Healthcare Unfiltered: Recent Episodes
Chadi Nabhan
Healthcare Unfiltered is an honest, raw, timely podcast tackling any and all topics in healthcare that affect stakeholders. Dr. Chadi Nabhan uses his dynamic conversational skills to challenge his guests to address controversial and important topics. He also brings on world renowned experts to discuss clinical advances in medicine.
Dena Marrinucci, PhD, co-founder and COO of Truvian Health, joins the show to discuss her mission to transform blood diagnostics through a point-of-care device that delivers rapid, actionable results. She shares the origin story of founding Truvian in 2015—coincidentally just weeks before the Theranos exposé—and reflects on navigating industry skepticism in the post-Theranos landscape. Marrinucci also outlines the company’s FDA submission process, the importance of empowering immediate patient-provider decision-making, and what the initial panel of 30+ lab tests offers for routine care, among so much more.Read the article on the Truvian Health blood test.https://www.newsweek.com/truvian-lab-company-blood-test-device-theranos-health-care-1997422Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Former FDA Commissioner Robert Califf returns to the show for an in-depth discussion on the integration of artificial intelligence into regulatory processes, including how AI is currently being used—and should be used—in drug and medical device approvals, the detection and review of fraudulent data, and clinical decision support systems. He also explores the boundaries between algorithmic automation and human judgment, emphasizing the importance of maintaining transparency, accountability, and trust in an increasingly data-driven regulatory landscape.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Last week, Chadi and researchers explored the KETO-CTA study, which investigated the effects of the ketogenic diet on coronary plaque formation in Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHR), or individuals who experience significant LDL cholesterol elevations on low-carb diets.This week, the other side of the conversation is presented.A leading cardiologist joins the show to critically examine the KETO-CTA study findings, questioning their clinical significance and broader applicability. What do these results really mean for cardiovascular risk in the general population? Should elevated LDL in the context of good metabolic health be treated the same as traditional hyperlipidemia?This episode dives into the nuances of lipidology, the role of LDL in atherosclerosis, and the complexity of applying study findings to real-world patients.Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or just interested in the science behind diet and heart health, this conversation is essential listening.View the KETO-CTA study.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25001036Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
The ketogenic (keto) diet has surged in popularity, with many touting its weight loss and metabolic benefits. However, some individuals—particularly those following a low-carb, high-fat regimen—experience a significant rise in LDL cholesterol, a phenomenon now known as the Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR) phenotype. What does this mean for cardiovascular risk?In this episode, Chadi is joined by three of the lead investigators of the KETO-CTA study, recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. They break down their findings on how the keto diet affects coronary plaque formation and what it could mean for LMHR individuals.This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Next week, Chadi brings in a contrasting perspective on the study’s conclusions.A must-listen series for anyone interested in the intersection of diet, cholesterol, and cardiovascular health.View the KETO-CTA study.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25001036Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Cardiologists Andrew Foy and Anish Koka return to the show for a deep and often contentious debate on one of the most pressing healthcare policy issues of our time: should the government negotiate drug prices? Using the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a springboard, the conversation explores the underlying causes of inflated drug prices in the US, including the role of third-party payers, lack of transparency, and market distortions. The discussion also examines the global landscape—how other countries manage drug pricing—and whether those models offer lessons or cautionary tales. What impact will the IRA have on patients, access, and innovation? Can payers do more to control costs without sacrificing care? This episode dives into the complexities of healthcare economics, the free market, and the question of whether government intervention helps or hinders progress.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
With over 513,000 licensed advanced practice providers (APPs) in the U.S.—including 355,000 nurse practitioners and 158,470 physician assistants—and a projected 31% growth in the next five years, APPs are playing an increasingly vital role in oncology care. In this episode, Chadi is joined by Mary DiLorenzo and Clare Stone, two seasoned APPs practicing in North Carolina, for an in-depth conversation about how the field has evolved over the past 10–15 years. Together, they explore the nuances of APP scope of practice, how responsibilities vary across institutions and physician teams, and the ways in which APPs are integrated across inpatient and outpatient settings. The discussion also dives into critical questions: Are APPs seeing new patients as well as follow-ups? Could they eventually replace oncologists in some roles? What happens when clinical opinions diverge between APPs and physicians? Why do some patients feel more comfortable opening up to their APP than their oncologist? This episode offers a timely look at how APPs are shaping the future of cancer care delivery.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. Emil Lou and Shruti Patel join Chadi on the podcast to unpack the alarming rise of gastrointestinal cancers in younger patients. They explore a range of possible environmental contributors—from plastic exposure and processed meats to alcohol and tobacco use—and discuss how these factors might be investigated through laboratory science. The conversation also highlights the promise of genomic profiling in shedding light on these trends, and reviews key findings from ASCO GI that could help steer future research and prevention efforts.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. Sanam Loghavi and Amer Zeidan delve into the history behind the recent classification split between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Consensus Classification (ICC) for myeloid and lymphoid malignancies, and how a few years of minor disagreement have culminated in a unified system. They explore the critical differences in how myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms are now categorized, what this alignment means for pathologists, oncologists, regulators, and patients, when the new classification will take effect, and how it is expected to influence research, diagnosis, and clinical care.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Where does AI truly fit into the future of biomedicine and healthcare, beyond the usual headlines in radiology and pathology? Jonathan Carlson, Managing Director of Research Health Futures at Microsoft, joins the show to explore the evolution of AI in medicine, from the early days to cutting-edge innovations like ambient clinical intelligence. Together, he and Chadi unpack how pretrained models and machine learning are transforming care delivery, as well as the ethical and practical questions we need to be asking now.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
A Georgia court recently awarded over $2 billion to a plaintiff who developed lymphoma due to Monsanto’s Roundup exposure, but a new bill could prevent future victims from suing the company. Patient advocate Kelly Ryerson unpacks the legal maneuvering behind this legislation, its potential impact on consumer rights, and what it means for the future of environmental and food safety. Don’t miss this critical discussion on the intersection of law, public health, and corporate accountability.For more on this, check out this article.https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_2065b5e4-1052-433d-9af8-d840389e722d.html View Kelly’s website.https://glyphosatefacts.com/about/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Mohammad Jahanzeb, a renowned oncologist specializing in lung and breast cancer who opened his own virtual second opinion clinic, joins the podcast to explore the growing need for second opinion clinics and the challenges patients face in accessing them, from financial barriers to lingering stigmas. He delves into how often second opinions lead to changes in patient management, which disease settings benefit most, and how virtual second opinion models provide expert guidance while overcoming traditional obstacles. Additionally, Dr. Jahanzeb shares his serendipitous, “Forrest Gump-like” career path, the vital role of mentorship in shaping careers, and his philosophy on avoiding “professional stagnation.”Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Simrit Parmar, founder of Cellenkos, joins the show to discuss her journey from the lab to the biotech startup world, detailing the inspiration behind launching her company, the challenges of securing funding, and the resilience required to overcome rejections. She shares insights into Cellenkos’ lead product, its progress toward market approval, and the rigorous process of demonstrating safety and efficacy to the FDA. Additionally, she provides a glimpse into the company’s pipeline of innovative cellular therapies aimed at addressing unmet medical needs.Find out more about Cellenkos.https://cellenkosinc.com/about/index.html Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Carol Rausch—a healthcare professional, cancer researcher, and former patient with lymphoma—shares how her journey from researcher to patient transformed her understanding of medical language. She discusses the impact of word choice on patients, why certain battle and war metaphors can be harmful, and how language used in clinical settings differs from what resonates with those facing a diagnosis. Carol also explores the consequences of unfiltered language on social media and her efforts to promote more thoughtful, patient-centered communication both within and beyond the healthcare community.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. David Braun and Toni Choueiri join to discuss a groundbreaking Nature study on a personalized neoantigen vaccine for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma. They explore the inspiration behind the trial, how the vaccine was developed and administered, and its safety profile. The conversation also covers patient outcomes after 3-4 years, including immune responses and disease recurrence, as well as the rapid enrollment of this innovative study and what it means for the future of kidney cancer treatment.Read the publication in Nature.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08507-5Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Jay Giri, Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, joins the show to break down the recent NIH funding cuts and their impact on the medical research ecosystem. Together, he and Chadi explore the distinction between direct and indirect funding, the federal government's decision to reduce direct research funding to 15%, and how this shift affects researchers, institutions, and scientific progress. With growing concerns across the medical community and social media, they consider whether the backlash is justified and what the future holds for federally funded research.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Returning to the show, Drs. Vincent Rajkumar and Aaron Goodman engage in a dynamic debate over the evolving landscape of smoldering multiple myeloma, focusing on the highly anticipated study recently co-authored by Dr. Rajkumar and published in The New England Journal of Medicine after being presented at ASH 2024. They dissect the study’s findings, which highlight the impact of early intervention with daratumumab in delaying disease progression for patients classified as high-risk. The discussion explores the nuances of smoldering myeloma classification, the controversy surrounding risk stratification, and the historical context of prior studies that failed to change clinical practice. With their expert insights, Drs. Rajkumar and Goodman break down the implications of this research, questioning whether it truly shifts the standard of care and what it means for future treatment approaches.View the NEJM publication.https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2409029Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Sakhr (Sam) Youness, a Syrian entrepreneur and engineer, provides a comprehensive primer on artificial intelligence (AI), tracing its origins from WWII-era innovations to the breakthroughs of the 1990s that shaped modern AI capabilities. He demystifies key concepts like machine learning, large language models, and the role of labeled data in training AI systems, offering insights into how AI interprets and processes human language. Dr. Youness also examines the rise of generative AI, the development of ChatGPT, and the ethical concerns surrounding AI’s proper use. Looking ahead, he discusses the next frontier—artificial general intelligence—and its implications for society, addressing the pressing question of whether AI and robotics will replace human workers. Finally, he explores AI’s evolving role in healthcare, weighing its potential to revolutionize medical advancements against the risks of misuse.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Amy Abernethy and Brad Hirsch, co-founders of Highlander Health, delve into their mission to transform healthcare through innovative, data-driven strategies. They discuss their firm's unique approach to investing in companies and technologies that advance personalized care, the creation of the Evidence Accelerator to streamline high-quality real-world data, and their efforts to solve critical challenges in building faster, more reliable demonstration projects. Furthermore, they share how they ensure credibility and quality in real-world evidence, and their vision for reshaping the future of medical innovation.Learn more about Highlander Health.https://www.highlanderhealth.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with Creed McKinnon, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of VersaWare, to explore how this cutting-edge startup is redefining the intersection of technology and nutrition. VersaWare’s AI-powered platform integrates voice assistants and real-time chatbot support from expert nutritionists to simplify meal building, enhance recipe discovery, and streamline pantry management. Creed shares insights into the challenges of developing a solution for users who often abandon traditional nutrition tracking apps, the innovative revenue streams behind the brand—including a consumer-friendly app—and the company’s ambitious vision for the next 6 months as it seeks to empower individuals with smarter, more personalized approaches to health and nutrition.Learn more about VersaWare.https://versaware.io/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Andrew Foy, a cardiologist at Penn State Health, returns to the show to unpack the findings of his JAMA publication exploring industry payments in medicine and their influence on clinical practice. He examines how financial relationships with the industry may shape guideline recommendations, alter quality-of-care metrics, and contribute to potentially inappropriate prescribing practices, particularly in cases of expanded indications. Together, Chadi and Dr. Foy consider critical questions about whether medical societies should face the same scrutiny as individual physicians and whether backlash against industry involvement in healthcare is disproportionate compared to other sectors.Read the JAMA research letter on COIs.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2816900#google_vignetteCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Lecia Sequist, an expert in lung cancer and early detection, and Dr. Jeff Yang, a renowned thoracic surgeon, join Chadi to unravel the complexities of early lung cancer detection. Together, they explore the nuances of lung cancer screening, including the challenges of overdiagnosis and managing false-negative and false-positive results. The discussion delves into cutting-edge advancements like multi-cancer early detection tests, current patient screening eligibility criteria, and the critical factors contributing to low screening rates, such as accessibility barriers. They end on a note to raise awareness about the importance of lung cancer screening, emphasizing its safety, simplicity, and potential to save lives.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Maz Jobrani, star standup comedian and actor, joins the show to share his career journey and his beginning as an immigrant turned comedian and celebrity. Maz shares his sister's journey when diagnosed with breast cancer at a very young age. He opens up with details on challenges of being one of her caregivers and how he balanced comedy with tragedy. His sister catalogued her journey in a documentary available on Amazon Prime, titled "Everything Must Change," that is a must-watch. Maz and Chadi celebrate his sister's life and highlight how "The Cancer Journey" addresses all elements pertaining to the unfortunate journey patients and families must undertake.Find out more about Maz Jobrani.https://www.mazjobrani.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with Dr. Matt Davids, Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Lymphoma at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to unpack the latest breakthroughs in leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) from the ASH annual meeting. A pioneer in CLL treatment, Dr. Davids recounts the development of venetoclax, a transformative therapy he helped bring to clinical use over a decade ago, setting the stage for discussions on emerging updates. Together, they explore advancements in BTK inhibitors across three distinct classes, the potential of novel targeted therapies, innovative combination regimens, and the shifting paradigms in treating blood cancers, including a nod to the latest clinical trials of high potential. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
As the holidays approach, questions about maintaining nutrition, wellness, and a healthy lifestyle take center stage. Australian nutrition icons Kim Morrison and Cyndi O'Meara join Chadi to explore vitalistic principles that emphasize natural health approaches without relying on medication. They dive into how the holiday season amplifies mental health and nutritional struggles and share actionable strategies to tackle these challenges beyond mere willpower. With an anthropological lens, they break down how understanding your unique body can guide you to maintain a healthy weight, improve overall health, and develop lasting habits. The conversation also provides practical tips for identifying high-quality ingredients and making mindful food choices that support your wellness goals. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Leading into the ASH Annual Meeting, Dr. Kami Maddocks, professor in the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University and medical director of infusion services at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides an in-depth analysis of advancements in non-Hodgkin lymphoma care, with a focus on aggressive B-cell lymphoma. She explores the evolving roles of immunotherapies like CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies in high-risk patient populations, discusses the impact of cell-of-origin testing on frontline treatment decisions, and evaluates the latest data guiding choices between R-CHOP, transplant, and CAR-T therapy after first relapse. Dr. Maddocks also highlights the promise of BTK inhibitors and maintenance approaches in transforming patient outcomes, offering insights into the future of lymphoma treatment. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Vivek Subbiah returns for another edition of Vivek's Takes, sharing his insights on key updates from ESMO Congress 2024, including breakthroughs in neuroendocrine tumors, gastric cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. He also delves into the highlights of his AACR debate on integrating early cancer detection with AI, arguing for the transformative potential of humans with AI versus the readiness of AI today. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi welcomes Dr. Andrea Apolo, an internationally recognized leader in bladder cancer research from the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Apolo shares her expertise on recent advancements in urothelial cancer therapy, including key breakthroughs in checkpoint inhibition that have marked a significant turning point in treatment. The conversation delves into optimal sequencing and combination strategies for checkpoint inhibitors, contrasts in treatment approaches between early-stage and late-stage disease, and the evolving landscape of bladder-sparing options. Dr. Apolo also provides an in-depth look at the comprehensive process of designing, executing, and publishing impactful clinical research, highlighted by her latest publication in The New England Journal of Medicine.Read more about her NEJM trial.https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2401726 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Joe Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and Professor at TGen, takes us beyond his medical career to explore the personal experiences that have shaped his journey in oncology. Dr. Mikhael discusses the IMF’s targeted strategies for reducing health disparities among diverse ethnic and racial groups affected by myeloma, shedding light on specific initiatives aimed at improving access and outcomes. He also dives into his role in medical education, where he mentors the next generation of oncologists through innovative fellowship programs, advancing research, and fostering a more inclusive approach to cancer care.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Tom Beer, Chief Medical Officer of the Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) program at Exact Sciences, delves into the groundbreaking science behind MCED tests, which use advanced biomarkers for early detection of multiple cancer types. He explains who may be eligible for these tests, how to interpret results to avoid unnecessary intervention from over-detection, and the varying sensitivity levels of MCED tests across different cancers. Additionally, Tom shares insights into the Falcon trial – a major real-world study assessing a MCED test clinical performance and potential impact on early cancer detection and patient outcomes.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this special episode, Chadi gives up the microphone to guest host Kelly Ryerson, who takes over the show asking questions about Chadi's new book "The Cancer Journey."What inspired the book writing? What methods are used? Who is the target audience? What did the author learn? And what did he aim to achieve?Written for everyone who wants to learn more about cancer, this discussion highlights behind-the-scenes information on Chadi's latest achievement.View more and order “The Cancer Journey.”chadinabhan.com/the-cancer-journey/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Jon Chait never thought he would get cancer, but one day he found he had it. As he navigates his journey alongside his caregiver and wife Heather, he shares with Chadi the good and the bad, the ups and downs, and what he encounters in a broken, complex healthcare system.A fitting episode as Chadi launches his book "The Cancer Journey." It is a must listen to anyone navigating the system. Is it truly patient-centric as advertised?You be the judge.View more and order “The Cancer Journey.”https://chadinabhan.com/the-cancer-journey/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Kathy Giusti, founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and a two-time cancer survivor, opens up about her first diagnosis and the life-changing conversation with her primary care doctor. She reflects on the overwhelming "age of information," which often leads patients to more questions than answers, and shares her strategies for dealing with the loss of control that comes with a cancer diagnosis. Kathy also talks about the importance of identifying what truly matters, placing personal priorities in plain sight as daily reminders. She delves into the potential next breakthrough in multiple myeloma research, her success in engaging patients in MMRF’s direction, and offers heartfelt advice for families on when and how to tell children about a cancer diagnosis, as well as other important points through the cancer journey, drawing from her own deeply personal experiences.Read more about the Kathy Giusti story.https://www.statnews.com/2024/09/03/multiple-myeloma-kathy-guisti-fatal-to-fearless-patient-advocate-research-fundraiser/Find out more about Kathy’s book “Fatal to Fearless.”https://www.kathygiusti.com/bookCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Joe Lennerz, Chief Scientific Officer of BostonGene and a pathologist by training, joins Chadi to break down next-generation sequencing (NGS) in simple terms, discussing why some patients undergo NGS while others do not, along with its advantages and limitations. He also explores the impact of NGS on treatment pathways, the practicality of minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, liquid biopsy, and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and whether immediate action should be taken after MRD detection. Additionally, Dr. Lennerz examines multi-cancer early detection technologies, who should be tested, and the future need for regulatory oversight in this rapidly advancing field.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Sanjay Patel of Weill Cornell and Dr. Greg Goldgof of Memorial Sloan Kettering dive into the transformative role of AI in modern pathology. They discuss how large language models are enhancing diagnostic workflows, expediting report synthesis, and shaping the future of patient care. The conversation also touches on the complex training required to ready AI systems for clinical use, the areas of pathology most impacted by AI today, and how this technology is being integrated into the education of future pathologists.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
