Escaping “Half Truths” of the Medical Industry with Dr. Joseph Jacko

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About This Episode

Dr. Joseph Jacko, author of Bamboozled, Duped, and Hoodwinked, joins Dr. Michael Haley to expose how modern medicine can unintentionally mislead both doctors and patients.

Drawing from over 35 years in practice, Dr. Jacko explains how:

• Research can be presented in ways that distort real-world outcomes
• Physicians are often trained within systems influenced by pharmaceutical interests
• “Relative risk” statistics can sound impressive—but hide the full picture
• The healthcare system incentivizes treatment over true patient education

This episode dives deep into how well-intentioned doctors can still operate within a flawed system—and why patients must take an active role in understanding their own health decisions.

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Resources

• Buy Bamboozled, Duped, and Hoodwinked on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hSqUWY
• Visit Dr. Joseph Jacko’s website: https://jackomd180.com/

Follow Dr. Joseph Jacko:

• X: https://x.com/drjoejacko
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackomd180
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjoejacko/
• Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DrJoeJacko
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-jacko-70a2b338/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjoejacko
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoeJacko

More from Dr. Haley:

• https://haleynutrition.com
• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Listen to this episode on iTunes

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Why most physicians have good intentions
• 02:14 – Writing a controversial book about medicine
• 04:25 – The “pharmaceutical medical complex” explained
• 06:00 – Relative risk vs real-world risk (critical insight)
• 10:53 – Do medications actually cure anything?
• 13:00 – Why doctors prescribe to everyone—even if only some benefit
• 15:29 – Why doctors don’t have time to educate patients
• 18:01 – How healthcare became overly complex
• 22:48 – The influence of pharmaceutical advertising
• 25:29 – Who really funds and influences the system
• 29:33 – Medicine vs natural approaches to health
• 32:08 – Inside Dr. Jacko’s wellness-based practice
• 34:15 – Does medicine actually increase lifespan?
• 36:41 – “Sick care” vs true health care
• 40:03 – Risk tolerance and personal health decisions
• 44:02 – Why curiosity is essential for truth

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Topic	Key Insight
Medical Half Truths	Many medical claims are technically true but misleading without full context
Relative vs Absolute Risk	Relative risk exaggerates benefits compared to real-world outcomes
Physician Training	Doctors are often trained within systems influenced by pharmaceutical interests
Medication Purpose	Most drugs manage symptoms rather than cure root causes
Healthcare System	Incentives prioritize efficiency and treatment over education
Patient Role	Patients must actively research and question health decisions

Full Episode Transcript

Below is the full transcript of this episode, edited for clarity, readability, and accuracy. Minor corrections have been made to improve flow while preserving the original meaning.

This conversation with Dr. Joseph Jacko explores how “half truths” in medicine—such as misleading statistics, biased research, and incomplete patient information—can impact real-world health decisions. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re getting the full story from the medical system, this episode provides critical insight into how to think independently, evaluate risk, and make informed choices.

Key takeaway: Many medical recommendations are based on partial truths—understanding the full context is essential for making informed health decisions.

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Transcript

Most physicians have good intentions. If you’re in a research academic center and receiving funding from a pharmaceutical company to study a drug, you feel like you’re advancing science—but you have no control over how that study is published or how that information is presented. So you don’t see some of the things happening behind the scenes that can be misleading.

You are listening to The Dr. Haley Show, the podcast dedicated to helping you optimize your health. Each episode features an interview or message designed to help you discover better health. We bring on health radicals to share new ideas, along with reinforcing key fundamentals to help you live your best life.

Your host is the founder of Haley Nutrition, Dr. Michael Haley.

This is The Dr. Haley Show podcast. We have a special treat for you—Dr. Joseph Jacko, author of Bamboozled, Duped, and Hoodwinked: Keys to Escaping the Tricks, Deceptions, and Half Truths of the Medical Industry. Dr. Jacko, thank you for being here today.

Are you in Ohio?

Yes, I am.

Are you a Buckeye?

Oh yes, I am.

I grew up in Cleveland—Strongsville, specifically.

We had some property in Columbus, and my father went to the University of Dayton, so we’re kind of Ohioans. Even though I left in 1979, I’m still an Ohio State Buckeye fan. I don’t know how they do it—they stay number one year after year.

