Health & Veritas

Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, joins Howie and Harlan to make sense of the fight over ACA subsidies and reflect on her decades of health policy reporting. Harlan reports on a new wave of breakthroughs in obesity treatment; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a record-setting flu season.

Show notes:

Obesity treatments

"Lilly's triple agonist, retatrutide, delivered weight loss of up to an average of 71.2 lbs along with substantial relief from osteoarthritis pain in first successful Phase 3 trial"

"Arrowhead's gene-silencing drugs cut fat in early...

In a bonus episode, Howie and Harlan welcome oncologist, bioethicist, and public health expert Ezekiel Emanuel to discuss his new book, which counters the wellness industry by offering simple, evidence-based guidelines for health. 

Show notes:

Ezekiel Emanuel: Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life

"Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review"

"How Social Isolation Is Killing Us"

"Is Full-Fat Dairy Healthier?".

"High- and Low-Fat Dairy Consumption and Long-Term Risk of Dementia: Evidence From a 25-Year Prospective C...

In the 200th episode of Health & Veritas, Harlan offers end-of-the-year reflections on medicine drawn from his editor's notes in JACC (the Journal of the American College of Cardiology), and Howie provides updates on gun violence, flu, measles, and the health benefits of yoga.

Show notes:

Editor's notes by Harlan Krumholz

"The Day I Became a Doctor"

"When Your Patient Dies"

"Rethinking Physician Certification: A Call for a Modern, Meaningful Standard"

Gun violence, flu, and measles

"Mass shootings outnumber annual days in U.S., children are...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Basmah Safdar, a Yale School of Medicine emergency physician and an expert on sex-specific differences in cardiovascular and microvascular health, which have important implications for the understanding and treatment of heart attacks, long COVID, and other conditions. Harlan reports on Australia's ban on social media for kids, and a Medicare pilot program that will pay providers based on improved outcomes in chronic conditions. Howie unpacks the consequences of the CDC's change to its recommendations for newborn hepatitis B vaccination.

Show notes:

Social Media and Kids

"Australia's Social...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Sudhakar Nuti to discuss his work improving healthcare for homeless New Yorkers, as a street-medicine doctor and a population-health leader at NYC Health + Hospitals. Harlan reports on a proposed law that would cut off funding for U.S. scientists who collaborate with colleagues in China; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a leaked FDA memo claiming that COVID-19 vaccines have killed 10 children.

Show notes:

Science Across Borders

Subtitle C—SAFE Research Act

"U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations"

Su...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and an outspoken opponent of health misinformation, to discuss vaccine skepticism and the forces—from wellness influencers to HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—that amplify it. Harlan reports on research reinforcing the link between social media and mental illness; Howie highlights two potential areas of common ground with the administration's health policy.

Show notes:

Social Media and Mental Health

"Social Media Detox and Youth Mental Health"

"Study Finds Mental Health Benefit to One-Week Social Media Break"

Peter Hote...

Howie and Harlan discuss the outlook for U.S. healthcare spending over the next five years, the state of seasonal and avian flu, and an expensive AI-based cardiac test.

Show notes:

Life expectancy and expenditures

"How does U.S. life expectancy compare to other countries?"

ACOs and cost savings

"After Fifteen Years, is Value-Based Care Succeeding?"

Health & Veritas Episode 115: Farzad Mostashari: Aligning Incentives to Fix Primary Care

World Prematurity Day

WHO: World Prematurity Day 2025

WHO: World Prematurity Day Key Messages

Howie and Harlan are joined by Harvard internist Jerry Avorn to discuss his research on the pharmaceutical industry and his work promoting evidence-based prescribing. Harlan highlights new results from the American Heart Association meeting, including a one-time CRISPR-based therapy for high cholesterol; Howie reports on an outbreak of infant botulism.

Show notes:

Research from the American Heart Association Meeting

"Phase 1 Trial of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Targeting ANGPTL3"

"First-in-human trial of CRISPR gene-editing therapy safely lowered cholesterol, triglycerides"

"Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Inhibition with Alirocumab: The CAVIAR Trial"

"PCSK9...

Howie and Harlan are joined by cardiologist Ali Rahimi, the founder of ALYKA Health, which uses a personalized mobile app to help patients manage their heart health between doctor's visits. Harlan discusses new developments in GLP-1 obesity drugs, including untested microdose treatments; Howie reviews a landmark study investigating whether broad prostate cancer screening saves lives.

Show notes:

GLP-1 Drugs

"Microdosing aims to extend the lifespan of the GLP-1 compounding market"

NIH: Regulatory Framework for Compounded Preparations

Health & Veritas Episode 140: Lee Schwamm: Smarter Healthcare Systems With AI

"FDA...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Nate Wood, a Yale School of Medicine internist and trained chef, to discuss his work combining lifestyle guidance with hands-on training in making healthy, tasty food. Harlan shares new guidance on what counts as a healthy blood pressure; Howie provides an update on rising health insurance costs.

Links:

Blood Pressure

Harlan Krumholz, "Severe Hypertension: The Next Never Event"

JACC: 2025 High Blood Pressure Guidelines Resources

"Trial of Intensive Blood-Pressure Control in Older Patients with Hypertension"

Obesity Drugs

"Semaglutide and Tirzepatide...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, a leading authority on vaccines and long COVID. Harlan reflects on America's crisis of trust in federal agencies; Howie provides some good news about bird flu.

Links:

Losing Trust

Harlan Krumholz: "When Your Patient Dies"

"Federal Agents Stage Raid on Canal Street in New York City, Arresting 9"

"White House expands East Wing demolition as critics decry Trump overreach"

"Americans' Job Ratings of Six Key U.S. Agencies Worsen"

"NEJM and public health...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy, the Yale School of Medicine's associate dean for population health, to discuss her work building holistic systems for care at multiple institutions. Harlan discusses healthcare headlines including the launch of "TrumpRX"; Howie reports on a new study taking a novel approach to understanding the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Links:

Healthcare Headlines

"The Latest: Gaza ceasefire holds as Israeli military says Red Cross to transfer remains of deceased"

"More than 20 kids in India have died from contaminated cough syrup. Who's to blame?"

Howie and Harlan discuss the roots of the crisis in emergency departments, the lack of oversight for hydration spas, new approaches in blood pressure treatment, an ingenious method to prevent malaria, and the CDC's backward steps on vaccines.