David Canes, CEO of WellPrept and a Boston-based urologist, joins the show to share the story behind his innovative platform designed to reduce physician burnout. He explains how WellPrept empowers doctors to streamline patient education by organizing and delivering tailored materials before the first visit, allowing for more personalized and efficient consultations. David also touches on his entrepreneurial journey, the platform's future expansion beyond urology, and the broader impact WellPrept could have across all medical specialties.Find out more about WellPrept.https://wellprept.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Graduating fellows Jennifer Marks and Megan Melody join the show to discuss the challenges of navigating the job search during fellowship. They share insights on when to start looking for positions, the importance of networking through mentors and conferences, and how to handle geographic limitations in the job market. The conversation also covers key interview strategies, tips for compensation negotiations, and what to do when asked to present during an interview—especially when things don't go as planned.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Yelak Biru, President and CEO of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), joins the show to share his remarkable personal and professional journey. After immigrating to the US from Ethiopia, Yelak was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at the age of 26, setting him on an extraordinary path as both a survivor and a passionate advocate for myeloma patients. He discusses pivotal moments in his treatment, including seeking second opinions, utilizing groundbreaking therapies like CAR-T, and his ongoing decision to reject a transplant. Now leading the world’s first and largest nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of those impacted by multiple myeloma, Yelak shares his vision for expanding IMF's global outreach, advancing research, and empowering patients and caregivers worldwide.Learn more about the IMF.https://www.myeloma.org/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Anish Koka, a cardiologist at Jefferson Health, returns to the show for the first time since the inaugural episode in October 2020. With a sharp focus on healthcare policy, he delves into the impact of the Affordable Care Act on his practice, critiques the influence of political biases in academia, and shares his bold ideas for making healthcare insurance accessible and affordable. Dr. Koka also offers insights on prior authorization alternatives, the Inflation Reduction Act, 340B, and much more in this thought-provoking and, at times, contentious discussion.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ziad Bakouny, MD, MSc, and Nazli Dizman, MD, return to the show to discuss the progress made for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) within the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Building on their previous conversation, they explore the origins of their initiatives at ASCO 2022, the goals for integrating IMGs into successful medical careers in the US, and the significant challenges posed by Visa constraints. Together, they expand on the unique hurdles faced by IMGs in oncology, how these compare across specialties, and the ongoing efforts to support IMGs.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with Russell Gong, President and CEO of Cabinet Health, and Eric Lessard, Vice President of Pharmacy, to explore their mission to revolutionize the healthcare industry with sustainable practices. They discuss the inspiration behind Cabinet Health, the significance of reducing plastic waste with their eco-friendly refillable medicine system, the startup's success metrics, their customer engagement strategies, and the unique features of their packaging. Additionally, they share insights from their transformative experience on Shark Tank and how it helped propel their vision for a greener healthcare future.Find out more about Cabinet Health.https://cabinethealth.com/Watch the Cabinet Health pitch on Shark Tank.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf4n8UCp4r4Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Ishwaria Subbiah, Executive Director for Cancer Care Equity and Professional Wellness at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, joins Chadi to delve into the complexities of professional wellbeing and burnout in the healthcare field. She explores the prevalence of burnout, the concept of "learned helplessness," and effective strategies for improving organizational wellness and resilience among healthcare professionals.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Christian Rolfo, MD, PhD, of Mount Sinai Medical Center, explores the science and clinical applications of liquid biopsies, including circulating tumor DNA. With Chadi, he explains how this cutting-edge approach compares to traditional tissue samples in terms of concordance, sensitivity, and specificity, and expands on the methods used to distinguish signal from noise in liquid biopsy results. Dr. Rolfo discusses which thoracic patients should receive liquid biopsies and the optimal timing within their care journey. He also covers the clinical decisions informed by liquid biopsy data, such as advising on adjuvant therapy, and debates the potential role of liquid biopsies in screening and early detection for healthy individuals.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
It's July/August and this is the time when residents and fellows start their new chapter of their lives.In this special episode, Chadi tackles the fellowship application process using the "hematology/oncology" fellowship as an example, while keeping the conversation broad to most other fellowships in other disciplines. To better understand the process and the issues, he has invited a fellowship program director and a fellow applicant.Marc Braunstein, fellowship program director at NYU Langone Health, and Megan Melody, a fellow at Northwestern, discuss the intricacies of applying for internal medicine fellowships. They delve into what makes a strong application, the various types of fellowship programs, and the perspectives of both applicants and program directors in the matching process, including how to write a compelling personal statement, secure strong references, and choose which programs to visit, as well as so much more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Drs. Rana McKay and Petros Grivas to discuss the latest genitourinary oncology research updates from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, covering topics such as the prognostic ability of KIM-1 in kidney cancer, patient-reported outcomes from enfortumab vedotin/pembrolizumab treatment, and the final overall survival update from the JAVELIN Renal 101 trial. The conversation also delves into studies on IO/TKI biomarkers, adaptive trials with ctDNA, and the latest findings from trials like KEYNOTE-426, CLEAR, PSMAfore, and SURE-01.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this exclusive interview, Chadi welcomes Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Chinese immigrant who grew up under apartheid in South Africa and rose to become one of the world's most successful physician executives. Now the CEO of ImmunityBio, Dr. Soon-Shiong opens up about his remarkable journey. He shares what inspired him to pursue medicine, his entrepreneurial ventures, his move to the United States, and the story of his first investment. He discusses creating the groundbreaking chemotherapy drug Abraxane, which led to the formation of Abraxis, later acquired by Celgene, now part of BMS. He also expounds on his most recent FDA-approved drug, Anktiva, for bladder cancer. With complete candidness, Dr. Soon-Shiong reflects on his challenging upbringing, the discrimination he faced, and how he overcame these obstacles to achieve great success. He and Chadi explore life lessons, leadership styles, and a range of topics including Kobe Bryant, Gavin Newsom, COVID-19, the first pancreatic transplant, the acquisition of the Los Angeles Times, and his public feud with his brother.This 2024 podcast episode offers an unparalleled glimpse into the life of a highly public and inspiring figure and is one you’ll want to listen to more than once and share with everyone you know.Read more about Dr. Soon-Shiong.https://immunitybio.com/our-founder/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. Balazs Halmos and Lecia Sequist delve into the groundbreaking updates from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. With Chadi, they reveal game-changing insights on EGFR-mutated lung cancer from the LAURA trial, small-cell lung cancer upgrades from the ADRIATIC trial, important revelations in ALK mutation research, innovative combination therapies, ctDNA results from the ADAURA trial, and conclude with the relevance of the KRYSTAL-12 study.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Vivek Subbiah, MD, Chief of Early-Phase Drug Development at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, kicks off his new series on Healthcare Unfiltered, “VIVEK’S TAKES,” in which he will provide his expert feedback on the importance and lasting effects of research presented at the top medical conferences in the world.In response to the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, Dr. Subbiah shares the themes he sees being developed in multiple cancer subspecialties, including breast, lung, and pancreatic, as well as the research-driven benefits of receiving care on clinical trials and early palliative care via telemedicine.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Kate Dilligan, Founder and CEO of Cooler Heads Care, the manufacturer of a portable scalp cooling system authorized for adults 21 and older undergoing chemotherapy for a solid tumor. Kate shares her personal journey from being diagnosed with breast cancer to becoming an entrepreneur driven by a mission to help women undergoing chemotherapy mitigate the side effect of hair loss. Kate discusses the science behind the scalp cooling system and its effectiveness in preserving hair. She also delves into her innovative business model that supports infusion centers in remaining profitable, her journey in securing investors, and the future goals of Cooler Heads Care.Find out more about Cooler Heads.https://coolerheads.com/Read Kate’s profile in Forbes.https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2022/12/28/meet-the-entrepreneur-helping-women-undergoing-chemo-keep-their-hair/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with David Krissman, a journalist and filmmaker whose passionate advocacy for kidney transplant and dialysis patients led him to create the groundbreaking podcast documentary series, "The Great Social Experiment." Krissman shares the harrowing personal story that inspired his film script, website, and podcast, exposing the stark financial incentives driving the U.S. healthcare system's approach to kidney transplantation and dialysis. Designed specifically for patients, his work offers crucial insights to help them navigate the often perilous landscape. The conversation broadens to address the challenges of routine clinical care, contrasting the U.S. system with those of other countries, providing a comprehensive look at the ongoing struggle for better, more equitable healthcare.Find out more about The Great Social Experiment.https://www.thegreatsocialexperiment.net/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ronald Chapman, LLM, Shareholder and Chairperson of White Collar Defense & Government Investigations at Chapman Law Group, delves into the intricate intersections of law and daily life, highlighting the subspecialized nature of healthcare law and his primary areas of focus within this field. He offers insights into his strategic choices between judge and jury trials, providing a nuanced perspective on opioid prescriptions, and delineates the fine line between lawful and unlawful practices. Ronald also unpacks the complex legal nuances involved in cases of unlawful opioid prescriptions, offering listeners a deep dive into the legal challenges and considerations in these critical issues.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Shaalan Beg, MD, MBA, FASCO, and Noelle K. LoConte, MD, FASCO, join Chadi to delve into the contentious relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer. Drawing from their expertise and insights, they navigate through the complexities of discerning causation from association in this context, shedding light on why a randomized controlled trial might never conclusively prove this link. From deciphering the threshold of alcohol intake that elevates the risk of 7 types of cancer to addressing the challenge of convincing the public to heed the data, Drs. Beg and LoConte explore the nuances of risk assessment and drinking in social situations, including medical conferences.Read more about this topic.https://connection.asco.org/blogs/examining-controversy-surrounding-alcohol-promotion-oncology-events-virtue-signaling-or-cancerCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is rejoined by special guest Dr. Pamela Kunz, Editor in Chief of the groundbreaking new publication, JCO Oncology Advances. Dr. Kunz, known for her expertise in gastrointestinal cancers, shares the story of how she landed the prestigious role, offering insights into the rigorous interview process. She discusses her innovative approach to generating interest in the peer-review process and outlines the journal's ambitious goals to promote open-access publishing and collaborate closely with the esteemed Journal of Clinical Oncology. With a wealth of experience, Dr. Kunz reveals the type of individuals who will comprise the journal's Editorial Advisory Board as well as the proposed new journal sections that are novel to medical publishing.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with Dr. Chandana Banerjee, a trailblazer in palliative and hospice care, serving as the Dean, Director, and Designated Institutional Official of Graduate Medical Education at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. With a remarkable career dedicated to improving end-of-life care, Dr. Banerjee shares insights on how to infuse every aspect of patient care with the same passion and hope found in palliative settings. From navigating the challenges of funding and visibility in the medical community to offering fellowship opportunities emphasizing communication nuances in this critical stage of care, Dr. Banerjee provides invaluable perspectives. Together, they shed light on common pitfalls healthcare professionals face in end-of-life care, strategies for breaking through patient denial, and much more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Stephanie Chuang, a remarkable patient advocate, survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and the visionary behind The Patient Story, a curator of patients stories and resources for people diagnosed with cancer. Stephanie shares her journey from a surprise diagnosis to the genesis and execution of The Patient Story during her chemotherapy treatment. Learn how she garnered viewers on her website and YouTube channel, driven by her mission to curate information and resources to inspire hope. She delves into the impact of social media on patient understanding and emotional management, explores the dynamics in the physician's office that often leave patients dissatisfied, and uncover the meticulous process of choosing and vetting stories featured on her platform.View The Patient Story website.https://thepatientstory.com/donate/View The Patient Story YouTube channel.https://www.youtube.com/@ThePatientStoryCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi and guest Dr. Manmeet Ahluwalia, Deputy Director, Chief Scientific Officer, and Chief of Solid Tumor Medical Oncology at Miami Cancer Institute, delve into the latest breakthroughs in primary brain cancers. As a distinguished expert in brain metastases and primary brain tumors, Dr. Ahluwalia provides invaluable insights into clinical trial design, enrollment challenges, and the complexities of brain tumor development. Together, they explore the landscape of surgical and therapeutic interventions, uncovering advances in survival rates, quality-of-life enhancements, and promising therapeutic agents targeting specific mutations, as well as mechanisms of treatment resistance and the ongoing pursuit of effective solutions.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi delves into the realm of AI and its transformative impact on drug development with Adam Petrich, MD, Chief Medical Officer of QuantHealth, who unveils the AI solutions crafted by QuantHealth, aimed at simulating and predicting clinical trial outcomes to enhance the success rates of trials. Drawing from his expertise, Dr. Petrich sheds light on the integration of AI in the clinical trial creation process, offering insights into predicting investigational treatment efficacy against standard of care treatments. He also explores the delicate balance between sensitivity and specificity, and delves into the meticulous validation processes employed to ensure model accuracy.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Aaron Goodman, who started a petition that gathered over 20,000 signatures to end the MOC back in July 2023, found himself suddenly reported as NOT CERTIFIED by the ABIM in the specialty he practices and teaches (hematology). When he called the ABIM, he was told he needed to pay thousands of dollars in back fees for the Internal Medicine Board that he did not want to keep, as he is a specialist in bone marrow transplant and hematology.The ABIM advised that unless he pays these fees, he will be deemed “not certified,” which threatens his ability to see patients at his own institution.Aaron was shocked and so was Chadi.The entire story is here. Learn what happened, what is next, and what can be done.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Grace Cordovano, a distinguished Board Certified Patient Advocate and the visionary founder of Enlightening Results, as well as the co-Founder of Unblock Health, delves into her personal journey, recounting her own wrongful diagnosis of advanced lymphoma and how it propelled her into patient advocacy. Drawing from her extensive experience, she sheds light on the diverse array of individuals who seek her guidance and the multifaceted challenges they face, from navigating the complexities of tumor boards to grappling with insurance denials and prior authorizations. Dr. Cordovano also illuminates her innovative approach, harnessing the power of AI to provide patient-centric counsel and support. With a deep commitment to advocating for patients at every stage of their healthcare journey, she shares insights into her involvement in end-of-life care and offers invaluable perspectives on advocating for patients in the contemporary era.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Simon Arkell, Co-Founder and CEO of Ryght, a pioneering company in the healthcare ecosystem that specializes in producing generative AI solutions that cater specifically to the needs of drug companies. Simon sheds light on the nuances between AI and traditional machine learning models, highlighting Ryght's innovative approach to making generative AI both accessible and secure. He expands on the intricacies of data synthesis, drawing from diverse sources to craft individualized models for each client. Simon further shares how customer feedback has been instrumental in refining Ryght's offerings, ultimately shaping the future of healthcare innovation.For more information about Ryght, visit their website.https://www.ryght.ai/about-usCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Paul Teirstein, President of NBPAS.org, joins Chadi to highlight and reveal how the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) is challenging the status quo of board certification for all medical practitioners. With a mission to advocate for physicians and combat the monopoly of Maintenance of Certification, Dr. Teirstein explains how NBPAS provides a refreshing alternative for continuous board certification.Visit the NBPAS website.https://nbpas.org/View Dr. Teirstein debating Dr. Lois Margaret Nora of the American Board of Medical Specialties.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fc3BQ-9yMMView Dr. Teirstein’s MOC presentation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1vw2RPCd1sCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this ASCO-GI research special, Dr. Bekaii-Saab of Mayo Clinic provides an insightful and comprehensive roundup of the most groundbreaking studies unveiled at the ASCO GI 2024 meeting. Delving into the realm of hepatocellular carcinoma, he dissects the pivotal previously-reported data from IMbrave050 and ASCO GI findings from EMERALD-1. Then, he sheds light on developments in colorectal cancer, exploring the impact of KEYNOTE-177 and CheckMate 8HW. Moreover, Dr. Bekaii-Saab explores the latest advancements in minimal residual disease assessment with a focus on studies like BESPOKE and GALAXY, as well as the prognostic value of ctDNA assessment showcased in COBRA.