Health & Veritas
Howard Forman and Harlan Krumholz, two Yale physician-professors, discuss the latest news and ideas in healthcare and seek out the truth amid the noise. Produced with the Yale School of Management and the Yale School of Public Health. New episodes are available every Thursday.
Episodes
Jessica Federer: Closing Gaps in Women's Health Research
Howie and Harlan are joined by Jessica Federer, managing director of the Women's Health Fund and a member of the Yale Institutional Review Board, to discuss how investors can help address the dearth of research on medical problems facing women and why she's optimistic about the future of women's health. Harlan explains how caps on indirect costs affect institutional staffing and research agendas;
Bhramar Mukherjee: What Can the Data Tell Us?
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Public Health biostatistician Bhramar Mukherjee to discuss how statisticians help researchers turn observations into evidence. Harlan examines a new study linking updated COVID vaccination to lower cardiovascular risk and explains why a headline-grabbing result may not settle the question; Howie discusses new Medicaid work requirements and the danger t
Ingrid Katz: What Would It Take to Eradicate HIV?
Howie and Harlan are joined by Ingrid Katz, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, to discuss why HIV continues to spread despite the existence of cheap and effective treatment, what AIDS activism can teach us about tackling chronic diseases like hypertension, and what outbreaks like Ebola reveal about the consequences of fragile health systems. Harlan reports on a breach of UK Biobank
Science, Policy, and Power
Howie and Harlan discuss healthcare headlines including proposed changes to federal research funding, an outbreak of New World screwworm in Texas cattle, and the debate over free expression after researchers were removed from the American Diabetes Association meeting for distributing an editorial critical of federal science policies. They also examine the future of generic GLP-1 drugs, a new Medic
Mark Siegel: The Craft of Teaching Doctors
Howie and Harlan are joined by Mark Siegel, director of Yale's internal medicine residency program, to discuss his approach to mentoring young physicians and building a medical community grounded in purpose and compassion. Harlan examines a breakthrough targeted therapy that could reshape the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other hard-to-treat cancers; Howie tracks the Ebola outbreak in the Dem
Live at the Yale Innovation Summit 2026
Howie is joined by guest host Megan Ranney, dean of the the Yale School of Public Health, for a live episode recorded at the Yale Innovation Summit, featuring conversations with five innovators at the intersection of healthcare, public health, and entrepreneurship. Jaya Dadwal, a recent graduate of the School of Public Health and founder of forEVA Health, focused on raising healthcare standards fo
Nicholas Christakis: The Science of Human Connection
Howie and Harlan are joined by Nicholas Christakis, director of Yale's Human Nature Lab, to discuss his research on social networks, human connection, and the forces that help societies cooperate and endure. Harlan discusses promising phase 3 results for retatrutide, Eli Lilly's experimental "triple G" obesity drug; Howie provides an update on the fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Repu
Who Gets to Shape Healthcare?
Howie and Harlan discuss how AI is transforming medical research and publishing, the growing role of consumer health platforms and wearables, new advances in stroke treatment, and the debate over rising hospital costs. They also examine the FDA's approval of flavored vaping products and the nomination of a new surgeon general. Watch a video version of this episode on YouTube. Show notes: Social Me
Josh Geballe: Building Yale's Innovation Engine
Howie and Harlan are joined by Josh Geballe, head of Yale Ventures, to discuss how changes in Yale's mindset, policies, and support systems have helped turn university research into impactful companies. Harlan examines the growing problem of AI-hallucinated citations in published research; Howie provides an update on the deadly Andes hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship. Show notes: Fake Citat
Lee Schwamm: Onboarding AI at the Hospital
Howie and Harlan are joined by Lee Schwamm, the Yale School of Medicine's associate dean for digital strategy & transformation and chief digital health officer of the Yale New Haven Health System, to discuss how the system is working to rapidly evaluate and deploy AI tools without compromising patient safety and oversight. Harlan highlights vaccine studies reportedly held back from publication and
Wolfram Goessling: Lessons from the Other Side of Cancer
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine liver specialist Wolfram Goessling, who reflects on his experience surviving a rare cancer and how it reshaped his approach to patient care, communication, and leadership. Harlan discusses a Utah pilot program that is letting AI authorize prescription renewals, prompting alarm from physicians; Howie reports on a study challenging the effective
