Podcasts about Public health

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.

In this episode of the Commune Podcast, Jeff unpacks a recent panel he moderated at the Eudemonia Summit featuring Dr. Will Cole and Dr. Jessica Knurick — two smart, thoughtful voices who deeply disagree about the MAHA movement and the future of public health. Jeff reflects on why nuanced conversations are so difficult in an online environment engineered for polarization, and why real understanding requires asking honest questions and making space for a respectful exchange. He explores the points of tension around chronic disease, regulatory capture, environmental health, and the political contradictions embedded in the current public health debate. This episode also looks at the broader policy landscape — from SNAP reform to environmental regulation — and why meaningful progress demands both personal responsibility and systemic guardrails. If you've felt overwhelmed by the noise in the public health world, this conversation offers a grounded, thoughtful, and surprisingly hopeful reframe. This podcast is made possible by: Bon Charge  Get 15% off when you order at boncharge.com and use promo code COMMUNE Mimio Get 25% off with code COMMUNE25 at ⁠Mimiohealth.com⁠ Igniton Visit igniton.com and use code Commune75 for $75 off your order of two bottles or more. LMNT Get a free sample pack with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/COMMUNE  Stemregen Get 20% off your first order at stemregen.co/commune with the code COMMUNEPOD

Episode 5 of Standard Deviation with Oliver Bogler on the Out of Patients podcast feed pulls you straight into the story of Dr Ethan Moitra, a psychologist who fights for LGBTQ mental health while the system throws every obstacle it can find at him.Ethan built a study that tracked how COVID 19 tore through an already vulnerable community. He secured an NIH grant. He built a team. He reached 180 participants. Then he opened an email on a Saturday and learned that Washington had erased his work with one sentence about taxpayer priorities. The funding vanished. The timeline collapsed. His team scattered. Participants who trusted him sat in limbo.A federal court eventually forced the government to reinstate the grant, but the damage stayed baked into the process. Ethan had to push through months of paperwork while his university kept the original deadline as if the shutdown had not happened. The system handed him a win that felt like a warning.I brought Ethan on because his story shows how politics reaches into science and punishes the people who serve communities already carrying too much trauma. His honesty lands hard because he names the fear now spreading across academia and how young scientists question whether they can afford to care about the wrong population.You will hear what this ordeal did to him, what it cost his team, and why he refuses to walk away.RELATED LINKSFaculty PageNIH Grant DetailsScientific PresentationBoston Globe CoverageFEEDBACKLike this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship email podcasts@matthewzachary.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, ASTHO's Director of Public Health, Data Modernization, and Informatics, Allen Rakotoniaina, breaks down how public health agencies can effectively make the case for investing in modern data systems. He explains why “business numbers,” like labor hours saved or dollars recouped, can be the tipping point for decision-makers, especially in an environment where funding is scarce. Allen also demonstrates how person-centered storytelling transforms technical work into relatable, mission-driven narratives, using real-world examples such as overdose prevention. He explores how tools like partner mapping and shared ownership can help agencies build stronger advocacy plans and create sustainable, collaborative data systems. Whether you're building a data modernization strategy or just beginning to rally your organization around the need for better systems, this conversation offers practical insights, clear examples, and a roadmap for getting started.Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Access Legal Map | ASTHO

This week on Health Matters, Courtney sits down with Dr. Braden Kuo, Chief of the Division of Digestive & Liver Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. Dr. Kuo covers common gut problems during the holiday season, a time of indulgent meals and treats. From bloat to heartburn to travel-related stomach issues, Dr. Kuo is a trove of information and practical tips for navigating holiday festivities with good choices for your gut.  ___ Dr. Braden Kuo is a leading neurogastroenterologist specializing in gastrointestinal motility and the relationship between the brain, nervous system and digestive system. He is the Chief of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian/ColumbiaUniversity Irving Medical Center and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians andSurgeons. Dr. Kuo received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed his residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center before arriving at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served as director of the Center for Neurointestinal Health. He also completed formal training in clinical research, earning a Master of Science from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and subspecialty training in neurogastroenterology and motility at Mayo Clinic.___Health Matters is your weekly dose of health and wellness information, from the leading experts. Join host Courtney Allison to get news you can use in your own life. New episodes drop each Wednesday.If you are looking for practical health tips and trustworthy information from world-class doctors and medical experts you will enjoy listening to Health Matters. Health Matters was created to share stories of science, care, and wellness that are happening every day at NewYork-Presbyterian, one of the nation's most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare systems. In keeping with NewYork-Presbyterian's long legacy of medical breakthroughs and innovation, Health Matters features the latest news, insights, and health tips from our trusted experts; inspiring first-hand accounts from patients and caregivers; and updates on the latest research and innovations in patient care, all in collaboration with our renowned medical schools, Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine.To learn more visit: https://healthmatters.nyp.org

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, once upon a time called food stamps, helps nearly 42 million Americans every month. While the 2025 government shutdown showed us what happens when SNAP dries up, we have yet to see the effects of major new legislative changes to the program.So what, exactly, is SNAP? How does it work? Who gets it? Why do we have it to begin with, and what does it look like now? Our guide is Sarah Bleich, Professor of Public Health Policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more!To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast, Outside/In - we think you'll love it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chelsea J. Smith walks into a studio and suddenly I feel like a smurf. She's six-foot-three of sharp humor, dancer's poise, and radioactive charm. A working actor and thyroid cancer survivor, Chelsea is the kind of guest who laughs while dropping truth bombs about what it means to be told you're “lucky” to have the “good cancer.” We talk about turning trauma into art, how Shakespeare saved her sanity during the pandemic, and why bartending might be the best acting class money can't buy. She drops the polite bullshit, dismantles survivor guilt with punchline precision, and reminds every listener that grace and rage can live in the same body. If you've ever been told to “walk it off” while your body betrayed you, this one hits close.RELATED LINKS• Chelsea J. Smith Website• Chelsea on Instagram• Chelsea on Backstage• Chelsea on YouTube• Cancer Hope Network• Artichokes and Grace – Book by Chelsea's motherFEEDBACKLike this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship email podcasts@matthewzachary.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the latest reports on COVID vaccines and their impact on children.