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Pedro Barata, Director of the Clinical Genitourinary Medical Oncology Research Program at UH Seidman Cancer Center, provides an exclusive round-up of the most groundbreaking and practice-changing research unveiled at the ASCO GU 2024 meeting. With expertise and insight, he delves into pivotal studies such as CheckMate 914 Part B and KEYNOTE-564, exploring their implications for kidney cancer. The episode further unravels the transformative findings from the AMBASSADOR study, shedding light on adjuvant immunotherapy in bladder cancer; genetic testing and FGFR advancements in bladder cancer; life-prolonging therapies and radioligand therapies in castration-resistant prostate cancer; and the latest in minimal residual disease research.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Joining host Chadi is the esteemed James LaBelle, MD, PhD, Associate Director of Pediatrics and Director of the Stem Cell and Cellular Therapy Program at the University of Chicago. Dr. LaBelle elucidates the complexities of sickle cell disease, unraveling the devastating impact it has on individuals. The episode delves into various treatments and approaches to combat this formidable disease, including bone marrow transplant and the groundbreaking use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. LaBelle shares insights into the recent research breakthroughs, citing the remarkable research report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showcasing the successful application of CRISPR-Cas9 for sickle cell disease. This episode serves as a gateway into the promising future of genetic therapies.Read Dr. LaBelle’s publication on CRISPR-Cas9 in NEJM.https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2215643Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In a poignant episode, USA Today investigative journalist Emily Le Coz unravels the heart-wrenching narrative of Ashleigh Anderson, a CVS pharmacist whose tragic demise serves as a cautionary tale of overwhelming stress in the workplace. Emily shares her motivations behind delving into the pervasive issue of burnout in retail pharmacy and sheds light on the very real threat it poses. She recounts the details of the Ashleigh Anderson story, where the toxic culture within retail pharmacy played a pivotal role in a life lost to the pressures of the job. Together, Chadi and Emily Le Coz navigate the profound implications of burnout, exploring its dangers and the urgent need for systemic change within the retail pharmacy landscape. This episode serves as both a tribute to Ashleigh Anderson and a rallying cry for reform in an industry grappling with the devastating consequences of unchecked workplace stress.Read more about the Ashleigh Anderson story.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2024/02/08/cvs-pharmacist-ashleigh-anderson-death-rallying-cry/72406578007/Read another piece by Emily Le Coz.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/10/26/pharmacy-chains-dangerous-conditions-medication-errors/71153960007/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Joining host Chadi is a trio of esteemed guests – Drs. Andy Evans, Matt Maurer, and Susan Parsons – of the HoLISTIC (Hodgkin Lymphoma International Study for Individual Care) Consortium. In this riveting conversation, they delve into the consortium's pioneering efforts, bringing together an international team of experts to scrutinize the multifaceted dimensions of Hodgkin lymphoma, spanning prognosis, epidemiology, treatment, survivorship, and health outcomes across all age groups. The discussion circles around consensus protocols for treatment, referral pathways, and clinical trials, probing the necessity of transplants in the era of novel therapeutics and the creation of predictive models tailored to individual patient needs. Tune in to hear about the meticulous efforts invested in building the HoLISTIC portal, automating data migration, and navigating the challenges and progress in predictive modeling for treatment selection, response, and failure. This episode offers a captivating exploration of how collaboration, technology, and data analysis converge to shape the future of Hodgkin lymphoma care.Find out more about the HoLISTIC Consortium.https://www.hodgkinconsortium.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In the latest installment of the ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) saga on Healthcare Unfiltered, the fiery aftermath of Aaron Goodman's groundbreaking petition to dismantle the ABIM MOC takes center stage. Joined by recurring guests, the outspoken Drs. Wes Fisher, Vincent Rajkumar, and Aaron Goodman himself, Chadi dives deep into the shifts within the medical landscape over the past six months. The conversation unfolds with a critical analysis of medical societies' responsiveness to the petition, exploring whether genuine change is underway or if inertia prevails. Together, they passionately discuss the crucial role of hospital and institution-wide rejection in catalyzing a domino effect for change. The episode doesn't shy away from the legal battlefield either, delving into the multiple class-action anti-trust cases against ABIM MOC. Tensions rise throughout the conversation, but it concludes with a collective focus on the next steps to propel this movement forward.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In a highly-anticipated comeback, Dave Feldman, the seasoned senior software engineer and entrepreneurial mind, delves into uncharted territories of the keto diet, cholesterol dynamics, and lipids, unveiling a riveting discourse intricately intertwined with a novel cardiac study. Feldman unfolds the layers of his personal journey with the keto diet, evolving into a recognized authority on lipids. He showcases the intriguing sequence of events that propelled him to design a study involving cardiac tests and a cohort of 100 patients committed to a low-carb, keto lifestyle for over a year. Could this study revolutionize the way cardiologists and primary care providers approach cholesterol management? Will it unveil evidence challenging the conventional prescription of statins to lower LDL? Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Salma Jabbour, MD, Professor and Vice Chair of Radiation Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute, provides an invaluable perspective rooted in her extensive experience and passion for radiation oncology. Dr. Jabbour delves into the transformative changes witnessed in radiation oncology over the past two decades, contrasting its trajectory with precision oncology. She shares compelling insights into the PROSPECT trial's innovative approach of omitting radiation therapy entirely for rectal cancer patients, emphasizing the "impressive" results unveiled in the study. Then, the New York Times articles characterizing radiation as "brutal" for patients in this context is considered, and Dr. Jabbour navigates the complexities, challenges, and potential paradigm shifts these findings might signal for the field.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content.www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube.www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Highlighting the complex and contentious world of non-compete clauses within the medical field, Dr. David Lankford, a pediatric intensivist, made headlines after challenging a non-compete clause in his contract with Lutheran Medical Group in Indiana. His lawsuit not only raises questions about the legality and ethical implications of such clauses, but also tests a new state law regarding physician non-competes. Dr. David Lankford is joined by Alex Pantos, an associate attorney integral to his case. Together, they provide deep insights into the legal intricacies, broader implications for healthcare professionals, and the potential impact of this legal battle on the medical community. The nuances and debates surrounding this pivotal case may reshape the landscape of physician contracts and professional mobility.Read more about the lawsuit.https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/this-doctors-lawsuit-puts-a-new-physician-noncompete-state-law-to-the-test-heres-whats-at-stakeCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Making his return to the show is Dr. Robert Califf, the current FDA Commissioner, this time to break down and offer insights into the Administration’s contentious accelerated approval pathway. Dr. Califf expands on the criticisms and concerns surrounding surrogate endpoints and confirmatory trials within the accelerated approval process, shedding light on the ongoing dialogue between the Administration and manufacturers regarding these crucial trials. He navigates through the intricacies of the Food and Drug Omnibus Reform Act, offering perspectives on the global use of drugs and devices post-negative results in confirmatory trials. Dr. Califf also emphasizes the imperative need for a revamped post-market evidence generation system while exploring various avenues for achieving this critical transformation.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. Hossein Borghaei and Tony Calles dissect the pivotal abstracts and cutting-edge data unveiled at ESMO 2023, spotlighting the transformative landscape of lung cancer treatment. From exploring innovative immunotherapy combinations to the promising prospects of antibody-drug conjugates, they navigate through the complexities of neoadjuvant and adjuvant sequencing, shedding light on optimal therapeutic strategies. With a keen focus on targeted therapies and an array of other compelling studies, Drs. Borghaei and Calles decode the implications of these advancements, offering invaluable insights into reshaping the future of lung cancer care.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Steve Stavs, a “pro biohacker” and “health futurist,” unveils his model to combat chronic diseases by addressing root causes, while exploring Eastern medicine's approach to preventive care and its current standing in research and empirical evidence for complementary interventions. As a pro biohacker, Stavs shares insights on optimizing whole-body performance and health, highlighting the impact of internal and external factors on chronic diseases and differentiating between "getting old" and the process of "aging." With Chadi, he delves into dietary nuances, distinguishing between organic and processed foods, sodas, and their implications for overall health, presenting a holistic view of Chinese and Eastern medicine's potential in fostering a healthier lifestyle.Read more about Steve Stavs.https://stevestavs.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ameish Govindarajan, MD, a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shares his journey outlined in the Journal of Clinical Oncology's Art of Oncology piece, "Chasing Milestones," which sheds light on his personal experience as a patient diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC. Dr. Govindarajan shares how this diagnosis influenced his career trajectory, including the pivotal decision to switch oncologists due to a lack of connection with his initial clinician. Together, he and Chadi explore the critical aspects of establishing trust with your healthcare provider and the indicators that signal a strong patient-physician relationship. Delving into his path toward enrolling in an early-phase clinical trial, Dr. Govindarajan provides valuable insights into navigating treatment decisions. Moreover, he discusses how his own care journey has shaped his approach to patient interactions, offering a unique perspective on compassionate and empathetic healthcare delivery. Read Dr. Govindarajan’s publication in JCO.https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.22.01379Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by experts Jennifer Wargo, MD, Nazli Dizman, MD, and Sumanta (Monty) Pal, MD, from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and City of Hope, to unravel the intricate relationship between the microbiome and cancer. Delving into the historical context and evolution of this connection in oncology, they share insights on manipulating the microbiome and its potential impact on specific cancers, discuss the role of dietary interventions in cancer research and management, and more. Together, they address skepticism surrounding the microbiome's significance in cancer, offering evidence-based arguments that demystify misconceptions and present compelling facts about the microbiome's crucial role in understanding and treating cancer.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Allison Rosenthal, Assistant Professor of Medicine and a driving force behind Mayo Clinic's Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program, candidly shares her personal odyssey as a leukemia survivor during her young adulthood and how this transformative experience steered her career toward advocating for AYA cancer patients. She navigates through complex topics such as survivor guilt, identifying when survivorship begins in the patient journey, and the crucial decision-making between pediatric and adult specialists based on patient age. Dr. Rosenthal also sheds light on the indispensable role of financial counseling and support services for AYA patients while unraveling ongoing research endeavors in this setting.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Clifford Hudis, the ASCO CEO, shares ASCO's approach to the continued ABIM-MOC saga. With many oncologists expressing their angst about the MOC process, ASCO, under his leadership, approached the situation methodically, sending a survey to its members to quantify the problem and explore next steps. This is the FIRST time the results of this survey are shared publicly. Learn about Dr. Hudis's inspiring career journey, his leadership style, and how he and ASCO are addressing this MOC Dilemma. This is a must-listen episode; be the first to know what has happened within ASCO and what the next steps might be.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Join Chadi as he engages with Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, Professor in the Clinical Research division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, to unravel the groundbreaking updates in bladder cancer revealed at the ESMO Congress. Dr. Grivas provides a comprehensive overview, dissecting the advancements in the realms of muscle invasive bladder cancer, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and advanced bladder cancer. Delve into the specifics of EV-302, THOR, and many other studies and gain a deeper understanding of the implications these findings may hold for the future of bladder cancer treatment.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by two distinguished experts in the field of oncology and dermatology, Dr. Soo Park and Dr. Farah Abdulla. Together, they unravel the complexities of melanoma, non-melanoma, and non-cancerous dermatological diseases, shedding light on sun-related vs. non-sun related melanoma, race-related disparities in dermatologic malignancies, and the intricate choices between surgery and therapy options, including the sequencing of treatments. Tune in for a comprehensive look into the world of skin-related diseases, diagnosis, and treatment with these seasoned professionals.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with Jennifer Mack, MD, MPH, pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston, to delve into the delicate art of communicating difficult news to cancer patients. Dr. Mack shares her expertise on the timing of revealing an incurable diagnosis, distinguishing communication strategies for children and adults, handling the "How long do I have to live" discussions, and the nuanced process of recommending therapies while balancing the pros and cons, along with addressing potential side effects.Read Dr. Mack’s editorial in JCO Oncology Practice, “The Day One Talk, 20 Years Later: What Have We Learned?”https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP.23.00005Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
With Moshe Chasky and Lor Terzian of Alliance Cancer Specialists, Chadi explores the high-stakes lawsuit filed by Alliance against Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, alleging anti-competitive practices that have reverberated throughout the healthcare industry. The duo provides insights into the case, its impact on patient care, and the broader implications for the healthcare landscape. Discover the motivations, legal intricacies, and ethical considerations behind this compelling legal battle that could reshape the future of healthcare in the United States.Read more about the lawsuit.https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/oncology-group-sues-jefferson-over-anti-competitive-practices.htmlCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Dr. Robert Brodsky, President of ASH, and Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, Chair of Communications at ASH, to discuss what led to the recent ASH statement on the ABIM MOC and to gather their reactions to the ABIM response and to what next steps might look like. The guests detail the relationship and progress made between ASH and ABIM since the beginning of the partnership in 2001, the process involved for ASH to eventually release a letter related to the MOC, the contents of the letter, the ABIM’s response to the letter, and next steps needed to make progress toward a better system – including talking to hospitals and payers. If you have been following the ABIM-MOC issue, you cannot miss this podcast.Read ASH’s letter.https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Ab1842c4c-22d9-3e59-be50-22e811ce5b70Read ABIM’s response.https://blog.abim.org/american-board-of-internal-medicine-response-to-american-society-of-hematology-statement/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Shelly Rosenfeld, Director of the Disability Rights Legal Center, Cancer Legal Resource Center, joins the show to share some pearls of wisdom regarding the intersection between medical and legal concerns in cancer care. She begins by explaining what the Cancer Legal Resource Center offers patients with cancer, how patients should handle their employer relationship upon diagnosis—including when potential discrimination cases arise and the rights of patients regarding medical leave—and how to navigate life insurance policies and premiums, among many other topics.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi sits down with three experts from the Cancer and Aging Research Group and contributors to the ASCO guideline on geriatric oncology: William Dale, MD, PhD, FASCO, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center; Supriya Mohile, MD, MS, University of Rochester; and Heidi Klepin, MD, MS, Wake Forest University. The group explores the cutting-edge developments in geriatric oncology, from geriatric assessment and predicting patient outcomes to the ASCO guideline on incorporating geriatric assessment and subsequent systemic therapy into practice. If you're a healthcare professional or simply interested in the intersection of aging and cancer treatment, this conversation offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of this vital field.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Join Chadi in a thought-provoking discussion with Bryan Carmody, aka the “Sheriff of Sodium” and a pediatric nephrologist, as they tackle the challenges of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Bryan shares his visionary solutions to simplify and improve the MOC process, shedding light on the potential benefits for physicians and patients alike. Whether you're a physician, healthcare professional, or just curious about the future of medical certification, this episode offers insights into a critical issue in modern medicine.View Dr. Carmody’s YouTube discussions on the matter.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNgf6oYZlcghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SsU2Y40XwYView “The Sheriff of Sodium” blog.https://thesheriffofsodium.com/page/6/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Current FDA commissioner, Robert Califf, joins the show to cover his story – from his career path to his crucial role today. Join Chadi in this eye-opening episode as they uncover the complexities of drug shortages in the United States, especially in the realm of cancer treatment.Learn about the intricate web of factors contributing to drug shortages, how cancer drug scarcities emerged, and the FDA's pivotal role in addressing them. Dr. Califf shares strategies to mitigate these issues, emphasizing the importance of supply chain nuances and more.Tune in to gain unique insights into the FDA's commitment to patients and the future of cancer care.Read more about the cancer drug shortage.https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2023/06/cancer-drug-market-dysfunction-supply-shortage/674512/https://www.axios.com/2023/06/14/cancer-drug-shortages-supply-chain-vulnerabilitieshttps://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.21.00883Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Making their return to the show are Drs. Jack West and Nathan Pennell, of City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic, respectively, this time to use the ADAURA trial as a springboard to discussing pitfalls and shortcomings of modern clinical trial designs. The trio go back and forth on control arms keeping pace with standards of care, studies mandating the ability for crossovers, and appropriate endpoints for adjuvant studies. Then, they highlight underwhelming clinical trial data that have led to FDA approvals, whether ADAURA featured a “known inferior agent” and an “inferior crossover design,” and whether ADAURA proved to be an “unethical” trial, among many other points of contention.
Listen to Drs. West and Pennell’s previous episode on the ADAURA trial from 20121. https://on.soundcloud.com/VQ4vb
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Join Chadi as he engages in a dynamic and informative conversation with two distinguished guests, Drs. Neeraj Agarwal and Rana McKay. In this illuminating episode, they delve into the groundbreaking research and pivotal developments in genitourinary oncology unveiled at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.Dr. Neeraj Agarwal, renowned for his extensive contributions to urologic oncology, and Dr. Rana McKay, a trailblazer in advanced kidney cancer treatments, bring their wealth of knowledge and expertise to the forefront. Together, the trio meticulously dissect the most impactful findings that emerged from the conference, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the latest advancements in genitourinary cancer research.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
So much has happened since the petition against the ABIM MOC started on 7/21/2023, which is nearing 20,000 signatures. Physicians have called upon their societies and organizations to offer statements on their behalf, but only The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) so far has done so. Drs. Srihari Naidu and Allison Dupont, both members and leaders of SCAI, come on the show to explain why they came up with the statement and what it means to the membership. Is there a path forward and why have other societies stayed silent thus far? Drs. Naidu and Allison Dupont offer refreshing opinions as to what might get done and what is to come after the praise that SCAI received.