Trust, Truth, and Moral Distress
Howie and Harlan take on tough questions at the intersection of medicine and society. They trace the deadly history of anti-vaccine activism, unpack Yale's report on trust in higher education, and explore the peptide craze. They also confront the rising moral distress among clinicians working in systems that too often prevent them from caring for patients the way they were trained to. Plus, studen
Stephen Latham: The End of Irreversibility
Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephen Latham, a Yale School of Medicine senior research scholar and the director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics. Stephen reflects on his journey to a career at the intersection of law and medicine, and explains why the legal definition of death is becoming less useful in an era of rapidly advancing medical technologies. Harlan unpacks recent ana
Deborah Proctor: Help That Endures
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine gastroenterologist Deborah Proctor, who reflects on her decades of work in Honduras and how her approach to service has shifted from short-term medical missions to sustained, community-driven partnership. Harlan reports on an AI breakthrough with implications for the security of healthcare systems; Howie marks National Public Health Week with
Selwyn Rogers: Bearing Witness to Violence
Howie and Harlan are joined by trauma surgeon Selwyn Rogers, who reflects on caring for victims of gun violence and speaking with families in their darkest moments—and explains why the problem must be understood as a shared societal responsibility. Harlan examines new evidence suggesting U.S. healthcare spending has grown more slowly than expected; Howie discusses a retracted Lancet article that h
Arya Singh: Beyond Accessibility
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale College and Yale School of Public Health graduate Arya Singh, who reflects on growing up with spinal muscular atrophy, what it takes to build a full life with a disability, and how family support and institutional culture shape what inclusion looks like in practice. Harlan reports on the rapid rise of AI as a front door to health information; Howie responds to t
Vaccines, Cholesterol, and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss the end of flu season, vaccine effectiveness, and the challenge of rebuilding public confidence in immunization. Also: new cholesterol guidelines that push earlier treatment, measles outbreaks and the erosion of herd immunity, a court ruling pausing changes to vaccine guidelines, signs of stabilization at the NIH, new evidence on football and brain injury, and a MedPAC rep
Kevin Billingsley: The Making of the Modern Surgeon
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine surgical oncologist Kevin Billingsley, who discusses how robotics and advanced imaging are reshaping what it means to be a surgeon and offers guidance for those facing a cancer diagnosis. Harlan reports on a company testing AI-based prescription renewals and raises concerns about safety and oversight; Howie reflects on new survey data showing
Kevin Sheth: Innovation Toward a Healthier Brain
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine neurologist Kevin Sheth to discuss how collaboration helps drive breakthroughs in brain health, including advances in detecting stroke and other neurological diseases earlier and more precisely. Harlan reflects on lessons from his family's recent experience navigating the healthcare system; Howie examines the expanding marketplace for GLP-1 we
Janet Currie: Investing in Kids
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale economist Janet Currie to discuss how early-life investments in health, education, and environmental protection shape children's lifelong well-being and economic opportunity. Harlan highlights a new Medicare payment model that would reward measurable improvements in chronic disease outcomes; Howie reflects on the spread of medical misinformation and a new effort
Evangelos Oikonomou: Decoding the Hidden Signals of Heart Disease
Howie and Harlan are joined by Evangelos Oikonomou, a cardiologist and data scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, to discuss how AI can extract overlooked signs of heart disease from routine ECGs, imaging studies, and electronic health records—and how to deploy these AI tools responsibly at scale. Harlan explains whether a widely covered study suggesting that coffee may lower the risk of demen
Joel Hirschhorn: How Genes Add Up
Howie and Harlan are joined by geneticist and endocrinologist Joel Hirschhorn to discuss how thousands of genetic variants collectively shape disease and traits like height and obesity. Harlan reviews new research on diet soda and dementia; Howie surveys recent market swings, including the rise of Solace Health and the decline of Hims & Hers. Show notes: Diet Soda and Dementia "Soda consumption an
