Public Health On Call: Recent Episodes
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Evidence and experts to help you understand today’s public health news—and what it means for tomorrow.
About this episode: New research has identified massive fungal blooms in North America in the Cretaceous period, suggesting significant ecological upheaval before and after the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs. In this episode: Arturo Casadevall, senior author of the study, explains why these findings are so significant and his hypothesis that fungi gave mammals an evolutionary leg-up over reptiles.
Guest: Dr. Arturo Casadevall, PhD, MS, is chair of the department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a global expert in host defense mechanisms, fungi, and antibody-based therapies. He is also co-author of the book What If Fungi Win? with Stephanie Desmon.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Fungal Surges Marked Cretaceous Mass Extinction that Ended Age of Dinosaurs—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * What zombie show 'The Last of Us' gets right about fungus in a warming world—Washington Post * What If Fungi Win?—Johns Hopkins University Press * The Discovery of a New Clade of Candida Auris—A "Critical Pathogen"—Public Health On Call (August 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In the two decades since the HPV vaccine was approved, women's risk of developing cervical cancer has dropped by 80% for those vaccinated before age 16 and 66% in those vaccinated after age 16. It has also lowered the risk of other HPV-related cancers in men. In this episode: Journalist Liz Szabo recounts the incredible successes of this intervention in preventing cancer and discusses the existing misinformation surrounding the vaccine, still considered by some to be too "new."
Guest: Liz Szabo, MA, is an investigative health reporter with CIDRAP News.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * 20 Years of HPV Vaccine Success—CIDRAP News * Do I Need an HPV Vaccine?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Preventing Cancer: The Far-Reaching Impact of Vaccines—International Vaccine Access Center
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: If you've ever been prescribed a new medication from your doctor only to be told by the pharmacy that your insurance won't cover it, you're not alone. In fact, new research shows that denials and requirements for prior authorizations are happening more frequently and that, in half of these cases, patients are subsequently forgoing their prescriptions. In this episode: Joseph Levy, lead author of the study, explains why this is the case and discusses the tradeoffs between controlling drug spending and ensuring access to necessary treatments.
Guest: Joseph Levy, PhD, is a health economist and assistant professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Insurance Denials for Brand-Name Prescription Drugs Rose Sharply From 2018 to 2024—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Insurance deny your prescription? You're far from alone, Hopkins study finds—The Baltimore Banner
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In June, the FDA convened an advisory committee to discuss whether seven selected peptides should be permitted for legal sale under pharmacy compounding laws despite little research into safety and efficacy. Agency scientists oppose the decision while some committee members with ties to the growing industry support it. In this episode: Dr. Josh Sharfstein, who previously served as the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the FDA, explains what is happening and what it may mean for consumers and patients.
Note: That this episode was updated on August 5, 2026.
Guest: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * FDA committee votes to make peptides more widely available—Science * July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee—FDA * Why Are People Injecting Themselves with Peptides?—The New Yorker * Peptide boom has states scrambling to protect consumers, Post investigation finds—Washington Post * How to Spot Unregulated Pharmacies and Falsified Medications—Public Health On Call (August 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S., and while most people who contract it won't even know they're infected, it can be debilitating for older adults and the immunocompromised. In this episode: an expert in insect-borne diseases gives listeners the essential information on West Nile, offers a forecast on this year's disease season, and answers the most important question: can we just get rid of mosquitoes?
Guest: Douglas Norris, PhD, is a professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology who studies vector-borne diseases.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * CDC Encourages Americans to Stay Mosquito Bite-Free during America's 250th Independence Day holiday weekend—CDC * Early, intense West Nile season may signal a severe year for the mosquito-borne illness, CDC says—CNN * How to Prevent Dengue or "Break-Bone Fever"—Public Health On Call (May 2024) * Why Are Some Humans' Scents More Preferable to Mosquitoes?—Public Health On Call (June 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Children in Tennessee who need ventilators, chemotherapy and other essential medical treatments—but who have no means to pay for them—turn to the Children's Special Services program. But as a result of a new state law, hundreds of children and their families were told to withdraw from the program or risk being reported to immigration officials. In this episode: Dr. Morgan McDonald explains what happened—and how a lawsuit is aiming to preserve lifesaving care.
Guest: Dr. Morgan McDonald is a pediatrician, a public health physician, and a Nashville Metro Health board member.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Tennessee to restrict medical aid for critically ill undocumented children—Washington Post * Snader v. Tennessee Department of Health—Tennessee Justice Center * A Doctor Uses Social Media to Advocate for Children in Immigration Detention—Public Health On Call (May 2026)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Cooling towers rife with Legionella bacteria are fueling an outbreak of a serious respiratory disease in New York City. Legionnaires' disease is common in the summer months as the water we use to shower and cool our air conditioning systems warms, creating a breeding ground for bacteria. In this episode: Environmental scientist Natalie Exum details the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease, who is most at risk of infection, and how cities can monitor and treat water systems to reduce exposure.
Guest: Natalie Exum, PhD, MS, is an assistant professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Fourth death confirmed in NYC Legionnaires' disease outbreak—NBC News * Legionnaires' Disease—NYC Health * Two-Year Evaluation of Legionella in an Aging Residential Building: Assessment of Multiple Potable Water Remediation Approaches—Science of the Total Environment
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are the most widely used class of antidepressants. While these medications have undoubtedly saved lives, they have also gained scrutiny for having significant side effects and being difficult to taper off of. In this episode: Two psychiatrists talk about the existing recommendations for deprescribing and why SSRIs remain a critical treatment tool despite pressure from federal health officials to wean Americans off of them.
Guest: Dr. Paul Nestadt is an associate professor of Mental Health who studies the epidemiology of suicide and serves as the primary supervising psychiatrist for the Johns Hopkins Hospital Anxiety Disorders Clinic.
Dr. Jimmy Potash, MPH, is the director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants—The New York Times * Prescriptions for Antidepressants Increasing among Individuals with no Psychiatric Diagnosis—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Tapering of SSRI treatment to mitigate withdrawal symptoms—Lancet Psychiatry * Changes in antidepressant use by young people and suicidal behavior after FDA warnings and media coverage: quasi-experimental study—BMJ * Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Older Adults in Primary Care—JAMA
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Recent research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that living in a compact metropolitan setting could yield more health benefits than living in a more sprawling suburban area. In this episode: the report's lead researcher, Shima Hamidi, explains why this is the case and how communities can reshape infrastructure to foster mobility and connection.
Guest: Shima Hamidi, PhD, MSc, is a Bloomberg Associate Professor of American Health in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and director of the Center for Smart Transportation.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Sprawl Rankings Reveal Health Benefits and Cost Offsets in Compact, Connected U.S. County and Metro Areas—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Mapping Urban Sprawl in the U.S.@bloombergamericanhealth via Instagram * Associations between Urban Sprawl and Life Expectancy in the United States—International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health * Relationship between urban sprawl and physical activity, obesity, and morbidity - update and refinement—Health & Place
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As GLP-1 use surges among U.S. adults for weight loss and diabetes management, researchers are exploring whether these medications could play a role in treating substance use disorders. In this episode: an addiction medicine doctor gives a research update, discusses promising early results, and ponders the larger questions these treatments pose about satiety.
Guest: Dr. Sarah S. Kawasaki is the director of addiction medicine services at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and an assistant professor of psychiatry at PennState Health. (Full disclosure: Public Health On Call Host Dr. Josh Sharfstein is the proud brother of Dr. Kawasaki)
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Can Ozempic Cure Addiction?—The New Yorker * Could popular weight loss drugs become the new treatment for addiction? Evidence is starting to mount—CNN * Efficacy of the GLP-1 receptor agonist, semaglutide, in abstinence from illicit and nonprescribed opioids in an outpatient population with OUD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial protocol—Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A parasite that can cause severe gastrointestinal discomfort is sickening people across the country. While cyclosporiasis cases are common in summer months, recent outbreaks in states like Michigan have far exceeded typical numbers. In this episode: Food safety expert David Acheson talks about how cyclosporiasis differs from other foodborne illnesses and the importance of a strong public health system for catching contaminants like this. Note: This episode was recorded on July 15, just before the investigation identified lettuce from Taylor Farms, the supplier to Taco Bell, as the culprit.
Guest: Dr. David Acheson is the President & CEO of The Acheson Group Consulting Company. With more than 40 years of medical and food safety experience, Acheson has served in prominent roles at the FDA and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Lettuce at Taco Bell in 5 states confirmed as source of a diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak—AP * Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis—CDC * CDC cuts back foodborne illness surveillance program—CIDRAP * The outbreak that changed meat and poultry inspection systems worldwide—Animal Frontiers * Peanut Outlook: Impacts of the 2008-09 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Linked to Salmonella in Peanuts—USDA * What's Behind All the Food Recalls—Public Health On Call (November 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: When it comes to solving big public health issues, personal storytelling can turn abstract research into real impact. In this episode: Monica L. Wang, an award-winning public health researcher and educator, discusses her new book, "The Collective Cure: Upstream Solutions for Better Public Health," and how individual stories can help to identify and solve collective health challenges.
Guest: Monica L. Wang, ScD, MS, is an associate professor at the Boston University School of Public Health and an adjunct professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is also the editor at large of the Public Health Post.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Collective Cure: Upstream Solutions for Better Public Health—Penguin Random House * What public health can learn from the MAHA movement—STAT
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Between a growing aging population, the emergence of new technologies, and cuts to Medicaid spending, the landscape of American caregiving is shifting. In this episode: Researcher Jennifer Wolff walks through changes in caregiving trends, underscores the importance of more research on the topic, and highlights new programs that aim to support older adults and their caregivers.
Guest: Dr. Jennifer Wolff is an expert in policy relating to the care of persons with complex health needs and disabilities, the Eugene and Mildred Lipitz Professor in Health Policy and Management, and director of the Roger and Flo Lipitz Center to Advance Policy in Aging and Disability.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * About NHATS & NSOC—NHATS * The Number Of Family Caregivers Helping Older US Adults Increased From 18 Million To 24 Million, 2011–22—Health Affairs * Cognitive assessment & care plan services—http://Medicare.gov * GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) Model—http://CMS.gov * America's Caregiver Crisis—Public Health On Call (July 2025) * The Potential Impacts of Cuts to Medicaid—Public Health On Call (March 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Strong El Niño activity in the Pacific could mean a quieter Atlantic hurricane season, but recent events like tropical storm Arthur show that extreme weather can still impact the U.S. this summer. In this episode: Hurricane specialist Michael Lowry returns to the podcast to give an update on the 2026 hurricane season, the promising role of AI in storm forecasting, and the state of meteorology amidst federal funding cuts.
Guest: Michael Lowry is a hurricane specialist and storm surge expert for WPLG-TV in Miami, FL. He previously served as a senior scientist at the National Hurricane Center and as disaster planning chief at FEMA.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * AI Weather Models Changing the Hurricane Forecast Game—Eye on the Tropics * Remnants from Tropical Storm Arthur drench Gulf states, flooding homes and forcing evacuations—CBS News * Congressional committees push back on Trump administration's proposed NOAA budget cuts—ABC News * The Texas Floods and the Future of Forecasting—Public Health On Call (July 2025) * Climate Change and Meteorology: 2025 Update—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Late last year, the federal government awarded the state of Maryland $168 million for projects advancing rural health. In this episode: Elizabeth Kromm of the Maryland Department of Health explains how the state plans to use this Rural Health Transformation grant to bolster the state's health workforce, connect more people to primary care, get more locally-grown, nutritious foods on Marylander's plates—and the massive effort to turn around a grant proposal like this on a very tight timeline.
Guest: Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, PhD, is assistant secretary of population health and strategic initiatives at the Maryland Department of Health and adjunct assistant professor of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)—Maryland Department of Health * What Rural America Can Learn from Global Health—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs * Maryland All-Payer Model—CMS.gov * The State of Rural Health—Public Health On Call (January 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As self-driving cars reach new corners of the country, there is more data on crashes and safety. But is there enough data to confidently assess the benefits and dangers? In this episode: Road safety expert Johnathon Ehsani parses the complexities of the existing data, shares in which contexts driverless cars could be safer, and offers advice to mayors and city residents.
Guest: Johnathon Ehsani, PhD, MPH, is an internationally recognized road safety researcher and an associate professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * An Open Letter from the Medical Community on America's Road Deaths * Waymo Safety Impact—Waymo * Advancing Transportation Equity and Safety Through Autonomous Vehicles—Health Equity * Are Self-driving Cars Safe?—Public Health On Call (March 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Telling a good joke is a science—it requires gathering data, thoughtful analysis, and constant experimentation to get it right. A good joke can also help us better communicate about science. In this episode: A stand-up comedian with a research background explains why comedy is a useful tool in science communication and shares tips for using humor to illustrate academic concepts.
Guest: Sarah Adelman, MPH, is a stand-up comic, screenwriter, and former scientist. She is also the creator, host, and executive producer of the original social media series "BLOW MY MIND."
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Scientist Walks Into a Bar…—Nautilus * Not Just Funny After All: Sarcasm as a Catalyst for Public Engagement With Climate Change—Science Communication * Can a Joke Make Science More Trustworthy?—Journal of Science Communication * Specialized terminology reduces the number of citations of scientific papers—Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences * Why Do We Believe Misinformation?—Public Health On Call (December 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Established in 1868 as a medical school, Wayne State University has championed decades of community-engaged research and interventions in the Detroit community and throughout the state of Michigan. That work will soon take center stage with a new school of public health. In this episode: Bernard Costello, who oversees the institution's health sciences enterprise, explains why now is the right time for a devoted public health curriculum and how a university goes about starting a new school.
Guest: Bernard Costello, MD, DMD, is senior vice president for health affairs at Wayne State University, where he oversees the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and development of the emerging school of public health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * New public health school emerging at Wayne State University—WDET * How Karmanos is Partnering with Communities Against Cancer and How You Can Get Involved—Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute * Healthcare Occupations—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The U.S. stands out among peer countries for having the worst rate of traffic deaths. Approaching this issue from a public health angle can help to make roadways safer by focusing on population-level interventions rather than directing resources towards policing "bad apple" individuals. In this episode: Tiffany Joyce Smith, lead author of a new report on the role of enforcement in road safety, explains the value of a proactive approach to preventing crashes versus a reactive one.
Guest: Tiffany Joyce Smith, MPH, is a public health and mobility expert and program advisor with the Vision Zero Network.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Right-Sizing the Role of Traffic Enforcement: Prioritizing Effective, Cost-Efficient and Equitable Improvements to Road Safety—Vision Zero Network * Money Drove Criminal Justice System In Ferguson, DOJ Report Says—NPR * The Surprising Benefits of Narrower Traffic Lanes—Public Health On Call (November 2023) * Why Are So Many Pedestrians Getting Struck and Killed By Cars, and Why Aren't We Doing More To Stop It?—Public Health On Call (July 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Individuals awaiting organ transplants are often encouraged to reach out to family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to ask if they will consider becoming a living organ donor. As social media expands our reach beyond our immediate communities, it could become a powerful tool in connecting recipients with donors. In this episode: Macey Levan, a kidney donor and researcher, explains why social media can be so useful in forging life-saving connections and what to consider when making the ask of an online community.
Guest: Macey Levan, PhD, JD, is an associate professor of surgery and population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She also serves as director of policy and external affairs for the Transplant Institute and director of the qualitative core in the Center for Surgical and Transplant Applied Research.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Social Media in the Identification of Living Kidney Donors: Platforms, Tools, and Strategies—Current Transplantation Reports * Social media and organ donation: Ethically navigating the next frontier—American Journal of Transplantation * Kidney Donation: How to Make the Ask—National Kidney Foundation
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Headlines about sick sloths in Florida and the reemergence of the New World screwworm in the southwest are raising concerns about potential animal-to-human spillover of certain diseases. In this episode: an update on gammaherpesvirus at Sloth World, why experts are concerned about new screwworm cases, and what both of these situations may mean for human health.
Guest: Dr. Meghan Davis, PhD, MPH, is a veterinarian and chair of the Master of Public Health program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Mass Sloth Deaths in Florida Are a Warning About Wildlife Trade and Pandemic Risk, Scientists Say—Inside Climate News * USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States—USDA * Could One Health Prevent the Next Pandemic?—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Research on the potential impacts of certain medications, vaccines, and interventions on pregnant people and their fetuses is lacking. Much of this is due to culturally perceived risks associated with pregnancy and fears of litigation. In this episode: Ruth Faden, an expert in bioethics, explains how this gap in data can fuel other risks and how to ethically and responsibly include pregnant people in clinical trials.
Note: This conversation builds on a recent episode of playing god?, the podcast from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Listen to that episode here.
Guest: Ruth Faden, PhD, MPH, is the Philip Franklin Wagley Professor of Biomedical Ethics and the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Two Bodies, One Prescription—playing god? * COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The second wave: Toward responsible inclusion of pregnant women in research—International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics * Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Medication Use During Pregnancy—Public Health On Call (October 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Data from 2025 shows that over 300,000 children are living in foster care in the United States. The Administration for Children and Families—the federal agency that oversees child welfare programs—aims to keep more children out of the system and with their families. In this episode: a conversation with Assistant Secretary Alex Adams about recent changes to grants and policies that seek to support families affected by substance use and reform practices around survivor benefits for children who have lost their parents.
Guest: Alex Adams, PharmD, MPH, is the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, leading the Administration for Children and Families.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Prevention—The Imprint * Former Idaho official ended state taking foster kid's Social Security money. Are other states next?—Idaho Capital Sun * A Home for Every Child—Administration for Children and Families * The AFCARS Dashboard—Administration for Children and Families
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Juneteenth is a holiday that asks Americans to balance celebration with the continued pursuit of freedom and equality. In this classic episode from 2022: Professor Janice Bowie talks about the meaning of Juneteenth and issues a call to reflect and recommit to championing progress within our own communities.
Guest: Janice Bowie, PhD, MPH, is professor emeritus in Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Juneteeth: Sun, Sounds and the Spirit of Freedom—Smithsonian Institution * Juneteenth National Independence Day Act—Congress.gov * Where Research Meets the Street—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * The Concepts Behind the Language of Equity—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A group of students from suburban Atlanta has developed a new method for detecting Lyme disease using the gene-editing tool CRISPR. In this episode: why there's such a desperate need for a new diagnostic, how the students' model works, and why it's so promising for the treatment of Lyme and other diseases.
Guest: Nicole Baumgarth, PhD, DVM, is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and the director of the Lyme and Tickborne Disease Research and Education Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Sankalp Yeleti is a recent graduate of Lambert High School and a rising freshman at New York University, where he plans to study biomolecular science.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Teens may have come up with a new way to detect, treat Lyme disease using CRISPR gene editing—CBS News * Lancet—Lambert iGEM 2025
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The wellness industry covers everything from fitness to biohacking, yoga to peptides, and it's backed by culturally and financially powerful players. In this episode: a new paper in the Milbank Quarterly covers how social media fuels the industry's proliferation, the growing skepticism of traditional medicine that allows it to thrive, and the tension between the concepts of wellness and public health.
Guest: Nancy Karreman, PhD, is a researcher of public health interventions at the University of Cambridge.
Nason Maani, PhD, MPH, is a senior lecturer in inequalities and global health policy at the University of Edinburgh.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * The Political Economy of Wellness: Commercial Determinants of a Burgeoning Industry—Millbank Quarterly * The Outlook on Direct-to-Consumer Health Care—Public Health On Call (February 2026) * Dietitian Influencers On Social Media Are Being Paid By the Food Industry to Promote Products and Messages—Public Health On Call (October 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Vaccines for the Zaire ebolavirus have been licensed since 2019, but no such treatment exists for the current outbreak of Bundibugyo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this episode: Anna Durbin, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research, introduces listeners to three candidate vaccines and discusses the hurdles to deploying new treatments.
Guest: Dr. Anna Durbin is a professor of International Health and the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears—BBC * USAID's closure led to 'entirely preventable' deaths, latest Ebola outbreak: House Dem report—The Hill * HHS confirms Americans with high-risk Ebola exposures will have access to experimental therapy—STAT * Regeneron's Ebola Antibody Recommended by World Health Organization for Investigational Use in Response to Current Bundibugyo Ebolavirus Outbreak—Regeneron * What Will It Take to Contain the Central Africa Ebola Outbreak?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The Use of Investigational Drugs in an Outbreak: Separating Science and Politics With Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19—Public Health On Call (May 2020)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Two health policy experts could not disagree more about the Affordable Care Act. Yet they're working together to tackle what they see as a root cause of unaffordability. In this episode: A 1954 change to federal tax code made employer-provided health benefits tax-free, incentivizing employers to cover workers' health insurance—but this policy is one explanation for high healthcare costs for Americans today.
Guests: Michael F. Cannon, JM, MA, is the director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute.
Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD, is a distinguished scholar in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * This policy is at the root of unaffordable health care—Washington Post * The New Reality Facing Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA—Public Health On Call (August 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Dr. Craig Spencer became sick with Ebola while treating patients in West Africa in 2014. He ultimately recovered at a treatment center back in the United States before returning to Guinea to continue his work. In this episode: he talks about what scares him about the current Ebola outbreak, what it's like to treat the disease on the ground, and what lessons he fears we still haven't learned about this "disease of compassion."
Guest: Dr. Craig Spencer, MPH, is an emergency medicine physician, public health researcher, and associate professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * I Survived Ebola. This Is What Scares Me Most About This Outbreak.—The New York Times * Is The U.S. Stepping Up In The Fight Against Ebola?—KFF * HHS confirms Americans with high-risk Ebola exposures will have access to experimental therapy—STAT * White House resisted letting doctor with Ebola return to U.S.—Washington Post * Guinea families transport bodies in public taxis—Associated Press * Protests against US Ebola facility in Kenya turn deadly—ABC News * An Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa—Public Health On Call (May 2026) * The Use of Investigational Drugs in an Outbreak: Separating Science and Politics With Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19—Public Health On Call (May 2020)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Recovering from a substance use disorder while in college is a unique challenge mired by stigma and social pressures to drink or use drugs. But collegiate interventions for young adults can change the trajectory and even save lives. In this episode: Noel Vest, an addiction recovery researcher, explains what makes a good collegiate recovery program and why now is a great time for higher education institutions to expand support for students.
Guest: Noel Vest, PhD, is an assistant professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Drug recovery is now US national policy. Campuses need to step up—Times Higher Education * ADDRESSING ADDICTION THROUGH THE GREAT AMERICAN RECOVERY INITIATIVE—The White House * Association of Recovery in Higher Education * What is SAFE Campuses?—SAFE Project
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: An annual report from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition assesses attacks on healthcare facilities and workers in conflict. In this episode: the implications for international humanitarian law as drone warfare surges, state forces increasingly perpetrate attacks, and cuts to foreign aid exacerbate healthcare gaps.
Guest: Joe Amon, PhD, MSPH, is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Care in the Crosshairs: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025—Safeguarding Health in Conflict * Rethinking Humanitarian Health—Public Health On Call (May 2026) * Violence Against Health Care in Conflict: 2024 Report—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In May, the Supreme Court issued an order preserving access to the abortion medication mifepristone by telemedicine—for now. In this episode: a breakdown of Louisiana v. FDA and other cases involving mifepristone as legal and political battles continue after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Guest: Joanne Rosen, JD, MA, is an expert in public health law and a co-director of the Center for Law and the Public's Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Show links and related content: * Louisiana v. FDA: Access to Mifepristone Back at the Supreme Court—KFF * What Is Mifepristone, aka "The Abortion Pill"?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * How the FDA Regulates Mifepristone, "the Abortion Pill"—Public Health On Call (February 2026)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In the city of Baltimore, the health department works to prevent overdose, reduce violence, provide vaccinations, inspect restaurants, and so much more. In this episode: Host Stephanie Desmon leads a panel discussion with five Baltimore City Commissioners of Health who collectively served over three decades. They swap stories and speak candidly about the challenges and opportunities of the role.
Guests: Dr. Peter Beilenson, MPH, is a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Kreiger School of Arts & Sciences. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 1992 to 2005.
Dr. Letitia Dzirasa is the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services with the City of Baltimore. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2019 to 2023.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Dr. Michelle Taylor, DrPH, MPA, is the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health. She also serves in the Tennessee Air National Guard, and she previously led operations at the Shelby County Health Department.
Dr. Leana S. Wen, MSc, is a physician and professor of health policy and management at George Washington University. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2014 to 2018.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Health Commissioner Michelle Taylor is Betting on Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 2026) * Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—Public Health On Call (November 2025) * Baltimore's Back-to-Back Mass Overdoses—Public Health On Call (September 2025) * B'More for Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has been declared a global public health emergency by WHO. In this episode: infectious disease epidemiologist Emily Gurley explains why this outbreak is particularly concerning for a region managing existing crises and how public health systems are working to contain transmission and treat patients.
Guest: Emily S. Gurley, PhD, MPH, is a professor in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focuses on infectious disease and outbreak investigation.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * WHO declares major outbreak of rare Ebola virus species an international emergency—Science * US Imposes Ebola Travel Restrictions as CDC Says Risk Remains Low—Newsweek * What else to know: The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa will be challenging to control, but decades of experience will help—The Uptake
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A new report from the CHH-Lancet Commission on Health, Conflict, and Forced Displacement establishes a new blueprint for humanitarian health, including giving more agency to impacted communities. In this episode: Dr. Paul Spiegel, chair of the commission, details the fundamentals of the report and the dire need for a more effective approach to helping people in desperate need at a time of escalating conflict.
Guest: Dr. Paul Spiegel is a physician, epidemiologist, and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Spiegel has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health–Lancet Commission on health, conflict, and forced displacement: health in a world of crises and impunity—CHH-Lancet Commission on Health, Conflict, and Forced Displacement * Humanitarian Health in Gaza and Beyond—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: It's graduation time at the Bloomberg School! In this episode: New graduate Della Wright shares how a passion for community engagement and a drive to sharpen her skills steered her towards public health, and how a DrPH degree is supercharging her work bringing researchers and communities together to protect the environment.
Guest: Della Wright, DrPH, MPH, is a Bloomberg Fellow and the director of evaluation at the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Get to Know Della Wright—Bloomberg American Health Initiative * HBCU-CBO Gulf Equity Consortium—Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Not even a year into her job as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health, Dr. Michelle Taylor is balancing leading a diverse team with tackling major public health issues. In this episode: She speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein, who served as commissioner from 2005 to 2009, about what drew her to Baltimore, her early priority initiatives, and how she applies her public health training to her new role.
Guest: Dr. Michelle Taylor, DrPH, MPA, is the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health. She also serves in the Tennessee Air National Guard, and she previously led operations at the Shelby County Health Department.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former Baltimore health commissioner and secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Commissioner: A Q&A With Michelle Taylor—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—Public Health On Call (November 2025) * Healing City Baltimore: How A City Is Responding to A Mental Health Crisis—Public Health On Call (February 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In a first-of-its-kind program, the state of Utah is partnering with an AI health platform to offer prescription renewals to nearly 200 medications. In this episode: the director of the state's office of artificial intelligence explains how the program works, responds to concerns that have been raised, and discusses what's next.
Guest: Zach Boyd, PhD, is the director of the Office of Artificial Intelligence for the State of Utah.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Doctronic AI Regulatory Mitigation Agreement—Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy * Artificial intelligence begins prescribing medications in Utah—Politico * How Pharmacists Improve Community Health—Public Health On Call (October 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A recent study by the Rockefeller Foundation and ISGlobal estimates that cuts made to foreign aid last year could result in 23 million more deaths globally by 2030. In this episode: how researchers calculated this figure, why funding has slowed, and what global development leaders are trying to do about it.
Guest: Eric Pelofsky, JD, MPP, is the vice president of international policy at the Rockefeller Foundation.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * 93 Countries Worldwide at Risk of Losing Nearly 23 Million More People by 2030—Rockefeller Foundation * "Taxpayer Money Went to Buy Food to Feed People… Now It's Being Burned"—Public Health On Call (September 2025) * Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance—Public Health On Call (April 2025) * What Foreign Aid Means for National Security—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Dr. Anita K. Patel emerged as a prominent online educator during the pandemic. Today, she's leveraging social media to advocate for the humane treatment of children in ICE detention. In this episode: her work to help detained children obtain much-needed medical attention and her advice for doctors on using social media to make a wider impact.
Guest: Dr. Anita K. Patel is an attending physician at Children's National Medical Center and associate professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Children of Dilley—ProPublica * Pediatricians send letter to DHS demanding release of children in ICE detention—Texas Public Radio * Medical Care in Immigration Detention—Public Health On Call (October 2025) * How Social Media is Changing the Way We Talk About Health—Public Health On Call (March 2026)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: An outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has triggered a global public health response to treat those infected and trace those exposed. In this episode: why this type of hantavirus is unique, what the symptoms and severity are, and why experts are assuring the public that the risk of pandemic-level transmission is low.
Guest: Kari Moore Debbink, PhD, MEd, is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * What Is Hantavirus, Which Is Linked to the Deaths of 3 People Aboard a Cruise Ship?—New York Times * In the News: Hantavirus—@johnshopkinssph via Instagram * Emerging Infectious Diseases—Johns Hopkins Medicine * Can Spillover—How Viruses Move From Animals to Humans—Be Prevented?—Public Health On Call (November 2021)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: What would change if we thought of violence as an infectious disease? In this episode: a trailblazer in the movement for community-based solutions to violence, Dr. Gary Slutkin, explains how treating violence like an epidemic can point the way to solutions.
Guest: Dr. Gary Slutkin is a physician and epidemiologist who founded the organization Cure Violence Global. He is also the author of the book "The End of Violence: Eliminating the World's Most Dangerous Epidemic."
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Estimating the Effects of Safe Streets Baltimore on Gun Violence—Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions * Interrupting Violence: How the CeaseFire Program Prevents Imminent Gun Violence through Conflict Mediation—Journal of Urban Health * The End of Violence: Eliminating the World's Most Dangerous Epidemic—Penguin Random House (book)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Connecting community members with nutritious foods can also open the door to other resources for improving wellbeing, from nutrition education to legal services to housing support. In this episode: Devonne Franklin and Shikera Shelton of the Y in Central Maryland talk about the organization's Fresh Mart program and how providing a good meal opens the door to improving community health outcomes.
Guests: Devonne Franklin is the executive director of community and associate wellbeing at the Y in Central Maryland.
Shikera Shelton is a member of the community health team at the Y in Central Maryland and manager of the Fresh Mart in Druid Hill.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Y Fresh Mart: Reliable Access to Healthy Food—Y in Central Maryland * Get Involved—Y in Central Maryland * What is Prediabetes—Public Health On Call (April 2026) * Hidden Food Insecurity: The Adolescents Who Aren't Getting Enough to Eat—Public Health On Call (March 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani earlier this year, Dr. Alister Martin is developing creative ways to make life healthier and more affordable for New Yorkers. In this episode: Dr. Martin shares how his office is meeting problems head on, finding innovative ways to connect with neighbors, and serving through a public health trust deficit.
Guest: Dr. Alister F. Martin, MPP, is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He is also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and the founder of A Healthier Democracy.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- I'm New York City's new health commissioner. Here's how I'll help deliver on Zohran Mamdani's affordability agenda.—MSN
- VoteER: Helping Patients and Providers Vote Like Their Health Depends On It—Public Health On Call (September 2021)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A new vaccine shows 70% efficacy in preventing Lyme disease, but limitations to the clinical trials put the fate of this intervention in limbo. In this episode: Anna Durbin, an expert in experimental vaccines, explains where this vaccine shows promise, where it falls short, and what could happen next for licensing and regulation.
Guest: Dr. Anna Durbin is a professor of International Health and the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Pfizer and Valneva Announce Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate Demonstrates Strong Efficacy in Phase 3 VALOR Trial—Pfizer * Tickborne Diseases Are on the Rise—Here's What To Know—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * F.D.A. Reverses Decision and Agrees to Review Moderna's Flu Vaccine—New York Times * It's Tick Season!—Public Health On Call (April 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Amid a major turning point for the field of public health, physicians and public health experts are reckoning with their approach to their work, especially in the context of public outreach. In this episode: a discussion with a preventive medicine resident who is spending a month working with the podcast team. Topics include his experiences, interplay between new media and public health, and the power of telling stories to support changemaking.
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Guest: Ari Goldstein, MD, is a family medicine physician and a preventive medicine resident at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health General Preventive Medicine Residency
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * What is Preventive Medicine?—American College of Preventive Medicine * HEAL Collaborative * National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention * Storytelling for Global and Public Health - Resource Pack—Global Health Education and Learning Incubator at Harvard University
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Many people know community health workers for their work supporting clinical care and connecting people to resources. In this episode: the role of community health workers in crafting research questions, recruiting study participants, sharing results, and making a broader impact.
Guest: Donald Young Jr. is a community outreach engagement specialist for the D.C., Maryland, Virginia Community Engagement Alliance.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Community Health Workers—Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity * Donald Young—Baltimore Connect * Baltimore man shares story of his struggle with substance use disorder—WMAR 2 News
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A 2021 leak of jet fuel into the drinking water supply on O'ahu has caused neurological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory conditions and prompted outrage from community members. In this episode: the story of an in-depth investigation into the disaster, which covered how to measure exposure and support the individuals and families compromised by this crisis.
Guest: Natalie Exum, PhD, MS, is an assistant professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute.
Andrew Whelton, PhD, MS, is a professor of civil and construction engineering at Purdue University.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Clinical Follow-up and Care for Those Impacted by the JP-5 Releases at Red Hill—National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine * About the Fuel Releases at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility—United States Environmental Protection Agency * How to Investigate a Cancer Cluster—Public Health On Call (December 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Exacerbated by cuts to research funding and on-the-ground interventions, malaria remains one of the deadliest and most burdensome health crises across the globe. In this episode: Jane Carlton of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute details the state of the disease in 2026 and how tools like improved vaccines and genetically modified mosquitoes can bring us closer to elimination.
Guest: Jane Carlton, PhD, is a Bloomberg distinguished professor and the director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * The Malaria Minute Podcast—The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute * World Malaria Day: Advocacy on Capitol Hill—Funding, Research, and Global Impact—Public Health On Call (April 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Following the FDA's removal of black box warnings for hormone therapy drugs, demand has skyrocketed for menopause treatments. In this episode: why this explosion in popularity marks a trend in the right direction for quality reproductive care while also raising concerns about "menowashed" products and blanket prescribing of hormonal interventions.
Guests: Dr. Wendy L. Bennett, MPH, is a primary care doctor and associate professor with appointments at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine.
Dr. Tina Zhang is a primary care doctor and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Why the 'mad scramble' to fill hormone therapy prescriptions for menopause—NPR * FACT SHEET: FDA Initiates Removal of "Black Box" Warnings from Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Products—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * What Is a Black Box Warning?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * De-medicalizing Menopause—Public Health On Call (March 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, KFF Health News, and Shatterproof is tracking how communities across the country are spending opioid settlement funds. In this episode: Abigail Winiker of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative details the good, bad, and the ugly of the expenditures the team has tracked, from EMS-delivered harm reduction methods to punitive law enforcement investments to... D.A.R.E magicians?
Guest: Abigail Winiker, PhD, MSPH, is an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the program director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Six Innovations in Settlement Fund Spending—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Innovations in Opioid Settlement Fund Spending | CMAP Nexus Series—Health Policy and Management – BSPH via YouTube * From Narcan to Gun Silencers, Opioid Settlement Cash Pays Law Enforcement Tabs—KFF Health News * Edgecombe County honored for its innovative approach to opioid crisis—Rocky Mount Telegram
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: New findings suggest that, compared to adults with similar habits, teens with patterns of problematic cannabis use are at an elevated risk for developing other mental disorders like schizophrenia and depression. In this episode: Johannes Thrul breaks down a study on this potential link and outlines what it may mean for the growing field of cannabis research.
Guest: Johannes Thrul, PhD, MS, is an associate professor of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content:
- Association of Cannabis Use Disorder Versus Other Substance Use Disorders With Psychiatric Conditions: A Propensity-Matched Retrospective Cohort Analysis—American Journal of Psychiatry
- Cannabis Use Disorder Among Young People Linked to Diagnosis of Psychiatric Disorders—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- New Research Reveals Age Plays Key Role in Cannabis‑Related Psychiatric Risks—Men's Journal via Yahoo
- The Risks of Psychotic Symptoms With Cannabis Use in Younger People—Public Health On Call (January 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for therapeutic purposes—but these platforms are built for engagement, not mental health care. In this episode: Laura Reiley, whose daughter took her own life after confiding in a chatbot, explains why this technology is ill-equipped to treat those struggling with their mental health and how a transparent regulatory system could establish responsible practices for AI companies.
Note: This episode includes discussions of suicidality and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, there is 24-hour assistance in the United States available by dialing 988.
Guest: Laura Reiley is a journalist whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Baltimore Sun. She is currently a writer for the Cornell Chronicle.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life—New York Times * The family of teenager who died by suicide alleges OpenAI's ChatGPT is to blame—NBC News * Summary of Artificial Intelligence 2025 Legislation—National Conference of State Legislatures * Register of Suicides—Centre for Suicide Research * Should AI Be Your Therapist?—Public Health On Call (July 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Humanitarian crises don't exist in a vacuum—they are shaped by geopolitical actions like blockades, sanctions, and armed conflicts between countries. In this episode: Stanford University scholar Ruth Gibson details how geopolitical decisions impact civilians on the ground and how this framing applies to current situations in Iran, Cuba, and Ukraine.
Guest: Ruth Gibson, PhD, is a scholar at Stanford University where she holds appointments in at the Center for Innovation and Global Health and the Center for International Security and Cooperation.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports—U.S. Central Command * Block Food and Medicine?—Geopolitics and Humanity Dispatch * Cuban doctors endure burnout, blackouts as once-vaunted healthcare declines—Reuters * Willing Accomplices: Gazprom & Rosneft's Role in the Transport and Indoctrination of Ukraine's Children—Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab * Caring for Children in War-Torn Ukraine—Public Health On Call (November 2025) * Starvation in Gaza—Public Health On Call (July 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Public health efforts have led to tremendous gains throughout history—and sparked backlash. That's the argument made by Michelle A. Williams in her new book "The Cure for Everything The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving." In this episode: why community interventions often go underappreciated, the economic benefits of a healthy society, and the tension between medicine and public health.
Guest: Michelle A. Williams, ScD, is a professor of epidemiology and population health at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also the co-author of "The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving."
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving—Penguin Random House * "On Going Backwards": A New HIV/AIDS Epidemic?—Public Health On Call (May 2025) * Recognizing W.E.B. Du Bois and His Seminal Work on Racism and Health—Public Health On Call (February 2022)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The U.S. is on track to surpass 2025's alarming number of measles cases in 2026. At the same time, the nation's measles elimination status remains under review as health entities use genome sequencing to better understand the state of transmission. In this episode: Infectious disease specialist William Moss explains what's at stake with the verification of the U.S.'s elimination status and why this resurgence of measles is so concerning for immunization writ large.
Guest: Dr. William Moss, MPH, is an infectious disease specialist and the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines—KFF Health News * The U.S. will likely lose its measles elimination status. Here's what that means—NPR * US builds case to retain measles elimination status as infections mount—Reuters * Tracking Measles Cases in the U.S.—International Vaccine Access Center * There's a Measles Alert in My Area. Now What?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Biosolids created by the wastewater treatment process are useful fertilizers in agriculture, but they often contain chemical compounds from the pharmaceutical and personal care products we send down our drains. In this episode: Researcher Carsten Prasse details new findings that suggest that fungi could reduce our risk of exposure to these compounds in our drinking water and food.
Guest: Carsten Prasse, PhD, MSc, is an associate professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he studies organic contaminants in the urban water cycle and their impact on environmental and human health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * White-Rot Fungi Show Promise for Reducing Pharmaceutical Residues in Biosolids—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Magic Mushrooms? White-Rot Fungal Degradation of Psychoactive Pharmaceuticals in Biosolids—ACS Environmental Au
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A federal judge has halted changes from the Department of Health and Human Services to the childhood immunization schedule and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice. In this episode: the impact of this decision and what comes next.
Guest: Sarah Despres, JD, is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience in public health policy and advocacy and is an expert on immunization policy. She served as counselor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021-2025.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content:
- Judge blocks US government from slimming down vaccine recommendations—Associated Press
- Trust in federal government drops when it comes to childhood vaccines, poll suggests—CIDRAP
- HHS Changes Its Pediatric Vaccine Recommendations: What's Different, What Remains, and What It Means for American Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Changes to the CDC's Vaccine Advisory Committee—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Prediabetes—a diagnosis characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that can progress to Type 2 diabetes—is embroiled in debate about whether the condition is clinically "real," and, if so, what the threshold for diagnosis should be. In this episode: Epidemiologist and diabetes expert Elizabeth Selvin breaks down the controversy surrounding prediabetes and why she thinks the diagnosis offers an opportunity for intervention.
Guest: Elizabeth Selvin, PhD, MPH, is a professor of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she studies diagnosis and screening for diabetes and prediabetes.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Prediabetes and What It Means: The Epidemiological Evidence—Annual Review of Public Health * Prediabetes Explained: An Under-the-Radar and Common Condition That Doesn't Have to Lead to a Diabetes Diagnosis—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * In Praise of Prevention—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)—National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Despite sizable decreases in tobacco use in high-income countries, 7 million people around the world die every year from tobacco-related causes. In this episode: an approach that seeks not to manage the $880 billion tobacco industry but to end it.
Guest: Eline Goethals is a communications specialist and a fellow at the School of Moral Ambition.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Making Tobacco Industry Elimination Inevitable—Action on Smoking and Health * What does a tobacco "endgame" mean?—Truth Initiative
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A neurodegenerative disease that can only be diagnosed after death, CTE has made headlines for its prevalence in professional football players. But where does it stand as a public health issue? In this episode: Jesse Mez of the Boston University CTE Center gives an overview of what we know and don't yet know about CTE, as well as tips for parents of children who play contact sports.
Guest: Jesse Mez, MD, MS, is the co-director of clinical research at the Boston University CTE Center and associate professor of neurology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Clinicopathological Evaluation of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Players of American Football—JAMA * Researchers Are One Step Closer to Diagnosing CTE During Life, Rather Than After Death—The Brink * Brain scans of former NFL players show lasting impact of collision sports—The Hub
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As policy has shifted at the federal level, state legislatures are considering a broad range of vaccine-related bills. In this episode: Jennifer Herricks and Northe Saunders of American Families for Vaccines talk about the landscape of vaccine policy, from "medical freedom" bills to those seeking shore up vaccine access.
Guests: Jennifer Herricks, PhD, is the founder of Louisiana Families for Vaccines and the advocacy director of American Families for Vaccines.
Northe Saunders is a grassroots organizer and the president of American Families for Vaccines.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Vaccine Policy Atlas—American Families for Vaccines * Assessing the Impact of Changes to Federal Vaccine Recommendations on State Immunization Policies—International Vaccine Access Center * States Weigh Their Options Amid Fed Changes to Vaccine Policy—National Conference of State Legislatures
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In late 2025, the EPA approved two pesticides for agricultural use that opponents argue contain PFAS—"forever chemicals" that pose hazards to human health. In this episode: the debate around what constitutes PFAS and the EPA's role in regulating these harmful chemicals.
Guest: Rachel Frazin covers energy and environmental policy for The Hill and is the co-author of the book "Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America".
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * E.P.A. Moves to Weaken Limits on a Cancer-Causing Gas—New York Times * EPA just approved new 'forever chemical' pesticides for use on food—Washington Post * Trump EPA will defend Biden rule forcing polluters to pay for 'forever chemical' cleanup—The Hill * Uncovering America's Decades-Long PFAS Contamination—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than those without IDDs. Barriers like cost, a lack of trained providers, and societal biases keep many from accessing the care they need. In this episode: what's fueling this crisis hidden in plain sight and what needs to change in order to fix it.
Guests: Kayte Barton is a former Special Olympics Minnesota athlete, a founding member of the Athlete Leadership Program, and an Athlete Advisory Board member.
Dr. Dimitri Christakis, MPH, is the Chief Health Director for the Special Olympics and the George Adkins Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities—JAMA Network Open * Strong Minds (Mental Health)—Special Olympics * Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participate in Special Olympics are less likely to be diagnosed with depression—Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology * The Implicit and Explicit Exclusion of People with Disabilities in Clinical Trials—National Council on Disability
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease transmitted to human hosts via freshwater snails. It can cause serious and debilitating chronic conditions, but the Pan American Health Organization is leading a charge to end transmission in the Americas. In this episode: PAHO Parasitologist Ronaldo Scholte details how locations like Puerto Rico are successfully working to eliminate schistosomiasis.
Guest: Ronaldo Scholte, PhD, MS, is a technical officer at the Pan American Health Organization where he oversees efforts to treat and eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Schistosomiasis—WHO * Tracking the last signs of Schistosomiasis in Puerto Rico—PAHO * Ending Neglect of Tropical Diseases—Public Health On Call (March 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: From working in immigrant health care under the Reagan administration to tackling today's measles outbreak in Florida, George Rust has decades of experience caring for the disadvantaged. In this episode: Dr. Rust discusses the state of public health in Florida, the need to return to a community-focused model, and his new book "Healing in a Changing America: Doctoring in a Nation of Needless Suffering."
Guest: Dr. George Rust, PhD, is a family physician, a preventative public health specialist, and a professor at the Florida State University School of Medicine.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Healing in a Changing America: Doctoring in a Nation of Needless Suffering—Johns Hopkins University Press (book) * Concerning outbreak of measles reported in SW Florida—FOX 35 Orlando * Florida Removes Over Quarter of People From Health Care Plan—Newsweek
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Once a useful tool for sharing critical information during the pandemic, social media has evolved into an oversaturated and underregulated marketplace for health disinformation. In this episode: Infectious disease epidemiologist and science communicator Jessica Malaty Rivera analyzes the online landscape and advises listeners on how to approach alarmist and misleading health content.
Guest: Jessica Malaty Rivera, MS, is a DrPH student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a researcher at the Center of Health Security.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * CDC Urges 'Shared Decision-Making' on Some Childhood Vaccines; Many Unclear About What That Means—Annenberg Public Policy Center * Facts About VISs—CDC * How Americans' changing views on health paved the way for RFK Jr.—ABC News * How Public Health Found Its Voice—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * "Information Sick"—Public Health On Call (December 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Getting your license as a teenager is an exciting time but it's also a dangerous one. In this episode: Johns Hopkins researcher Johnathon Ehsani discusses why teens are more vulnerable to serious crashes, how driving tests and licensing laws can improve safety, and how parents can best support their new drivers. Please send this podcast to a new driver or their parents—today.
Guest: Johnathon Ehsani, PhD, MPH, is an internationally recognized road safety researcher and an associate professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Learner Driver Experience and Teenagers' Crash Risk During the First Year of Independent Driving—JAMA Pediatrics * What Helps a New Driver? More Driving—New York Times * Keeping Teen Drivers Safe—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Carrying Passengers as a Risk Factor for Crashes Fatal to 16- and 17-Year-Old Drivers—JAMA
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Dentists prescribe about 10% of all antibiotics in the U.S., but research shows that a large share may be unnecessary. In this episode: the grave public health risks of inappropriate antibiotic use, how this can be curbed, and the questions you should ask next time you're in the dentist's chair.
Guest: Liz Szabo, MA, is an investigative health reporter with CIDRAP News.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Antibiotic Aftershocks—CIDRAP News * Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on antibiotic use for the urgent management of pulpal- and periapical-related dental pain and intraoral swelling—JADA * Assessment of the Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescriptions for Infection Prophylaxis Before Dental Procedures, 2011 to 2015—JAMA * A Second, Silent Pandemic: Antibiotic Resistance—Global Health Now
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The Trump administration's online prescription drug platform promises the world's lowest prices on medications. In this episode: Dr. Mariana Social explains how the site's discounts work, who they benefit, and whether they're truly the most affordable prices.
Guest: Dr. Mariana Socal, PhD, MPP, MSc, studies the pharmaceutical market and is an associate professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Launches TrumpRx.gov to Bring Lower Drug Prices to American Patients—The White House * TrumpRx launches, but it's unclear if it will lower drug prices for most patients—CNN * Tariffs on Pharmaceuticals—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Often referred to as "physician-assisted suicide," medical aid in dying poses complex ethical, medical, and policy questions. In this episode: why some individuals with a terminal illness choose MAiD, the eligibility requirements in U.S. states, and the tension between individual health choices and public policy.