Join Dr. Charlotte Huntley for a powerful conversation that connects purpose with public health, diving into the essential question: What is Public Health?  This episode is designed to help professionals and leaders communicate the field's value without academic jargon and secure much-needed community buy-in. Featuring stories from the field told by professionals creating change beyond traditional roles, including: Megan McCarthy, who defines public health as the vital "bridge between science and communities" and discusses her work in nutrition access (WIC/SNAP);  Jennifer Mandelbaum, a public health scientist and New Hampshire State Representative, who explains the field as a "promise" and "call to action" demonstrated through incremental policy steps like PFAS legislation; and Abby Tighe, who uses the relatable "roads analogy" to advocate for societal investment in health, offering an update on the mission of the newly named National Public Health Coalition (formerly Fired But Fighting) and its commitment to nonpartisan advocacy.  Tune in to discover what's possible in public health, harness your passion, and learn how to break down silos and communicate the silent, crucial work that protects our shared future.   Resources   ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

In this episode, we talk with Jenn Rico, Data Modernization and Surveillance & Informatics Supervisor at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Jenn shares how Montana has used PHIG funding to accelerate statewide data modernization, and invested in leadership, data governance, a new data lake, GIS capacity, and workforce development. She walks us through Montana's collaborative approach with its 59 county and tribal public health partners, including a major upgrade and cloud migration of the state's case surveillance system. Jenn also highlights Montana's new public-facing query tools, efforts to support data sovereignty, and plans to securely provide direct access to record-level data.  Reflecting on the state's five-year modernization journey, Jennifer discusses what it takes to build systems and culture that last beyond any single grant cycle: prioritizing sustainability, internal capacity, collaboration, and thoughtful use of existing infrastructure.

Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Claudia Suemoto in Brazil about her new 8-year study looking at whether artificial sweeteners are linked to changes in thinking and memory.We cover: • How she started studying dementia and why she became curious about sweeteners. • What the research team hoped to learn and what they actually found. • Why these results are different from older, one-time “snapshot” studies. • Why the link between sweeteners and thinking problems showed up in people under 60, but not over 60. • The seven sweeteners they studied and whether any looked more concerning than others. • What a small decline on a cognition test really means in everyday life. • Whether people who switch to sweeteners because of health issues make sweeteners look guilty. • Whether there seems to be a “safe range” or if more sweetener means more risk. • How to use studies like this when they show association, not proof. • Easy ways to cut back on sweeteners without doubling your sugar. • What policies she thinks make sense while we wait for more data. • Her top tips for protecting your brain and lowering dementia risk.If you want a clear, calm, evidence-based take on sweeteners and brain health, this episode is for you.Guest Bio:  Claudia Suemoto, MD, PhD, is a geriatrician and researcher at the University of São Paulo whose work centers on successful brain aging, dementia, and the cardiovascular risks that shape both. She runs the Suemoto Lab, directs the Biobank for Aging Studies, contributes to the major ELSA-Brazil cohort, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Suemoto has been recognized with major awards, including the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science honor and the Ewald W. Busse Research Award for her contributions to aging biology. She also serves in leadership roles with ISTAART and the Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or X.On Youtube.Or TikTok.SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! (Now featuring interviews with top experts on health you care about!)Support the show

In this chat, Omari Richins, MPH discusses the alarming proposed changes by the US Department of Education regarding the definition of professional degrees, which excludes public health degrees. This exclusion could significantly impact financial aid access for public health graduates, amidst a backdrop of increasing burnout and disillusionment within the field. He emphasizes the essential role of public health in society and encourages listeners to take action through advocacy and community engagement.

In this special episode, Kevin Berry sits down with Kerri Raissian, Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Public Health, Kenny Barlow from Regal Products, and WTTA founder Mike Sodini to recap a week that moved the conversation forward in meaningful ways. The National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms brought together researchers, public health leaders, industry partners, clinicians, and advocates who all share a common goal. Reduce negative outcomes and save lives.For the first time, WTTA and the ROOTS initiative were represented on the exhibitor floor. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees were curious, supportive, and eager to learn how voluntary secure storage, mental health tools, and trusted community partnerships fit into the broader prevention landscape. Our team heard again and again how important it was to have firearm owners and industry voices present, willing to listen and willing to engage in good faith.In this conversation, we break down key themes from the conference, share insights from panels and hallway conversations, and talk about what it means when different perspectives finally have a chance to connect. This episode highlights why cultural understanding matters, what ROOTS is building, and how collaborations across disciplines can create practical, real-world solutions that help families, communities, and firearm owners.Send us a text Walk the Talk America would like to thank our partners who make these conversations possible and want to highlight our top two partner tiers below! Platinum Tier:RugerArmscorGold Tier:NASGWLipsey'sDavidson's

In episode 62 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Rochelle Walensky joins host Dr Michael Saag on World AIDS Day 2025 to discuss her experience as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and the current state of public health in the United States. Dr Walensky is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and has published over 300 research articles that have motivated changes to US HIV testing and immigration policy and promoted expanded funding for HIV-related research, treatment, and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Dr Walensky reflects on her experience during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts where she was the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr Saag and Dr Walensky then discuss her transition to the Director of the CDC and her management of the agency during the pandemic. Dr Walensky and Dr Saag emphasize the dedication of public health professionals and the need for continued support and understanding of the challenges they face. They discuss the risk of proposed budget cuts to the CDC and the impacts this will have on the agency as well as state and local public health departments. Finally, they discuss the future of public health and their shared optimism for public health over the long-term.0:00 – Introduction1:41 – Management of the early outbreak of COVID-19 in Massachusetts and reflections on the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in March of 202011:50 – Transition to lead the CDC and reflections on the difficult job of management of the CDC during a pandemic24:00 – Navigating COVID-19 variants and the challenge of public health recommendations for wearing masks and vaccination28:24 – Outlook on the future of public health and the CDC and the risks of proposed budget cuts on state and local public health agencies __________________________________________________Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections. Going anti-Viral's host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences. Email podcast@iasusa.org to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.Follow Going anti-Viral on: Apple Podcasts YouTubeXFacebookInstagram...

What drives someone to leave a traditional career path and take on the hidden forces shaping our health? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Vinu Ilakkuvan traces her journey from an early interest in journalism to biomedical engineering and economics, and ultimately to public health. She reflects on the pivotal moments, values, and experiences that inspired her to found Pop Health and Gaslit, and explains why empowering communities is at the heart of her mission.References for Our Discussion◼️An overview of the commercial determinants of health   ◼️Gaslit Blogs Guest◼️Dr. Vinu Ilakkuvan, DrPH, Founder and Principal Consultant, PoP HealthHost(s)◼️Purva Mehta, BMSc, MScProducer(s)◼️Abhinya Gulasingam◼️Gordon Thane, BMSc, MPH, PMP®Production Notes◼️ Music from Johnny Harris x Tom Fox: The Music RoomSubscribe to the NewsletterSubscribe to The Insight newsletter so you don't miss out on the latest podcast episodes, live events, job skills, learning opportunities, and other engaging professional development content here.Leave Us Some FeedbackIf you enjoy our podcasts, be sure to subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify, and spread the word to your friends to help us get discovered by more people. You can also interact directly with the podcast episodes on Spotify using the new “comment” feature! We'd love to hear what you think.Send us a Text Message to let us know what you think.

