Dr. Drew Pinsky is rethinking advice he once gave patients for years. And he’s publicly apologizing for it.
The television personality and physician made the startling admission during an Oct. 15 episode of Ask Dr. Drew, telling fellow physician Dr. Kelly Victory that he once routinely encouraged patients to get seasonal flu shots because he believed the evidence showed they could reduce illness and missed workdays.
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“I was brainwashed,” Pinsky said during the conversation. “I apologize for presenting that as good science.”
View this post on InstagramHis comments come just months after the Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA-based seasonal flu vaccine, on Aug. 5, 2026. The vaccine is approved for adults 50 and older, with accelerated approval for those 65 and up.
Why Dr. Drew Is Questioning His Past Advice
During the interview, Pinsky said he had repeatedly told patients that flu vaccination could reduce their risk of hospitalization and help them avoid getting sick. He now disputes the evidence he previously relied on, saying he believes medical journals he once trusted have become too closely tied to pharmaceutical interests.
Victory also criticized the safety data behind Moderna’s new vaccine, describing it as “abysmal.”
Those comments, however, reflect the doctors’ views during the interview, not an established regulatory conclusion.
The FDA‘s review, meanwhile, found that mFLUSIVA was more effective than a standard-dose flu vaccine at preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza-like illness in adults ages 50 to 64. The agency also noted that most reported reactions were mild or moderate, while additional post-approval research is needed for the older age group.
What Should People Know About Flu Shots?
Pinsky’s comments are likely to prompt questions from people weighing their own vaccination decisions. However, his personal change of opinion should not be treated as individual medical guidance or proof that seasonal flu vaccines are ineffective.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend annual flu vaccination for most people six months and older. Anyone with questions about which vaccine, if any, is appropriate for them should speak with their own health care provider, who can consider their age, medical history, and individual risk factors.
For now, Pinsky’s apology has reopened a familiar debate, this time with a new vaccine and a very public change of heart at its center.
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