Measles Outbreaks, Preventative Cardiology, and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss an escalating measles outbreak in the U.S. and a project piloted by Yale School of Medicine professor Erica Spatz to deliver preventative care in barbershops and beauty salons. Also examined: flu season, nipah virus, and the perils of focusing on healthcare business models. Show notes: Measles CDC: Measles Outbreak Associated with an Infectious Traveler—Colorado, May–Jun
Robert Wachter: AI Is Already Remaking Healthcare
Howie and Harlan are joined by internist and author Robert Wachter to discuss his new book, which explores how AI is already changing day-to-day medical practice and argues that it can improve care, reduce burnout, and even help repair a broken healthcare system. Show notes: Robert Wachter: A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future Robert Wachter: The Dig
Mary-Ann Etiebet: Confronting Preventable Disease
Howie and Harlan are joined by Mary-Ann Etiebet of the public health organization Vital Strategies to discuss how policy, prevention, and stronger public-health systems can reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other preventable conditions. Harlan reports on the federal push toward fully autonomous clinical care for heart failure; Howie looks at proposed cuts to Medicar
Jonathan Cohn: Health Policy in the Age of MAHA
Howie and Harlan are joined by health policy writer Jonathan Cohn to discuss the RFK Jr. food agenda, the barriers to universal healthcare in the U.S., and working alongside former political adversaries at The Bulwark. Harlan reports on a lawsuit exposing gaps in the privacy of medical-records systems; Howie highlights new research suggesting that a sharp drop in opioid overdose deaths may be temp
Sara Rosenbaum: Expanding Coverage, One Step at a Time
Howie and Harlan are joined by health law and policy expert Sara Rosenbaum to discuss how incremental reform expanded healthcare access—and the urgent work now underway to prevent those gains from being undone. Harlan explores how AI is quietly filling gaps in the healthcare system; Howie highlights a milestone in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission. Show notes: AI as a Healthcare T
Ania Jastreboff: Treating Obesity Without Shame
In this bonus episode, Howie and Harlan are joined by Ania Jastreboff, a Yale School of Medicine endocrinologist and an expert on the science of obesity. They discuss her new book, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, which reframes obesity as a treatable disease rooted in biology—not a failure of willpower. Show notes: Ania Jastreboff and Oprah Winfrey: Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's
Julie Rovner: On the Health Policy Beat
Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, joins Howie and Harlan to make sense of the fight over ACA subsidies and reflect on her decades of health policy reporting. Harlan reports on a new wave of breakthroughs in obesity treatment; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a record-setting flu season. Show notes: Obesity treatments "Lilly's triple agonist, retat
Ezekiel Emanuel: Ice Cream and Other Keys to a Long Life
In a bonus episode, Howie and Harlan welcome oncologist, bioethicist, and public health expert Ezekiel Emanuel to discuss his new book, which counters the wellness industry by offering simple, evidence-based guidelines for health. Show notes: Ezekiel Emanuel: Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life "Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-ana
An Ongoing Conversation about Health and Healthcare
In the 200th episode of Health & Veritas, Harlan offers end-of-the-year reflections on medicine drawn from his editor's notes in JACC (the Journal of the American College of Cardiology), and Howie provides updates on gun violence, flu, measles, and the health benefits of yoga. Show notes: Editor's notes by Harlan Krumholz "The Day I Became a Doctor" "When Your Patient Dies" "Rethinking Physician C
Basmah Safdar: Why Women Experience Illness Differently
Howie and Harlan are joined by Basmah Safdar, a Yale School of Medicine emergency physician and an expert on sex-specific differences in cardiovascular and microvascular health, which have important implications for the understanding and treatment of heart attacks, long COVID, and other conditions. Harlan reports on Australia's ban on social media for kids, and a Medicare pilot program that will p
Sudhakar Nuti: Bringing Healthcare to the Unhoused
Howie and Harlan are joined by Sudhakar Nuti to discuss his work improving healthcare for homeless New Yorkers, as a street-medicine doctor and a population-health leader at NYC Health + Hospitals. Harlan reports on a proposed law that would cut off funding for U.S. scientists who collaborate with colleagues in China; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a leaked FDA memo claiming th
Peter Hotez: Mapping the Anti-Science Machine
Howie and Harlan are joined by Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and an outspoken opponent of health misinformation, to discuss vaccine skepticism and the forces—from wellness influencers to HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—that amplify it. Harlan reports on research reinforcing the link between social media and mental illness; Howie highlights two potential areas of common ground with the administ