Olivier Jacques, Professor of public health at the Université de Montréal

ASTHO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Susan Kansagra joins us for a candid conversation about the state of public health today. She reflects on her unexpected path into the field, the urgent need to rebuild public trust, and why communicating the everyday value of public health is more critical than ever. Dr. Kansagra also explores how social media, new messengers, and emerging tools like AI can help reshape engagement, boost impact, and energize a workforce facing growing pressure. A motivating reminder that public health is a marathon, not a sprint, and that meaningful progress takes time, partnership, and persistence.Meeting Home PageInnovation Exchange | ASTHO

Monday marks WORLD AIDS Day. However, for the first time since 1988, the federal government is not commemorating WORLD AIDS Day. Since 2003, under the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative, the federal government has invested more than $100 billion in responding to the #HIV/AIDS epidemic and set a collaborative goal of ending the epidemic by 2030. For a special edition of “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott examines how funding cuts and international program suspensions under the Trump administration could be devastating to the decades of progress. Scott talks with Dr. Barbara Marston, an infectious diseases physician who retired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Michelle Montandon, a public health physician who previously worked for the CDC, most recently for PEPFAR. Plus, later in the program, Scott revisits conversations with Tammy Kinney, the founder of Rural Women in Action and an HIV-AIDS activist, who was diagnosed with HIV in October 1987, and famed Atlanta-based photographer Billy Howard, who recounts stories from some of the dying AIDS patients he photographed in the 1980s.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Elly Leavens, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Dr. Elly Leavens, Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center. In the November 2025 podcast Elly Leavens talks about her recent pilot trial published in Frontiers in Public Health, called 'E-cigarette puff topography instruction to enhance switching among COPD patients who smoke'. This pilot study was supported by funds from the Cancer Prevention and Control Program within the University of Kansas Cancer Center, as well as by the National Cancer Institute. The 46 participants who smoked and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) completed a 12-week e-cigarette switching trial in which they were randomized to brief advice or low intensity, or high-intensity puffing topography training. Elly Leavens and colleagues found that e-cigarettes had potential to minimize harm in COPD patients who smoke, but that, puff topography training did not change switch success or reduction in cigarette smoking as compared to the brief advice to switch. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and Interventions for quitting vaping review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our searches for the EC for smoking cessation review carried out on 1st November 2025 found: 1 new study (10.1037/adb0001100); 2 ongoing new studies (NCT07172438; NCT07202039); and 1 linked report reported in this podcast (10.3389/fpubh.2025.1664400). Our search for our interventions for quitting vaping review carried out 1st November 2025 found: 1 new ongoing study (NCT07207850). For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review of E-cigarettes for smoking cessation updated in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub10/full For more information on the full Cochrane review of Interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub3/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

An uncounted number of extra people have died, and 2.5 million have lost access to medicine to block the spread of HIV and AIDS. That's because of huge cuts to global aid programmes since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. UNAIDS warns that unless the situation improves, the funding cuts will mean an extra 3.3 million people will be infected by HIV over the next five years. On World AIDS Day, we spoke in Perspective to Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director of the Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Branch of UNAIDS.

At the recent Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, summit - which was attended by the U.S. Secretary of Health and the Vice President - the agenda showed a shift toward alternative medicine, wellness and nutrition and away from conventional medication. Most of the speakers were not academic researchers or doctors. To discuss what happens when government guidance moves away from scientific consensus, Miles Parks speaks with Dr. Sandro Galea, a Distinguished Professor in Public Health, and Dean of the Washington University School of Public Health in St Louis, Missouri.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Avery Keatley and Jordan-Marie Smith. It was edited by Ahmad Damen. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation about reducing single use disposable plastics in foodservice and the food safety codes that impact efforts to avoid disposables. This conversation was hosted by Beyond Plastics Louisville at their November 20th meeting, and it featured Alison Schleck, Environmental Health Supervisor for the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Food Safety Program. Alison engaged in a rich dialogue with Beyond Plastics Louisville members about our food safety codes as they apply to reusable containers for food and drink. Learn more about Beyond Plastics Louisville at https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondplasticslouky. Watch a recording of the evening at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SniWcZrwwA The next meeting of Beyond Plastics Louisville will be a dinner gathering on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 at 6pm at Mashup Food Hall in NuLu (750 E Jefferson St.). Join fellow plastic haters at this in-person gathering for dinner, followed by a discussion of the new book, The Problem with Plastic, by Beyond Plastic's founder, Judith Enck. These are some things we learned from our conversation with Alison: • The Food Safety Program oversees 4,600 food facilities in the Louisville metro area, with 17 inspectors and 2 supervisors. Most facilities have two inspections per year. • When restaurant customers dine in, they may bring reusable containers for their leftovers, as long as the restaurant staff do not handle the containers. For other carryouts, the kitchen cannot accept a customer's container. • For coffee shops, the vendor may prepare beverages and transfer into the customer's container, as long as the transfer is contamination free, with no direct contact. Shops, such as Starbucks, may choose whether or not they will allow customers to bring their containers. • Another option (used at some college campuses and in other locales) would be for a food service to provide food in a reusable container that the customer would return to the business or a third party service to be cleaned and sanitized before being reused. • Pam asked if the food safety code addressed possible chemical or microplastic contamination from plastic packaging, containers, or utensils. Alison said the food code standards require that food contact surfaces not allow “migration of deleterious substances' into food. The current code prevents contact with some metals such as lead, copper, or galvanized metal. Regarding concerns about PFAS, Alison said the code specifies that cooking surfaces with Perfluoroalkyl non-stick coatings may not be scratched. • Pam also asked about processes where food is cooked in plastic. These are currently allowed by the code. • Beatriz asked about the process for adopting or changing the KY food code. Who decides which federal code is followed? Alison answered that the KY Dept. for Public Health adopts the code. This department is under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. • Beatriz also asked if the Metro Food Safety Program regulates food trucks. She has noticed that most food trucks seem to use Styrofoam containers. Food trucks are regulated and inspected, but Styrofoam is allowed by the code. • Arnita asked about educational resources for a friend who teaches fifth graders. Pam recommended programs from kNOw Waste Louisville. Both Pam and Shayla recommended the film Microplastic Madness. On Truth to Power each week, we gather people from around the community to discuss the state of the world, the nation, the state, and the city! It's a community conversation like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://forwardradio.org

In Episode 100 of Daves Head Podcast, Dave delivers a milestone conversation that blends political clarity and cuttingedge medical insight. He opens with a deep look into the end of the shutdown and the renewed fight for transparency around the Epstein files before welcoming Dr. Evan P. Nadler, a global pioneer in pediatric obesity treatment. Together, they uncover the biology behind weight, why traditional approaches fall short, and how new treatments offer hope for families. A powerful, informative, and transformative episode.

