Topic: David Kessler

Pharmaceutical companies have expanded direct-to-consumer advertising to include pet medications like Simparica Trio, which carries warnings for neurological adverse reactions in dogs. The prevalence of these ads in the U.S. dates back to 1997, when the FDA, under Commissioner David Kessler, eased rules regarding the disclosure of side effects in broadcast commercials. Kessler currently serves as the Chief Science Officer for the White House COVID-19 Response Team.

Former FDA Commissioner David Kessler's upcoming book is discussed, focusing on how the food industry uses fat, sugar, and salt to trigger dopamine responses in the brain. Kessler describes Americans as "conditioned hyper-eaters" who are neurologically hooked on processed foods. The hosts critique the lack of effective PR for the book's title in the initial news reports.