Guests: Jeffrey Kahn, PhD, MPH, is the Robert Henry Levi and Ryda Hecht Levi Professor of Bioethics and Public Policy at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Anna Mastroianni, JD, MPH, is a research professor in bioethics and law at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Are unmet needs driving requests for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)? A qualitative study of Canadian MAiD providers—Death Studies * Oregon's Death with Dignity Act—Oregon Health Authority * In Your State—Death with Dignity
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Baby bonds programs, which create state-managed trust funds for low-income children, are associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes for recipients and their families. New research shows that a majority of Americans support these early wealth-building tools. In this episode: Professor Catherine Ettman talks about the growing excitement behind baby bonds and the state models that have already seen success. Note: The CLIMB study mentioned in this episode is supported by the de Beaumont Foundation and the Hopkins Nexus award.
Guest: Catherine K. Ettman, PhD, is an assistant professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she studies population mental health and assets.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Majority of U.S. Adults Support Wealth-Building Investments for Children from Low-Income Families—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * CT Baby Bonds—CT.gov * The Great Smoky Mountains Study: developmental epidemiology in the southeastern United States—Social Psychiatry and Psych * A study in Oklahoma that funded college accounts for newborns is showing promise.—New York Times * Trump Accounts—TrumpAccounts.gov
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Private insurers and the government typically reimburse providers based on metrics of appointments and procedures. An innovative approach to health care finance asks doctors and clinicians to measure success differently: by tangible health outcomes. In this episode: Dr. Darshak Sanghavi details the early promise of this approach and how it's empowering communities to focus on better health.
Guests: Dr. Darshak Sanghavi is Chief Medical Officer at Machinify and a former program manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Transforming Population Health — ARPA-H's New Program Targeting Broken Incentives—New England Journal of Medicine * ARPA-H launches program to reduce preventable deaths—ARPA-H * Estimating Longitudinal Risks and Benefits From Cardiovascular Preventive Therapies Among Medicare Patients: The Million Hearts Longitudinal ASCVD Risk Assessment Tool—Circulation
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Despite swirling controversy around public health policies, some experts and advocates are finding ways to work together. In this episode: what an unlikely collaboration between a grassroots MAHA organizer and a Yale epidemiologist can teach us about finding common ground for the betterment of people's health.
Guests: Brinda Adhikari is an award-winning executive producer, showrunner and journalist. She is currently an executive producer and co-host of the podcast, "Why Should I Trust You?".
Tom Johnson is an Emmy award-winning executive producer with experience in documentary series, digital, cable and network news. He is now an executive producer and co-host of the podcast, "Why Should I Trust You?".
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Model For Public Health In the Age of Mistrust—Why Should I Trust You? * Our podcast 'Why Should I Trust You?' connects MAHA and public health. Here's what we've learned—STAT * Odd bedfellows: Moving with MAHA from conversation to collaboration—Your Local Epidemiologist * Unfiltered Conversations to Restore Trust in Public Health—Public Health On Call (August 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The CDC has long collected and publicly reported data on infectious diseases, vaccination rates, overdose deaths, and other health topics. But in 2025, many of these datasets inexplicably went dark. In this episode: the importance of real-time data in implementing public health solutions and the potential consequences of these lapses in reporting.
Guests: Janet Freilich, JD, is a professor at the Boston University School of Law. She writes and teaches in the areas of patent law, intellectual property, information law, and civil procedure.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Unexplained Pauses in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Surveillance: Erosion of the Public Evidence Base for Health Policy—Annals of Internal Medicine * Dozens of CDC vaccination databases have been frozen under RFK Jr.—Ars Technica * The Changing CDC Website—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A recent analysis of FDA documents has found that the agency has historically regulated mifepristone—a medication commonly used to terminate pregnancy—based on available scientific evidence and without ideological bias. In this episode: Caleb Alexander, an author of the study, discusses these findings and their implications for a possible new review of the medication by FDA.
Guests: Dr. G. Caleb Alexander, MS, is a practicing internist and drug safety expert at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The US Food and Drug Administration's Regulation of Mifepristone—JAMA * Study: FDA Regulation of Abortion Drug Mifepristone from 2011 to 2023 Shaped by Evidence and Caution—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * F.D.A. Decisions on Abortion Pill Were Based on Science, New Analysis Finds—New York Times * What Is Mifepristone, aka "The Abortion Pill"?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * What's at Stake for Access to Medication Abortion and the FDA in the Supreme Court Case FDA v. the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine?—KFF
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A class at Loyola University Maryland has pushed students to think critically about their technology use in an age of constant scrolling. In this episode: class instructor Shreya Hessler and student Emma Hester reflect on the value of getting offline and how to spend less time on our devices.
Guests: Dr. Shreya Hessler, PsyD, is a psychologist and the director of the MINDset Center.
Emma Hester is a senior studying psychology and speech, language, and hearing sciences at Loyola University Maryland.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Phones ruled their lives. A new college class helped them break free.—Washington Post * Mental Health in the Scroll Age—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A pipe collapse outside of D.C. has spilled nearly 300 million gallons of sewage into the Potomac River. Recent frigid temperatures and long-term infrastructure challenges are making cleanup a formidable job. In this episode: Natalie Exum of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute talks about the spill, its health impacts, and whether it could have been prevented.
Guests: Natalie Exum, PhD, MS, is an assistant professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Potomac Interceptor Collapse—DC Water * UMD team finds E. coli, MRSA in Potomac River after sewage spill—University of Maryland School of Public Health * Millions of Gallons of Raw Sewage Spill Into the Potomac River—New York Times
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Daily recess has been shown to improve mental health and academic outcomes for children while also providing an opportunity for physical activity and social development. But few states have formal policies that protect dedicated recess time. In this episode: Researchers Rachel Deitch and Erin Hager discuss the public health benefits of recess and their toolkit for advancing state recess laws.
Guests: Rachel Deitch, MS, is a program officer in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Erin Hager, PhD, is a professor of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she also leads the STRONG Research Program.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Play, Policy, and Potential: A Toolkit to Support Advancing Recess in Schools Through State Laws—Bloomberg American Health Initiative * How many states require recess in schools?—@bloombergamericanhealth via Instagram * Accountability and Funding for State-Level School Physical Education and Recess Laws—American Journal of Preventative Medicine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Sexual education often focuses on the potential risks of unplanned pregnancies and STIs. But an approach to sexual health that includes frank discussions of what feels good could yield better health outcomes. In this episode: Sexual health expert Joshua O'Neal talks about the value of starting sexual health conversations with enjoyment and comfort. Note: This episode was produced in collaboration with the National Coalition of STD Directors.
Guests: Joshua O'Neal, MA, is a sexual health educator and program director at the Southeast HIV/STI Prevention Training Center.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Promoting protection and pleasure: amplifying the effectiveness of barriers against sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy—The Lancet * Pleasure and PrEP: Pleasure-Seeking Plays a Role in Prevention Choices and Could Lead to PrEP Initiation—American Journal of Men's Health * Pleasure as a measure of agency and empowerment—Medicus Mundi Schweiz * Pleasure As Tool For STI Prevention: Part 2—NCSD Real Talk
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last month's abrupt cancellation and reinstatement of $2 billion in grants is just the most recent ordeal in SAMHSA's long year of funding cuts and administrative upheaval. In this episode: Dr. Yngvild Olsen, formerly the director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at SAMHSA, chronicles the challenges facing the agency and their possible implications for efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths and improve mental health outcomes.
Guests: Dr. Yngvild Olsen, MPH, is a nationally recognized leader in addiction medicine, public health policy, and clinical care integration. She currently serves as a national advisor with Manatt Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * 24 hours of chaos as mental health grants are slashed then restored—NPR * SAMHSA Strategic Priorities—SAMHSA * Progress on overdose deaths could be jeopardized by federal cuts, critics say—Stateline
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Products and services like genetic testing, prescriptions for weight loss drugs, and health monitoring wearables are revolutionizing health and wellness in the U.S. But are these new gadgets and offerings easing the challenges facing the health care system or are they exacerbating them? In this episode: Dr. Josh Sharfstein speaks with health care entrepreneur Ashwini Nagappan about the pros and cons of the explosion of direct-to-consumer health care.
Guests: Ashwini Nagappan, PhD, is a health care entrepreneur and researcher.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * How direct-to-consumer health tests could impact insurance, mortgages, and employment—STAT * More pharma giants embrace direct-to-consumer sales—Axios * A sneak peek of pharma's Super Bowl ads: GLP-1s, tight ends, and more—STAT
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Between scratch tickets, casinos, and the recent explosion of sports betting apps, opportunities to gamble abound. So too do opportunities for the development of a gambling disorder—a medical condition as serious as substance use disorders. In this episode: Will Hinman and Christopher Welsh from the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling explain how to recognize gambling disorders and where to seek help.
Guests: Will Hinman is a certified peer recovery specialist at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling.
Dr. Christopher Welsh is an addiction psychiatrist and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is also the medical director of the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * As Online Betting Surges, So Does Risk of Addiction—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * New Survey Shows Rising Rates of Disordered Gambling Among Marylanders Since Legalization of Online Sports Betting—University of Maryland School of Medicine * Warning Signs—Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling * Voluntary Exclusion Program—Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gaming * Public Health and Gambling Part 1: How Gambling Became So Ubiquitous, and the Potential for Problems—Public Health On Call (February 2026)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Sports betting has exploded in popularity, offering bettors the opportunity to gamble on everything from coin tosses to touchdowns. But experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the public health implications. In this episode: Researchers Matthew Eisenberg and Mark Meiselbach discuss the rise of online sports gambling, its potential dangers, and how policy guardrails could make it safer.
Guests: Matthew Eisenberg, PhD, is a health economist and associate professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he also serves as the Director of the Center for Mental Health and Addiction Policy.
Mark Meiselbach, PhD, is a health economist and assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * As Online Betting Surges, So Does Risk of Addiction—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * New Survey Shows Rising Rates of Disordered Gambling Among Marylanders Since Legalization of Online Sports Betting—University of Maryland School of Medicine * Warning Signs—Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling * Voluntary Exclusion Program—Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gaming * Public Health and Gambling Part 2: Problem Gambling—Public Health On Call
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For decades, the recommended immunization schedule has guided physicians through the proper administration of vaccines and empowered individuals to protect themselves against preventable diseases. But recent changes to the schedule and the overhaul of the CDC committee leading vaccine recommendations throws public and personal health into uncharted territory. In this episode: Vaccine expert Walter Orenstein explains the importance of a transparently developed, standardized schedule and shares his concerns about recent changes to the recommendations.
Guests: Dr. Walter Orenstein is the associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center. He previously held roles with the CDC and served as the director of the United States Immunization Program and Assistant Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * Who Decides Which Vaccines Americans Should Get and When?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The history of the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—Vaccine * Vaccines 101—Public Health On Call
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Following decades of surging adult obesity rates, numbers have leveled out since 2022. But with GLP-1s dominating culture, nutrition guidelines shifting, and funding for chronic diseases vanishing, the state of obesity is set to undergo even more change. In this episode: J. Nadine Gracia returns to Public Health On Call to talk about the latest State of Obesity report from Trust for America's Health.
Guests: Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, MSCE, is the president and CEO of the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health policy, research, and advocacy organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * State of Obesity Report 2025 : Better Policies for a Healthier America—Trust for America's Health * RealFood.gov—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * Dismantling CDC's chronic disease center 'looks pretty devastating' to public health experts—STAT
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The U.S. takes a unique approach to health care by tying coverage to employment. This has led to high rates of uninsured Americans, the creation of the Affordable Care Act, and ongoing fights about health care spending culminating in a government shutdown late last year. In this episode: Jonathan Cohn details the health care debate happening in Washington right now, the nuances of universal coverage in other countries, and what might come next for health insurance in the U.S.
Guests: Jonathan Cohn is a writer for The Bulwark and the author of "The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage".
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Lawmakers reached a surprise bipartisan health deal. Now they have to keep it.—POLITICO * Oregon Health Insurance Experiment—National Bureau of Economic Research * Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on—STAT * Inside Rising Health Insurance Costs—Public Health On Call (November 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Today: a human rights perspective on immigration enforcement and public protest in Minneapolis. Professor Joe Amon is the director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has also studied human rights issues in more than 40 countries. He talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his perspective on some of the most dramatic images that have emerged over the last several weeks. Note: this episode contains descriptions of violence and trauma. Please listen with care.
Guests: Joe Amon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Disaster Epidemiology: Human Rights and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Siege of Minneapolis—Health and Human Rights * KARE 11's Jana Shortal recounts being pushed, pepper sprayed by ICE after fatal shooting—KARE 11 * A preschooler was taken away by ICE, but officials say they had no choice. Here's what we know—CNN * Mother of 3 who loved to sing and write poetry shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis—CNN * Alex Pretti identified as man fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis—Minnesota Star Tribune * Medical Care in Immigration Detention—Public Health On Call (October 2025) * Mental Health Care in ICE Custody—Public Health On Call (October 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for reviewing the safety and effectiveness of vaccines—a job that requires deep scientific understanding as well as thoughtful regulatory judgment. In this episode: Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former top vaccine regulator and chief scientist at the FDA, explains how the agency came to lead the world in vaccine oversight—and shares his concerns for the future.
Guests: Dr. Jesse Goodman, MPH, is a professor and the director of Georgetown University's Center on Medical Product Access, Safety and Stewardship. He worked at the FDA from 1998 until 2014, including as chief scientist.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * How HHS, FDA, and CDC Can Influence U.S. Vaccine Policy—KFF * Vaccines 101—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Recent "Expert Panels" Could Undermine the FDA's Credibility—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: It started as a time-limited series of interviews with public health experts at the start of a global pandemic. Over nearly six years, Public Health On Call expanded to a wide range of topics, including humanitarian health, aging, and vaccines, becoming a home for nuanced public health discussions and analysis. In this episode: Hosts Stephanie Desmon, Josh Sharfstein, and Lindsay Smith Rogers reflect on 1,000 episodes of the show, the challenges of covering complex health topics, and what issues they want to focus on next. Note: This episode is also available as a video on YouTube.
Guests: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Episodes mentioned: * 001 - Global Preparedness, Misinformation and Community Transmission—March 2020 * 060 - The Epidemic Within the Pandemic: Opioids and COVID-19—April 2020 * 064 - How COVID-19 Has Changed a Baltimore Public School—May 2020 * 132 - The Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen and Parallels to the COVID-19 Pandemic—August 2020 * 169 - Online Learning with Baltimore Public School Principal Matt Hornbeck—September 2020 * 285 - COVID-19 and the Arts Part 2: Performing Arts and the Pandemic with Marin Alsop—March 2021 * 311 - A Baltimore Public School Reopens—May 2021 * 401 - School in the Time of COVID: A Tour Of Hampstead Hill Academy—November 2021 * 465- A Special Mother's Day Episode—May 2022 * 653 - Back to School: How One K-8 School Is Getting Ready for the Fall—August 2023 * 751 - The New Federal Regulations Aimed Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—April 2024 * 823 - Special Episode—The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore—November 2024 * 862 - The Misinformation Around Seed Oils—March 2025 * 891 - B'More For Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—May 2025 * 953 - Interpreting the Data on Tylenol, Pregnancy, and Autism—September 2025 * 967 - An Update on Baltimore's Swimmable Harbor and the Pistachio Tide—October 2025 * 973 - Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—November 2025 * 979 - Why Are More People Choosing Not to Vaccinate Their Pets?—November 2025
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Nothing can make your skin crawl quite like the mention of lice or bed bugs, especially if you're the parent of young children. The good news: though these blood-sucking pests are a nuisance, they pose limited risk to human health. In this episode: Parasitologist Conor McMeniman explains why infestations start, who's susceptible, and how to get these pests out of your hair—literally.
Guest: Conor McMeniman, PhD, is an associate professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * No-Panic Guide to Head Lice Treatment—Johns Hopkins Medicine * Bed Bugs: Get Them Out and Keep Them Out—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Renowned nutritionist Marion Nestle likes the federal recommendation to reduce ultra-processed foods and its emphasis on healthy school meals. But there are other things she finds muddled, contradictory, and incomplete about the nation's new dietary guidelines. In this episode: Nestle talks protein, whole grains, and expanding access to healthy foods.
Guests: Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, is emeritus faculty at New York University. She is the author of the Food Politics blog and the book "What To Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters".
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * RealFood.gov—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * The MAHA 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have arrived: Cheerful, Muddled, Contradictory, Ideological, Retro—Food Politics * Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Guidelines—Public Health On Call (January 2026) * The Misinformation Around Seed Oils—Public Health On Call (March 2025) * Marion Nestle and Food Politics—Public Health On Call (February 2025) * What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters—Food Politics
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Medetomidine, a veterinary sedative similar to xylazine, is appearing more frequently in drug supplies in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania—and the withdrawal symptoms are debilitating. In this episode: Addiction medicine specialist Jordan Nahas-Vigon details the risks facing people who use drugs and why it's so difficult to quit.
Guests: Dr. Jordan Nahas-Vigon is a primary care doctor with Johns Hopkins Medicine who specializes in addiction medicine.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * A Powerful New Drug Is Creating a 'Withdrawal Crisis' in Philadelphia—New York Times * Why the animal sedative behind a Baltimore mass overdose is so hard to quit—The Baltimore Banner * Sedative 'dex' is replacing 'tranq' in illegal drug supply and causing excruciating withdrawal—STAT * The Xylazine Crisis—Public Health On Call (May 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Citing updated research on the health risks of drinking alcohol, Canada changed consumption guidelines in 2023, making global headlines for its steep drop in what's viewed as "low risk" drinking. In this episode: One of the architects of those guidelines explains how these recommendations were developed, their efficacy as a public health intervention, and what to make of the U.S.'s new guidelines.
Guests: Tim Stockwell, PhD, is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Victoria.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * US has new alcohol guidelines: How much is healthy to drink?—The Hill * Is That Drink Worth It to You?—New York Times * Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health—Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction * What's behind Canada's drastic new alcohol guidance—BBC
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Flu is surging in states across the country, breaking a 25-year record for flu-related doctor visits. In this episode: the new strain of influenza A that's driving cases, why getting a flu shot can still protect you, and how antivirals can help if you do get sick.
Guest: Andrew Pekosz, PhD, is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Doctors still recommend flu shot despite sneaky new strain—Politifact * US Flu Cases Show No Signs of Letting Up—Bloomberg * Flu reaches highest level in the US in 25 years—CNN * How Bad Will This Winter Be for Flu, COVID, RSV, and Measles?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode:
Emmy-award winning drama "The Pitt" returns for a second, thrilling season that follows 15 hours in an emergency department for doctors, nurses, residents, and administrators. In this episode: Dr. Emily Boss discusses what the show gets right about real-life hospitals, from the medicine to the stress to the systemic barriers that can make delivering quality health care difficult. You don't have to watch the show to enjoy this conversation!
Guests:
Dr. Emily Boss, MPH, is a pediatric otolaryngologist and a professor of Health Policy & Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- I'm a Surgeon. This Is the Messy Truth 'The Pitt' Exposes—Newsweek
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Pertussis—more commonly known as "whooping cough—is on the rise, with more than 25,000 cases and a number of child deaths recorded in the U.S. in 2025. In this episode: Dr. Erica Prochaska talks about the symptoms of pertussis, how it spreads, when to seek out medical care, how to prevent infection, and the role of vaccines.
Guests: Dr. Erica Prochaska, MHS, is a pediatric infectious disease doctor at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Epidemiological Update: Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in the Americas Region—Pan American Health Organization * Global whooping cough resurgence after COVID lull may point to need for better vaccines—CIDRAP * More than 25,000 whooping cough cases reported this year as Kentucky records 3rd infant death—ABC News * An Update On Measles, Pertussis, Mpox, and Other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases—Public Health On Call (November 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Citing a memorandum from President Trump, health officials in the Trump Administration are ending routine recommendations for vaccinating against meningitis, hepatitis A and B, and rotavirus. Vaccine expert Ruth Karron explains why each of these vaccines is critical for safeguarding health, reducing hospitalizations, and preventing deaths. She and Dr. Josh Sharfstein recorded this episode before the recent vaccine announcement. They also discuss chickenpox and RSV, where recommendations remain in place.
*Please note that this episode was recorded prior to the announcement from HHS changing recommended vaccines for children.
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guests:
Dr. Ruth Karron is a pediatrician and a professor of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is the director of Johns Hopkins Vaccine Initiative.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- HHS Changes Its Pediatric Vaccine Recommendations: What's Different, What Remains, and What It Means for American Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Hepatitis B Vaccination is an Essential Safety Net for Newborns—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Two New RSV Products to Protect Infants—Public Health On Call (November 2023)
- Vaccines 101—Public Health On Call (2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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About this episode: HHS leadership started 2026 with an unexpected announcement changing federal childhood vaccine recommendations. In this episode: Dr. Josh Sharfstein joins Lindsay Smith Rogers to talk about the announcement's immediate impact, the rationale behind it, and how it will reshape vaccination in the U.S.
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guests: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * HHS Changes Its Pediatric Vaccine Recommendations: What's Different, What Remains, and What It Means for American Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * Kennedy Scales Back the Number of Vaccines Recommended for Children—New York Times * AAP Opposes Federal Health Officials' Unprecedented Move to Remove Universal Childhood Immunization Recommendations—American Academy of Pediatrics * Vaccines 101: The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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About this episode: The U.S. marked its lowest birth rate on record in 2024 with American women having—on average—1.6 children. Does this mean that the country has a fertility crisis? In this episode: Associate professor of Population, Family and Reproductive Health Linnea Zimmerman discusses how to measure fertility, assess trends in birth rates in the U.S. and worldwide, and think about the interaction between individual decisions and social needs.
Guests: Linnea Zimmerman, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Births: Provisional Data for 2024—Vital Statistics Rapid Release * U.S. birth rate hits all-time low, CDC data shows—CBS News
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The only thing increasing faster than the number of new pickleball players is the number of pickleball injuries. Between 2017 and 2022, sports medicine experts saw a seven-fold increase in injuries. In this episode: orthopedic surgeon Eric Bowman tells Stephanie Desmon—Public Health On Call's resident pickleball devotee—what's driving these injuries, who's most at risk, and how players can stay healthy.
Guests: Dr. Eric Bowman, MPH, is an orthopaedic surgeon in the practice of sports medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * As Pickleball Continues to Gain Players, Injuries Are Increasing—JAMA * Evaluation of Pickleball-Related Injuries at a Single Institution From 2017 to 2022—Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine * Pickleball-Related Ocular Injuries Among Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments—JAMA Ophthalmology * Pickleball-related injuries are on the rise, doctors say—NBC News
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For decades, cosmetics and medicine developers have relied on animal testing to assure product safety for humans. Today, more ethical and accurate alternatives to animal testing are poised to improve this process. In this episode: scientist and lawyer Paul Locke on the new technologies replacing lab animals and how regulators can lead the gradual and necessary transition to these innovative models.
Guests: Paul Locke, DrPH, MPH, JD, is a lawyer and scientist who serves as the principal investigator for the JHU Toxicology Program and an advisory board member of the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Transitioning to Human-Centered Science: An Off-Ramp and Transition Plan—JHU Toxicology Program * White House slashes medical research on monkeys and other animal testing, sparking fierce new debate—CBS News * Animal Models—Harvard Medical School
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Attacking health care facilities and providers is becoming a standard strategy of war in places like Colombia, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Gaza, and it is increasingly being perpetrated by state actors. In this episode: Health and human rights lawyer Leonard Rubenstein discusses these disturbing trends, why there's so little accountability for attacks on health care, and what it would take to see meaningful progress.
Guests: Leonard Rubenstein, JD, LLM, is a lawyer who has spent his career in health and human rights in armed conflict. He is core faculty of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights and the Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * How attacking healthcare has become a strategy of war—British Medical Journal * Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, 2024 Report * Violence Against Health Care in Conflict: 2024 Report—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @PublicHealthPod on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The decline in journalism and the explosion of social media have converged to form an information crisis, with millions exposed to misleading and false information relevant to their health. In this episode: Joanne Kenen, Lymari Morales, and Josh Sharfstein—authors of a new book exploring this issue—talk about the diagnosis of "information sick," as well as its causes, symptoms, and solutions.
Guests: Joanne Kenen is an experienced public health and health care journalist who has been the journalist in residence at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health since 2021.
Lymari Morales, MPP, is the Associate Dean of Communications and Marketing at the School of Public Health. She previously worked in communications leadership roles at The Atlantic and Gallup, and in national newsrooms.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Information Sick: How Journalism's Decline and Misinformation's Rise Are Harming Our Health—And What We Can Do About It—Johns Hopkins University Press * Panel Discussion Inspired by the Book "Information Sick"—Johns Hopkins University * A Playbook for Addressing Misinformation—Public Health On Call (March 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In 1979, the town of Woburn, MA, raised the alarm as unusual numbers of children fell ill with leukemia. An investigation determined that this cancer cluster was likely caused by contaminated drinking water from two of the town's wells. In this episode: Suzanne Condon, who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health at the time, and Megan Latshaw, an expert in disease clusters, explain what the Woburn investigation highlights about unusual patterns of cancer and how they are studied.
Guests: Suzanne Condon, MSM, is an environmental health expert who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health from 1980 to 2015.
Megan Latshaw, PhD, MHS, is a professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also the co-instructor of an online course on disease clusters.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * How The Post found growing rates of cancer in America's Corn Belt—Washington Post * Disease Clusters—Coursera * LEUKEMIA STRIKES A SMALL TOWN—New York Times * Childhood Leukemia in Woburn, Massachusetts—Public Health Reports
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: After recovering from an illness like the flu or mononucleosis, most of us will return to our normal lives without complications. But for some, viruses can linger in the body—sometimes for years—and reemerge, wreaking new havoc on the immune system and even triggering chronic diseases. In this episode: Virologist Maggie Bartlett explains how viruses—many of which are vaccine-preventable—can cause post-acute infection syndrome and what's needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.
Watch the video version of this episode.
Guests: Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, is an assistant research professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the co-host of "Why Should I Trust You?".
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Vaccines Do More Than Prevent Disease—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The Virus That Never Leaves—Dr. Maggie's Substack * What We Know—And Still Don't Know—About Long COVID—Public Health On Call (October 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Whether it's a social media post claiming that CBD oil can cure cancer or a very convincing AI video of a dog driving a semi-truck, falsehoods abound in our lives. But why do we believe misinformation, even when presented with evidence that debunks it? In this episode: Matthew Facciani, an expert on the topic, details the psychological identities and biases that make us vulnerable to false information and explains how good information can break through.
Guests: Matthew Facciani, PhD, is an interdisciplinary social scientist and the author of "Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It".
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Book TV – Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It—C-SPAN * Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It—Columbia University Press * Misguided: The Newsletter—Substack
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Injury prevention—a field focused on preventing injuries from falls, choking, homicides, car crashes, and other incidents—saves lives and money. Now, the United States' leading injury prevention unit, the CDC Injury Center, is grappling with cuts to funding and personnel that debilitate critical work. In this episode: Natalie Draisin, an injury prevention expert, details the lifesaving work at risk in extended funding battles.
Guests: Natalie Draisin, MPH, MBA, is the director of the North America Office and United Nations representative for the FIA Foundation, an organization promoting road safety. She also serves as an advisor on road safety to WHO and the International Transport Forum.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Injury prevention is in danger from federal cuts—Baltimore Sun * With CDC injury prevention team gutted, 'we will not know what is killing us'—NPR * Dr. Debra Houry on Her Decision to Leave the CDC—Public Health On Call (September 2025) * Women's History Month: A Conversation With Sue Baker, the "Mother of Injury Prevention"—Public Health On Call (March 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For over two years, the city of Bangor, ME, has been in the throes of a serious HIV outbreak, exacerbated by a combination of local political battles and negative perceptions of drug users and unhoused people. In this episode: Aneri Pattani, who has been reporting on this outbreak, discusses the challenges of tracking transmission and treating those infected, and how harm reduction measures might finally turn the tide.
Guests: Aneri Pattani, MPH, is a senior correspondent at KFF Health News, where she focuses on mental health and substance use disorders.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * An HIV Outbreak in Maine Shows the Risk of Trump's Crackdown on Homelessness and Drug Use—KFF Health News * Penobscot County HIV Outbreak—Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention * Rapid Assessment Amid an Injection Drug Use-Driven HIV Outbreak in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley: Highlights from a Case Study—AIDS and Behavior
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that parents and caregivers introduce peanuts to children's diets at around four to six months old to avoid the onset of a peanut allergy. In this episode: Pediatric allergist David Hill explains why early allergen introduction is safe and effective and how these recommendations have led to a significant reduction in peanut allergies in children.
Guests: Dr. David Hill, PhD, is an allergist, immunologist, and an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is also an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food Allergy—Pediatrics * Peanut Allergies Have Plummeted in Children, Study Shows—New York Times * Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy—New England Journal of Medicine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As hesitancy about human vaccines rises, so too does skepticism of routine pet immunizations. In this episode: Veterinarians Meghan Davis and Kaitlin Waite explain what's behind growing anti-vaccine sentiment among pet owners, how veterinarians are navigating this divide, and why an understanding of the human-animal bond can yield better public health outcomes for all.
Guests: Meghan Davis, PhD, MPH, DVM, is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine.
Kaitlin Waite, MPH, DVM, is a veterinarian and a postdoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she also serves as the Deputy Director of Outreach Core at the POE Center.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Here's Why Fewer People Are Vaccinating Their Pets—TIME * Vaccine Skepticism Comes for Pet Owners, Too—New York Times * The importance of vaccinating your pet—Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine * Could One Health Prevent the Next Pandemic?—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Robotic telesurgery allows providers to conduct minimally invasive surgeries across long distances, reaching remote communities. In this episode: Binita Ashar, a surgeon with a background in policy, discusses the revolutionary role this technology can play in medicine and what issues need to be addressed—from cost to cybersecurity—in order to greenlight more procedures in the United States.
Guests: Binita Ashar, MD, MBA, is a general surgeon who previously served as the Director of the FDA's Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices. She also serves on the board of the Society of Robotic Surgery.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Exclusive look at groundbreaking remote robotic surgery: Patient was in Africa; doctor was in Florida—ABC News * WHO and Society of Robotic Surgery launch health innovation initiative to expand access to virtual care and telesurgery—WHO
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Long-cited research has promoted potential health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. But updated information disproves these claims and links drinking at any amount with increased cancer risk. In this episode: Professor Johannes Thrul, whose research covers substance use and addiction, details recent research on this topic and shares how to communicate these findings to help people make their own decisions around drinking.
Guests: Johannes Thrul, PhD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Why Alcohol Needs a Cancer Warning Label—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Alcohol Causes Cancer. We Should Be Drinking Less.—MedPage Today * Preventing Alcohol Misuse, Use Disorders, and Deaths—Public Health On Call (February 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A single court case in North Carolina is holding skilled nursing facilities accountable to adopt anti-discrimination policies for those with a history of substance use. In this episode: Sally Friedman, part of the team behind this lawsuit, explains the case and why it could set a national precedent for the just treatment of people who use substances in health care.
Guests: Sally Friedman, JD, is the Senior Vice President of Legal Advocacy at the Legal Action Center, where she leads a team of attorneys and paralegals that help over 1,500 clients annually to access jobs, housing, health care, and other basic rights.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Nursing facilities can't blanket ban people with addiction history, per N.C. settlement—STAT * Q&A with Disability Rights North Carolina's Sara Harrington and Dane Mullis—Legal Action Center * Disability Rights North Carolina—http://disabilityrightsnc.org * Discrimination Against Patients With Substance Use Disorder in Health Care Settings—Public Health On Call (January 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Between lawsuits, layoffs, and lags in funding, NIH has undergone significant changes in how it reviews and approves grant proposals for critical research. In this episode: Jeremy Berg, a former NIH leader, talks about what's changed and what's to come for indirect cost reimbursements, funding approvals, and the scientific research ecosystem as a whole.
Guests: Jeremy M. Berg, PhD, is a professor of computational and systems biology at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is also the Associate Senior Vice Chancellor of Science Strategy and Planning. He previously served as the Director of the National Institute for General Medical Sciences at NIH.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Appeals court judges seem skeptical of Trump administration's defense of capping NIH overhead payments—STAT * Trump order gives political appointees vast powers over research grants—Nature * Life-saving medicines begin in the basic research DOGE wants to stop funding—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As the conflict in Ukraine nears its fourth year, what help is available for vulnerable children caught in the crossfire? In this episode: Irwin Redlener, co-founder of the Ukraine Children's Action Project, discusses how he's operationalizing care for children's medical, psychological, and educational needs, and urges for an end to the conflict.
Guests: Dr. Iriwin Redlener is a pediatrician and the co-founder of the Ukraine Children's Action Project. A longtime humanitarian activist, he is also the co-founder of the Children's Health Fund and the founder of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * UCAP Report: October 2025—Ukraine Children's Action Project * Dr. Redlener: Firsthand Report from Ukraine—MSNBC * Zelensky, 2022—Joan Baez Art * Ukraine's Humanitarian Crisis—Public Health On Call (March 2022)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since taking office in 2020, Mayor Brandon Scott and his administration have embraced a public health approach to reducing gun violence. The results include an unprecedented reduction in the number of homicides and other violent crimes. Baltimore's homicide rate is now the lowest that it has been in decades. In this episode: Mayor Scott shares what is behind the city's progress and what comes next.
Guests: Brandon M. Scott is the 52nd mayor of Baltimore, serving his second term. A lifelong Baltimorean, he previously served as President of the Baltimore City Council.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Baltimore homicides down 31% from 2024, Mayor Brandon Scott says—Baltimore Sun * How Baltimore's violent crime rate hit an all-time low: 'This is not magic. It's hard work'—The Guardian * Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS)—City of Baltimore * A Sharp Decline in Homicides—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies are setting higher premiums and pushing coverage out of reach for many Americans. In this episode: the yearslong political battle behind elevating insurance costs, ripple effects across health care providers, and what it will take to build a healthy insurance system.
Guests: Gerard Anderson, PhD, is an expert in health policy and a professor in Health Policy and Management and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * 'A lifeline' - Americans fear spike in healthcare costs, making some Republicans nervy—BBC * How Affordable Care Act subsidies became a sticking point in the government shutdown—ABC News * The New Reality Facing Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA—Public Health On Call (August 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last spring, Dr. Meghan Curry O'Connell joined Public Health On Call from ground zero of a syphilis outbreak among American Indian and Alaskan Native people in the Great Plains Region. In this episode: She provides an update on the situation, explaining how a collaborative team has been able to overcome obstacles and make progress.
Guests: Dr. Meghan Curry O'Connell, MPH, is the chief public health officer at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board and a member of the Cherokee Nation.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Efforts to curb SD's syphilis outbreak yield results, but public health advocate says work remains—South Dakota Searchlight * How a fight over data made South Dakota's bad syphilis outbreak worse—Vox * A Public Health Emergency: Syphilis Surges in the Great Plains Region—Public Health On Call (May 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Millions of people across the globe continue to grapple with debilitating long COVID symptoms, as researchers untangle the unknowns of the condition. In this episode: Alba Azola, who leads long COVID research and treatment at Johns Hopkins, lays out the data on who's being diagnosed with long COVID, available treatment options, and the future of post-infectious chronic disease research.
Guests: Dr. Alba Azola is a rehabilitation physician and the co-director of the Long COVID/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Clinic at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery—RECOVER * 4 years later, experts are just beginning to 'scratch the surface' of understanding long COVID—ABC News * Unraveling Long COVID's Causes and Impacts—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * BONUS: Checking In With A COVID Long-hauler—Public Health On Call (November 2021)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is a game changing reproductive technology that leads to more than 2% of births in the U.S. But high costs and a lack of coverage options put it out of reach for many would-be parents. In this episode: Sean Tipton of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine discusses how new federal policies are moving the dial on IVF access and where more work needs to be done.
Guests: Sean Tipton, MA, is the Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a non-profit representing over 7,000 members focused on advancing the science and practice of reproductive medicine.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces Actions to Lower Costs and Expand Access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and High-Quality Fertility Care—The White House * American Society for Reproductive Medicine Reacts to White House Announcement on IVF Coverage—American Society for Reproductive Medicine * The Alabama Supreme Court's Ruling on Frozen Embryos—Public Health On Call (February 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As several states weigh suspending SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown, the USDA is releasing the final edition of the Household Food Security Report—a national report card on the state of food insecurity in the U.S. In this episode: Maureen Black, whose career in nutrition spans decades, explains why losing the annual report could set back nutrition efforts as millions of Americans struggle to access healthy food.
Guests: Maureen Black, PhD, is a pediatric psychologist who has made significant contributions to the intersection of child development and nutrition. She previously chaired the Division of Growth and Nutrition at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * SNAP benefits to halt in some states amid government shutdown—ABC News * USDA cancels survey tracking how many Americans struggle to get enough food—NPR * Why SNAP Matters and How We Can Help—Bloomberg American Health Initiative
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last year, Public Health On Call released a special episode on the decades-long fight to make Baltimore's harbor safe for swimming. While the future looked bright in 2024, new challenges have emerged. In this episode: Baltimore Banner reporter Adam Willis offers an update on the health of the harbor and the city's recent—and smelly—"pistachio tide" event.
Guests: Adam Willis reports on climate and the environment across Maryland for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered Baltimore City Hall for The Banner.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * After Baltimore harbor's 'heart attack,' some remain optimistic—The Baltimore Banner * 2025 Health Harbor Report Card—Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore * Special Episode—The Fight for a Swimmable Harbor—Public Health On Call (November 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Following months of personnel cuts, funding terminations, and escalating violence, CDC employees face a new hurdle with the government shutdown. In this episode: Yolanda Jacobs, president of the union chapter that represents more than 1,000 CDC employees, offers an inside look at how employees are grappling with these challenges and shares how those of us outside the CDC can offer support.
Guests: Yolanda Jacobs is a health communications specialist at the CDC and the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * With new cuts at CDC, some fear there's 'nobody to answer the phone'—NPR * Supporting the Public Health Workforce in Challenging Times—Public Health On Call (October 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Prescribing medicine to address fever or pain in pregnancy is a delicate task with a need to consider both potential benefits and risks. In this episode: Obstetrician Dr. Angie Jelin shares how she discusses Tylenol use with expectant parents in the context of emerging evidence and recent news from the federal government.
Guests: Dr. Angie Jelin is the assistant director of prenatal genetics at the Prenatal Diagnostic Center in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and an assistant professor in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Autism Risk Linked to Fever During Pregnancy—Columbia Mailman School of Public Health * Interpreting the Data on Tylenol, Pregnancy, and Autism—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Pressure on and antagonism towards public health practitioners, researchers, and communicators has been mounting, reaching a frightening inflection point in August when a gunman opened fire on CDC's campus in Atlanta. In this episode: Tara Kirk Sell and Beth Resnick share methods for supporting the public health workforce and specific steps the Bloomberg School of Public Health is taking to protect community members.
Guests: Tara Kirk Sell, PhD, MA, is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Beth Resnick, DrPH, MPH, is the Assistant Dean for Practice and Training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a practice professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The FlagIt Report & Response System—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * After Years of Anger Directed at C.D.C., Shooting Manifests Worst Fears—New York Times * Harassment of Public Health Officials Widespread During the Initial Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since 1971, combination mumps, measles, and rubella vaccines have protected American children against life-threatening infection. Recent calls to split the MMR vaccines into three separate injections could unravel decades of progress. In this episode: William Moss details the history of MMR vaccines and the public health dangers posed by changing immunization recommendations without scientific justification to do so.
Guests: Dr. William Moss, MPH, is an infectious disease specialist and the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots—STAT * What to Know About MMR and MMRV Vaccines—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The MMR vaccines has been combined for decades… and for good reason—@johnshopkinssph via Instagram * Vaccines 101: Understanding the Vaccines on the Childhood Vaccination Schedule—Public Health On Call (March 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Buprenorphine is a highly effective medication used for treating opioid use disorder. But accessing this lifesaving prescription can be challenging. In this episode: Jeff Hom and Marlene Lira talk about the critical role of buprenorphine in reducing overdose deaths and the role pharmacies can play in improving access.
Guests: Jeff Hom, MD, MPH, is the Medical Officer for Science and Policy in the Substance Use Services section of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He is also a DrPH student in Health Policy and Bloomberg Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Marlene C. Lira, MPH, is the Senior Director of Research at Workit Health, a multi-state telemedicine treatment provider for evidence-based addiction care, and a doctoral candidate in Health Policy & Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Pharmacy Barriers to Receiving Buprenorphine Among Patients Undergoing Telemedicine Addiction Treatment—JAMA Network Open * Prescribing Buprenorphine By Telehealth: Lessons From San Francisco Amidst A Changing Regulatory Landscape—Health Affairs * The New Federal Regulations Aimed Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—Public Health On Call (April 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Can a spoonful of sugar really cure your hiccups? Can a dab of soy sauce soothe a burn? Is there any science behind home remedies? In this episode: Joe and Terry Graedon of The People’s Pharmacy discuss some of their favorite, evidence-backed home remedies and how they balance alternative medicine with scientific data to promote wellbeing.
Guests: Joe Graedon, MS, and Terry Graedon, PhD, are the award-winning authors, newspaper columnists, and podcast hosts behind The People’s Pharmacy, an enterprise focused on sharing information on both medical and alternative health treatments.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The People’s Pharmacy—http://peoplespharmacy.com * Soy Sauce to the Rescue to Cool a Burn—The People’s Pharmacy * Should You Pour Black Pepper on Your Cut?—The People’s Pharmacy
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Pharmacies do a lot more than dispense medications. In this episode: Christina Madison, known online as the Public Health Pharmacist, explains how pharmacists and pharmacies are able to support critical health needs in communities across the country.
Guest: Christina Madison, PharmD, FCCP, is a clinical pharmacist and the founder and CEO of The Public Health Pharmacist, PLLC.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Public Health Pharmacist—http://thepublichealthpharmacist.com * The Public Health Pharmacist—Instagram
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Apprenticeships offer the unique opportunity to earn money while learning in-demand skills—and they can be a useful public health intervention, diverting young people away from violence and poor choices. In this episode: Maryland State Senator Cory McCray opens up about his own apprenticeship experience and how earn-while-you-learn opportunities can transform young people’s lives.
Guest: Cory V. McCray is a state senator representing Maryland’s 45th District. He is also an electrician, an entrepreneur, and the author of “The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life: Guidebook to Navigating the Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunity of a Lifetime”.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life: Guidebook to Navigating the Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunity of a Lifetime—Morgan James Publishing
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: This summer, President Trump issued an executive order aimed at “ending crime and disorder on America’s streets.” In this episode: Ann Oliva of the National Alliance to End Homelessness discusses her concerns about what this executive order means for unhoused people. She also discusses proven strategies for reducing homelessness and the renewed role of states and localities in addressing the nation's housing crisis.
Guest: Ann Oliva is the CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education, advocacy, and capacity-building organization dedicated to ending homelessness in the United States.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets—The White House * National Alliance to End Homelessness Statement on Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Homelessness—National Alliance to End Homelessness * What Would It Take to End Homelessness in America?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For centuries, public health has seen invisible killers, believed in the power of community interventions, and created better health outcomes across the globe. In this episode: Former CDC director Tom Frieden explains how to tackle today’s biggest health challenges and previews his new book, “The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own”.
Guest: Dr. Tom Frieden, MPH, is the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. He previously served as the director of the CDC and is the author of “The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own”.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own—Penguin Random House * A former CDC director’s guide to seeing and stopping threats to America’s health—STAT
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: How do people in ICE custody, many of whom have chronic diseases or rely on daily medication, receive medical care? In this episode: Dr. Katherine Peeler, a medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights, talks about the standards of care for detainees, challenges emerging at overcrowded detention centers, and high rates of burnout among providers.
Guest: Dr. Katherine Peeler, MA, is a pediatric critical care physician and a medical adviser at Physicians for Human Rights. She leads the Peeler Immigration Lab where she researches the health and health rights of immigrants and, in particular, asylum seekers.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Medical Care Standards in Immigrant Detention Facilities—Congress.gov * Consequences of Fear: How the Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies and Rhetoric Block Access to Health Care—Physicians for Human Rights * An ICE detention center wants a doctor who will follow orders. That’s unethical.—Washington Post
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: How well do ICE detention centers provide mental health care? In this episode: We first hear from Dr. Solomiya Tsymbalyuk from the University of Maryland about an emergency department interaction that presented legal and ethical questions around treating individuals in ICE custody. Then, Dr. Katherine Peeler of Physicians for Human Rights offers a look at how mental health care should be offered in immigration detention centers and why those protocols are becoming more difficult to follow.
Guest: Dr. Katherine Peeler, MA, is a pediatric critical care physician and a medical adviser at Physicians for Human Rights. She leads the Peeler Immigration Lab where she researches the health and health rights of immigrants and, in particular, asylum seekers.
Dr. Solomiya Tsymbalyuk is a fourth-year psychiatric resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Psychiatrists and Other Physicians Interfacing With ICE: Legal and Ethical Challenges—Psychiatric Services * ‘People Are Losing Hope’ Inside ICE Detention Centers—New York Times * California sent investigators to ICE facilities. They found more detainees, and health care gaps—CalMatters
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Social media and AI chatbots are changing the landscape of suicide prevention, requiring a multidisciplinary care model. In this episode: Walker Tisdale, Johns Hopkins’ Director of Outreach for Suicide Prevention Initiatives, discusses how these developing technologies are changing care models and how to help loved ones who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Guest: Walker R. Tisdale III, MPH, DSW, is a leading subject-matter expert and national speaker on suicide prevention, crisis intervention, health equity and the social determinants of health. He serves as the Director of Outreach for Suicide Prevention Initiatives at Johns Hopkins University.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life—New York Times * September is National Suicide Prevention Month—The Hub * Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team—Johns Hopkins University
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Does acetaminophen use during pregnancy cause autism in children? In this episode: Brian Lee, who led the largest study on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental outcomes, walks through the study's findings—as well as the challenges of researching the causal effects of medication use during pregnancy. Then, biostatistician Elizabeth Stuart discusses how she thinks about assessing potential cause-and-effect relationships when studies have different strengths and weaknesses.
Guest: Brian Lee, PhD, MHS, is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University.
Elizabeth Stuart, PhD, is Chair in the Department of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focuses on designing and interpreting studies exploring causal effects.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability—JAMA * What the evidence tells us about Tylenol, leucovorin, and autism—STAT * Discovering How Environment Affects Autism—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Does A Really Cause B? How a Biostatistician Thinks About Causality—Public Health On Call (August 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Eighty years ago, the United States introduced the globe to atomic warfare, devastating the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this episode: Author Leslie Sussan tells the story through the eyes of her father, who filmed the aftermath of this disaster on orders from the President of the United States.
Guest: Leslie Sussan is an attorney and author, who wrote the book, “Choosing Life: My Father’s Journey in Film from Hollywood to Hiroshima”.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Choosing Life: My Father’s Journey in Film from Hollywood to Hiroshima—Choosing Life * Atomic Cover-Up—PBS * Documenting Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks profoundly impacted a military filmmaker and his daughter—WBUR
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last week, Dr. Debra Houry was testifying before Congress. Today, she’s talking with Dr. Josh Sharfstein on Public Health On Call. In this episode: Dr. Houry reflects on her time at the CDC, the drastic changes at the agency under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and what she hopes her testimony can do to uphold quality public health.
Guest: Dr. Debra Houry, MPH, most recently served as the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the CDC. She has also worked as a professor at both the Emory University School of Medicine and the Rollins School of Public Health, and as an emergency department physician.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Testimony from Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H.—Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions * Senior CDC officials resign after Monarez ouster, cite concerns over scientific independence—CBS News * A Brief Update: CDC in Crisis—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: An overwhelming majority of Americans support vaccines, particularly routine childhood immunizations for preventable diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella. But misinformation is obscuring the scientific evidence on vaccine safety and efficacy. In this episode: Michael Osterholm, one of the founding members of the Vaccine Integrity Project, talks about his work to uplift science-backed research and offers a readout on the most recent meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Guest: Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, is an author and epidemiologist who serves as the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He is one of the founders of the Vaccine Integrity Project, an initiative safeguarding vaccine access by reviewing and sharing scientific evidence.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * CDC advisers weaken COVID vaccine recommendations but stop short of requiring prescriptions—CIDRAP * Poll: 79% of Americans Support Routine Childhood Vaccine Requirements—de Beaumont * Concerned about US vaccine misinformation and access, public health experts start Vaccine Integrity Project—CNN
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Teenagers get a bad rap. They’re seen as defiant and disrespectful, when, in reality, they’re navigating a critical development period that teaches them how to regulate emotions, take responsibility, and build relationships. In this episode: Lisa Lawson debunks common misconceptions about adolescence and offers her recommendations for creating conditions that allow young people to thrive.