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Tim Mackey and Dr Doug Roehler. Tim is a professor in the Global Health Program at UC San Diego and the CEO and co-founder of S-3 Research, and Doug is the Cannabis Research Unit lead in the Department of Policy and Research for California's Department of Cannabis Control. The interview covers Tim and Doug's research article exploring the health benefit claims of cannabis products on online marketplaces in the United States. Why exploring health benefit claims on cannabis products was an important topic to investigate [01:20]What are cannabis-derived products? [03:07]What are the online marketplaces ‘Leafly' and ‘Weedmaps'? [03:35]Examples of health benefit claims [05:00]The main findings of the study [07:33]The cannabis regulatory environment in the US [10:20]The differences in health claims between different types of cannabis products [12:20]The methodology used in the study that brought together data scientists and public health researchers [14:11]The health claims that surprised Tim and Doug [18:31]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. She has a BSc in Chemistry, an MSc in Addiction Studies, and a PhD in Public Health. About Tim Ken Mackey: Tim is a Professor in the Global Health Program at UC San Diego and the CEO and co-founder of S-3 Research, a public health data science company originally created from a Challenge.gov award. He is also the Director of the Global Health Policy and Data Institute and the Editor-in-Chief of JMIR Infodemiology. He has co-authored over 270 manuscripts on topics including global health, technology, data science, substance use disorder, and health policy. Dr Mackey is an entrepreneur and scientist working on technology innovation to address public health challenges. About Douglas Roehler: Doug leads the Cannabis Research Unit in the Department of Policy and Research for California's Department of Cannabis Control. Previously, he was a health scientist and epidemiologist in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the CDC, where he primarily served in the CDC's Cannabis Strategy Unit. He has published extensively on cannabis topics in peer-reviewed journals and governmental reports, appeared on national podcasts, and represented the CDC in the national media. He has published widely on several other topics, including injury prevention, drug overdose and substance use, youth prevention, syndromic surveillance, traffic crashes, and youth violence. Declarations of Interest: Tim Mackey is the CEO and co-founder of the company S-3 Research and holds equity/ownership in the company. S-3 Research is a small business that has received funding through government contracts and grants for professional and technology services including on topics related to substance use disorder.Original article: Exploratory analysis of United States-based cannabis product health benefit claims on online marketplaces https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70177The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was originally released August 22nd 2022 for Death Panel patrons and is being re-aired today. To support the show and help make episodes like this one possible, become a patron at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod Original episode description: Beatrice speaks with Danya Qato about the political economy of health in Palestine and how to understand the intersection of the pandemic and colonial occupation. Transcript: https://www.deathpanel.net/transcripts/public-health-palestine-danya-qato Show links: After many, many requests we're testing out a new Bookshop.org page (still under construction), where you can find books by past guests and book recommendations from the hosts. Find it here: bookshop.org/shop/deathpanel Get Health Communism here: bookshop.org/a/118130/9781839765179 Find Tracy's book Abolish Rent here: bookshop.org/a/118130/9798888902523 Find Jules' latest book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny, here: bookshop.org/a/118130/9781804291603

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Unlike any generation before them, today's children are growing up in a world where screens, social media, and constant connectivity are woven into everyday life. Their friendships, self-image, and sense of belonging are being shaped not in classrooms or playgrounds, but in the curated feeds and endless notifications of their screens.  And while parents have become vigilant about supervising their children in the real world, few realize how unprotected they are in the digital one, where the boundaries are invisible and the influence relentless. Behind the statistics on rising anxiety, sleep loss, and attention struggles lies a deeper shift: the way technology is rewiring childhood itself.  We're not just seeing more anxious or distracted kids; we're witnessing a fundamental change in how they experience the world. The line between real and virtual life has blurred, and with it, the natural rhythms of play, rest, and connection.  What happens when the very tools designed to connect us start reshaping how children think, feel, and relate to others? Are we raising a generation more informed, or more isolated, than ever before? If technology is rewiring childhood itself, how do we begin to rewrite the story? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Carol Vidal, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University. From TikTok "self-diagnoses" to the illusion of online friendships, Dr. Vidal helps us understand what's really happening inside the minds of today's youth, and how families can begin to take back control.   Things You'll Learn In This Episode  The hidden cost of "connection" Social media was designed to keep kids engaged, not safe. What happens when algorithms built for profit start shaping a generation's mental health? The new face of attention problems It's not always ADHD. Constant overstimulation from screens is raising the brain's threshold for focus, but can that attention be retrained? Sleep: the first casualty of late-night scrolling Blue light isn't the only culprit. How does nighttime screen use quietly unravel mood, behavior, and emotional stability? When identity goes digital Likes and followers have replaced real-world feedback. How does this reshape self-esteem, social development, and the ability to form real relationships?   About the Guest Dr. Carol Vidal is double-board certified in general and child and adolescent psychiatry. She is an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine and holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She completed her M.D. and PhD at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and MPH at Drexel University in Philadelphia, and residency in general psychiatry and fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Maryland. She provides clinical services through the JHU Bayview expanded school-based mental health program, evaluating and treating adolescents with behavioral and depressive disorders, and co-directs the SMART (School Mental Health Advice and Response Team) program, funded by the Maryland Department of Health to conduct a suicide prevention program in Baltimore City Schools. Dr. Vidal is the recipient of the NIDA/AACAP K12 (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Physician Scientist Program in Substance Abuse Award) and studies the associations between cannabis use and suicide in adolescents using ecological momentary assessment methods. She has recently published a book called "Status and Social Comparisons Among Adolescents, Popularity in the Age of Social Media." Her research and clinical interests are around problematic digital media use, addictions, depression, and suicide-related behaviors in adolescents. Find her book on Amazon.    About Your Host Hosted by Dr. Deepa Grandon, MD, MBA, a triple board-certified physician with over 23 years of experience working as a Physician Consultant for influential organizations worldwide. Dr. Grandon is the founder of Transformational Life Consulting (TLC) and an outspoken faith-based leader in evidence-based lifestyle medicine.   The 6 Pillars of Health Feeling stuck and want guidance on how to transform your spiritual, mental, and physical well-being? Get access to Dr Deepa's 6 Pillars of Health video! Visit drdeepa-tlc.org to subscribe and watch the video for free. ‌   Work with Dr. Deepa If you're looking for a transformative, science-backed, faith-aligned approach to health, visit drdeepa-tlc.org and select "Work With Me." There, you can explore my medical membership and upcoming programs and submit an interest form to begin the process.   Subscribe to the Devotional Want to receive a devotional every week from Dr. Deepa? Devotionals are dedicated to providing you with a moment of reflection, inspiration, and spiritual growth each week, delivered right to your inbox. Visit drdeepa-tlc.org to subscribe for free.   Our Trauma Courses  Ready to deepen your understanding of trauma and kick-start your healing journey? Explore a range of online and onsite courses designed to equip you with practical and affordable tools. From counselors, ministry leaders, and educators to couples, parents, and individuals seeking help for themselves, there's a powerful course for everyone. Browse all the courses now to start your journey.   Disclaimer  ​​TLC is presenting this podcast as a form of information sharing only. It is not medical advice or intended to replace the judgment of a licensed physician. TLC is not responsible for any claims related to procedures, professionals, products, or methods discussed in the podcast, and it does not approve or endorse any products, professionals, services, or methods that might be referenced.   Subscribe, Rate & Review Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!  