Learn more about the SCAI. https://scai.org/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Making her triumphant return to the show is Urvi Shah, MD, hem/onc and multiple myeloma expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, this time to shed light on how dietary considerations present a low-risk way to modify the microbiome and help prevent cancer. She opines on whether her findings on the association between diet and cancer in myeloma will be scalable in other malignancies, offers a few of her findings related to dietary habits and cancer diagnoses, describes the double standard in the ways drug vs dietary clinical trials are considered, and shares a recent publication she published on the planetary impact of dietary choices, among other discussion points.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Wes Fisher joins the show to continue highlighting ABIM recertification and the MOC program following a petition that has gathered over 12,000 signatures to end this program. Dr. Fisher is a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL; he is also a clinical Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Fisher is triple board-certified in Internal Medicine (Grandfathered per the ABIM), cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology. He is due for his FOURTH re-certification in cardiology after 12/31/2023 and FOURTH re-certification in EP after 12/31/2023.
The process of re-certification and MOC became a core center in Dr. Fisher’s advocacy on behalf of the physicians. He co-founded Practicing Physicians of America to advocate and educate and has done significant investigative work on the ABIM; you can see much of his writing on his blog as well as many other outlets.
Why does a respected EP physician, with over 3 decades of experience and thousands of patients seen, need to do this re-certification again and pay yearly dues? Please listen to this exclusive revealing podcast and share with your colleagues.
This is another ABIM-related MUST LISTEN podcast.
Read more about Practicing Physicians of America. https://practicingphysician.org/join/
View Dr. Fisher’s blog. https://drwes.blogspot.com/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
A lot has been stated about the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) implemented by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM,) and many physicians, regardless of specialty, have been opposed to the MOC as it adds cost, burden, and takes away from patient care. This led Dr. Aaron Goodman from UCSD to start a petition to end the MOC, which gathered unwavering support with over 10,000 signatures in 2 weeks. In response, Dr. Richard Baron, the president and CEO of ABIM, has agreed to come on the show to address the concerns raised by physicians and to answer questions that have flooded all social media channels since the petition started.
What is the history of certification, recertification, and MOC? What is the “Grandfather” rule? What about data? COI? Cost? Burnout? Does the MOC really lead to better patient care? Why not stick to state-regulated CME courses? These issues are top-of-mind for a large number of physicians who are certified by the ABIM.
You will not want to miss this heated, yet respectful and civil, discussion.
In the podcast, there is a mention of COIs. The ABIM has provided links to their COI. https://www.abim.org/about/boards-and-committees/board-policies/financial-conflict-of-interest/ and https://www.abim.org/about/boards-and-committees/board-policies/academic-conflict-of-interest/
Dr. Baron's specific COI are also listed. https://www.abim.org/about/leadership/#baron
The ABIM Board of Directors page lists all of their COIs as well. https://www.abim.org/about/boards-and-committees/governance/board-of-directors/
Here is the page for all the Specialty Boards. https://www.abim.org/about/boards-and-committees/
View the petition. https://www.change.org/p/eliminate-abims-moc-requirement
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Kuljit Kapur, DO, MBA, hospice and palliative medicine specialist, is today’s guest of honor to bring about new perspectives and clarify some misconceptions regarding palliative and hospice care. Dr. Kapur shares her inspiration to go into palliative care and to pursue her MBA, reflects on her regular routine of home visits and how it affected her personal life, offers a way in which we can change the negative stigma around palliative care, opines on an appropriate timeline to begin palliative care in patients, explains how to manage family expectations against what is needed for patients, describes how palliative care and hospice care teams as well as reimbursements differ, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD, medical oncologist and primary care physician with a focus on cancer patients, and esteemed author of the book “Fragmented: A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care,” joins the show as today’s guest of honor. Chadi and Dr. Yurkiewicz discuss her unorthodox career path and inspiration to write the book, where the fragmentation within the healthcare system can be pinpointed (layers upon layers), the many narratives and original research she adds to the book to make the story relatable and compelling, and the low-hanging fruit that can change the system for the better, among many other things.
Read more about “Fragmented: A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care.” https://www.amazon.com/Fragmented-Doctors-Together-American-Health/dp/0393881199
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Jay Joshi, a physician, entrepreneur, and author of the book “Burden of Pain: A Physician's Journey through the Opioid Epidemic,” joins the show to share his story of how he was indicted for what was perceived as over-prescribing opioids and narcotics. He explains his unique model of primary care delivery he established, the experience of being arrested by the DEA for his practices, and the chain of events leading to indictment, plea bargaining, and a prison sentence. Dr. Joshi’s story is a snapshot of the intense twists and turns of the opioid epidemic and legal system that followed.
Read more and order “Burden of Pain: A Physician's Journey through the Opioid Epidemic.” https://www.amazon.com/Burden-Pain-Physicians-Journey-Epidemic/dp/154453731X
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Julie Gralow, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of ASCO (American Society of Medical Oncology,) the largest society for oncologists around the world, shares her career journey until she assumed the post of ASCO-CMO during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Julie is a pioneer in global oncology and a world-renowned leader in breast cancer, being an innovator and a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle for over 20 years. Her impact on the field is second to none.
Dr. Gralow discusses how ASCO attempts to address hot and controversial issues in oncology in a timely and effective manner. We go over the current chemotherapy shortage and abortion rights for patients with cancer, among other topics.
This episode is a must-listen for everyone in oncology; hear the most influential medical voice in oncology on behalf of our society and be inspired.
View “A Day in the Life” of Dr. Gralow at the ASCO Annual Meeting. https://twitter.com/asco/status/1671578875145461774
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In another change-of-pace episode, Chadi hosts Tom Harari, MBA, serial entrepreneur and writer of personal finance, business, and self-improvement. Tom shares his personal business ventures and professional story to date, opens up about how heartbreak in his personal life was a truly life-changing moment from which to grow, and recaps his viral Twitter thread of the “38 lessons I'd tell my 18 year old self.” There are plenty of advice nuggets and thought-provoking tidbits from this honest and self-reflective dialogue about how to better your life and set yourself up for future success.
Read Tom’s recent writings and subscribe to his newsletter. www.tomharari.co
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Alex Herrera, MD, associate professor of medicine and lymphoma “guru” at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, joins the show on the last day of the ASCO Annual Meeting after being on stage for his Plenary session. Dr. Herrera shares the remarkable, resilient story of his family life, upbringing, life-altering injury, and improbable journey from playing baseball in Miami to a leadership role at City of Hope. Captivating, inspiring, gut-wrenching, and uplifting, Dr. Herrera’s account is truly worthy of your attention.
Read Dr. Herrera’s story in The ASCO Post. https://ascopost.com/issues/december-25-2022/alex-herrera-md-finds-a-path-from-the-baseball-fields-of-miami-to-a-leadership-role-at-city-of-hope/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Tyler Olson of Olson Consulting LLC joins the show to share his financial advice and planning for physicians and medical students as they go through their careers. Chadi and Tyler hit on the early financial decisions that medical students and early career physicians should make to support their lives as they deal with delayed income, why Tyler decided to open his own consulting firm, and why he focuses his consulting solely for the benefit of medical professionals. He shares how medical students and residents can see the trajectory of the debt they accumulate while in training and set a “plan to plan” and manage cash flow to alleviate that debt efficiently.
View resources on the Olson Consulting website. https://www.olsonconsultingmi.com/home
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Nitin Jain, MD, associate professor in the department of leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is the guest of honor to provide a comprehensive and simplified overview of the major advances in chronic lymphocytic leukemia over the past two decades. Dr. Jain talks mutations and time to treatment, prognostic markers, BTK inhibitors, combination regimens, current research, toxicities, cost, and a host of controversies with trial comparator arms, drug similarities, and MRD.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this pivot episode, James Winterman, Vice President of Scientific Marketing at Caris Life Sciences, joins Chadi as a citizen of England to discuss and reflect on the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II. He begins with a condensed history lesson of the United Kingdom, how the healthcare system differs slightly across the UK and how it compares to that of the US, and where government power rests. Then, he delves into the royal family and their position in all of this. What social and political roles do individuals in the royal family have? How and why does the royal family bring the people of England together? James answers these questions and more, along with a detailed explanation of how the Queen has had a more profound impact on his life than he had known before her passing.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, Professor of Health Policy, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, makes her long-awaited return to the show to cover all things related to pharmacy benefit managers. Stacie talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly, starting with the history of the PBMs and how they grew within the healthcare industry. What exactly is the role of the PBMs and why do they exist? Have they helped in reducing cost of care, and if not, why? Why are they heavily criticized? Stacie, as always, articulates the facts and separates the signal from noise.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Tiffany McConathy, an oncology nurse practitioner in Arkansas, tells the sombering story of her infant daughter’s battle with pediatric brain and spinal cancer. She details Nora’s course of events, including the long pathology and diagnosis journey, the decision to move forward with treatment, and the months of good responses that followed prior to her passing. Tiffany also shares how Nora’s COVID-19 diagnosis during treatment pushed back her transplantation and eventual autopsy, just 9 days before her passing. This deeply saddening discussion will inspire you to think differently about pediatric cancers, just as the experience has inspired Tiffany to create the non-profit organization “Princess Nora’s Warrior Foundation.”Read about and donate to this foundation.https://noraswarriors.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Kyle Kiser, CEO of Arrive Health, joins the show to highlight his company’s unique approach to lowering costs of prescription drugs for patients in the US. He explains how physicians often make changes to their prescription recommendations based on Arrive Health’s presence as an “invisible component within the EMR,” how they aggregate data to generate clinical alternatives and relevant alternatives to payer preferences, how they maneuver around prior authorizations, the need (or lack thereof) of intermediaries like PBMs, and much more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts a duo of Canadiens to discuss quality of life and patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials: Christopher Booth, MD, and Michael Brundage, MSc, FRCPC, MD, both of Queen's University. They begin by pontificating on whether quality of life is a “must” endpoint in designing interventional clinical trials today, the timeline of how “PROs” came to be a term and an important component of clinical trials, how PRO measures should differ across disease types and trials, and how PROs should be approached from an organizational and operational standpoint. Then, they discuss and use examples to illustrate how practical it is for providers to regularly measure quality of life and PROs, how payers should be approached for discussion on PRO measures, whether toxicity of therapies are underestimated by providers, and a whole lot more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Mike Rucker, PhD, a behavioral scientist and organizational psychologist, joins the show to discuss his writing and publishing of the book “The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life.” Dr. Rucker explains how you can build having fun into an “actionable and effortless habit” and simultaneously reduce burnout. He shares why Americans have a difficult time enjoying themselves outside of work, what it means to “stop chasing happiness and start having fun,” what kind of societal reset is needed to change the work culture mindset in the US to lead to more productivity, how to “expand your fun file,” and why friendship is the “glue” to good mental hygiene.Read more about Mike Rucker.https://michaelrucker.com/bio/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
How do you design clinical trials in the era of precision oncology? Are prospective randomized controlled trials necessary anymore? Drs. Ray Kurzrock, Vivek Subbiah, and Christopher Booth drop the gloves and debate these questions - beginning with the definition of “precision oncology,” what phase the trials should be when initially designing, and whether accelerated approval and surrogate endpoints are truly helping patients in the precision oncology era. The group also analyzes specific examples of approved drugs and whether randomized controlled trials were and would have been good ideas prior to approval.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In a change-of-pace episode, Chadi has the tables turned on him as he is interviewed by two supporters and reviewers of his new book “Toxic Exposure: The True Story behind the Monsanto Trials and the Search for Justice.” Kelly Ryerson, MBA, GlyphosateGirl.com, and Mikkael Sekeres, author of “Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public's Trust” and “When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia,” ask Chadi to comment on why he was chosen as an expert witness, how glyphosate causes cancer and how much exposure is needed to cause lymphoma, why Roundup is able to stay on the market to this day, and what it was like to take the stand and answer questions from the Monsanto lawyers, among so much more.Order your copy of “Toxic Exposure” today.https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Exposure-behind-Monsanto-Justice/dp/1421445352Check out Kelly’s blog-turned-website “Glyphosate Facts.”https://glyphosatefacts.com/
In the latest book review, Chadi hosts the authors of the successful expose of his former colleague in “Taking On Big Pharma: Dr. Charles Bennett's Battle.” Julius Getman and Terri LeClercq share how they met Dr. Bennett on a cruise and became interested in his story about his massive achievements and legal charges against him - mishandling government grant money and violating the False Claims Act. They begin with their reasons for believing that the case against Dr. Bennett was baseless and unfounded, what the actual accusations were, and how he ended up facing off against the pharmaceutical and academic worlds.Read more about “Taking On Big Pharma: Dr. Charles Bennett's Battle.”https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Big-Pharma-Bennetts-Childrens-ebook/dp/B0BHTP6P8GCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
A story about adverse reactions, the FDA, the FBI, and patients - Linda Martin, a healthcare executive, shares with Chadi a riveting dialogue about the events in her life that have transpired since she got sick and started taking a standard prescribed antibiotic. Linda tells the story of when and why she was prescribed the antibiotic, how it made her feel worse than before, and how she found similar stories of bad reactions to this drug online. Then, she explains the series of events that led to the stepping-down of the commissioner of the FDA, the FBI’s involvement into investigating drug stock conflicts within the FDA, the stalling of any legal action coming to fruition that may be linked to multiple U.S. presidents, and the suspicious death of the journalist she had been working with to expose the cover-up.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To better understand the role and importance of Advanced Practice Providers in oncology care, Chadi hosts Sarah Wyman, MSN, ACNP-BC, and Katie Simon, MMSc, PA-C, both co-leads of the APPs on the inpatient malignant hematology services team at Emory University Winship Cancer Institute. They begin by explaining the similar training and skill sets of NPs and PAs, the history of these positions over the past 25 years, and the day-to-day responsibilities for inpatient APPs. Then, they share how discharge planning is handled, the level of autonomy granted to APPs in decision making and test ordering, how doctors relate to APPs in the clinic (and whether there is friction), and their role in initiating end-of-life discussions, among so much more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In the world of whole-genome sequencing, do we really need cytogenetics anymore? To answer this question, Chadi brings on two cytogeneticists: Linda Baughn, PhD, and Yassmine Akkari, PhD. They begin by describing their unique career paths to becoming cytogeneticists, their day-to-day responsibilities, and what tests they perform and on what specimens. They then simplify the commonly used assays in their labs, how cytogenetic techniques are evolving (rather than dying), what whole genome sequencing looks like in the future, and topics that cytogeneticists disagree on, among other discussion points.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Today is the day of the official launch of Chadi’s first book “Toxic Exposure: The True Story behind the Monsanto Trials and the Search for Justice.” Throughout the book, Chadi details his experience as an expert physician witness and the true story of the first three litigation trials against Monsanto and their herbicide "Roundup" which is linked to the development of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.The special guest on this unique day is the amazing icon and legend Dr. Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Dr. Taleb is beyond introduction; a best selling author of several books that contain concepts being taught in many schools. Dr. Taleb understands risk like no other and he is famous for predicting the Wall Street crash of 2008. Nassim found himself in the crosshairs with Monsanto, a story that he shares on the podcast.Dr. Taleb read “Toxic Exposure,” generously offered his opinion, and shared that he liked it and that he would recommend it to his colleagues and followers. They talk about many things, from GMOs to ghostwriting and some of the finer details of the way Monsanto cherry-picked research to fit its arguments as well as how Chadi handled himself throughout the trials.Order your copy of “Toxic Exposure” today.https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Exposure-behind-Monsanto-Justice/dp/1421445352Read some of Dr. Taleb’s articles. https://nntaleb.medium.comLearn more about Dr. Taleb. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassim_Nicholas_TalebCheck out his books. https://www.fooledbyrandomness.com
In this special episode, Chadi hosts his previous mentor from his days as a fellow at Northwestern: Martin Tallman, MD, previous president of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and world renowned leukemia expert. Together, they discuss mentorship and what makes a good mentor, where Dr. Tallman’s interest in leukemia came from and why he decided to begin his career in Seattle, his road to becoming an ASH president and how his day-to-day responsibilities changed after his election, reasons for becoming more active on MedTwitter, and the progression of leukemia treatment in 30+ years, along with much more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Nathan Vardi, managing editor at MarketWatch, and author of the new book “For Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug,” is the guest of honor on today’s show. Nathan divulges on what happened behind closed doors for the creation of BTK inhibitors. Everything at the intersection of Wall Street, investigators, doctors, regulatory agencies, investors, and VC is detailed. He begins by explaining the inspiration to cover this story and how willing individuals were to speak on the record, describes in detail a few of the nuances of and feelings toward specific characters, provides examples of the role that luck plays in cancer drug development, and opines on the FDA’s challenge of approving the right drugs for market, among many other fascinating topics.Read more about “For Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug.”https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393540956Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Few drugs in oncology have transformed the way we take care of patients. Ibrutinib is one such drug, and it belongs to a class called "BTK inhibitors"In this episode, Chadi captures the story of developing the drug through the eyes of Dr. Jeff Sharman, a prolific investigator and researcher; he is the director of research at the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute as well as the medical director of hematology research for The US Oncology Network. Dr. Sharman begins by discussing the dynamics of opening clinical trials throughout the US Oncology Network, then shares his career choice to move into the community setting, how a research idea he came up with led him down a path of being discouraged by the academic research world, his experience treating the first ever patient in the world with ibrutinib, and the underpinnings of the biotech world.More on his story and the drug development dynamics are described in the fascinating book "For Blood and Money," authored by Nathan Vardi, who is next week’s guest.These two back-to-back episodes will make you think, pause, and reflect.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Jennifer Fried, MBA, most recently the CEO of ExplORer Surgical, joins the show to share her story as a co-founder of a successful startup health technology company. She begins by telling her inspiration to start the company with her partner, when and how operating room workflow and efficiency was discovered as an area of unmet need, the steps she took to create the software platform solution and how it functions, struggles she faced when facing potential investors, how the pandemic propelled the platform from a “nice to have” to a “must have,” why the business was eventually sold, and what the lessons learned were from the whole experience.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
What do we know about various diets and their association with cancer? Have you ever wondered what the evidence shows?To answer this important question, Chadi hosts two specialists from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Urvi Shah, MD, hematologist oncologist (myeloma expert and a cancer survivor herself), and Neil Lyengar, MD, medical oncologist (breast cancer expert). They discuss whether there’s a direct cause-and-effect relationship between lack of exercise and cancer diagnoses and alcohol/food consumption and cancer diagnoses, methodologies of studying these relationships in the breast and myeloma spaces, lifestyle and dietary interventions they are studying, how Keto and plant-based diets factor into the discussion, and a whole lot more.Read their publication in JAMA Oncology. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2794147Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Scott Eggener, MD, University of Chicago, and Jonathan Epstein, MD, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, join the show to debate whether Gleason Score 6 prostate cancer should be renamed to non-cancer. The trio hit on what should happen upon diagnosis and Gleason grade 6, which patients should be offered active surveillance, the benefits and risks of not calling this diagnosis “cancer,” how often and how frequently to biopsy, overscreening, and many other discussion points.Read Dr. Eggener’s editorial in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.22.00123Read Dr Epstein’s response in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.22.00926Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is delighted and honored to host an icon and pioneer in precision medicine and the molecular understanding of cancer as we know it: Ray Kurzrock, MD, FACP, Center Associate Director and Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin as well as CMO of the WIN consortium. Nobody knows the history of precision medicine like Ray does. She was doubted when she started, but her resilience and perseverance led to unprecedented progress that she led along with her mentors, mentees, and colleagues.She details her early appointment to leading the phase I trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center and developing a protocol for matching targeted therapy trials to the right patients, the origins of the term “precision medicine,” resistance to precision medicine and genomics by different stakeholders, how accelerated approvals are better suited for precision medicine versus randomized controlled trials, and a host of other topics in this riveting and spirited dialogue.We owe much of our current understanding of cancer as a molecularly driven disease to Ray as she had an immeasurable impact on the field.Please visit chadinabhan.com and check out more features. Don't forget to subscribe, like, rate, and share with your friends and colleagues.