Guest: Lisa Lawson, JD, is the president and chief executive officer of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a philanthropy creating better outcomes for children. She is also the author of the new book, “Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children”.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children—The New Press * Lisa Lawson explores the neuroscience of adolescence in ‘Thrive’—PBS News Hour * New Book Shows Why Equipping Adolescents to Thrive Is Key to a Brighter Future—Annie E. Casey Foundation
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The FDA has long convened scientifically rigorous advisory committees to review data and offer recommendations for regulating a range of food and drug products. However, it has recently pulled back and leaned heavily into ad-hoc “expert panels” that are not held to the same standards. In this episode: Caleb Alexander, an epidemiologist and drug safety expert who has served on over a dozen FDA advisory committees, raises concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in these new panels and suggests that their lax standards might undermine the agency’s credibility.
Guest: Dr. G. Caleb Alexander, MS, is a practicing internist and drug safety expert at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The FDA’s pivot from ad comms to ‘expert’ panels is bad medicine—STAT * An FDA panel spread misinformation about SSRI use in pregnancy, alarming doctors—NPR * Learn About FDA Advisory Committees—FDA
Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Over the past few months, USAID has been dismantled, forcing the abandonment of aid projects and flushing away millions of dollars worth of food and medicine. In this episode: Journalist Hana Kiros talks about her reporting on the thousands of USAID-funded projects that have been terminated, the potential PR nightmare for the U.S., and what is happening to lifesaving supplies.
Guest: Hana Kiros is a writer and an assistant editor at The Atlantic, where she covers human rights and technology.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Inside the USAID Fire Sale—The Atlantic * Sudden Impact: When Health Programs End—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * What Foreign Aid Means for National Security—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: This July, a dangerous influx of opioids triggered two mass overdose events in the Penn North neighborhood of Baltimore. A swift and nimble response from the city and community stakeholders resulted in zero fatalities. In this episode: Dr. Letitia Dzirasa and Sara Whaley from the City of Baltimore explain what happened, detail the multipronged emergency response, and share how the city plans to move forward in addressing the opioid crisis.
Guest: Dr. Letitia Dzirasa is the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services with the City of Baltimore.
Sara Whaley, MPH, MSW, is the executive director of the City of Baltimore’s Overdose Response Team.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Overdose Response Strategic Plan—City of Baltimore * Community leaders, experts address Baltimore’s overdose crisis—WEAA * Baltimore mass overdose: 'Coordinated neighborhood stabilization response' launched in Penn-North—WBAL
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Through the summer, the city of Phoenix consistently hits temperatures upwards of 110 degrees, creating dire conditions for vulnerable populations like outdoor workers and those with substance use disorders. In this episode: Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and City Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington detail the city’s extreme heat challenges, how other communities can deal with rising temperatures, and the successful cooling interventions championed by local leaders in the Valley of the Sun.
Guest: Kate Gallego is the 62nd mayor of Phoenix, AZ. During her time in office, she has focused on diversifying the city’s economy, investing in infrastructure, and forwarding sustainability.
Kesha Hodge Washington is the District 8 city councilmember for the city of Phoenix. She serves on the Audit Committee, the Economic Development and Housing and Transportation Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittees.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * How Climate Change and Extreme Weather Can Hurt Your Health—U.S. News & World Report * Drop in Heat-Related Deaths Show Importance of Heat Relief Sites Efforts—City of Phoenix * Extreme Heat Hazards—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Credit scores are more than just a number—they can determine your ability to access critical financial assets like loans, leases, and jobs that, in turn, have a huge impact on your health. In this episode: Professor Catherine Ettman shares new research that explores the relationship between low credit scores and mental health, and discusses a recent ruling reinstating medical debt as a metric of creditworthiness.
Guest: Catherine K. Ettman, PhD, is an assistant professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she studies population mental health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Americans' medical debt can stay in credit reports, judge rules. What does that mean?—NPR * Area-level credit scores and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults—American Journal of Epidemiology * An Asset Framework to Guide Nonhealth Policy for Population Health—JAMA Health Forum
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The FDA and CDC are tightening eligibility requirements for COVID-19 vaccines this year, pushing effective treatments out of reach for millions of Americans including young children. In this episode: Dr. Fiona Havers, formerly a senior adviser on vaccine policy at the CDC, draws on recent hospitalization rates to identify who is most at risk for severe COVID-19 infection and in need of immunization for protection.
Guest: Dr. Fiona Havers, MHS, is an infectious disease physician, a medical epidemiologist, and an expert on vaccine-preventable respiratory diseases and vaccine policy. She previously led the Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network Team at the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Recent FDA, CDC changes to COVID vaccination guidelines lead to confusion—WBAL * Covid-19 vaccine license change: 12 key questions answered—Your Local Epidemiologist * Despite federal shift, state health officials encourage COVID vaccines for pregnant women—Stateline
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Animal-to-human transmission of bacteria and viruses have triggered outbreaks of diseases like avian influenza, COVID-19, and Ebola. A public health approach called One Health can help us to better understand these cases—and possibly help prevent future pandemics. In this episode: Professors Emily Gurley and Raina Plowright explain how One Health investigations work, why they’re an effective tool for addressing spillover events, and a new One Health Coursera course that you can preview for free: https://www.coursera.org/learn/one-health-investigations-of-outbreaks-and-spillover-events
Guest: Emily S. Gurley, PhD, MPH, is a professor in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focuses on infectious disease and outbreak investigation.
Raina K. Plowright, PhD, MS, is a veterinarian and the Rudolf J. and Katharine L. Steffen Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Roadmap of Primary Pandemic Prevention Through Spillover Investigation—Emerging Infectious Diseases * Healthy Ecosystems, Healthy Humans—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * What's the Difference? The Meaning of One Health—Global Health Now * Can Spillover—How Viruses Move From Animals to Humans—Be Prevented?—Public Health On Call (November 2021)
Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Post-pandemic rates of absenteeism continue to climb across the country as many students navigate concerns that include anxiety and food insecurity. One state is fostering new partnerships and using a public health approach to directly address hurdles to school attendance. In this episode: Pediatricians Deanna Haag and Heidi Schumacher detail their work alongside educators, policymakers, and other medical professionals to advance health and educational equity across rural Vermont.
Guest: Dr. Deanna Haag is a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont and a pediatrician at Monarch Maples Pediatrics in Enosburg Falls, VT.
Dr. Heidi Schumacher is a general pediatrician and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont. She serves as faculty for the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program, a statewide initiative focused on improving children’s health outcomes.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Every Day Counts: Reducing Absenteeism in Vermont’s School—University of Vermont Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships * All in for Attendance: Education and Public Health Leaders Release Framework to Address Chronic Absence from Schools—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Chronic Absenteeism Is a Vital Sign for Kids’ Health. New Framework Seeks a Cure—The 74
Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last week the CDC was rocked by the abrupt removal of director Susan Monarez and the resignation of four other senior officials, following months of budget and personnel cuts. In this episode: a quick update from former CDC Director Tom Frieden about these concerning developments, how they might impact vaccine access this fall, and what they mean for public health writ large.
Guest: Dr. Tom Frieden is a physician and the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a global health mission focused on stopping preventable deaths. He previously served as the director of the CDC and commissioner of the New York City Health Department.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health—New York Times * CDC denies help for lead poisoning in Milwaukee schools due to layoffs—CBS News * Personnel Cuts at the CDC—Public Health On Call (April 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Back-to-back crises of the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 have pummeled American communities, eroding trust in public health. But what if restoring that trust could start with a simple conversation? In this episode: Maggie Bartlett shares how she’s using her platform as co-host of the podcast, “Why Should I Trust You?”, to forge human connections with those who feel left out of public health conversations and to debunk misinformation about measles, vaccines, and corporate influence.
Watch the video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zCx9YY9EBWk
Guest: Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, is an assistant research professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the co-host of “Why Should I Trust You?”.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Inside A Rare Conversation Between MAHA Grassroots and Public Health Leaders—Why Should I Trust You? * What I’m Learning from MAHA—Your Local Epidemiologist * Why Should I Trust You?—www.whyshoulditrustyou.net
Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Official measures of homeless Americans omit the millions of individuals and families that make up the “working homeless”—a segment of the population that, despite working full time, cannot secure stable housing. In this episode: Journalist Brian Goldstone pulls back the curtain on America’s worsening homelessness crisis and interrogates the fractured relationship between employment and financial stability.
Guest: Brian Goldstone, PhD, is a journalist and the author of There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, The New Republic, Guernica, and Jacobin.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * There Is No Place for Us—Penguin Random House * The invisible homeless crisis that official statistics miss—Vox * The New American Homeless—The New Republic
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since the fifth grade, high schooler Nayesha Diwan has been fascinated by the world of public health. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she has immersed herself in research and advocacy, delivering speeches at her state’s capitol and interning at an elite neurophysiology lab. In this episode: Nayesha explains how her mother’s cancer diagnosis drew her to public health and reminds us how complex and impactful the field can be.
Guest: Nayesha Diwan is a rising high school junior with a passion for science, health care, and public health. She is a semifinalist for the USA Biology Olympiad exam and is currently researching the blood brain barrier and neurological disorders. Nayesha is the host of the Global Health Frontlines podcast.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Global Health Frontlines—Spotify * Influence the Choice—www.influencethechoice.org
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July is set to unravel key aspects of the Affordable Care Act that have expanded health coverage to millions of Americans. In this episode: One of the architects of the ACA, Liz Fowler, outlines how work requirements, truncated enrollment periods, and higher premiums will change health care for Americans on Medicaid and Medicare and for those buying coverage through their state’s marketplace.
Guest: Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD, is a distinguished scholar in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and previously served as the director of the Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * How New Federal Legislation Will Affect Health Care Costs and Access for Americans—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * When Do the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Health Care Provisions Go Into Effect?—Center for American Progress * Health Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Law—KFF
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Progress in the global mission to eradicate malaria has stalled due to mosquito evolution, drug resistance, and underfunding. In this episode: Dr. Michael Adekunle Charles discusses what it will take to get this mission back on track, promising new tools recommended by WHO, and why a multisector approach to defeating malaria is crucial for achieving healthy outcomes.
Guest: Dr. Michael Adekunle Charles, MPH, is the Chief Executive Officer of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria which brings together over 500 international partners dedicated to eliminating the disease.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * CCP Plays Role in WHO Recommendation of Spatial Repellents for Malaria Control—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs * Anti-malarial drug resistance is making malaria normal again—African Arguments
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Sickle cell disease affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States. Recent advancements in gene therapies and medicines like hydroxyurea are diminishing extreme pain, reducing strokes, and extending survival times for those afflicted by the disease. In this episode: leading sickle cell disease expert Dr. Mark Gladwin explains how revolutionary new treatments work and discusses the challenges to accessing life-saving care.
Guest: Dr. Mark Gladwin is a physician-scientist and the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. His research focuses include sickle cell disease and hypertension.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * New sickle cell gene therapies are a breakthrough, but solving how to pay their high prices is a struggle—CNBC * Gene Therapy: What You Need to Know—Sickle Cell Disease Association of American * No More Pain: Breakthrough Sickle Cell Treatment from Johns Hopkins Offers Curative Potential—Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Fall vaccines for flu, RSV, and—more recently—COVID have long followed a uniform rollout schedule allowing clinics and pharmacies ample time to order and administer shots. But that process looks different this year, raising concerns about access. In this episode: Katelyn Jetelina, publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist, explains how changes to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the FDA are pushing back the timeline and changing recommendations for routine vaccinations.
Guest: Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and scientific communicator. She is the co-founder of Health Trust Initiative, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health, and a Senior Scientific Advisor to several government and non-profit agencies, including the CDC. In addition, Jetelina is the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * What’s the plan for fall vaccines? If you're confused, you're not alone—Your Local Epidemiologist * Covid cases rising in US as officials plan to restrict booster vaccines—The Guardian * Will New Vaccine Recommendations Affect Your Fall Flu Shot?—AARP
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The Department of Health and Human Services has cancelled nearly $500 million in funding for the development of mRNA vaccines, including for vaccines against potential new pandemic threats. In this episode: Professor Bill Moss delves into the misinformation surrounding mRNA vaccines, explains their potential to treat diseases like cancer and HIV, and warns of the national security threats posed by cuts to development.
Guest: Dr. Bill Moss, MPH, is an infectious disease specialist and the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Johns Hopkins expert speaks on ripple effect of federal cuts to mRNA vaccine contracts—WBAL-TV 11 * How Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Development Will Set the U.S. Back—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * What to know about mRNA vaccines as Trump admin pulls funding—Axios * For mRNA Vaccines, COVID-19 Is Just the Beginning—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since 2010, the nonprofit ChopChop Family has published magazines, cookbooks, and other tools to help pediatricians and nutrition educators inform families about the positive health outcomes of cooking nutritious foods. But deep cuts to SNAP-Ed, the federally-funded nutrition education program, are placing programs like ChopChop Family in limbo. In this episode: ChopChop Family founder and president Sally Sampson explains how the rapid rollback of SNAP-Ed is crippling nutrition education.
Guest: Sally Sampson is a cookbook author and the founder and president of ChopChop Family, a nonprofit publisher of cooking magazines, cookbooks, digital content, cooking curricula, and learning decks for children and families.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Budget cuts knock down a ‘pillar of public health,’ ending nutrition education—STAT * ChopChop Podcast—Apple Podcasts * ChopChop Family Newsletter—Substack
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As the United States grows more polarized along regional, political, and ideological lines, it is critical to resolve conflict civilly—particularly when it comes to pressing public health concerns that implicate all of us. In this episode: Peace building experts David Addiss and John Paul Lederach draw on their careers in conflict resolution and public health to share strategies for building relationships, restoring trustworthiness, and fostering solutions-oriented conversations to bridge ideological gaps.
Guest: Dr. David Addiss, MPH, is a public health doctor whose career has involved migrant health, mountain medicine, neglected tropical diseases, research, philanthropy, and global health. He is the Director of the Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics at the Task Force for Global Health.
John Paul Lederach, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and a Senior Fellow with Humanity United. He is widely known for the development of culturally-based approaches to conflict transformation and the design and implementation of integrative and strategic approaches to peace building.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Recipe for Cooling Down American Politics—Washington Post * Facing Down a Civil War—www.johnpaullederach.com * Here To Understand: How Braver Angels Is Orchestrating Tough Public Health Conversations—Public Health On Call (June 2025) * Peacebuilding to Help Mend A Broken World—Public Health On Call (December 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Trying to save money on antibiotics, GLP-1 antagonists, or other medications using online pharmacies can pose serious health risks. These sites are flush with substandard and falsified drugs, which can cause adverse side effects, leave serious conditions untreated, and, in some instances, lead to death. In this episode: Dr. Henry Michtalik shares how providers and patients can spot unregulated suppliers and report counterfeit drugs.
Guest: Dr. Henry Michtalik, MHS, MPH, is a hospitalist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an assistant professor at both the School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is a co-principal investigator with the School of Public Health’s BESAFE initiative.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Fake medication is a problem across the world—DW * Fake Drugs, Real Danger—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Verify Before You Buy—National Association of Boards of Pharmacy * Report a Counterfeit Drug—U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Transcript Information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Following the rise of restrictive abortion laws around the country, a pilot program in Washington state is training pharmacists to screen for and prescribe medication abortion. In this episode: Dr. Beth Rivin talks about the Pharmacist Abortion Access Project and how it’s creating more options for safe, convenient, and effective care for women—especially those living in rural and low-income communities.
Guest: Dr. Beth Rivin, MPH, is the President and CEO of Uplift International, an organization focused on improving health and human rights with a particular emphasis on family planning and reproductive rights.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Abortion Pills Prescribed by Pharmacists Are Newest Effort in Abortion Fight—New York Times * In Washington state, pharmacists are prescribing abortion drugs—NPR * Mifepristone and EMTALA SCOTUS Rulings: A Holding Pattern—Public Health On Call (July 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Breastfeeding plays a crucial role in babies’ development and new research is even suggesting that breast milk can provide benefits to the microbiomes and immune systems of adults. In this episode: Meghan Azad, a breastfeeding researcher from the University of Manitoba, explains the chemical compounds that make human breast milk unique from other mammals, the opportunities to build more community support for breastfeeding, and the benefits of lactation for mothers.
Guest: Meghan Azad, PhD, is a professor of pediatrics and child health at the University of Manitoba, where she leads a lab studying breastfeeding and breast milk.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * World Breastfeeding Week—World Health Organization * New study reveals breastfeeding duration influences infant microbiome and respiratory development—UM Today * Breast milk’s benefits are not limited to babies—The Economist
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Medicaid cuts from the recent budget reconciliation law are raising fears of cutbacks among Americans with disabilities who rely on the program for services that allow them to live independently. In this episode: Demi Eckhoff, who has a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and who relies on Medicaid in North Carolina, explains the uncertainty and what people with disabilities are doing to advocate for themselves.
Guest: Demi Eckhoff, MPH, is a disability advocate, a registered dietitian, and an incoming doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Disabled Americans Fear What Medicaid Cuts Could Do to Them—New York Times * Five Ways the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Could Make It More Difficult to Get Health Insurance in N.C.—The Assembly * America’s Caregiver Crisis—Public Health On Call (July 2025) * The Potential Impacts of Cuts To Medicaid—Public Health On Call (March 2025)
Transcript information: Click here for a transcript of this episode.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The World Health Organization is reporting thousands of cases of malnutrition and 74 civilian deaths resulting from mass starvation in Gaza in 2025. In this episode: Dr. Paul Spiegel discusses the origins of the crisis and recent developments and shares what this dire situation means for the future of the international humanitarian system.
Guest: Dr. Paul Spiegel is a physician, epidemiologist and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr Spiegel has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * No Proof Hamas Routinely Stole U.N. Aid, Israeli Military Officials Say—New York Times * Malnutrition rates reach alarming levels in Gaza, WHO warns—World Health Organization * Humanitarian Health in Gaza and Beyond—Public Health On Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since the 1980s, petrochemical production along an 85-mile stretch of the Mississippi River has designated the corridor as “Cancer Alley,” but recent research shows that the risks from air pollution in the region have been seriously underestimated. In this episode: Pete DeCarlo and Keeve Nachman of the Johns Hopkins University discuss their concerning findings about compounding chemical exposure on human health and explain what these conclusions mean for how the United States should regulate carcinogens.
Guest: Pete DeCarlo, PhD, is an associate professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.
Keeve Nachman, PhD, MHS, is the Robert S. Lawrence Professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * Air testing reveals cancer-causing gas levels far exceeding some government estimates—ABC News 4 * Ethylene Oxide in Southeastern Louisiana’s Petrochemical Corridor: High Spatial Resolution Mobile Monitoring during HAP-MAP—Environmental Science and Technology * Surprisingly High Levels of Toxic Gas Found in Lousiana—The Hub
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The United States stands at a pivotal juncture in eliminating HIV. Despite recent advancements, including the development of an effective new form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an uncertain future marked by cuts to Medicaid and research hurdles threatens to undo the country’s progress. In this episode: Jeremiah Johnson, Executive Director of PrEP4All, sheds light on the urgent need for equitable access to PrEP and what’s at stake if we fail to scale up initiatives to test, prevent, and treat HIV.
Guest: Jeremiah Johnson is the Executive Director of PrEP4All—an organization that seeks to prevent the spread of HIV by identifying data-driven policy solutions to increase access to PrEP.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Trump’s Policies Could Undermine the Fight to End America’s HIV Epidemic—Tradeoffs * FDA approves Gilead’s twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, offering a powerful and convenient new option—CNBC * Financing and Delivering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to End the HIV Epidemic—Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics * A National PrEP Program to End the Nation’s HIV Epidemic—Public Health On Call (April 2022)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In the 1980s, Colombian neurologist Francisco Lopera discovered a rare genetic mutation afflicting residents of a village outside Medellín that could hold the key to understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease. In this episode: Author Jennie Erin Smith talks about her new book Valley of Forgetting: Alzheimer's Families and the Search for a Cure and how families in the Paisa region of Colombia have forever changed the study of neurodegenerative diseases.
Guest: Jennie Erin Smith is an author and a regular contributor for The New York Times, whose work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Times Literary Supplement, The New Yorker, and more.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Valley of Forgetting: Alzheimer’s Families and the Search for a Cure—Penguin Random House * A Different Way to Think About Medicine’s Most Stubborn Enigma—The Atlantic * The ‘Country Doctor’ Who Upended Our Understanding of Dementia—New York Times
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In early July, the CDC deactivated the United States’ H5N1 emergency response, citing lowered rates of infection among animals and humans. But fewer cases might not indicate an end to the years-long emergency. In this episode: Dr. Erin Sorrell of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security details the timeline of the virus, its impacts on American farmers, and how to prepare for the return of migratory birds later this year.
Guest: Dr. Erin Sorrell, PhD, MSc, is an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content: * As bird flu evolves, keeping it out of farm flocks is getting harder—ScienceNews * RFK's proposal to let bird flu spread through poultry could set us up for a pandemic, experts warn—Live Science * Bird Flu Is Escalating—Public Health On Call (January 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The recent dismissal of all members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has stirred questions about vaccine safety and immunization protocols. In this episode: Dr. Grace Lee—a former ACIP chair—shares insights on the committee's crucial role in recommending vaccines uses, the importance of transparent decision-making, and dangers of abandoning strong processes.
Guest: Dr. Grace Lee, MPH, is the Chief Quality Officer and the Christopher G. Dawes Endowed Director of Quality at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, and Associate Dean for Maternal and Child Health (Quality and Safety) and Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. She previously served as the Chair of ACIP.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Former chairs of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on the panel’s role—STAT * Who Decides Which Vaccines Americans Should Get and When?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The deadly Fourth of July floods in Kerr County, TX are raising urgent concerns about flash flooding risks and the future of storm response. In this episode: Hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry discusses what causes increasingly intense storms, details the significant strides made in forecasting, and outlines what’s at stake with potential cuts to NOAA.
Guest: Michael Lowry is a hurricane specialist and storm surge expert for WPLG-TV in Miami, FL. He previously served as a senior scientist at the National Hurricane Center and as disaster planning chief at FEMA.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Trying to Make Sense of the Unspeakable Texas Tragedy—Eye on the Tropics * The Trump Administration Has Blinded Hurricane Forecasters—Intelligencer * Critical Hurricane Monitoring Data Is Going Offline—New York Times
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Artificial intelligence is changing everything about how we work, live, and study—and, now, AI therapy chatbots are poised to transform mental health care. In this episode: Stanford researcher Nick Haber details recent data that suggests that therapeutic AI has a long way to go in addressing biases and recognizing safety-critical situations in order to provide adequate care.
Guest: Nick Haber, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, and by courtesy, Computer Science, where he researches AI implementation for learning and therapeutic tools.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Expressing stigma and inappropriate responses prevents LLMs from safely replacing mental health providers—FAccT '25: The 2025 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
- Kids Are in Crisis. Could Chatbot Therapy Help?—New York Times
- Exploring the Dangers of AI in Mental Health Care—Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For mothers questioning whether or not to vaccinate their children, the decision can be complicated by an overwhelming and, at times, conflicting information environment. In this episode: Health communication researcher Melissa Carrion explores how an onslaught of messaging is informing how mothers decide to vaccinate their kids and how public health experts can better communicate on these key decisions.
Guest: Melissa Carrion, PhD, is an assistant professor of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she researches rhetoric and health communication.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * How one mom is navigating vaccines’ uncertain future—ScienceNews * New Research: Childhood Vaccination Rates Drop Across 1,600 U.S. Counties—The 74 * "I Don't Understand How These Two Things Go Together": Toward a Theory of Risk Ecologies—Health Communication * “You need to do your research”: Vaccines, contestable science, and maternal epistemology—Public Understanding of Science
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Asthma can cause sometimes debilitating symptoms for children who have it, and some—particularly Black and Hispanic children—can experience higher rates of diagnoses, hospitalizations and emergency department visits. In this episode: pediatrician and immunology researcher Dr. Elizabeth Matsui talks about the known causes behind childhood asthma and how it impacts youths, and how factors like poor housing conditions and barriers to care and medication worsen conditions and undermine long-term lung development.
Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Matsui is a pediatric allergist-immunologist and epidemiologist and a leading researcher on the connection between asthma and environmental conditions.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Role of Neighborhood Air Pollution in Disparate Racial and Ethnic Asthma Acute Care Use—American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine * Association of a Housing Mobility Program With Childhood Asthma Symptoms and Exacerbations—JAMA * Do upper respiratory viruses contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in emergency department visits for asthma?—The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology * Tackling Housing Injustice—and Improving Childhood Asthma—Public Health On Call (June 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University
About this episode: Caregivers—both paid and unpaid—are the silent backbone of the nation’s workforce, providing crucial support to America’s young, aging, and disabled populations. But 24 states stand on the precipice of crisis with looming threats to caregiver stipends, salaries, and other resources. In this episode: what led to this tipping point, how proposed cuts to Medicaid could make it worse, and how to build a more supportive system for caregivers, patients, and loved ones.
Guest: Stacey B. Lee, JD is a professor of Law and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School, with a joint appointment at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she specializes in business law, health law, and negotiations.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Despite Political Divisions, U.S. Adults Across Parties Back Affordable Care, Support for Caregivers—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management * These Are The States On The Brink Of A Caregiver Crisis — And Trump Medicaid Cuts Could Make It Worse—HuffPost * America’s Unseen Workforce: The State of Family Caregiving—Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health * The Forgotten Youths Who Are Caregivers For Their Families—Public Health On Call (April 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: American farms, restaurants, retailers, and households throw out nearly 30% of the food in our system, landfilling millions of tons of food each year and draining resources like land and energy. Households generate the most waste, with everyday cooks overbuying at grocery stores and throwing away a substantial portion of their purchases—but getting ahead of those scraps can make a big difference. In this episode: ReFED’s Dana Gunders covers the environmental costs of food waste and shares immediate action items to better manage it.
Guest: Dana Gunders is a national food systems expert and the president of ReFED—an organization that researches and promotes evidence-based action to end food waste.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * From Surplus to Solutions: 2025 ReFED U.S. Food Waste Report—ReFED * Marylanders toss out more than 1 million tons of food each year. How do we reduce waste?—WYPR * From Farm to Kitchen: The Environmental Impacts of U.S. Food Waste—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency * We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System—Public Health on Call (June 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since the 1950s, companies have been using PFAS—or “forever chemicals”—to manufacture everyday household items from waterproof mascara to shaving cream to Bandaids. Research and advocacy have not only linked these chemicals to certain cancers, liver disease, and fertility issues, but they have also posited that 97% of Americans have traces of PFAS in their blood. In this episode: guest host Tom Burke talks with writer Rachel Frazin about her new book outlining the dark history of PFAS in American manufacturing, the communities across the country demanding accountability and regulation, and the near future of regulation of drinking water.
Guest: Rachel Frazin covers energy and environmental policy for The Hill and is the co-author of the book Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America.
Host: Dr. Tom Burke is an emeritus professor at Johns Hopkins and a former top official with the Environmental Protection Agency in the Obama administration.
Show links and related content: * Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America (book)—Island Press * Exposure to “forever chemicals” before birth may raise blood pressure during teen years–American Heart Association * Trump Administration to Uphold Some PFAS Limits but Eliminate Others—The New York Times * What You Need to Know About PFAS, Or “Forever Chemicals”—Public Health On Call (April 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Consumer wearables like Fitbits track a lot of our activity, from time spent standing to estimates of calorie expenditure. What if they could also alert us to possible health issues as we age? In this episode: How movement patterns change with aging, and how researchers are examining ways to measure those patterns to determine what’s normal and what may be associated with cognitive decline and other neurological issues.
Guest: Jennifer Schrack is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Mysteries of Aging Well—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Long-running Surveys Help Researchers Track Trends In Aging—The Hub * How Well Will You Age? Check Your Grip Strength—Time
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Growing and producing our food comes at an extreme cost to the environment. In this episode: a conversation about climate and agriculture with journalist and author Michael Grunwald, whose blunt new book looks at how the food system is wiping out wetlands, forests, and other carbon reservoirs that protect us from global warming.
Guest: Michael Grunwald is a journalist and author who covers public policy. He’s written for Politico Magazine, The Boston Globe, and Washington Post, and Time. His new book is We Are Eating The Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * A Food Reckoning Is Coming—The Atlantic * Changing How We Grow Our Food—The New York Times (Opinion)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: What might be in store for the 2025 hurricane season? Meteorologist Brian McNoldy returns to the podcast to talk about how things are shaping up, a look back at how last summer’s unprecedented mix of heat and moisture played out in an extremely active season, and a zoomed-out look at climate change trends as larger patterns beyond individual events and year-over-year comparisons.
Guest: Brian McNoldy is a senior research associate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmosphere and Earth Science at the University of Miami.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Meteorology and Climate Change—Public Health On Call (July 2024) * Get ready for several years of killer heat, top weather forecasters warn—AP * ‘Bomb cyclone’ adds to growing extreme weather trend—News@TheU (2024)
About this episode: Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021 but many people don’t know the history or how to recognize the day. In this episode: a look back at a 2022 conversation with Janice Bowie about how to celebrate, reflect, and recommit to social justice this Juneteenth.
Guest: Janice Bowie is a Bloomberg Centennial Professor in Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on health equity and disparities.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Juneteeth: Sun, Sounds and the Spirit of Freedom—Smithsonian Instutition * Juneteenth National Independence Day Act—Congress.gov * 9 Places to Celebrate Juneteenth This Year—The New York Times
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Homicides in the U.S., particularly those involving gun violence, peaked in 2022 following a rapid rise during the COVID pandemic. In the years that followed, there were notable decreases and 2025, so far, shows one of the most dramatic reductions in homicides in decades. In this episode: A look at some of the reasons behind the rise and fall of deaths, and why staying the policy course may be key to avoiding another spike.
Guest: Daniel Webster is a Bloomberg Professor of American Health who has studied gun violence and prevention for more than thirty years.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Deadly decisions? Trump guts anti-crime program as summer violence looms—USA Today * Supreme Court upholds Biden regulations on ‘ghost gun’ kits—NBC News * City of Baltimore Reaches Settlement in Polymer80—Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore City * A Safer Gun Buying Process—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Humanitarian health systems provide relief like food, water, and medicine in crisis situations. They operate within a carefully organized framework built on core principles including impartiality and neutrality. In this episode: what's happening with humanitarian aid in Gaza and the importance of a new framework for global humanitarian efforts.
Guest: Dr. Paul Spiegel is a physician, epidemiologist and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr Spiegel has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Group Accuses Hamas of Threatening Aid Workers in Gaza—The New York Times * A Flawed Attempt at Delivering Gaza Aid Led to a Wave of Deaths—The Wall Street Journal (paywall) * The Humanitarian Response in Gaza—Public Health On Call (January 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In 2016, the nonprofit Braver Angels was founded to bring together diverse groups of people to try and figure out why productive communication has become so difficult. During the pandemic, the conversations got even harder. In this episode: How Braver Angels is bringing together questioners and supporters of public health to hear each other out with a goal of humanizing, understanding, and remembering that “everyone is worth listening to.”
Guests: Dr. Leslie Lapato is a retired psychiatrist who has worked with Braver Angels since 2017 in a variety of roles including alliance chair, debate chair, debate whip, moderator, and organizer.
Dr. Beth Malow is a neurology sleep physician and science communicator who has worked with Braver Angels since 2017 in a variety of roles including moderator, workshop designer, and debate chair.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Our Mission—Braver Angels * Confronting our COVID condescension—Braver Angels * Colorado Springs company works with Braver Angels to promote civility through debates—The Gazette * Braver Angels spreads its ‘building bridges’ gospel across Greater Minnesota—MinnPost
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A recent MAHA report from the Department of Health and Human Services stated that a trio of common procedures for children—tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and tympanostomy tube (ear tube) placement—“cause harm without offering benefits.” In this episode: a look at what these surgeries are, the advantages and risks, and what the report said—and didn’t say—about the value of these procedures when properly indicated.
Guests:
Dr. Emily Boss is the director of pediatric otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The MAHA Report: Make Our Children Health Again—The White House * MAHA kids’ health report misinforms about tonsillectomies and ear tubes—STAT (Opinion) * Tympanostomy Tubes or Medical Management for Recurrent Acute Otitis Media—The New England Journal of Medicine
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Would it be a good idea to have tariffs on pharmaceuticals? In this episode: a conversation about the rationales for tariffs as well as potential downsides—like higher drug prices—and what could really help with supply and pricing issues.
Guest: Dr. Mariana Socal studies the pharmaceutical market and is an associate professor in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Tariffs as a Hidden Tax: Price Pass-Through in Multi-Stage Supply Chains—Johns Hopkins Carey Business School * Trump’s pharmaceutical tariffs could raise costs for patients, worsen drug shortages—NBC Los Angeles
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A new report from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition documents incidents of violence against health care facilities and workers in conflict zones around the world. In this episode: why it’s important to track these trends, how incidents are reported and investigated, and a look at the 2024 report with examples from various conflict zones around the world including Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza. Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guests: Joe Amon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, 2024 Report * Allegations of War Crimes by Leaders of Hamas and Israeli Officials Before the International Criminal Court—Public Health On Call (June 2024) * Human Rights and Health Care in the Middle East Crisis—Public Health On Call (December 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: June is Gun Violence Awareness Month with a focus on safe storage, a key factor in preventing gun-related injuries and deaths. In this episode: a look at how safe storage saves lives, evidence-based tools and tips for lawmakers, gun owners, parents, pediatricians, and more; and how to normalize conversations about safe storage in everyday life.
Guests: Dr. Katherine Hoops, is a pediatrician and the director of Clinical Practice at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
Cass Crifasi is the co-executive director at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Gun Violence Awareness Month Campaign—The Center For Gun Violence Solutions * Safe & Secure Gun Storage Prevents Injuries (PDF) * How To Talk To Other Parents About Guns In The Home (PDF) * Safe and Secure Gun Storage Solutions—The Center For Gun Violence Solutions * What The Conviction of a Parent of a High School Shooter Could Mean—Public Health On Call (March 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last week, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., announced that the COVID vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children or pregnant women. In this episode: a vaccine policy expert unpacks the announcement — how it differs from past policy changes, and its potential impact on Americans. Note: This episode was recorded on May 28, 2025.
Guest: Sarah Despres has over 25 years of experience in public health policy and advocacy and is an expert on immunization policy. She has served on the HHS National Vaccine Advisory Committee from 2012-2017. She has also served on the board of Vaccinate Your Family, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring children and adults have access to vaccines.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * U.S. Will No Longer Recommend Covid Shots for Children and Pregnant Women—The New York Times * Who Decides Which Vaccines Americans Should Get and When?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (March 2025) * Pediatric COVID Vaccines—Public Health On Call (May 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Travel can open our eyes to the world and make us better global citizens. But there’s no denying the environmental impacts of travel. Plus, with climate change happening everywhere, it’s becoming more difficult for tourists to predictably see and do some things without factoring in extreme weather. In this episode: how travelers can be more mindful and a look at how a travel company is thinking about the industry’s carbon footprint.
Guest: Cameron Hewitt is a travel writer and photographer, and for the last 25 years he’s been a co-writer for Rick Steves’ Europe, one of the biggest names in travel for guidebooks, public television, radio, and tours. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Our Climate Smart Commitment—Rick Steves’ Europe * How a traveler’s mindset can grow your understanding—Rick Steves, TEDxSeattle Salon
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The approval of pediatric COVID vaccines during the height of the pandemic brought reassurance to many parents and pediatricians who were caring for children with severe infections and, sometimes, Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MISC)—a rare but extremely dangerous condition that could impact even the healthiest kids after a COVID infection. But what’s the picture of pediatric COVID vaccination now? In this episode: a discussion about the risks and benefits of pediatric COVID vaccination in 2025.
Guest: Dr. Erica Prochaska is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * New FDA framework on Covid vaccines leaves pediatricians confused and concerned—STAT News * A Pediatric Cardiologist on What We Know—And Don’t Know—About COVID-19-Related Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children—Public Health On Call (June 2020)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A look inside the ongoing public health response to measles outbreaks in Lubbock, a city in West Texas.
Guest: Katherine Wells is the director of Lubbock Public Health in West Texas.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Lubbock’s public health director fights to stop measles and build public trust—The Texas Tribune * Texas Isn’t Declaring a Measles Victory Yet—Bloomberg
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: It’s graduation time at the Bloomberg School! Doctoral candidate Jeff Marr joins the podcast to talk about how an economics major and an early internship at a health care system led to an interest in examining how health care markets and public policy work. Soon-to-be Dr. Marr discusses his dissertation looking at how predictive algorithms lead to decisions about care coverage.
Guest: Jeffrey Marr is a healthcare economist and doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In July 2025, he will join Brown University as an Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Algorithmic Decision-Making in Health Care: Evidence from Post-Acute Care in Medicare Advantage
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: While cigarette use has radically declined in the U.S., many still die from smoking here and around the world. World No Tobacco Day—celebrated annually on May 31 since the 1980s—has helped expose tobacco industry tactics and highlight progress in global tobacco control. This year, a look at how manufacturers are increasing efforts to hook younger users on new products like e-cigs with fun packaging, new flavors, fashionable designs, and gimmicks including video games and social media integration.
Guests: Kevin Welding is an economist studying corporate influence on public health at the Institute for Global Tobacco Control.
Tuo-Yen Tseng is a health policy researcher who studies social and behavioral change at the Institute for Global Tobacco Control.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * World No Tobacco Day 2025 Evidence and Resources—Institute for Global Tobacco Control * 25 Years of Fighting Tobacco—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Quit Smoking—American Lung Association * The Inside Story of the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report That Changed How Americans Viewed Smoking—Public Health On Call (July 2024) * An Update on Efforts to Prevent Tobacco-Caused Death and Disease—Public Health On Call (February 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: This week, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at lowering prescription drug costs. In this episode: a look at why the U.S. spends three to four times more for drugs than many peer countries, its current approach to drug pricing policy, the directives laid out in the Executive Order, and how other countries negotiate their prices. Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guest: Dr. Gerard Anderson is an expert in health policy and a professor in Health Policy and Management and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Delivering Most-Favored Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients—Executive Order, The White House * The Potential Impacts of Cuts to Medicaid—Public Health On Call (March 2025) * What’s Next For Prescription Drug Pricing?—Public Health On Call (February 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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About this episode: Diagnoses of autism are on the rise, but is this the result of more children being affected by the condition, or is more of a consequence of broader criteria and more screening? In this episode: a look at a new study about the number of children diagnosed with autism and what this research shows—and doesn’t show.
Guest: Dr. Christine Ladd-Acosta is an autism researcher and vice-director of the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. She is the lead Maryland investigator on a national study about the rate of autism.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States 2022—CDC’s MMWR * RFK Jr.’s autism study to amass medical records of many Americans—CBS News * The NIH-Funded Autism Study Hoping to Pinpoint Gene-Environmental Interplay—Public Health On Call (March 2025) * Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism. Why Do Some People Think They Do?—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health * Discovering How Environment Affects Autism—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine (2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In 2003, George W. Bush’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was the largest commitment to a single disease in U.S. history. Renewed under every subsequent presidency since, PEPFAR has saved more than 25 million lives and prevented some 5 million perinatal infections globally. But now, policy changes that effectively end PEPFAR have the potential to completely reverse course and the world could see HIV/AIDS infections on par with a time even before effective antivirals existed. In this episode: Dr. Chris Beyrer talks about his recent Lancet essay, “On Going Backwards,” why any retreat now will make it harder to regain lost ground, and how this policy change has the potential to impact millions of lives.
Guest: Dr. Chris Beyrer is the past president of the International AIDS Society and an expert in global health and human rights.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * On Going Backwards—The Lancet (Perspectives) * By executive order: The likely deadly consequences associated with a 90-day pause in PEPFAR funding—Journal of the International AIDS Society
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A look back at health policy in the first 100 days of Trump’s second presidential administration including global health, vaccines, and the Department of Health and Human Services restructuring—plus a few things to keep an eye on for the future. Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guest: Dr. Josh Sharfstein served in a number of political roles in his career including as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, and as a Congressional health policy advisor. He is currently a health policy distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The First Week’s Executive Orders—Public Health On Call (January 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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About this episode: In the early 2000s, babies in Baltimore were dying at an alarming rate. In this episode: a look at Baltimore’s enormously successful health program to reduce infant mortality and close unacceptable disparities in infant death and how it has developed into a program that offers support and resources for individuals and families across the lifespan.
Guests: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is the vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former Baltimore City Health Commissioner.
Rebecca Dineen is the assistant commissioner for Maternal and Child Health at the Baltimore City Health Department.
Stacey Stephens is the director and clinical instructor of B’More For Healthy Babies at Promise Heights.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * B’More For Healthy Babies * B’More for Healthy Babies Turns 15—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs * The Public Health Strategy Behind Baltimore’s Record-Low Infant Mortality Rate—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Baltimore City Youth Data Scorecard: Babies Born Healthy Indicator Details—Baltimore’s Promise * Babies kept dying in Baltimore. People worked together to understand why.—Maryland Matters
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services with a mission to protect the nation’s workforce from occupational hazards and illnesses. Their work includes setting policy and best practices around safety standards for things like exposure to toxic chemicals, firearms in the workplace, and even protecting workers’ data. NIOSH is among the many Centers that suffered personnel and funding cuts under HHS’s recent restructuring. In this episode: a look at NIOSH’s work and how the cuts may impact worker safety—particularly at a time when there is great interest in leveling up the manufacturing industry in the U.S.
Guest: Ram Ramachandran is the director of the Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health.
Cass Crifasi is the director of Occupational Injury Epidemiology and Prevention Program at the Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * American workers deserve better than to lose their safety watchdogs—The Hill (Opinion) * The CDC’s critical occupational safety institute has been virtually wiped out—STAT
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Zyn nicotine pouches are suddenly everywhere. What are they and how can they impact health? In this episode: A look at the popular products, what they are and how they work, how they’re marketed, and what we know—and don’t yet know—about their long-term health impacts or whether they could be a tool to help people quit tobacco products.
Guest: Meghan Moran is an associate professor in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a researcher who studies how communications from advertising to misinformation shape public health issues such as vaccine promotion, cancer screening, and tobacco control.
Johannes Thrul is an associate professor in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a substance use disorder researcher.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Cross-Sectional Survey on Oral Nicotine Pouches; Characterizing Use—Motives, Topography, Dependence Levels, and Adverse Events—Nicotine & Tobacco Research * What’s That in Your Mouth, Bro?—The New York Times * What We Know (and Don’t) About Nicotine Pouches—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Electronic Cigarettes Part 1: Do E-cigs Help People Quit Smoking?—Public Health On Call (May 2024) * Electronic Cigarettes Part 2: How Serious are the Health Risks Associated with E-cigs?—Public Health On Call (May 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Dr. Scott Harris has worked as a leader in Alabama’s public health department for eight years and recently became that national president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. In this episode: A conversation with Dr. Harris about lessons learned from the pandemic and how the current moment is presenting new challenges with measles outbreaks and plenty of unknowns. He also talks about keeping his staff motivated and on task to meet their bottom line: protecting the health and safety of Alabamians.
Guest: Dr. Scott Harris is the State Health Officer of the Alabama Department of Public Health and the President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
About this episode: May is Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Awareness Month. In this episode: Dr. Nicole Baumgarth talks all things ticks including how climate change is increasing their territory, the diseases they spread such as Lyme and Heartland virus, disease prevention, and the latest on vaccines and treatments.
Guest: Dr. Nicole Baumgarth is the director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Lyme Disease: Diagnosis, Prevention, and How Long COVID is Helping to Advance Awareness and Research for Chronic Lyme—Public Health On Call (June 2022) * Tick Talk—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine (2022) * Healthy Ecosystems, Healthy Humans—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine (2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us: * @PublicHealthPod on Bluesky * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram * @JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook * @PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube * Here's our RSS feed
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Since 2021, countries have been drafting a treaty to help the world better prevent and respond to pandemics. On April 16, the WHO announced an agreement for the world's first pandemic treaty. In this episode: a look at what it took to get here, what provisions were included and excluded, and what it means that the U.S. was not at the table for negotiations and will not be a signer.
Guest: Alexandra Phelan is an expert in global health law and an associate professor and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Why We Desperately Need—and Still Don’t Have—A Global Pandemic Treaty—Public Health On Call (June 2024) * Center for Health Security Urges the Inclusion of Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) in Pandemic Agreement—The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security * Countries Agree on Treaty Aimed at Preventing Global Health Crises—The New York Times * Global pandemic treaty finalized, without U.S., in ‘a victory for multilateralism’—http://Science.org
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: World Malaria Day is April 25. In this episode: guest host Thomas Locke takes us to Capitol Hill where we meet malaria champions, scientists, and leaders who gather in Washington, DC, as part of the ‘United to Beat Malaria’ campaign urging Congress to continue supporting global malaria efforts.
Show links and related content: * The Malaria Minute Podcast—The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute * United to Beat Malaria
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In honor of Earth Day, we bring you a special episode of Public Health On Call: an essay read by Sam Myers, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. In his essay, he explores the incredible human evolution and technological innovation that has brought us to a moment in time where our own ascendance is threatening our future well-being on this planet. It’s time to face a crucial question: Can we change?
Guest: Sam Myers is the founding director of the Planetary Health Alliance and the faculty director at the brand new Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health.
Show links and related content: * The Case for Planetary Health (essay)—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * The Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: News about HKU5, a new bat coronavirus with the ability to spread to humans, was met with concerns in the scientific community—mostly because of how the research was done. In this episode: Johns Hopkins virologist Andy Pekosz talks about the different levels of biosecurity in laboratories where scientists study some of the world’s most dangerous viruses, how these standards vary worldwide, and what that could mean for studying future viruses with pandemic potential.
Guest: Dr. Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Recent Virus Research Should Raise the Alarm—The New York Times (Opinion) * Chinese researchers find bat virus enters human cells via same pathway as COVID—Reuters * The virus hunters who search bat caves to predict the next pandemic—CNN Health (2020)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Innocent Grant is a family planning advocate from Tanzania. In this episode: How Grant’s experiences approaching mis- and disinformation about sexual and reproductive health at home are now helping him to frame this work as the U.S. threatens to cut a portion of its global funding of family planning. He also discusses the threats to major progress in outcomes like maternal mortality and the economic empowerment of young families—and how advocates can find common ground rooted in evidence.
Guest: Innocent Grant is a family planning advocate and an MSPH student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The International Conference on Family Planning * Young & Alive Initiative * Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use—WHO
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In the early months of the new administration, several thousand CDC employees were dismissed, were asked to leave, or resigned. In this episode: what we know about these personnel losses, a look at some critical programs that may no longer exist, and concerns about what this means for America’s health.
Guest: Dr. David Fleming served as Deputy Director for Science and Public Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2000-2003 and has had a long career in global and public health strategies.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * ‘No guidance and no leadership’: chaos and confusion at CDC after mass firings—The Guardian * Fact Sheet: HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Consumer products from auto makers to housing developers to streaming and food delivery services all have impacts on our health. In this episode: A look at the Building H Index, which calculates a health score for these products and services and makes recommendations to companies about how to make their products healthier. Note: Building H is a program of the nonprofit Public Health Institute and the Index does not receive any funds from the companies that are rated.
Guest: Steve Downs is a cofounder of the Building H Index.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Building H Index * Public Health Institute
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly fired around 10,000 employees, 3,500 of which were within the FDA alone—an organization of around 18,000 total employees as of January 2025. In this episode: A look at the work of the FDA and how it may be hampered by such significant cuts, and how patients may be among those most impacted.
Guest: Dr. Robert Califf served as the FDA Commissioner under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Dr. Peter Marks’s Resignation Letter (PDF)—The New York Times * Widespread firings start at federal health agencies including many in leadership—NPR Shots * The U.S. Food Safety System—Public Health On Call (June 2022) * FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines, Combating Misinformation, and Building Trust—Public Health On Call (August 2022)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: The Department of Health and Human Services’s abrupt termination of $11 billion in health funding to states has interrupted projects across the country. In this episode, a look at one state—Connecticut—where the state with federal approval had been using the funding to upgrade aging technology and respond to urgent threats like measles. Note: This conversation was recorded prior to a federal judge’s issuing of a temporary restraining order blocking the cuts—for now.
Guest: Dr. Manisha Juthani is the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * U.S. Judge blocks $11 billion Trump administration health funding cut for now—Reuters * CT has 69 public health contracts canceled after Trump funding cuts, issues stop work orders—CT Insider
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: People come to the emergency department seeking all kinds of urgent care. What if they could also get treatment for opioid addiction? In this episode: a look at how one rural hospital started prescribing buprenorphine to ER patients, and how scaling up treatment while reducing stigma at hospitals across the US is now helping thousands of patients every year.
Guest: Arianna Campbell is an emergency department and addiction medicine PA at Marshall Medical Center in Placerville, California.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * USACS Physician Assistant, Ariana Campbell, PA-C, Aims to Eliminate the Stigma of Substance Use Through Education and Intervention—The Shift Blog * The New Federal Regulations Aimed At Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizingcvb x—Public Health On Call (April 2024) * A New Type of Overdose Response—Public Health On Call (March 2023)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: For 25 years, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has been a global effort to purchase and distribute lifesaving vaccines to the poorest of countries and help them build up their health systems. Now, it’s the latest chop in a blitz of proposed federal funding cuts to global health. In this episode: an overview of Gavi’s innovative model that buys vaccines for 50% of the world’s children and has prevented around 19 million deaths, and the catastrophic potential if the U.S. withdraws its financial support.