Howie and Harlan are joined by Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and an outspoken opponent of health misinformation, to discuss vaccine skepticism and the forces—from wellness influencers to HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—that amplify it. Harlan reports on research reinforcing the link between social media and mental illness; Howie highlights two potential areas of common ground with the administration's health policy.  Show notes: Social Media and Mental Health "Social Media Detox and Youth Mental Health" "Study Finds Mental Health Benefit to One-Week Social Media Break" Peter Hotez Peter Hotez: Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces That Threaten Our World Peter Hotez: Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician, and Autism Dad "Scientist pressured by Musk and Rogan to debate RFK Jr over anti-vaccine misinformation says he won't be part of 'Jerry Springer' show" Peter Hotez on X "Kennedy Says He Told C.D.C. to Change Website's Language on Autism and Vaccines" "Wakefield's article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulent" "Four vaccine myths and where they came from" "Large-Scale Exome Sequencing Study Implicates Both Developmental and Functional Changes in the Neurobiology of Autism" "Risk of Autism after Prenatal Topiramate, Valproate, or Lamotrigine Exposure" "Data investigation: Childhood vaccination rates are backsliding across the U.S." "South Carolina's Measles Outbreak Shows Chilling Effect of Vaccine Misinformation" "How a measles outbreak overwhelmed a small West Texas town" "How polio came back to New York for the first time in decades, silently spread and left a patient paralyzed" "Third infant in Kentucky dies of whooping cough as national cases stay high for second year in a row" "Kennedy minimizes measles outbreak in wake of Texas death" "RFK Jr. claims 'leaky' measles vaccine wanes over time. Scientists say he's wrong." "RFK Jr. claims measles can be treated with vitamin A, linked to poor diet. Here's what science says" "The Surprise Ending to the Trump-Mamdani Buddy Movie Has Heads Spinning" "Operation Warp Speed was one of Trump's biggest achievements. Then came RFK Jr. and vaccine skeptics" Health & Veritas Episode 196: The Cost Curve, Flu, and Other News "Weaponized Health Communication: Twitter Bots and Russian Trolls Amplify the Vaccine Debate" ACA Subsidies "Trump was going to roll out a health care plan. Then Republicans weighed in." "Trump Is Considering a Push to Extend Obamacare Subsidies" Site-Neutral Payment "The Trump Administration Moves Forward with Medicare Site-Neutral Payment Reform" "Five Things to Know About Medicare Site-Neutral Payment Reforms" In the Yale School of Management's MBA for Executives program, you'll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's Executive Master of Public Health offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. Email Howie and Harlan comments or questions.

Investigative journalist, blogger, and broadcaster Brad Friedman's investigative interviews, analysis and commentary, as ripped from the pages of The BRAD BLOG (BradBlog.com), today's current events (if they matter) and the rest of the stuff we have to live with.

Allergy Action Ireland is calling on The Government to urgently recognise food allergies as a public health issue, saying a national strategy is needed to support the growing number of children and adults at risk of life-threatening reactions.Joining me now is Catherine Dolan, Spokesperson for Allergy Action Ireland.

In this episode: how telehealth has evolved from a pandemic-era necessity into a powerful tool for improving access to healthcare. Senior analyst Ashley Cram breaks down the different types of telehealth, from video visits and audio-only consultations to remote patient monitoring, and why each plays an essential role for patients facing challenges like provider shortages, transportation barriers, or limited broadband access.  Also, State Epidemiologist Tracy Miller explains how a partnership with North Dakota State University created a student assistantship program that gives MPH students hands-on experience, builds leadership skills among early career staff, and strengthens public health capacity. She shares lessons learned, how the model evolved, and why it could be a blueprint for other states and health departments looking to grow the next generation of public health professionals.ASTHO Telehealth Project Initiation and Scoping Assessment | astho prodFunding & Collaboration Opportunities | ASTHO

In the late-1980s, Father Gregory Boyle witnessed the devastating  impact of gang violence in his community during the so-called Decade of  Death that peaked at 1,000 gang-related  killings in 1992 in Los Angeles.  In the face of criminal justice policies of  suppression and mass incarceration, Father Boyle and community members adopted what was a radical approach – at the time – to treat gang members as human  beings. In 1988, they started what would eventually become Homeboy  Industries, which employs and trains former gang members in a range of  social enterprises, as well as provides critical services to thousands of  men and women who walk through its doors every year seeking a better life. Father Greg Boyle spoke with Movement Is Life's Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason for an episode that was originally published in 2020.

Nishant Uppal is an instructor in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. N. Uppal and Z. Song. Venture Capital Investments by U.S. Academic Medical Centers. N Engl J Med 2025;393:2077-2080.