Links:

Emergency Departments

"I'm an ER doctor. JD Vance's claims about immigrants and wait times are just wrong."

"It's Just a Virus, the E.R. Told Him. Days Later, He Was Dead."

Video of Ron Paul: "Should society let uninsured die?"

American College of Emergency Physicians: Understanding EMTALA

Howie and Harlan are joined by Vanessa Cooper, a Yale School of Medicine neurologist, to discuss the causes of migraines and promising new treatments for the disorder. Harlan discusses his approach as a journal editor to the use of AI in academic writing; Howie reports on the premium tax credits for insurance purchased through Affordable Care Act exchanges that are at stake in the government shutdown.

Links:

The Government Shutdown

"Government Shutdown Live Updates"

"The US government has shut down. Here's what to know"

"Watch: Hegseth rails against 'beardos...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Kate Heilpern, president of Yale New Haven Hospital, to discuss the innovation and adaption needed to lead NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Yale New Haven Health structures itself to provide quality care across five hospitals. Harlan reflects on the many biotech startups emerging from Yale; Howie responds to the Trump administration's assertion of a link between acetaminophen and autism.

Links:

Biotech at Yale and Beyond

"Investors Flock Back to Biotech After a Long, Cold Spell

"Boom, Bust and Recover...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine geriatrician Barry Wu, who provides a framework for family caregivers and physicians to understand the needs of older adults. Harlan reports on Congress's shifting approach to funding research; Howie reflects on a survey showing that many college students believe that violence is an acceptable way to protest a campus speaker.

Links:

Congressional Directives on Funding Research

House Appropriations Committee Press Release: "Committee Approves FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act"

"Report of the Committee on Appropriations...

Howie and Harlan are joined by physician, scientist, and author Eric Topol to discuss his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity; the potential of individualized polygenic risk scores; and the dangers of the protein craze.

Links:

Health & Veritas Ep. 58: Dr. Eric Topol: Pushing Medicine into the Future

Eric Topol: Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity

Eric Topol: "The Drivers of Age-Related Diseases"

Eric Topol: "A Review of Outlive"

Eric Topol, Ground Truths podcast: "Peter Attia: Our conversation about his hit book Outlive, Medicine 3.0...

Howie and Harlan discuss Dr. Vinay Prasad's departure from the FDA after a backlash against his decisions on Sarepta's Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy. Also examined: AI in clinical settings, changes in NIH grantmaking, and the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid.

Links:

Sarepta and the FDA

"STAT breaks down the confusing, heartbreaking Sarepta saga"

"Sarepta Therapeutics' Duchenne therapy faces 'arduous' path back to market, senior FDA official says"

"For many Duchenne families, halt to gene therapy is heartbreak upon heartbreak"

"FDA launches probe into new Elevidys...

Howie and Harlan are joined by public health communicator Katelyn Jetelina for updates on COVID-19 and other issues, and to discuss how her emails to students and colleagues in the early days of the pandemic turned into a platform with global reach. Harlan looks at how AI is being used on both sides of the battle between providers and insurers over claims; Howie reports on a setback with a promising gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Links:

Insurance Claims, AI, and Wearables

"Elevance Health Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results"

"Elevance lowers profit...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Seth Berkowitz, an internist and health equity expert, who argues that we know how to keep people healthier but are lacking the political will and commitment to do so. Harlan reports on a rapidly growing AI platform for doctors; Howie explains why the budget bill could reduce access to medical school.

Links:

OpenEvidence

OpenEvidence

"OpenEvidence, the Fastest-Growing Application for Physicians in History, Announces $210 Million Round at $3.5 Billion Valuation"

"This AI Founder Became A Billionaire By Building ChatGPT For Doctors"

"Wall Street...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Azita Emami, dean of the Yale School of Nursing, to discuss the school's approach to training nurses who can have a seat at the table of healthcare decision-making. Harlan reports on his new study showing the low levels of evidence required for medical devices in the FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program; Howie provides some good news about infectious diseases including malaria and HIV.

Links:

Breakthrough devices?

Harlan Krumholz: "FDA Authorization of Therapeutic Devices Under the Breakthrough Devices Program"

FDA: Breakthrough Devices Program

"Many medical...

Howie and Harlan discuss the alarming healthcare cuts proposed in the budget bill currently moving through Congress, recent breakthroughs in HIV prevention and diabetes treatment, and the stark contrast between scientific progress and the deep structural flaws in the U.S. healthcare system.

Links:

The Budget Bill

H.R.1—119th Congress (2025-2026)

"A List of Nearly Everything in the Senate G.O.P. Bill, and How Much It Would Cost or Save"

"Senate passes Trump's tax-cut bill that would slash Medicaid spending"

"5 ways Trump's tax bill will li...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephen Waxman, a leading neurology researcher, to discuss the promise of new methods developed by his lab to treat the ravages of pain. Harlan talks about the importance of ratings for Medicare Advantage plans; Howie assesses two sobering new reports on the solvency of Medicare.

Links:

Harlan's Section

Slides from Humana's Investor Day

"Humana's cautious defense of Medicare Advantage"

"What Are the Medicare Star Ratings?"

"Early analysis: How health plans fared in the 2025 Medicare Advantage star ratings"

Interview with...

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare issues making headlines, including public attitudes toward the Medicaid cuts in the budget bill making its way through Congress, a one-time gene therapy that could cure high cholesterol, "ambient" AI in the exam room, and the replacement of the the CDC's entire vaccine advisory board.

Links:

Remembering Atul Butte

"Atul Butte, a biomedical and bioinformatics pioneer, dies at 55"

Marina Sirota on LinkedIn

"Remembering Atul Butte, MD, PhD"

The Budget Bill

H.R.1—One Big Beautiful Bill Act

...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Sarah DeSilvey to talk about her career as a rural nurse practitioner and her work to create a shared vocabulary for tracking social determinants of health. Harlan unpacks the research implications of the "big beautiful bill" in Congress, and reports on his new research about the link between state gun laws and deaths among children; Howie discusses the simple steps that can prevent syphilis from being passed from mothers to babies in utero.

Links:

Budget Cuts

"Senators push back on Trump's proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut"

Howie and Harlan are joined by Dave Chokshi, who led New York City's response to COVID-19 as health commissioner and serves as chair of the Common Health Coalition, which is working to prepare for future crises by strengthening partnerships between healthcare and public health. Harlan reports on a trip to China; Howie says it's time for a global effort to expand rubella vaccination.

