes empowerment through responsibility: planting seeds, growing food, and reclaiming personal health. The article concludes that her approach demonstrates how MAHA principles can reshape school culture and community health one classroom at a time.
Sen. Cassidy Calls Vaccine Panel ‘Totally Discredited’ The article explains that Senator Bill Cassidy criticized the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as “totally discredited” ahead of its high-stakes vote on whether to revise long-standing recommendations for newborn hepatitis B vaccination. ACIP is considering replacing the universal birth-dose guideline with an individualized approach for infants whose mothers test negative or whose hepatitis B status is unknown, a proposal Cassidy argues could jeopardize decades of successful prevention efforts that drastically reduced childhood hepatitis B transmission. He also took issue with the decision to allow attorney Aaron Siri to address the panel, saying his background in litigation against vaccine manufacturers does not constitute expertise in childhood immunization and suggesting that his participation signals a shift away from science-driven advisory processes. Cassidy warned that any decision emerging from what he views as an unreliable or compromised panel could undermine public trust and lead to reduced vaccination rates, thereby increasing the risk of preventable infections. The article situates Cassidy’s comments within broader national tensions over vaccine policy during an administration pursuing major restructuring of federal health agencies and vaccine-review frameworks, noting that critics fear abrupt changes may weaken established safeguards while supporters argue for more individualized, evidence-based recommendations.
EPA, MAHA Commission Urged to Assess Christmas-Tree Pesticides Risks to Children The press release from Center for Biological Diversity and Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Make America Healthy Again Commission (MAHA Commission) to conduct a formal risk assessment of the heavy pesticide use on commercial Christmas-tree farms and the potential hazards posed to children and pets. It reports that tree farms across states such as Oregon, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, and Texas — which together supply nearly two-thirds of U.S. Christmas trees — apply roughly 270,000 pounds of pesticides annually. Many of the chemicals used (e.g., chlorothalonil, simazine, glyphosate, hexazinone, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate) are identified as known endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, or carcinogens. The petition argues that despite decades of pesticide use, the EPA has never assessed residential exposure risks from treated Christmas trees, including potential inhalation of pesticide-laden dust, ingestion of fallen needles, or increased volatilization due to heat from string lights — exposures to which children are uniquely vulnerable. The environmental and public-health groups call for a “special review” under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, pointing out that existing regulatory oversight focuses on food crops and turf, not living trees destined for indoor homes. They warn that the lack of oversight leaves families unaware of hidden chemical risks and underlines the urgency of ensuring that holiday traditions don’t carry unseen dangers for children’s developmental and neurological health.
West Virginia Again Bans Religious Reasons for School Vaccine Exemptions The article describes how the West Virginia Board of Education reinstated the state’s mandatory school-vaccination law after the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued a stay on a recent ruling that had allowed parents to claim religious exemptions. The earlier ruling, by Michael Froble of the Raleigh County Circuit Court, had granted more than 570 families a religious-based exception, effectively pausing the requirement for vaccines for children to attend school or participate in extracurricular activities. The Supreme Court’s stay halts enforcement of that injunction pending appeal, prompting the Board to reverse course and direct all county schools to reject religious exemptions until further notice. The state’s official rationale cites compliance with long-standing law and concern for the health and well-being of all students statewide. The reversal follows a tumultuous period in which a 2025 executive order from Patrick Morrisey attempted to permit religious exemptions, a move subsequently ignored by the Board, and a legislative attempt to codify such exemptions failed earlier this year. The case exemplifies the tension between newly enacted religious-liberty protections under the 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act and long-established public-health mandates, with courts and state institutions once again affirming that only medical exemptions — not religious ones — are currently permitted for school immunization compliance.
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