Public Media and Education

Prior to covid

Dr. Carroll has appeared in local media since 2000, with his first live appearance on NBC local affiliate to discuss the Ecstasy crisis. From 2005 to 2007, he appeared on Sonoran Living Live as the “Doctor On Call”, discussing healthcare issues of importance to a daytime audience. Over the next nearly 15 years, he made various appearances locally, including 12 News “Filth Finder” (a discussion of how to avoid dirty surfaces and reduce infection risks) and other healthcare relevant topics.

Vaccines and the antivax movement

Dr. Carroll had served on the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy Immunization and Vaccines Advisory Committee in 2009. In 2014, he once again served the State Legislature on the Vaccine Financing and Availability Advisory Committee, a legislative committee tasked with figuring out the best way to increase the availability of vaccines to everyone throughout Arizona, particularly in rural communities. This committee produced a report to the legislature, which helped legislators craft bills that helped expand vaccines throughout our State.

That advocacy then led to further public appearances through print and news media, advocating for vaccinations and working at fighting against a strengthening antivax movement. This work has only been highlighted by the Covid crisis, and he has been very vocal locally and nationally to advocate for Covid vaccinations as the solution to the pandemic.

Covid19 public education

In the early days of Covid19 in Arizona, the local news media turned once again to a familiar face to provide answers about a worldwide deadly pandemic to a wary and fearful public. Dr. Carroll appeared regularly on all local channels both in taped segments and live to answer questions and provide education. This garnered the attention of local leadership, including the Maricopa County Department of Health, the Arizona Department of Health Services, and the Arizona Governor’s office. In addition to several other healthcare leadership organizations in Arizona, Dr. Carroll provided guidance to leadership in helping guide evidence-based guidelines. He also clashed with local leadership that sought to destabilize a mitigated healthcare crisis, which then led to a huge surge in Covid cases and deaths. He then called out an inadequate vaccination program, once again accessing supportive teams and leadership in getting Covid vaccines distributed to private practices, including his own, to quickly expand the availability of vaccines to individuals who could not drive to state sites, had no access to computers, or needed the personal touch of a conversation and Q&A with a physician who could answer their concerns.