They don’t even look like college players anymore. Some look bigger and stronger than NFL players.

Absolutely amazing.

I’ve been reading some of your book, and I honestly wonder how you got away with publishing it. For anyone listening, you have to check it out—there will be a link in the show notes. A lot of it is available to preview for free, and if you choose to buy it, you’re not charging enough.

You wrote this book exposing things in medicine. Was there ever fear that you might lose your license?

At times, yes. That was certainly in the back of my mind. When you write something like this, you step back and question whether you should publish it. You even wonder if maybe you’re the one who’s wrong and everyone else is right.

But I felt the information was far too important to keep to myself.

A lot of what I included comes from over 35 years of practicing medicine, though most of it really came together in the last 10 to 12 years.

It’s very direct and makes a lot of sense. I would think you’d almost face serious backlash for it.

I don’t think it has reached far enough into the medical professional world yet. My focus has been more on educating consumers at this point.

Writing the book was actually fairly easy. My goal was to be as factual as possible. It’s well referenced—hundreds of citations—and I try to be fair by presenting both sides when appropriate.

Some of it is my opinion, but overall, I try to walk the reader through what happens behind the scenes and explain that they’re not getting all the information they need to make the best health decisions.

And part of that is because we, as doctors, are sometimes kept in the dark. Our training is shaped—what I call influenced—by the pharmaceutical medical complex.

So our education is carefully crafted.

That makes sense. It’s not really the doctors—it’s the system influencing them.

Exactly.

We’re all programmed in some way. I’m a chiropractor, and even within chiropractic, there are different belief systems that shape how people think.

Some professionals choose to question those beliefs, and others follow them.

I shared an excerpt from your book this morning, and I hesitated because it could be controversial.

You were discussing how certain medical statistics—like effectiveness rates—can be misleading.

For example, people heard that certain interventions were 95% effective or even 100% effective at preventing severe outcomes. But those numbers are based on relative risk reduction, which can sound impressive but doesn’t tell the full story.

When you break it down, you might find that one death is prevented for every 22,000 people treated.

So while going from two deaths to one is technically a 100% reduction, the real-world impact is much smaller than people think.

That’s the “half truth.”

Exactly.

When you only present the relative risk, it sounds dramatic. But when you include the absolute numbers, it tells a completely different story.

And that’s what makes it misleading.

When you’re presented with a “half truth” like “100% effective,” it sounds definitive. But when you examine the full context—like needing to treat 22,000 people to prevent one death—you start asking better questions.

For example: what are the risks involved for those 22,000 people?

Right. And one thing I pointed out in the book is that, in that particular study, while there was one fewer death from the targeted disease, there were actually more deaths overall in the treated group—particularly from cardiac causes.

So the total mortality was higher in the treated group.

That raises an important question—why was there such a strong push for it?

I think everyone has to come to their own conclusion on that. That’s where people begin to get into what some would call conspiracy theories.

But as far as doctors are concerned, most physicians are trained to follow authority. We’re typically high achievers—we did well in school, we followed instructions, and we respect guidelines.

We respect authority so much that we often follow it without questioning it.

And physicians today are extremely busy. They have administrative burdens, charting, and responsibilities that don’t directly relate to patient care. So many default to a mindset of “just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

That’s a big reason why many physicians promote what they’re told without digging deeper.

The challenge is that patients see doctors as authority figures—almost infallible.

Right. But doctors are human. We’re flawed like everyone else.

In the book, I explain how patients are often groomed to become medically dependent. They’re told to trust their physician, and physicians are told to trust their training—without recognizing that both may be influenced.

We’re also trained to dismiss anything outside conventional medicine. Chiropractic, naturopathy, acupuncture—these are often brushed aside without consideration.

So patients are given a very limited set of options from the beginning.

Historically, physicians have been highly respected—even more than clergy at times—but I think that’s starting to shift as patients begin to explore alternatives.

That reminds me of something I once heard: if you threw all drugs into the ocean, it might be good for humanity—but bad for the fish.

There’s truth in that. Medications can save lives, but they are overused.

So what is the purpose of medicine?