Links:

Harlan in China

Harlan Krumholz: Yale China Project

Harlan Krumholz receives China's Friendship Award

"China has become a scientific superpower"

Dave Chokshi

In a special episode recorded at Connecticut's largest entrepreneurship event, Howie and guest host Megan Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health, welcome four Yale innovators: entrepreneur and YSPH lecturer Kaakpema "KP" Yelpaala; Basmah Safdar, incoming director of Women's Health Research at Yale; Kayla Wooley, a YSPH graduate and the founder of two nursing home staffing companies; and Yale College student Laurie Jimenez, founder of FulcrumCare, a value-based dental provider for Medicaid and Medicare patients. 

Links:

The Yale Innovation Summit

Yale Innovation Summit 2025

Yale Ventures

Kaakpema "K...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Rebekah Gee, founder and CEO of Nest Health, which provides in-home care to kids on Medicaid and their families. Harlan reports on the first personalized CRISPR gene therapy for a rare genetic disease; Howie untangles the FDA's restrictions on the COVID-19 booster and what it will mean for your ability to get a shot this fall.

Links:

A Breakthrough CRISPR Treatment

"Baby Is Healed With World's First Personalized Gene-Editing Treatment"

"Patient-Specific In Vivo Gene Editing to Treat a Rare Genetic Disease"

"Progress in...

Howie and Harlan are joined by James Dodington, a Yale pediatric emergency medicine physician and an expert in community-based violence prevention. Harlan reports on the remarkable financial results and sometimes questionable science of Hims & Hers Health; Howie discusses UnitedHealthcare's faltering stock price in the face of anger over aggressive care denial and a lawsuit from shareholders.

Links:

Oscar Health and Hims & Hers

"Oscar Health Profits Eclipse $275 Million As Obamacare Enrollment Soars"

"Hims & Hers Health Revenue Jumps, But Outlook Disappoints"

"Hims & Hers' Q1 revenue doubles to $586M, boosted by growth...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Thomas Gill, a Yale geriatrician whose research tracks the factors that contribute to disability in older adults—and those that support continued independence. And they discuss the contrarian tapped to evaluate vaccines at the FDA, allegations of kickbacks against insurers, and the potential end of a loophole that has allowed states to collect additional Medicaid funding.

Links:

Vinay Prasad at the FDA

"Vinay Prasad tapped to run FDA center that regulates vaccines, gene therapies"

"Vinay Prasad, in his own words, outlines the philosophy he'll bring to...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Joel Bervell, a recent medical school graduate who uses social media platforms to combat misinformation and explain racial biases in healthcare. Harlan discusses his new Wall Street Journal commentary highlighting the link between viral infections and chronic diseases; Howie reports on powerful new evidence for the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and warns of the dangers of a vaccine-skeptical presidential administration.

Links:

Viral Infection and Chronic Disease

Harlan Krumholz: "How to Lead a Chronic Disease Revolution"

"A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster...

Howie reflects on his decades-long experience with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the procedure that has changed his life. Howie and Harlan report on healthcare issues in the news, including the measles outbreak and a vision for a team of personal healthcare AI agents. And student research assistants Inès Gilles and Sophia Stumpf visit for a farewell interview.

Links:

Eric Topol: Ground Truths

Eric Topol: Super Agers

Harlan Krumholz: The Expert Guide to Beating Heart Disease: What You Absolutely Must Know

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

"What to know a...

Deepak D'Souza, the Vikram Sodhi '92 Professor of Psychiatry at Yale, explains risks from highly potent cannabinoids and research on treating mental health conditions with psychedelics. Harlan reports on efforts to understand the neuroscience around artificial sweeteners. Howie highlights insights from a physician pay survey.

Links:

Artificial Sweeteners

"WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline"

"Non-caloric sweetener effects on brain appetite regulation in individuals across varying body weights"

"Artificial sweetener found in diet drinks linked to brain changes that increase appetite, study...

Howie and Harlan welcome Evan Sussman, the CEO of Granata Bio, which aims to bring IVF and fertility drugs that have been proven in other markets to the United States. Harlan reports on Elon Musk's Neuralink, which will test a technology to restore rudimentary sight to the blind; Howie tries to reconcile conflicting reports about the viability of the Medicare trust fund.

Links:

Neuralink

"Elon Musk announces Neuralink's first human implant of Blindsight coming this year"

"Musk's Neuralink gets FDA's breakthrough device tag for 'Blindsight' implant"

"Elon Musk's Neuralink...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Alexi Nazem, a Yale-trained internist who co-founded the healthcare staffing company Nomad Health and now leads healthcare investments at AlleyCorp. Harlan reports on new research from the American College of Cardiology meeting; Howie examines the consequences of vast staffing cuts in the federal healthcare infrastructure.

Links:

Research from the American College of Cardiology Meeting

"Semaglutide and walking capacity in people with symptomatic peripheral artery disease and type 2 diabetes (STRIDE): a phase 3b, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial"

"Early Intra-Aortic Balloon Support for Heart Failure-Related Cardiogenic Shock...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Ryan Schwarz, a Yale-trained MD-MBA who oversees accountable care for the Massachusetts Medicaid program, to discuss new models for addressing the severe shortage of primary care doctors in the U.S. Harlan looks at the fallout from the bankruptcy of 23andMe; Howie reports on Match Day at Yale and medical schools around the country.

Links:

New Leadership

"Senate Confirms Bhattacharya and Makary to H.H.S. Posts"

"Keir Starmer Wants to Abolish N.H.S. England: What to Know About His Plan"

23andMe<...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Mark McLellan, a physician, economist, and longtime public servant, to discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 response and the successes and failures of the healthcare payment innovations he helped to create. Harlan reports on a wave of illness caused by slushy drinks; Howie considers the merits of accelerated training for doctors.

Links:

The Dangers of Slushies

"Glycerol intoxication syndrome in young children, following the consumption of slush ice drinks"

Institute for Government: Sugar tax

Mark McClellan

Health economist Alan M. Garber...

Howie and Harlan check in on health issues in the news, including the big bet that went wrong for Walgreens, prohibited words at federal health agencies, the weaknesses of a much-discussed study suggesting that people age in bursts, and the long-term impact of the HPV vaccine.