Guest: Dr. Seth Berkley is the former CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. He is a senior advisor to the Pandemic Center and an adjunct professor of the practice in epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. His new book, Fair Doses, will be released next fall.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has its billion dollar grant cut by Trump administration—NPR Goats and Soda * US decision to end support for Gavi puts millions of children’s lives at risk—Medecins Sans Frontieres
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Amidst an ongoing outbreak of a deadly clade of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs has been part of the response team. Working with local partners, CCP has developed community outreach and strategic communications campaigns to help protect people, reduce transmission, and get the outbreak under control. When USAID funding was abruptly canceled, the program was granted a waiver to continue work. But now, as the waiver faces expiration, the program’s future is uncertain which could put the DRC, Africa, and even the world at risk of an mpox epidemic.
Guests: Dr. Didier Mbayi Kangudie is the Chief of Party for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He spent 11 years with USAID as a senior health advisor and has more than 25 years of experience blending clinical work, public health and global health programming.
Shannon McAfee is team lead for Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs country programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea, which include projects focused on integrated health, the GHSA portfolio, education, Ebola, and the COVID-19 response. She has 25 years of experience designing, leading and implementing health and development projects across 16 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * CCP Resumes Mpox Oubreak Prevention Work in the Democratic Republic of Congo—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs * African Governments Falling Short on Healthcare Funding: Slow Progress 23 Years After Landmark Abuja Declaration—Human Rights Watch * Why The Mpox Crisis Spreading Across Africa is a Global Concern—Public Health On Call (August 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: As a follow up to our recent episode titled The Potential Impacts of Cuts To Medicaid, we’re partnering with our friends at the Tradeoffs podcast. Guest hosts Dan Gorenstein and Ryan Levi, longtime health reporters, take a deeper look at why many Republicans believe a smaller Medicaid program would be a better Medicaid, what proposed cuts might look like, and the challenges Republicans may face in trying to get cuts passed in Congress.
Guests: Dan Gorenstein is the executive producer and host of the Tradeoffs Podcast and an adjunct senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Ryan Levi is a reporter and producer for the Tradeoffs Podcast.
Show links and related content: * Why Many Republicans Think Shrinking Medicaid Will Make It Better—Tradeoffs * The Potential Impacts of Cuts To Medicaid—Public Health On Call (March 2025) * The Oregon Experiment—Effects of Medicaid on Clinical Outcomes—The New England Journal of Medicine (2013)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Medicaid helps make health care accessible to millions of adults and children in the U.S. In this episode: a look at the potential impacts of federal budget cuts on states, hospitals, physicians, and the beneficiaries themselves.
Guests: Dr. Gerard Anderson is an expert in health policy and a professor in Health Policy and Management and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Jennifer Wolff is an expert in policy relating to the care of persons with complex health needs and disabilities, the Eugene and Mildred Lipitz Professor in Health Policy and Management, and director of the Roger and Flo Lipitz Center to Advance Policy in Aging and Disability.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * 2024 Election Series: What’s At Stake For Health Insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, and Drug Pricing—Public Health On Call (September 2024) * Ex-GOP lawmaker: Medicaid cuts politically risky—Politico
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: According to the WHO, there are an estimated 300,000 drowning deaths worldwide each year and a quarter of them are children under 5. But because the risk factors are so diverse—from backyard swimming pools to monsoons to the fishing industry—preventing drowning deaths requires viewing the problem through a public health lens and investing in a multitude of approaches, many of which turn out to be beneficial to communities beyond basic water safety.
Guest: Caroline Lukaszyk is a technical officer for injury prevention at the World Health Organization.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Troubled Waters: Are day care centers a solution to preventing child drowning deaths in Bangladesh?—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health * Preventing Drowning In Bangladesh (video)—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Ketamine is in the news again. In this episode: a conversation about the differences between ketamine and esketamine—an FDA-approved medicine for treatment-resistant depression—why we’re hearing so much about ketamine right now, and the importance of administering esketamine in a clinical setting as part of a broader comprehensive mental health strategy.
Guest: Dr. Paul Kim is a psychiatrist and director of the Johns Hopkins Treatment Resistant Esketamine Antidepressant Targeted (TREAT) Depression Clinic.
Dr. Paul Nestadt is a psychiatrist and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Treatment Resistant Esketamine Antidepressant Targeted (TREAT) Depression Clinic.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * What to Know About Ketamine—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression—Hopkins Medicine * What Ketamine Does to the Human Brain—The Atlantic
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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About this episode: For some people with a high risk of ovarian cancer, a standard approach has been full removal of the reproductive organs. But new research points to a far less invasive procedure called a salpingectomy, or removal of the fallopian tubes, as a potential “game changer” in ovarian cancer. In this episode: understanding high grade serous carcinoma—the most common type of ovarian cancer—the lack of screening tools, and why fallopian tube removal isn’t yet available to more people.
Guest: Dr. Rebecca Stone is an OBGYN, a professor in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and the director of The Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Game-Changer for Ovarian Cancer—Johns Hopkins Medicine * Salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy reduces ovarian cancer risk—JNCI Cancer Spectrum * Salpingectomy for the Primary Prevention of Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review—NIH
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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About this episode: A new report on misinformation and disinformation from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is helping to define what misinformation is and how it starts and how to combat it. In this episode: a conversation about the findings, and how to get away from misinformation as a name-calling contest.
Guest: Vish Viswanath is the Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and chaired the blue ribbon panel examining misinformation about science.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Science Misinformation, Its Origins and Impacts, and Mitigation Strategies Examined in New Report; Multisector Action Needed to Increase Visibility of, Access to High-Quality Science Information—National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine * The Anatomy of Deception: Conspiracy Theories, Distrust, and Public Health In America—Public Health On Call (October 2024)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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About this episode: Questions about vaccines and autism have been around for a while despite multiple scientific studies that do not show a connection. In this episode: where the concerns started, the science behind why experts have concluded there is no link, and why these questions still persist.
Guest: Dan Salmon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Institute For Vaccine Safety.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * CDC Wants to Revisit Debunked Theories of Links Between Vaccines And Autism—Forbes * Vaccines 101: Vaccine Safety Science—Public Health On Call (February 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when there were no vaccines or treatments, convalescent plasma—antibody-containing blood from people who recovered from COVID—saved countless lives through Emergency Use Authorization. In this episode: special guest host Thomas Locke of MMI Monthly: From Bench To Breakthrough discusses the evolution of CCP therapy, from emergency use during the pandemic to now, nearly five years later, crossing the finish line with recent FDA approval as a potential treatment for immunocompromised patients.
Guest: David Sullivan is a professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
Host: Thomas Locke is the host of MMI Monthly: From Bench to Breakthrough and Malaria Minute, podcasts from the department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Bloomberg School Researchers Support First Blood Center to Receive Full FDA Approval to Provide Convalescent Plasma for Patients Who Are Immunocompromised—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Convalescent Plasma Offers ‘Blueprint’ For Future Pandemics—The Hub * How a Boy’s Blood Stopped an Outbreak—The Wall Street Journal (Opinion)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: John Green is a New York Times bestselling author and YouTuber known for writing books like The Fault In Our Stars. His latest book is about tuberculosis. In this episode: A conversation with John Green about why he chose to write about TB, the current state of public health and its challenges, and how the disease and its prevalance reflects so much back on us in terms of who we are as a society.
Guest: John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of books including Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, and The Anthropocene Reviewed. With his brother, Hank, John has co-created many online video projects, including Vlogbrothers and the educational channel Crash Course. John serves on the board of trustees for the global health nonprofit Partners In Health and spoke at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Fight to End Tuberculosis. John lives with his family in Indianapolis. You can visit him online at http://johngreenbooks.com or join the TB Fighters working to end tuberculosis at http://tbfighters.org .
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Everything Is Tuberculosis (book)—http://Everythingistb.com * Henry Reider, TB Survivor—YouTube * Henry’s story–Vlogbrothers * Tuberculosis in the U.S.—Public Health On Call (February, 2025)
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: In another episode in our series on vaccines: the different types of vaccines and how they work, and the logic and timing of the childhood vaccination schedule. Also: A conversation about measles vaccinations for children younger than 1 year.
Guest: Dr. Bill Moss is the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Vaccines 101 Series: From Molecular Science to Global Policy—Public Health On Call * All About the Recommended Immunization Schedules—http://Healthychildren.org * What experts say about childhood vaccines amid the Texas measles outbreak—ScienceNews
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: At the bottom of the world’s oceans lie valuable deposits of cobalt, manganese, and other minerals. In today’s episode: a deep dive on deep-sea mining, the environmental impacts, and how the world might approach regulating mining in areas that technically belong to everyone.
Guests: Andrew Thaler is a deep-sea ecologist, conservation technologist, and an ocean educator.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * @drandrewthaler—Bluesky * Deep-sea Mining: What went down in 2024?—Southern Fried Science * Withdrawal Agreement Could Signal Shift in Deep Sea Mining Activity—Forbes
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A measles outbreak that started in west Texas has sickened more than 150 people and killed a child. In today’s episode: the scope of the outbreak and how it’s spreading, the challenges of trying to control it, and claims about treatments including vitamin A, steroids, and antibiotics.
Guest: Dr. Bill Moss is the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Measles Outbreak Updates—Texas Department of State Health Services * Measles Outbreaks in the U.S. Highlight the Importance of Vaccination—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * As Measles Spreads, Kennedy Embraces Remedies Like Cod Liver Oil—The New York Times * The Story of Dean Sommer and Vitamin A—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: A large-scale, multi-country autism study involving more than 175,000 individuals is hoping to find interplay between genes and the environment that may influence autism diagnosis and symptoms. But proposed NIH funding cuts could imperil the study’s future. In this episode: A look at an NIH-funded study that hopes to improve the quality of life for people with autism and their caregivers, and find better tools for diagnosis and treatment.
Guests: Christina Ladd-Acosta is the vice director at the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and associate director for epigenomic analysis at the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes, Data Analysis Center (ECHO-DAC).
Heather Volk is an epidemiologist and professor of mental health at the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * NIH funding makes large scale Johns Hopkins autism study possible—The Hub * Discovering How Environment Affects Autism—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
About this episode: Research shows that seed oils, like sunflower and sesame, can contribute to better health. So why are wellness influencers talking about a group called “the hateful eight,” which include non-seed oils like soybean and canola? In this episode: a breakdown of what seed oils are (and aren’t), misconceptions around inflammation and omega 6’s, and how processed foods play into the conversation. Note: This episode mentions Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and was recorded prior to his confirmation as Secretary of HHS.
Guests: Christopher Gardner is the director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Are Seed Oils Actually Bad For You?—The New York Times
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About this episode: Neglected diseases like mycetoma, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis impact more than a billion people worldwide every year and kill hundreds of thousands. In this episode: Why these illnesses don’t get widespread attention or the resources needed for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and how in a shifting global funding landscape, cross-sector collaboration is key to alleviating suffering.
Guests: Delali Attipoe is the North America director of the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi).
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Chagas: The Most Neglected of Neglected Tropical Diseases—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Neglected Diseases and Public Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: In today’s episode: defining sex, gender, and gender identity, and why the concepts of gender and gender identity help with the understanding of and response to health challenges.
Guests: Sari Reisner is an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Trump says there are ‘two sexes.’ Experts and science say it’s not binary.—The Washington Post * The U.S. Transgender Survey Reports
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About this episode: The abrupt halt of USAID funded programs around the world has caused confusion and chaos, and the consequences are likely to have a long tail. In today’s episode: Joe Amon, an expert in global aid and human rights, discusses some of the direct and indirect impacts of disengaging from this work.
Guests: Joe Amon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Public Health is a Human Right—Public Health On Call (December, 2024) * What Is USAID and Why Is It At Risk?—The Council on Foreign Relations
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About this episode: Firearm purchaser licensing laws that have provisions such as enhanced background checks and in-person applications curb homicides and suicides, they’re bipartisan, and a majority of Americans—including gun owners—support them. In today’s episode: A look at a new report with recommendations for building a safer gun-buying process and why now is the time to implement these solutions.
Guests: Josh Horwitz is co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
Silvia Villarreal is the director of research translation at the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Firearm Purchaser Licensing: Research Evidence To Inform State Policy (pdf)—The Center For Gun Violence Solutions * Report Recommends States Adopt Firearm Purchaser Licensing Laws That Include Five Core Components—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: Although cannabis is legal in nearly half of all U.S. states, policy is complicated. There's federal law, which prohibits the sale of THC-containing cannabis but not hemp. There's state law, which is an even more complex patchwork. In this episode: A new report looks at how this hazy landscape is impacting public health policy and equity.
Guests: Dr. Yasmin Hurd is a neuroscientist and the director of the Addiction Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
Douglas Berman is a legal expert and the director of the Drug Enforcement Policy Center at the Moritz College of Lawat The Ohio State University.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity—National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine * The Risks of Psychotic Symptoms With Cannabis Use in Younger People—Public Health On Call (January, 2024) * The Evidence—and Lack Thereof—About Cannabis—Public Health On Call (August, 2023)
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About this episode: In today’s episode: A discussion with Dr. Lisa Cooper, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, about opposition to the terms "diversity," "equity," and "inclusion."
Guests: Dr. Lisa Cooper is a public health physician, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins and a winner of a MacArthur genius grant for her work to understand and reduce health disparities.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem?—Public Health On Call (February, 2022) * Higher Bar For Health Care—Johns Hopkins Magazine
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About this episode: Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some states have imposed severe restrictions on access to abortion. In this episode: New research on what's happened to infant death and birth rates in these states.
Guests: Suzanne Bell is a Johns Hopkins demographer the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health.
Alison Gemmill is a Johns Hopkins demographer and perinatal epidemiologist in the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * After Abortion Bans, Infant Mortality and Births Increased, Research Finds—The New York Times * Two New Studies Provide Broadest Evidence to Date of Unequal Impacts of Abortion Bans—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * More Consequences of Abortion Restrictions: Increases in Infant Deaths in Texas—Public Health On Call (June, 2024) * A landmark study tracks the lasting effect of having an abortion-or being denied one (The Turnaway Study)—NPR * How Can We Solve the Black Maternal Health Crisis—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: During the pandemic, CDC recommendations about masking and other issues were the source of controversy. Some have asked whether the agency can better communicate the basis of its recommendations — and even seek public input along the way—to increase public understanding and acceptance. In today’s episode, Johns Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Joseph Marine and Dr. Peter Lurie of the Center for Science in the Public Interest join the podcast to discuss how the CDC can communicate more transparently to build more public trust.
Guests: Dr. Joseph Marine is a cardiologist and a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Peter Lurie is the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a former Associate Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Applying Class of Recommendations and Level of Evidence to Clinical Strategies, Interventions, Treatments, or Diagnostic Testing in Patient Care—American Heart Association * Building a Better CDC—Public Health On Call (April, 2023)
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About this episode: There’s a lot of flu out there right now, but just how bad is it and by what measures is it “bad”? In today’s episode: How this year’s flu season stacks up against years past, some factors that could be driving such high rates and severe disease, and how bird flu is further complicating things. Also: It’s not too late to get a flu shot!
Guests: Dr. Erica Prochaska is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * U.S. facing worst flu season since 2009, experts say—Axios * The flu has killed 16,000 people this season. These are the states with the worst outbreaks—Fast Company
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About this episode: The FDA is responsible for labeling on food packaging, such as the ubiquitous black and white nutrition label. But consumers could soon see new labels on foods offering more information about nutrition in key areas like sodium, sugar, and saturated fat. In today’s episode: the FDA’s proposed changes for food labeling and new standards for using the term “healthy” in everything from product names to descriptions and marketing.
Guest: Dr. Peter Lurie is the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a former Associate Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * FDA Issues Proposed Rule on Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling—FDA * Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling—FDA * FDA Proposes New Food Labels to Detail Sugar, Fat, and Salt Levels—The New York Times * Who can say it’s healthy? The FDA has a new definition for food labels—NPR
About this episode: Traditional police work has struggled to meet the needs of cities like Rapid City, South Dakota. Often, police are called to address situations that are related to mental health crises, homelessness, and substance use. In this episode: Rapid City’s Chief of Police, Don Hedrick talks about what it means to police with public health in mind, the success of partnerships and outreach, and how a nontraditional approach helped Rapid City address an influx of violent crime.
Guest: Don Hedrick is the Chief of Police of Rapid City, South Dakota and a Bloomberg Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Law Enforcement With A Public Health Lens—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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About this episode: In 1868, the 14th Amendment established birthright citizenship in the United States. In this episode: a look at the court cases, historical events, and people that shaped one of the Constitution’s human rights provisions.
Guest: Martha Jones is a writer, historian and legal scholar, and a professor of history at the SNF Agora Institute.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Dred Scott v. Sandford—National Archives * Opinion of the Maryland Court of Appeals, Hughes v. Jackson (1858)—National Constitution Center * United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898)—National Constitution Center * The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
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About this episode: Research has linked America’s food system with a host of health problems including obesity and heart disease. Advocate Marion Nestle, a food lover and food advocate, wants to change that. In this episode: how she got interested in the food system, the link between food marketing and diet, her excitement around GLP-1 drugs, and what she’ll be watching if RFK Jr. is confirmed as the head of HHS.
Guest: Marion Nestle is a molecular biologist and public health nutritionist known for her advocacy around a better food system for better health in America.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Effects of Food Advertisements on Food Intake and Neural Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Experimental Studies—Advances in Nutrition * Food Marketing and Labeling—Johns Hopkins Center For a Livable Future * First randomized, controlled study finds ultraprocessed diet leads to weight gain—NIH Clinical Center * GLP-1 drug use cuts grocery spending by 6%, study finds—Fooddive
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About this episode: Today, in another episode in a series of podcasts exploring vaccine basics from the molecular level to global policy and everything in between: The Vaccines For Children Program is a CDC program that provides recommended vaccines without charge to about half of the nation’s children. In this episode: the program’s origins in a terrifying measles outbreak, how the program works, and what the evidence shows about its success.
Guest: Claire Hannan is the executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, a nonprofit organization that helps state public health agencies operate immunization programs.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Vaccines For Children Program—CDC Website * The $8 Billion Children’s Vaccine Fund Kennedy Would Oversee—The New York Times
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About this episode: Today, in another episode in a series of podcasts exploring vaccine basics from the molecular level to global policy and everything in between: how compensation for most vaccine-related injuries works in the U.S. Serious vaccine injuries are rare, but when they do happen, people can bring their claims to a special court. In today’s episode, Judge Gary Golkiewicz, a “special master” of the United States Court of Federal Claims, talks about how the program works, how often it’s utilized, and what’s needed to help the program improve.
Guest: Gary Golkiewicz is a litigator and the former Chief Special Master for the United States Court of Federal Claims.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Vaccines 101: The Basics of Vaccines and Vaccination—Public Health On Call (January, 2025) * Vaccines 101: Vaccine Safety Science—Public Health On Call (January, 2025) * The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program—Health Resources & Services Administration * Vaccine Injury Table (pdf)—Health Resources & Services Administration * Vaccine Claims/Office of Special Masters—United States Court of Federal Claims
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About this episode: Today, in the next episode in a series of podcasts exploring vaccine basics: the science of vaccine safety. In this episode, a look at what’s unique about vaccine safety compared to the safety of other medical products, and how experts tell the difference between an adverse effect that is "causal" and one that is "coincidental."
Guest: Dan Salmon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Institute For Vaccine Safety.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Vaccines 101: The Basics of Vaccines and Vaccination—Public Health On Call (January, 2025) * What VAERS Is (And Isn’t)—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Let’s Talk Shots—The Institute for Vaccine Safety
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About this episode: A tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas City is one of the largest in recent history. Risk to the general public remains low, but the outbreak itself could be a signal of a seriously strained public health system. In today’s episode: an overview of tuberculosis including how it spreads and who is most at risk, and what the Kansas City outbreak means for public health. Also: How the U.S.’s departure from the WHO could impact the fight against the world’s leading infectious disease killer.
Guest: Dr. David Dowdy is an infectious disease epidemiologist, a tuberculosis researcher, and the executive vice dean for academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Major tuberculosis outbreak hits Kansas City—Reuters * The Promise of TB Vaccines—International Vaccine Access Center * Why Tuberculosis, An Ancient Disease, Remains a Public Health Threat—Public Health On Call (December, 2023)
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About this episode: On Friday, January 31, a number of important datasets and pages housed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website became inaccessible. In this episode: Dr. Nirav Shah, a member of the advisory committee to the director of the CDC and co-chair of the advisory committee’s data and surveillance workgroup talks about the critical work of the CDC and the value of its data sets, and the questions being asked about what’s going on. Note: Dr. Josh Sharfstein, producer and regular podcast host, is also a member of the advisory committee and a co-signer of the letter mentioned in this episode. As always, these podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guest: Dr. Nirav R. Shah is a senior scholar at Stanford University’s Clinical Excellence Research Center. He serves as a member of the advisory committee for the Director of the CDC and co-chair of the advisory committee’s data and surveillance workgroup.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * CDC’s Advisers Demand Agency Provide Answers On Removal Of ‘Critical’ Health Data—HuffPost * CDC advisers push agency to explain data removal, say when info will be restored—STAT
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About this episode: Since the mapping of the human genome in 2003, scientists have sought data from Indigenous and isolated populations. But often that research doesn’t translate into better health care for the groups whose biological specimens informed it. In this episode: all about the Native Biodata Consortium, a research organization that collects, stores, and shares data from indigenous environments and communities.
Guest: Joseph Yracheta, Pūrepecha, is a biomedical researcher and the executive director of the Native Biodata Consortium.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx)—The National Institutes of Health * Native Americans Graves Protection and Repatriation Act—National Park Service * Tribal Data Repository—Data for Indigenous Innovations, Interventions and Implementations
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About this episode: Thanks to vaccines, most people under a certain age have no memory of the devastation and terror caused by the poliovirus. Although widely eliminated, polio still poses a threat in certain countries around the world. Waning vaccination rates in pockets of the U.S. mean some communities are at risk of a resurgence. In this episode: a look back at polio before vaccines, and how technology has evolved—including a discussion about a previous version of the vaccine that did, in rare instances, actually cause paralytic polio.
Guest: Dr. Bill Moss is the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * How Lagging Vaccination Could Lead to a Polio Resurgence—The New York Times * The Polio Outbreak and What Needs to be Done to Eradicate the Virus Globally—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: President Trump’s executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO could have lasting implications on the health and wellbeing of the world, and on the American people. In today’s episode, the essential roles that the WHO plays both for the U.S. and around the globe, America’s imperfect relationship with the institution, and the potential consequences of a U.S. exit.
Guest: Dr. Judd Walson is an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist, and the chair of the department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Reflecting on the US Withdrawal from the World Health Organization—Infection Control Today * What Leaving the WHO Means For the U.S. and the World—Time Magazine
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About this episode: The first of a series of podcasts about vaccine basics from the molecular level to global policy and everything in between. What actually are vaccines and how do they work? In this episode: back to basics on vaccines and immunology with Dr. Arturo Casadevall and Dr. Josh Sharfstein, including a discussion on why we still don’t have a vaccine for HIV.
Guest: Arturo Casadevall is chair of the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and an infectious disease physician with more than 30 years of experience studying vaccines.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * How do we know that vaccines work?–HHS * Understanding the Impact and Importance of Childhood Vaccinations—Yale School of Public Health
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About this episode: In the first few days of President Trump’s second term he signed a blitz of executive actions. In today’s episode: a look at some of the actions and memos that take aim at key public health policies including the communications pause for health and science agencies, a pause on NIH study sections, immediate posturing on DEI initiatives, exiting the Paris Agreement and WHO, and more. Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guest: Dr. Josh Sharfstein served in a number of political roles in his career including as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, and as a Congressional health policy advisor.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Memo: Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications (pdf)—Department of Health & Human Services * Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing—White House Executive Order * Putting America First In International Environmental Agreements—White House Executive Order * Withdrawing the United States From the World Health Organization—White House Executive Order * Federal health agencies told to halt all external communications—NPR * Trump administration halts NIH grant-making process—The Hill * Trump is withdrawing the U.S. from WHO. Here’s what that means—Science News * Statement From Dr. Richard Besser on DEI and Health—The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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About this episode: Throughout history, humans have been engaged in public health work. In a new book, epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers shares lessons from past outbreaks, what’s changed since COVID-19, and how, at a difficult moment for public health, she’s thinking about the future and keeping a watchful eye on mpox, H5N1, and more.
Guest: Caitlin Rivers is an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who specializes in preparedness and response for epidemics and pandemics.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Dr. Caitlin Rivers’ New Book ‘Crisis Averted’ Explores Public Health Lessons and Provides Insights for Future Pandemic Preparedness—The Center for Health Security
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About this episode: As the administration in Washington DC changes, where will public health be able to work across partisan lines to improve the health of all Americans? A conversation with Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation.
Guest: Brian Castrucci is president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, a philanthropy dedicated to supporting state and local public health agencies.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Health Action Alliance * What the Senate Needs to hear from RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz—US News and World Report
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About this episode: The FDA’s ban on the use of Red Dye No. 3 raises two questions — why is this color additive leaving the food supply? And what does this mean for other chemicals in the foods we eat? In this episode: a discussion about how the FDA regulates food additives, and how that might change in the future. A note for listeners: By the end of this episode, you will understand why “GRAS reform” is not about cannabis.
Guest: Howard Sklamberg is the former deputy commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a legal expert in FDA compliance and enforcement.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * What to Know About the Ban on Red Dye No. 3 in Food—The New York Times * Red #3’s Swan Song: The Science Behind the FDA’s Latest Decision—Unbiased Science * A New Law To Enhance the Safety of Cosmetics—Public Health On Call (February 2023) * The U.S. Food Safety System—Public Health On Call
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About this episode: Conversations about fluoride in the water supply are revving up but a key factor in the debate is the legal framework. In this episode: a discussion about the relevant law for assessing fluoride added to drinking water known as the Toxic Substances Control Act—a law limited to a focus on risk, not benefit—and what that means for emerging science and policy discussions around fluoridating water.
Guest: Dr. Lynn Goldman is a pediatrician, the dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, and an expert in environmental health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * EPA ‘in a really tough spot’ after landmark fluoride ruling—E&E News, Politico * The Benefits and Risks of Fluoride, Explained—New York Times * Fluoride’s PR Nightmare—Unbiased Science * Fluoride Face-Off: Court Ruling Challenges, But Science Stands Firm—Unbiased Science
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About this episode: The U.S.’s first reported human death from bird flu is another sign that the virus is not going away anytime soon. In this episode: why it’s time to double down on efforts to limit H5N1 transmission among cattle and birds, concerns about cats and other mammals, and how response measures need to scale up quickly and more broadly to try and prevent the virus from gaining a foothold in humans. The experts also discuss why bird flu poses an existential threat to the dairy industry.
Guests: Dr. Meghan Davis is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine.
Dr. Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering. Host:
Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Bird flu H5N1 claims first human life in U.S.: “We remain vigilant”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette * Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza—USDA * Defend The Flock: Biosecurity Practices—USDA
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About this episode: A new report from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative finds that the U.S. lags behind many other high-income countries in life expectancy. In this report, researchers found that babies born 40 years ago in the U.S. and U.K could expect to live to the same age. Today, however, life expectancy is nearly three years shorter for those on our side of the Atlantic Ocean. In this episode: a look at the four main causes of death driving this gap—all of which are preventable—and how one of the world’s richest countries that spends the most on healthcare is continually failing to improve the health of its people.
Guest: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * A Tale of Two Countries: The Life Expectancy Gap Between the United States and the United Kingdom—The Bloomberg American Health Initiative * Americans Die Younger Than U.K. Counterparts Due to Four Preventable Causes—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Expanding Access to Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Carceral Settings—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: Hearing declines for everyone as we get older, no matter what we do. As it declines, it can cause health problems like cognitive decline and brain atrophy, and is directly linked with Alzheimer’s. But there are ways to understand and reduce these impacts including over-the-counter hearing aids and a new app where people can test their hearing on their smartphone. In this episode: a conversation about a health issue that will impact all of us to some degree, and how technology is helping to address impacts early and upend the stigma of hearing loss.
Guest: Dr. Frank Lin is the director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health and a professor of otolaryngology, medicine, mental health, and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Episode transcript * How and Why to Learn Your Hearing Numbers * Download the Hearing Number app for iOS (App Store) or Android (Google Play)
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About this episode: Science communication is a vital skillset for public health practitioners. But what does it really take to cut through the noise? In today’s episode, Katelyn Jetelina, the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about the art and science of science communication, and why it’s less about being right and more about a commitment to changing the way people think.
Guest: Dr. Katelyn Jetelina is an epidemiologist and scientific communicator. She is the co-founder of Health Trust Initiative, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health, and a Senior Scientific Advisor to several government and non-profit agencies, including the CDC. In addition, Dr. Jetelina is the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Your Local Epidemiologist * Public Health Professionals Must Engage The Public. Communications Training Is Key.—Forbes
About this episode: On December 3, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative held its annual summit. This year, the theme really marked the moment: Advancing Public Health in Uncertain Political Times. In today’s episode, you’ll hear three conversations from the Summit about how public health can provide a roadmap for making needed progress. First: how public health data and evidence provide context for judicial decisions. Then, how a public health lens is helping to address the issue of gun violence. And finally, how to find common ground on mental health and addiction.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * 2024 Bloomberg American Health Summit—YouTube * Public Health At Work in Uncertain Times: A Recap of the 2024 Bloomberg American Health Summit * Hopkins Judicial Health Notes * What The White House Office of Gun Violence Has Accomplished In Its First Year—Everytown For Gun Safety * Bipartisan Mental Health In Schools Excellence Act
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About this episode: For decades, regular mammograms to detect breast cancer have been recommended for women ages 50-75. In 2024, the age range dropped to include women 40-49 as well. But what do we really know about mammography as a tool to save lives? Are all scans created equal? What is the risk/benefit analysis to upping the number of screenings a woman is recommended to receive in her lifetime? In today’s episode: a deep dive into the evidence around mammography, and a look at the new guidelines—including the controversy around them.
Guest: Dr. Otis Brawley is a globally-recognized expert in cancer prevention and control whose work focuses on developing cancer screening strategies and ensuring their effectiveness. He is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in epidemiology with a joint appointment in oncology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He was the former Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Final Recommendation Statement: Breast Cancer Screening—U.S. Preventive Services Task Force * The Rise of Colorectal Cancer Among Younger People—Public Health On Call (June 2024)
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About this episode: The day after the 2024 presidential election, Joe Amon—the brand new director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights—was set to give a speech for a panel about health discrimination. But the one he’d prepared wasn’t going to cut it for a moment suddenly marked by uncertainty and change. He pivoted to a different message: one that acknowledges that public health doesn’t have everything figured out, and that it works best when it’s viewed as a social movement. In this episode: a moment of reflection for the field, considerations of some of the challenges that lay ahead, and the critical importance of thinking about public health as a human right. Note: You can read an adaptation of the speech in the link below.
Guest: Joe Amon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Post-Election Public Health Needs to Keep On Keeping On—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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About this episode: Well into the respiratory illness season, there’s been a rise in cases of walking pneumonia compared to recent years, particularly among children. In this episode: an overview of walking pneumonia; how it’s tested, treated, and prevented; and what parents and caregivers should look out for in children.
Guests: Dr. Anna Sick-Samuels is an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of medicine and a pediatric infectious disease epidemiologist for Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infections Have Been Increasing—CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases * Walking pneunomia cases are rising among kids. Here’s what to know.—The Washington Post * All About Parvovirus—Public Health On Call (September, 2024)
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About this episode: Ten years ago, Flint, Michigan was in the headlines for its catastrophic water crisis. Now, it’s on the map for a very different public health story: the success of the country’s first unconditional cash program for expecting mothers and babies in their first year of life. The concept is not new, however—it’s rooted in decades of evidence that cash programs help address root causes of poverty and can truly give kids a better start in life. Note: This episode was recorded in late October, prior to the 2024 presidential election. Note: Donations to Rx Kids can be made via GiveDirectly.
Guest: Dr. Mona Hanna is a pediatrician, the associate dean for public health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and the director of Rx Kids.
Dr. Miriam Laker-Oketta is the global director of research for GiveDirectly—the program that administers Rx Kids.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Rx Kids—Flint, Michigan’s Cash Allowances for New Parents—Public Health On Call (September, 2023) * Results from the Rx Kids Participant Survey & Maternal Wellbeing Research Study (pdf) * Every new mom in this U.S. city is now getting cash aid for a year—NPR * A New Kind of Disaster Aid: Pay People Cash, Before Disaster Strikes—NY Times * Protecting the health of children with universal child cash benefits—ScienceDirect * As federal aid shrinks, communities try new ways to tackle child poverty on their own—NPR
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About this episode: Lingering environmental policy legacies from Trump’s last administration may be harbingers for what’s to come in 2025. Concerns include widespread deregulation leading to increased use of fossil fuels and a lack of vigilance around protecting drinking water and air quality. But it isn’t just the EPA itself that’s in peril: Major shift towards the politicization of climate change, and the disempowering of scientists and agencies in the court system could create lasting—and even irreversible—impacts to human health. In this episode: a look at what Trump’s second term may mean for environmental health, and why it will be crucial for policymakers and scientists to galvanize around innovation and local action.
Guests: Dr. Tom Burke is an emeritus professor at Johns Hopkins and a former top official with the Environmental Protection Agency in the Obama administration.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * New poll indicates that voters support the EPA—NM Political Report * SCOTUS—Not The EPA—Is Now Regulating Environmental Protection—Public Health On Call (August, 2024) * Why The Supreme Court Ruling on The EPA Isn’t The End of Fighting Climate Change (2022)—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: Outbreaks of H5N1 continue to rise in dairy cattle and poultry, and human cases are also starting to creep up including a Canadian teen who was hospitalized in critical condition. In this episode: the latest on viral sequencing and patterns of spread, the potential for economic impacts and interruptions in the food supply, risks to the general public, and concerns about how an administration change in January may impact public health’s ability to mount a sufficient response.
Guest: Dr. Meghan Davis is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine.
Dr. Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Why a teenager’s bird flu infection is ringing alarm bells for scientists—Nature * ‘We are not testing enough’: new US bird flu cases stoke fears over poor response—The Guardian
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About this episode: Baltimore’s iconic Inner Harbor is like a highway for massive ships. It’s also been a dumping ground for chemicals and pollutants, and every time it rains, stormwater runoff brings sewage and trash from miles inland. But in 2010, a coalition announced the Healthy Harbor initiative—a plan to make Baltimore’s famous waterfront swimmable and fishable by 2020. In June 2024, the city held its first public swim in the harbor in more than 40 years. It took nearly a decade and a half to pull it off—and some say, it’s only the beginning. In this special episode of Public Health On Call, we look at four ways Baltimore activists, coalitions, agencies, scientists, and residents came together to fight for a swimmable and fishable harbor: getting people’s attention, collecting data, mitigating sewage, and battling against trash.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore City—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Episode transcript
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About this episode: Water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century. Yet for as long as there has been fluoride in the water, some have raised concerns about its safety. In this episode: the history of water fluoridation, its enormous benefits for preventing tooth decay, and the recent wave of interest in whether fluoridation policies should change.
Guest: Dr. Charlotte Lewis is a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s, a professor at UW Medicine, and an expert on infant and child nutrition and oral health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Skeletal Fluorosis Due to Excessive Tea Drinking—The New England Journal of Medicine * Fluoride Exposure: Neurodevelopment and Cognition—National Toxicology Program * AAP stands by recommendations for low fluoride levels to prevent caries—American Academy of Pediatrics
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About this episode: For nearly 30 years, Judge David Tatel served on the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. But his rising legal career corresponded with his declining vision–a fact he tried to hide. Now, Tatel credits his blindness (and his guide dog Vixen) for helping him evolve as a judge and a person. In this episode: a look at Judge Tatel’s astonishing career, his take on how SCOTUS is blurring the lines between judging and policymaking, what science and the legal system have in common, and his experience learning to live with blindness.
Guest: Judge David Tatel served nearly 30 years as a Clinton appointee in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. His recent book is “Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice.”
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * A Supreme Court Case That’s a “Big Deal” For Public Health—Public Health On Call (January, 2023) * This Judge Is Blind. He Wishes Our Justice System Were, Too—The New York Times
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About this episode: In the wake of the presidential election, many people are feeling big emotions like shock, disbelief, anger, and fear. Psychological first aid is a process that can help “take the sting out of injury” and chart a way forward after disruptive, upsetting events. In this episode: an explanation of the process and how people can use the framework to start to regain control and feel empowered to meet the moment and construct a better future. Note: If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call 988 for immediate emotional support.
Guest: Dr. George Everly is a world-renowned expert in disaster mental health, crisis intervention, and psychological first aid.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Psychological First Aid—Coursera (free course) * The Power of Psychological First Aid—Hopkins Medicine
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About this episode: A new documentary, “Shot in the Arm,” looks at the modern anti-vaccine movement from its opposition to the measles vaccine in 2019 through the pandemic and its opposition to COVID vaccination. Filmmaker Scott Kennedy joins the podcast to talk about about the five-year project of creating the film, including details from his hour-long interview with a leading voice in the movement, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Guest: Scott Kennedy is an Academy Award nominated writer, director, producer, and documentarian. He is known for films such as The Garden and Our Town. Shot in the Arm is his most recent film.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Shot in the Arm—PBS * Deadly measles outbreak hits children in Samoa after anti-vaccine fears—Washington Post * Once struggling, antivaccine groups have enjoyed a pandemic windfall—NBC News * 7 things about vaccines and autism that the movie ‘Vaxxed’ won’t tell you—Washington Post
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About this episode: There’s a lot of speculation in the media about what Trump’s second term might mean for health and health policy. In this episode: a look at some of the headlines from this week and what we might see in the next four years around vaccines, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, contraceptives, the federal workforce, immigration, and global health programs.
Guest: Dr. Josh Sharfstein served in a number of political roles in his career including as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, and as a Congressional health policy advisor.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * After Trump win, RFK Jr. says he won’t ‘take away anybody’s vaccines’—NBC News * With ACA subsidies set to expire in 2023, millions of Americans stand to lose health insurance—CBS News * Trump’s win could accelerate the privatization of Medicare—NPR * What Trump has said about birth control, and what he could do as president—ABC News * How Trump Could Upend DC’s federal workforce—Axios * A Trump second term could bring another family separation crisis—Vox * What a Trump presidency means for global health—The Conversation * The 2024 Election Series: What’s At Stake For Immigrants and Immigration—Public Health On Call (October, 2024) * The Mental Health of Migrant Children—Public Health On Call (July, 2024) * The Health Care Crisis at The U.S.-Mexico Border Part 1: Children and Families—Public Health On Call (April, 2024) * The Health Care Crisis at The U.S.-Mexico Border Part 2: Border Walls and Traumatic Brain and Spinal Injuries—Public Health On Call (May, 2024)
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About this episode: In this episode: an update on the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis (whooping cough) in the U.S. Globally, a look at the mpox vaccine and exciting news about two brand new vaccines for malaria and TB in the pipeline.
Guest: Dr. Bill Moss is the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * With Cases Rising, What You Need To Know About Whooping Cough—U.S. News & World Report * Measles cases are up and childhood vaccinations are down—NPR * Mpox cases in Congo may be stabilizing. Experts say more vaccines are needed to stamp out virus.—AP News * Candidate malaria vaccine provides lasting protection in NIH-sponsored trials—NIH * Every year, tuberculosis kil
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About this episode: From frozen waffles to deli meat and even fast food burgers, outbreaks of foodborne illnesses seem to be everywhere. But are they happening more often or is our surveillance system just getting better? And how do bacteria like listeria and E. coli survive the manufacturing process, and persist long enough to sicken and even kill consumers? In today’s episode: a look at foodborne pathogens and how they persist, the U.S. food safety system, and how you can take precautions at home and when you go out to eat.
Guests: Dr. Meghan Davis is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine.
Dr. D’Ann Williams is a former food safety official and an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Active Investigations of Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks—CDC * Food recalls in the U.S. spike due to Listeria, Salmonella, and allergens—Food Safety News
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About this episode: CRISPR technology can edit genetic codes, making it possible to cure people of terrible diseases, among other uses. But its power is not fully understood—even by the scientists and researchers who use it—and the technology far outpaces conversations about ethics and regulations. In this episode: that we know and don’t know about CRISPR, and why it’s critical for these conversations to happen everywhere from boardrooms to legislative assemblies to film and TV scripts.
Guest: Dr. Neil Baer is a lecturer in global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School, an award-winning television writer and producer, and editor of a new book: The Promise and Peril of CRISPR.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * ‘Who are we to say they shouldn’t exist?’: Dr. Neal Baer on the threat of CRISPR-driven eugenics—Live Science * His baby gene editing shocked ethicists. Now he’s in the lab again—NPR * Seven diseases CRISPR technology could cure—Labiotech
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About this episode: Dr. Jirair Ratevosian was a high level global health official in the State Department—a job he left to pursue a Congressional seat in California’s 30th district. In this episode, he details what it takes to run for Congress (including knocking on more than 30,000 doors) and how he talked about public health with voters. Spoiler alert: He didn’t win, but he did learn a lot and is hopeful that Congress can again be a place where people go to solve problems.
Guests: Dr. Jirair Ratevosian is an associate research scientist at Yale, an infectious disease fellow at Duke, and a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * What Running For Congress As An HIV Activist Has Taught Me—The Body * Congressional Hopeful Jirair Ratevosian on Armenia, LGBTQ+ Rights, and the American Dream—Advocate
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About this episode: The rise of misinformation and the appeal of “alternative medicine” is coupled with a decline in trust of the U.S. health care system. In a new book, Dr. Sara Gorman explains how an inaccessible health care system has fed the rise of misinformation and what policymakers and providers need to do to earn back some credibility.
Guests: Dr. Sara Gorman is a public health researcher and author of a new book called “The Anatomy of Deception: Conspiracy Theories, Distrust, and Public Health in America.”
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Who is most vulnerable to misinformation?—Psychology Today * The burden of medical debt in the United States—Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker * A Playbook For Addressing Health Misinformation—Public Health On Call (March, 2024)
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About this episode: Since the 2022 Dobbs decision, women’s healthcare in the U.S.—which was already underperforming in everything from access to maternal mortality rates—has faced a new set of challenges. In today's episode: All about a Commonwealth Fund report that updates the status of women’s health care and reproductive health across the nation and why even services not related to reproductive care—like cancer screenings and having a primary care provider—have been disrupted.
Guests: Dr. Sara Collins is senior scholar and vice president for health care coverage and access and tracking health system performance at The Commonwealth Fund.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * 2024 State Scorecard on Women’s Health and Reproductive Care—The Commonwealth Fund * These are the states that rank highest and lowest for women’s health in new report—CNN * How Does Your State Rank on Women’s Health and Reproductive Care?—Ms. Magazine * OB-GYN Training and Practice in Dobbs’ Shadow—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health
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About this episode: Respiratory syncytial virus can be particularly dangerous for older adults and infants and this year, for the first time, there are three approved and readily available products to help prevent severe disease: A vaccine for pregnant women and people over age 65, and an antibody treatment for infants born during RSV season. In this episode: all about these products and the promise they show for dramatically reducing the number of hospitalizations and deaths from RSV this year.
Guests: Dr. Georgina Peacock is the director of the Immunization Services Division in the National Center on Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Surveillance of RSV—CDC * Why So Many Babies Didn’t Get RSV Vaccines This Winter—Public Health On Call (February, 2024)
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About this episode: In 1994, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act—the first comprehensive federal legislation to recognize the often-overlooked dangers of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other gender-based violence. In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, researchers Tiara Willie and Michelle Decker join the podcast to talk about the legislation’s initial goals, why gender-based violence is still a neglected issue 30 years later, and how far we still have to go in truly protecting all women from violence.
Guests: Tiara Willie is a Bloomberg Assistant Professor of American Health in mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a researcher in gender-based violence, mental health, and sexual health.
Michele Decker is a Bloomberg Professor of American Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is the founder and director of the Center for Global Women’s Health and Gender Equity at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Proclamation on the 30th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act—The White House Briefing Room * Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls—Public Health On Call (September, 2023) * The first office for missing and murdered Black women and girls set for Minnesota–NPR * The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting—Public Health On Call (February, 2024)
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About this episode: What will the Presidential election mean for immigration—and for immigrants? A look at how each administration might approach one of the most polarizing issues on voters’ minds. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guests: Kiara Álvarez is an immigration and behavioral health equity researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Sarah Polk is a pediatrician at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the co-director of pediatrics at CentroSOL.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Health Care Crisis at the U.S.-Mexico Border Part 1: Children and Families–Public Health On Call (April, 2024) * The Health Care Crisis at the U.S.-Mexico Border Part 2: Border Walls and Traumatic Brain and Spinal Injuries–Public Health On Call (May, 2024)
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About this episode: An outbreak of Marburg virus, one of the deadliest viruses in the world, has been reported in Rwanda. In this episode: an overview of the rare, hemorrhagic fever with an 88% mortality rate and how it's impacting Rwanda, and why we’re seeing more and more instances of zoonotic disease spillovers.
Guest: Kari Debbink is a virologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Marburg Outbreak in Rwanda Situation Summary—CDC * WHO: cases at border and capital among Marburg concerns in Rwanda—CIDRAP
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About this episode: The grand opening of a new research hub in Rapid City, South Dakota marks an exciting moment for the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. The Hub will bring together community members and researchers to advance the Center’s lifesaving work in a central—and meaningful—location. In this episode: a look at some of the Hub’s first projects including lung cancer and diabetes research, and the Center’s approaches through the lenses of scientific rigor and unique cultural strengths.
Guest: Dr. Donald Warne is co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Grand opening of Great Plains Hub for Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health—Native Sun News * Johns Hopkins indigenous health hub comes to Rapid City—SDPB Radio * The Power of Positive Childhood Experiences—Public Health on Call (April, 2024) * Why the Health of Indigenous People Impacts Us All—Public Health on Call (October, 2022)
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About this episode: A look at the frontlines of the response 13 days after Hurricane Helene hit Tennessee—the state’s most devastating natural disaster in history. County commissioners Dr. Robert Acuff and Danny Deal report from the Elizabethton Municipal Airport which has become a staging area for relief supplies. Note: In the podcast, the commissioners request that supplies such as propane heaters and cylinders, and kerosene heaters, containers, and pumps can be sent to the attention of Commissioner Danny Deal at 415 Highway 91, Elizabethton, TN 37643. For updated information and a list of urgent needs, please check the links in the show notes.
Guest: Dr. Robert Acuff and Danny Deal are both commissioners of Carter County in Elizabethton, TN, on the border with North Carolina.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center Urgent Needs List—Facebook * TEMA’s Hurricane Helene disaster updates * Hurricane Helene Updates—Knoxville News Sentinel
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About this episode: Gun violence is a top-of-mind issue for Americans and there are evidence-based solutions for prevention. In this episode: a focus on the stark differences between potential Trump and Harris presidencies when it comes to addressing gun violence. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guests: Cass Crifasi is co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
Josh Horwitz is co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
JosHost: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * President Biden and Vice President Harris Announce Additional Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Save Lives—White House Briefing Room Statement, September, 2024 * 2023 Results: National Survey of Gun Policy—Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions * The National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center * Oregon’s Measure 114: Reducing Gun Violence By State Referendum—Public Health On Call Podcast (November, 2022)
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About this episode: One year after the Hamas attacks, the Israel-Hamas war remains among the most intractable and violent situations in the world. Today, an episode from the archives about peacebuilding to help solve violent conflicts and rebuild societies through nonviolent means. Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Michael Shipler, vice president of Search for Common Ground, an international peacebuilding non-governmental organization.
Guest: Michael Shipler, vice president of Search for Common Ground, an international peacebuilding NGO.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
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About this episode: Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic force seemed to catch many by surprise, especially those living in western North Carolina. The focus is now on the response, but it’s clear from the devastation that old playbooks for preparedness and readiness must change to consider new risks in a new reality. In this episode: a conversation about what emergency responders are already learning in the aftermath of Helene and why nowhere is really “safe” from climate change.