What happens when technology, media, and purpose collide? We sit down with Alex Wagner, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Magnitude of Change, to explore how a research-led, values-driven media consultancy turns attention into action for public health and social impact. From the early pandemic days supporting the California Department of Public Health to statewide work on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Alex reveals how data, empathy, and behavior science come together to reach people at the right time and place.We dig into the mechanics of meaningful campaigns—paid search and social tuned for help-seeking, streaming audio and CTV built for trust, and digital out-of-home that meets people in their daily paths. We also talk about the rigor behind the work: qualitative and quantitative research, community-informed creative, and the governance standards that come with certified B Corp status and membership in 1% for the Planet. Welcome to the Agency for Change podcast.Connect with Alex and Magnitude of Change at: ·       Email Alex – alex.wagner@magnitudeofchange.com·       Website – https://www.magnitudeofchange.com/

Allergies on the rise, epi pen access, childhood peanut exposure guidelines, and how allergens exposure doesn't mean let your child roll in the dirt. -o-www.everythingispublichealth.comBluesky Social: @everythingisPHMastodon: @everythingispublichealth Email: EverythingIsPublicHealth@gmail.com  Photo Credit: Photo by Diana Polekhina on UnsplashSupport the show

(00:00:00) November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM), and the call to action is "All in for National Epilepsy Awareness Month.” (00:21:59) Pediatricians are speaking often and openly with parents who are anxious about the safety of vaccines amid changing federal policies (00:33:48) Dan Tomaso and Asia Tabb speak about what weather we can expect this holiday seasonSupport WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Julia Stalder heard the words ductal carcinoma in situ, she was told she had the “best kind of breast cancer.” Which is like saying you got hit by the nicest bus. Julia's a lawyer turned mediator who now runs DCIS Understood, a new nonprofit born out of her own diagnosis. Instead of panicking and letting the system chew her up, she asked questions the industry would rather avoid. Why do women lose breasts for conditions that may never become invasive? Why is prostate cancer allowed patience while breast cancer gets the knife? We talked about doctors' fear of uncertainty, the epidemic of overtreatment, and what happens when you build a movement while still in the waiting room. Funny, fierce, unfiltered—this one sticks.RELATED LINKS• DCIS Understood• Stalder Mediation• Julia's story in CURE Today• PreludeDx DCISionRT feature• Julia on LinkedInFEEDBACKLike this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship email podcasts@matthewzachary.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Natalie Azar and Today Health and Nutrition Expert Joy Bauer stop by to discuss the signs and symptoms of chronic pain caused by inflammation, something that affects around 125 million Americans. Also, the story of Miss Janice, 63-year-old lead associate at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital gift shop, and how she has inspired countless patients. Plus, author Dav Pilkey stops by to talk about his 15th book in his “Dog Man” children's book series. And, Shop Today Editorial Director Adrianna Brach highlights Walmart Black Friday Deals.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this solo episode, Dr. Charlotte Huntley revisits key conversations from the year to encourage public health professionals navigating uncertainty, workforce disruption, and rapid change. She weaves together guest insights on locking arms with like-minded colleagues, mastering plain-language communication, embracing innovation and new surveillance tools, being strategic about funding and career moves, staying civically engaged, and protecting mental health through boundaries and vulnerability. Throughout, she calls listeners to "find your lane," recognize their own power, and use their unique strengths to advance public health, while staying connected through the PHEC Podcast Community app.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

On today's Best Of PHRME episode, Maria Courogen, executive director for the Center for Access to Whole Person Care at the Washington State Department of Health, explains how her state worked to enable the continued support of community health workers (CHWs) by developing a sustainable funding model; Dr. Heather Krasna, associate dean of career and professional development at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.https://www.astho.org/4a9148/globalassets/pdf/bios/vermont-sho.pdf

Omari Richins, MPH of Public Health Careers podcast talks with Alexandra Piatkowski, MPH, PMP.In this conversation, Alexandra Piatkowski, founder and CEO of Piat Public Health, shares her journey in public health, emphasizing the importance of community engagement, mentorship, and effective data communication. She discusses her academic background, co-op experiences, and the transition to her consulting business, highlighting the need for actionable insights in public health. Alexandra also reflects on the challenges of true community engagement and the significance of building relationships in the field.

Health and nutrition start with caring for the soil. Food can and should be our medicine. Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and Soil Health Labs shares his perspective on connections with soil health and public health with Eric, Mary, and Jeff in this episode. Buz reflects on his own research but also points out what he has heard from farmers and ranchers he has worked with through the years. Building on the idea that eating is an agricultural act and food can be medicine, Buz would like health professionals, agronomists, soil scientists, farmers, and ranchers to collaborate more on soil and public health research and education.In addition to your own research and study of soil and human health, Buz recommends reading Fred Provenza's book Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom. As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles: 1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid bare fallows;2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden;3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, high-quality food for soil and plants, farm enterprises, and livestock integration. The 4 The Soil team recently commissioned a new set of art posters to help people remember the four principles of soil health and celebrate that “We Are 4 the Soil!”.  If you are personally or professionally interested in printing and framing the soil health artwork, the 16” by 20” posters are available for purchase and printing as single posters or a set of five posters.If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.  4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today's program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.