Links:

Walgreens

"Walgreens to Be Bought by Private Equity Firm in $10 Billion Deal"

"Walgreens is heading down a risky path"

"Walgreens to Be Acquired by Sycamore Partners: Where Did the Retail Giant Go Wrong?"

"Amazon, CVS, and Walgreens went all in...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale neonatologist Sarah Taylor to discuss our growing understanding of breastfeeding, including the active role that infants play in shaping the composition of breast milk. Harlan discusses the rapid growth of Hims & Hers Health, which provides treatment and medication over the internet; Howie reports on the promising initial results from a pilot program in North Carolina that seeks to reduce healthcare costs by providing support in non-medical areas like food security and housing. 

Links:

Hims & Hers

"Why Hims & Hers Stock Has Further to Fall: Heard on the S...

Howie and Harlan are joined by infectious disease specialist Michael Dunne to discuss the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance and what's needed to incentivize the development of new antibiotics. Harlan reflects on the controversy sparked by the release of his study on post-vaccination syndrome; Howie provides an update on the measles outbreak in Texas. 

Links:

Post-Vaccine Syndrome

Harlan Krumholz: "Immunological and Antigenic Signatures Associated with Chronic Illnesses after COVID-19 Vaccination"

"A small study on Covid vaccine safety sparks an online tempest"

"Scientists Describe Rare Syndrome Following Covid Vaccinations"

Howie and Harlan are joined by legal historian Paul Lombardo to discuss his work exploring the role of the legal and medical establishments in eugenics and sterilization in the United States. Harlan reports on his new research on post-vaccination syndrome, a constellation of chronic symptoms experienced by some people after getting the COVID-19 vaccine; Howie discusses the science behind a measles outbreak in Texas.

Links:

Anxiety in Academia

Yale Office of the President: Our commitment to our research mission

Post-Vaccination Syndrome

Harlan Krumholz: "Immunological and Antigenic Signatures Associated with...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Deborah Rhodes, a Yale internist and the chief quality officer for Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health System. They discuss how she helped develop a better approach to scanning for breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue, and the obstacles to wide adoption. Harlan reports on the Trump administration's plan to slash indirect support for research; Howie explains the potential consequences of cuts to Medicaid.

Links:

Flu and Research Cuts

"Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 5, ending February 1, 2025"

"This Is...

Howie and Harlan discuss a breakthrough pain medication, studies on AI-assisted medicine, the explosion of sports gambling, and the health consequences of the shutdown of USAID. 

Links:

A First-in-Class Painkiller

"F.D.A. Approves Drug to Treat Pain Without Opioid Effects"

"FDA Approves Novel Non-Opioid Treatment for Moderate to Severe Acute Pain"

"Peripheral Sodium Channel Blocker Could Revolutionize Treatment for Nerve Pain"

"Alabama to Beijing… and Back: The Search for a Pain Gene"

AI Screening

"Screening performance and characteristics of breast cancer detected in...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Lisa Rosenbaum, a cardiologist and the national correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine, to discuss her writing illuminating critical topics in medicine. Harlan reports on the companies claiming to prevent illness through a non-invasive full-body scan; Howie explains the healthcare impact of the Trump administration's freeze of federal aid.

Links:

Body Scanning

"Neko Health raises $260M to expand body scan service, fund R&D"

Neko Health

"Kim Kardashian Promotes $2,500 Body Scan—Here's What To Know And Why Some Experts Warn Against It...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Susan Mayne, a Yale epidemiologist and the former director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, to discuss what the agency can and can't do to keep contaminants out of food and promote healthier eating habits. Harlan reports on the Trump administration's cancellation of multiple scientific meetings; Howie explains the administration's health-related executive orders. 

Links:

Changes at the NIH

"Trump administration's abrupt cancellation of scientific meetings prompts confusion, concern"

"The Trump NIH Pick Who Wants to Take On 'Cancel Culture' Colleges"

Howie and Harlan are joined by Sachin Jain, CEO of the nonprofit Scan Health Plan, who argues that the managed care industry must dramatically reorient itself towards patient care. Harlan looks at the long-term health effects of the L.A. wildfires and an effort to replace the widely used body-mass index; Howie reflects on the growing mistrust of doctors and its connection to declining vaccination rates.

Links:

Wildfires and Health

"Los Angeles wildfires: Firefighters face several more critical hours of Wednesday's dangerous winds"

"Health Effects Attributed to Wildfire Smoke"

"...

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines, including misaligned incentives keeping medicine from its mission, burdensome out-of-pockets costs, ultraprocessed foods, and serving the growing population of cancer survivors effectively.

Links:

Vivek Murthy's parting letter to America

"Surgeon General Urges Americans to 'Rethink How We're Living Our Lives' in Closing Letter to the Country (Exclusive)"

Discontent with the Health System in the United States

"View of U.S. Healthcare Quality Declines to 24-Year Low"

"What We Know About the UnitedHealthcare C.E.O.'s Killing and the...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale physician Dana Dunne, who leads a new coaching program designed to help medical students develop a lifelong orientation toward growth and building knowledge. Harlan reports on a new generation of AI that can diagnose patients more consistently than human doctors; Howie explains how the state of Connecticut wiped out medical debt for thousands of low-income residents. 

Links:

AI Diagnosis

"Superhuman performance of a large language model on the reasoning tasks of a physician"

"Reasoning Foundations of Medical Diagnosis: Symbolic logic, probability, and value theory a...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Jaewon Ryu, CEO of Risant Health, a nonprofit company that brings together integrated health systems with the goal of spreading the adoption of value-based care. Harlan reports from the annual Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum on progress toward faster and more effective clinical trials; Howie reflects on the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 

Links:

Clinical Trials

"Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials"

Jaewon Ryu

Wikipedia: Integrated Delivery System

Geisinger: Fresh Food Farmacy

"Geisinger opens a new $5.8 million senior-focused primary c...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Aaron Kesselheim, a physician, attorney, and public health expert, to discuss the shifting legal landscape for healthcare regulation and his experiences serving on an FDA advisory committee. Harlan reports on the growing evidence of widespread health impacts from microplastics; Howie provides an update on the bird flu outbreak.

Links:

Microplastics

"Landmark study links microplastics to serious health problems"

"Microplastics: Are we facing a new health crisis—and what can be done about it?"

"Microplastics are inside us all. What does that mean for ou...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Vin Gupta, a physician, a medical analyst for NBC News, and the chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy. Harlan reports on the Biden administration's proposal to cover obesity drugs with Medicare and Medicaid; Howie offers some reasons to be thankful.