To educate on oncology in the Arab world—home to over 400 million people—Chadi welcomes a new and renowned guest: Humaid AlShamsi, MD, President of the Emirates Oncology Society and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Oncology at the University of Sharjah (UAE). Dr AlShamsi shares his unique journey training as an oncologist all over the world before returning to the UAE, initial challenges he encountered transforming care upon returning to his home country, and his detailed experience writing his book “Cancer in the Arab World.” He also describes the cancer network he helped build across his country, how cancer chemotherapy is prescribed and reimbursed, how physicians are paid, training and fellowship opportunities, clinical trial availability, and a whole lot more.Read more about “Cancer in the Arab World.”https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-7945-2Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To shed light on the differences in oncologic care between the US and the EU, Chadi invites a returning guest as well as a newcomer: Jarushka Naidoo, MBBCH, MD, Chair of the Thoracic Oncology Division, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre (Dublin, Ireland), and Marina Chiara Garassino, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine. The trio discuss discrepancies in diagnostics and pathology, how tissue samples are handled at molecular laboratories, treatment (oral and intravenous) and biopsy availability due to regulatory approvals, palliative care and hospice, academic and industry clinical trials and funding, and physician lifestyle and expectations.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In his second appearance on the show, Christopher Booth, MD, Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Medicine as well as a Health Services Researcher, Queen's University (Canada), shares his unique career path and early considerations of conflicts of interest in the medical world, how the influences of pharma relationships are more subtle than expected, whether you can be a clinical trialist without working with pharma, and how the system can be changed to truly benefit patients. Additionally, Chadi and Dr. Booth hit on painpoints including patient enrollment, pharma-sponsored conference sessions, satellite symposiums, patient advocacy groups and advocacy societies, global relevancy of “suboptimal” control arms in clinical trials, and more.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To tackle some of the burning questions and concerns in global medicine—specifically in radiology, diagnostics, and AI—Chadi hosts a Healthcare Unfiltered mainstay as well as a new guest: Saurabh Jha, MD, radiologist at the University of Pennsylvania and self-proclaimed “global radiology enthusiast,” and Prashant Warier, co-founder and the CEO of Qure AI. The trio begin by detailing the development of AI in underserved countries for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and other diseases, continue by sharing the inspiration and mission of a trip Saurabh and Prashant took to Nepal to improve the health and well-being of the Nepalese people through diagnostic AI, and finish by holding a larger conversation on screening and diagnostic concerns for other underserved populations around the world.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Brothers Rakesh Popat, PhD, multiple myeloma expert, and Sanjay Popat, PhD, thoracic oncologist, join the show for a special discourse on surrogate endpoints and patient benefit. The conversation fluctuates between the “assumption” that surrogate endpoints translate to better survival; breakdowns of the utility and association with overall survival of PFS, ORR, and MRD in the latest literature; reimbursement intricacies and issues surrounding surrogate endpoint criteria; and the need for stronger confirmatory trials after accelerated approvals, along with plenty more important points for consideration.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Returning to the show is Adam Cifu, MD, University of Chicago, to tell us about his exciting new podcast venture. “The Clinical Excellence Podcast” is dedicated to discussing issues with clinicians, patients, and researchers studying the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Cifu shares the tricky conversations that doctors and patients have (eg, terminating patient relationships, burnout, second opinions, caring for colleagues, and others), how those will be featured on the podcast, topics that may or may not be off limits, and other avenues of discussions you can expect as a listener.
Listen to “The Clinical Excellence Podcast.” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clinical-excellence-podcast/id1644154355
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA"
Chadi hosts a roundtable of five guests—four first-timers and one recurring guest—to discuss the challenges of international medical graduates (IMGs) in oncology and medicine in general in the US.
Led by Ayesha Butt, MBBS, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, the group discusses the findings of a recent nationwide survey, published in JCO Oncology Practice, that uncovered bias against IMGs in the hem/onc fellowship recruitment process. Additionally, they cover the struggles of acquiring a Visa to work in the US as well as to return to the US after a visit home, their personal stories experiencing bias, the need to “cast a wider net” when considering a pool of applicants for fellowship positions, and ways to overcome bias against IMGs, along with many other important discussion points.
Read the article “Bias Against International Medical Graduates in the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Recruitment Process: Findings From a Nationwide Survey of Fellowship Program Directors.” https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.22.00219
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA"
Chadi hosts a roundtable of five guests—four first-timers and one recurring guest—to discuss the challenges of international medical graduates (IMGs) in oncology and medicine in general in the US.
Led by Ayesha Butt, MBBS, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, the group discusses the findings of a recent nationwide survey, published in JCO Oncology Practice, that uncovered bias against IMGs in the hem/onc fellowship recruitment process. Additionally, they cover the struggles of acquiring a Visa to work in the US as well as to return to the US after a visit home, their personal stories experiencing bias, the need to “cast a wider net” when considering a pool of applicants for fellowship positions, and ways to overcome bias against IMGs, along with many other important discussion points.
Read the article “Bias Against International Medical Graduates in the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Recruitment Process: Findings From a Nationwide Survey of Fellowship Program Directors.” https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.22.00219
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA"
Making her long-awaited return to the show is Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and the Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center – this time to discuss and simplify the Inflation Reduction Act that was recently signed into law.
She begins by giving the background inspiration of the Act, whether reducing inflation is the true purpose of the Act, how the Act impacts Medicare and negotiating drug prices, how the drugs to be negotiated are selected, what those negotiations will look like, and the ins-and-outs of the other consequences of the Act on healthcare (ie, Medicare Part D redesign), among other items.
As always, let me know what you think; visit my website at www.chadinabhan.com and follow me on twitter @chadinabhan
In this change-of-pace episode, Chadi hosts show-regular Aaron Goodman and his wife: Amalia Aleck, MD, UC San Diego. The couple sit down for a casual conversation on how they met and their love story, applying for residencies and full-time employment as a couple, balancing their professional and family lives together and the inherent sacrifices they’ve had to make, the dynamics of “Papa Hem” on Twitter and their relationship on this platform, her support of his musical ambitions, and many other “behind-the-curtain” anecdotes that you don’t want to miss.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Christopher Booth, MD, Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Medicine as well as a Health Services Researcher, Queen's University (Canada), brings a different perspective to the show on healthcare policy and where the cancer system may be failing patients. Dr. Booth shares the “desert island” hypothetical scenario he used in a previous publication in which he asked oncologists all over the world for their 10 cancer drugs they would take to the “island” to help their patients. Then, he shares his thoughts on the relatively novel concepts of the “value crisis” and “time toxicity” he sees in cancer care, how to reconcile benefit to individual patients vs patient populations, the translation from efficacy to effectiveness within treatments, ways to temper patient expectations when it comes to hype vs hope for treatments and recovery goals, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Dr. Myriam Chalabi, a GI oncologist at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, joins the show after making waves at the latest ESMO Congress for her NICHE-2 study – an assessment of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition in locally advanced dMMR colon cancer. She shares the initial inspiration to give neoadjuvant immunotherapy for dMMR tumors, the surprisingly positive early results that led to expanding the study, her feelings and expectations leading up to her talk at ESMO, and her reaction to the Twitter phenomenon with the “Chalabi Plot” – how the medical community was in awe of her rare and exceptional waterfall plot. This episode is a good reminder of the value in executing a well-designed clinical trial and the benefits that patients stand to gain from good science.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To tackle the relatively unknown topic of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), Chadi invites four experts from the Hyperemesis Education & Research (HER) Foundation: Kimber MacGibbon, RN, executive director and co-founder; Aimee Brecht-Doscher, MD, adviser and long-time supporter; Kelly Ryerson, MBA, chair of the board of directors; and Marlena Fejzo, PhD, survivor of HG and research advisor. The group begins by defining HG—with respect to the traditional definition as well as the modern understanding—and its prevalence among pregnant women today. The conversation evolves into the myths and misconceptions surrounding HG, the current research landscape and funding availability, progress in identifying and sequencing an important gene, drug development updates, and a whole lot more.
Read more about the HER Foundation website. https://www.hyperemesis.org/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Recurring guest Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, is today’s guest of honor to discuss and spotlight his just-published book: Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public's Trust. Dr. Sekeres begins by sharing an anecdote of his experience on the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) for Avastin as an inspiration to write the book. Then, he delves into the detailed process of becoming an ODAC member and how conflicts of interest are handled in the screening process, how personal experience bias (rather than data) may influence ODAC members to vote to approve a drug, financial compensation allotted to ODAC members, and how ODAC members balance science with humanity when considering drugs for approval. The conversation ends with a commentary on the good and bad of DTC advertising, the future of clinical trial phasing and designing, and a few other interesting discussion points.
Order Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public's Trust. https://www.amazon.com/Drugs-FDA-Safety-Efficacy-Publics/dp/0262047314
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this somber and forewarning episode, Chadi hosts Jodi Odell, mother of the late Jackson Odell – actor and victim of an accidental drug overdose. Jodi tells the background of Jackson’s life—from his early childhood days up through his final days at 20 years old—as a backdrop for a commentary on the drug overdose pandemic and addiction. Then, she shares his journey from rehab to a sober home, recounts the harrowing details of his final moments alive, and details the weeks that followed, up through her viral LinkedIn post about Jackson. This episode is a reminder of the fragility of life and a call to spread awareness about the drug pandemic.
Read more about Jackson’s death. https://people.com/tv/jackson-odell-cause-death-accidental-drug-overdose/
See Jodi’s LinkedIn post about Jackson. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jodiodell1_this-is-my-son-jackson-he-died-four-years-activity-6940291754835275776-7bBz
View Jodi’s farewell video to Jackson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEUKn6s0Cjw
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Vivek Subbiah, MD, executive director of medical oncology research, MD Anderson Cancer Network, makes his triumphant return to the show to break down designing clinical trials for investigative therapies and the regulatory maze that follows before these therapies can find their way to the market. Dr. Subbiah begins by using precision medicine advances in lung cancer as a backdrop for the discussion on histology agnostic drug approvals. Then, he moves into the full regulatory flow map of how drugs make their way from phase I trials through FDA approval. The accelerated approval pathway, post-approval trials, synthetic control arms, off-label data, real-world data, and assessment bias are all discussion points given ample attention in this truly informative interview.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi convenes yet another expert roundtable to discuss CLL with a few returning guests as well as a physician-patient: Liz Brem, MD, assistant clinical professor of hematology, UC Irvine, Alan Skarbnik, MD, director of the lymphoma and CLL program, Novant Health (Charlotte, NC), and Brian Koffman, MDCM, FCFP, DABFM, MS Ed, executive vice president and chief medical officer, CLL Society. The group begins by stating that patients have little-to-no participation in treatment guidelines for CLL, positing whether treatment is necessary for early-stage disease at all, debating what testing procedures should be done after diagnosis, and concluding with what place MRD has in the treatment paradigm. Dr. Koffman shares his personal story of waiting as long as possible to begin his unconventional treatment course (including first remission allogeneic transplant) and the group discusses whether the limited evidence base for this course matters or not. Dissecting the intricacies of treating CLL, especially from the patient perspective, is no easy task and these experts do a very thorough job of detailing the discussion points that matter most.
View more information on the CLL Society. https://cllsociety.org/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Adam Cifu, MD, general internist and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, is fresh off his rounds and ready to talk about the advantages and pitfalls of evidence-based medicine in today’s medical world. Dr. Cifu offers his thoughts on the level of evidence needed for vaccinations in children as well as the number of vaccinations and boosters needed for adults, what the evidence tells us about long COVID, whether mask wearing on planes and various other locations still carries any weight, and a general commentary on how evidence factors (or doesn’t) into Twitter discussions surrounding medicine.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To explain and dissect the world of naturopathic medicine, Chadi hosts Nasha Winters, ND, FABNO, a renowned speaker and author on the topic. Dr. Winters shares her background of a devastating, terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis 30 years ago, the nontraditional care she received that put her on the road to recovery, and how that set things in motion for her career. Then, Dr. Winters expands on a system she has developed to understand the tumor “terrain” rather than the tumor itself, patient cases she’s dealt with and how integrative treatment approaches have been very powerful, the type of training she received to become qualified to consult and treat patients, and the ins-and-out of the curriculum for this training, among other things.
View Dr. Winters’ website. https://www.drnasha.com/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Nikita Mehra, medical oncologist in India, and Guilherme Perini, hematologist in Brazil, join the show to give a first-hand perspective on what it’s like to practice oncology in low and middle income countries. They begin by explaining variation in income levels and cancer care access within their own cities, expound on screening programs and ability to travel for care among their populations, share the testing and diagnostics procedures and availability, describe the market and supply of treatments in India and Brazil vs the US, comment on how their country’s regulatory bodies approve and set the course for reimbursement of new therapies, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Hosted by Ralph Weichselbaum, MD, Chair of the Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, this episode tackles the burgeoning world of radiopharmaceuticals and features two radiation oncologists: Jeff Michalski, MD, MBA, Washington University in St. Louis and president of ASTRO, and Freddy Escorcia, MD, PhD, National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health. They kick it off by giving background context on isotope therapy and the current data for these therapies in different malignancies, including an update into peptides and SBRT; provide commentary on how randomized controlled trials account for the complexities of radiopharmaceuticals in their design (especially pertaining to selection criteria and dosage); and share how a radiation department is structured and staffed to account for all patient needs, including a push for a novel patient-centered approach that involves the nuclear medicine department.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Drs. Ross Levine, David Steensma, and a surprise recurring guest form a roundtable on today’s show to discuss making the career choice of a non-PhD lab-based scientist and what that entails on a day-to-day basis, how mentoring individuals in other labs is a rewarding and continuous process, what makes a good mentor, managing and securing grant funding for lab research (including the secrets of writing effective grants), making the transition from the clinic to industry and the day-to-day expectations in this environment, and misconceptions of the intentions and cultures of pharmaceutical companies. They wrap up the discussion with a commentary on the overabundance of medical meetings and how they are managing their conference travel schedules against their COVID wariness.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Jarushka Naidoo, MBBCH, MD, Chair of the Thoracic Oncology Division, Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre (Dublin, Ireland), and Stephen Liu, MD, Director of Thoracic Oncology and Director of Developmental Therapeutics, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center of Georgetown University, join the show to preview all of the important and exciting advancements in thoracic oncology leading up to the IASLC 2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer. The trio cover early-stage lung cancer, pathologic response as a surrogate endpoint for new clinical trials, promising new agents in development and testing, sequencing with immunotherapy, updates in data and targeted therapy for EGFR mutations, and a round-up of other studies highlighting different disease histologies.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts Dr. Neal Shore, a urologic oncologist who became heavily involved in GU oncology research – including trials that incorporate systemic chemotherapy. Dr. Shore has a unique practice where he and his staff deliver chemotherapy when appropriate. Chadi was intrigued by this setting as medical oncologists are the ones customarily delivering chemotherapy, and invited him to the show to share how this all started, its pros and cons, and the impact on patients.
