Rick Lesaar

The intersection of health and communications; on strategies to make global health and development efforts more effective and more widely and fully understood.

The Longitudinal and the Short of It

June 12, 2025 by Rick Lesaar

Longitudinal studies are a key element of any serious public health program. Asking the same questions and taking the same measurements of the same people periodically over extended times provides a wealth of valuable information for everything from diagnoses to prevention efforts, identifying who’s likely susceptible to what and when, and forming the basis for recommending changes in behavior, vaccination schedules, etc. Unfortunately, it appears that the recent research cuts by Health and Human Services and its constituent agencies as well as other governmental departments, may have ended some of these studies

Breaking’s Easier Than Making

April 07, 2025 by Rick Lesaar

Trump’s reckless damage to healthcare, both here and abroad, can never be fully repaired, in part because of the many lives that have, and will be, needlessly lost as a result of his actions.

Actions Speak...

February 14, 2025 by Rick Lesaar

Actions are a potent form of communication, as demonstrated by the Trump Administration’s defunding of WHO, dismantling of USAID, and decimation of HHS, NIH, CDC, FDA, and more. The result, in all of these cases, is that people will die, and the communication is those taking these actions simply do not care.

The Stunning Hypocrisy and Potentially Dangerous Future of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

November 09, 2024 by Rick Lesaar

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is widely believed to be in line for a significant health-related position in the new administration, possibly even Secretary of Health and Human Services (HSS). Not only is he uniquely unqualified for such a role, but actions he might take could endanger the health of millions of people both here and abroad.

Sins of Commission

June 20, 2024 by Rick Lesaar

In 2016, Donald Trump proposed that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. lead a commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity, a stunningly bad idea that fortunately never came to fruition. In 2024, Trump is proposing an even broader commission while Kennedy wants a whole-sale take over and redirection of the National Institutes of Health. A look what all this communicates.

What Can a Salvador Dali Painting Tell Us About Health Communications?

March 19, 2024 by Rick Lesaar

The scaffolding technique of communication –building and layering message upon message with the intent of evoking a progression of emotional responses– is highly effective and examples of this can be found everywhere, including, of course, relating to matters of health.

How Good are COVID Test Instructions?

June 30, 2023 by Rick Lesaar

COVID is still with us and we’re still testing, so how good are the instructions that come with those tests?

Unimaginable Tragedy – Uncommon Opportunity

Health and Communications

December 05, 2022 by Rick Lesaar

Though the circumstances are tragic, when the war ends Ukraine will have a unique opportunity to totally reimagine its healthcare infrastructure and delivery systems. This article suggests some ideas of what that might entail.

What Color is Your COVID?

March 07, 2022 by Rick Lesaar

What color you believe COVID is depends on where you live and what you know. For some people, perception is reality, but for some companies, leveraging that perception with an intent to deceive or defraud is illegal.

A New Prescription for Patient Information

January 21, 2022 by Rick Lesaar

The Prescribing Information and Patient Information sheet that accompanies prescription drugs is so poorly designed that it's unlikely many people read it. A few simple changes might make it more readable and ultimately more useful, too.

Sticker Shock!

March 04, 2021 by Rick Lesaar

DC’s COVID vaccination sticker is a missed opportunity for public health communication. These communications are like a coral reef; accreted bit by tiny bit they can become something functional, effective, and beautiful. So pay close attention to the small stuff.

Four Suggestions to Rehabilitate the CDC’s Reputation →

December 10, 2020 by Rick Lesaar

As the CDC’s new director, Rochelle Walensky will have an enormous job fighting the COVID epidemic.
A different –but intricately related– job will be restoring CDC’s scientific independence and public standing.

Here are four suggestions to help rehabilitate the agency’s image and reputation.

Every Health Professional Now Has a Second Job

June 10, 2020 by Rick Lesaar

Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, debunking conspiracy theories and teaching us all to think more critically has become a 2nd job for all health professionals. Here are 6 yardsticks we can all use to parse the lies and find the truth.

Three Truths About Trust

March 20, 2020 by Rick Lesaar

Here are three essential truths about trust and some thoughts on what they mean for public health.

Communication is the most important component of trust.
The erosion of trust hampers all communication.
Trust is easily broken, but difficult to build or sustain.

A Formula for Effective ( health ) Communications

January 20, 2020 by Rick Lesaar

A formula design can symbolically display the components of an effective communications campaigns and how they interrelate. This might be useful for teaching, guiding clients, and focusing your communications team.

Don't say Anti-Vax – It's Logically Wrong and Rhetorically Misleading

May 14, 2019 by Rick Lesaar

The efficacy and safety of vaccines are facts. It makes no sense to be pro- or anti- a fact (—would anyone ever say they were pro- or anti- gravity?—), so it makes no sense to be anti-vax. And too often, the use of anti-vax compels the media to give it equal attention to a corresponding pro. Except that it isn’t equal and so shouldn’t be afforded that attention.

Explain the Chain

February 05, 2019 by Rick Lesaar

Whether in words or diagrams explaining a chain of determinants or consequences can be a powerful way to communicate. You not only bolster your argument but you also arm your reader to do likewise as they then explain it to others.

Update to The Plan

January 12, 2019 by Rick Lesaar

The task of cataloging and unwinding all of the deliberate or misguided Trump Administration changes to the nation’s healthcare system could be aided by the 2016 Presidential Transition Briefing Books as well as the Cabinet Exit Memos. They provide a detailed picture of agencies and departments at the end of the Obama Administration.

Help Write the Plan to Restore America's Public Health System and its Leadership in Global Health in 2020

October 09, 2018 by Rick Lesaar

Beginning today and over the next two years, we should collectively assemble a comprehensive plan for the next American administration to restore the country’s public health system and its role in global health leadership. We should be creating the ‘Health Recovery Plan’ now rather than wait for a hectic transition period in 2020/2021.