The Cost Curve, Flu, and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss the outlook for U.S. healthcare spending over the next five years, the state of seasonal and avian flu, and an expensive AI-based cardiac test. Show notes: Life expectancy and expenditures "How does U.S. life expectancy compare to other countries?" ACOs and cost savings "After Fifteen Years, is Value-Based Care Succeeding?" Health & Veritas Episode 115: Farzad Mostasha
Jerry Avorn: Countering the Drug Marketing Machine
Howie and Harlan are joined by Harvard internist Jerry Avorn to discuss his research on the pharmaceutical industry and his work promoting evidence-based prescribing. Harlan highlights new results from the American Heart Association meeting, including a one-time CRISPR-based therapy for high cholesterol; Howie reports on an outbreak of infant botulism. Show notes: Research from the American Heart
Ali Rahimi: A Cardiologist in Your Pocket
Howie and Harlan are joined by cardiologist Ali Rahimi, the founder of ALYKA Health, which uses a personalized mobile app to help patients manage their heart health between doctor's visits. Harlan discusses new developments in GLP-1 obesity drugs, including untested microdose treatments; Howie reviews a landmark study investigating whether broad prostate cancer screening saves lives. Show notes: G
Nate Wood: Cooking Lessons for Better Health
Howie and Harlan are joined by Nate Wood, a Yale School of Medicine internist and trained chef, to discuss his work combining lifestyle guidance with hands-on training in making healthy, tasty food. Harlan shares new guidance on what counts as a healthy blood pressure; Howie provides an update on rising health insurance costs. Links: Blood Pressure Harlan Krumholz, "Severe Hypertension: The Next
Akiko Iwasaki: What Have We Learned About Long COVID?
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, a leading authority on vaccines and long COVID. Harlan reflects on America's crisis of trust in federal agencies; Howie provides some good news about bird flu. Links: Losing Trust Harlan Krumholz: "When Your Patient Dies" "Federal Agents Stage Raid on Canal Street in New York City, Arresting 9" "White House expan
Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy: Coordinated Care, Better Care
Howie and Harlan are joined by Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy, the Yale School of Medicine's associate dean for population health, to discuss her work building holistic systems for care at multiple institutions. Harlan discusses healthcare headlines including the launch of "TrumpRX"; Howie reports on a new study taking a novel approach to understanding the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine. Links: Healthca
Crowded Emergency Rooms and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss the roots of the crisis in emergency departments, the lack of oversight for hydration spas, new approaches in blood pressure treatment, an ingenious method to prevent malaria, and the CDC's backward steps on vaccines. Links: Emergency Departments "I'm an ER doctor. JD Vance's claims about immigrants and wait times are just wrong." "It's Just a Virus, the E.R. Told Him. D
Vanessa Cooper: The Science of Headaches
Howie and Harlan are joined by Vanessa Cooper, a Yale School of Medicine neurologist, to discuss the causes of migraines and promising new treatments for the disorder. Harlan discusses his approach as a journal editor to the use of AI in academic writing; Howie reports on the premium tax credits for insurance purchased through Affordable Care Act exchanges that are at stake in the government shutd
Kate Heilpern: Jumping into the Deep End
Howie and Harlan are joined by Kate Heilpern, president of Yale New Haven Hospital, to discuss the innovation and adaption needed to lead NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Yale New Haven Health structures itself to provide quality care across five hospitals. Harlan reflects on the many biotech startups emerging from Yale; Howie responds to the Trump
Barry Wu: The Questions to Ask the Elderly
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine geriatrician Barry Wu, who provides a framework for family caregivers and physicians to understand the needs of older adults. Harlan reports on Congress's shifting approach to funding research; Howie reflects on a survey showing that many college students believe that violence is an acceptable way to protest a campus speaker. Links: Congressio
Eric Topol: The Keys to Healthy Aging
Howie and Harlan are joined by physician, scientist, and author Eric Topol to discuss his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity; the potential of individualized polygenic risk scores; and the dangers of the protein craze. Links: Health & Veritas Ep. 58: Dr. Eric Topol: Pushing Medicine into the Future Eric Topol: Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Eric
Science, Politics, and Personality
Howie and Harlan discuss Dr. Vinay Prasad's departure from the FDA after a backlash against his decisions on Sarepta's Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy. Also examined: AI in clinical settings, changes in NIH grantmaking, and the 60th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. Links: Sarepta and the FDA "STAT breaks down the confusing, heartbreaking Sarepta saga" "Sarepta Therapeutics' Duchenn