Dr. Shore explains how the field has seen drastic changes since the early 1990’s, why he decided to spearhead bringing clinical research into his community clinic, and how his clinic is staffed and structured to support a functioning and successful research hub. Then, the discussion pivots to his recently published clinical trial, ENACT, and the controversy surrounding use of enzalutamide monotherapy in low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. There’s been so much controversy and backlash about the ENACT trial that Chadi had to ask him about it and his reaction to what happened when the article was published.
View Dr. Shore’s recently published ENACT study in JAMA Oncology. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2793567
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
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Returning guests Sanam Loghavi, MD, hematopathologist and molecular pathologist, University of Texas MD Anderson Center, and Aaron Goodman, MD, hematologist, University of California San Diego, break down the latest classification system updates in leukemia. They begin by explaining what triggers a new classification and why it is needed, how soon clinicians should adopt it, and the relationship as well as differences between the ICC and WHO classification systems. Then, the experts go into the details of the changes that have been made to AML and MDS diagnoses and how these are likely to impact clinical trials, among other important points.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
On this special episode, Chadi hosts three phenomenal physicians to help us better understand the complexity of designing and executing clinical trials. Hira Mian, MD, faculty of health sciences, McMaster University (Canada), and Murali Janakiram, MD, MS, assistant professor, City of Hope, both faced and continue to face challenges in bringing their clinical trial ideas to light. Saad Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP, chief of myeloma service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, joins as a senior investigator to shed light on the journey and to advise both junior faculty on what can be done next. The group reacts to trial ideas they’ve each had and continue to funding roadblocks. They consider how long down the road researchers should look when formulating a clinical trial design, how limited funding availability figures to be a lasting barrier for many important study ideas, how junior faculty members are vying for such funding to get published research under their belt and earn promotions, and so many more intricacies involved in the clinical trial landscape. This is a perfect episode for anyone interested in clinical trials and wanting to understand the role of a clinician investigator.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Joining Chadi on today’s show is Donald Harvey, PharmD, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Dr. Harvey shares available career paths and how the pharmacist role has evolved over the years, how pharmacists continue to stay involved with patients after discharge, strategies he uses to help cancer patients adhere to oral oncolytics, and his “Call to Action” to improve such adherence – as co-planned by the FDA and ASCO and published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. The discussion is very detailed and enlightening; you won’t want to miss it!
View Dr. Harvey’s publication “Call to Action for Improving Oral Anticancer Agent Adherence.” https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.21.02529
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Christina Arnold, MD, gastrointestinal pathologist, University of Colorado, is today’s guest of honor discussing her unconventional career change to a full-time professional “life coach.” Dr. Arnold explains what inspired her to make this change, differentiates a life coach from a psychotherapist and how people should know which professional they need to see, reminds us how mental health is still under-resourced and forgotten among healthcare workers, shares her decision process for choosing a life coaching school and how long school took to complete, discloses typical payment and hours associated with the position, and a host of other discussion points.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Lee Shapiro, co-founder and managing partner at 7wireVentures, joins the show to discuss his unique journey through healthcare, entrepreneurship, and more. He begins by addressing broken business processes in healthcare as part of his early investment strategy, what he looks for in potential investment opportunities, how he forecasts investment in health technology in the coming years, past investment regrets (with a couple of specific company examples), his thoughts on PBMs, experiences taking his company public, and many more discussion points.
Read more about Lee Shapiro. https://www.7wireventures.com/team/lee-shapiro/
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Chadi hosts recurring guest Priya Sampathkumar (@PSampathkumarMD), MD, infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, Mayo Clinic, to provide the infectious disease profile of Mokeypox – the latest virus that is spreading globally and making its rounds in the media over the past few weeks. Dr. Sampathkumar highlights the virus’ symptom profile, differentiates it from Smallpox, explains the origins of infection in the US, shares theories for why the infection rate is increasing worldwide, speculates on whether it will develop into a pandemic, and covers all of the other important questions.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In this lively debate pertaining to all things multiple myeloma, Chadi hosts three guests with varying positions and viewpoints: Vincent Rajkumar, MD, Mayo Clinic; Manni Mohyuddin, MD, Huntsman Cancer Institute; and Cindy Chmielewski (@myelomateacher), patient research advocate. The group discuss the burning unanswered questions in multiple myeloma research and treatment – including problems related to clinical trial funding and design, control arms and “bad” trials, global disparities and drug access, standard-of-care changes during the course of a trial, and many more intricate dilemmas impacting the multiple myeloma world today.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Katie Coleman, a software engineer, joins the show to share her inspiring story of being diagnosed with a rare stage 4 kidney cancer at the end of 2020 and her journey through survivorship to the present day. Katie highlights the anxiety and guilt she experienced when moving through urgent care and the ER during the height of the pandemic, the struggles of not having family allowed in the room during her visits with oncologists or visits at home, the occurrences that led to eventual surgical removal, and what led to the decision to share her story on social media. Katie also built herself an app to keep track of her own medical records and made a career change to further build software to help other patients. You won’t want to miss this truly inspiring, incredible story.
View Katie’s Youtube channel for more on her experiences. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcf5yVgHvI8-__g0RHjfrTw
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ralph Weichselbaum, MD, the Daniel K. Ludwig Distinguished Service Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology at the University of Chicago, is the guest of honor on today’s show focusing on radiation oncology as a discipline: the changes that have occurred over the years, the state of the field today, and how the field projects over the next few years. Dr. Weichselbaum highlights the malignancies that are poised for improvements in radiation outcomes in the coming years, how little attention is paid to radiation oncology in medical school, the potential of proton therapy and the need for prospective randomized controlled trials in some diseases, and a Lancet Oncology paper he reacted strongly to on Twitter.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts Lars Andersen, MD, MPH, PhD, DMSc, Aarhus University Hospital (Denmark), to discuss an interesting, relatively unknown concept he recently explored in JAMA Guide to Statistics and Methods. Dr. Andersen introduces us to “collider bias” in research design and statistical analysis. He utilizes a few common examples to illustrate how collider bias can affect our interpretation of data, how it differs from confounding and information bias, and rates the quality of COVID-19 research with relation to collider bias. This is an important discussion that will alter how you assess the validity of data and results of published research.
View Dr. Andersen’s paper “Collider Bias.” https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2790247
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Amer Zeidan, MBBS (@Dr_AmerZeidan), MHS, associate professor of medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, joins the show to cover the latest exciting updates in the treatment landscapes for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia. The duo discuss the etiology of both malignancies, the intricacies of defining and diagnosing MDS, how patients become classified as either lower-risk or higher-risk MDS and the survival rates of both, concerns and consequences with iron overload during blood transfusions, and how transplant procedures have become safer for older patients. They then highlight the hot topics in MDS and AML as covered at the most recent ASH annual meeting.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
A familiar animated, jovial, Twitter-famed hematologist makes his return to the show to break down all of the most impactful hematology research of the past year, including what’s moving the needle in the CAR-T, DLBCL, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, AML, transplant, and multiple myeloma spaces. Who could the guest of honor be? Tune in to find out.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
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Chadi’s guest Kashyap Patel (@KashyappatelMd), MD, president of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), joins the show to give an update on the current initiatives and state of COA and community oncology as a whole. He chronicles his journey to becoming a medical oncologist at a small community center outside of Charlotte (SC) and how he became aware of the pain points of community oncology in the U.S. The conversation moved into the history and initial aim of COA to help community practices prepare to work with and have an identity when facing policymakers, how COA membership dues are put to use, the top five problems facing community oncology today, and why many community practices feel compelled to sell to large health systems. Dr. Patel also shares his vision as the president of COA and what he hopes to accomplish before his term ends.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Samarth Kulkarni, PhD, CEO of CRISPR Therapeutics, joins the show to chronicle his journey to CRISPR Therapeutics and to break down the ins-and-outs of the technology. He begins by sharing the evolution of CRISPR as a “molecular barcode” and its first viable indication; how he “bets” the technology will have a major footprint in the cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease treatment landscape; shares strategies for shortening the potential time to market for some of the therapies; explains how AI is used in his line of work; and a variety of other topics.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Recurring guest Vincent Rajkumar (@VincentRK), MD, Mayo Clinic, provides his input on the complexities of randomized controlled trials. The conversation covers the ability of fellowship programs to train fellows in the nuances of clinical trials, how funding is divvied up for different kinds of trials, how trial design is often influenced by expected time for the new drug to get to the market, when the risk is worth taking with the accelerated approval pathway, how to reconcile study designs when studies with similar control arms are published throughout the world, and a whole lot more.
Read Dr. Rajkumar’s spotlight piece in The Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61801-1/fulltext
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Chadi shifts gears this week to sit down with a renowned business leader: Samer Saab, founder and CEO of the experience management solution company Explorance. Samer sheds light on the challenges of starting and running a successful business, especially during a once-in-a-century pandemic, and the services Explorance offers. The Great Resignation, surveys given to healthcare workers, burnout, immigrant struggles, transparency and flexibility with employees, balancing personal lives with business lives as the leader of a company, lessons in leadership, business values, and a whole host of other topics are covered in this wide-ranging and inspiring interview.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Rana McKay (@DrRanaMcKay), MD, genitourinary oncologist at UC San Diego, joins the show to recap the clinically relevant research presented at the ASCO GU meeting. She begins with a breakdown of the ARASENS, PROpel, and MAGNITUDE trials for prostate cancer; moves to TROPHY-U-01, EV-103, and ATLANTIS trials for urothelial cancer; hits on KEYNOTE-564 for kidney cancer; and names a few other studies along the way that could move the needle in genitourinary cancers in the near future. *Plus – a surprise guest joins the show unannounced. You’ll have to listen to find out who it is!
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Continuing the ketogenic discussion, Chadi hosts Nick Norwitz (@nicknorwitz), PhD, Harvard Medical School, and welcomes back Dave Feldman (@DaveKeto), senior software engineer and entrepreneur, to discuss their recently authored paper “Elevated LDL Cholesterol with a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet: Evidence for a ‘Lean Mass Hyper-Responder’ Phenotype.” The trio discuss the inspiration for the paper, the methodology and survey questions, results and take-home messages, and the broad range of reactions the paper evoked.
Read the authors’ discussed research paper. https://academic.oup.com/cdn/article/6/1/nzab144/6446805
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Sanam Loghavi (@sanamloghavi), MD, hematopathologist and molecular pathologist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Center, provides a clear picture of pathology as a specialty in this informative episode. Dr. Loghavi argues that medical school curriculum falls short in including pathology as a legitimate specialty for students to pursue, credits and discredits the preconceived notions about what pathology is all about, shares what differentiates good pathologists and exceptional pathologists, breaks down the subspecialties within pathology, comments on the future of artificial intelligence in pathology, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts a very renowned, high profile guest – one of the leading vaccine experts in the world and the man co-credited with developing the rotavirus vaccine: Paul Offit (@DrPaulOffit), MD, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit tackles the hard-hitting questions on everyone’s minds: whether public health policy decisions should be made based on randomized controlled trials during a pandemic, what went into the FDA’s decision to postpone vaccine approval for young children, whether vaccine mandates are moral and justifiable for children, what is the basis behind a third booster dose for adults, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Tara Haella (@tarahaelle), independent science/health journalist, joins the show to discuss her reporting on vaccine hesitancy long before the pandemic (the “trenches of the mommy wars”), how this previous work aligns with today’s COVID vaccine hesitancy, and how cognitive bias plays a substantial part in our individual feelings toward vaccines. Tara explains the longstanding history of vaccine hesitancy, how she came to initially distrust the CDC, how vaccine hesitancy was likely exacerbated by political motives when COVID hit, how much blame public health messaging may have toward COVID vaccine hesitancy, and a host of other interesting, controversial topics.
View Tara’s personal website. https://tarahaelle.net/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
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Chris Arnade (@Chris_arnade), long-time writer and author of “Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America,” joins the show to discuss his recent experience walking America and how his views on politics and the COVID-19 response have changed as a result. Chris shares his unique upbringing and professional background, ways in which he satisfied his early interest in long walks and what he made of these walks, and how this interest developed into touring the U.S. and photographing the people he encountered. Chadi and Chris discuss the “real America” and break down the “rows” of people in the country, how leaders have failed the lower class when it comes to COVID messaging, and many other interesting topics.
Check out “Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America.” https://www.amazon.com/Dignity-Seeking-Respect-Back-America/dp/0525534733
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Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts a truly inspiring pediatrician, author, philanthropist, humanitarian, and self-described “healer”: Noha Baz. Dr. Baz opens up about her unique childhood beginning in France and moving to Lebanon, some harrowing stories about young patients being refused care because of lack of money to pay for treatment, her eventual founding of “Les Petits Soleils” in 1997 to provide medical care for children living in Lebanon not benefiting from health coverage, maintaining her focus despite political turmoil in Lebanon, her deep love for food and how she incorporates it into her work, and a whole lot more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi welcomes two experienced medical writers, Marielle Fares and Tom Lang, to explain what “medical writing” entails and who the intended audience is, the difference between regulatory and medical education writing as well as patient education and scientific publications, how medical projects come in and what types of instructions and materials medical writers are given, the ins-and-outs of the revision process, what it means when medical writers are listed in the acknowledgments of published clinical research, and many more points of interest.
View Tom Lang’s instructive publications on medical writing. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934465143/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glc_i_C5VAJPX36K9384Z844CY https://www.amazon.com/dp/1930513690/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_glc_i_7ZKVGTQ9G44AJ9KV2RA1
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Naveen Pemmaraju (@doctorpemm), MD, department of leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Center, joins the show to discuss how researchers approach the investigation of rare diseases. Chadi and Dr. Pemmaraju break down the latter’s distinguished work in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN)—a rare, aggressive hematologic cancer—as well as other rare and orphan diseases. Context for the rare and orphan disease drug development pathway, granular classification for malignancies (particularly in hematology), and so much more is provided in this thorough, fascinating dialogue.
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Chadi welcomes back Bishal Gyawali (@oncology_bg), MD, PhD, Queen’s University Cancer Research Institute (Canada), to the show to discuss the history of the FDA’s accelerated approval regulatory pathway, how it is sometimes abused, how low-level surrogate endpoints are being used for approval, what happens (and what should happen) when confirmatory trials do not confirm clinical benefit for drugs approved through this pathway, how conflicts of interest may impact some regulatory decisions, and so much more. Dr. Gyawali raises some thought-provoking questions and critical points in this deep, nuanced discussion.
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Continuing his ASH Annual Meeting coverage, Chadi invites Matt Maurer (@MaurerStats), MS, principal biostatistician, Mayo Clinic, and Alan Skarbnik (@ASkarbnik), MD, director of the lymphoma and CLL program, Novant Health (Charlotte, NC), to review the three prominent CAR-T studies in relapsed/refractory DLBCL presented at the meeting. Why were the results divergent and what does this mean for CAR-T’s utility in this setting? The trio break down the ins-and-outs of the trials – both from a statistician and practitioner point of view.
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Chadi invites a trio of lymphoma experts to weigh the importance of the POLARIX trial – which was presented at the ASH Annual Meeting and looked at frontline therapy for patients with DLBCL. Matthew Matasar, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, co-authored publication of the POLARIX study “Polatuzumab Vedotin in Previously Untreated Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma” in the New England Journal of Medicine and defends the its results with guests Liz Brem, MD, UC Irvine, and Daniel Landsburg, MD, University of Pennsylvania. Can polatuzumab vedotin supplant conventional R-CHOP as the standard of care for previously untreated DLBCL? As they work through the details of the study, the experts share whether they believe the data supports an immediate standard-of-care change or if more research is needed.
Read the study published in NEJM https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2115304
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David Zweig (@davidzweig), published author and science journalist based in New York, joins the show to tackle one specific topic pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic: mask mandates for children in schools. David’s article “The CDC’s Flawed Case for Wearing Masks in School” was published in The Atlantic early this month and spotlights the “very shaky science” propped up by the CDC that has compelled many schools throughout the US to institute mask mandates for their students. Chadi and David analyze the data—fleshing out all of the details and scenarios—of mask wearing in schools in this fiery, no-holds-barred discussion that will surely ruffle some feathers.