Guest: Dr. Joseph Barbera is the co-director of the George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Why Helene’s floods caught North Carolina off-guard—Washington Post * Meteorology and Climate Change—Public Health On Call Podcast (July, 2024) * Coping With The Psychological Aftermath of The Collapse of The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore—Public Health On Call Podcast (April, 2024) * Disaster Planning For Extreme Weather—Public Health On Call Podcast (September, 2023)
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About this episode: Public health is often invisible: when things go well, people don’t die and “nothing happens.” But the lifesaving work of public health relies on a powerful infrastructure that includes the FDA, the CDC, the EPA and other federal agencies. In this episode, a look at how public health necessities like disease prevention, and food that’s safe to eat and water that’s safe to drink could fare under each potential administration. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guest: Dr. Georges Benjamin is the executive director of the American Public Health Administration and a former secretary of Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * SCOTUS—Not the EPA—Is Now Regulating Environmental Protection—Public Health On Call Podcast (August, 2024) * Georges Benjamin on Mending the Broken Public Health System Post-COVID 19—Public Health On Call Podcast (April, 2021)
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About this episode: What will the Presidential election mean for health care? A look at the candidates’ priorities and track records for the future of the Affordable Care Act and health care coverage and cost. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guest: Gerard Anderson, PhD, is an expert in health policy and a professor in Health Policy and Management and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Medicare and Drug Pricing—Public Health On Call Podcast (September, 2022) * Prescription Drug Costs Driven By Manufacturer Price Hikes, Not Innovation—NPR Shots * The Johns Hopkins Drug Access and Affordability Initiative
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About this episode: Abortion access is on the ballot nationwide this November. In this episode: a look at proposed bans and protections across the state and federal levels, and the long-term implications of judicial decisions. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guest: Joanne Rosen is an expert in public health law and a co-director of the Center for Law and the Public’s Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Mifepristone and EMTALA SCOTUS Rulings: A Holding Pattern—Public Health On Call Podcast (July, 2024) * Abortion Restrictions and the Threat to Women’s Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: The 2024 presidential election lands at a critical time in global public health. In this episode: a look at the potential implications for the U.S.’s future relationships with global health institutions like the World Health Organization and funding of initiatives on HIV and other challenges. Also covered: the connection between US domestic policy and US global health engagement. Please note that the opinions expressed in this episode/event belong solely to those interviewed. As a nonprofit entity, the Johns Hopkins University cannot take a position for or against any candidate running for elected office. Information is being provided solely for academic or educational purposes and is not an endorsement of any individual candidate.
Guest: Thomas Bollyky is an expert in health policy law and the inaugural Bloomberg Chair in Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Trump Threatens to Shut Down Pandemic Preparedness Office Launched by Biden—Time * Why The World’s Most Lifesaving AIDS Program is in Danger—Public Health On Call Podcast (December, 2023) * Global Cooperation and the COVID-19 Vaccine—Public Health On Call Podcast (August, 2020)
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About this episode: Safer supply is a harm reduction tool that involves making regulated pharmaceuticals available for people who use drugs. In today’s episode: The safer supply model explained, and why some experts are saying it is time to give it a try.
Guests: Becky Genberg is an epidemiologist studying the intersection substance use and infectious diseases.
Danielle German studies drug use and harm reduction.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * It’s not just opioids. New drugs make it harder to fight Baltimore’s overdose crisis—The Baltimore Banner * The New Federal Regulations Aimed At Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—Public Health On Call (April, 2024) * In Rural Maryland Counties, Communities Fight Back Against the Opioid Crisis—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine (2018)
About this episode: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is primarily diagnosed in childhood, but a lack of understanding about this neurodevelopmental disorder means many adults have lived their entire lives with undiagnosed ADHD. As we age, a certain degree of forgetfulness or decreased ability to mentally multitask is expected but then how can you tell what’s normal from what could be cognitive impairment or undiagnosed ADHD? In this episode: How ADHD diagnosis and treatment in later adulthood can change lives and potentially stave off further cognitive decline.
Guest: Dr. David Goodman is a Johns Hopkins psychiatrist and the director of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Center of Maryland.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Why Are So Many Adults Being Diagnosed With ADHD?—Public Health On Call (June, 2024) * Evidence-Based Education on ADHD in Adults—ADHD in Adults * A Critical Need Ignored: Inadequate Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD After Age 60—ADDitude Magazine
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About this episode: Last month, the CDC issued an alert about an increase in parvovirus, a respiratory disease that is common for children but can be very serious in people with certain medical conditions. In today’s episode: all about parvovirus and why it’s yet another reason to wash your hands regularly.
Guest: Dr. Erica Prochaska is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Increase in Human Parvovirus B19 Activity in the United States—CDC * What to know about the ‘slapped cheek’ virus uptick in the U.S.—NPR
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About this episode: Playing video games has long been seen as an isolating activity, but the world of online gaming is anything but. Platforms like Twitch and Discord are home to thriving communities of players who connect over games and strategies. Researchers are also finding that they offer unique opportunities for peer support and mental health programs. In today’s episode: A study looked into how one online gaming community, the Stack Up Overwatch Program, is providing mental health and crisis support—including suicide prevention—for military members and veterans.
Guest: Michelle Colder Carras is a digital mental health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She specializes in video games, online communities and digital wellbeing, as well as research leadership by community members.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Online Peer Support and Crisis Prevention: Evaluating the Stack Up Overwatch Program’s Impact—Psychiatric Services, American Psychiatric Association * Mind Games: Hitting Restart on the Public Health Conversation Around Gaming—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine (2017)
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About this episode: When should you get your COVID/flu shots? How long can a COVID vaccine really protect you from infection? Why do we have summer waves of COVID but not flu or RSV? Will we ever see a flu/COVID combo shot? A virologist answers questions as we gear up for respiratory virus season.
Guest: Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * What to Know About the Updated COVID Vaccine for Fall, Winter 2024-25—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Why COVID Surges in the Summer—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: School nurses are charged with helping to maintain the health and well-being of every student in their care which goes way beyond providing basic first aid. Today, the podcast goes back to school at KIPP Baltimore, an open enrollment charter school serving pre-K to 8th grade students. Nurse Erica and Nurse Lily talk about their work providing health care to nearly 1,000 students, and what they’re thinking about for the year ahead for everything from infectious diseases to eye screenings.
Guest: Erica Johnson and Lily Mendelson are school nurses at KIPP Baltimore.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * What School Nurses Want Parents to Know—The New York Times * More Cases of Measles in the United States—Public Health On Call (June, 2024)
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About this episode: Now in its 21st year, PEPFAR—the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief which launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush—still has ending the HIV epidemic in its sights. It’s now at a critical juncture with an expanding toolbox of exciting treatments and, simultaneously, eroding bipartisan support from Congress.
Guest: Dr. Mike Reid is the Chief Science Officer in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir or Daily F/TAF for HIV Prevention in Cisgender Women—The New England Journal of Medicine * Why The World’s Most Lifesaving AIDS Program is in Danger—Public Health On Call podcast (December, 2023) * A Conversation With The Experts on Ending The HIV Epidemic—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: The discovery of a new clade of C. auris—a fungus the WHO has declared a “critical pathogen”—has ignited new fears about the fungi’s ability to evolve beyond infection control measures. C. auris already poses significant—and lethal—risks to hospitals and patients worldwide and, with global warming, medicine should expect more emerging fungal infections that are resistant to existing treatments. In today’s episode: C. auris’s evolution, the climate change factor, and what’s needed to prevent infections before treatment options fail.
Guest: Arturo Casadevall is chair of the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a global expert in host defense mechanisms, fungi, and antibody-based therapies. He is also co-author of the book What If Fungi Win? with Stephanie Desmon.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also co-author of the book What If Fungi Win? with Dr. Casadevall.
Show links and related content: * Worsening Spread of Candida auris in the United States, 2019-2021—Annals of Internal Medicine * What If Fungi Win? (book)—Johns Hopkins Press * Candida auris: A Yeast to Fear—Public Health On Call Podcast (archive) * The Rise of Invasive Fungi—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Why Fungal Diseases Are An Increasing Threat–Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * On the Emergence of Candida auris: Climate Change, Azoles, Swamps, and Birds—mBio
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About this episode: When evaluating programs, policies, and interventions, how do you know if they’re working? In today’s episode: The science (and art!) of biostatistics, and an exploration of the question: How can we design studies to find out if there really is a relationship between A and B?
Guest: Elizabeth Stuart is the chair of the department of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Better Debates, Better Decisions: Causality Assessment in Population Health—The Milbank Quarterly
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About this episode: Health diplomacy is how countries work together to advance global health. What does health diplomacy look like in 2024—a post-pandemic time marked by multiple violent crises and zoonotic disease outbreaks? Loyce Pace is America's top health diplomat within the Department of Health and Human Services. In today’s episode: a conversation about the agenda for US and global health.
Guest: Loyce Pace is the Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Ms. Pace is an alum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Loyce Pace: U.S. Priorities at the 77th World Health Assembly—Global Health NOW * Assistant Secretary Loyce Pace on X
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About this episode: World Mosquito Day, observed annually on August 20th, commemorates British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria to humans. More than a century later, major advancements like genetically modifying mosquitoes—AKA gene drives—have the potential to reduce malaria cases and deaths dramatically, but not without hurdles. This special episode is an extended version of Malaria Minute, a podcast from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
Host: Thomas Locke is the host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute’s podcast, Malaria Minute.
Show links and related content: * The Malaria Research Institute * Editing Out Malaria, One Mosquito at a Time * Gene Knockout Using New CRISPR Tool Makes Mosquitoes Highly Resistant to Malaria Parasite * The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute Podcast
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About this episode: Since 2015, 1,939 individuals experiencing mental health crises have been killed during encounters with police in America, accounting for 20% of all police killings. The first episode of “The Fifth Branch”— a three-part special series by Tradeoffs and The Marshall Project— examines what it looks like when one community dramatically changes how it responds to people in crisis. Episodes 2 and 3 can be found on the Tradeoffs website.
Host: Dan Gorenstein is the founder and executive editor of the Tradeoffs podcast.
Show links and related content: * Introducing HEART, Durham’s crisis response program * About HEART
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About this episode: Violence Reduction Councils review huge quantities of data to pinpoint how homicides and shootings can be prevented. They include diverse stakeholders from a city or community including first responders, community-based organizations, and elected officials—all of whom come together to review cases and identify policies or interventions to prevent future violence. A new toolkit supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative can help groups get started, sort and store data, form cross-divisional partnerships, and more.
Guest: Mallory O’Brien is an associate scientist with the Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Violence Reduction Councils Toolkit—Bloomberg American Health Initiative * Violence Reduction Councils Can Help Communities Identify and Implement Long-Term Solutions—Bloomberg American Health Initiative
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About this episode: A concerning and deadly outbreak of mpox is spreading across central Africa and the world’s response has been lackluster. In this episode: an overview of the virus and a brief history of mpox outbreaks, a breakdown of the different clades, and why this particular epidemic is so concerning—not just for the regions impacted but for the rest of the world.
Guest: Dr. Chris Beyrer is the director of the Duke Global Health Institute and an epidemiologist who has worked on the front lines of infectious diseases like HIV and human rights issues across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe for more than 30 years.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * How the hard lessons of the AIDS crisis are reshaping the response to the monkeypox outbreak—STAT News * Bonus Episode: A Conversation With an Mpox Patient—Public Health On Call Archive * Ep 500: How Did Mpox Become a Public Health Crisis?—Public Health On Call Archive
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About this episode: Environmental protection has a long history of entanglement with the court system. But the supermajority conservative Supreme Court could now become the primary influence in how water, air, and chemicals are regulated, displacing evidence and recommendations from scientists. From the Good Neighbor Rule to the Chevron case, SCOTUS is disempowering environmental protection at a time when the U.S. desperately needs better and more informed regulation for things like air quality, forever chemicals, and major impacts on climate change.
Guests: Dr. Tom Burke is an emeritus professor at Johns Hopkins and a former top official with the Environmental Protection Agency in the Obama administration.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Ohio v. Environmental Protection Agency (pdf)—Supreme Court of the United States * Why The Supreme Court Ruling on The EPA Isn’t The End of Fighting Climate Change (2022)—Public Health On Call archives
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Interested in learning more about the Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellowship mentioned in this episode’s promo? Learn more here.
About this episode: Open Air Care Connections is a pilot project between Prospect Park Alliance, various community organizations, and the New York City Health Department. Born from the COVID-19 pandemic and built with basic public health principles like equity, access, and dignity, the program connects Brooklynites with much-needed services like mental health care, housing, and food access—all through casual conversations in Brooklyn’s largest public park.
Guests: Jared Grant is a community health worker and program assistant with NHS Brooklyn.
Morgan Monaco is the president of Prospect Park Alliance.
Jonathan Timal is a community health worker and program assistant with NHS Brooklyn.
Dr. Ashwin Vasan is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * An Open-Air Approach to Mental Health Treatment—New York Times * Alliance Launchs Open Air Care Connections—Prospect Park Alliance
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Interested in learning more about the Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellowship mentioned in this episode’s promo? Click here to learn more.
About this episode: This “Inside Out 2” has quickly become the highest-grossing animated film of all time with parents and their kids alike praising the movie for its wit, storyline, and—for some—very realistic depictions of complex themes like puberty, anxiety, and emotional intelligence. But how accurate are these depictions and how helpful are they in helping parents and teens relate to a time of incredible, and often chaotic, change? Note: You do not have to have seen the film to enjoy this conversation. Mental Health Mondays are an occasional series of the podcast bringing clinical evidence to mental health questions, themes, and depictions in pop culture.
Guests: Dr. Laura Murray is a clinical psychologist and senior scientist in mental health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Inside Out 2: Everything We Know About the Upcoming Pixar Movie—http://IGN.com
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Interested in learning more about the Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellowship mentioned in this episode’s promo? Learn more.
About this episode: New screening tools like full-body MRI scans and blood tests claiming to detect over 50 kinds of cancer are generating excitement with their potential to catch diseases early. But is more knowledge about our bodies always beneficial?
Host: Dan Gorenstein is the founder and executive editor of the Tradeoffs podcast.
Show links and related content: * Hope, Hype or Harm? What We Know About New Cancer-Screening Tools—Podcast * Does Cancer Screening Save Lives?—Podcast * Bringing Informed Decision-Making to Cancer Screening—Johns Hopkins
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About this episode: In 1964, an advisory committee to the Surgeon General issued a report on smoking and disease that was so damning, it had to be released with cloak-and-dagger preparations on a Saturday so as not to disrupt the stock market. 60 years later, the report remains one of the most important scientific documents of the 20th century. Today: the inside history of a committee and a report that changed the trajectory of tobacco use in America—a report that almost didn’t happen.
Guest: Donald Shopland is one of the original staff members of the Surgeon General’s Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health. It was his first job out of high school. Since then, Shopland has had a career as a public health advisor in the field of smoking and tobacco and has assisted with dozens of Surgeon General’s reports on links between smoking and disease. He is the author of Clearing the Air: The Untold Story of the 1964 Report on Smoking and Health, available for free here.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (PDF) * Historic Public Health Report Marks 60th Anniversary—NIH Record * Clearing the Air: The Untold Story of the 1964 Report on Smoking and Health (book)—UCSF Health Humanities
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About this episode: Diapers are expensive. For low-income families, diaper insecurity refers to the financial, health, and economic tradeoffs they may face in trying to afford them. Evidence is mounting that giving families cash for diapers can not only help to substantially alleviate these burdens, but it could help keep kids out of the child welfare system.
Guest: Mike Shaver is the president and CEO of Brightpoint, a Chicago-based nonprofit whose mission is to advance the well-being of children by investing in families to disrupt the systemic and multi-generational cycle of racial, social, and economic inequality.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Brightpoint.org * Illinois proposes financial relief for parents with young children through diaper relief bill—25 News Now * Free Diapers Can Really Help Connecticut Moms, Dads, and Children in Need—UConn Today * Tennessee’s Medicaid program to be the first to provide free diapers for infants and 1-year-olds—http://CNN.com
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About this episode: Choosing the right sunscreen for you can be overwhelming with so many options on the market. This episode debunks common myths and uncovers essential facts about sunscreen, explaining the differences between UVA and UVB coverage, mineral vs. chemical sunscreens, and why European sunscreens are often considered superior to American-made ones. We address concerns about sunscreen safety and discuss the importance of sun protection for all skin tones all year round.
Host:
Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Guest: Shafat Hassan, MD, PhD, and MPH candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * 9 Things to Know About Sun Safety and Skin Cancer—The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * The Winter Skincare Routine—The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Instagram * What Happens To Our Skin in Winter?—Public Health On Call
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About this episode: Every four years, the Olympics brings athletes and spectators together from all over the world in one of the largest mass gathering events. Planning begins years in advance, and public health security is a major consideration. Experts are brought in to map out possible threats and think through preparedness for everything from terrorist attacks to addressing rumors to responding to infectious disease outbreaks. Today: Considerations for Paris 2024 and lessons learned from the last two historic Olympics held during the pandemic.
Guest: Lucia Mullen is a preparedness and response expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a member of the WHO’s Collaborating Centre for Mass Gathering network.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games held during the COVID-19 pandemic: planning, outcomes, and lessons learnt–The Lancet * Mass-gathering decision making and its implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic—The Lancet * Bonus Episode: The 2022 Pandemic Olympics–Public Health On Call * Episode #337: The Tokyo Olympics and COVID-19–Public Health On Call
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About this episode:
Maryland receives the greatest number of unaccompanied migrant children of all U.S. states. Many have experienced significant trauma, underscoring the need for enhanced mental health services and improved language access in healthcare for this group.
Guests:
Sarah Polk is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise include general pediatrics and adolescent medicine, with a particular focus on adolescent mental health and sexually transmitted infections.
Kiara Alvarez is an assistant professor in the department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Commentary: Migrant children are vital to the fabric of our communities (The Baltimore Banner) * The Health Care Crisis At the U.S.-Mexico Border Part 1: Children and Families (podcast) * The Health Care Crisis At the U.S.-Mexico Border Part 2: Border Walls and Traumatic Brain and Spinal Injuries (podcast)
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About this episode: The CMS Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid is tasked with research and development to improve health care costs and delivery. It’s also grappling with a challenging reality: The health care sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions which, in turn, are changing the climate in ways that impact our health. This is especially true of Medicaid/Medicare recipients such as children, older adults, and low income communities who bear the brunt of health issues from climate change. The Center’s new Decarbonization and Resilience Initiative aims to understand the scope of the problem and identify creative solutions by collecting, monitoring, assessing, and addressing hospital carbon emissions and their effects on health outcomes, costs, and quality.
Guest: Purva Rawal is the chief strategy officer at the CMS Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * TEAM Decarbonization and Resilience Initiative Fact Sheet—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services * @CMSinnovates on X
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About this episode: Gain-of-function research involves altering a virus to make it more transmissible or deadly in order to develop vaccines, therapies, and perform other research. But the practice has long raised concerns about safety. In May, the White House released new policies around gain-of-function research hoping to shore up both safety measures and trust in this field of research. In this episode: a breakdown of the new policies and their general reception among scientists and the public.
Guests: Gigi Gronvall is a senior scholar at the Center for Health Security and an associate professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential—The White House * White House overhauls rules for risky pathogen studies—Science * Lab practices go under the microscope—Politico * Gain-of-Function Research: Balancing Science and Security—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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About this episode: Meteorologists look at data and history to help make sense of weather patterns and make predictions. This work, in turn, helps inform individuals and policymakers to prepare for and respond to weather events. But with climate records being shattered at every turn, and extreme weather like flooding, violent storms, and heat domes becoming more common, patterns and precedent start to fall away. So how are meteorologists making sense of all these changes and what could we expect to see in the future?
Guests: Brian McNoldy is a senior research associate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine Atmosphere and Earth Science at the University of Miami.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Brian McNoldy’s Blog * @BMcNoldy on X * 2023 was the world’s warmest year on record, by far—http://NOAA.gov
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About this episode: Pulse oximeters—devices used to read blood oxygen levels in hospitals and at home—are far less reliable for people with darker skin tones... Falsely normal readings create the potential for clinical staff to miss life-threatening conditions.
In this three-episode special series, we explore a longstanding issue that only caught the nation’s attention in recent years. In episode 1: How COVID-19 shined a light on an issue that was known, but largely ignored.
Listen to Part 2: What Went Wrong?
Listen to Part 3: Fixing Pulse Oximeters.
View the transcript for this episode.
Host: Annalies Winny is a co-producer of the Pulse Ox series for the Public Health On Call podcast, an associate editor for Global Health NOW, and a contributor for the Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health magazine.
Show links and related content: * The Problem with Pulse Oximeters: A Long History of Racial Bias * Estimating COVID-19 Hospitalizations in the U.S.—JMIR Public Health Surveillance * How a Popular Medical Device Encodes Racial Bias–Amy Moran-Thomas * People with darker skin are 32% more likely to have pulse oximeters overestimate oxygen levels, report says–CNN * Racial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement—The New England Journal of Medicine * Dynamic in vivo response characteristics of three oximeters: Hewlett Packard 47201A, Biox III, and Nellcor N-100—Sleep (1987)
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About this episode: Pulse oximeters—devices used to read blood oxygen levels in hospitals and at home—are far less reliable for people with darker skin tones. Falsely normal readings create the potential for clinical staff to miss life-threatening conditions.
In this three-episode special series, we explore a longstanding issue that only caught the nation’s attention in recent years. In episode 3: How engineers are working to improve the design of pulse oximeters, and how advocates from across the medical industry including patients and students are leading efforts to keep the pressure on to improve equity in pulse oximetry…and beyond.
Listen to Part 1: A Problem Hiding in Plain Sight.
Listen to Part 2: What Went Wrong?
View the transcript for this episode.
Host: Annalies Winny is a co-producer of the Pulse Ox series for the Public Health On Call podcast, an associate editor for Global Health NOW, and a contributor for the Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health magazine.
Show links and related content: * The Problem with Pulse Oximeters: A Long History of Racial Bias * Right2Breathe.org * US race-neutral lung assessments to have profound effects, study finds—Reuters * Why more than 14,000 Black kidney transplant patients are moving up on the waitlist–NPR * COVID-19 made pulse oximeters ubiquitous. Engineers are fixing their racial bias.—NPR * Innovative technology to eliminate the racial bias in non-invasive, point-of-core (POC) haemoglobin and pulse oximetry measurements—BMJ * Roots Community Health Center Sues to Halt Sales of Flawed Pulse Oximeters—Roots Community Health Center press release (PDF) * Racial Bias in Medicine Episode 1: Disparities with Pulse Oximeters.—Joel Bervell (YouTube)
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About this episode: Pulse oximeters—devices used to read blood oxygen levels in hospitals and at home—are far less reliable for people with darker skin tones. Falsely normal readings have the potential for clinical staff to miss life-threatening conditions.
In this three-episode special series, we explore a longstanding issue that only caught the nation’s attention in recent years. In episode 2: What went wrong, including inaction from manufacturers and regulators, market forces, and racism in medicine that goes beyond this one device.
Listen to Part 1: A Problem Hiding in Plain Sight.
Listen to Part 3: Fixing Pulse Oximeters.
View the transcript for this episode.
Host: Nicole Jurmo is co-producer of the Public Health in the Field series on pulse oximeters, the associate director for public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, and a current MPH student. She recently completed a practicum with the Public Health On Call podcast.
Show links and related content: * The Problem with Pulse Oximeters: A Long History of Racial Bias * Racial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement—The New England Journal of Medicine * Pulse Oximeters Are Not Racist—Orange County Business Journal * Inventing conflicts of interest: a history of tobacco industry tactics—American Journal of Public Health * Performance Evaluation of Pulse Oximeters Taking Into Consideration Skin Pigmentation, Race and Ethnicity—FDA Executive Summary (pdf) * Pulse Oximeter Accuracy and Limitations—FDA Safety Communication * Dynamic in vivo response characteristics of three oximeters: Hewlett Packard 47201A, Biox III, and Nellcor N-100—Sleep (1987) * Racial bias is built into the design of pulse oximeters—The Washington Post * November 2023 Attorneys General Letter to the FDA On The Inaccuracies of Pulse Oximetry When Used On People With Darker Toned Skin (pdf) * Defining race/ethnicity and explaining difference in research studies on lung function—European Respiratory Journal (abstract) * Is Facial Recognition Software Racist?—The Daily Show
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About this episode: The Supreme Court has issued decisions in the two major abortion cases on its docket this year. For the time being, the drug mifepristone remains on the market and a federal law requiring that emergency rooms provide life-saving abortions even in states banning the procedure is upheld. But the court’s decisions—both upholding the status quo—all but guarantee both cases will be back, putting mifepristone and EMTALA once again under fire.
Guests: Joanne Rosen is an expert in public health law and a co-director of the Center for Law and the Public’s Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * The Two Major Abortion Cases Coming to The Supreme Court—Public Health On Call * Despite Supreme Court ruling, the future of emergency abortions is still unclear for US women—ABC News * OB-GYN Training and Practice in Dobbs’ Shadow–Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * The Threat to Abortion Rights You Haven’t Heard Of—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: Public health saved your life today and you didn’t even know it. But while public health makes modern life possible, efforts are frequently underfunded, undervalued, and misunderstood.
Today we bring you a special episode from Follow the Data, a podcast by the Bloomberg Philanthropies, that discusses "The Invisible Shield," a four-part documentary series on PBS. The series delves into the often unseen public health infrastructure that supports our daily lives and highlights the field’s significant achievements.
Guests: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Dr. Sandro Galea is dean of the Boston University School of Public Health.
Host: Katherine Oliver is a Principal at Bloomberg Associates and the host of Follow the Data, a podcast by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Show links and related content: * Follow the Data—Podcast * The Invisible Shield—Documentary
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About this episode: Our mental health and well-being are shaped by our environment: access to green space can be beneficial, while cities with high population density can affect the risk for mood, anxiety, or even substance use disorders. A recent study explores how cities can be more mental health-friendly for adolescents and emphasizes the importance of life skills, open-minded interpersonal relationships, safe public spaces, secure employment, and youth-inclusive policy-making.
Guest: Dr. Pamela Collins is a Bloomberg Centennial Professor and chair of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Making cities mental health friendly for adolescents and young adults—Nature * Research Identifies Characteristics of Cities That Would Support Young People’s Mental Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * World Mental Health Day: Mental Health is a Universal Human Right—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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About this episode: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, world health officials agreed that many more lives could have been saved had there been better global coordination. In 2021, countries came together to draft a pandemic treaty committing to better future responses and pledging to sign it within two years. But deadlines have come and gone, the draft revised many times over. In a race to secure an agreement before the next pandemic, countries must reckon with historic inequities, vaccine access, data sharing, and more.
Guests: Alexandra Phelan is an expert in global health law and an associate professor and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Ignore the disinformation—the US is safer with a global pandemic treaty—The Hill (Opinion) * The world needs the new pandemic treaty—STAT (Opinion) * A pandemic agreement is within reach—Science * Global pandemic treaty to be concluded by 2025, WHO says—Reuters
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About this episode: In 2021, Texas passed the extremely restrictive Senate Bill 8 which bans most abortions with very few exceptions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected—as early as five or six weeks of pregnancy. 2022 data suggested a noticeable uptick in infant mortality in Texas. A new study looked into the connection between the two and is among the first to show evidence evaluating the impacts of abortion bans and how other places with severely restrictive laws could also see more infant deaths as a result.
Guests: Dr. Suzanne Bell is an assistant professor and demographic researcher in the department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Allison Gemmill is an assistant professor, demographer, and perinatal epidemiologist in the department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Analysis Suggests 2021 Texas Abortion Ban Resulted in Increase in Infant Deaths in State in Year After Law Went Into Effect—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Infant Deaths After Texas’ 2021 Ban on Abortion in Early Pregnancy—JAMA Pediatrics * Episode 656 - The Consequences of Abortion Restrictions Part 1: Spotlight on Texas—Public Health On Call * Episode 657 - The Consequences of Abortion Restrictions Part 1: Denials of Medical Care—Public Health On Call
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About this episode: What’s behind the significant increases in adult diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—historically thought to be a neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood? A new understanding of symptoms, better diagnoses, and some of the best treatments in psychiatric medicine mean more and more people are benefiting from the evolving science behind ADHD.
Guest: Dr. David Goodman is a Johns Hopkins psychiatrist and the director of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Center of Maryland.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—MedScape * ADDitude magazine * American Professional Society For ADHD and Related Disorders * ADHD in Adults
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Overview: An uptick of measles cases in the U.S. is raising concerns, especially heading into summer when travelers may bring back more cases from Europe. This most infectious human virus can cause severe and even fatal complications, especially for unvaccinated children—sometimes years after what seemed to be a mild case. Pandemic disruptions and rampant mis- and disinformation online have contributed to declining rates of vaccination that leave some communities especially vulnerable to measles outbreaks. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with states, health departments, and the general public to communicate around the danger of measles, the safety of vaccines, and what people can do once they’ve been exposed.
Guests: Dr. David Sugarman is the incident manager for measles response at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Dan Filardo is a medical officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working to fight measles across the country.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Measles Cases and Outbreaks Dashboard—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * Assessing Measles Outbreak Risk in the United States—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * Learn the Signs. Act Early. (Autism campaign)—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * CDC Official Urges Parents to Get Measles Vaccine for Children—Health News Florida
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Overview: The International Criminal Court, a justice system inspired by the Nuremburg tribunals after World War II, holds individuals responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In May 2024, the Court's chief prosecutor requested arrest warrants for three leaders of Hamas and, separately, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for alleged crimes on October 7, 2023 and in the war in Gaza that followed. Len Rubenstein is Distinguished Professor of the Practice and Interim Director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In this episode, he breaks down the Court’s processes, explains the allegations against both Hamas and Israeli leaders, answers questions that have surfaced about the allegations, and argues that the Court is essential for accountability for human rights and public health around the world.
Guest: Len Rubenstein is a human rights lawyer and Distinguished Professor of the Practice and Interim Director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns and interim director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine—International Criminal Court * Perilous Medicine: The Struggle to Protect Health Care from the Violence of War—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health * Human Rights and Health Care in the Middle East Crisis—Public Health On Call Podcast * War Crimes and Russia’s Bombing of Mariupol Maternity Hospital in Ukraine—Public Health On Call Podcast
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Overview: Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021 amidst a national reckoning with race. Four years later, the observation finds us at a time of continued polarization and attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Reflecting on the historical significance of Juneteenth can help us think about how to celebrate and observe the day, and how to recommit to healing and social justice work as individuals, communities, and society.
Guest: Joel Bolling is the assistant dean for Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-racism, and Equity at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Systemic Equity—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine * Health History: Health and Longevity Since the Mid-19th Century—Stanford * Slavery & the Making of the Atlantic World—Able Museum * Structural Racism Explained—Othering & Belonging Institute, UC Berkeley * Historical Context: Facts about the Slace Trade and Slavery—The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History * Center Report Uses Research to Fight Attacks on DEI—USC Race and Equity Center * The Assault on DEI—The Chronicle of Higher Education * https://magazine.publichealth.jhu.edu/2020/systemic-equity
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About this episode:
The U.S. Coast Guard is charged with safeguarding Americans through missions including maritime law enforcement, antiterrorism operations, and search and rescue. Members of the Coast Guard carry out these missions at sea and in the air in all sorts of extreme conditions requiring specialized medical care to ensure their health and safety. In this episode, we hear from a flight surgeon who talks about his work caring for military aviators, as well as some of the most challenging moments of his career, including Hurricane Katrina and being the medical director for the Coast Guard Academy during COVID.
Guest: Dr. Esan Simon is the medical director for the Coast Guard Academy. Previously, he was a flight surgeon for the Coast Guard since 2004.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Steadfast: How one Coast Guard captain navigates the uncharted seas of life * Back to School? Reopening a University During the COVID-19 Pandemic—Public Health On Call * University of Michigan’s Chief Health Officer Dr. Preeti Malani Returns to Talk About COVID-19 Safety on Campus This Fall—Public Health On Call * The State of COVID On Campus at The University of Michigan—Public Health On Call
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About this episode: What is the relationship between food industry giants like General Mills and a social media movement aimed at pushing back on diet culture and unrealistic body images? An investigation by health journalists at The Examination found that food companies and dieticians appear to be co-opting the hashtag “antidiet” to promote their products.
Guest: Sasha Chavkin is a senior reporter with The Examination
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * As obesity rises, Big Food and dieticians push “anti-diet” advice—The Examination * The food industry pays “influencer’ dieticians to shape your eating habits—The Washington Post * Dietician Influencers On Social Media Are Being Paid By The Food Industry to Promote Products and Messages—Public Health On Call
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About the episode: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, has been the gold standard for buying time in a medical emergency. But it’s not very effective, especially for the majority of cardiac arrest cases. What is much more effective: employing advanced machinery like ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, that can keep people alive for hours or even days and weeks while physicians address the medical emergency and the body heals. But can emergency medicine shift to get more patients on ECMO faster?
Guest: Dr. Demetris Yannopoulous is a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School where he is the director of resuscitation medicine.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * The Race to Reinvent CPR—The New York Times * ECPR Could Prevent Many More Cardiac Deaths—Scientific American
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About this episode: June 8 would mark the 80th birthday of Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., a cardiothoracic surgeon at Johns Hopkins known for being part of the first team to implant an automatic defibrillator in a human patient. But Dr. Watkins was so much more: a civil rights and political activist, a champion of Black and other people who are underrepresented in medicine, and a snappy dresser with a great sense of humor. Today, two people who knew and worked with Dr. Watkins share their memories as we celebrate his legacy.
Guests: Dr. Lisa Cooper is a public health physician, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, and a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine.
Steven Ragsdale is a former senior administrator at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a faculty member in Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content: * Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Levi Watkins Jr.—YouTube * Levi Watkins, 70, Dies; Pioneering Heart Surgeon Pushed Civil Rights—New York Times * Levi Watkins Jr., pioneering Hopkins cardiac surgeon and civil rights activist, dies at 70—Johns Hopkins Hub
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About the episode: Colorectal cancers are rising among people under age 50. There are a number of theories as to why and also promising data around early detection. In today’s episode: A deep dive into the epidemiology of colorectal cancers including who is most at risk, a look at the screening tools currently available, and why blood tests may be even more valuable than costly and invasive colonoscopies.
Guest: Dr. Otis Brawley is a globally-recognized expert in cancer prevention and control whose work focuses on developing cancer screening strategies and ensuring their effectiveness. He is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in epidemiology with a joint appointment in oncology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He was the former Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Effect of Colonoscopy Screening on Risks of Colorectal Cancer and Related Death—The New England Journal of Medicine * A Cell-free DNA Blood-Based Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening—The New England Journal of Medicine * The Minnesota Colon Cancer Control Study
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About this episode: One in five U.S. adults is taking five or more prescription drugs at a time, often for years without reassessment of need, dosage, or possible interactions. Today, a look at polypharmacy and why it’s important for physicians to periodically check in with patients about all the prescription—and nonprescription—drugs they’re taking. The guests also discuss the importance of considering non-pharmaceutical treatments like physical or talk therapy, and empowering patients and their care partners to ask questions about what they’re being prescribed.
Guests: Dr. Cynthia Boyd is a geriatrician and faculty at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She is also a senior associate with the Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health.
Dr. Ariel Green is a geriatrician and faculty at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She is also a core faculty member of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness.
Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content: * Taking Multiple Medications? You May Need to Scale Back.—The New York Times * Taking more than 5 pills in a day? ‘Deprescribing’ can prevent harm—especially for older people—The Conversation
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Cruise ships are congregate settings where infectious diseases can quickly spread. But, there’s a lot that the industry and individuals can do to stay healthy and avoid, shall we say, explosive outbreaks. In today’s episode, learn about the most common culprits—including norovirus, food-borne illness, and COVID-19—and how people can think about safety from initial booking to final disembarkment and all the ports of call in between.
Guest: Dr. Tara Palmore is an infectious disease physician at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links: The CDC’s Cruise Ship Travel Information
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It’s graduation time at the Bloomberg School! Doctoral candidate Francesca Marino joins the podcast to talk about how her interest in neuroscience led her to pursue a degree in epidemiology, and about her research looking into whether and how daily patterns of physical activity tracked through a wearable device could indicate cognitive health or decline.
Guest: Dr. Francesca Marino is a recent graduate of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health whose research focuses on the epidemiology of aging.
Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links:
Associations of Physical Activity and Heart Rate Variability from a Two-Week ECG Monitor with Cognitive Function and Dementia: the ARIC Neurocognitive Study—PubMed
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Activity, Sleep & Dementia—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
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Armed internal conflict in Sudan has created a humanitarian crisis with millions of people displaced both internally and to neighboring countries. Dr. Salim Mohamednoor, a medical epidemiologist with expertise in emergency response and the national health coordinator at the WHO country office in Sudan, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the unfolding catastrophe and what needs to be done. Special thanks to Aseel Salih, Hassan Salih, and Laila Zomorodian, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health students who assisted with the production of this podcast. A note that Dr. Mohamednoor is not representing the WHO on the podcast. Content warning: this episode contains depictions of violence. Listeners interested in contributing can consider supporting the World Food Program, the Sudanese American Physicians Association, and Sadagaat.
The planetary health crisis can’t be ignored in hospitals where patients are sick from climate-driven things like asthma from air quality emergencies, COVID-19 from a zoonotic spillover event, and cardiovascular complications from heat waves. Chris Lemon, an ER doctor and Bloomberg Health Initiative fellow who focuses on the intersection of climate change and health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about his work bringing planetary health dialogue to hospital staff while also looking at ways health systems can lower their massive carbon footprints.
From mushrooms to microscopic organisms, fungi represent a serious—and still relatively unexplored—threat to human health. Dr. Arturo Casadevall returns to the podcast to talk about his new book, What If Fungi Win? which looks at why certain fungal infections take off, why they’re so hard to treat, and why we will most certainly see more of them with climate change and treatment-resistant strains. Learn more: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53673/what-if-fungi-win
Johnson v. Grants Pass, a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, raises the question of whether homelessness can be criminalized. Ashley Meehan, a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the public health dimensions of this issue. They discuss her research looking into what happens to people after encampment sweeps and what policies would benefit not only people experiencing homelessness but their communities and cities as well. Listen to our previous episode on this issue: https://johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/621-the-health-consequences-of-displacing-people-experiencing-homelessness
Dengue, or “break-bone fever”—a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can cause serious fever, rash, muscle and joint pain and even problems with bleeding and shock—is surging around the world and popping up in new places like the U.S. Vaccine expert Anna Durbin returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these trends and the general status of vaccines, treatments, and prevention. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/what-is-dengue-fever
More than a decade after electronic cigarettes became broadly available in the United States, their merits are still being debated. Do these products help people quit smoking? How serious are the health risks associated with these products? In a two-part series, we hear from two researchers in tobacco control about their views. In part two, Stan Glantz, the Truth Initiative Distinguished Professor of Tobacco Control at the University of California San Francisco talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his research into the harms of electronic cigarettes and the dangers of "dual use" of electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes. In an epilogue, Public Health On Call audio producer Matt Martin talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about his personal history of tobacco use – including his efforts to quit with electronic cigarettes.
Read Glantz’s paper in New England Journal of Medicine Evidence: https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/EVIDoa2300229
Listen to part one of the series here: https://johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/755-electronic-cigarettes-part-1-do-e-cigs-help-people-quit-smoking
More than a decade after electronic cigarettes became broadly available in the United States, their merits are still being debated. Do these products help people quit smoking? How serious are the health risks associated with these products? In a two-part series, we hear from two researchers in tobacco control about their views. In part one, Dr. Nancy Rigotti, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.
Read her editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2314977
Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz and public health veterinary expert Dr. Meghan Davis return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what we’ve learned so far from viral sequencing of H5N1, its presence in milk, what we know about infections in humans, the status of the overall response to a major pathogen of concern on the heels of COVID-19, and more. Read Dr. Davis’s recent New York Times essay on protecting the dairy workforce here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/01/opinion/bird-flu-dairy-workers.html
An alarming and dangerous syphilis surge across the Great Plains Region, an area spanning North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa, has prompted tribal officials to urge HHS Secretary to declare a public health emergency. Dr. Meghan Curry O’Connell, chief public health officer at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board and a member of the Cherokee Nation, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the outbreak and why public health officials are struggling to respond.
Learn more: https://www.greatplainstribalhealth.org/news/tribal-leaders-urge-hhs-secretary-to-declare-syphilis-emergency-189.html
https://www.vox.com/24006120/south-dakota-syphilis-congenital-indigenous-tribal-native-american-meghan-oconnell-health-board
In part two of a two-part series about the crisis of health care for immigrants and refugees at the U.S.-Mexico border, Dr. Alexander Tenorio, a neurosurgical resident at the University of California, San Diego, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the influx of traumatic brain and spinal injuries his team has seen from people attempting to climb the border wall. They discuss the scope of the problem and the policies behind it, and why it often takes hours for victims to get critical care. They also talk about Dr. Tenorio’s personal connection to the situation as a first-generation American born to Mexican immigrants.
In part one of a two-part series about the crisis of health care for immigrants and refugees at the U.S.-Mexico border, Dr. Janine Young, a pediatrician at the University of California, San Diego, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the tenuous situation for children and families. More and more people are showing up at the border in poor health—dehydrated, malnourished, some severely injured and many traumatized—without any adequate care to meet them. They talk about the immigration policies that have led to a system ill-equipped to properly triage and treat the children and families seeking refuge in the U.S., and the misconceptions around people who are fleeing for their lives.
Methadone is a highly effective treatment for substance use disorder but strict regulations like daily clinic visits have led to its nickname, “liquid handcuffs.” Dr. Yngvild Olsen, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services administration, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about new federal regulations that expand access to this life saving medication. They talk about how the COVID era showed that changes can make methadone much easier to prescribe and access, and how these updates are part of a critical cultural shift towards making substance use treatment more reasonable, equitable, and compassionate.
Resources for this episode:
https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/statutes-regulations-guidelines/methadone-guidance
https://findtreatment.gov/
World Malaria Day is April 25. Today, guest host Thomas Locke takes us to Capitol Hill where we meet malaria scientists who have joined an advocacy group to lobby members of Congress to fund critical interventions against malaria. They talk about their work and what scientific messages they bring to DC to impart on policy makers who play a major role in efforts to combat this preventable and deadly disease. This special episode is an extended version of Malaria Minute, a podcast from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
Learn more:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/malaria-research-institute
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/events/2024/world-malaria-day-symposium
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/malaria-research-institute-1
Humans are transforming, degrading, and altering Earth’s natural life support systems so profoundly that our actions have created an existential crisis. For Earth Day, Sam Myers, founding director of the Planetary Health Alliance and director of the brand new Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the concept of planetary health, an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how the state of the earth affects the health of us all.
Learn more:
http://Planetaryhealthalliance.org
https://planetaryhealth.jhu.edu/
The presence of infectious diseases can be picked up through wastewater surveillance but how can this data be useful in predicting future outbreaks? Dr. Dylan George, director of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics at the CDC, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the Center’s forecast for the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season performed and the role of wastewater surveillance as part of a multifaceted approach to aggregating data.
Resources from this episode:
https://johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/699-an-update-on-the-cdcs-new-center-for-forecasting-and-outbreak-analytics
https://magazine.jhsph.edu/2020/cloudy-chance-covid
https://www.theinvisibleshieldseries.com/
There’s a lot of research around Type 2 diabetes that has informed patient care when it comes to diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle management. But much less is known about Type 1, long mislabeled “childhood diabetes.” Johns Hopkins epidemiologists Elizabeth Selvin and Michael Fang talk with Stephanie Desmon about new research debunking a lot of previously held assumptions about Type 1 diabetes, the prevalence of adult onset and correlation with obesity, and why different approaches to diagnosis and management are necessary. They also discuss the cost of insulin and why more research is needed around medications like Ozempic for Type 1 diabetes.
Cigarette butts are the most littered object in the world. With their plastic filters and toxic substances, they are a significant source of contamination for soil and water. Grazi Grilo, a researcher at the Global Institute for Tobacco Control, talks with Stephanie Desmon about her work quantifying the scope of the problem, and why some of the very things that make cigarettes so environmentally hazardous also provide enormous benefits for the tobacco industry.Read more about her work here: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/institute-for-global-tobacco-control/2024/assessment-of-littered-cigarette-butts-in-brazil-informs-strengthening-of-global-treaty
Dr. Antonia Novella served as the 14th Surgeon General under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 - 1993. She is the first female and first Hispanic Surgeon General in U.S. history. Dr. Novella talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her life and career, from being born with a rare condition called Hirschsprung’s disease to her childhood in Puerto Rico and her notable career in medicine and public health. She also discusses facing prejudice, staring down Big Tobacco, and even buying support hose for a U.S. Senator. You can read more in her new autobiography: https://www.fulcrumbooks.com/product-page/duty-calls-lessons-learned-from-an-unexpected-life-of-service Read more about the epic surgeons general event here: https://pages.jh.edu/gazette/aprjun98/apr1398/13surgen.html
Much research has been dedicated to the long-lasting negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences—far less has focused on the powerful effects of positive experiences. Dr. Melissa Walls, co-director of the Center for Indigenous Health and a member of the Bois Forte and Couchiching First Nation bands, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her research with benevolent childhood experiences among Indigenous communities. They discuss the importance of researching the positive, not only for public health, but in celebrating the inherent strengths of Indigenous individuals, their families, and culture. Read more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38419503/
On March 26, Baltimore’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge was hit by a cargo ship and collapsed, killing six people. Since then, many have found themselves watching endless loops of the video and ongoing coverage, and some are feeling symptoms of anxiety or even intense fear. Dr. George Everly, a Johns Hopkins psychologist, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the phenomenon of “psychological contagion” and how something so rare but so spectacular can suddenly make us question our sense of safety. They also discuss how to talk to kids about events like these and what to do when healthy curiosity becomes problematic. Read Dr. Everly’s Psychology Today piece here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-disaster-strikes-inside-disaster-psychology/202403/the-dangers-of-the-baltimore-bridge
Recent reports of spillover of avian virus H5N1 into cows, cats, and even one human are concerning to the scientific community for a number of reasons. But what does the public need to know? Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz and public health veterinary expert Dr. Meghan Davis return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these spillovers events and what they mean for biosecurity and our safety.
Per- and polyfluorinated substances are in all kinds of products from waterproof makeup to fire retardants. Dr. Ned Calonge, co-author of a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, talks with Stephanie Desmon about these “forever chemicals” and what is known about their impact on health, who is most at risk, and what people should do if they have high levels of exposure. Read the report here: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26156/guidance-on-pfas-exposure-testing-and-clinical-follow-up
Xolair is the first FDA-approved therapy to prevent severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in adults and children who are allergic to dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts and other foods. Dr. Robert Wood, the director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about this drug that has the potential to make life a little easier for patients and parents of children with severe allergies.
A hidden population of children serve as caregivers for family members who are chronically ill, elderly, disabled or injured. Left out of the systems that support adult caregivers, these youths often sacrifice their education, health, well-being, and childhoods. Connie Siskowski, founder and president of the American Association of Caregiving Youth, and Dr. Julie Belkowitz, a pediatrician at the University of Miami School of Medicine talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these young people and the enormous responsibilities they take on, and what is needed to help support them so they can thrive. Learn more: https://aacy.org/
How can a play about rural Norway in 1882 help us process the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic? That's the question posed by Theater of War Productions, which is hosting readings of The Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen—and then is leading intense community conversations immediately following the productions. Bryan Doerries, artistic director of Theater of War Productions, speaks to Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how this old Norwegian play speaks to the trauma experienced by the public health field and by community members during the pandemic.
You can watch the Ohio productions live via Zoom and participate in the conversation afterwards on April 6 and 7 at 6pm. You can sign up for free under the events tab at http://theaterofwar.com.
If you missed our first conversation about the parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and The Enemy of the People, you can listen here: https://johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/132-the-enemy-of-the-people-by-henrik-ibsen-and-parallels-to-the-covid-19-pandemic
Despite a national plan to eliminate syphilis by 2010, the sexually transmitted infection has reached the highest rates since the 1950s. Dr. Khalil Ghanem, a researcher of sexually transmitted infections at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about syphilis infections and the disease course, and why rates are so high not just in the US but around the world. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/why-is-syphilis-spiking-in-the-us
The 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act marked a major change in health insurance coverage and care for millions of Americans. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra talks with Stephanie Desmon about the remarkable changes “Obamacare” has brought about, why it’s important for all Americans not to take these for granted, and the next set of challenges in mending a health care system that’s still too focused on treatment of complications, not prevention.