In most cases, medications do not cure anything. They manage symptoms.

They don’t address the root cause of disease.

And many medications interfere with normal biochemical processes. For example, drugs can negatively impact the gut microbiome, which plays a critical role in health.

If you disrupt the microbiome over time, you’re altering your physiology—and not for the better.

Even the naming of drugs reflects this—beta blockers, inhibitors—they’re blocking or suppressing normal functions.

So over time, you’re creating imbalances.

That leads to an important point: if you give medication to someone who is sick, they might improve—but if you give medication to someone who is healthy, they won’t become “more healthy.”

Exactly.

And many medications are prescribed not to cure a condition, but to reduce risk.

For example, blood pressure medication is often given not just to lower blood pressure, but to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

But only a small percentage of patients—maybe 1 out of 100—will actually benefit.

The problem is, we don’t know who that one person is, so we give it to everyone.

And we assume that if the others don’t benefit, they’re not harmed—but that’s not necessarily true.

We may be harming a significant number of people who don’t benefit.

Ideally, medication should be used to buy time while addressing the underlying cause—through lifestyle, diet, or other interventions.

I completely agree.

But the reality is that most patients don’t make those changes, so physicians fall into the habit of prescribing medication long-term.

And the system reinforces that behavior.

Doctors often don’t have the time to educate patients properly.

Medicine is fundamentally an educational process—you need to teach patients about nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle—but most doctors don’t have the support systems in place to do that.

So the easiest solution becomes writing a prescription.

That’s the reality of the system.

Why don’t doctors have time?

Partly because reimbursement is decreasing, so doctors have to see more patients in less time.

Also, many physicians are now employed by hospital systems—around 70% or more—which creates additional pressure.

They are monitored and evaluated based on metrics that often have nothing to do with patient care—like how many patients they see, how many tests they order, and how much revenue they generate.

I recall a physician telling me that during her performance review, she was told she was spending too much time with patients.

That’s the system.

Healthcare has become extremely complex.

Years ago, it was simple: patients, doctors, and insurance.

Now there are layers of administrators, middlemen, and regulatory bodies—all of whom need to be paid.

That increases costs and creates inefficiencies.

Doctors now spend more time on paperwork than on patient care.

And they’re even at risk of being asked to pay money back years later due to insurance discrepancies.

That’s part of why many physicians are moving away from insurance-based models.

Exactly.

In a free-market system, value would be determined between doctor and patient—but healthcare doesn’t operate that way.

Reimbursement is dictated by insurance companies, and quality is not necessarily rewarded.

A good doctor and a bad doctor can be paid the same.

That’s frustrating.

Another major influence is pharmaceutical advertising.

If you watch television, you’re constantly exposed to drug commercials.

Over time, that creates the perception that medication is the solution to every problem.

Pharmaceutical companies also fund research, medical journals, professional organizations, and even regulatory bodies.

They’ve made themselves indispensable—not just because of their products, but because of their financial influence.

That creates systemic bias.

Absolutely.

When it comes to longevity, most people assume medicine plays a major role—but it doesn’t to the extent people think.

The biggest contributors to increased lifespan have been sanitation, clean water, and treatment of acute infections.

Modern medicine contributes more to quality of life than to longevity.

In many ways, it’s more “sick care” than healthcare.

True health comes from lifestyle—what you eat, how you move, how you live.

Nutrition is one of the most important factors.

Exercise, sleep, and stress management are also critical.

Medications can play a role, but they are not the foundation of health.

If someone wants to optimize their health, they will likely need to go beyond the traditional system—and often pay out of pocket for that level of care.

That gives them access to more options.

Before we wrap up, what advice would you give people?

Maintain curiosity. Ask questions. Seek truth.

If you stay curious, you’ll continue learning and uncovering deeper insights.

Also, protect your freedom. During times of crisis, people are often willing to give up freedom for perceived safety.

And trust your instincts.

You don’t have time to research everything, but the important things in life—especially your health—you should take the time to understand.

Sometimes you’ll be wrong, sometimes you’ll be right—but you should make your own decisions.

Don’t allow others to think for you.

That’s powerful.

Thank you for being here, Dr. Jacko.

Thank you—I appreciate it.