The Highwire with Del Bigtree

This week on The HighWire, a precedent-setting $2 million malpractice verdict signals a turning point in how courts are treating medical interventions performed on minors. As more states extend statutes of limitations, accountability is finally entering a space long shielded from liability.Jefferey Jaxen also unpacks how powerful narratives—pandemic, climate, and beyond—are constructed, defended, and enforced, even when evidence begins to fall apart.Then, a chilling look at the future: artificial intelligence is now being used to assist in biological research, including the creation of entirely new viruses. What safeguards exist—and who decides what lines shouldn’t be crossed?Plus, Del speaks with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton about medical freedom, patient consent, and an investigation into financial incentives driving medical decision-making.Guest: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.

The U.S. Navy issued a rare and revealing apology tied to its COVID-era policies—quietly acknowledging the damage caused by mandates and disciplinary actions imposed on service members. Once unthinkable, the apology signals a deeper reckoning as institutions begin to confront the real-world consequences of pandemic decision-making.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.

Autism provider and Holland Center founder Jennifer Larson joins Del Bigtree to expose how Minnesota’s sweeping response to a massive Medicaid fraud scandal is punishing the wrong people. Not just targeting criminal actors, the state has frozen payments and deployed AI-driven systems that delay reimbursements, pushing legitimate autism care providers to the brink of closure.
As legitimate centers struggle to keep their doors open, vulnerable children and families are caught in the crossfire. Larson explains how a blunt, bureaucratic crackdown has created a second crisis, one that threatens access to essential care.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.

On today’s HighWire, Former CDC Director Robert Redfield is now saying the quiet part out loud, admitting we were right about mRNA and spike protein. Also, Del Celebrates RFK Jr.’s Announcement of 21 new members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the committee responsible for coordinating the government’s autism research and response. This is huge, and Del has the details.

Then, we examine Moderna’s announcement that it is halting new Phase 3 vaccine trials, citing reduced market incentives under increased federal oversight. What does this decision reveal about safety testing, accountability, and public health priorities?
Also, a deep dive into the UK’s newly announced AI surveillance system — described by officials as a “panopticon.” We unpack the origins of the term and what it signals about the future of mass surveillance.

Plus, as fraud investigations rock Minnesota, autism education providers are facing devastating funding cuts. Jennifer Larson of Holland Center joins Del to explain how legitimate, long-standing programs are now at risk — and how families are paying the price.
Guest: Jennifer Larson

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.

Liz James, Founder & President of Blessed by His Blood, and Tanya Lair—a physician assistant and mother of two daughters who require lifelong transfusions—share the fight to protect patients’ right to direct to donor blood after a decade-long donor arrangement was suddenly revoked. They unpack how a system meant to save lives can prioritize bureaucracy and profit over individualized care, and why this battle is spreading to legislatures across the country.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.