About this episode

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty discusses his dismissal from the University of California for challenging COVID vaccine mandates and the ethical implications of medical policies.

What happens when a doctor raises ethical concerns about a medical policy and loses his job? In this episode, Corey and Christine sit down with bioethicist and physician Dr. Aaron Kheriaty to discuss what happened after he challenged COVID vaccine mandates at his university. What began as a debate about workplace policy quickly became a national conversation about medical ethics, informed consent, and the role of public institutions during a public health crisis. Dr. Kheriaty shares the story of his dismissal from the University of California system after refusing the COVID vaccine mandate on medical and ethical grounds. Drawing from his experience as a psychiatrist and bioethics scholar, he explains why he believed the mandate raised serious concerns about medical autonomy, natural immunity, and the doctor–patient relationship. This conversation is not about telling people what medical decisions they should make. It is about examining the ethical framework behind modern medicine. What should informed consent actually look like? What role should institutions play in personal medical decisions? And what lessons should we carry forward from the COVID era? Corey and Christine…

People in this episode

Hosts: Corey Dunn, Christine Muldoon

Guest: Dr. Aaron Kheriaty

Topics covered

• medical ethics
• informed consent
• COVID vaccine mandates
• doctor-patient relationship
• healthcare system

Keywords

• medical autonomy
• natural immunity
• public health crisis
• ethical framework
• healthcare navigation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of California, COVID vaccine mandates

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