More than 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and more than 3 billion are living without safe sanitation systems. For World Water Day, Ken Conca, a professor of international relations at the School of International Service at American University, joins the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state of the world’s water. They discuss how some of the biggest challenges to water access and quality are political and legal, rather than technical, in nature. They also discuss how water, which knows no jurisdictions, can bring people and nations together. Learn more: https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day
Menopause: inevitable, stigmatized, mysterious, and bringing a broad range of symptoms and experiences. Dr. Martha Hickey, a menopause researcher at the University of Melbourne, talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new Lancet series on menopause. They discuss how ageism and sexism come into play, the vast array of experiences women may have, and how individual circumstances can impact symptoms. They also talk about why it’s time to stop referring to menopause as a medical disorder and think more broadly about the need to provide better support and high-quality information for women during this life transition. Learn more: https://www.thelancet.com/series/menopause-2024
Four years after the early days of the pandemic, how are hospitals thinking about infection control, how much has changed, and to what degree have things returned to “normal”? Dr. Lisa Maragakis, the head of infection control at Johns Hopkins Hospital, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this “post-pandemic phase” and why health care has not fully recovered from pandemic disruptions.
A new report models projections of the human costs of conflict in Gaza over the next six months across several scenarios. Paul Spiegel, director of the Center for Humanitarian Health, and Tak Igusa, professor of Civil and Systems Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the project they developed with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. See the full report here: https://gaza-projections.org/
In his new book Within Reason: A Liberal Public Health for an Illiberal Time, Dean Sandro Galea of the Boston University School of Public Health challenges closed-mindedness and invective in public health. In this special, extended bonus episode, Dr. Galea and his friend and colleague Dr. Josh Sharfstein discuss—and debate—the fairness of his critique.
Condoms were once an essential part of the public health toolkit to fight HIV and STIs. But over the last decade, and coinciding with the rise of medication that prevents HIV infection, condom use among men who have sex with men has declined. Steve Goodreau, an expert in mathematical modeling and HIV and STIs at the University of Washington, talks with Stephanie Desmon about his research on declining condom use and why public health should be doing more to tout the advantages of what was once one of the most ubiquitous tools in safer sex. Read his op-ed here: https://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/citation/9900/bringing_back_condoms.458.aspx
Health misinformation is rampant—online and through rumors—but there are steps people can take to help stamp them out. Aishwarya Nagar and Tara Kirk Sell from the Center for Health Security are co-authors of a new playbook aimed at helping public health practitioners, medical professionals, and health communicators recognize and respond to health-related rumors and misinformation. They talk through some specific tactics with Lindsay Smith Rogers and also discuss how we can all help improve our own health information literacy. Learn more: https://centerforhealthsecurity.org/2024/center-launches-new-practice-oriented-playbook-for-addressing-health-misinformation
When Sue Baker started her research career in the 1960s, there was no field devoted to injury prevention despite accidents being a leading cause of death in the US. In honor of Women’s History Month, Stephanie Desmon talks with injury prevention pioneer Baker about her half century of research looking at everything from aviation safety to hot dog choking deaths, and her hands-on approach to research which included getting her pilot’s license, working in a medical examiner’s office, and driving a commercial truck.
The CDC announced new isolation guidelines last week that bring COVID-19 in line with recommendations for other viral respiratory diseases. Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what this means in the contexts of vaccines, variants, and protecting the most vulnerable.
Food insecurity uniquely impacts youth ages 14-18 but it’s largely a hidden problem. Kristen Mmari, an adolescent health researcher at Johns Hopkins, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the long-term impacts being hungry can have on young people and why most programs aimed at relieving food insecurity don’t help this age group. They also discuss false claims that nutrition assistance programs contribute to childhood obesity. Learn more: https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307489
Opioid use disorder is a major contributor to maternal mortality in the US. The gold standard of care is medication like methadone, but for incarcerated pregnant people, treatment can be difficult to access and highly stigmatized. Johns Hopkins obgyn and reproductive health researcher Dr. Carolyn Sufrin and Bloomberg Fellow Camille Kramer talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about their new study that shows not only just how difficult OUD medication is to access behind bars for anyone, let alone pregnant women in the prison system. https://arrwip.org/projects/management-of-pregnant-people-with-opioid-use-disorder-in-jail/
The manslaughter conviction of Jennifer Crumbley, whose son shot and killed four students at his school, is unprecedented. But will it be a watershed moment for gun violence in schools? Tim Carey, law and policy advisor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the unique facts of this case, larger implications, and why Child Access Prevention laws are an important part of the conversation. Please note that since this podcast was recorded, a man in Michigan became the first person to be charged under the state’s new firearms storage law. The law requires gun owners to store firearms unloaded and secured with a locking device or in a lockbox if a minor lives at or is likely to visit their property.
Imagine going to the pharmacy to buy a needed medicine and then finding out you purchased a falsified product that was, at best, ineffective, but at worst contained something toxic or deadly? This is the unfortunate reality in many places worldwide. Dr. Murray Lumpkin, who leads global regulatory systems for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the substantial problem of substandard and falsified drugs, and what the world’s watchdog systems are trying to do to counter them.
The Alabama Supreme Court issued an extraordinary ruling on February 16 that embryos that are the result of in vitro fertilization are “children.” Public health law expert Joanne Rosen returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the case and its implications for IVF, how it connects to the larger context of post-Roe litigation, and what’s at stake as anti-abortion sentiment crashes up against medical technology designed to facilitate pregnancies.
Measles outbreaks can quickly spread like wildfire. Vaccination expert Dr. Saad Omer returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the threat posed by this highly contagious and potentially lethal virus – especially when communities let their guard down. They discuss the situation in Florida, misinformation spreading on social media, and what's needed to minimize the threat.
What's the state of the evidence on the impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents? Dr. Ceren Budak, a computational social scientist at the University of Michigan, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a new report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. The report finds a gaping need for more evidence – and for participation by social media companies in supporting research. They discuss recommendations for caregivers, Congress, and social media companies to help maximize the benefits of social media while minimizing potential harms.
Deadly hepatitis C is curable, but 2.5 million Americans remain infected without treatment. Dr. Francis Collins, longtime director of the National Institutes of Health, is now serving as a special advisor to Present Biden for an effort to eliminate hepatitis C in the US. He speaks with Stephanie Desmon about why hepatitis C has been so tricky to diagnose and treat and what it will take to launch a coordinated effort to cure every American living with the disease.
From a 2019 school shooting in West Baltimore, Healing City Baltimore was born. The program aims to help city agencies train their employees, reform stigmatizing policies, and build new response programs—all with a goal of helping to improve mental health and well-being. Councilman Zeke Cohen and executive director Reverend Kim Lagree talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this initiative, which recently won the Culture of Health prize from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is now a model for other cities. Learn more: https://www.rwjf.org/en/grants/grantee-stories/2023/2023-winner-baltimore-md.html
Alcohol use is the fourth leading cause of death in the US, but there are evidence-based approaches to preventing alcohol misuse and deaths and treating use disorders. Dr. Cara Poland, an addiction medicine specialist at Michigan State University, talks with Stephanie Desmon about excise taxes, evidence of the harms of alcohol, and her personal connection to the topic. They also discuss the differences between misuse and disorders and challenging false notions around alcohol’s health protective effects.
Missed diagnoses account for 800,000 deaths or permanent disabilities among Americans every year. Johns Hopkins neurologist Dr. David Newman-Toker talks with Stephanie Desmon about the consequences of missed opportunities and diagnoses, especially for vascular events, infections, and cancers. They also discuss why solutions are complex and will require major efforts in terms of research and resources.
In the Dobbs decision, the SCOTUS majority hoped to return legal issues around abortion back to the states. But since overturning Roe v. Wade, a flurry of litigation has now put two consequential cases before the Supreme Court. Public health law expert Joanne Rosen talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these two cases and the wide-ranging impacts they could have. They also discuss why abortion health care, largely an issue governed by individual states, keeps finding its way back into conversations about federal oversight.
When the FDA approved an RSV vaccine for infants in July of 2023, parents and pediatricians rejoiced. But product shortages and a patchwork of insurance coverage throttled the rollout, leaving many babies still unprotected this winter. Pediatrician and Internist Dr. Wendie Grader-Beck talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her frustrations around implementation, and what needs to be done before the next RSV season for this lifesaving technology to fulfill its promise.
Thanks to policies like tobacco taxes, clean indoor air acts, and legislation to ban flavor additives, tobacco use is declining around the globe. But there’s still an enormous burden of death and disease from smoking, and rates of use are still particularly concerning among key groups like youths and Black Americans. Joanna Cohen, director of the Institute for Global Tobacco Control, talks with Stephanie Desmon about where the US stands on major policies like banning menthol, how New Zealand’s efforts to launch some of the most stringent policies in the world have fared under a new administration, and ongoing battles against tobacco industry lobbying tactics.
Tuesday, February 6 is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. Dr. Michele Decker, founding director of Johns Hopkins Center for Global Women’s Health and Gender Equity, and Dr. Nicole Warren, a nurse and an expert on the harmful practice of female genital cutting talk with Stephanie Desmon about the practice and its cultural roots, challenging long-standing cultural norms, and why this year’s Day of Zero Tolerance puts an emphasis on how collective action is needed to end the practice.. They also discuss the launch of the Center for Global Women’s Health and Gender Equity and the work the center hopes to accomplish in priority areas like eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices like child marriage through research, training, and translation. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-global-womens-health-and-gender-equity
How are updated COVID vaccines performing against severe and long COVID? What have we learned about COVID transmission that could help people calculate their risk in certain situations? Do we know more about when people might be most infectious? What’s the latest evidence on seasonality? And do we have any new answers about long COVID? Katelyn Jetalina, aka Your Local Epidemiologist, returns to the podcast to talk about what’s new in COVID research. Learn more here: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/
Professor Nancy Glass of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing studies violence against women and girls in humanitarian settings and conflicts around the world. She speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about key themes from this difficult work and how they apply to reports of the rape, mutilation, and murder of Israeli women and girls during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. They also discuss what comes next for survivors. *Please note: This podcast was recorded several weeks ago. Earlier this week, the United Nations announced it was sending a team to Israel to investigate these reports. Also, please note that this is a difficult conversation that discusses sexual violence including rape.
With more widespread use of cannabis has come an uptick of reports of related psychotic symptoms, especially among youths and young adults. Dr. David Wolinsky, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins, talks with Stephanie Desmon about cannabis and the risk of psychosis and what is known (and not known) about how cannabinoids interact with our bodies. They also discuss who might be most at risk and some takeaways people can consider about cannabis use when the field of research is still so lacking about the benefits and risks.
More than 85,000 participants attended the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, better known COP28, which ended in December. The big news: a call to governments to speed the transition away from fossil fuels. Susan Joy Hassol, author and climate change communicator, tells Stephanie Desmon that the final agreement is a hollow disappointment misaligned with the urgency of the climate crisis. They discuss the “minefield” of the growing climate emergency and what global leaders should be doing to put meaningful action behind commitments to addressing it.
Ketamine prescriptions for chronic pain and mental health are increasing, but what is known about the safety and effectiveness for off-label use? And how are doctors prescribing a drug approved as an anesthetic in clinical settings for outpatient use? Dr. Caleb Alexander returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers all about ketamine.
Rural communities have unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to health. Cara James, president and CEO of Grantmakers in Health, a philanthropic organization that supports rural health foundations, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about some of the unique facets of small communities including economic disparities and struggling health care systems. They also discuss addressing misinformation and the role that foundations can play in connecting people with much-needed services.
Congress banned most surprise medical bills back in 2020, with one major exception: ambulance rides. Can lawmakers find a fix? Guest host Dan Gorenstein of the Tradeoffs podcast investigates. Learn more: https://tradeoffs.org/2023/11/09/surprise-ambulance-bills/
Substance use disorder is recognized as a disability and therefore protected under antidiscrimination laws. But stigma persists, even in health care settings where people who use substances may be denied necessary care. Rebekah Joab, senior staff attorney at the Legal Action Center, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about LAC’s litigation and advocacy efforts to combat SUD-based discrimination and the details of a major lawsuit against a hospital that allegedly denied critical care to a patient. Learn more about LAC’s work: https://www.lac.org/
Anopheles stephensi, a species of mosquito native to Southeast Asia, is finding its way to Africa. Unlike Anopheles gambiae, the species native to Africa, Anopheles stephensi can breed in tiny amounts of water year-round and has made a comfortable home in urban areas. It’s also a remarkably adept spreader of malaria in places and to extents not normally seen in places across the continent. In an extended episode of Malaria Minute, a podcast from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, guest host Thomas Locke discusses how researchers are tracking stephensi and how the invasive species could complicate efforts to control the disease in Africa. Learn more: www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/prevention/vector-control/global-databases-on-invasive-mosquito-vector-species
Just because we can do something medically, should we? A new podcast from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics explores some unintended consequences of advancing technology and medicine. Bioethicist and playing god? producer Jeff Kahn talks with Stephanie Desmon about the podcast and some of the topics they cover, including ethics around buying and selling organs, fertility, and more. Learn more: https://bioethics.jhu.edu/research-and-outreach/the-dracopoulos-bloomberg-bioethics-ideas-lab/projects/playing-god/
Are you one of the millions of people who experience dry skin and itchiness when the weather becomes colder? Dermatologist Dr. Shafat Hassan talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what happens to our skin in the wintertime and how we can take care to reduce redness, chapping, and other dermatological issues. Spoiler alert: It's also important to apply sunscreen, even on blustery, cold days.
Known risk factors for suicide, such as gender and race, are too general to pinpoint who might be in imminent danger. Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Dr. Paul Nestadt talks with Stephanie Desmon about “psychological autopsies,” or investigations of suicides to better understand who is at risk—and where there might be opportunities for interventions. Learn more: https://magazine.jhsph.edu/2023/looking-for-why
Please note that this podcast contains mentions of self-harm and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, there are ways to get help. Call 988 for free, confidential crisis counseling and referrals available 24/7.
An increased prevalence of firearms and a lack of public denouncement of violence are escalating the risks of violence in places critical to political participation. Tim Carey, law and policy advisor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new report from the Center that lays out gun policy and communication recommendations to ensure that the places in which democracy plays out—legislatures, election offices, public demonstrations and more—remain safe. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/preventing-armed-insurrection-firearms-in-political-spaces-threaten-public-health-safety-and-democracy
Dr. Paul Spiegel, a physician, epidemiologist and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years. In a bonus episode, Dr. Spiegel talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his recent deployment to Cairo, Egypt as a strategic advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the health response in Gaza.
Since 2020, New Yorkers have lost around 4.6 years of overall life expectancy—and up to 5.5 years for Black and 6 for Latino residents. NYC’s Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about Healthy NYC, an initiative building on the momentum of the pandemic to claw back these losses and improve the overall health of the population. They discuss the goals of the initiative, how success is measured, and specific tactics to address some of the greatest threats to health and life in the metropolis. Learn more: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/about-doh/healthynyc.page
In the last episode of 2023, Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with co-hosts Dr. Josh Sharfstein and Stephanie Desmon about 2023. This year saw a rise in non-COVID topics, including Supreme Court cases, malaria, RSV, antitrans health legislation, climate emergencies, artificial intelligence, and more. They also talk about what topics they’re thinking about for 2024. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
In September of this year, routine testing turned up the presence of a microscopic parasite called cryptosporidium in Baltimore’s water supply. Johns Hopkins environmental health scientist Natalie Exum returns to the podcast to speak with Lindsay Smith Rogers about what the parasite’s presence means for the larger water system, and why it’s critical to repair and replace aging infrastructure throughout the US. Note: This podcast was recorded in November. Since then, President Biden has proposed a new plan to remove all lead water pipes across the country. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
The Geneva Convention sets out specific protections of health care in war dating back to the 1860s. Len Rubenstein, interim director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights and author of the book Perilous Medicine: The Struggle to Protect Health Care from the Violence of War talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the core elements of these laws and how they apply in the current conflict.
Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro show lots of promise for treating obesity but scientists still don’t understand exactly how they work. There’s also a lack of data to show whether these medications are safe to take long term. Dr. Sameer Khan, a Johns Hopkins fellow in gasteroenterology, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what these medicines are and what they can do, the questions that remain, and why it’s a challenge for clinicians to prescribe them and for patients to actually obtain them. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
The CDC’s newest center, a “national weather service for public health threats,” is up and running! Dylan George, director of the center, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the center’s mission, what they’re working on, and how this year’s viral respiratory season might stack up against last year’s tripledemic.
Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases on earth—taking more than 1 billion lives throughout history. Dr. Richard Chaisson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Tuberculosis Research, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how TB continues to be a significant threat to global public health, what progress is being made in treatment and prevention, and why research will be needed until the day the last case is treated.
After two World Wars and the Holocaust, the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 was a milestone for humanity. But 75 years later, the document remains both an inspiration and a measure of failure. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the origins of the document, its role in "stating the obvious," and why the world has fallen woefully behind in upholding it. Learn more: https://research.un.org/en/udhr75
Peacebuilders work to help solve violent conflicts and rebuild societies through nonviolent means. Michael Shipler, vice president of Search for Common Ground, an international peacebuilding NGO, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the remarkable work the organization has done amidst some of the most intractable conflicts around the world. They discuss what factors drive violent conflict, the goals and processes of peacebuilding as a practice, and how everyone can adopt a peacebuilding mindset.
A mysterious respiratory disease is affecting dogs across the country, in some cases causing serious illness and even death. Veterinarian Dr. Meghan Davis returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what we know and don’t know about these cases so far, and how data collection and surveillance will be key to learning more. They also discuss One Health, a public health approach bridging human, animal, and environmental health for surveillance against novel threats.
Stimulant medications can significantly increase the quality of life for kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Dr. Rheanna Platt talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how a shortage of these meds is impacting patients and their families. They discuss what’s behind the shortages and address questions about whether overuse of these drugs among adults is a contributor.
PEPFAR, or the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was initiated by President Bush in 2003 is credited with saving 25 million lives over the past 20 years and remains the largest commitment to a single disease in history. But the global bipartisan program is now at the mercy of American politics. Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Duke Global Health Institute and a member of the scientific advisory board for PEPFAR, returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about why PEPFAR’s reauthorization is in jeopardy and what the failure of reauthorization could mean for global health.
An alarming rise in sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonnorhea, and syphilis in the US calls for new prevention and treatment tactics. Dr. Matthew Hamill, a Johns Hopkins clinical researcher specializing in HIV and STIs, talks with Stephanie Desmon about DoxyPEP, or the use of antibiotic doxycycline after sexual contact. They discuss its effectiveness and availability, use in the context of antibiotic resistance, and why DoxyPEP isn’t a silver bullet in the prevention of STIs.
Our individual health is shaped by the environments we live in. So what does that mean for the more than 280 million people worldwide who have moved across country borders from the place of their birth? Johns Hopkins Health Policy and Management assistant professor Catherine Ettman, who recently edited the book Migration and Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the many factors that impact the health of migrants, including whether they’ve moved by choice or to escape conflict or natural disaster.
As Maryland’s Public Defender, Natasha Dartigue’s office sees 90% of criminal cases in the state. In addition to the mission of representing individuals with criminal charges, there are new efforts underway to keep young people from getting into trouble in the first place. She speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the office’s new outreach and collaborations to close critical gaps for families and help young people thrive.
Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams talks about his new book, “Crisis and Chaos, Lessons From the Front Lines in the War Against COVID-19" with Dr. Josh Sharfstein. On the topic list: his compelling personal story, the “emotionally jarring” experience of leading during a highly politicized pandemic, and his efforts to advocate for health as a bipartisan priority.
Overdose prevention sites—places where people can use illicit drugs under supervision—are extremely controversial and many cities are opposed to them because of the belief that they’ll invite disorder and crime to the communities where they’re operating. Dr. Brandon del Pozo, assistant professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a new study that put this question to the test and what they observed in the areas around two OPCs in New York City. Read the JAMA paper here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2811766
In the wake of last month’s Lewiston shootings in Maine, the state’s “yellow flag” law has come under scrutiny. Josh Horwitz of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions talks with Stephanie Desmon about red flag laws, or Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and why Maine’s hybrid approach is so ineffective. They also discuss the constitutionality of red flag laws and a number of other effective policies that can help prevent all kinds of gun violence.
RSV—respiratory syncytial virus—is a common infection that causes cold-like symptoms but can become very severe in young children and is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies under 1. Dr. Ruth Karron, director of the Johns Hopkins Vaccine Initiative, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about two new products, a vaccine for pregnant people and an antibody treatment for babies, that could substantially lower the rates of severe infections among children. However, the rollout has been slow and people may still have a hard time getting them for their children as RSV season kicks into gear.
The holiday season can be intense for anyone, but especially those who are living with grief—whether it’s recent or decades old. Eleanor Haley, who has a master’s in counseling psychology, and Litsa Williams, a clinical social worker, are co-founders of What’s Your Grief, an online community for grieving people and grief support professionals. They talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about ways to approach celebrations or rituals, the importance of communication with loved ones, and the need to make room for flexibility, honesty, and maybe even a little joy. Learn more: https://whatsyourgrief.com/
Many lawsuits against employers for requiring COVID-19 vaccines remain in U.S. courts. Dawn Solowey, a partner in the labor and employment practice of Seyfarth Shaw, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these court cases, the rise in public discourse around religious and medical exemptions, and implications for other workplace issues like diversity training and protections for LGBTQ individuals.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs was established to develop and research creative ways to boost the use of modern family planning around the world. Today, as the center marks its 35th birthday, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein speaks to CCP’s new executive director Debora Freitas Lopez about the program’s continued mission to inspire and enable people around the world to make healthy choices about everything from contraception to COVID-19 to climate action.
Dr. Ashish Jha, former White House COVID-19 response coordinator under President Biden, helped the country move out of the acute phase of the pandemic—and learned a lot in the process. Dr. Jha talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what surprised and disappointed him during his federal experience, what it was like to feel responsible for the health of 300+ million people, and why he’s concerned about respiratory virus season this year, and every year. Plus: listen to the end to hear a little history about Dr. Jha and Dr. Sharfstein.
The U.S. is home to some of the widest streets and driving lanes in the world—and that's not something to brag about. Shima Hamidi, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Climate-Smart Transportation, talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new report from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative that challenges the notion that wider lanes are safer. They also discuss how altering roads could not only help with safety, but our physical health and climate change adaptations. Learn more here: http://narrowlanes.americanhealth.jhu.edu/
Ringworm, athletes foot, and jock itch are all names for a fungal infection of our skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologist Dr. Avrom Caplan talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about tinea, the actual name of the infection, and how people can get it, how it’s treated, and why there are global concerns about new strains that may be much harder to treat.
For the first time in 20 years, locally transmitted cases of malaria have been reported across three US states. Scientists are trying to piece together why and how malaria is appearing in places where it’s no longer endemic. Guest host Thomas Locke talks with Jane Carlton, the new director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, about her work decoding the genomes of the parasites that have infected individuals in Maryland to determine their lineage. They also discuss the role of climate change in malaria infections, the global fight against the disease, and the extent to which the public is at risk.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up, and Dr. Caleb Alexander joins the podcast to help you clean our your medicine cabinet in preparation. Dr. Alexander talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the history behind the day and its roots in response to the opioid epidemic, what kinds of drugs and equipment require safe disposal, where you can find a Take Back drop-off in your community on the 28th, and how to safely get rid of unused prescription drugs year round. Learn more: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday NOTE: In this episode we discuss medical equipment, such as syringes or “sharps” as they’re called. Most DEA drop-off locations will not accept these as part of Take Back day, but you can take them to pharmacies, health clinics, police stations, and many other locations.
Humans are using up groundwater—or water stored in naturally occurring aquifers underground—at a dangerous pace. Kellogg Schwab, the Abel Wolman professor in water and public health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why groundwater is being depleted so quickly, what needs to happen to ensure the world doesn’t run out of this precious resource, and how water conservation could bring people together across state and country borders.
Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill recently approved by the FDA, marked a major win for access to contraceptives. But, in the wake of SCOTUS’s Dobbs decision, some have called for codifying the right to contraceptive access in federal law. Dana Singiser, cofounder of the nonprofit Contraceptive Access Initiative and senior advisor to Americans For Contraception, talks with Stephanie Desmon about Opill, the overwhelming bipartisan voter support for contraception, and her work advocating for access as a federal right.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito transmits deadly viruses like Zika, chikungunya, and dengue, but doesn’t actually get sick from the diseases it carries. George Dimopoulos of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new discovery of a protein, Argonaute 2, that plays a key role in the mosquito’s immune system, and how genetically modifying mosquitos could make them vulnerable to the viruses they carry. They also discuss how much of an impact killing off large numbers of mosquitos would have, both on the burden of disease and larger ecological balance.
The Surgeon General issued an advisory about the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the U.S., saying there are serious physical and mental health impacts of loneliness. Dr. Maulik Joshi, president and CEO of Meritus Health, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about Care Callers, an innovative volunteer program aimed to combat loneliness among Meritus patients. They discuss the incredible impacts these phone calls can make, and Dr. Joshi’s own experience as a Care Caller himself.
Just back from a trip to Kyiv, Human rights expert Len Rubenstein talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what things are like on the day to day right now. He recounts meetings with officials and health care workers, and their stories ranging from some degree of normalcy and routine health care delivery to brutal attacks on facilities and workers. They also discuss the status of war crime prosecution, the critical need for sustained international support, and the presence of an unwavering sense of hope and optimism among Ukrainians. Content warning: this episode contains depictions of violence and torture.
Registered dietitians with huge social media followings are getting paid to promote sugar, supplements, and other products and messages that clash with evidence-based recommendations—at times without proper disclosure. Sasha Chavkin, a reporter with The Examination, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the food industry’s stealthy tactic to exploit the power that influencers can have on social media, and how this raises questions for the ethics of professional dietitians. Read The Examination’s report here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/09/13/dietitian-instagram-tiktok-paid-food-industry/
Nipah virus is a lethal zoonotic disease that passes from bats to humans in what are called "spillover events." But it’s still not known for sure how outbreaks happen, which makes prevention difficult. Epidemiologist Emily Gurley, who has studied Nipah outbreaks in Bangladesh for nearly 20 years, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her work tracking the virus’s transmission and the enormous amount of multi-disciplinary resources and complexity required to investigate spillover events.
Treatment for substance use disorders during pregnancy is effective, and recommended by experts in many cases. But outdated, and often misinformed, policies have led to babies being taken by child welfare agencies because their parents was on anti-addiction medication. Two Johns Hopkins experts in opioid policy, Sachini Bandara and Alex McCourt, talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about these laws impacting pregnant people and their families, the role of child removal in the opioid epidemic, and what needs to be done to bring a public health lens to the issue. Check out our previous episode on treating substance use disorders during pregnancy here.
When patients don’t feel heard by their doctors, there’s an erosion of trust that can lead to serious health consequences—even if clinicians have their patients’ best interests in mind. Dr. Mary Catherine Beach, who studies patient-provider communications, talks with Stephanie Desmon about what can happen when patients don’t feel heard, interventions to teach providers better listening skills, and how bias comes into play.
How we talk about disability frames the way we view the importance of access. The Accessible Stall podcast co-hosts Emily Ladau and Kyle Kachadurian talk about disability a lot in episodes covering everything from pre-peeled fruit and lingerie to health care and ableism. Today, they join the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why authentic representation of disability is so critical to designing policies and spaces that serve everyone.
To explore the resources recommended in this episode, visit the links below:
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann, with Kristen Joiner
Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking by Julia Bascom
Squirmy and Grubs (YouTube channel)
An estimated 97,000 Black women and girls have gone missing or been murdered in the US in the last year—which represents about 40% of all missing persons. These women and girls are often viewed as criminals or runaways and not victims or survivors, which can hamstring efforts to find and support them. Dr. Tiara Willie, gender-based violence researcher, and Dr. Kamila Alexander, a nurse and trauma researcher, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the first organized effort to focus long overdue attention on this problem, which was recently launched in Minnesota, and its implications for the nation.
Starting in January, 2024, every family with a new baby in Flint, Michigan will be eligible to receive cash payments for the first year of life. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who exposed the Flint water crisis in 2014, and Luke Shaefer, Michigan public policy professor, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how this effort came together and what it hopes to accomplish. Professor Schaefer’s new book is The Injustice of Place. Learn more at flintrxkids.com
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Institute for Global Tobacco Control was founded in 1998, and since then it has become a global leader in the efforts to end the tobacco epidemic. To highlight the Institute’s 25th anniversary, Joanna Cohen, director of IGTC, and founding director Jonathan Samet talk to Stephanie Desmon about the past, present, and future fight against tobacco. Check out the video version of the podcast here.
A major bankruptcy case of Purdue Pharma—the makers of Oxycontin—now sits with the Supreme Court. How did it get there, and what’s at stake? Andy Dietderich, an expert in bankruptcy law and co-head of finance and restructuring at New York law firm Sullivan and Cromwell, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the case, the Sackler family’s involvement, and what a SCOTUS decision could mean for future settlements.
Extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, and more are driving huge changes for emergency managers like Chas Eby, the deputy executive director of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management. Eby talks with Stephanie Desmon about an “all-hazards” approach for emergency management agencies, and their work to be better problem solvers when it comes to what climate change is expected to bring in the future. They also discuss how to increase the capabilities of communities to make them more resilient.
Daily health care operations in the US account for 8.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Shanda Demorest is a cardiac nurse and Associate Director of Climate Engagement and Education at Health Care Without Harm. She takes Dr. Josh Sharfstein on a virtual tour of a hypothetical hospital, pointing out opportunities for sustainability. They discuss how, despite a lack of regulation, health care systems are making pledges to reduce emissions—and how individual clinicians and patients can help the cause.
There’s a bit of detective work that has to go into investigating outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, and your local health department plays a key role. Cari Sledzik, an epidemiologist in the Office of Acute Communicable Diseases at the Baltimore City Health Department, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what goes into piecing together a potential outbreak and what happens once the source is found. To round out this Food Safety Education Month episode, she also shares some tips for how people can avoid foodborne illnesses. Learn more about how to lower your chances of getting sick with the FDA’s Food Safety Education Month resources.
Methadone is a gold star treatment for opioid use disorder but it’s heavily regulated at the federal level, making it hard for patients to get and even harder for doctors to prescribe. Dr. Brian Hurley, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the process of getting methadone, how its regulatory roots in legislation from the 1970s contribute to its stigma, and what’s being done and what more could be done to streamline prescribing so that the patients who need the life-saving medication can actually get it.
Hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to dust, debris, carcinogens, and trauma at the three sites of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the immediate aftermath and then the years following. In 2011, Congress created The World Trade Center Health Program to provide health care monitoring and treatment for certified health conditions at no cost to people directly affected. Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the CDC which oversees the program, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the history, the extensive list of covered conditions, and the process through which people can apply to be part of the program—even if they don’t have any diagnosed medical condition at this time. Learn more here: https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/apply.html
Many of us only hear about the juvenile justice system from the news in 30-second snippets. But Sam Abed, acting director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services in Washington DC, has more to say. Abed talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his work with juvenile justice and what he most wants people to know about the system and the young people who come through it.
Throughout the pandemic, a few medical professionals spread false and misleading information about COVID-19 and even touted potentially harmful “treatments” to their patients. But did they face consequences? Journalist Lena Sun talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her Washington Post report looking at how medical professional boards handled—or dismissed—complaints about these doctors.
Part two of this series features Dr. Daniel Grossman, an obstretrician and gynecologist, and Dr. Katrina Kimport, a sociologist in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California at San Francisco. They talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about their research documenting cases where patients were denied proper medical care because of abortion restrictions—even when the care was unrelated to a pregnancy. They discuss how being forced to deny proper medical care can cause catastrophic health problems and trauma for pregnant people and their loved ones, as well as distress for the medical professionals involved. For part one of the series, check out episode 656. Read the report here: https://www.ansirh.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/Care%20Post-Roe%20Preliminary%20Findings.pdf
In part one of a two part series, Johns Hopkins demographic researcher Suzanne Bell talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about a new report quantifying the impacts of Texas’s SB8, an extremely restrictive abortion bill that passed in 2021. They discuss how empirical evidence can help to illuminate the consequences of major legislation. Read more:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/analysis-suggests-2021-texas-abortion-ban-resulted-in-nearly-9800-extra-live-births-in-state-in-year-after-law-went-into-effect
Massive deadly fires, bleached coral reefs, extreme heat, ocean temps topping 100 degrees….have we reached a tipping point in climate change? Johns Hopkins planetary scientist Dr. Ben Zaitchik returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about recent headline-grabbing climate events and whether or not they signal a critical threshold for the health of the planet. They discuss how we can collectively approach mitigation and planning for climate change and why it can be short-sighted to see climate change as an existential crisis for humans.
Legalizing medical cannabis may have paved the way for recreational use in many states, but what is actually known about cannabis as a medical treatment? Dr. Johannes Thrul, a Johns Hopkins substance use researcher, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why there are huge gaps in research of the risks and benefits of cannabis, and how legalization might create new opportunities to finally get some answers.
Principal Matt Hornbeck of Hampstead Hill Academy, an award-winning public K-8 school in Baltimore City, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about gearing up for school. They discuss how students fared academically last year—and how the school is preparing to address chronic absenteeism and mental health challenges this fall.
As life expectancy slips in the US, what can we do differently to improve overall well-being and health? For one thing: start paying for health care differently. Dr. Mai Pham, physician and president and CEO of the Institute for Exceptional Care, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a new report from the National Academy of Medicine on the opportunity of innovation in payment: What if health insurance covered social needs? What if primary care clinicians were paid for extra time to help those patients who need support the most? What if health care institutions saw their role as broadly promoting health?
Outdoor air quality is a major concern but what about the safety of the air we breathe indoors in public spaces like schools and offices? Dr. Gigi Gronvall of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about the threats of poor indoor air quality including spreading infectious diseases and particulate matter, and a new framework for states to consider how to mandate clean, filtered air in public spaces to keep people safe.
During the pandemic, it became clear that America’s vast and complex food system has weak spots and needs help from farm to table to be more resilient to shocks and stressors. Elsie Moore, a Johns Hopkins PhD candidate and researcher at the Center for a Livable Future talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this “resiliency concept” and how some jurisdictions are thinking through their capacity to make sure food is available during emergencies from extreme weather and global unrest. Learn more about the Center for a Livable Future’s Food System Resilience Planning Guide. https://clf.jhsph.edu/about-us/news/news-2022/new-food-system-resilience-planning-guide-helps-cities-prepare-disruptions
Last summer, Lifeline transitioned away from a 10-digit national suicide prevention number to the three-digit 988 line in hopes of making it easier for people experiencing a mental health crisis to call and text. One year after its launch, guest host Dan Gorenstein of the Tradeoffs podcast talks about the crisis line’s successes and where it's fallen short.
More than three years after COVID first shuttered schools, researchers are taking stock of how children are doing academically. Hopkins biostatistician Elizabeth Stuart speaks with Stephanie Desmon about their research about learning gaps and why it’s so important to invest in regaining lost ground while still letting kids be kids. She also explains how this data can help inform difficult policy decisions like school closures in the event of another public health emergency.
What can we learn from depictions of pandemics in films and series like The Last of Us, I Am Legend, and Contagion? Dylan George, director of the new Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics at the CDC, recently participated in a panel at Awesome Con to discuss these and other depictions of dystopian realities in media. Dr. George talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what these iconic pieces got right, where they took some creative liberties, and what they reveal about gaps in our own public health systems and abilities to respond.
ChatGPT has lots of potential for use in public health, but how well does it actually perform? Public Health On Call intern Caroline Wang and Lindsay Smith Rogers discuss three potential uses—seeking personal medical advice, public health research for students, and as a practical resource for practitioners. They go over some specific prompts and analyze what the chatbot does well and where it’s limited. Caroline is a Masters of Health Science student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studying clinical epidemiology and has been an intern for the podcast since March 2020.
If a product is available for sale, it’s probably safe. Right? Not so fast. Taplines podcast host Dave Infante talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about Four Loko, the popular caffeinated alcoholic drink from a decade ago, and his role as Deputy Commissioner of the FDA during the agency’s analysis of the safety of the beverage. This podcast was originally released by VinePair and the full video can be seen here: https://vinepair.com/taplines-podcast/four-loko/
Earlier this month, a WHO group declared that aspartame, a synthetic sweetener found in everything from breath mints to diet sodas, is a possible carcinogenic. While more data is needed to confirm the link, there is research showing that artificial sweeteners are not, as we thought, “metabolically inert” and do actually impact our gut health which can impact our overall health. In this episode from the archives, Hopkins microbiologist Dr. Jotham Suez talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the complexities of our microbiomes, why taking probiotics may not “reset” our systems after antibiotics, and how artificial sweeteners can cause imbalances that upset the trillions of microorganisms that keep us healthy. (This episode was originally released on September 1, 2021.) Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/the-microbiome-and-your-health
Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about shots, shots, shots! Updated COVID vaccines, how the flu vaccine might perform this year, and a new RSV vaccine are all in the mix. They discuss when each of these vaccines may roll out and how there’s potential to head off another “tripledemic” winter.
After last year’s “tripledemic” of flu, COVID, and RSV, we’re all wary of what this coming year might bring. Infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. David Dowdy returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers lessons learned, what can be expected as of right now, and potential impacts from new vaccines and treatments, like the game-changing antibody that protects kids from RSV, are entering the mix. Tl;dr: Get vaccinated for everything as soon as you’re able to and we might be in better shape for the years to come.
There’s a paradox in sci-fi movies: Even in the most futuristic, technologically advanced societies depicted in film, main characters often die because of a lack of basic medical care. Two movie fans, Johns Hopkins ICU physician Dr. Jack Iwashyna and his son, Sage, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about some scenes in the Star Wars and Aliens franchises and how they can be used to appreciate the gaps that remain in health care today.
In early June, a major Ukranian hydroelectric dam was destroyed. The situation is incredibly complex with widespread fallout and the potential for long-term public health risks. WHO incident manager Dr. Heather Papowitz talks with Stephanie Desmon about why the situation is so precarious, what the major concerns are, and how humanitarian efforts are coordinated and prioritized.
Over the last decade, research has established strong connections between hearing loss and cognitive decline in older people. Now, a new study presents compelling evidence that hearing aids could actually help slow that decline, especially for people at risk of dementia. Dr. Frank Lin, director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing & Public Health at Johns Hopkins, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the newest research and why the evidence bolsters the case for making sure older adults can (and should) access hearing aids and the support they need about how best to use them.
For Disability Pride Month, Dr. Stephanie Van, a Johns Hopkins rehabilitation physician and founder of YouTube’s @ThisAbilityClinic, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her work as a pain management specialist and disability advocate. They discuss how she helps patients with newly acquired disabilities and what she’s learned about the disability community in the process, as well as what needs to change from the individuals to industries to make the world a little more inclusive.
Learn more about disability and accessibility with the resources recommended in this episode by Dr. Van:
Hashtags to follow on social media: #Disability, #Accessibility, #DisabilityVisibility
Read or listen: Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
In the last decade, a record number of pedestrians were killed by cars. The problem is complex and lacking a singular cause or solution. Jeff Michael, now a researcher at the Johns Hopkin Center for Injury Research and Policy, spent 30 years with the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration. He talks with Stephanie Desmon about the rise in pedestrian deaths and some of the possible causes, looking to Sweden as a model for rethinking our roads, and why despite hundreds of deaths a day, preventing road fatalities still gets short shrift in the overall conversation of transportation safety.
Many lifetime mental health issues emerge during adolescence, but equipping youths with strategies and skills to work through trauma, anxiety, and depression can be key to preventing problems from snowballing. Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health director Dr. Tamar Mendelson talks with Stephanie Desmon about working with Baltimore City schools to develop a successful program called RAP Club (Relax, Aware, Personal rating) to teach youths mindfulness and other strategies to combat the impacts of stress and trauma. Read more here: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/rap-club-promoting-adolescent-mental-health-in-schools
With 64 million people enrolled, billions of dollars in payouts, and millions of clinicians and health systems in the mix, it’s hard to see how Medicare policies translate to the doctor’s office or the bedside. But Medicare director Dr. Meena Seshamani, an ear, nose, and throat surgeon and a health economist, is working to change that. Dr. Seshamani talked with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about improving Medicare on a large scale while making it more accessible and helping individual patients live better, healthier lives.
Public health has a long history of activism in social movements and new overlaps took hold in the last few years with COVID-19 and social unrest. In Vital Talks, a podcast from Vital Strategies, Shelley Hearne returns to the podcast along with former Bloomberg School deans Al Sommer and Mike Klag and colleagues to consider the challenges of the current moment and talk about how the field of public health can work differently towards a healthier world. Learn more about Vital Strategies here: https://www.vitalstrategies.org/
Shortages of lifesaving drugs—the result of failures at every step of complex supply chains—have far-reaching impacts on patients, providers, and the broader field of medicine. Hopkins oncologist Dr. Amanda Nickles Fader and policy researcher Dr. Mariana Socal talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the broader systems problem resulting in the shortages of a vast range of drugs and how it’s changing treatment protocols and the patient experience.
A new committee in Maryland is charged with a big undertaking: investigating deaths by suicide to help inform prevention efforts. Mental health expert and committee member Dr. Holly Wilcox talks with Stephanie Desmon about how they’ll gather data, which includes psychological autopsies, digital health care records, social service agency data and more, and gives some examples of how similar committees in other states have used data in innovative ways to inform interventions. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/investigating-the-why-of-suicide
Philanthropy is a critical part of global public health but funding cycles, donor preferences, and other systems can fundamentally impact organizations and cause mission creep. Vital Talks, a podcast from Vital Strategies, digs into current funding trends and features conversations with leaders from the Lwala Community Alliance and the Center for Effective Philanthrophy about hopes for a better funding landscape and new financing models to ensure organizations can deliver on their missions. Learn more about Vital Strategies here: https://www.vitalstrategies.org/
Mosquitoes are excellent hunters. Anopheles gambiae—the mosquito in sub-Saharan Africa that spreads malaria—in particular loves to feast on humans and, it turns out, relies heavily on peoples’ scent to track them. Hopkins researcher Conor McMeniman talks with Stephanie Desmon about his team’s new study looking at the molecular components of human scent that are most attractive to mosquitoes, and how learning more about these alluring scent signatures could help in the fight against malaria.
Alcohol plays an outsize role in gun deaths and a new study finds that alcohol misuse can be a better predictor of future violence than any other risk factors. Josh Horwitz and Silvia Villarreal of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about this connection and a set of new recommendations that include limiting access to guns for people with alcohol-related convictions and in places where alcohol is consumed. Read more about the report here: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/new-report-offers-policy-recommendations-to-address-alcohol-use-as-risk-factor-for-gun-violence
Dr. Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw was a research scientist at Myanmar’s ministry of health before she emigrated to teach global health at Hong Kong University. After the military coup in 2021, she and many of her friends and colleagues felt unsafe returning to Myanmar and some even had their passports blacklisted. Thin Saw talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her experience, what happens when doctors and researchers are forced to flee in conflict situations, and what the scientific community can do to help those in exile.
Workplace wellness goes beyond safe offices to consider how employees can live healthy and productive lives at home while being focused on work at work. Hopkins health and productivity management expert Ron Goetzel talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about this unique aspect of public health where the business community and public health collaborate on the psychosocial, organizational, and environmental facets of health at work—and how ensuring that people get to live healthy and joyful lives outside of work is a necessity in business.
Active shooter and lockdown drills are part of a broader spectrum of emergency preparedness but there are differing levels of effectiveness and risks. Katelyn Jetelina, aka “Your Local Epidemiologist,” talks with Stephanie Desmon about the benefits and real harms of these activities and why she does have hope that we will make progress with gun violence solutions, though at a “snail’s pace.” They also discuss the wide-ranging ripple effects of violence beyond the victims such as community-level mental health impacts.
Redlining and other discriminatory practices represent structural racism in housing. Efforts to counter the legacy of this injustice include voucher programs that help people move out of areas of poverty into “opportunity neighborhoods.” Hopkins researcher Craig Pollack talks with Stephanie Desmon about evidence that these programs improve childhood asthma. They discuss opportunities to help people both through relocation and by improving conditions where they are. Read the study here:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2804846
In the frenzy of research for COVID-19 prevention and treatment, there were many disagreements about what really did—or didn’t—work. The nature of the debates reveals a broader problem in how data are interpreted in medicine. Dr. Arturo Casadevall and Dr. Josh Sharfstein discuss the nature of evidence and Dr. Casadevall’s new paper, Misinterpretation of Clinical Research Findings and COVID-19 Mortality. You can read the paper here: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M23-0737?af=R
Having honest conversations with kids about the climate crisis doesn’t have to be distressing. Climate scientist Heather Price talks with Stephanie Desmon about her work with www.talkclimate.org, an organization that collects age- and developmentally appropriate resources for talking about climate change with people of all ages, from birth to adult.
With huge parts of the eastern seaboard covered in a thick hazy smoke from Canadian wildfires, we’re re-releasing an episode from September 2020 with air pollution expert Dr. Kirsten Koehler. In this episode, Dr. Koehler and Dr. Josh Sharfstein discussed how the massive West Coast forest fires raging at the time were affecting people’s health. Their conversation about particulate matter and its impacts on respiratory health, and how to protect yourself, is just as relevant today in yet another air quality emergency.
With the expiration of the COVID-19 emergency, how prepared are states for another crisis? Dr. Nadine Gracia, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, returns to the podcast to discuss a 2023 report assessing states’ performance in key areas related to emergency preparedness—including infectious disease, natural and artificial disasters, and bioterrorism. You can find individual state reports at www.tfah.org.
What happens when homeless encampments are swept away? Dr. Joshua Barocas, an infectious disease physician at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a new study that simulates the true cost of “move along” orders and encampment “clean ups"—including infectious disease outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths. They then discuss the short-term and long-term implications of these findings.
Who is making decisions about how to spend more than $50 billion in proceeds from opioid-related litigation? Christine Minhee, lawyer and founder of opioidsettlementtracker.com, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about tracking the complex cashflow state by state, and her hopes that the website will challenge more jurisdictions to share just how they’re spending dollars intended for tackling the opioid epidemic.
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Renowned journalist Barkha Dutt, dubbed the “Indian Anderson Cooper,” has spent her career reporting from conflict zones about gender equity and violence against women. In the last few years, she expanded her beat and traveled around India during COVID talking with people about their pandemic experiences. Dhutt recently sat down in the studio with Lindsay Smith Rogers for an expansive conversation about her career and what’s next. You can watch the video of the conversation on YouTube.
In a special episode, two brand-new graduates of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about their dissertation research involving mental health. Jaimie Shaff, DrPH, talks about her work examining the mental health of people who are multiethnic and multiracial, and who are routinely left out of data sets or lumped in with “other.” Bianca Smith, PhD, discusses her research using geospatial analysis to examine the relationship between housing discrimination and Black mental health in metro Detroit. Get even more public health news from our twice-weekly Expert Insights newsletter:http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
Dr. Raj Panjabi, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2016, is a physician, professor, epidemiologist, entrepreneur, and public servant currently serving on the White House National Security Council. Dr. Panjabi speaks with Stephanie Desmon about growing up in Liberia and his experience working in West Africa during the first Ebola crisis, preparing for the next pandemic, and his advice for this next generation of public health graduates. Get even more public health news from our twice-weekly Expert Insights newsletter: http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
From origin to Warp Speed, COVID-19 proved to be a national disaster the likes of which hadn’t been seen since 9-11. Lead writer of “Lessons from the COVID War” and former 9-11 Commission leader Philip Zelikow talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why COVID was a much more complicated issue, competing explanations of what went wrong, where innovation and success actually occurred, and what needs to be done to prevent another disaster like this from happening again. Get even more public health news from our twice-weekly Expert Insights newsletter:http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe
After 9/11, mental health workers in New York City found themselves overwhelmed with requests to provide treatment to kids and their families. In response, clinical psychologist Laura Murray and her colleagues developed the Common Elements Treatment Approach, or CETA, which helps providers address multiple problems and symptoms using a customized plan of evidence-based therapies. Dr. Murray talks with Stephanie Desmon about the program’s applications in conflict zones like Ukraine, and its promise in bolstering mental health programs in the US.
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, have been used throughout human history. But it’s only in the last few decades that researchers have been examining them as a potential tool for treating an array of mental health issues. Albert Garcia-Romeu, a Johns Hopkins behavioral pharmacology researcher, talks with Stephanie Desmon about his research with psilocybin, the promising outcomes, and how approval and proper regulation could lead to a whole class of psychedelic drugs used responsibly as treatment for mental health disorders.
The pandemic phase of COVID-19 is officially over, but there’s still work to be done. Virologist and podcast regular Dr. Andy Pekosz talks with Stephanie Desmon about transitioning to annual COVID vaccines (no longer referred to as boosters!); “Arcturus,” or variant XBB.1.16; and the importance of investing in the development of antivirals and other treatments.
Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that is showing up in illicit opioid supplies. In addition to contributing to the risk of overdose, xylazine causes horrific, necrotizing wounds when injected, smoked, or snorted. Lindsay Smith Rogers talks to two clinicians on the front lines of the overdose epidemic about their experiences with xylazine and their views on what this latest development means for the future: Rachel McFadden, a Bloomberg Fellow at the School of Public Health and a wound care nurse in the Emergency Department at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Dr. Matthew Salzman, also a Fellow and assistant professor of medicine at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. Xylazine: The New Overdose Crisis | Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
Concluding our 3-part series dedicated to addressing the Black maternal health crisis in the United States, co-hosts Dr. Rachel Bervell and Annalies Winny will explore the revolution in maternal health that’s happening outside the policy space – but that also informs it. They’ll investigate how Black moms, community advocates, and a new generation of medical trainees are taking this issue into their own hands—and how everyone can contribute to solutions.
Access the resources and organizations mentioned in this episode, including suggested reading: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/solving-the-black-maternal-health-crisis
Continuing our 3-part series dedicated to addressing the Black maternal health crisis in the United States, co-hosts Dr. Rachel Bervell and Annalies Winny explore how government policy can help shape the solutions, from closing the “Medicaid gap” to passing the most ambitious federal effort yet on this issue: the Momnibus. Check out our resource page to learn more about all the solutions discussed in this series.
In the last year, more anti-trans legislation has been passed in the U.S. than at any other time in history. Dr. Helene Hedian, director of clinical education at the Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the dehumanizing aspects of these bills and how much they can impact her patients’ daily lives and overall health. They also discuss what’s going right, and how advocacy is helping to bring better and more protective health care coverage and human rights to trans- and gender-diverse people.
Jennifer Kates, senior vice president and director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the looming expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency and what that means for things like access to tests, treatments, vaccines, and eligibility for Medicaid. They also discuss the differences between this and the national health emergency that Biden ended in April, and why both are significant symbolic gestures at a time when a new variant is emerging.
In a recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins tobacco policy expert Joanna Cohen and colleagues call for the FDA to take steps to bring more smoking cessation therapies to the market. Cohen, director of the Institute for Global Tobacco Control, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why new therapies are needed and where to find evidence to support their use. Read the full commentary here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2301700. If you or someone you know needs help with quitting tobacco products, call 1-800-QUITNOW.
To understand what happens now that SCOTUS has stayed Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling on mifepristone, we first have to understand how the case got to the highest court in the land in the first place. Public health lawyer Joanne Rosen returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the unprecedented series of filings and rulings around mifepristone from Amarillo, Texas to Washington D.C., and what could happen next as litigation continues to play out.
World Immunization Week is the last week in April and this year’s theme is The Big Catch Up. Vaccine expert Dr. Bill Moss returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how major setbacks in global vaccine coverage over the past few years are seeding the deadly threat of a measles resurgence. They discuss contributing factors and what needs to be done to get out in front of one of the world’s most infectious viruses.
Malaria infects hundreds of millions of people around the globe each year and kills more than 600,000. But the disease has been eliminated in many of the countries providing significant support in the fight against malaria, like the U.S. For World Malaria Day, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute’s podcast, Malaria Minute, talks with some advocates in the U.S. who are passionate about rallying political support around the fight against malaria and raising the bar for the role young people play in global health advocacy.
In the 1980s and 90s, the world came together to successfully address a major environmental problem: a growing hole in the ozone layer. So why hasn’t that success translated to global collaboration to make a dent in climate change? For Earth Day, David Victor, professor at UC San Diego, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the unique problem of climate change, and some optimistic and realistic signs of progress.
Antibiotics are marvels of modern medicine but overuse has created deadly strains of bacteria that can’t be treated. Where and how could prescriptions be curtailed to have the biggest effects? Dr. David Wallinga, a senior health official at the National Resources Defense Council, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the murky picture of unnecessary antibiotic use in animals in the US and the “dismal” near future where many more may die before efforts are made to get overuse under control.
Algorithms—formulas that do everything from suggesting Netflix shows to streamlining Google results—are increasingly used in health care settings. But could these tools be introducing bias? Kadija Ferryman, a cultural anthropologist and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute for Bioethics, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what algorithms are and the double-edged sword of their use in medicine.
Dire statistics about birth outcomes for Black people in the U.S. have become front-page news in recent years. But this problem isn’t new—in fact, it has roots in the very fabric of American society and health care with structural and systemic racism at its core. Kicking off a series from Public Health in the Field, Rachel Bervell and Annalies Winny explore how and why the nation has come to recognize this crisis in Black maternal health, what it means for health care as a whole, and possible solutions that could benefit the entire field of reproductive health at a challenging time. Look for parts two and three of the series coming in May!
This week is Black Maternal Health Week in the US and to kick off the conversation, Dr. Josh Sharfstein speaks with author and New York Times contributor Linda Villarosa about her new book on racism and health. They discuss how she came to this topic after her years being a health editor at Essence magazine and why the picture is particularly stark for the health of Black women and their infants. They also talk about why she’s optimistic about the health of Black people and how personal stories are helping to create societal change. You can read her article on maternal mortality mentioned in the podcast here.
Dr. Raegan McDonald Mosley, an obstetrician-gynecologist and CEO of Power to Decide, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the Texas case that invalidated FDA approval of the abortion medication mifepristone. They discuss what the ruling might mean in the short term and the broader implications for reproductive health, FDA approval of other drugs, and the field of medicine.
A U.S. district court in Texas issued a ruling limiting the scope of the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for coverage of preventive services. On today’s podcast, Joe Palmore, a former assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice and current co-chair of the Appellate and Supreme Court Practice Group at the law firm Morrison Foerster, talks to Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the Braidwood Management Inc versus Becerra case, its consequences, and what comes next.
Recently, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit allowed a man subject to an intimate partner violence restraining order to keep his guns. Kelly Roskum, the director of law and policy for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about this decision and what's next for guns and the courts.
A new report entitled “Building the CDC the Country Needs,” makes recommendations for how to return trust and confidence to the nation’s top public health agency’s tarnished reputation. Stephanie Desmon talks to the co-chairs of the report, Steve Morrison, a global health policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Tom Inglesby, who heads the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. They discuss what has happened to the CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic, and outline what needs to be done before the next one.
Guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy talks to Antha Williams, who leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. In this episode, they discuss how Bloomberg Philanthropies is using data, storytelling, and grassroots campaigns to fight climate change and protect public health. Under Williams’ direction, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports environmental initiatives to improve the sustainability of cities around the world, accelerate the transition to clean energy, combat overfishing and protect coral reefs, and help businesses and investors better understand climate-related financial risks and opportunities.
Humira is an immunosuppressive drug used to treat arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, is one of the most profitable drugs of all time. In this episode, Tahir Amin, founder and executive director of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge., joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about how gaming the patent system may have helped stave off competition, costing consumers billions of dollars. They also discuss what it would take to reform the system.
Three years on, we are still actively debating whether the pandemic was caused when the virus spilled over naturally from animals in a market or whether it was somehow caused by a Chinese lab leak. In this episode, Stephanie Desmon talks to Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, about the dueling theories on where COVID came from. They discuss what we know, why it matters and what lessons we can learn for the future.
The Anopheles stephensi mosquito is threatening to redefine malaria in Africa. In this episode, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute Extended podcast produced by the School Malaria Research Institute, speaks to Eric Ochomo from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Seth Irish from the World Health Organization, about the rise of the Anopheles stephensi mosquito. Together, they discuss why the mosquito is in Africa, what this means for malaria, and—more importantly—what can be done.
What’s the best way to prevent blood clots after serious fractures? Is it an expensive shot you have to give yourself twice a day? Or is it a little pill you might have already somewhere in your house? In this episode, Dr. Josh Sharfstein speaks to Dr. Robert O'Toole, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, about a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This research was conducted by the Major Extreme Trauma Research Consortium (METRC), based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Fatbergs are a menace to public health in our cities, and a potent symbol of neglect of our urban water systems. They're also disgusting to look at. Yet thanks to a glamorous troupe of synchronized swimmers, Fluid Movement Baltimore made them glamorous in the name of public health. Find out how as we go behind-the-scenes of a special video project that reminds us we all have a role to play in keeping our sewers healthy.
Fatbergs are ‘the bane of utilities’ existence’—they exist because many cities take for granted an essential but largely hidden public health tool: urban sewers. In this episode, Natalie Exum, Assistant Scientist in the department of Environmental Health and Engineering, and Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper Alice Volpitta of Blue Water Baltimore, a nonprofit that serves as a watchdog for the city’s water systems, about the immovable clogs that threaten public health in cities across the globe—and what we do about it.
Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish science and an adjunct professor of nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, speaks to Dr. Josh Sharfstein about an article he co-authored calling for more attention to health in the nation's largest food assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. They also discuss SNAP's benefits in reducing food insecurity, and how potential changes could help reduce diet-related disease as well.
The B'more for Healthy Babies program in Promise Heights is a remarkable program in West Baltimore that has reduced infant mortality and improved other health outcomes for more than a decade. Stacy Stephens, the social worker who directs this effort for the University of Maryland School of Social Work, speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this effort. Joining them is Gisele Joseph, a community health worker and certified lactation consultant in the program. The secret to their success? It's not an app. It's not a quick fix. It's years of grassroots organizing and outreach. To learn more visit the program's website, which has opportunities to contribute.
Dr. Rebekah Gee, formerly the successful Commissioner of Health for Louisiana, is now the founder of the startup company Nest Health. She speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why she chose a for-profit venture, how her current role compares and contrasts with the public sector, and the advice she would give to someone looking to make an impact in public health. You can read more about Dr. Gee's company at nesthealth.com.
Johns Hopkins Professor and infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. David Dowdy returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about some of the latest studies on the effectiveness of masks in protecting people from COVID
The Stoop Storytelling Series and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health partnered last fall to present a night of storytelling by scientists, activists, and community members sharing personal stories about urgent public health issues. In part 3, Ashley Esposito, a “litter picker” with Bmore Trashpickers, talks about the story that trash can tell about the health of a community, and Dr. Stephen Thomas, director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity at the University of Maryland School of Public Health in College Park and founder of the Barbershop Project talks about the power of barbershops as places of health education. These stories were recorded on September 22, 2022 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
Dr. Gerard Carroll is the Division head of EMS and Disaster Medicine and an emergency room physician at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, New Jersey. He joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about a pilot program that allows emergency responders to give the treatment buprenorphine after the reversal medication naloxone—right at the scene of an overdose. Dr. Carroll is the co-author of a new paper about his hospital's experience, as well as its impressive results.
Learn more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36192278/
Dr. Johnathan Ehsani is an expert in traffic safety at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He speaks with Dr. Sharfstein about the safety of autonomous vehicles today and what might be possible in the future. He also shares what he thinks of the potential benefits of this technology.
The Stoop Storytelling Series and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health partnered last fall to present a night of storytelling by scientists, activists, and community members sharing personal stories about urgent public health issues. In part 2, we hear from Cleo Hirsch, the executive director of COVID Response at Baltimore City Public Schools about creating “learning pods” for some of the most vulnerable kids in the city, and Tyde-Courtney Edwards, founding director of Ballet After Dark on surviving trauma through dance. These stories were recorded on September 22, 2022 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
Johns Hopkins veterinarian Meghan Davis joins Stephanie Desmon to discuss the avian flu outbreak. They discuss the influenza that has been raging since 2021, with no signs of abating, and what the impacts are on the food supply, the cost of eggs and products that contain them, and on human and animal health.
A devastating CDC report on youth risk behavior paints a grim picture of how today’s adolescents are faring mentally. Dr. Kathleen Ethier, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joins Stephanie Desmon to discuss the large increase in depression, suicidal ideation and sexual violence being seen among teenage girls and LGBTQ kids. They talk about what schools and parents can do to help.
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, the executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about her shift during the pandemic. She began supporting community coalitions that came together to fight COVID-19. In July 2021, she became the city's leading health official, focused on creating new connections with community organizations—for the pandemic and beyond.
Guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy, speaks with Jaime Madrigano, Visiting Associate Professor, with the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Bloomberg School, whose research examines the health impacts of environmental air pollution and weather. Together they discuss how health and cost implications must be tied to climate change policies, communications, and real community engagement.
For decades, improvement in diagnostic tools for cancer have led to a movement of early screening from mammograms to colonoscopies. Today, Dr. Otis Brawley, a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, tells Stephanie Desmon that many people think screening is better than it actually is. While early screening can save lives, they discuss the how to be sure you’re getting high-quality screening when you need it, and about some of the harm of over-screening in certain cases.
Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about her late husband, the Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, who represented Baltimore for more than 35 years in the Maryland General Assembly and in Congress. Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings explains the origins of the Congressman's successful efforts to expand access to dental care, reduce prescription drug prices, and tackle addiction. She also tells some amazing behind the scenes stories, including the moment when Congressman Cummings met with President Trump.
Today, guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy, talks with Natalia Linos, a social epidemiologist and executive director of Harvard’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, and 2020 Congressional candidate. Linos talks with Hearne about why “all public health is political,” how to approach politics as a public health professional, and the importance of not only naming climate change problems, but getting involved with them “at every level” to advance change.
Mark Miller, the executive vice president of health care at Arnold Ventures joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act for Medicare patients this year, as well as two areas of future work to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. They discuss patent reform and opportunities to increase transparency for pharmaceutical benefit managers.
In this bonus episode, Johns Hopkins Professor Thomas Burke joins Dr. Sharfstein to talk about the risk to residents following the train derailment and toxic release of chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio— the knowns, the unknowns, and where to go from here. Dr. Burke is a former environmental official for the state of New Jersey and a former science adviser of the Environmental Protection Agency
Amany Qaddour, regional director for Syria Relief and Development, a nonprofit humanitarian organization on the ground in Syria, joins Dr. Sharfstein They discuss the enormous challenge of responding to a natural disaster in a part of the world that has suffered from conflict, displacement, and crisis for years. To make a contribution to the organizations mentioned in the podcast, see https://srd.ngo/ and https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/ .
Today, guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy brings us to the south lawn of the White House for a conversation with Catherine Flowers, environmental justice advocate and a MacArthur Genius Award winner. Flowers talks about working with grassroots advocates, celebrities, politicians, and influencers of all kinds to raise awareness around serious sanitation issues in US cities that we usually associate with underdeveloped nations.
The average life expectancy in the United States has dropped precipitously during the pandemic—and COVID-19 is not the only culprit. Dr. Josh Sharfstein, who leads the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at Johns Hopkins, talks to co-host Stephanie Desmon about a new report on how we can halt U.S. life expectancy declines by focusing on major causes of the declines: COVID, opioids, gun homicides and suicides, motor vehicle crashes, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. This report sets out ten feasible ideas for reversing the decline and setting the nation on a path of greater equity and health.
The Stoop Storytelling Series and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health partnered last fall to present a night of storytelling by scientists, activists, and community members sharing personal stories about urgent public health issues. In part 1, Carolyn Sufrin, an obgyn and medical anthropologist, tells her story of how she began working in reproductive health care in prisons, and Cicely Franklin, an overdose prevention specialist with the Baltimore City Health Department, talks about the dual dynamic of working in harm reduction and having a family member with substance abuse issues. These stories were recorded on September 22, 2022 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
In a two-part conversation that begins while facing down a tiny yet fierce migratory bird on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Refuge to a celebration on the south lawn of the White House, guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the John Hopkins Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy, and David Kieve, president of the Environmental Defense Action Fund, discuss why the new climate bill is so critical, what it took to get this massive piece of legislation to the finish line.
Astronomer Andy Rivkin led the team at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory that sent a rocket into space last year to change the trajectory of an asteroid. Stephanie Desmon talks to him about how this proof of concept launch could one day aid in the ultimate public health mission: To save humans from the fate of the dinosaurs.
Roughly 10 percent of long-term care workers have left their careers since the start of COVID-19. The shortage in staffing has led to nursing homes turning patients away, left caregivers at home struggling for help, and ultimately put patients at risk in the hands of workers who have been stretched thin. Tradeoffs host Dan Gorenstein talks about a San Fransisco non-profit home health agency looking to make changes in this sector and how providing long-term care workers with new career pathways could be part of the solution. If you like this episode, check out the Tradeoffs podcast at www.tradeoffs.org.
Howard Sklamberg, a former deputy commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, talks to Dr. Sharfstein about legislation passed at the end of 2022 to improve the safety of cosmetics. On the agenda for discussion: inspections, manufacturing standards, recalls, and the answer to the trivia question of whether a combination of antiperspirant and deodorant is considered a cosmetic or a drug.
Guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy, brings us eight miles above the Arctic Circle to talk with Bernadette Demientieff, council member for the Arctic Refuge Defense Council and member of the Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich'in Tribe. They discuss the very real impacts of climate change on her community in their day-to-day lives and our global interconnectedness, including why it matters to all of us what's happening in a remote corner of the world.
Years of masking and distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic protected many of us from the common cold and flu, and isolation protected children from respiratory illnesses like RSV. So, why are so many kids getting sick this winter? In this episode, Stephanie Desmon talks to Dr. Mike Rose, a pediatric resident at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine about a concept called ‘immunity debt’ and why it could explain the recent increase in pediatric illness and hospitalizations.
After years of using a ZERO COVID strategy in China, which led to many lockdowns and economic questions, the country has dropped all COVID restrictions in recent weeks. Dr. Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security joins Stephanie Desmon to discuss what has happened in China, what the consequences are now and what they will be in the future. Adalja says both policies were destined to fail and we could see China in 2023 look a lot like the United States in 2020.
Environmental health wasn’t always part of the public health portfolio but in recent years “science caught up to the obvious.” Dr. Howard Frumpkin, former head of Environmental Health Operations at the CDC and currently senior vice president at Trust for Public Land, talks with Shelley Hearne about the evidence base behind environmental impacts on our health, the political and cultural changes required for the CDC to adopt programs around climate and environment, and why hope for tackling climate change is not only a worthy strategy, there’s empirical evidence behind it.
Dr. Roger Mitchell, the former chief medical examiner of the District of Columbia, and current chief of pathology at Howard University speaks with Dr. Sharfstein about how deaths in custody are classified. Dr. Mitchell has observed that when it comes to understanding the reasons for these deaths, the usual rules of autopsies and death investigations don't always seem to apply. He's leading the charge to understand more about what's happening.
As we enter the fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Mike Osterholm, a leading expert from the University of Minnesota, talks to Stephanie Desmon about why hundreds of people in the U.S. continue to die each day from COVID and tens of thousands are newly hospitalized. They discuss the question he gets asked most often, “Is this pandemic ever going to end?”, as well as coming variants, the massive outbreaks in China, and the lack of demand for vaccines and treatments that are effective in preventing death and severe disease.
Our guest is Judge David Tatel, who recently took senior status on the U.S. court of appeals for the DC circuit after joining the court in 1994. He was appointed to fill the seat created by the appointment of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court. Judge Tatel speaks with Dr. Sharfstein about West Virginia v. EPA, in which the Supreme Court announced a major new doctrine for judging actions by health agencies to protect the public.
In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau, director of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about sexual abuse prevention means for youth serving organizations, and for children themselves. More about the Moore Center is here.
Today, guest host Shelley Hearne, director of the Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy talks with former EPA leader and inaugural White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy about why climate change is a people and public health problem, not a planetary problem.
A report from the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis sheds light on disturbing instances of the Trump administration’s politicization of science during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Subcommittee member Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what’s in the report, how to better protect agencies like the CDC from political interference, and lessons learned to prepare for the next pandemic.
Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, there’s been a flurry of activity at the state levels to protect, significantly restrict, or ban abortion. Legal and public health expert Joanne Rosen returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how removing the “constitutional guardrails” is playing out in courtrooms across the country, the “chilling effect” much of this has on practitioners, and how the recently passed Respect for Marriage Act could have implications for protections at the federal level. Referenced in this episode: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2798214.
In the last episode of Season 6, Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with co-hosts Dr. Josh Sharfstein and Stephanie Desmon about 2022: how it started, what happened, and how it's going now. They reflect on the changing COVID response, listener feedback, standout episodes, notable guests, looking ahead to topics for 2023 and more. This episode was recorded in person as a video and can be viewed on the @johnshopkinssph YouTube channel. Please vote for the podcast in the Signal Listener’s Choice Awards! Info here: https://bit.ly/PHPodVoting
Last week, hundreds of public health leaders and scholars gathered in Philadelphia for the annual Bloomberg American Health Summit and to discuss critical topics ranging from gun violence and environmental justice to food policy and preventing overdose. This special episode of Public Health On Call features three panels from the main plenary session: Extreme Risk Protection Orders, Innovations in Harm Reduction, and Youth Suicide Risk in Latinx Communities. You can watch the full sessions here. Please vote for the podcast in the Signal Listener’s Choice Awards! Info here: https://bit.ly/PHPodVoting
Dr. Shaun Truelove, an infectious disease epidemiologist, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the latest models for the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub. They discuss the possibility of another COVID surge this winter as well as what models can tell us about other respiratory diseases like flu and RSV, and factors like the flu and bivalent vaccines. Please vote for the podcast in the Signal Listener’s Choice Awards! Info here
For the first time, the WHO released a report of fungal “priority pathogens” that are causing invasive diseases in humans and are becoming more prevalent and more resistant to treatment. Dr. Hatim Sati, technical leader of the report, talks with Stephanie Desmon about why fungi pose such a threat to human health, the lack of diagnostics and treatments, and how better research and surveillance can help.
Guest host Bilal Khan, a Johns Hopkins public health student who recently worked as an advisor to senior public health leaders in Pakistan, talks with Dr. Rabika Fatima, a Karachi-based doctor volunteering at medical relief camps near the floods, about what’s happening on the ground in the aftermath of Pakistan’s devastating floods. Organizations working on the front lines include: JDC Foundation, Al Khidmat Foundation, IMI Pakistan, and The Indus Hospital.
Unintentional injuries like auto and firearm accidents, drownings, and poisonings, are the leading causes of death in US children over age 1. Dr. Sadiqa Kendi, Division Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Boston Medical Center and a Bloomberg Fellow, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her work on the Mass PIER project and some insights they’ve gained from reviewing pediatric injuries.
COVID-19 infections may look different in 2022 than they did in 2020, thanks to vaccines, infection-induced immunity, and new treatments—but that doesn’t mean we can rest easy. Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of infectious diseases at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the overall state of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, what we still don’t know about this virus, and why it’s important to stay vigilant.
Medications to treat opioid use disorder in pregnant people can decrease the chances of an infant being born too early and reduce risks of maternal overdose and death. But with a fractured and underfunded system of OUD treatment, as well as stigma around drug abuse in pregnancy and siloed maternal health care, how can pregnant people access this lifesaving care? Dr. Stephen Patrick, pediatrician and former senior policy advisor at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about a new report that lays out suggestions for lifting barriers to OUD treatment for pregnant people. Read the report here.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANEs, are specially trained advocates and care providers for survivors of sexual violence in ERs and other clinical settings. In addition to providing medical care and counseling, they can collect forensic evidence at the critical moment following a sexual assault. Oregon SANE Savannah Powell talks to Lindsay Smith Rogers about the important role SANEs play in survivors’ healing and the unique challenges the field faces in the context of the nation’s nursing crisis and post-Roe policies. This episode was co-produced by intern Hannah Bennett.
Thanksgiving dinner can bring tension alongside turkey and this year may feel especially stressful given a highly polarizing political environment. Dr. Conseulo Amat, an expert in peace building at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about some ground rules for peace-building and dialogue, and how to meaningfully engage in difficult conversations with people we love.
During the midterms, Oregon voters passed Measure 114 which restricts magazine capacity for firearms and requires purchasers to obtain a permit which includes a background check and safety training. Cass Crifasi, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why this measure is a lifesaving win not only for gun violence solutions and public health, but also for evidence-based advocacy. They also discuss where the measure falls in the context of the Supreme Court's Bruen Decision and what Crifasi hopes to see happen next.
Today’s episode is all about the liver. Thelma Thiel, founder and chair of The Liver Health Initiative, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this “silent organ” that, among many roles, removes toxins from what you eat, breathe, and absorb through your skin. They also discuss Thiel’s efforts in advocacy and education—including her talking about the "football-sized" liver with an NFL team.
For the first time, a physician—Dr. Rahul Gupta—is directing the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. Dr. Gupta talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the national strategy to address addiction and overdose, emphasizing treatment and harm reduction, not criminalization.
New CDC data shows that during the pandemic, gun-related homicides and suicides surged to record highs. Ari Davis, a researcher at the John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the spikes, some possible contributing factors, and effective public health solutions.
As advocates from around the world gather at the International Conference on Family Planning in Thailand this week, what’s the state of global reproductive rights? Megan Christofield, a project director and advisor at JHPIEGO, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the accessibility and prevalence of contraceptive use worldwide, where gains have been made and where things have been stagnant or even backslid in the last decade, and some game-changing new contraception options that could help avert many more millions of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths.
Coming into the third year of the pandemic, we now have more data about how COVID affects people in the long term. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, Chief of Research and Education Service at Veterans Affairs in the St. Louis Health Care System returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about a new study of 150,000 people with COVID-19 that found higher incidence of headaches, seizures, sleep problems, strokes, and other neurological symptoms following even mild or asymptomatic infections. Read the study here.
First we had alpha, beta, and delta, and now we have hundreds of sublineages just from omicron alone. Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how experts are keeping track of so many variations of SARS-CoV-2, which advantageous mutations most lineages are picking up to help them spread, the clinical impacts on treatments and vaccines, and why COVID-19 is not yet seasonal.
First declared in January, 2020 and renewed every 90 days since, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency allows for key flexibilities and funds in response to the pandemic. With the declaration due to expire in January, what are the implications for things like Medicare/Medicaid coverage, and cost and access to vaccines and tests? Jennifer Kates, Senior Vice President and Director of Global Health & HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the PHE and potential fallout for ending it too soon. Read Kates’ coauthored article here.
Disappointing rates of child and adolescent vaccination for COVID are colliding with an intensifying seasonal storm of viral illnesses including flu and RSV. ERs and pediatric ICU beds are already filling up in some areas and many more kids will miss precious school time on top of pandemic learning loss. Pediatrician Dr. Megan Tschudy talks with Stephanie Desmon about the importance of vaccination in prevention and protection, a worsening child and adolescent mental health crisis, and why the pandemic's lingering aftershocks are far from over.
Social determinants of health—such as access to appropriate housing, health care, and transportation—drive massive health disparities in the US, and many are underpinned by politics and policies. Professor and author Daniel Dawes talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his new book which looks at the role of politics and health, why the “moral case” alone can’t advance change, and how the health of the democratic process is key to a healthier and more equitable future.
Social determinants of health—such as access to appropriate housing, health care, and transportation—drive massive health disparities in the US, and many are underpinned by politics and policies. Professor and author Daniel Dawes talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his new book which looks at the role of politics and health, why the “moral case” alone can’t advance change, and how the health of the democratic process is key to a healthier and more equitable future.
Traditional after-deathcare in the US carries a huge environmental toll from burying toxic embalming chemicals to the carbon footprint of cremation. Samuel Cline Perry, a licensed mortician, professor of mortuary science, and a deathcare educator at Southern Illinois University Carbondale talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about how the funeral industry is evolving with more options for “green burials.” They also discuss new legislation around human composting and why social justice is a key aspect of the larger conversation of green deathcare.
Traditional after-deathcare in the US carries a huge environmental toll from burying toxic embalming chemicals to the carbon footprint of cremation. Samuel Cline Perry, a licensed mortician, professor of mortuary science, and a deathcare educator at Southern Illinois University Carbondale talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about how the funeral industry is evolving with more options for “green burials.” They also discuss new legislation around human composting and why social justice is a key aspect of the larger conversation of green deathcare.
Conversations about death and dying between physicians and patients or patients and loved ones are difficult but important. Dr. Jillian Tullis, a professor in Communication at the University of San Diego, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why these conversations are important to dying well, some tools for starting the conversation (especially with loved ones who may be resistant to the topic), and some important things to consider when inquiring about someone’s wishes. They also discuss how COVID-19 created an “accumulation of death experiences” that may influence how our society thinks about grief, bereavement, and “a good death” going forward.
Conversations about death and dying between physicians and patients or patients and loved ones are difficult but important. Dr. Jillian Tullis, a professor in Communication at the University of San Diego, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why these conversations are important to dying well, some tools for starting the conversation (especially with loved ones who may be resistant to the topic), and some important things to consider when inquiring about someone’s wishes. They also discuss how COVID-19 created an “accumulation of death experiences” that may influence how our society thinks about grief, bereavement, and “a good death” going forward.
Climate change is an urgent existential threat to public health, so why is it still considered a separate issue and how can public health take on more problem solving to address it? “Problem Solver for Public Health” Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, talks with guest host Dr. Shelley Hearne, director of the Johns Hopkins Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy about lessons learned from tobacco battles, why engaging in politics—but not partisanship—is a crucial asset, and how public health can “make some noise” when it comes to climate change advocacy.
Climate change is an urgent existential threat to public health, so why is it still considered a separate issue and how can public health take on more problem solving to address it? “Problem Solver for Public Health” Dr. Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, talks with guest host Dr. Shelley Hearne, director of the Johns Hopkins Lerner Center for Public Health Advocacy about lessons learned from tobacco battles, why engaging in politics—but not partisanship—is a crucial asset, and how public health can “make some noise” when it comes to climate change advocacy.
Dr. Raegan McDonald Mosley, an obstetrician-gynecologist and CEO of Power to Decide, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state of reproductive health care 3 months after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They discuss barriers to access to abortion services, interference with the care of pregnancy, and the challenge posed to US medicine and the health care system.
Dr. Raegan McDonald Mosley, an obstetrician-gynecologist and CEO of Power to Decide, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state of reproductive health care 3 months after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They discuss barriers to access to abortion services, interference with the care of pregnancy, and the challenge posed to US medicine and the health care system.
In June 2020, Dr. Dale Bratzler stepped in to serve as the Chief COVID Officer for the University of Oklahoma. He talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about making controversial health and safety decisions in a charged atmosphere, his transition from primary care to public health, and his views on COVID as a long-term issue with far-reaching impacts.
In June 2020, Dr. Dale Bratzler stepped in to serve as the Chief COVID Officer for the University of Oklahoma. He talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about making controversial health and safety decisions in a charged atmosphere, his transition from primary care to public health, and his views on COVID as a long-term issue with far-reaching impacts.
The disastrous water infrastructure issues in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi are not outliers. Looming failures across water, energy, and transportation systems are threatening dozens of cities. Dr. Marccus Hendricks, director of the Stormwater Infrastructure Resilience and Justice Lab at the University of Maryland, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these emerging challenges.
The disastrous water infrastructure issues in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi are not outliers. Looming failures across water, energy, and transportation systems are threatening dozens of cities. Dr. Marccus Hendricks, director of the Stormwater Infrastructure Resilience and Justice Lab at the University of Maryland, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these emerging challenges.
Across the country, kids who fall into the foster care system are getting stuck in hospitals and institutions because there’s nowhere for them to go. Molly Tierney, the leader of child welfare work at Accenture, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these heartbreaking scenarios and how change starts with redefining the challenges, as well as what individuals can do in their own communities.
Across the country, kids who fall into the foster care system are getting stuck in hospitals and institutions because there’s nowhere for them to go. Molly Tierney, the leader of child welfare work at Accenture, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these heartbreaking scenarios and how change starts with redefining the challenges, as well as what individuals can do in their own communities.
The unprecedented floods in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,600 people and directly affected 33 million are the result of years of planning failure coming head to head with climate change. In a two-part conversation, Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Dr. Debbie Guha, the head of the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Lovain School of Public Health in Belgium about the scale of the disaster and contributing factors, and then to Dr. Ben Zaitchik, a Johns Hopkins Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences about the role of climate change and why these floods are a warning to all of us.
The unprecedented floods in Pakistan that have killed more than 1,600 people and directly affected 33 million are the result of years of planning failure coming head to head with climate change. In a two-part conversation, Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Dr. Debbie Guha, the head of the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Lovain School of Public Health in Belgium about the scale of the disaster and contributing factors, and then to Dr. Ben Zaitchik, a Johns Hopkins Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences about the role of climate change and why these floods are a warning to all of us.
It’s a difficult time for public sector workers—health departments, social workers, sanitation staff, and more are burned out from doing so much with so little during an intense pandemic. Beth Blauer, associate vice provost for public sector innovation at Johns Hopkins, talks with Josh Sharfstein about contributing factors to the burnout, where there is innovation happening, and ways for public officials to embrace “the chutzpah of leadership.”
It’s a difficult time for public sector workers—health departments, social workers, sanitation staff, and more are burned out from doing so much with so little during an intense pandemic. Beth Blauer, associate vice provost for public sector innovation at Johns Hopkins, talks with Josh Sharfstein about contributing factors to the burnout, where there is innovation happening, and ways for public officials to embrace “the chutzpah of leadership.”
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Dr. Donald Warne, the new co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the challenges and opportunities for the health of the world’s indigenous populations. They also discuss the expansive work of the Center, and the hope that greater understanding of indigenous health will bring a broad range of benefits to the world.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Dr. Donald Warne, the new co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the challenges and opportunities for the health of the world’s indigenous populations. They also discuss the expansive work of the Center, and the hope that greater understanding of indigenous health will bring a broad range of benefits to the world.
The Biden administration’s action plan for responding to long COVID is a good start, but much more is required to truly address the impacts of this “mass disabling event” on health, safety, and the economy. Journalist Ryan Prior and inaugural White House Director for Disability Policy Kim Knackstedt talk with Stephanie Desmon about what is included in the nation’s long COVID plan, what was left out, and how the plan could pave the way for responding to other chronic illnesses.
The Biden administration’s action plan for responding to long COVID is a good start, but much more is required to truly address the impacts of this “mass disabling event” on health, safety, and the economy. Journalist Ryan Prior and inaugural White House Director for Disability Policy Kim Knackstedt talk with Stephanie Desmon about what is included in the nation’s long COVID plan, what was left out, and how the plan could pave the way for responding to other chronic illnesses.
Social media has long been criticized for its role in perpetuating dangerous misinformation. Dr. Garth Graham, the director and global head of healthcare and public health at Google and YouTube, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how this came to a head during the pandemic and how he sees the opportunity for social media channels to be leaders in the evolution of science and public health communications.
Social media has long been criticized for its role in perpetuating dangerous misinformation. Dr. Garth Graham, the director and global head of healthcare and public health at Google and YouTube, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how this came to a head during the pandemic and how he sees the opportunity for social media channels to be leaders in the evolution of science and public health communications.
Who should get a bivalent booster? How effective are they? How should people space out shots after infection, original strain boosters, and a host of other combinations of immunity and exposure? Can you get a bivalent booster and a flu shot at the same time and are there any benefits to spacing them out? How long did it take for us to get these boosters, and what’s the hope for longer-term immunity? Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz talks with Stephanie Desmon about bivalents and answers listener questions sent to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.
Who should get a bivalent booster? How effective are they? How should people space out shots after infection, original strain boosters, and a host of other combinations of immunity and exposure? Can you get a bivalent booster and a flu shot at the same time and are there any benefits to spacing them out? How long did it take for us to get these boosters, and what’s the hope for longer-term immunity? Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz talks with Stephanie Desmon about bivalents and answers listener questions sent to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.
Pandemic disruptions led to serious learning loss in K-12 education, and new research shows just how serious. Peggy Carr, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, talks with Stephanie Desmon about what the data shows in terms of student performance, why these historic declines will have impacts for years to come, and what can be done to start closing the gaps.
Pandemic disruptions led to serious learning loss in K-12 education, and new research shows just how serious. Peggy Carr, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, talks with Stephanie Desmon about what the data shows in terms of student performance, why these historic declines will have impacts for years to come, and what can be done to start closing the gaps.
A 2019 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine lays out irrefutable evidence that medications like methadone can save lives when used for opioid use disorder, but decades of policy rooted in racism and stigma keeps methadone largely out of reach for those who need it. Alan Leshner, CEO emeritus of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and chair of the planning committee for the report talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about these policies and why this is a moment of opportunity to enact major reform in the methadone system and address the opioid epidemic. Read the full report here.
A 2019 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine lays out irrefutable evidence that medications like methadone can save lives when used for opioid use disorder, but decades of policy rooted in racism and stigma keeps methadone largely out of reach for those who need it. Alan Leshner, CEO emeritus of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and chair of the planning committee for the report talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about these policies and why this is a moment of opportunity to enact major reform in the methadone system and address the opioid epidemic. Read the full report here.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infection, affects some 228 million people globally each year, killing over 400,000 of them—primarily children under the age of 5. In part two of a miniseries, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute podcast “Malaria Minute” looks back at 1955 when the WHO launched its “Global Malaria Eradication Programme” that was expected to end malaria worldwide in five years. What went wrong, and where are we now in terms of efforts to fight back against one of the world’s most entrenched diseases? You can learn more about groundbreaking malaria research at malaria.jhsph.edu.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infection, affects some 228 million people globally each year, killing over 400,000 of them—primarily children under the age of 5. In part two of a miniseries, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute podcast “Malaria Minute” looks back at 1955 when the WHO launched its “Global Malaria Eradication Programme” that was expected to end malaria worldwide in five years. What went wrong, and where are we now in terms of efforts to fight back against one of the world’s most entrenched diseases? You can learn more about groundbreaking malaria research at malaria.jhsph.edu.
How effective have federal vaccine mandates for COVID-19 been? Will litigation impact other vaccine requirements, such as those for school attendance? What might happen during future pandemics? Michelle Mello, a professor of law and public policy at Stanford, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the mixed success of COVID vaccine mandates.
How effective have federal vaccine mandates for COVID-19 been? Will litigation impact other vaccine requirements, such as those for school attendance? What might happen during future pandemics? Michelle Mello, a professor of law and public policy at Stanford, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the mixed success of COVID vaccine mandates.
Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Josh Sharfstein about the current state of COVID. They discuss the pandemic situation in the US and around the world, and how they are managing their own lives at a moment when it seems like most people are ready to move on.
Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Josh Sharfstein about the current state of COVID. They discuss the pandemic situation in the US and around the world, and how they are managing their own lives at a moment when it seems like most people are ready to move on.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infection, affects some 228 million people globally each year, killing over 400,000 of them—primarily children under the age of 5. In part one of a miniseries, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute podcast “Malaria Minute,” breaks down the parasite’s unique lifecycle which allows it to adapt rapidly to drugs and to our immune system’s efforts to fight it off. You can learn more about groundbreaking malaria research.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne infection, affects some 228 million people globally each year, killing over 400,000 of them—primarily children under the age of 5. In part one of a miniseries, Thomas Locke, host of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute podcast “Malaria Minute,” breaks down the parasite’s unique lifecycle which allows it to adapt rapidly to drugs and to our immune system’s efforts to fight it off. You can learn more about groundbreaking malaria research.
Hearing loss affects two-thirds of people over age 70 and is the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia and other health problems later in life. Frank Lin, director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing & Public Health at Johns Hopkins, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the links between hearing loss and dementia, why the new approval means hearing aids will be better, cheaper, and far more available, and how to find your own “hearing number.”
Hearing loss affects two-thirds of people over age 70 and is the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia and other health problems later in life. Frank Lin, director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing & Public Health at Johns Hopkins, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the links between hearing loss and dementia, why the new approval means hearing aids will be better, cheaper, and far more available, and how to find your own “hearing number.”
Undocumented individuals often can’t or are afraid to seek health care due to a lack of insurance or fears that services could interfere with their immigration status. Luvia Quiñones, senior director of health policy at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Mervin Dino, who runs a safety net health care program at Advocate Aurora Health in Chicago, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about advocacy efforts to expand health care access to undocumented immigrants, how providers should consider making services more welcoming for this population, and how COVID-19 became a case study in the importance of extending care to all.
Undocumented individuals often can’t or are afraid to seek health care due to a lack of insurance or fears that services could interfere with their immigration status. Luvia Quiñones, senior director of health policy at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Mervin Dino, who runs a safety net health care program at Advocate Aurora Health in Chicago, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about advocacy efforts to expand health care access to undocumented immigrants, how providers should consider making services more welcoming for this population, and how COVID-19 became a case study in the importance of extending care to all.
Dr. Mauda Monger is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi. She is also a community advocate and public health professional. She talks with Dr. Sharfstein about how the water crisis is the most visible sign of a profound decline in her hometown and perhaps could help bring about a brighter future. Dr. Monger runs an initiative for young women of color in Jackson called the S-H-E Project. Learn more
Dr. Mauda Monger is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi. She is also a community advocate and public health professional. She talks with Dr. Sharfstein about how the water crisis is the most visible sign of a profound decline in her hometown and perhaps could help bring about a brighter future. Dr. Monger runs an initiative for young women of color in Jackson called the S-H-E Project. Learn more
Unhealthy, fast, and cheap foods are often marketed to Black Americans who suffer from higher rates of obesity and other non-communicable health problems. Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika, a research professor at Drexel University and the founder of the Council of Black Health, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about Operation Good Food and Beverages, a project supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, which advocates for better food policies and encourages youth to embrace healthy eating as a radical act. Learn more.
Unhealthy, fast, and cheap foods are often marketed to Black Americans who suffer from higher rates of obesity and other non-communicable health problems. Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika, a research professor at Drexel University and the founder of the Council of Black Health, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about Operation Good Food and Beverages, a project supported by the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, which advocates for better food policies and encourages youth to embrace healthy eating as a radical act. Learn more.
Former CMS Director Andy Slavitt has achieved major wins for health in the private and public sectors. Slavitt talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about lessons learned from the ACA and COVID-19 responses, whether or not our government is up to the major health challenges of today, and why public health “gets recognized in years and decades, not days and weeks.”
Also - we want to hear from you!
Former CMS Director Andy Slavitt has achieved major wins for health in the private and public sectors. Slavitt talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about lessons learned from the ACA and COVID-19 responses, whether or not our government is up to the major health challenges of today, and why public health “gets recognized in years and decades, not days and weeks.”
Also - we want to hear from you!
Historic rainfall in Jackson, Mississippi overwhelmed the already fragile water system leaving thousands of residents without water weeks later. Dr. Richard Mizelle, an environmental historian at the University of Houston, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the crisis that was decades in the making, who is most at risk without clean water, and how environmental racism poses deadly threats to communities across the US. Also - We want to hear from you!
Historic rainfall in Jackson, Mississippi overwhelmed the already fragile water system leaving thousands of residents without water weeks later. Dr. Richard Mizelle, an environmental historian at the University of Houston, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the crisis that was decades in the making, who is most at risk without clean water, and how environmental racism poses deadly threats to communities across the US. Also - We want to hear from you!
Since the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, many states have passed restrictive, confusing, and sometimes contradictory laws impacting health care. Dr. Jack Resneck, Jr, the new president of the American Medical Association talks with Stephanie Desmon about the challenges physicians are facing when making critical decisions with patients about often lifesaving health care, the threat of a “mass exodus” of practitioners from states with more restrictive laws, and who ultimately pays the highest price for the “egregious allowance of government in the exam room.” We want to hear from you!
Since the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, many states have passed restrictive, confusing, and sometimes contradictory laws impacting health care. Dr. Jack Resneck, Jr, the new president of the American Medical Association talks with Stephanie Desmon about the challenges physicians are facing when making critical decisions with patients about often lifesaving health care, the threat of a “mass exodus” of practitioners from states with more restrictive laws, and who ultimately pays the highest price for the “egregious allowance of government in the exam room.” We want to hear from you!
The Inflation Reduction Act contains some major changes for both Medicare and drug pricing with the potential to save Americans billions of dollars in drug costs. Hopkins health policy expert Jerry Anderson, who has spent decades working on Medicare issues, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the changes, why they took so long, and what still needs to be worked out. Also - we want to hear from you! PublicHealth.jhu.edu/PublicHealthOnCall/Survey
The Inflation Reduction Act contains some major changes for both Medicare and drug pricing with the potential to save Americans billions of dollars in drug costs. Hopkins health policy expert Jerry Anderson, who has spent decades working on Medicare issues, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the changes, why they took so long, and what still needs to be worked out. Also - we want to hear from you! PublicHealth.jhu.edu/PublicHealthOnCall/Survey
Throughout COVID-19, the FDA has been among many government agencies charged with communicating lifesaving information. Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the politicization of the pandemic raised the stakes for the FDA and how the agency is learning to adapt in an age of rampant misinformation. They also discuss the FDA’s consideration of bivalent vaccines for authorization and what’s next for the pandemic response.
Throughout COVID-19, the FDA has been among many government agencies charged with communicating lifesaving information. Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the politicization of the pandemic raised the stakes for the FDA and how the agency is learning to adapt in an age of rampant misinformation. They also discuss the FDA’s consideration of bivalent vaccines for authorization and what’s next for the pandemic response.
Dr. Mark Gendreau, an emergency department physician in Boston, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the marvels of airplane ventilation, the transmission of diseases like flu, measles, and SARS in airplanes, overall risk for COVID-19, and how travelers can more safely navigate the riskiest “choke points” during air travel.
Dr. Carolyn Sufrin joins the podcast to talk with Dr. Sharfstein about the implication of overturning Roe vs Wade for a special population—people who are incarcerated. Dr. Sufrin is an obstetrician/gynecologist and a researcher on reproductive health at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Carolyn Sufrin joins the podcast to talk with Dr. Sharfstein about the implication of overturning Roe vs Wade for a special population—people who are incarcerated. Dr. Sufrin is an obstetrician/gynecologist and a researcher on reproductive health at Johns Hopkins.
The first case of paralytic polio in New York in decades has focused attention on a devastating virus with a long and terrible history. Olakunle Alonge, an associate professor of international health at Johns Hopkins, who’s worked on polio eradication efforts around the world, speaks to Josh Sharfstein about what's behind the rise in cases and how the world can defeat polio—forever.
How should parents be thinking about their kids returning to school in the context of updated CDC guidelines on COVID, the potential for monkeypox outbreaks, and an uptick in other viruses? Experts Keri Althoff and Liz Stuart return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what’s new this school year, making sense of COVID risks and guidelines, vaccine mandates for kids age 12 and up, and thinking about a “more holistic approach to health” that takes prevention of other illnesses into account.
What’s the difference between COVID reinfection, rebounding, and a new infection? Are people contagious and can they have recurring symptoms with a COVID rebound? Can antivirals like paxlovid cause COVID rebounds? Can paxlovid prevent long COVID? Amesh Adalja returns to the podcast to talk with Josh Sharfstein and answer your questions sent to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.
President Biden is poised to sign the historic Inflation Reduction Act that will, among other things, enact sweeping changes to the US energy sector and efforts to fight climate change. Tiernan Sittenfeld, the senior vice president of the League of Conservation Voters, talks with guest host Shelley Hearne about the bill and its game-changing potential for the environment and public health. They also discuss why major climate legislation has failed in the past and what needs to be done to ensure that implementation is successful.
Throughout the COVID pandemic, number crunching has been a way to understand and respond to the scope, spread, and spikes of outbreaks. The same goes for monkeypox. Epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Rivers talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what numbers should be considered to understand the full picture of the monkeypox outbreak and the effectiveness of the response. They also talk about the current limitations within public health to track down and report necessary data.
A new report confirms the origins of SARS-CoV-2 as a spillover event from a seafood market in Wuhan, China. Biosecurity expert Gigi Gronvall returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about what we now know happened, why it took so long to pinpoint and confirm COVID’s origins, and why this information is crucial for research and preventing future pandemics. Read the report here.
Vaccine experts Drs. Anna Durbin and Bill Moss return to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the global state of COVID-19. They discuss vaccine coverage around the world, second-generation or bivalent vaccines, a new variant of concern, and what a worrying flu season in the southern hemisphere could mean for us this winter.
New Mexico has the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the US, but the problem is routinely sidestepped at best or, at worst, blamed erroneously on the Native American population. Journalist Ted Alcorn talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the barriers facing New Mexico in tackling alcohol as a public health crisis. Learn more here.
The public health system has been fragmented and haphazard for years, and COVID-19 showed just how consequential a weak system can be. Former FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg talks with Stephanie Desmon about a Commonwealth Fund report that looks at how to build a national public health system that addresses ongoing and future health crises, advances equity, and earns trust. Learn more here.
In the 500th episode of the Public Health on Call podcast, Dr. Chris Beyrer joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about how yet another virus has escalated to crisis levels in a short period of time. They discuss parallels and differences with the early days of the HIV epidemic, the danger of ignoring health challenges facing the developing world, and the future of public health challenges facing societies worldwide.
Settlements with opioid giants like Purdue, Johnson & Johnson, and Cardinal Health have resulted in billions of dollars paid out to states and municipalities. Sara Whaley, a coordinator for a project called Principles for the Use of Funds from Opioid Litigation, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about five guidelines these entities can follow to use the funds in ways that will actually address the nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic. Learn more at opioidprinciples.jhsph.edu.