Links:

Coverage of Obesity Medication

"White House Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Takes Latest Step to Lower Prescription Drug Costs by Proposing Expanded Coverage of Anti-Obesity Medications for Americans with Medicare and Medicaid"

"The (Minimum) Emergency Savings Needed in America's 50 Largest Cities"

...

Howie and Harlan are joined by investor and entrepreneur Halle Tecco to discuss her work connecting the worlds of technology and healthcare, and her latest venture, which allows women to freeze their eggs for future use for free if they donate half of them to a couple in need. Harlan checks in from the annual meeting of the American Heart Association; Howie discusses his concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as secretary of health and human services.

Links:

American Heart Association Meeting

"Tirzepatide Reduces LV Mass and Paracardiac Adipose Tissue in...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Rahul Rajkumar, founder and CEO of Accompany Health, which provides a team of providers for patients who are on both Medicare and Medicaid. Harlan reflects on a visit to China and the healthcare ramifications of proposed legislation that would force U.S. biotech companies to cut ties with some Chinese partners. Howie provides an update on healthcare-related measures on state ballots in last week's election. 

Links:

China and the Biosecure Act

"Congress takes up a series of bills targeting China, from drones to drugs"

"U.S...

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines, including generational shifts in doctors' approach to work, a promising vaccine for norovirus, the latest on the bird flu outbreak, and the struggles of corporate-backed primary care companies. 

Links:

Norovirus

CDC: Norovirus

"Bivalent norovirus mRNA vaccine elicits cellular and humoral responses protecting human enteroids from GII.4 infection" 

"Doctors trial world's first mRNA vaccine against vomiting bug norovirus"

"Who Didn't Get a Second Shingrix Shot? Implications for Multidose COVID-19 Vaccines"

Work-Life Balance

"Young Doctors Want Work-Life Ba...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephen Knight, president and managing partner of the healthcare and technology venture capital firm F-Prime Capital, to discuss his varied career and the breakthroughs he has helped enable. Howie and Harlan discuss AI in medicine and what a second Trump administration could mean for healthcare. 

Links:

Respiratory Illnesses, AI, and the Physician Shortage

CDC: Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel

"Capabilities of Gemini Models in Medicine"

"Yale New Haven Health partners with AI company on ambient listening tech"

Stephen Knight

F-Prime C...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Michael Sherling, a dermatologist and a founder of Modernizing Medicine, which aims to save doctors time with an intelligent, specialty-specific electronic health record. Harlan provides updates on COVID-19 variants and vaccines, and on the acquisition of CareBridge, which provides value-based home care for Medicaid patients. Howie explains why cases of pertussis—whooping cough—are increasing. 

Links:

COVID-19 and CareBridge

Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

CareBridge Health

"The Accidental Entrepreneur: Brad Smith's Journey From Politics to Business"

"America's Fastest-Growing Company Is Tackling the Greatest Chall...

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare issues in the headlines, including a powerful—but dangerous—new gene therapy, racial disparities in excess deaths during the COVID pandemic, and the limited insurance coverage for highly effective new obesity drugs. 

Links:

The Physician Shortage

"Opening the Door Wider to International Medical Graduates—The Significance of a New Tennessee Law"

"New Licensure Pathway for Some Internationally Trained Physicians"

"Brain-drain and health care delivery in developing countries"

"Talk of an Immigrant 'Invasion' Grows in Republican Ads and Speech"

Subspec...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Max Laurans, a Yale neurosurgeon and hospital administrator, and a founder of the healthcare staffing company Nomad Health. Harlan discusses the problem of doctors giving too much weight to suggestions from AI; Howie celebrates a milestone in the campaign to eliminate trachoma, a common cause of preventable blindness in the developing world.  

Links:

Automation Bias

"Some doctors are using public AI chatbots like ChatGPT in clinical decisions. Is it safe?"

"Measuring the Impact of AI in the Diagnosis of Hospitalized Patients: A Randomized Clinical Vignette Su...

Howie and Harlan welcome Vivek Murthy, the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States and a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine and the Yale School of Management. They talk about his campaigns to tackle parental stress, gun violence, and the dangers of social media, and the importance of communicating across political divides.

Links:

Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Mental Health & Well-Being of Parents 

Youth Mental Health: The Surgeon General's Advisory

Yale School of Medicine | Auguste Fortin VI, MD, MPH, MACP

Howie and Harlan discuss recent headlines, including the latest round of COVID and flu vaccines, a lousy report card for the U.S. healthcare system, and a rare case of swine flu. Plus: Howie investigates a mysteriously escalating pharmacy bill.

Links:

COVID and Flu Vaccines

CDC FluView: Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 36, ending September 7, 2024

CDC: Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

"Florida discourages use of mRNA Covid vaccines in older adults"

"Florida's New Covid Booster Guidance Is Straight-Up Misinformation"

CDC...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Ania Jastreboff, a Yale endocrinologist and an expert on obesity medication, to talk about the remarkable range of diseases treated by drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy. Harlan discusses new Apple devices with the ability to detect sleep apnea and aid in hearing; Howie reports on outbreaks of polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Gaza.

Links:

Apple and Health

"FDA clears Apple's sleep apnea detection feature for use. Here's how it works"

FDA: "FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software"

"FDA approves some Apple...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Margaret McGovern, deputy dean for clinical affairs at the Yale School of Medicine, CEO of Yale Medicine, and chief physician executive of the Yale New Haven Health System. They discuss her path from the lab to healthcare leadership, and her efforts to better align Yale's medical school and its health system. Harlan reflects on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks; Howie provides an update on the bird flu outbreak. 

Links:

September 11

"60 Minutes remembers 9/11: The FDNY"

Margaret McGovern

"McGovern Welcomed as Yale Medicine CEO" Duration: 00:34:23

Howie and Harlan are joined by Lee Schwamm, associate dean for digital strategy and transformation for Yale School of Medicine and chief digital health officer for Yale New Haven Health System, to discuss how AI and other digital tools can be part of fixing a broken healthcare system. Harlan reports on lightly regulated compounding pharmacies producing anti-obesity drugs; Howie gives an update on efforts by the FDA and CDC to fight bird flu.