In this episode, Kelly Brownell speaks with Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, adjunct professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, and former Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety at the USDA. They discuss the alarming state of children's health in America, the challenges of combating poor nutrition, and the influence of the food industry on public policy. The conversation explores the parallels between the tobacco and food industries and proposes new strategies for ensuring children reach adulthood in good health. Mande emphasizes the need for radical changes in food policy and the role of public health in making these changes. Transcript So, you co-founded this organization along with Jerome Adams, Bill Frist and Thomas Grumbly, as we said, to ensure every child breaches age 18 at a healthy weight and in good metabolic health. That's a pretty tall order given the state of the health of youth today in America. But let's start by you telling us what inspired this mission and what does it look like to achieve this in today's food environment? I was trained in public health and also in nutrition and in my career, which has been largely in service of the public and government, I've been trying to advance those issues. And unfortunately over the arc of my career from when I started to now, particularly in nutrition and public health, it's just gotten so much worse. Indeed today Americans have the shortest lifespans by far. We're not just last among the wealthy countries, but we're a standard deviation last. But probably most alarming of all is how sick our children are. Children should not have a chronic disease. Yet in America maybe a third do. I did some work on tobacco at one point, at FDA. That was an enormous success. It was the leading cause of death. Children smoked at a higher rate, much like child chronic disease today. About a third of kids smoked. And we took that issue on, and today it's less than 2%. And so that shows that government can solve these problems. And since we did our tobacco work in the early '90s, I've changed my focus to nutrition and public health and trying to fix that. But we've still made so little progress. Give us a sense of how far from that goal we are. So, if the goal is to make every child reaching 18 at a healthy weight and in good metabolic health, what percentage of children reaching age 18 today might look like that? It's probably around a half or more, but we're not quite sure. We don't have good statistics. One of the challenges we face in nutrition is, unfortunately, the food industry or other industries lobby against funding research and data collection. And so, we're handicapped in that way. But we do know from the studies that CDC and others have done that about 20% of our children have obesity about a similar number have Type 2 diabetes or the precursors, pre-diabetes. You and I started off calling it adult-onset diabetes and they had to change that name to a Type 2 because it's becoming so common in kids. And then another disease, fatty liver disease, really unthinkable in kids. Something that the typical pediatrician would just never see. And yet in the last decade, children are the fastest growing group. I think we don't know an exact number, but today, at least a third, maybe as many as half of our children have a chronic disease. Particularly a food cause chronic disease, or the precursors that show they're on the way. I remember probably going back about 20 years, people started saying that we were seeing the first generation of American children that would lead shorter lives than our parents did. And what a terrible legacy to leave our children. Absolutely. And that's why we set that overarching goal of ensuring every child reaches age 18 in good metabolic health. And the reason we set that is in my experience in government, there's a phrase we all use - what gets measured gets done. And when I worked at FDA, when I worked at USDA, what caught my attention is that there is a mission statement. There's a goal of what we're trying to achieve. And it's ensuring access to healthy options and information, like a food label. Now the problem with that, first of all, it's failed. But the problem with that is the bureaucrats that I oversaw would go into a supermarket, see a produce section, a protein section, the food labels, which I worked on, and say we've done our job. They would check those boxes and say, we've done it. And yet we haven't. And if we ensured that every child reaches age 18 at a healthy weight and good metabolic health, if the bureaucrats say how are we doing on that? They would have to conclude we're failing, and they'd have to try something else. And that's what we need to do. We need to try radically different, new strategies because what we've been doing for decades has failed. You mentioned the food industry a moment ago. Let's talk about that in a little more detail. You made the argument that food companies have substituted profits for health in how they design their products. Explain that a little bit more, if you will. And tell us how the shift has occurred and what do you think the public health cost has been? Yes, so the way I like to think of it, and your listeners should think of it, is there's a North star for food design. And from a consumer standpoint, I think there are four points on the star: taste, cost, convenience, and health. That's what they expect and want from their food. Now the challenge is the marketplace. Because that consumer, you and I, when we go to the grocery store and get home on taste, cost, and convenience, if we want within an hour, we can know whether the food we purchased met our standard there. Or what our expectations were. Not always for health. There's just no way to know in a day, a week, a month, even in a year or more. We don't know if the food we're eating is improving and maintaining our health, right? There should be a definition of food. Food should be what we eat to thrive. That really should be the goal. I borrowed that from NASA, the space agency. When I would meet with them, they said, ' Jerry, it's important. Right? It's not enough that people just survive on the food they eat in space. They really need to thrive.' And that's what WE need to do. And that's really what food does, right? And yet we have food, not only don't we thrive, but we get sick. And the reason for that is, as I was saying, the marketplace works on taste, cost and convenience. So, companies make sure their products meet consumer expectation for those three. But the problem is on the fourth point on the star: on health. Because we can't tell in even years whether it's meeting our expectation. That sort of cries out. You're at a policy school. Those are the places where government needs to step in and act and make sure that the marketplace is providing. That feedback through government. But the industry is politically strong and has prevented that. And so that has left the fourth point of the star open for their interpretation. And my belief is that they've put in place a prop. So, they're making decisions in the design of the product. They're taste, they gotta get taste right. They gotta get cost and convenience right. But rather than worrying what does it do to your health? They just, say let's do a profit. And that's resulted in this whole category of food called ultra-processed food (UPF). I actually believe in the future, whether it's a hundred years or a thousand years. If humanity's gonna thrive we need manmade food we can thrive on. But we don't have that. And we don't invest in the science. We need to. But today, ultra-processed food is manmade food designed on taste, cost, convenience, and then how do we make the most money possible. Now, let me give you one other analogy, if I could. If we were CEOs of an automobile company, the mission is to provide vehicles where people can get safely from A to point B. It's the same as food we can thrive on. That is the mission. The problem is that when the food companies design food today, they've presented to the CEO, and everyone gets excited. They're seeing the numbers, the charts, the data that shows that this food is going to meet, taste, cost, convenience. It's going to make us all this money. But the CEO should be asking this following question: if people eat this as we intend, will they thrive? At the very least they won't get sick, right? Because the law requires they can't get sick. And if the Midmanagers were honest, they'd say here's the good news boss. We have such political power we've been able to influence the Congress and the regulatory agencies. That they're not going to do anything about it. Taste, cost, convenience, and profits will work just fine. Couldn't you make the argument that for a CEO to embrace that kind of attitude you talked about would be corporate malpractice almost? That, if they want to maximize profits then they want people to like the food as much as possible. That means engineering it in ways that make people overeat it, hijacking the reward pathways in the brain, and all that kind of thing. Why in the world would a CEO care about whether people thrive? Because it's the law. The law requires we have these safety features in cars and the companies have to design it that way. And there's more immediate feedback with the car too, in terms of if you crashed right away. Because it didn't work, you'd see that. But here's the thing. Harvey Wiley.He's the founder of the food safety programs that I led at FDA and USDA. He was a chemist from academia. Came to USDA in the late 1800s. It was a time of great change in food in America. At that point, almost all of families grew their own food on a farm. And someone had to decide who's going to grow our food. It's a family conversation that needed to take place. Increasingly, Americans were moving into the cities at that time, and a brand-new industry had sprung up to feed people in cities. It was a processed food industry. And in order to provide shelf stable foods that can offer taste, cost, convenience, this new processed food industry turned to another new industry, a chemical industry. Now, it's hard to believe this, but there was a point in time that just wasn't an industry. So these two big new industries had sprung up- processed food and chemicals. And Harvey Wiley had a hypothesis that the chemicals