12/23/2025
For much of the past century, doctors had a near-monopoly on knowledge about and the provision of medical care. But, today, many groups—A.I. startups, wellness influencers, longevity entrepreneurs, MAHA acolytes—are vying for medical authority, often by chipping away at that of doctors. A recent poll found that about half of young people believe that individuals who do their own research can know as much as a doctor. Nearly 40 per cent say they’ve followed advice seen on social media instead of a medical provider’s. In the U.S., nearly four in ten parents identify as supporters of the MAHA movement. Meanwhile, according to a Gallup survey, the trust Americans have in doctors has fallen 14 points since 2021, and now sits at its lowest level in decades.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration awarded grants to thousands fewer research projects than usual, which has affected virtually every aspect of medicine. And this year, the Department of Health and Human Services purged thousands of employees and weakened government programs dedicated to to***co control, environmental safety, injury prevention, and reproductive health. “It’s not just money that’s being reallocated—it’s trust,” Dhruv Khullar writes. How can doctors convince patients of the value of their expertise? “A thriving profession will set norms, correct itself, and defend against unrestrained commercialization and exploitation,” Khullar notes. “Even today, in a moment of pitched cynicism, the public seems to appreciate this.” He considers how physicians should navigate our new world of medical misinformation, corporatized healthcare, and A.I. diagnoses: https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/F68bjs