Read David’s article in The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/12/mask-guidelines-cdc-walensky/621035/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Emily Landon, MD, Executive Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, University of Chicago, makes her long-awaited return to the show to provide an update on the status of COVID-19 in the US. Chadi and Dr. Landon discuss the proportion of people in America that have gotten their vaccine and booster, how Omicron has come along so quickly as an “escape” variant, how effective the vaccines are against contracting and fighting Omicron, whether vaccine mandates for healthcare workers are justifiable, why Omicron is likely to be worse in the US than in South Africa, when and where people should wear masks now, weighing the risk (ie, myocarditis) and benefits of vaccines for children, and so much more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Samer Al Hadidi (@HadidiSamer), MD, assistant professor in the multiple myeloma program, University of Arkansas, shares his own human experience of receiving an unfortunate diagnosis as an immigrant going through residency and through fellowship, all while dealing with the loss of a close relative. Dr. Al Hadidi recounts the dilemma he had as an immigrant in the US on a visa and deciding whether to prioritize his health or his medical training, the way things escalated while progressing through his fellowship, how the pandemic further complicated travel opportunities for immigrant trainees and HCPs, and many more unfortunate details in his story to date. There is much to be learned and lessons to be taken from Dr. Al Hadidi’s story, and at the very least, it’s an emotional interview that reminds us to count our blessings during this holiday season.
Read Dr. Al Hadidi’s published commentary in ASCO Connection https://connection.asco.org/blogs/vacation
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
To debate the utility and appropriateness of real-world evidence against clinical trials for treating patients with hematologic malignancies, Chadi welcomes back Aaron Goodman (@AaronGoodman33), MD, hematologist, University of California San Diego, and Alan Skarbnik (@ASkarbnik), MD, director of the lymphoma and CLL program, Novant Health (Charlotte, NC), as well as invites first-time guest Liz Brem (@DrLizBrem), MD, assistant clinical professor of hematology, UC Irvine. Can RCT designers ever escape inherent bias? Will we ever enroll a more diverse, higher volume patient population in clinical trials? Who has the right to criticize a clinical trial design? The group uses a phase I study published in Lancet Hematology to frame their arguments in this riveting, hotly contested discussion.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi hosts Graham Collins (@graham74GC), MBBS, MA, MRCP, FRCPath, DPhil, hematology consultant in the UK, for a broad discussion aimed to simplify an often complicated disease: Hodgkin lymphoma. The duo talk about early-stage disease categorizing, treatment considerations for each stage, reasonable clinical trial endpoints of practice-changing potential, adverse effects resulting from intensive treatments, notable clinical trials and novel treatment approaches, and programs for young adult survivors. This episode is a perfect refresher to get you in the spirit for the ASH Annual Meeting – just a few weeks away!
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi re-invites Dave Feldman (@DaveKeto), senior software engineer and entrepreneur, and Ethan Weiss (@ethanjweiss), MD, cardiologist at UC San Francisco, to rehash a Twitter argument on secondary prevention for heart attacks for patients with high LDL. Should patients receive statins or should they not? What does the data show and where is the controversy, if any? How does diet play a role? What about the infamous KETO diet? The guests discuss a couple of realistic hypothetical scenarios with different LDL receptor and metabolism variables. Dave shares an IRB-approved trial that he is leading to better understand high LDL that emerges from Keto and its impact on cardiac atherosclerotic disease.
This was a high-spirited debate where the host said so little and the guests were arguing respectfully about various views. Will there be a common ground? You must listen to find out.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, Anheuser Busch Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, provides the condensed oral history of thoracic oncology – dating from the late 1990s to the present day. Chadi and Dr. Govindan discuss how stage III chemoradiation and PET scans were new strategies before the turn of the century, the introduction of gefitinib as a pivotal moment in the treatment paradigm, the doors opening for EGFR inhibitors, the discovery of ALK as a targetable mutation, how genome sequencing in the 2010s opened additional targets, PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibition, and so much more.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Adam Stern (@AdamPhilipStern), MD, neuropsychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, joins the show to discuss his book “Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training” and the struggles that psychiatry trainees face today. Dr. Stern hits on an unexpected diagnosis he was given three years ago, dealing with imposter syndrome, the cruelty of survival rates when given to individual patients, anecdotes in the book that highlight the nuances of psychiatry training, the need for human connection while practicing, advice for coming out of training successfully, and so much more in this invigorating conversation.
Order Dr. Stern’s book “Committed.” https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/committed/9780358434733
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Leah Houston (@LeahHoustonMD), MD, an emergency physician and founder of HPEC (@HPECid) as well as Evercred, explains blockchain as a decentralizer of physician and patient data and how it will be applied ubiquitously across the healthcare system. Dr. Houston shares and makes the case for how blockchain stores medical data and keeps the ownership in the hands of physicians, offers a solution to issuing and maintaining digital credentials for healthcare professionals, and highlights how physician interest and involvement are crucial to “reclaiming ownership of the profession and our individual identities.”
Visit the HPEC website to receive your invitation. https://www.hpec.io/
Visit Dr. Houston’s Evercred website. https://www.evercred.com/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Ben Mazer (@BenMazer), MD, anatomic and clinical pathologist at Yale New Haven Hospital, joins Chadi to recap the rise and fall of the now infamous Theranos – a private lifestyle and healthcare startup company that claimed to have innovative, revolutionary blood testing technology that was ultimately proven ineffective. Dr. Mazer explains how Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the company, allegedly engaged in a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud investors, doctors, and patients. Fast forward to the present day and the Theranos trial is well underway. This episode provides all of the background information and context as the trial continues to unfold. You won’t want to miss it.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Marion Mass (@mass_marion), MD, practicing pediatrician and co-founder of Practicing Physicians of America, joins the show to share her unique ideas about how to reduce healthcare costs while simultaneously improving access to care. She describes her “sentinel moment” in which she realized that physicians are no longer the primary medical advocates for their patients and how this led her to founding a grassroots physician organization dedicated to patient advocacy. The conversation takes interesting turns into hospital fines for price transparency, patient copays and premiums, Medicare, direct primary care, pharmacy benefit managers, and so much more.
Read the Practicing Physicians of America’s position paper on their discussed legislative requests. https://www.physiciansforreform.org/files/5015/5406/4369/Reducing_Cost_and_Waste_in_American_Medicine.pdf
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Fadlo Khouri (@DrFadloKhuri), MD, hematologist and medical oncologist, and president of the American University of Beirut (Lebanon), is asked to join the show after a recent announcement from the University regarding a fuel shortage at its hospital. Dr. Khouri explains how Lebanon’s economic downturn is affecting hospitals – from the inability to supply hospitals with air conditioning to cancer therapies. He also gives a glimpse of a day in the life of the AUB president, how he approaches politics as a University president in the Middle East, the state of affairs of the University, and how the faculty and student body has changed and continues to change to this day.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Keeping up with the dietary theme in recent episodes, Chadi hosts Jerry Teixeira (@jerryteixeira), a strength and conditioning expert. He begins with a personal anecdote on how changing his eating habits along with continued regular exercise was necessary to losing weight, divulges exactly what goes into his low-carb diet, shares how alcohol and dessert consumption factors into the diet, explains the benefits of training your muscles to reach temporary muscle failure, breaks down the correlation between strength training and life longevity, and gets into more specifics on his idea of a healthy, sustainable, efficient lifestyle.
Visit Jerry’s website for more information on his strength training ideas. https://bodyweightstrength.fit/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Chadi is joined by Dave Feldman (@DaveKeto), senior software engineer and entrepreneur, who shares his counterintuitive experience with the ketogenic diet in 2015 and a healthy obsession with the study of lipids and cholesterol that led him to the founding of the “energy model.” Dave breaks down the scientific details of fat cell breakdown in the body, how this process translates in blood tests, and how the “energy model” can be used to elevate one’s health and consumption habits, among a host of other intriguing topics.
View Dave’s website to learn more about the “energy model.” https://cholesterolcode.com/
Visit the Citizen Science Foundation website to learn about the lean mass hyper-responder study. https://citizensciencefoundation.org/
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
In a long overdue appearance, Saurabh Jha (@RogueRad), MD, radiologist in Philadelphia, makes his triumphant return to the show to pick apart the single payer model idea as well as FDA regulatory processes, this time with a worthy adversary: Adam Gaffney (@awgaffney), MD, MPH, pulmonary specialist and health policy researcher at Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School. The conversation begins with discussion of a proposed federal single payer system in America, why it could not be modeled after a successful system like that in England, why significant health disparities exist geographically within a single payer system and whether such a system can provide the tools to address these disparities, and so much more. Then, the conversation swings to whether a health care system should be designed to afford high priced novel therapies because of failure to regulate these prices, on what basis the FDA should approve drugs, and other points of discussion. Things get testy in this spirited back-and-forth banter and you won’t want to miss it.
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Mikkael Sekeres (@MikkaelSekeres), MD, chief of the division of hematology at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and David Steensma (@DavidSteensma), MD, global hematology head at Novartis, share their recent experiences undergoing career transitions. The physicians dive into a discussion on how often fellowships are given to candidates who are pursuing academic careers, how and why the decisions were made to leave one institution for another (or an institution for industry), whether or not to interview for new positions discreetly, how to approach negotiating aspects of a new employment contract, and so much more.
Read Dr. Sekeres' narrative about his move to Miami. https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.21.01070
Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. https://chadinabhan.com/
Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA
Sonikpreet Aulakh (@SonikpreetA), MD, assistant professor of medicine at West Virginia University, provides valuable perspective on the transition into the academic world just two years after her fellowship. Dr. Aulakh sheds light on the experience and details of applying for jobs post-fellowship, what types of challenges she may face as a new faculty member, struggles she may encounter as an immigrant and a woman in applying for residency and faculty positions, and plenty more.
Aaron Mitchell (@TheWonkologist), MD, MPH, medical oncologist and health outcomes researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, comes on to discuss the shortcomings and pitfalls of the regulatory processes at the FDA, optimal trial endpoints that provide the strongest evidence for approval, whether the accelerated approval process is enforced as it is written, what power any advisory panel really has when it comes to FDA approvals, and so many more pain points today.
Chadi is rejoined by Priya Sampathkumar (@PSampathkumarMD), MD, infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, Mayo Clinic, to provide a state of affairs for the current COVID-19 situation in America, including why the country has failed to get more of its people vaccinated, why myocarditis has been a frequent side effects in some people, why the delta variant and other future variants come about, whether booster shots should be administered to healthy individuals and those who have had COVID-19 in the past, how safe it is for kids to return to in-person school, and more of the important talking points surrounding the virus at this time.
Vivek Subbiah, MD, associate professor in the department of investigational cancer therapeutics, MD Anderson, is the world-renowned guest on the show this week to tackle the world of precision medicine in cancer. He begins by explaining how precision medicine is more than simply a “fancier” mechanism of treatment than chemotherapy, why tumor sequencing is important even though there aren’t drugs available for every possible mutation, how much the field has advanced even in the past 10 years, the intricacies of designing clinical trials, and lots more.
For another lively debate, Chadi brings on two lymphoma experts to talk about what to do with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) patients after an achieved remission: Barbara Pro (@bpromd), MD, Northwestern University, and Mehdi Hamadani (@MediHumdani), MD, Medical College of Wisconsin. The two doctors share how they counsel and treat patients in uncertain situations, including the “right” circumstances to watch-and-wait, autologous transplant, allogeneic transplant, or maintenance chemotherapy.
Chadi welcomes back Rafael Fonseca, (@Rfonsi1), MD, interim director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, and Aaron Goodman (@AaronGoodman33), MD, hematologist, University of California San Diego, to debate whether smoldering multiple myeloma should be treated. They begin by agreeing on a definition of the disease, listing patient characteristics that may warrant consideration for early intervention, and stating the importance of improving the ability to predict progressing disease. The trio then debate treatment in specific example circumstances and the overall consensus within the myeloma world, the practicality of clinical trials for smoldering disease, and so much more in this testy and thought-provoking dialogue.
Is it a coincidence that many clinicians are talented musicians? These doctors don’t believe so! In this exclusive roundtable pow-wow, Chadi hosts a range of crafty and passionate oncologists that share a similar dedication to music. Conversations on musical inspirations and favorite artists are interwoven with music samples and personal anecdotes in this truly lighthearted, uninhibited jam session like you’ve never heard.
In this captivating episode, Chadi shares the microphone with Nancy Olivieri (@DrNancyOlivieri), MD, professor of medicine, pediatrics, and public health science at the University of Toronto, to recount her famous clash with a pharmaceutical company (among other entities) that tried to silence her for reporting on adverse effects related to an experimental drug. Dr. Olivieri became famous for raising doubts about a drug that was being studied to treat patients with thalassemia. In great and juicy detail, Dr. Olivieri provides the timeline of events, including bouts with the company’s CEO as well as her own academic institution, and the legal battles that ensued.
Alan Skarbnik (@ASkarbnik), MD, director of the lymphoma and CLL program, Novant Health (Charlotte, NC), and Aaron Goodman (@AaronGoodman33), MD, hematologist, University of California San Diego, join the show for a long-awaited debate: treating double-hit lymphoma with R-CHOP vs dose-adjusted (DA)-EPOCH-R. The conversation gets testy when the trio describe double-hit lymphoma in terms of histology and phenotype, the limitations of retrospective analyses when it comes to establishing a standard of care for this type of lymphoma, an intense breakdown of the CALGB 50303 study as it relates to the treatment argument and toxicity profiles, and so much more.
To tackle the complicated world of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), Chadi is joined by Pamela Kunz (@PamelaKunzMD), MD, Director of the Center for GI Cancers at Yale Cancer Center; as well as the Vice Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center. Dr. Kunz begins by shedding light on potential reasons for higher incidence of NETs in the past three decades and the boom of FDA approvals in the last decade, as well as the latest therapies and clinical trials with the most potential to move the needle for patient care. Then, Chadi and Dr. Kunz highlight the priorities of a new committee she has helped form for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the institution – including data collection, increasing the diversity of the faculty, and creating a culture of respect.
Vincent Rajkumar (@VincentRK), MD, Mayo Clinic, and Editor-in-Chief of Blood Cancer Journal, rejoins the show to answer some critically important questions related to medical publications and information reliability in the pandemic and post-pandemic world. As a consumer of medical news, which sources of information should you take seriously? Should you ignore press releases and pre-prints in favor of abstracts or papers? Should peer-reviewed literature be your only source of reliable information? Together, Chadi and Dr. Rajkumar put on their critical appraisal hats to rate various sources and determine when to adapt new guidelines or recommendations for patient care.
Chadi dives into the world of nutrition and dieting with Kevin Bass, MD, PhD student in Texas; Ethan Weiss, MD, cardiologist; and Aaron Goodman, MD, hematologist and current subscriber to the Ketogenic diet. The groups begins with a history of the “Keto” diet and how it has transformed into a popular diet for weight loss, what goes into the traditional Keto diet and how to do it effectively, controversy surrounding the diet and whether it is associated with adverse health effects, reasons to follow and not follow the diet, and numerous misconceptions about low-carb diets in general.
To provide an update on the COVID spike and response in India over the past 6 weeks since Chadi’s previous episode, Aju Mathew (@ajumathew_), MD, oncologist practicing in southern India, joins the show. Dr. Mathew begins by describing the tradeoffs of moving home to practice in India while leaving his academic career behind in the US, offers critical remarks on India’s government use of resources to combat COVID up to and during the “tsunami,” shares how vaccine hesitancy around the world bled into India’s population, provides a status on the current vaccine and resource availability in the country as well as the percentage of the population vaccinated, and plenty more.
In early May, a Lithuanian doctor named Laura Silinskyte committed suicide after facing constant bullying from her superiors at her regional hospital. To shed light on the issue of medical bullying and physician suicide, Chadi is joined by two friends of Dr. Silinskyte—Monika Arzanauskaite, a radiologist, and Gil Morgan, a medical oncologist—as well as a personal friend Laurie Gordon, an adult and child psychiatrist with experience treating healthcare workers. Monika and Gil share who Laura was as a person and some insight into her life leading up to her final days, how the outdated and hierarchical structure of the health system in Lithuania likely contributed to her final decision, explain the differences between “bullying” and “mobbing,” and wrap up with what can be done by the medical community to keep a tragedy like this from happening again.
For this special episode, Chadi invites John Marshall (@marshalj23), MD, Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, and his wife Liza Marshall, a lawyer by training who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer 15 years ago. John and Liza co-wrote a book, titled Off Our Chests, about their shared experience of overcoming her diagnosis – told from the perspective of the caregiver as well as the patient. The couple open up about their individual experiences through treatment, how difficult it was to speak candidly about their feelings in the moment, the struggles of remaining an objective physician when a spouse is the patient, the sometimes impractical nature of shared decision-making, and a host of personal anecdotes along the way.
Visit the Off Our Chests website to order the book https://www.offourchestsbook.com/
View Chadi’s review of the book on The Health Care Blog https://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2021/05/27/off-our-chests-no-secrets-left-behind/
Chadi welcomes “Papa Heme,” or Aaron Goodman (@AaronGoodman33), MD, hematologist at University of California San Diego, and Matt Wilson (@mattwilson2287), MD, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre (UK), to debate the importance and utility of CNS prophylaxis for patients with DLBCL. The trio explain the origins of the debate, who the high-risk patients are in the first place, whether better systemic control is a better strategy for these patients, how to weigh the benefits against the toxicities and other negative effects, and so much more. You don’t want to miss this informative and at times contentious dialogue.
Bishal Gyawali (@oncology_bg), MD, PhD, Queen’s University Cancer Research Institute (Canada), joins the show to discuss the measurement of clinical benefit of new therapies and optimizing clinical trial design. Dr. Gyawali recaps a presentation he gave at last year’s ESMO Annual Meeting on clinical trial characteristics leading to artificial improvement of ESMO-MCBS scores for cancer drugs, goes on to list in detail the ten trial design characteristics that inflate the scores (including the use of surrogate endpoints and quality of life reporting, among others), and wraps up with a comment on future opportunities for clinical trial reform.