The recent Supreme Court ruling limiting the EPA’s ability to mandate carbon emissions reductions is a setback but not game over for fighting climate change. Former environmental official Tom Burke talks with Stephanie Desmon about the ruling and about this “perfect storm” moment of extreme weather, a war that’s jacked up oil prices, and a lack of political will to face climate change. They also discuss some things to be hopeful about and what can be done right now to adapt and innovate for a better future.
The FDA recently issued a marketing denial order for all Juul products, which was quickly reversed when Juul filed for a temporary stay. Dr. Joanna Cohen talks with Stephanie Desmon about why e-cigarettes are regulated like cigarettes and not pharmaceuticals despite their initial introduction to the market as a smoking cessation tool, where gains have been made in reducing popularity with youths, and why other tools like nicotine replacement therapy have not been able to live up to their promise to help more people quit smoking.
The FDA recently issued a marketing denial order for all Juul products, which was quickly reversed when Juul filed for a temporary stay. Dr. Joanna Cohen talks with Stephanie Desmon about why e-cigarettes are regulated like cigarettes and not pharmaceuticals despite their initial introduction to the market as a smoking cessation tool, where gains have been made in reducing popularity with youths, and why other tools like nicotine replacement therapy have not been able to live up to their promise to help more people quit smoking.
Overdose death rates among Black Americans surpassed those among white Americans in 2020, a sharp reversal from a decade earlier. Hopkins post-doctoral fellows Dr. Keisha Solomon and Dr. Jason Gibbons talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the reasons behind this alarming increase and what can be done to respond.
Mindfulness is sometimes seen as a buzzword, but it’s an evidence-based facet key to our physical and emotional well-being. Mindfulness researcher Dr. Christina Bethell talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the science behind the practice, the connection to resilience, and how mindfulness can help people recover from trauma and adverse childhood experiences. They also discuss some basic practices you can do yourself and Dr. Bethell leads a short breathing exercise. Learn more about her work here.
In a special episode Tradeoffs host Dan Gorenstein talks about the nation’s new 9-8-8 crisis line, and how local agencies are struggling to find counselors to staff the Lifeline number. A content warning that this episode mentions suicide and other mental health emergencies. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Learn more here: https://tradeoffs.org/
Oral health extends far beyond cleanings and cavities, but coverage schemes are often considered an extra “benefit” and not a necessity. Dentists Leah Leinbach and Sujay Mehta talk with Stephanie Desmon about why oral health goes way beyond “drill and fill” to impacting overall health, the history behind oral health’s divorce from medicine, and how the importance of including dental care as part of health care is being discussed at a global level.
Nonprofits or NGOs often find themselves limited by the terms of available grants, which may be insufficient or too short-term to meet certain needs. Enter development impact bonds, or investments made by a little-known government agency. Dia Martin, a managing director on the social enterprise finance team of the US International Development Finance Corporation talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these bonds, and two initial projects: a cataract clinic in Cameroon and micro-enterprises for Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.
Some of the greatest societal inequities are evident in emergency rooms. ER physician Dr. Thomas Fisher, author of Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER, captures some of these moments during the COVID pandemic, illuminating the intimate relationship between doctors and patients. He talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his book and about how health care—and ERs in particular—uphold systems of inequity even without intending to, and how providers can try to offer everyone coming through the doors the care they deserve.
In April, Dr. Josh Sharfstein appeared on the Washington Journal segment of C-SPAN to talk about the podcast and answer questions from callers live on TV. Many of the questions stemmed from misinformation that’s proliferated online, but all COVID questions deserve answers. In this bonus episode, we share some of those questions and Dr. Sharfstein’s responses—live and unscripted.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academic of Pediatrics and a professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, was fired from a state board for advocating for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5. She talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how politics and misinformation in Florida are contributing to a situation that’s harmful to children’s health and strips away medical choices and access from parents.
Lack of green space, abundant concrete, and building materials that trap heat all contribute to why cities are often as much as 10 degrees warmer than surrounding suburbs. Johns Hopkins earth and planetary sciences professor Dr. Ben Zaitchik talks with Stephanie Desmon about urban heat islands which disproportionately affect poorer and minority communities, why heat is known as “the silent killer,” and how investments in urban heat mitigation can help make neighborhoods stronger and safer.
In the late 1970s, residents of a working-class neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York learned their community was built on a toxic waste dump that was causing significant health problems. Keith O’Brien, author of Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what became known as the Love Canal Disaster. The incredible story includes mobilized moms, exploding rocks, a hostage situation, and a young Congressman from Tennessee.
In a special episode, Tradeoffs host Dan Gorenstein talks about medical respite, a program for people who are too healthy to be hospitalized but too sick to be without housing. You can listen to this original episode and more at tradeoffs.org.
There are now five versions of omicron circulating, and each subvariant is as distinct as what we used to label totally different variants. Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk about the diverse range of omicron siblings, reinfection with different subvariants, omicron-specific vaccines, and what we can expect to see in the coming weeks and months from this “game-changer” variant.
Why was smallpox eradicated but COVID-19 can’t be? What do we know about the risks of long COVID and omicron? Is it ok to use expired rapid tests? Is it more likely to get severe COVID from someone who is unvaccinated? Should people who continue to test positive after taking paxlovid be treated again?
Dr. Crystal Watson of the Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about your COVID-19 questions - plus a bonus question on where we are with the response to monkeypox.
When Matt Ford, an actor, writer, and video producer in LA, had flu-like symptoms a few weeks ago, he never would have suspected monkeypox if a close contact hadn’t told him they’d tested positive. Still in isolation, Ford talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about his experience with the disease, where we are in terms of treatment and prevention, and how to lessen stigma towards the LGBTQ community where monkeypox seems to be spreading the fastest.
COVID-19 sent shock waves through the tourism industry, shutting down the economic engine of many popular destinations. But for some residents and tourism workers, it also brought a welcome break from swelling crowds and a rare chance to slow down and rethink their priorities. In a special episode, Lindsay Smith Rogers and Annalies Winny take a virtual tour to Aruba, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Senegal to learn how popular destinations have weighed economic stability against the risks of COVID outbreaks—and how they’re rethinking some longstanding environmental and economic issues around tourism.
In 2020, scientists working on injury analytics expanded to COVID-19 epidemiology to help create and monitor the NBA bubble. Dr. Christina Mack, an epidemiologist with IQVIA Real World Solutions, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the team continues to monitor the health and safety of players and staff, and some of the findings with real-world implications such as how long people can shed COVID-19 virus, if people with asymptomatic infections are less likely to transmit COVID, and whether boosters really work.
For immediate reaction to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe versus Wade, Dr. Josh Sharfstein speaks to Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, an obstetrician-gynecologist who leads Power to Decide, a nonprofit organization with the goal of ensuring that all people "have the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child."
First identified 50 years ago, Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness endemic to many parts of the U.S. While the acute infection can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed in time, 10-20% of people still go on to experience persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and pain. Lyme expert John Aucott talks with Stephanie Desmon about how to prevent Lyme disease, what we know about chronic Lyme, and how long COVID is helping to draw attention to it and other diseases like chronic fatigue.
In a bonus episode, Alex McCourt, the director of legal research at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, speaks to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein about guns and the Supreme Court. They discuss this decision's meaning and direct impact, as well as the potential implications for other actions to reduce the toll of gun violence in the United States.
Johns Hopkins University hosted a live, virtual briefing earlier this month on responses to the crisis of gun violence featuring a panel of experts, including Cass Crifasi, Shannon Fratteroli, Josh Horwitz, Odis Johnson, and Daniel Webster. Moderated by Lainie Rutkow, the discussion focuses on the challenges gun violence poses for American democracy, which gun laws are effective, how Extreme Risk Protection Orders can help to prevent gun violence, research on public opinions about solutions, and measures to promote student safety and health in a time of rising gun violence.
Greater global cooperation could have saved many lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparedness and response expert Lucia Mullen of the Center for Health Security talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the growing call to support such cooperation through a pandemic treaty . They also talk about mis- and disinformation that have emerged already, such as myths that a treaty could override countries’ rights or give the World Health Organization sweeping power.
In 2021, Congress established Juneteenth as a federal holiday but many people don’t know the history or how to recognize the day. Dr. Janice Bowie, an expert in community-engaged research, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how to celebrate, reflect, and recommit to social justice this Juneteenth.
An FDA advisory panel recommended Emergency Use Authorization for the two-dose Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 18+. The vaccine is built on a different technology than others currently authorized in the US, and significant delays in manufacturing and authorization have slowed down its entry into the US market. Vaccine expert Dr. Bill Moss returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about Novavax and its potential and what’s behind the delays.
Suicide is a significant public health problem. News coverage, and how we talk about it with each other, can actually help prevent suicide and connect those who are vulnerable with lifesaving resources. Journalist and MPH suicide expert Aneri Pattani talks with Stephanie Desmon about a free Coursera course she helped develop, Responsible Reporting on Suicide for Journalists, and what we can all learn to help reframe the conversation around hope and resilience. Learn more about the course here.
Melanoma is the riskiest, most lethal skin cancer and it’s completely preventable. Dr. Sancy Leachman, the chair of dermatology at the Oregon Health and Science University, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about Oregon’s “War on Melanoma,” an all-fronts effort to educate people on early identification, diagnosis, and prevention of melanoma. They also discuss the role of tattoo parlors in this campaign.
Kicking off our third pandemic summer looks a lot different than the last two….or does it? With more than five times as many COVID cases as this time last year, have we given up on trying to protect ourselves? What should we be focusing on, and does this mean we’re truly learning to live with COVID? Experts Keri Althoff and Elizabeth Stuart return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about where we are this pandemic summer, what’s changed, what hasn’t, and where we might be headed.
Dr. Joe Sakran is a Hopkins trauma surgeon and a survivor of gun violence, giving him a unique perspective on this heavy moment in history. He talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what needs to be done to effectively tackle the complex public health problem of gun violence, and how it will require moral and political courage to finally turn the tide on senseless tragedies.
The CDC is investigating reported clusters of children with acute severe hepatitis that have no known cause. Johns Hopkins pediatric hepatologist Dr. Kathryn Smith talks with Stephanie Desmon about hepatitis in children and what we know and don’t know about this particular phenomenon. Ultimately, she says, it’s a question of whether this really is something new or if we’re just now noticing patterns that already existed.
The US has a complex and underfunded approach to food safety that has recently experienced some high profile failures to keep the food supply safe. Former FDA official and legal expert Howard Sklamberg talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the challenges facing FDA and some potential solutions. At the end of the episode is an extra conversation between the two on the recent infant formula recall.
Many parents of kids ages 5 and under have been anxiously awaiting FDA authorization for vaccines for the youngest age group. Dr. Ruth Karron, one of the world’s leading experts in the development of children’s vaccines, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why it’s taken so long to authorize vaccines for young children, the evidence behind the safety and efficacy of vaccinating this age group, and what’s likely to happen in the next few weeks.
For the first time in history, a working draft of an opinion by justices of the Supreme Court was leaked to the media and the public. Legal and public health expert Joanne Rosen talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what the opinion expressly says, why it would upend precedent, and what may happen at the state level. They also discuss the immediate and long-term consequences if it’s passed, including for public health.
Dr. Cass Crifasi, director of research and policy at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the deadly misperception that there’s nothing to be done about gun violence. They discuss what could have prevented this senseless tragedy—and what must be done to prevent further loss of life.
In June 2020, amid #BlackLivesMatter protests across the country, law professor and philosopher Ekow Yankah of Yeshiva University talked with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the crisis of legitimacy in policing and opportunities for reform based on public health approaches. Two years later, Yankah returns to the podcast to discuss how and why the optimism of the protests has receded.
1 in 3 Americans believes the pandemic is over, but waves of illness and hospitalizations continue to cause signifiant disruption and death. **Dr. David Dowdy** returns to the podcast to talk with **Lindsay Smith Rogers** about how COVID-19 is impacting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, why there were so many deaths of vaccinated people from omicron (hints: sheer numbers and outsize impacts on older and immunocompromised individuals), and a look at where we are now and what we can expect in the coming months.
As the world watches reported outbreaks of monkeypox, researchers are trying to learn more about how and why the virus is spreading. Dr. Eric Toner, an expert in bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about what monkeypox is and where it comes from, how it spreads, treatments and prevention, and why these outbreaks are important to know about but not necessarily cause for alarm.
Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health and author of the book “The Contagion Next Time” talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why the US was a “sitting duck” at the onset of the pandemic. They also discuss what needs to change in public health—and society—to be better prepared for day-to-day challenges and the next emergency.
This week, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is holding its spring graduation ceremonies. Today, Caitlin Ceryes, a soon-to-be PhD in Environmental Health and Engineering, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what led her to a career in public health, her diverse research ranging from soda taxes to sustainable aquaculture, and how the pandemic caused her to pivot her dissertation work to focus on COVID-19 occupational hazards for essential food workers.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness month, Christen Linke Young, the deputy assistant to President Biden for Health and Veteran’s Affairs, talks with Josh Sharfstein about the mental health component of the President’s Unity Agenda. The ambitious plan aims to build the mental health workforce, make mental health care much more accessible, and invest in resilience to prevent mental health disorders. You can read about the President's mental health agenda here.
During the pandemic, the US Surgeon General declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health—a recognition of a crisis long in the making. Psychologist and researcher Tamar Mendelson, talks with Josh Sharfstein about what young people are experiencing, who is most affected, and what can be done to help young people thrive.
Since February 2021, Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security, has been working with HHS as part of the government response to COVID-19. Now, Dr. Inglesby returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what he learned from inside government, the importance of renewed funding from Congress, the potential of test-to-treat programs, and his assessment of the state of the pandemic.
Since 1893, public health nurses have served the rural communities of Alaska, mainly providing individual patient care for infectious diseases like TB. Public health nurse Lorne Carroll serves an area of about 15,000 people across four Alaskan native villages. He talks with Stephanie Desmon about how public health nursing has changed in recent years with more emphasis on community and systems care, the unique demands of a public health nurse in Alaska, and how COVID has impacted their work, highlighting both challenges and strengths.
Humanitarian expert Dr. Paul Spiegel is back from Poland where he has been working with the WHO for the last six weeks. Spiegel talks with Stephanie Desmon about his work helping to coordinate the massive response for millions of Ukranian refugees seeking shelter throughout Europe. They talk about providing psychological first aid and basic care for refugees, what makes this situation different from others, and the frustration that many humanitarian crises aren’t always met with the same resources and support.
On this special Mother’s Day episode, Public Health On Call host Dr. Josh Sharfstein interviews retired pediatrician, Dr. Margaret Sharfstein, aka Josh's mom. Together they discuss the early stages of COVID, the impact it had on her perception of age, her concerns throughout the pandemic, and even why she nicknamed him “Dr. No”.
Ukraine’s strangled food exports of commodities like wheat and sunflower oil are disrupting food supplies and causing food insecurity around the world. William Masters, professor of food economics and policy at Tufts University, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these and other consequences of the war for food, in the United States and internationally. They also discuss short- and long-term solutions.
Emerging research shows that COVID-19 infection can accelerate the aging process, especially for older people with chronic conditions. But the pandemic may also be aging those who haven’t been sick, from social isolation and depression to burnout and worsening of chronic conditions. Hopkins geriatrician Dr. Alicia Arbaje talks with Stephanie Desmon about how chronic stress and uncertainty may be affecting us. They also discuss implications of the health care staffing crisis, including an increased burden on an “invisible workforce” of caregivers.
How did omicron numbers affect hospitalization rates? Why are positivity rates so high in some areas, and should we even pay attention to those? How accurate are rapid tests, and how forgiving are they of user error? Are our immune systems more “naive” after two years of physical distancing and masks?
Dr. Amesh Adalja from the Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers and answer your questions sent to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.
Wastewater surveillance has become an indispensable leading indicator of community COVID levels, providing real time data a week or so ahead of health department testing reports. Johns Hopkins environmental health scientist Dr. Natalie Exum talks with Stephanie Desmon about wastewater surveillance for COVID and tracking new variants, why it’s not a replacement for nasal testing, and how the technology could help warn hospitals about other outbreaks like flu, RSV, and antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.
The federal “test-to-treat” program was designed to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by getting antivirals to people who test positive for COVID-19 as quickly as possible. Hannah Recht, a reporter at Kaiser Health News who has written about the topic, talks to Stephanie Desmon about how confusing websites, lack of up-to-date information and costs have kept many of the neediest from receiving prompt care.
Malaria, a serious disease caused by the plasmodium pathogen which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, affects some 228 million people worldwide each year and kills more than 600,000—90% of whom live in Africa. On World Malaria Day, Dr. George Dimopolous of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute talks with Stephanie Desmon about his lab’s research into genetically modifying mosquitoes so they can’t carry plasmodium—a potential game-changer in the fight against malaria. They also talk about other approaches to controlling and ending malaria, and techniques being used in the US to fight dengue and Zika.
In-patient treatment for severe COVID has come a long way since 2020 thanks, in part, to the rare opportunity of real-time data collection from so many people sick with the same disease at the same time. Dr. Brian Garibaldi, director of the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit, returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about treating severely ill COVID patients, advances in therapeutics like antivirals and anti-inflammatory treatments, and why vaccines remain “the most astounding achievements.”
The Biden administration recently approved nearly $10 billion to broaden access to PrEP, a medication that is 99% effective at preventing HIV and key to ending the nation’s HIV epidemic. Amy Killelea, a policy expert on HIV and public health financing, talks with Stephanie Desmon about why health policies have meant this game-changing drug hasn’t yet delivered on its potential, how experts hope Biden’s budget will build a better nationwide PrEP distribution system, and how much is at stake at this particular turning point in the epidemic.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Black physicians and social scientists connected racism to a host of health consequences. Dr. Ayah Nuriddin, a Princeton scholar of race and science in this era, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this emergence of Black public health and its efforts to push back against prevailing messages. Long underappreciated, these insights are now front and center in discussions of health equity.
For 15 years, science journalist Meghan O’Rourke chased a diagnosis for a constellation of symptoms that left her bedridden at times. O’Rourke talks with Stephanie Desmon about capturing the “messy, repetitive, and chaotic” story arc of chronic illness in her New York Times bestselling book, and how long COVID is drawing new attention to the conversation about and treatment of chronic illness.
Russia has claimed that the US and Ukraine were working on bioweapons in labs across Ukraine, dangerous disinformation being used in part to justify the Russian invasion. Biosecurity expert Gigi Gronvall returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about the dangers of this disinformation, the attempted cover-up of a 1979 bioweapons anthrax accident in Russia, why biosecure labs are so critical to public health, and the potential impacts of this disinformation campaign.
Emergency departments not only treat gunshot wounds, they can help prevent them. Trauma surgeon Dr. Chethan Sathya talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about treating gun violence as a public health issue in emergency departments, how to help people at risk of being shot, and the push to make conversations about gun safety standard practice.
Ending the US’s COVID-19 state of emergency has far-reaching effects and may leave Americans vulnerable to the next pandemic. Reducing spending on COVID-19 now could mean fewer tests, reduced access to vaccines and a weakened understanding of how COVID-19 is behaving. Health policy expert Dr. Zeke Emmanuel of the University of Pennsylvania joins the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about why ending the response too soon is so shortsighted and may have impacts on securing much-needed reforms to health care and insurance, protecting people from future variants, studying the effects of long COVID, and preparing for the next pandemic.
A persistent pandemic challenge has been making decisions when the evidence is limited. Should masks be required? Should bars and restaurants be closed? Should kids in school be spaced out by six feet -- or just three? Dr. Sherry Glied, dean of NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, is studying ways to make these decisions better. She joins the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the three dimensions of decision making amid uncertainty—and how we can do better.
Even as COVID-19 remains a critical public health issue, there are all sorts of emergencies that can occur due to diseases, disasters, and bioterrorism. Dr. Nadine Gracia, CEO of Trust for America’s Health, joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein on the podcast to talk about the organization’s report, Ready Or Not 2022. The report ranks states on their ability to respond to extreme weather and other crises. Learn more at tfah.org.
Will we see strain-specific vaccines in the future? Where are we on fourth doses/second boosters? What do we know about the effectiveness of international vaccines like Sinopharm and Sputnik? What still needs to be done to vaccinate the world? Dr. Anna Durbin and Dr. Bill Moss return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these and more vaccine updates.
On a special episode, Tradeoffs host Dan Gorenstein talks about 988, a nationwide mental health crisis line launching in July that connects people with emergency help without having to call 911. A content warning that this episode mentions suicide and other mental health emergencies. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Learn more here: https://tradeoffs.org/
The newly launched Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions brings together two powerhouses in gun policy: The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy and the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. Guest host Keshia Pollack Porter, chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health Policy and Management, returns to the podcast to talk with Daniel Webster, director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, and Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, about their goals to apply cutting-edge science and research to evidence-based, equity-informed advocacy to end the trauma of gun violence.
Dr. Judy Melinek, a forensic pathologist, was a guest on the podcast in the early days of the pandemic to talk about her work with autopsies and COVID-19 in San Francisco. Since then, Dr. Melinek and her family moved to ... New Zealand, a nation that kept COVID from entering for many months. Dr. Melinek talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the latest COVID news from New Zealand, which includes high vaccination rates and a surge in omicron infections. They also talk about the role of a medical examiner in a country with few deaths related to COVID.
In just a few weeks, Poland has welcomed more than 2 million Ukrainian refugees and 200,000 of them have come to the city of Kraków. Dr. Wojtek Szczelik, an anesthesiologist and intensive care physician, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how his hospital and the city are triaging care for refugees, how the pandemic has prepared the health care system to expand its capacity, and how the city is readying to accommodate military casualties. it is possible to donate to Dr. Szczelik's efforts to help Ukrainian refugees here.
California has had a reputation as one of the more vigorous in terms of COVID-19 mitigation tactics and now, two years later, the state is changing tack. Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state’s new and more nimble S.M.A.R.T.E.R. approach which focuses on key metrics and broad surveillance to know what responses are needed where. They also talk about what it’s been like to lead in this role during the pandemic.
Virologist Dr. Andrew Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about BA.2, a “not unexpected but tiring” new sibling of the omicron variant. They discuss who should be most concerned about getting sick and what might happen in the coming weeks. They also discuss reports of “deltacron,” a viral recombination of delta and omicron, and what we can learn from Hong Kong and China’s COVID crises about the omicron variant.
China and Hong Kong are facing the worst COVID outbreaks since the start of the pandemic and a draconian zero-COVID policy is making things worse. Dr. Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council of Foreign Relations, talks with Stephanie Desmon about how the zero-COVID policy has left China and Hong Kong vulnerable to outbreaks, why vaccination of vulnerable groups is so low, and why outbreaks may continue to happen if the policy stays in place.
What is Disease X? Dr. Amesh Adalja and Dr. Anita Cicero of the Center for Health Security return to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the unknown cause of the next pandemic, which is likely to come from a viral family already known but poorly studied. They talk about how investing now to develop medical countermeasures like diagnostic tests and treatments could buy valuable time and save many lives when the next threat emerges.
Dr. Caitlin Rivers returns to the podcast to talk about her work with the CDC’s new Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics. Funded through the American Rescue Plan, the Center works with academic and government partners to model potential health threats and monitor outbreaks. Rivers talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about standing up the new center, how omicron gave them an initial test run of analyzing data to brief government leaders on what was to come, and their hopes for eventually creating localized COVID forecasts to help prevent transmission during outbreaks.
Based on past conflicts, if Russia takes over in Ukraine, it’s likely that some of Ukraine’s public health policies will be essentially rewritten or revoked overnight. Dr. Chris Beyrer returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about Russia’s history of revoking life-saving public health policies and imposing its own “traditional” laws like targeting homosexuals for harrassment and assault, cruel detox practices for people who use drugs, decriminalizing domestic abuse, and more violations of human rights. A content warning that the podcast contains discussions of these and other examples of violence.
Chicago’s public health response to the pandemic has been focused on racial equity from the beginning—and the approach is paying dividends. Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s health commissioner, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the city’s innovative efforts, why they chose to invest in building a public health workforce over bringing in outsourced solutions, and how she and her team have kept up the momentum over two long years.
Epidemiologist Keri Althoff and mental health expert Elizabeth Stuart return to the podcast to talk us through yet another phase of the pandemic. They speak with Stephanie Desmon about where we are now and why there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic, how families can navigate mask-wearing, the CDC’s new approach to monitoring risks, and why the COVID response is a dial, not an “on/off switch.”
Does Russia’s bombing of the Mariupol Maternity Hospital constitute a war crime? Johns Hopkins faculty member and author Len Rubenstein returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the recent attack, Russia’s history of destroying hospitals, and the importance of accountability to stop such attacks in the future.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is displacing millions of people across Europe. Humanitarian expert Paul Spiegel returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about the crisis and its tremendous geopolitical significance, major public health concerns at play including mental health trauma, health care for refugees, and the added complication of COVID-19. They also talk about why this refugee crisis is different than others and how discrimination plays a key role in deciding who has access to humanitarian resources.
Two years into the pandemic, we now have more data about how COVID affects people in the long term. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, Chief of Research and Education Service at Veterans Affairs in the St. Louis Health Care System talks with Stephanie Desmon about an expansive new study of 11 million people who had COVID-19. The study found that people with COVID are at higher risk for all kinds of heart issues including clots, inflammation, and arrhythmias even a year after having mild or asymptomatic COVID—risks that persisted even in relatively healthy people.
Even before COVID-19, the US was facing a shortage of nurses which has now become a full blown crisis. Nurse Alice, Chief Nursing Officer at nurse.org and host of the Ask Nurse Alice podcast talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the many factors behind the crisis, how the pandemic exacerbated an already untenable situation, and what needs to be done now to address it. Nurse Alice also shares her advice for those aspiring to be nurses or who might be considering leaving the profession.
In the very early days of the pandemic in the US, there was so much we didn’t know about COVID and a lot of concern among experts about how the country could weather the health crisis. In this special episode, Lindsay Smith Rogers pulls quotes from “the file,” a previously unaired podcast interview recorded with Dr. Josh Sharfstein in early March 2020, about his predictions and concerns. They discuss what he predicted correctly, for better or worse, what he got wrong, and what we still don’t really know even two years later.
Dr. Mysheika Roberts has been the health commissioner
of Columbus, Ohio since 2017. In March 2020, however, the trajectory of her career changed. Dr. Roberts talks to Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the first moment when she realized what it meant to lead in a crisis. They talk about efforts in Columbus to expand testing, roll out a creative vaccine strategy, and bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to address COVID collectively, honoring “the Columbus Way.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, primary care clinicians had few treatments to offer patients who had COVID-19 but were not sick enough to be hospitalized. But they could provide emotional support and steer patients away from harmful treatments. Dr. Pieter Cohen, a primary care doctor at the Cambridge Health Alliance, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about all that primary care clinicians can do for COVID-19 patients today.
Virologist Dr. Sabra Klein returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what research has seen regarding COVID-19 outcomes for men and women. They discuss what’s known now about sex (biological) and gender (social and contextual) differences in COVID-19 infection and vaccination, and why these variables are so important to consider in research and policy.
In early 2021, Virginia’s governor tapped Richmond’s public health director Dr. Danny Avula to be the State Vaccine Coordinator. Avula talks with Josh Sharfstein about this massive undertaking, including the biggest challenges and biggest successes along the way.
In 1899 W.E.B. Du Bois published a landmark study on tuberculosis in the Black communities of Philadelphia, titled “The Philadelphia Negro.” This was the first scholarly work to demonstrate that social forces, including racism, are fundamental to health outcomes. In recognition of Black History Month, sociologist Dr. Alexandre White and health equity scholar Dr. Rachel Thornton join Dr. Josh Sharfstein to tell the story of this remarkable study. They also explain why understanding this history is empowering to medical and public health practitioners today. Read Dr. White and Dr. Thornton's recent publication, with Dr. Jeremy Greene, in the New England Journal of Medicine here. www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMms2035550
When will COVID become just another respiratory illness? Another way to ask that question may be: When will the response to other respiratory illnesses more closely resemble the battle against COVID? Infectious disease physician Dr. Celine Gounder talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the logic of grouping SARS-CoV-2 with flu, RSV, and other respiratory pathogens. They discuss the value of common strategies to address transmission, testing, and treatment and to help prepare for future pandemics.
What do we know at this point about the potential for long term effects on mental health from the pandemic? How can we approach socializing and other activities we may have gotten used to NOT doing? How do we navigate going back to an office? Kids have had so much taken away during the pandemic, will this change them forever?
Clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Murray returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these and more COVID-19 mental health questions.
Although Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was authorized for kids ages 5-11 back in November, uptake has been markedly slower than other age groups. Social and behavioral scientist Dr. Rupali Limaye talks with Stephanie Desmon about why vaccination rates are lagging among kids, and a new free course that trains people to be “vaccine ambassadors” and have productive conversations to help promote vaccine acceptance in their communities. Learn more about the course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/covid-vaccine-ambassador
Since 1996, more than 1 million Americans have died of drug overdoses. Beth Macy, journalist and author of Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America—which was recently made into a miniseries of Hulu—talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers on the podcast. They discuss the overdose crisis, who's accountable, what research says about what works, and why so many see the situation as a “crisis of compassion.” Read more from Macy’s recent Washington Post op-ed.
The state of Indiana was focused on bolstering its public health system before COVID-19. The pandemic has only made this work more urgent. Dr. Judy Monroe, former state health officer of Indiana, CEO and President of the CDC Foundation, was tapped by Indiana’s governor to co-chair a commission looking at the public health system and making recommendations for future policies. Dr. Monroe talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these reforms and their implications for the rest of the country. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the CDC Foundation podcast, Contagious Conversations. Learn more at cdcfoundation.org/conversations.
Candida auris is a species of yeast that is increasingly becoming a hospital-acquired drug-resistant infection. Dr. Tara Palmore, the hospital epidemiologist at the George Washington University Hospital talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this emerging pathogen and the risks it poses to vulnerable patients, why COVID-19 has made matters worse, and what's needed to stop it.
Dr. Lisa Cooper, a forward-thinking national leader in health equity, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her new book, Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem? Dr. Cooper speaks about her upbringing in Liberia, her family’s move to the US, and her initial introduction to health disparities in the US. They talk about Dr. Cooper’s groundbreaking work examining why and how health disparities exist and what to do about them.
The Beijing Winter Olympics kicks off this week in a much different pandemic context than the Tokyo Summer Olympics six months ago. Former Olympian and public health expert Dr. Tara Kirk Sell returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what we know about how omicron and China’s Zero COVID policy will likely make this Olympics much more complicated, the limitations of trying to maintain an Olympic bubble, and the dangerous potential for outbreaks given China’s relatively low population immunity.
The Supreme Court recently dealt a blow to vaccine mandates for larger employers, saying OSHA had overstepped in requiring employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly in order to work. So how can the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, uphold its core responsibility to keep workers safe? David Michaels, former OSHA Assistant Secretary under Obama, talks with Stephanie Desmon about where OSHA can continue to step up safety in light of COVID-19 and how a lack of vaccine mandates underscores the importance of implementing other measures to help keep workers safe from all airborne infectious diseases.
Public health leaders are tasked with enormous jobs which have been made even more difficult during the pandemic. Dr. Jay Varma, physician and advisor for former New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio on the pandemic response, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why public health officials have to be subject matter experts, politicians, lawyers, visionaries, and humble public servants, and how aspiring leaders can get the cadre of skills required for success.
To understand what is driving beliefs and behaviors around the world, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communications Programs created a global dashboard with data from an ongoing survey of more than 22 million people from 100 countries. Marla Shaivitz and Dominick Shattuck talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what they've learned about global opinions on COVID-19, vaccines, trusted sources of information, and more. Check out the COVIDbehaviors.org dashboard online.
Some COVID patients continue to suffer from symptoms long after the initial infection clears. The formal name for "long COVID" is Post-Acute Sequela of COVID, or PASC. It's a condition that benefits from a comprehensive approach. Dr. Jonathan Whiteson of NYU’s Post-COVID Care Program talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the field of physiatry is well positioned to work with PASC patients, what they’ve learned about treating symptoms like fatigue and brain fog, and the future agenda for research.
Although the majority of children who catch COVID recover without incident, some progress to multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), thousands wind up in the ICU, and nearly 1,000 American children have died. Mark Kline, Physician-in-Chief, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Children's Hospital New Orleans talks with Stephanie Desmon about why omicron is such “a different animal,” what’s next for vaccine trials for kids under five, and how Louisiana is taking big steps to protect children with vaccination mandates.
The Global Health Security Index, released by the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, looks at every country’s capacity to respond to emergencies like a pandemic. Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about some takeaways from the 2021 report and what we’ve learned—and didn’t learn—from the pre-COVID-19 2019 report. They also talk about the report’s use as a tool for countries to shore up gaps in their ability to respond to future crises and why even the most prepared countries, like the US, still struggled with COVID-19 response.
Lincoln, Nebraska has fared quite well compared to counties with similar demographics: the county is in the top 10% in terms of lowest mortality rates and hit the President’s 70% vaccine uptake target in July 2021. These successes are in no small part due to the leadership of Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird who talks with Josh Sharfstein about difficult decisions and her hope that stories of the community’s courage, bravery, and generosity will be legacies of COVID-19.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Monica Gandhi returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what the COVID pandemic might look like on the other side of omicron peaks. They discuss how to rethink our safety approaches to move towards accepting COVID as endemic, managing other respiratory viruses like flu, and searching for consensus in the path forward. They also discuss an interesting theory about omicron’s origins.
What do we know now about the number of doses needed for people on immunosuppressant medications to be protected from severe COVID? What about the use of “passive” protection like monoclonal antibodies? Why are negative antibody tests more helpful than positive ones? Why are large agencies like the CDC and FDA not discussing individualized medicine when it comes to vaccine protocols? What’s the next step in researching COVID-19 vaccine protocols for this unique population of patients? Johns Hopkins transplant surgeon Dr. Dorry Segev returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what we now know and what still needs to be figured out.
Early in the pandemic, clinicians began to treat people sick with COVID-19 with the plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19. The idea was that protective antibodies in the plasma would help prevent severe illness and death. Nearly two years later, the evidence is in—and it's being hotly debated. Dr. Arturo Casadevall returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the results of the COVID-19 Plasma Project and his take on divergent recommendations about using plasma as a therapy.
For decades, infrastructure policies harmed communities of color. New highways displaced residents through eminent domain, public transit systems were left in disrepair, and urban construction projects often catered to wealthier families. Andrea McDaniels, Director of Communications for the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, talks with Professor Keshia Pollack Porter of the Bloomberg School about how President Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan has the potential to rectify many of these inequities, some of the challenges of the federal law, and how infrastructure is intrinsically tied to health and well-being.
Dr. Shaun Truelove, an infectious disease epidemiologist, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the latest model for the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub. How quickly will the wave pass? How much harm will it cause? What happens in February and March? And can we trust these kinds of predictions? Learn more: https://covid19scenariomodelinghub.org/
Dr. Josh Sharfstein checks in again with virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz about omicron and what we now know in terms of increased transmission, immune evasion, and lethality. Spoiler: If you’re unvaccinated, you shouldn’t assume that omicron will most likely lead to a mild infection. They also talk about what the omicron variant could mean for the future of the pandemic.
In September 2020, President Biden pledged to vaccinate 70% of the world’s population by September 2021. More than a year later, however, the US has delivered about 270 million of the 11 billion doses needed to vaccinate the planet. Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University professor and public health expert, returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about how things have gone so wrong, why he isn’t optimistic about vaccination equity improvements in 2022, and how vaccine manufacturers could be doing so much more to help.
Going into 2022, what should the next phase of our COVID strategy look like? Epidemiologist Dr. Emily Gurley talks with Stephanie Desmon about how our current approach to prevent as many infections as possible is complicated, costly, and carries a lot of collateral damage. Instead, Gurley says, a focus on preventing hospitalizations and deaths could rewrite the script on our approach but it would require some difficult conversations and a strategic rethinking of the public health system.
In the last episode of Season 4, Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with co-hosts Dr. Josh Sharfstein and Stephanie Desmon about 2021: how it started, what happened, and how it's going now. They reflect on where we were one year ago, talk about their favorite episodes and public health moments, give some reading suggestions, and discuss what they're most looking forward to in 2022. If you're in need of a chuckle, stick around for a surprise at the end.
A discussion of vaccines and trust. In an interview with Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Rev. Dr. Terris King, pastor of Liberty Grace Church of God in Baltimore and former official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services talks about his work building bridges between faith communities and health care during the pandemic and beyond. Dr. King also talks about his own journey to getting vaccinated.
Nearly a month into the emergence of omicron, much more is known about how omicron behaves in the real world—thanks to the work of scientists like South Africa’s Dr. Glenda Gray, president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, the equivalent of the US’s National Institutes of Health. Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Dr. Gray and with Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Chris Beyrer about how omicron was discovered, what we know about it now, and what it means for South Africa and the world. They also discuss the importance of protecting people who are immunocompromised—including those with HIV— to help get the pandemic under control.
There’s still lots to learn about omicron, but two things are certain: vaccinations will provide some level of protection, and until the majority of the world’s population is vaccinated, we may continue to see new variants. Vaccine experts Dr. Anna Durbin and Dr. Bill Moss talk with Stephanie Desmon about viral mutations and what we might expect to see when it comes to SARS-CoV-2, what needs to be done to address ongoing challenges with global vaccine distribution, and the importance of sharing vaccine technology to help curb future pandemics.
Public health is having a moment, both in terms of challenges and opportunities. Dr. Anand Parekh, the chief medical adviser to the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington DC, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a new report, Public Health Forward, that aims to keep public health top of mind for policymakers and the American public. They talk about why this is a critical moment to think about the future of the public health system, the process behind the bipartisan project, and some major takeaways from the report.
Coming into this holiday season, things seemed a lot brighter than they did a year ago in terms of COVID safety: We have a broader toolbox including masks, ventilation, rapid tests, vaccines, and more. But a new variant of concern and rising levels of transmission remind us that we are still in a pandemic. Epidemiologist Keri Althoff and mental health expert Elizabeth Stuart return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about navigating holiday gatherings and travel this year, and how we’re slowly moving towards the ultimate goal of living with COVID as an endemic virus.
Addiction prevention often comes in the form of “Just Say No” campaigns. But Dr. Terri Powell knows that to be successful, prevention strategies must be thoughtful and holistic—and focus on connections and support systems that help young people make the best decisions for themselves. Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Dr. Powell about Better Together, a prevention program that's based in a public library. Joining them is Diana Fortee-Mason, one of the young leaders of the program.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein checks in again with Hopkins virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz about omicron and what the data are saying about how easily it can spread. So far, there’s good news and bad news about this variant—and still a lot we don’t know. Still, Dr. Pekosz explains, we can start to make some guesses based on current data and what we know about other viruses like flu.
Prior to COVID-19, the world had the capacity to produce about 5 billion vaccines a year. In the age of COVID, much greater capacity is needed. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, or DFC, is a little-known federal agency making big investments to build the global vaccine pipeline. DFC’s chief operating officer, David Marchick, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these efforts and their impact.
Throughout the pandemic, Colombia has fared better than other South American countries in terms of hospital overload and deaths, due in no small part to its emphasis on testing, contact tracing, and isolating of positive and suspected cases. Hopkins health economist Dr. Antonio Trujillo talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about Colombia’s pandemic strategies, and his research calculating the ROI of testing, tracing, and isolating both in terms of dollars and lives saved.
In the more than 40 years since HIV was first detected there have been incredible advances in testing, prevention, and treatment. But COVID-19 disrupted global gains and will continue to cause backslides until vaccinations are much more widespread. In recognition of World AIDS Day, infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Chris Beyrer talks with Stephanie Desmon about where the HIV pandemic currently stands in the US, Africa, and around the world.
How did omicron come to the world’s attention? Why is this variant generating so much concern? Is it expected that vaccines will provide substantial protection? What can governments do to protect their populations? What can people do to protect themselves? Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Hopkins virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz about all things omicron.
A potentially landmark battle is in play over abortion rights, and it’s headed to the U.S. Supreme Court on December 1. In a special episode of the podcast, guest hosts Annalies Winny and Alissa Zhu explore the real life public health impacts of abortion policy on parents and families and how the upcoming Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization could have major stakes for the future of abortion rights in the U.S. Read more about the public health case for abortion rights here.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Principal Matt Hornbeck of the award-winning Baltimore City public school Hampstead Hill Academy has been on the podcast to talk about how the school community coped with closures, virtual and hybrid learning, scheduling changes, learning losses and more. Today for a very special episode, Principal Hornbeck invites Dr. Josh Sharfstein to visit the school in person and see how things are going. Note: This episode was recorded before vaccines were authorized for children 5-11 years old.
Special thanks to Hannah Bennett and Caroline Wang for co-producing this episode.
SARS-CoV-2, like other zoonotic diseases, originated in animals before “spilling over” into humans. Dr. Raina Plowright of Montana State University studies these events and the complex series of things that have to happen for them to take place. Dr. Plowright talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how these occur, why these events are relatively rare, and what’s important to understand about them so we can learn how to prevent them from happening.
Today’s episode is a collaboration with one of Baltimore’s top podcasts, No Pix After Dark, and host Aaron Dante. No Pix After Dark is a culture and community-based podcast sharing real people’s stories, and has been the Baltimore Sun’s Best Podcast for the last two years. For this episode, Aaron’s listeners submitted questions about COVID-19 and Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks through some answers. They also discuss Baltimore’s unique response to the pandemic and how to think about safe gatherings during the holidays. Check out Aaron’s podcast at nopixafterdark.com.
Throughout the pandemic, public health officials have been threatened, assaulted, fired, or forced to resign. Lindsay Smith Rogers speaks with Dr. Beth Resnick, senior scientist at Johns Hopkins and the cofounder of the STOP! Partner Group, and Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, Health Officer of Anne Arundel County in Maryland, about the treatment of some officials and their teams, how some states have passed laws restricting public health authority, and why it’s critical to address these issues now before the next public health crisis. Learn more about STOP! at standwithpublichealth.jhsph.edu.
Most adults consume 50% more than the daily recommended amount of salt which, in excess, contributes to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, sexual dysfunction, pregnancy complications and more. Dr. Susan Mayne, Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the FDA, talks with Stephanie Desmon about a change in guidelines for sodium intake and how even a modest reduction by food producers can mean huge impacts for public health.
Thanks to widespread testing, vaccinations, and adherence to masking and social distancing, Denmark was able to lift most COVID restrictions in late summer. Now, with a recent uptick in cases the country considers next steps. In a bonus episode, Dr. Gunhild Waldemar, a health care advocate for the elderly in Denmark, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the country’s successes, what’s behind some of the regional variations in vaccinations, and lessons learned about elder care from the early days of the pandemic.
Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, is the Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services—the “connective tissue” of all the divisions of HHS including the FDA and CDC—and a four-star admiral for the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. As assistant secretary, Dr. Levine focuses on coordinating the HHS response to priorities like COVID-19, health equity, mental health and substance abuse, and climate change. Dr. Levine is also the first transgender official to serve in this capacity.
From the first Taliban government exit in 2001 to 2015, Afghanistan went from having some of the worst indicators for health in the world to dramatic improvements in maternal mortality and childhood malnutrition. But when the Taliban stepped back into power in August of this year, thousands of health clinics were shuttered almost overnight and outcomes for women and children already look much worse. Afghanistan-born Dr. Nadia Akseer, a Johns Hopkins scientist in International Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the country’s post-Taliban health system, and why the international community will need to wait and see what might happen under this “new Taliban” coming to power 20 years later.
Back in February, Jim Golen, a nurse in Minnesota, was on the podcast talking about his agonizing experiences as a COVID-19 long-hauler. Today, Stephanie Desmon checks in with Jim to see how he’s doing nearly 19 months after contracting COVID in March 2020. If you or someone you know if suffering from long COVID, please consider taking a short survey as part of the Johns Hopkins COVID Long Study: https://covid-long.com/
Dr. Preeti Malani, the University of Michigan’s Chief Health Officer, was a guest on the podcast back in the spring of 2020 and again in the fall of that year talking about how COVID-19 had affected Michigan’s oldest university. Dr. Malani returns to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how vaccines have made a stark difference for a return to campus this fall, what life looks like on the North Quad and in the residence halls, and how the school is centering the well-being of students who have had to miss out on so much the last two years.
If a vaccinated person is exposed to COVID but doesn’t get sick, does that affect that person’s immunity? Is weekly testing for unvaccinated coworkers really sufficient to protect everyone? Are any new variants keeping you up at night? Should people switch vaccines for their booster doses? Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and Josh Sharfstein address COVID-19 questions submitted to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.
Children miss out on opportunities when they’re not in school, and chronic absenteeism can actually affect their health and well-being throughout their lives. Guest host Andrea McDaniels, the Director of Communications for the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, talks with two leaders at Children’s National Hospital who are part of an innovative program to share absenteeism data with pediatricians: Dr. Danielle Dooley, a pediatrician and Medical Director of Community Affairs, and Tonya Vidal Kinlow, Vice President of Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Government Affairs. The Chronic Absenteeism Reduction Effort (CARE) is a high-impact project of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative.
A few months ago, the state of Idaho declared Crisis Standards of Care when COVID cases peaked and hospitals were full. Dr. David Pate, a member of the governor’s Coronavirus Working Group, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the difficult decisions health care workers have to make during Crisis Standards of Care, how this is and isn’t the same as rationing care, why vaccination status shouldn’t come into play for those decisions, and what has contributed to Idaho being the state with the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S.
After months of scrutinizing data from clinical trials, the FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11. Many parents and guardians are eager for their child to be first in line but what do those who might feel hesitant need to know? Dr. Gigi Gronvall, parent and immunologist at the Center for Health Security, returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about the importance of vaccinating kids, why it’s not worth it to wait for the “adult” dose for kids who are 11, and why authorization took longer for children than for adults.
Fear of COVID exposure and overflowing hospital units are two of the known stressors contributing to burnout among nurses and doctors. But there are a slew of other factors exacerbating health care workers’ distress—many of which don’t just affect clinical staff. Researchers Dr. Johannes Thrul and Dr. Svea Closser talk with Stephanie Desmon about a recent report from the Center For Health Security looking at the pandemic burnout and anxiety on people often left out of the “Health Care Heroes” narratives—and lower on the payscale—such as security staff, cleaners, and food workers in hospitals.
Happy Halloween! Today, epidemiologist Dr. Emily Gurley talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about bats and why they are so critical for public health. They also discuss theories of why bats tend to harbor viruses capable of infecting humans, how we can coexist with bats, why some people consider bats cute, and what it’s like to actually work with bats.
Where are we now on combating mis- and disinformation about COVID and vaccines that has run rampant online since the early days of the pandemic? Clint Watts and Rachel Chernaskey of Miburo, a digital consulting company that focuses on misinformation and extremism, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the current ecosystem of persisting misinformation, where we are in terms of combating purveyors, and what can be done on the individual, local, and societal level to drown out harmful noise.
Across the US, 84% of residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities are vaccinated for COVID-19, but only 64% of staff. Federal mandates could help but it’s unclear when or how those would be enforced and, in the meantime, the industry is already suffering from a severe staffing shortage. Dr. David Grabowski, a health policy researcher and professor at Harvard, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about this largely underpaid and overworked group of people, how vaccine mandates could play out, and what can be done to prevent a staffing and care crisis.
At this point in the pandemic, what do we need to know about masks? Dr. Amesh Adalja from the Center for Health Security talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new report, “Masks and Respirators for the 21st Century: Policy Changes Needed to Save Lives and Prevent Societal Disruption.” They talk about which masks are best for day-to-day use and why innovation is necessary to develop masks that are comfortable and wearable. They also talk about HOW to overcome supply chain issues and why it’s critical to start solving these problems now before the next infectious disease outbreak. Read the report here: https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/publications/masks-and-respirators-for-the-21st-century
On a special episode, Tradeoffs host Dan Gorenstein talks about how the pandemic has affected the public health workforce: More than 300 officials quit, were fired, or retired while, at the same time, applications to public health programs jumped 40%. Gorenstein introduces a conversation between Jen Miller, who left her job with the Montana Department of Public Health after constant harassment and conflict, and Nicole Snyder, a first-year master’s student at UNC Chapel who was called to public health after seeing impacts of the pandemic—two individual examples of a nationwide trend in public health. Learn more here: https://tradeoffs.org/
There was virtually no flu in the U.S. last year thanks to a confluence of factors including COVID-related mask wearing and social distancing. But, now that more and more of life is “back to normal,” what can we expect to see this year? Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about why a resurgence of flu could complicate the COVID pandemic, how virologists can make predictions about flu when there was so little virus circulating last year, and why it’s more important than ever to get your flu shot.
School closures and unprecedented screen time may be contributing to vision problems for kids. Pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Megan Collins talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about a rise in near-sightedness in children, why vision problems are often missed without school screenings, potential health and learning effects, and how vision problems in kids can be addressed on the individual and national levels.