
Redfield on Risk: Gain-of-Function, Bird Flu, and the Next Pandemic
From Leaked by TFLabs
January 27, 2026 · 52 min · Season 1 · Episode 8
About this episode
Dr. Robert Redfield discusses the changes and ongoing challenges in public health since the pandemic, including risks associated with gain-of-function research and the importance of antiviral drug development.
Dr. Robert Redfield, former CDC Director, joins the podcast to cover what’s changed since the pandemic and what still hasn’t: long COVID, vaccine injury claims, the limits of public health messaging, and why trust may be the most important countermeasure we have. Redfield also shares his warning about what could come next, including the risks of gain-of-function research, lab safety failures, and why he believes antiviral drug development matters more than another scramble for vaccines.
People in this episode
Guest: Dr. Robert Redfield
Topics covered
- pandemic
- public health
- gain-of-function research
- vaccine injury
- trust in health messaging
Keywords
- long COVID
- vaccine injury claims
- public health messaging
- gain-of-function
- lab safety
- antiviral drug development
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: CDC, TFLabs, Audacy
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