Links:

"2023 Paul Dudley White Award: Dr. Lee Schwamm"

Yale School of Medicine | Lisa Leffert, MD

Health & Veritas | Dr...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Joshua Sharfstein, a longtime public health official in federal, state, and local government, to discuss the state of the opioid epidemic, lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and our readiness for a bird flu outbreak. Harlan reports on the summer surge in COVID-19; Howie remembers his mentor Gail Wilensky, a health economist who directed Medicaid and Medicare programs and led many other organizations over a 50-year career. 

Links:

COVID-19 Update

CDC: COVID Data Tracker

CDC: COVID-19 Current Wastewater Viral Activity Levels Map

"What t...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Kate Goodrich, chief medical officer for Humana and a former Medicare staffer, to discuss the improvements in care and outcomes that result when providers are paid for each patient, not each service. Harlan looks at the challenge of payment for AI-based diagnostic tools; Howie asks if free tuition at Johns Hopkins medical school will address the real problems in medical education. 

Links:

AI Diagnostic Tools

"Tempus Receives U.S. FDA 510(k) Clearance for Tempus ECG-AF, an AI-based Algorithm that Identifies Patients at Increased Risk of AFib"

Howie and Harlan are joined by Timothy Westmoreland to discuss his long career in health policy and law, and the far-reaching consequences of the Supreme Court decision overturning Chevron deference. Harlan looks at President Joe Biden's debate struggles; Howie reports on the many healthcare-related Supreme Court decisions. 

Links:

The Presidential Debate

Harlan Krumholz: "Did Cold Medications Affect Biden's Debate Performance?"

CNN Presidential Debate: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, July 2, 2024

"Biden's Evolving Reasons for His Bad Debate: A C...

Howie and Harlan catch up on healthcare headlines, including the politics of treating gun violence as a public health crisis, the growing evidence for the dangers of artificial sweeteners, and the latest on the bird flu outbreak.

Links:

Aspen Ideas: Health 2024

Harlan Krumholz: "The Next Era of JACC"

"First Issue of JACC Debuts Under Harlan M. Krumholz"

"U.S. clinical trials begin for twice-yearly HIV prevention injection"

UNAIDS: 2023 Fact Sheet

Rush University System: Dr. Omar B. Lateef

"Rush Signs on as First Partner...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Lisa Suter, a rheumatologist and the senior director of the Quality Measurement Program at Yale's Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation. Harlan reflects on the meaning of Juneteenth and reports on a Yale-led report card on health equity; Howie comments on Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's call for warning labels on social media. 

Links:

Juneteenth

National Museum of African American History & Culture: Juneteenth

Harlan Krumholz: "Excess Cardiovascular Mortality Among Black Americans 2000-2022: A JACC Report Card"

"JACC Report Card Highlights Inequities in CV Care, Death R...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Anna Reisman, a physician and writer who leads Yale's Program for Humanities in Medicine. They discuss the gaps in care she encountered when her developmentally disabled sister was diagnosed with cancer, and her work reviewing the "dude wall" of portraits at Yale Medical School. Harlan asks what we've gained from a new definition of long COVID; Howie provides an update on the spread of the H5N1 bird flu. 

Links:

Defining Long COVID

"Federal Government, Clinicians, Employers, and Others Should Adopt New Definition for Long COVID to A...

Mitesh Rao, co-founder and CEO of OMNY Health, joins Howie and Harlan to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and how his company is creating a common layer of data connecting healthcare providers and researchers. Harlan reports on a study showing how many lives could be saved by improving quality of care; Howie reflects on the health consequences that have accompanied the legalization of cannabis. 

Links:

Quality and Lives Saved

"The business case for quality: estimating lives saved and harms avoided in a value-based purchasing model"

The CMS Innovation Center

NCQA: H...

A special episode recorded at the Yale Innovation Summit, which brings together entrepreneurs and investors in the arts, biotech, climate, health, and tech. Howie and Harlan are joined by Josh Geballe, managing director of Yale Ventures, which hosts the summit; Mary Ann Melnick, site head at Biolabs New Haven; and Lee Schwamm, chief digital health officer at Yale New Haven Health System. 

Links:

Watch the event on YouTube.

Yale Ventures: Yale Innovation Summit

State of Connecticut: "Governor Lamont Announces Creation of the Innovation Clusters Program To Support Growth in Cutting-Edge Industries" Duration: 00:39:43

Howie and Harlan are joined by Chima Ndumele of the Yale School of Public Health to discuss his research on structural changes to Medicaid that could keep vulnerable populations healthier. Harlan reports on the remarkable abilities of Google's latest medicine-focused AI; Howie reflects on a study showing the impact of race-neutral measures of lung function. 

Links:

AI and Medicine

"Capabilities of Gemini Models in Medicine"

Medicaid

Medicaid.gov

"10 Things to Know About Medicaid"

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

"Long-Term Stability of Coverage Among M...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Ruth Katz, executive director of the Aspen Institute's Health, Medicine & Society Program and a former Capitol Hill staffer, to discuss her work on the Affordable Care Act and other major healthcare laws. Harlan reflects on a study showing that using different analytical approaches to the same data can lead to a wide range of conclusions; Howie reports on a wave of dangerous infections caused by stem cell treatments at clinics in Mexico. 

Links:

Reproducible Research

"Grilling the data: application of specification curve analysis to red meat and a...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Greg Licholai, a Yale SOM lecturer and biotech entrepreneur, to discuss his career and his work at the contract research organization ICON, which performs clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies. Harlan reports on new research illustrating the dangerous consequences of asking patients to share the costs of life-saving drugs; Howie provides the good news and the bad news from the annual Medicare Trustees Report. 

Links:

Cost-Sharing and Mortality

"The Health Costs Of Cost-Sharing"

"The Boys of January"

Greg Licholai

ICON plc

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines. From flatlining telehealth to Walmart closing retail clinics to months-long waits for healthcare appointments, they try to untangle the challenges in delivering healthcare. Also considered, H5N1 bird flu increasing the risks of drinking unpasteurized milk, promising research on open-source moderation of misinformation on social media.

Links:

Yale Repertory Theater | The Far Country

CDC | H5N1

"US bird flu outbreak spreads to chickens, cattle, raises concerns over human infections"

"Raw Milk Is Being Legalized in More States. Is It Safe?"