View Dr. Gyawali’s recent publication on clinical trial design https://www.esmoopen.com/article/S2059-7029(21)00075-2/fulltext
Recurring guests Saurabh Jha (@RogueRad), MD, radiologist in Philadelphia, and Vinay Prasad (@VPrasadMDMPH), MD, MPH, hematologist/oncologist in San Francisco, seek to settle the debate surrounding COVID vaccine passports. Both scholars defend their recently published viewpoints – Dr. Jha arguing for passport mandates and Dr. Prasad arguing against them. Will requiring proof of vaccination be driven by the business sector, local or federal governments, or anywhere in between? Will vaccines help jump start or continue to stall economies? When is the right time to impose a vaccine passport, if ever at all? This is a real barn-burner of a discussion that you won’t want to miss.
View Dr. Jha’s publication on The Health Care Blog https://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2021/04/29/the-market-forces-behind-vaccine-passports/
View Dr. Prasad’s publication in Medscape https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/vinay-prasad/92107
To truly understand the gravity of the somber COVID situation in India, Chadi hosts Parameswaran Hari, MD, MRCP, chief of oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Nikita Mehra, MD, associate professor of medical oncology, Cancer Institute Adyar (India). Dr. Hari begins by providing a ground-floor perspective of the COVID situation in India from his visit there just a few weeks ago, including how the country fared in 2020 compared to the current day and how hospital systems are managing in different parts of the country. Dr. Mehra then joins the show to share how shocked India has been with the second wave. The trio discuss the “hypotheses” of why COVID never hit India that hard last year, initial stages of vaccine hesitancy among health care workers and trust levels with the central government, and whether or not the situation is dire enough to consider rationing care on a patient-by-patient basis. The conversation wraps up with comments on the US actions to support India during this crisis. Spoiler alert: all three are very critical.
Chadi hosts three medical oncologists to break down “near equivalence” for alternative standard-of-care cancer therapies – a new paradigm published in detail in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Ian Tannock, MD, PhD, Princess Margaret Cancer Center (Canada); Mark Ratain, MD, University of Chicago; and Daniel Goldstein, MD, Rabin Medical Center (Israel), describe what is meant by “near equivalence” and the practice of generating evidence to support global alternative cost-effective treatments. How do you design and implement studies that show lower drug doses are as effective as the labeled doses and treatment schedules? Does listing drugs at a lower price than comparable drugs impede innovation in a capitalistic society? How do poor control arms make it through regulatory and IRB approvals? How can the oncology world come to terms with “imperfect data” for supporting alternative standard-of-care treatments? These questions and more are answered in this meeting of the minds.
View the publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.20.02768
Chadi hosts two thoracic oncologists to dish and debate on the nuances of lung cancer screening: Charu Agarwal, MD, MPH, University of Pennsylvania, and Lecia Sequist, MD, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The trio start by making the case for screening the healthy, low-risk population as well as people with a smoking history, and then jump into a round-up of clinical trials that have shown a positive impact from screening. The highly-questioned JAMA publication on the USPSTF recommendations for lung cancer screening is brought to the table, including the risks and scalability across larger and smaller hospital systems. No stone is left unturned in this riveting dialogue.
View the JAMA publication on screening for lung cancer https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777244
George Dawson (@dawso007), MD, addiction and neuropsychiatrist in Minnesota, joins Chadi to discuss mental illness and COVID – of having the virus itself, as well as the result of isolation and lack of social interaction. Dr. Dawson shares how individuals with drug or alcohol addictions have struggled to stay sober while being stuck at home without in-person meetings and human interaction, whether there is reason to believe the COVID lockdowns and social restrictions have worse health ramifications than the disease itself (eg, suicide rates), burnout and other negative effects pervading the health care provider workforce, and how fluctuating school schedules may be negatively impacting the mental health of children.
Krishna Komanduri (@drkomanduri), MD, chief of the division of transplantation and cellular therapy, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, joins the show to provide a fascinating account of the history of allogeneic and autologous transplantation, the discovery of the difference between B cells and T cell, and up through modern cellular therapy with a forecast for the future decades. This is a crash course in cellular and CAR-T therapy that you won’t want to miss.
Chadi invites Amy Barhorst (@amybarnhorst), MD, and Rocco Pallin, colleagues at UC Davis Health, to tackle the stigma and underdiagnosing of mental health in America and how mental illness intersects with gun violence in this country. The experts delve into whether community and person-to-person violence should be largely attributed to mental illness as well as why policy changes are the clearest way to eliminate mass shootings. Then, the conversation pivots to a true story of how their Review article on ways HCPs can help prevent injury and suicide from firearms was rejected and then plagiarized by the journal editor, all of which was all covered in a viral Twitter thread.
View Dr. Barnhorst's interview with CNN on whether shootings are a mental health issue https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2018/11/27/exp-gps-1125-gupta-barnhorst-mental-health-guns.cnn
Read Dr. Barnhorst's op-ed in the New York Times on why the mental health system cannot stop mass shooters https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/opinion/mental-health-stopping-mass-shooters.html
Aziz Nazha (@AzizNazhaMD), MD, former hem/onc at Cleveland Clinic, self-taught computer science expert, and now practice manager in the Data and Machine Learning Team at Amazon Web Services, joins the show to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning from an entirely unique perspective. He details the pitfalls of unstructured healthcare data, privacy and ownership issues related to healthcare data and whether hospitals should be allowed to sell their patient data, why AI lagged in the healthcare industry compared to other industries, whether AI will ultimately replace physicians, and many other topics.
Chadi is joined by Priya Sampathkumar (@PSampathkumarMD), MD, infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist, Mayo Clinic, to detail the COVID vaccine effort over the past 12 months and how the currently approved ones came to be safe and effective in such a short period of time. She then compares each vaccine in relation to their clinical trials and study populations, side effects (including some rare ones), and efficacy. Chadi and Dr. Sampathkumar converse on what it will take for herd immunity to be reached in the US, how worried we should be about the virus variants, proper precautions to be taken after vaccination, and so much more.
Andrew Foy (@AndrewFoy82), MD, cardiologist at Penn State University, joins the show to discuss publishing bias for medical research along with the psychological dilemma as a result of the pandemic of sacrificing personal liberties for the safety of others. The conversation pivots to Dr. Foy’s experience with boxing at a young age and how he eventually channeled that love into promoting the sport. How can promoting a boxing match be similar to planning a wedding? How can a full-time cardiologist balance his time while also promoting boxing matches? Dr. Foy provides a peek into the boxing world and the way COVID has impacted the sport in this riveting interview.
Toni Choueiri (@DrChoueiri), MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins the show to guest host a discussion with Rana McKay (@DrRanaMcKay), MD, UC San Diego, and Alicia Morgans (@CaPsurvivorship), MD, MPH, Northwestern University, on the practice-changing abstracts presented at the 2020 ASCO-GU virtual meeting. The trio weigh the importance and real-world implications of the ACIS study for mCRPC, EV-301 for advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma as well as CheckMate 274 for muscle-invasive disease, CLEAR for first-line treatment of advanced RCC, and so much more.
Chadi welcomes back Jack West (@JackWestMD), MD, associate clinical professor and medical oncologist, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Nathan Pennell (@n8pennell), MD, PhD, thoracic medical oncologist, director of the thoracic oncology program and director of clinical research, Cleveland Clinic, to the show. The task was to break down the ADAURA trial again, but to go beyond ADUARA and explore the use of various endpoints in lung cancer and how trials should be optimally designed to assure that patients garner the benefits that they deserve. The trio uses this discussion to contextualize a debate on the FDA lowering vs raising regulation on adjuvant therapies and whether the FDA should simply make drugs available and encourage physicians to use their best clinical judgment when prescribing them. ADAURA is only one study, but there are so many lessons that can be learned from the trial that can benefit current and future trial design.
View Dr. West’s JAMA viewpoint on the ADAURA trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2775933
View Dr. Pennell’s opposing JAMA viewpoint https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2775934
David Fajgenbaum (@DavidFajgenbaum), MD, MBA, MSc, assistant professor in the department of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as the associate director of patient impact for the Penn Orphan Disease Center, joins the show to talk about his experience writing and receiving feedback on the national bestseller “Chasing My Cure” as a survivor of Castleman disease – a commentary on how he turned hope into action and discovered an old drug that had never been researched in Castleman disease into a personal life-saver. Dr. Fajgenbaum then details the Cure Drug Repurposing Collaboratory, a public/private relationship between the FDA, the NIH, the Critical Path Institute, and academics like himself with the goal of identifying drugs with approved indications in one disease that have efficacy in other diseases. Additionally, he shares the work of the CORONA Project, the COVID-19 registry of new and repurposed agents that seeks to record any drug given to any patient with COVID-19 for the purposes of research and understanding the disease.
View Dr. Fajgenbaum’s viral Tik Tok https://twitter.com/DavidFajgenbaum/status/1354478246826569728
View Chadi’s book review of “Chasing My Cure” https://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2019/12/16/chasing-my-cure-a-book-review/
Vincent Rajkumar, (@VincentRK), MD, hematologist at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), joins the show to guest host a debate between Sagar Lonial (@SagarLonialMD), MD, FACP, chief medical officer of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, and Rafael Fonseca, (@Rfonsi1), MD, interim director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. These multiple myeloma “gurus” dive into imaging, smoldering disease, endpoints, maintenance, minimal residual disease, and so much more.
Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab (@GIcancerDoc), MD, professor of medicine and director of the GI oncology program at the Mayo Clinic (Phoenix, AZ), joins the show to highlight the research with significant clinical application presented at the virtual ASCO-GI meeting, including KEYNOTE-177 and ATOMIC in colorectal cancer, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for first-line HCC, a survival update in the POLO trial and utility of radiation for pancreatic cancer, PD-1 inhibitors for first-line and adjuvant treatment of gastric cancer, and much more.
Stacie Dusetzina (@DusetzinaS), PhD, associate professor of health policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, joins the show to expound on the changes that have been made to Medicare Part D since its inception during the Bush administration, how Part D is failing the older population in need of expensive drugs, and the counterintuitive state of generic drug affordability for Part D recipients. Chadi and Stacie then discuss how changes in the presidential administration will impact Part D coverage for patients, including the Biden administration’s plan to put an out-of-pocket cap on Part D as well as the administration’s likelihood to pursue drug price negotiations.
Chadi welcomes back Alison Bateman-House, (@ABatemanHouse), MPH, PhD, medical ethicist at New York University’s School of Medicine, to break down COVID-19 vaccine distribution and mandates. Why has vaccine distribution not been an efficient and effective process? Are the right people being prioritized in the vaccine pecking order? Should vaccine doses be immediately available to anybody and everybody to make strides toward herd immunity? Should a “first dose only” vaccine approach be adopted to mitigate the supply shortage? Is a government mandate of the vaccine at any level legal and ethical? How about at schools or hospital systems? The duo dives into trying to make sense of the burning COVID-19 vaccine questions of today.
Rohin Francis (@MedCrisis), cardiologist in the UK, brings his expertise and unique sense of humor to the show to share how he’s combined comedy with medical education through his Twitter and YouTube presence, how he sifts through the vast expanse of COVID-19 research for data that is useful and legitimate, the apparent inability to have an open scientific debate on Twitter without being chastised or judged for your viewpoints, and so much more.
Check out Dr. Francis’ videos at https://www.medlifecrisis.co.uk/.
Aaron Goodman (@AaronGoodman33), MD, hematologist/oncologist, University of California San Diego, and Jatin Shah (@JatinShahMD), MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer, Karyopharm Therapeutics, join the show for a deep consideration of oncology drug approvals in the context of RCTs, RWE, surrogate endpoints, and outcomes. The larger discussion is framed around Karyopharm’s STORM study of selinexor in refractory multiple myeloma and whether the FDA had enough convincing data to approve the drug. Contention ensues around the findings of Karyopharm's BOSTON study and whether they should be used to justify selinexor as a second-line treatment.
In an enthralling yet informative roundtable discussion, Chadi hosts Saurabh Jha (@RogueRad), MD, radiologist and frequent guest of the show; Vinay Prasad (@VPrasadMDMPH), MD, MPH, hematologist/oncologist and former guest of the show; and Sally "Loyal Listener"(@barttels2), patient advocate, to breakdown 2020 like only they can. These titans of the MedTwitter world dissect and opine on lessons to be learned from COVID-19 (warts and all), the diminishing space for public discourse and healthy debate, the not-so-subtle censorship of provocative materials in academic journals due to social media backlash, cancel culture and the power of the Twitter mob, and so much more.
Rafael Fonseca (@Rfonsi1), MD, interim director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, shares with Chadi his picks for the most clinically applicable multiple myeloma studies coming out of the ASH virtual meeting, including notes on transplantation, frontline therapy, the “belle of the ball” bispecific antibodies, CAR-T therapies, and MRD monitoring.
Laura Lee (@lauraelee), JD, a lawyer by training and journalist in North Carolina, brings her unique perspective to the show to discuss how language used on social media to describe the outcomes of clinical trials and the tolerance of therapies in a patient population can be damaging to patients on an individual level. She expresses some of her larger concerns in the way medical information is displayed and discussed online, including the tone that is used, how quality of life measures fall short in providing value for individual patients, and the lack of compassionate language used in studies that are poorly conducted.
Yousuf Zafar (@yzafar), MD, GI oncologist and associate professor of medicine, Duke University, highlights perspectives that are missing from the “general rubric” of value-based care in oncology, how real-world evidence (RWE) can help augment takeaways from clinical trial data, issues of capturing the patient voice in real-world data and electronic health records, and how the FDA is utilizing RWE for expanding drug indications. Dr. Zafar shares where he sees the intersection between RWE and value-based care existing from a payer perspective as well why he believes the COVID-19 pandemic provides “fertile ground” for the prevalence of RWE.
Alison Bateman-House (@ABatemanHouse), MPH, PhD, medical ethicist at New York University’s School of Medicine, explains the distinction between direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of doctors and drugs to that of consumer goods, as well as regulatory and ethical concerns of DTC advertising on the part of hospitals and drugs. Chadi and Dr. Bateman-House grapple with questions of whether healthcare is simply a consumer good or if it is something more and whether DTC advertising should be banned in healthcare altogether.
Jill Feldman (@jillfeldman4), lung cancer survivor and advocate, shares her familial history of lung cancer that drove her to advocacy work long before her own diagnosis of EGFR-positive disease, as well as her treatment courses with erlotinib and subsequent SBRT for many years before osimertinib. Jill then describes her “journey” in advocacy, beginning with self-advocacy and the LUNGevity Foundation, independent research advocacy and representing lung cancer patients, and co-founding the EGFR Resisters (@EGFRResisters) – a group of EGFR-positive patients who are resistant to targeted treatment. Her message for clinicians and scientists is to start thinking of patients as partners in research.
Ameet Kini (@AmeetRKini), MD, PhD, hematopathologist, and Patrick Hagan, MD, hematologist/oncologist, both at Loyola University Medical Center, deliberate on the clinical importance of MRD and how clinicians should utilize it, optimal techniques for detecting MRD in various diseases, the gap between academia and the community when it comes to MRD knowledge, the potential of MRD as a surrogate marker, and how to reconcile discordant MRD results from different vendors.
Vincent Rajkumar (@VincentRK), MD, hematologist at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), shares the distinction between conflicts of interest that guide individual physicians and those that guide entire practices, what types of conflicts should be collected as “material” and which should be disregarded (eg, “transfer of value” payments), issues with disclosure expectations in modern medical research, and an idea to create standards for more appropriate and warranted disclosures.
Watch a previous discussion Chadi had with Dr. Rajkumar on conflicts of interest https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/924320
Chadi facilitates a discussion between three GU oncologists on the latest research and treatment updates in the field. Rana McKay (@DrRanaMcKay), MD, UC San Diego, Petros Grivas (@PGrivasMDPhD), MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Toni Choueiri (@DrChoueiri), MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, debate the practice-changing potential of chosen papers and abstracts presented at ASCO and ESMO, including updated data on the final OS in the PROFOUND trial, context and implications of the JAVELIN trial for bladder cancer, ramifications of the CheckMate 9ER trial for kidney cancer, and more.
John Doench (@JohnDoench), PhD, Associate Director of the Genetic Perturbation Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, joins Chadi for a fascinating discussion on the history of CRISPR as a scientific breakthrough, the ease of merging CRISPR technology into human cells, challenges remaining for CRISPR to become a widely used clinical tool and ultimately helping patients, and much more.
In the inaugural episode of Healthcare Unfiltered, host Chadi Nabhan invites cardiologists Venk Murthy (@venkmurthy), MD, University of Michigan, and Anish Koka (@anish_koka), MD, private practice in Philadelphia, to contextualize the effects of COVID-19 on the heart, as explained in a flawed JAMA Cardiology publication that was close to having such trickle down effects as cancelling college sports across the US. The trio explains how the study should not be used to treat patients with preexisting cardiac conditions and COVID-19, the dangers of using the study as grounds for social policy, the importance of post-publication peer-review (via social media), and much more.
View the JAMA Cardiology publication https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768916