The Marketing of Health Myths
May 29, 2014
Hosted by Mark B. Toubin
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Guest Information
Episode Description
Billions of dollars are wasted every year chasing the wrong diet, addiction treatment, and medical care for preventable diseases. At fault is not a dearth of scientific or medical knowledge, but rather the prevalence of unproven health conceptions perceived as facts. How do these myths begin and what can we do to create a healthier, more cost effective environment? Whether it’s a myth as innocuous as believing that eating before swimming increases the risk drowning or more serious as avoiding a vaccine for fear of acquiring the disease, health myths might do more harm than perhaps any other single threat to our well-being.
Between the Synapse
Archives Available on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Based on the blog of the same name, Between the Synapse explores topics that fall in-between the obvious and typical with insight, clarity and humor in the realm of politics, pop culture, foreign affairs, and sports. The shows will entertain, inform and provoke by asking questions such as whether Europe or the U.S. can better forecast the weather or how health myths are marketing to the public and presenting topics that include the last Mad Men, Congressional chaos, and the quest for Mid-East peace.
Mark B. Toubin
A veteran of radio, law, public affairs, and politics, Mark Toubin founded his blog, Between the Synapse, in 2008 as an avenue for exploring his ideas and insights with humor and an occasional dose of sarcasm. In the nervous system, a synapse is a structure that permits a neuron to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell. The Neuron Doctrine explains that though neurons are not continuous, cells may nonetheless communicate. BtS captures the linkage of that which falls in-between the obvious, conventional and typical. Its niche is a voice, not a topic.
Mark’s distinctive voice developed after practicing civil litigation for 11 years, running the Southwest region of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for 8 more, and operating his own consultancy, ConneXion, LLC, since 2008. ConneXion works with non-profits, political campaigns, and businesses as a fundraiser, strategic communications advisor, and writer. Back in the late 90’s, he hosted a once a week hour-long radio program on Houston’s 97.1 FM.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Mark attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia before returning for law school at the University of Texas. Mark enjoys creative writing, tennis, travel, sports, and long, quiet walks on the beach with flightless waterfowl.