Howie and Harlan are joined by Arthur Caplan, Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics and founding head of the division of medical ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, to discuss the ethical failings of the pharmaceutical industry and how a community-focused ethos prioritizing justice and protection of the vulnerable would have reshaped the COVID response. Harlan reports on developments in synthetic proteins. Howie recognizes World Malaria Day.

Links:

Division of Medical Ethics: NYU Langone

"'You've got bad blood': The horror of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment"

"When...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Scott Berkowitz '03, cardiologist and chief population health officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine, to discuss the necessity of moving from fee-for-service to value-based care delivery to improve outcomes for all. Harlan highlights the dangers of misinformation about Ivermectin. Howie reports on the potential conflicts of interest created by device manufacturers' payments to cardiologists.

Links:

Johns Hopkins Medicine: Home

Johns Hopkins Community Health Partnership

"Association of a Care Coordination Model With Health Care Costs and Utilization"

"Planning for the Future of Population Health: The...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Atheendar Venkataramani, a physician, health economist, and director of the Perelman School of Medicine's Opportunity for Health Lab, to discuss the powerful role of economic opportunity in population health outcomes. Harlan reports on two studies where treatments' unexpected benefits leapt ahead of understanding why they work. Howie reflects on the business model of the pharma industry and the market reaction to anti-obesity drugs.

Links:

Opportunity for Health | Home

"College Affirmative Action Bans and Smoking and Alcohol Use among Underrepresented Minority Adolescents in the United States: A Difference-in-differences...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, to discuss the programs' underappreciated advances in holistically addressing health, housing, and food security. Reflecting on the upcoming election, Harlan notes that facts matter, whether in medicine or politics. Howie reports on the dangers of glyoxylic acid in hair straightening products.

Links:

"Trump Leads Biden in Six of Seven Swing States, WSJ Poll Finds"

"Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power"

"The Forgotten History of Hitler's Establishment Enablers"

The Future of Health Policy...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Margo Harrison, an OB-GYN and femtech entrepreneur, to discuss how innovative solutions to women's health problems offer deeper understanding and expanded choices. Harlan and Howie each offer a caveat emptor for lightly regulated, unproven supplements and treatments such as Prevagen and hydration spas.

Links:

"Prevagen Review: A Word of Caution"

"Prevagen®: Analysis of Clinical Evidence and Its Designation as a '#1 Pharmacist Recommended Brand'"

"NY Jury Rules Some Claims About Prevagen Are Misleading"

"Effects of a Supplement Containing Apoaequorin on Verbal Learning in O...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale health economist Zack Cooper to discuss his work on surprise medical bills and the impact of high healthcare costs on households, wages, and the economy. Harlan reports on Hippocratic AI's efforts to develop AI nurses. Howie looks at the global effort to eradicate tuberculosis.

Links:

"Hippocratic AI banks $53M backed by General Catalyst, a16z, Memorial Hermann, UHS and other health systems"

"Polaris: A Safety-focused LLM Constellation Architecture for Healthcare"

Yale | Eli Whitney Students Program

Touching the Dragon: And Other Techniques for...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Robert Alpern, a Yale nephrologist and the former dean of the Yale School of Medicine, to discuss the importance of a fiscal base for enabling a medical school to deliver top-quality training, research, and clinical care. Harlan asks whether widespread norovirus is a reason to call it quits on shaking hands. Howie reports on a study of the increased mortality among those with ADHD.

"Nephrologist Robert Alpern Named Dean of Yale School of Medicine"

"UT Southwestern: From Army" Shacks to Research Elites"

"National Clinician Scholars Program"

Howie and Harlan are joined by Robert Rohrbaugh, professor of psychiatry and deputy dean for professionalism and leadership at the Yale School of Medicine, to discuss his work training doctors in antiracist practices and ensuring the wellbeing of clinicians during the pandemic. Harlan reports on the problematic history of medical journals promoting eugenics; Howie highlights a cyberattack that has paralyzed Change Healthcare, the country's largest payments processing hub.

Links:

Antiracist Documentation Practices — Shaping Clinical Encounters and Decision Making

American Psychological Association | Implicit Bias

"YSM Ranks #1 in U.S. News Survey for Ps...

Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines, including a cheating scandal that has led to the invalidation of hundreds of scores from Nepal on the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, the problem of research that never sees the light of day, new anti-obesity medications, and Florida's unorthodox approach to measles.

Links:

Standardized Testing

"Cheated out of the American Dream"

"MCAT scores and medical school success: Do they correlate?"

"Reducing Medical School Admissions Disparities in an Era of Legal Restrictions: Adjusting for Applicant Socioeconomic Disadvantage"

"Medical School...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Lucila Ohno-Machado, the Yale School of Medicine's deputy dean for biomedical informatics. She explains how expanding use of data science, informatics, AI, and technology could enable doctors to spend more time with patients. Harlan celebrates mentorship while marking the death of Irwin Birnbaum, a mentor to many in his time as COO of the Yale Medical School and long after retiring. Howie discusses the mixed evidence from a study on vaping as a tool for helping cigarette smokers quit.

Links:

"Lucila Ohno-Machado, MD, PhD, MBA, Will Lead Biomedical Informatics...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Farzad Mostashari, co-founder and CEO of Aledade, an "accountable care organization" that seeks to align patient-provider incentives so doctors can make a profit by prioritizing preventive care. Harlan discusses a study suggesting that physical exercise may be protective from severe COVID. Howie highlights the introduction of Apple's VR headset and the importance of further study to understand the technology's capacity to "rewire" our brains.

Links:

"Aledade: Home Page"

"Farzad Mostashari: Man On A Digital Mission"

"Health Reform and Physician-Led Accountable Care:The Paradox of Primary...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Christopher O'Connor, CEO of Yale New Haven Health, to discuss his career path and his experience leading hospitals through Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19. Harlan reports on promising AI tools for taking clinical notes; Howie looks at the financial headwinds facing the companies offering Medicare Advantage plans. 

Links:

AI Notetaking

"OpenAI-backed healthcare AI startup raises $70 million Series B"

"Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care"

"Ambient Artificial Intelligence Scribes to Alleviate the Burden of Clinical Documentation"

"Medical AI scribe s...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Manisha Juthani, a Yale infectious disease specialist and commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. They discuss her research, including a study casting doubt on the use of cranberries to prevent urinary tract infection, and her priorities for Connecticut. Harlan reports on a wave of study retractions from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Howie reflects on the progress made toward eradicating Guinea worm and malaria. 

