Covid-19 Consequences:

Broken Trust, Unanswered Questions, and What Comes Next

February 21, 2025

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A Message from Dr. McMillan

Trust is like glass, once shattered, it’s incredibly difficult to restore.

Public confidence in science has been deeply shaken as leading scientists finally admit to mistakes made during the pandemic. Yet, despite these admissions, there remains little acknowledgment of the actual harm caused. Instead, there seems to be an expectation that things can simply continue as usual.

But true accountability requires change. Those who failed in their leadership should step aside, making way for new voices. Ones committed to transparency, integrity, and real scientific inquiry.

The future of public trust in medicine depends on a fresh start. Are we ready to take that step?.

Dr. Philip McMillan

In this week's February 21, 2025 update:

  • COVID-19: The consequences of loss of trust in public health

  • Vejon: This week’s featured Vejon video

  • Health: Comparing SSRI and heroin withdrawal

  • Infographic: Broken trust, unanswered questions

  • News: Medical news in brief

  • Courses: ROOT program and McMillan monitor

    Read time: 6 minutes

FEATURE ARTICLE

COVID-19

  • Vaccine hesitancy has doubled since 2020, with previously controlled diseases like measles resurging due to decreased public trust in science.

  • Health officials failed to clearly explain COVID vaccine limitations, damaging credibility and affecting trust in all routine vaccinations.

  • A Guillain-Barré syndrome outbreak in India raises concerns about COVID's potential role in triggering devastating autoimmune responses.

  • Secret funding of $38 million to Wuhan Institute through USAID reignited debates about lab leak theories and gain-of-function research.

Why is this important: Public health hinges on trust between experts and citizens. When this bond breaks, as shown by doubled vaccine hesitancy and measles outbreaks, even routine medical interventions face skepticism. Future pandemics require public confidence, making transparency and honest communication essential for survival.

HEALTH

  • SSRI discontinuation syndrome affects 2-40% of users, causing flu-like symptoms and can be confused with returning depression.

  • Short-acting SSRIs like paroxetine have higher withdrawal rates (65% of cases), while longer-acting ones like fluoxetine have fewer effects.

  • Heroin withdrawal affects about 85% of injecting users with severe symptoms, impacting both physical and psychological well-being.

  • Tapering off SSRIs gradually over weeks or months, possibly switching to longer-acting medications, helps minimize withdrawal symptoms.

Why is this important: Proper withdrawal management from SSRIs and heroin requires distinct medical approaches, challenging the oversimplified comparison between them. While heroin withdrawal typically poses greater risks, understanding SSRI discontinuation helps doctors better support patients through medication transitions and prevent unnecessary long-term dependence.

INFOGRAPHIC

EDUCATION

McMillan ROOT Spike Detox Program

You don’t have to settle for feeling anything less than your best. The McMillan ROOT Spike Detox Program is designed to give you a clear roadmap to better health and lasting results. Complete our survey, get the link on submission to book a Check-In with Dr McMillan and start your journey back to health.

MEDICAL NEWS IN BRIEF

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

🚥 Life Expectancy Growth Slows Across Europe Since 2011, UK Hit Hardest: Declining European life expectancy trends signal a stark reversal in human progress, with poor lifestyle choices threatening to make current generations live shorter lives than their parents. This shift demands urgent policy changes and individual health interventions. [SOURCE]

🚥 Why We Hold Onto Things: A Psychologist's Research on Age, Values, and Decluttering: Understanding why older adults save possessions through values and altruism, rather than fear or anxiety, transforms decluttering approaches. This shift from traditional hoarding models allows therapists to develop more effective, emotionally-positive strategies for helping seniors manage their space.

🚥 Artificial Sweetener Aspartame Linked to Cardiovascular Risks in New Study: Daily consumption of artificial sweeteners like aspartame may not be the harmless alternative to sugar previously thought, as research reveals direct links between these substitutes and serious cardiovascular complications through increased insulin production and arterial inflammation. [SOURCE]

🚥 Brake Dust Poses Greater Health Risk Than Diesel Exhaust: Widespread transition to electric vehicles won't solve our urban pollution crisis. While exhaust emissions will decrease, toxic brake dust - particularly from heavier EVs - remains a critical yet unregulated health threat that damages lung tissue and requires immediate regulatory attention.

🚥 New Computational Model Reveals How Brain and Eyes Create 'Expanding Hole' Illusion: By bridging the gap between human visual perception and artificial intelligence, this research advances both medical diagnostics and defense capabilities while offering crucial insights into how our brains process visual information, potentially revolutionizing bionic eye development and machine vision systems. [SOURCE]

🚥 30 Plants a Week: A New Approach to Healthy Eating Challenges Traditional Guidelines: Fresh evidence suggests diversity in plant consumption may be as crucial as quantity, offering a practical alternative to traditional "five-a-day" recommendations while promoting gut health through varied microbiome development - though affordability and accessibility remain key concerns.

🚥 Global Suicide Rates Show Mixed Progress: 740,000 Annual Deaths Despite Overall Decline: Understanding suicide's complex patterns reveals both hope and urgent challenges - while global rates have dropped significantly, regional spikes and gender disparities highlight the critical need for targeted prevention strategies and improved mental health support systems. [SOURCE]

🚥 Ginger Compound Shows Promise as New Treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Finding a natural compound in ginger that targets IBD offers hope for more affordable, accessible treatment options with fewer side effects than current therapies, particularly significant as IBD cases rise globally due to modern dietary trends. [SOURCE]

BOOK NOOK

"Disease X: Are You Prepared?" is your comprehensive guide to navigating the uncertain future of global health. Drawing from experience and the latest scientific insights, this book offers:

  • Practical strategies for personal and community preparedness.

  • Lessons learned from COVID-19 and other outbreaks.

  • Actionable steps to boost resilience against emerging health threats.

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