Katelyn Jetelina: A Visit from Your Local Epidemiologist
Howie and Harlan are joined by public health communicator Katelyn Jetelina for updates on COVID-19 and other issues, and to discuss how her emails to students and colleagues in the early days of the pandemic turned into a platform with global reach. Harlan looks at how AI is being used on both sides of the battle between providers and insurers over claims; Howie reports on a setback with a promisi
Seth Berkowitz: The Power Problem
Howie and Harlan are joined by Seth Berkowitz, an internist and health equity expert, who argues that we know how to keep people healthier but are lacking the political will and commitment to do so. Harlan reports on a rapidly growing AI platform for doctors; Howie explains why the budget bill could reduce access to medical school. Links: OpenEvidence OpenEvidence "OpenEvidence, the Fastest-Grow
Azita Emami: Educating Nurse-Leaders
Howie and Harlan are joined by Azita Emami, dean of the Yale School of Nursing, to discuss the school's approach to training nurses who can have a seat at the table of healthcare decision-making. Harlan reports on his new study showing the low levels of evidence required for medical devices in the FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program; Howie provides some good news about infectious diseases including
America's Healthcare Paradox and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss the alarming healthcare cuts proposed in the budget bill currently moving through Congress, recent breakthroughs in HIV prevention and diabetes treatment, and the stark contrast between scientific progress and the deep structural flaws in the U.S. healthcare system. Links: The Budget Bill H.R.1—119th Congress (2025-2026) "A List of Nearly Everything in the Senate G.O.P. B
Stephen Waxman: Easing the Horrors of Chronic Pain
Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephen Waxman, a leading neurology researcher, to discuss the promise of new methods developed by his lab to treat the ravages of pain. Harlan talks about the importance of ratings for Medicare Advantage plans; Howie assesses two sobering new reports on the solvency of Medicare. Links: Harlan's Section Slides from Humana's Investor Day "Humana's cautious defense
The 'Big Beautiful Bill' and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare issues making headlines, including public attitudes toward the Medicaid cuts in the budget bill making its way through Congress, a one-time gene therapy that could cure high cholesterol, "ambient" AI in the exam room, and the replacement of the the CDC's entire vaccine advisory board. Links: Remembering Atul Butte "Atul Butte, a biomedical and bioin
Sarah DeSilvey: Creating Space for Healing
Howie and Harlan are joined by Sarah DeSilvey to talk about her career as a rural nurse practitioner and her work to create a shared vocabulary for tracking social determinants of health. Harlan unpacks the research implications of the "big beautiful bill" in Congress, and reports on his new research about the link between state gun laws and deaths among children; Howie discusses the simple steps
Dave Chokshi: Lessons from the Front Lines of the Pandemic
Howie and Harlan are joined by Dave Chokshi, who led New York City's response to COVID-19 as health commissioner and serves as chair of the Common Health Coalition, which is working to prepare for future crises by strengthening partnerships between healthcare and public health. Harlan reports on a trip to China; Howie says it's time for a global effort to expand rubella vaccination. Links: Harlan
Live at the Yale Innovation Summit 2025
In a special episode recorded at Connecticut's largest entrepreneurship event, Howie and guest host Megan Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health, welcome four Yale innovators: entrepreneur and YSPH lecturer Kaakpema "KP" Yelpaala; Basmah Safdar, incoming director of Women's Health Research at Yale; Kayla Wooley, a YSPH graduate and the founder of two nursing home staffing companies;
Rebekah Gee: Improving Health, One Family at a Time
Howie and Harlan are joined by Rebekah Gee, founder and CEO of Nest Health, which provides in-home care to kids on Medicaid and their families. Harlan reports on the first personalized CRISPR gene therapy for a rare genetic disease; Howie untangles the FDA's restrictions on the COVID-19 booster and what it will mean for your ability to get a shot this fall. Links: A Breakthrough CRISPR Treatment
James Dodington: Protecting Kids from Gun Violence
Howie and Harlan are joined by James Dodington, a Yale pediatric emergency medicine physician and an expert in community-based violence prevention. Harlan reports on the remarkable financial results and sometimes questionable science of Hims & Hers Health; Howie discusses UnitedHealthcare's faltering stock price in the face of anger over aggressive care denial and a lawsuit from shareholders. Link
Thomas Gill: The Secrets to an Active Old Age