Links:

Retractions from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

"Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Researchers Accused of Manipulating Data"

"Top Cancer Center Seeks to R...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale SOM alum Claudine Litman, a designer and the director of Yale's Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation, to talk about using the tools of design to build more effective healthcare spaces and processes. Harlan looks at seven charts illustrating the state of healthcare in 2023; Howie reports on the FDA reprimanding a drug company for misleading advertising.

Links:

Healthcare in 2023

"Seven Charts That Sum Up U.S. Healthcare In 2023"

Designing Better Healthcare

Yale School of Medicine:Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation

Design...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Reshma Ramachandran, a Yale family physician and co-director of Yale Collaboration for Regulatory Rigor, Integrity, and Transparency. They discuss the potential ramifications for healthcare regulation if the Supreme Court overturns the Chevron decision requiring judges to defer to federal agencies. Harlan looks at surveys suggesting an erosion of trust in medicine; Howie reports on the growing measles outbreak.

LInks:

Trust in Healthcare

"Nurses First, Doctors Distant Second in Healthcare Provider Ratings"

"KFF Health Tracking Poll: Health Care Issues Emerge as Important Topics on 2024 Campaign Trail...

Howie and Harlan discuss the winter wave of COVID-19 and Howie's experience with the Novovax vaccine, report on potential side effects of the next-generation weight-loss drugs, and unpack the economics of Florida's plan to import drugs from Canada.

Links:

Sid Wolfe

"Sidney M. Wolfe, Scourge of the Pharmaceutical Industry, Dies at 86"

COVID-19

"Florida surgeon general calls for halt on mRNA covid vaccines, citing debunked claim"

"Safety and Adverse Events Related to Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccines and Novavax;a Systematic Review"

"Paul Offit Debunks Florida Surgeon General's...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Julie Ann Sosa, chair of the University of California San Francisco department of surgery. She reports on new approaches to treating thyroid nodules, addressing sexual harassment within the medical profession, and supporting personal and professional success for doctors caring for elderly parents. Harlan and Howie discuss the upswing in COVID-19 cases and research on whether the benefits of exercise could be delivered by a pill.

Links:

Prospects for Faculty in the Arts and Sciences: A Study of Factors Affecting Demand and Supply, 1987 to 2012

Trends in Thyroid Cancer...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Eric Winer, director of the Yale Cancer Center and president of Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital. They discuss his career, his personal experiences with hemophilia and HIV, and the state of breast cancer treatment. Harlan reports on the retraction of a high-profile study on the effect of hearing aids on dementia; Howie provides some good news from an annual report on health expenditures in the U.S. 

Links:

A Retracted Study

"Retraction—Association between hearing aid use and all-cause and cause-specific dementia: an analysis of the UK Biobank coh...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Tina Loarte-Rodríguez, associate director, health equity measures, at Yale's Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation and the author of Latinas in Nursing: Stories of Determination, Inspiration, and Trust. And Howie and Harlan discuss the clinical and economic dimensions of two newly approved CRISPR-based treatments for sickle cell disease. 

Links:

Tina Loarte-Rodríguez

Tina Loarte-Rodríguez: Latinas in Nursing: Stories of Determination, Inspiration, and Trust

Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation (CORE)

Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation: Quality Measurement

"Sociodemographic Disparities in Queue Jumpi...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Tara Sanft, chief patient experience officer at Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital and director of the Survivorship Program at the Yale Cancer Center. Harlan reports on his study of patients with long-lasting symptoms after the COVID-19 vaccine; Howie reflects on the historic decline in cigarette smoking in the United States. 

Links:

Post-Vaccination Syndrome

Harlan Krumholz: "Post-Vaccination Syndrome: A Descriptive Analysis of Reported Symptoms and Patient Experiences After Covid-19 Immunization"

Patient Experience and Cancer Survivorship

Tara Sanft: "Rekindling Joy in Medicine Through Thoughtful Communication: A P...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephanie Sudikoff, an expert on using simulation to train healthcare professionals, to discuss her new venture working to expand treatment for neonatal jaundice and how simulating procedures can assist in quality control and ongoing training. They also look at new developments in AI in radiology and the economics of a powerful treatment for inflammation.

Links:

AI and Radiology

"Imaging AI hogs the spotlight at RSNA, with debuts from GE, Siemens, Philips"

"Accuracy of ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Bing for Simplifying Radiology Reports"

"...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Jerold Mande, a nutrition expert who has served in the FDA, where he led the graphic design of the Nutrition Facts label, and the USDA. Harlan reports on promising new therapies for sickle cell disease, high cholesterol, and hypertension; Howie reflects on the Thanksgiving holiday and the contributions of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died this week.

Links:

New Therapies

"Sickle-Cell Treatment Created With Gene Editing Wins U.K. Approval"

"Updated data show long-term benefits of CRISPR treatment for sickle cell, beta thalassemia"

Howie and Harlan review the results of a new study testing the effects of anti-obesity medications on cardiovascular health. Then they're joined by Yale's John Morton, a leading bariatric surgeon, to discuss the state of weight-loss surgery and its long-term impact on patients' lives.

Links:

Obesity Drugs

"GLP-1 agonists: Diabetes drugs and weight loss"

"Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes"

"AMA urges insurance coverage parity for emerging obesity treatment options"

"National Coverage Determination: Treatment of Obesity"

"Real-World Adherence and Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1...

Howie and Harlan are joined by the New Yorker's Dhruv Khullar to talk about his life as a clinician, researcher, and journalist. Harlan looks at how direct-to-consumer healthcare companies like Hims & Hers Health are capitalizing on patients' reluctance to share sensitive issues with traditional providers; Howie reports on the health issues on the ballot in this week's election.

Links:

The Loss of Trust and the Rise of Hims & Hers Health

hims.com

forhers.com

"Hims & Hers reports 57% revenue increase, launch of AI offering and more earnings news"

"...

Howie and Harlan are joined by Melinda Pettigrew of the Yale School of Public Health to discuss the changes needed in the prescription and agriculture use of antibiotics to address the crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Harlan reports on a survey underlining the scale of medical misinformation among Americans; Howie discusses a new tool for the treatment of unhoused people. 

Links:

Medical Misinformation

Harlan Krumholz: "A prescription for the US FDA for the regulation of health misinformation"

"Vaccine Confidence Falls as Belief in Health Misinformation Grows"

Melinda Pettigrew and Antimicrobial R...