Howie and Harlan are joined by Thomas Gill, a Yale geriatrician whose research tracks the factors that contribute to disability in older adults—and those that support continued independence. And they discuss the contrarian tapped to evaluate vaccines at the FDA, allegations of kickbacks against insurers, and the potential end of a loophole that has allowed states to collect additional Medicaid fun
Joel Bervell: The Healthcare Communicator
Howie and Harlan are joined by Joel Bervell, a recent medical school graduate who uses social media platforms to combat misinformation and explain racial biases in healthcare. Harlan discusses his new Wall Street Journal commentary highlighting the link between viral infections and chronic diseases; Howie reports on powerful new evidence for the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and warns of the da
Afib, AI Agents, and Other News
Howie reflects on his decades-long experience with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the procedure that has changed his life. Howie and Harlan report on healthcare issues in the news, including the measles outbreak and a vision for a team of personal healthcare AI agents. And student research assistants Inès Gilles and Sophia Stumpf visit for a farewell interview. Links: Eric Topol: Ground Truths
Deepak D'Souza: Perils of Cannabis and Promise of Psychedelics
Deepak D'Souza, the Vikram Sodhi '92 Professor of Psychiatry at Yale, explains risks from highly potent cannabinoids and research on treating mental health conditions with psychedelics. Harlan reports on efforts to understand the neuroscience around artificial sweeteners. Howie highlights insights from a physician pay survey. Links: Artificial Sweeteners "WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweetene
Evan Sussman: Expanding Access to Fertility Drugs
Howie and Harlan welcome Evan Sussman, the CEO of Granata Bio, which aims to bring IVF and fertility drugs that have been proven in other markets to the United States. Harlan reports on Elon Musk's Neuralink, which will test a technology to restore rudimentary sight to the blind; Howie tries to reconcile conflicting reports about the viability of the Medicare trust fund. Links: Neuralink "Elon M
Alexi Nazem: Building Healthcare Solutions
Howie and Harlan are joined by Alexi Nazem, a Yale-trained internist who co-founded the healthcare staffing company Nomad Health and now leads healthcare investments at AlleyCorp. Harlan reports on new research from the American College of Cardiology meeting; Howie examines the consequences of vast staffing cuts in the federal healthcare infrastructure. Links: Research from the American College o
Ryan Schwarz: Thinking Differently about the Primary Care Crisis
Howie and Harlan are joined by Ryan Schwarz, a Yale-trained MD-MBA who oversees accountable care for the Massachusetts Medicaid program, to discuss new models for addressing the severe shortage of primary care doctors in the U.S. Harlan looks at the fallout from the bankruptcy of 23andMe; Howie reports on Match Day at Yale and medical schools around the country. Links: New Leadership "Senate Conf
Mark McClellan: An Economic Lens on Healthcare
Howie and Harlan are joined by Mark McLellan, a physician, economist, and longtime public servant, to discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 response and the successes and failures of the healthcare payment innovations he helped to create. Harlan reports on a wave of illness caused by slushy drinks; Howie considers the merits of accelerated training for doctors. Links: The Dangers of Slushies
Aging in Bursts and Other News
Howie and Harlan check in on health issues in the news, including the big bet that went wrong for Walgreens, prohibited words at federal health agencies, the weaknesses of a much-discussed study suggesting that people age in bursts, and the long-term impact of the HPV vaccine. Links: Walgreens "Walgreens to Be Bought by Private Equity Firm in $10 Billion Deal" "Walgreens is heading down a risky
Sarah Taylor: The Science of Breastfeeding
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale neonatologist Sarah Taylor to discuss our growing understanding of breastfeeding, including the active role that infants play in shaping the composition of breast milk. Harlan discusses the rapid growth of Hims & Hers Health, which provides treatment and medication over the internet; Howie reports on the promising initial results from a pilot program in North Ca
Michael Dunne: Confronting the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis
Howie and Harlan are joined by infectious disease specialist Michael Dunne to discuss the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance and what's needed to incentivize the development of new antibiotics. Harlan reflects on the controversy sparked by the release of his study on post-vaccination syndrome; Howie provides an update on the measles outbreak in Texas. Links: Post-Vaccine Syndrome Harlan
Paul Lombardo: Reckoning with the Dark History of Eugenics
Howie and Harlan are joined by legal historian Paul Lombardo to discuss his work exploring the role of the legal and medical establishments in eugenics and sterilization in the United States. Harlan reports on his new research on post-vaccination syndrome, a constellation of chronic symptoms experienced by some people after getting the COVID-19 vaccine; Howie discusses the science behind a measles
Deborah Rhodes: A Breast-Cancer Screening Breakthrough
Howie and Harlan are joined by Deborah Rhodes, a Yale internist and the chief quality officer for Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health System. They discuss how she helped develop a better approach to scanning for breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue, and the obstacles to wide adoption. Harlan reports on the Trump administration's plan to slash indirect support for research; Howie exp
The AI in the Doctor's Office and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss a breakthrough pain medication, studies on AI-assisted medicine, the explosion of sports gambling, and the health consequences of the shutdown of USAID. Links: A First-in-Class Painkiller "F.D.A. Approves Drug to Treat Pain Without Opioid Effects" "FDA Approves Novel Non-Opioid Treatment for Moderate to Severe Acute Pain" "Peripheral Sodium Channel Blocker Could Revolu
Lisa Rosenbaum: Medicine, Well-Being, and Victimhood
Howie and Harlan are joined by Lisa Rosenbaum, a cardiologist and the national correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine, to discuss her writing illuminating critical topics in medicine. Harlan reports on the companies claiming to prevent illness through a non-invasive full-body scan; Howie explains the healthcare impact of the Trump administration's freeze of federal aid. Links: Body
Susan Mayne: Keeping Food Safe
Howie and Harlan are joined by Susan Mayne, a Yale epidemiologist and the former director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, to discuss what the agency can and can't do to keep contaminants out of food and promote healthier eating habits. Harlan reports on the Trump administration's cancellation of multiple scientific meetings; Howie explains the administration's health-rel
Sachin Jain: Has Managed Care Lost Its Way?
Howie and Harlan are joined by Sachin Jain, CEO of the nonprofit Scan Health Plan, who argues that the managed care industry must dramatically reorient itself towards patient care. Harlan looks at the long-term health effects of the L.A. wildfires and an effort to replace the widely used body-mass index; Howie reflects on the growing mistrust of doctors and its connection to declining vaccination
Perverse Incentives in Healthcare and Other News
Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines, including misaligned incentives keeping medicine from its mission, burdensome out-of-pockets costs, ultraprocessed foods, and serving the growing population of cancer survivors effectively. Links: Vivek Murthy's parting letter to America "Surgeon General Urges Americans to 'Rethink How We're Living Our Lives' in Closing Letter to the Count
Dana Dunne: Learning to Learn
Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale physician Dana Dunne, who leads a new coaching program designed to help medical students develop a lifelong orientation toward growth and building knowledge. Harlan reports on a new generation of AI that can diagnose patients more consistently than human doctors; Howie explains how the state of Connecticut wiped out medical debt for thousands of low-income resid
Jaewon Ryu: The Power of Integrated Care
Howie and Harlan are joined by Jaewon Ryu, CEO of Risant Health, a nonprofit company that brings together integrated health systems with the goal of spreading the adoption of value-based care. Harlan reports from the annual Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum on progress toward faster and more effective clinical trials; Howie reflects on the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Link
Aaron Kesselheim: Law, Policy, and Health
Howie and Harlan are joined by Aaron Kesselheim, a physician, attorney, and public health expert, to discuss the shifting legal landscape for healthcare regulation and his experiences serving on an FDA advisory committee. Harlan reports on the growing evidence of widespread health impacts from microplastics; Howie provides an update on the bird flu outbreak. Links: Microplastics "Landmark study l
Vin Gupta: Impact at Scale
Howie and Harlan are joined by Vin Gupta, a physician, a medical analyst for NBC News, and the chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy. Harlan reports on the Biden administration's proposal to cover obesity drugs with Medicare and Medicaid; Howie offers some reasons to be thankful. Links: Coverage of Obesity Medication "White House Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Latest Step to
Halle Tecco: Investing in Women's Health
Howie and Harlan are joined by investor and entrepreneur Halle Tecco to discuss her work connecting the worlds of technology and healthcare, and her latest venture, which allows women to freeze their eggs for future use for free if they donate half of them to a couple in need. Harlan checks in from the annual meeting of the American Heart Association; Howie discusses his concerns about Robert F. K
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