they were using to make these processed foods were making us sick. Indeed, food poisoning back then was one of the 10 leading causes of death. And so, Harvey Wiley went to Teddy Roosevelt. He'd been trying for years within the bureaucracy and not making progress. But when Teddy Roosevelt came in, he finally had the person who listened to him. Back then, USDA was right across from the Washington Monument to the White House. He'd walk right over there into the White House and met with Teddy Roosevelt and said, ' this food industry is making us sick. We should do something about it.' And Teddy Roosevelt agreed. And they wrote the laws. And so I think what your listeners need to understand is that when you look at the job that FDA and USDA is doing, their food safety programs were created to make sure our food doesn't make us sick. Acutely sick. Not heart disease or cancer, 30, 40 years down the road, but acutely sick. No. I think that's absolutely the point. That's what Wiley was most concerned about at the time. But that's not the law they wrote. The law doesn't say acutely ill. And I'll give you this example. Your listeners may be familiar with something called GRAS - Generally Recognized as Safe. It's a big problem today. Industry co-opted the system and no longer gets approval for their food additives. And so, you have this Generally Recognized as Safe system, and you have these chemicals and people are worried about them. In the history of GRAS. Only one chemical has FDA decided we need to get that off the market because it's unsafe. That's partially hydrogenated oils or trans-fat. Does trans-fat cause acute illness? It doesn't. It causes a chronic disease. And the evidence is clear. The agency has known that it has the responsibility for both acute and chronic illness. But you're right, the industry has taken advantage of this sort of chronic illness space to say that that really isn't what you should be doing. But having worked at those agencies, I don't think they see it that way. They just feel like here's the bottom line on it. The industry uses its political power in Congress. And it shapes the agency's budget. So, let's take FDA. FDA has a billion dollars with a 'b' for food safety. For the acute food safety, you're talking about. It has less than 25 million for the chronic disease. There are about 1400 deaths a year in America due to the acute illnesses caused by our food that FDA and USDA are trying to prevent. The chronic illnesses that we know are caused by our food cause 1600 maybe a day. More than that of the acute every day. Now the agency should be spending at least half its time, if not more, worrying about those chronic illness. Why doesn't it? Because the industry used their political power in Congress to put the billion dollars for the acute illness. That's because if you get acutely ill, that's a liability concern for them. Jerry let's talk about the political influence in just a little more detail, because you're in a unique position to tell us about this because you've seen it from the inside. One mechanism through which industry might influence the political process is lobbyists. They hire lobbyists. Lobbyists get to the Congress. People make decisions based on contributions and things like that. Are there other ways the food industry affects the political process in addition to that. For example, what about the revolving door issue people talk about where industry people come into the administrative branch of government, not legislative branch, and then return to industry. And are there other ways that the political influence of the industry has made itself felt? I think first and foremost it is the lobbyists, those who work with Congress, in effect. Particularly the funding levels, and the authority that the agencies have to do that job. I think it's overwhelmingly that. I think second, is the influence the industry has. So let me back up to that a sec. As a result of that, we spend very little on nutrition research, for example. It's 4% of the NIH budget even though we have these large institutes, cancer, heart, diabetes, everyone knows about. They're trying to come up with the cures who spend the other almost 50 billion at NIH. And so, what happens? You and I have both been at universities where there are nutrition programs and what we see is it's very hard to not accept any industry money to do the research because there isn't the federal money. Now, the key thing, it's not an accident. It's part of the plan. And so, I think that the research that we rely on to do regulation is heavily influenced by industry. And it's broad. I've served, you have, others, on the national academies and the programs. When I've been on the inside of those committees, there are always industry retired scientists on those committees. And they have undue influence. I've seen it. Their political power is so vast. The revolving door, that is a little of both ways. I think the government learns from the revolving door as well. But you're right, some people leave government and try to undo that. Now, I've chosen to work in academia when I'm not in government. But I think that does play a role, but I don't think it plays the largest role. I think the thing that people should be worried about is how much influence it has in Congress and how that affects the agency's budgets. And that way I feel that agencies are corrupted it, but it's not because they're corrupted directly by the industry. I think it's indirectly through congress. I'd like to get your opinion on something that's always relevant but is time sensitive now. And it's dietary guidelines for America. And the reason I'm saying it's time sensitive is because the current administration will be releasing dietary guidelines for America pretty soon. And there's lots of discussion about what those might look like. How can they help guide food policy and industry practices to support healthier children and families? It's one of the bigger levers the government has. The biggest is a program SNAP or food stamps. But beyond that, the dietary guidelines set the rules for government spending and food. So, I think often the way the dietary guidelines are portrayed isn't quite accurate. People think of it in terms of the once (food) Pyramid now the My Plate that's there. That's the public facing icon for the dietary guidelines. But really a very small part. The dietary guidelines are meant to help shape federal policy, not so much public perception. It's there. It's used in education in our schools - the (My) Plate, previously the (Food) Pyramid. But the main thing is it should shape what's served in government feeding programs. So principally that should be SNAP. It's not. But it does affect the WIC program- Women, Infants and Children, the school meals program, all of the military spending on food. Indeed, all spending by the government on food are set, governed by, or directed by the dietary guidelines. Now some of them are self-executing. Once the dietary guidelines change the government changes its behavior. But the biggest ones are not. They require rulemaking and in particular, today, one of the most impactful is our kids' meals in schools. So, whatever it says in these dietary guidelines, and there's reason to be alarmed in some of the press reports, it doesn't automatically change what's in school meals. The Department of Agriculture would have to write a rule and say that the dietary guidelines have changed and now we want to update. That usually takes an administration later. It's very rare one administration could both change the dietary guidelines and get through the rulemaking process. So, people can feel a little reassured by that. So, how do you feel about the way things seem to be taking shape right now? This whole MAHA movement Make America Healthy Again. What is it? To me what it is we've reached this tipping point we talked about earlier. The how sick we are, and people are saying, 'enough. Our food shouldn't make us sick at middle age. I shouldn't have to be spending so much time with my doctor. But particularly, it shouldn't be hard to raise my kids to 18 without getting sick. We really need to fix that and try to deal with that.' But I think that the MAHA movement is mostly that. But RFK and some of the people around them have increasingly claimed that it means some very specific things that are anti-science. That's been led by the policies around vaccine that are clearly anti-science. Nutrition is more and more interesting. Initially they started out in the exact right place. I think you and I could agree the things they were saying they need to focus on: kids, the need to get ultra-processed food out of our diets, were all the right things. In fact, you look at the first report that RFK and his team put out back in May this year after the President put out an Executive Order. Mostly the right things on this. They again, focus on kids, ultra-processed food was mentioned 40 times in the report as the root cause for the very first time. And this can't be undone. You had the White House saying that the root cause of our food-caused chronic disease crisis is the food industry. That's in a report that won't change. But a lot has changed since then. They came out with a second report where the word ultra-processed food showed up only once. What do you think happened? I know what happened because I've worked in that setting. The industry quietly went to the White House, the top political staff in the White House, and they said, you need to change the report when you come out with the recommendations. And so, the first report, I think, was written by MAHA, RFK Jr. and his lieutenants. The second report was written by the White House staff with the lobbyists of the food industry. That's what happened. What you end up with is their version of it. So, what does the industry want? We have a good picture from the first Trump administration. They did the last dietary guidelines and the Secretary of Agriculture, then Sonny Perdue, his mantra to his staff, people reported to me, was the industries- you know, keep the status quo. That is what the industry wants is they really don't want the dietary guidelines to change because then they have to reformulate their products. And they're used to living with what we have and they're just comfortable with that. For a big company to reformulate a product is a multi-year effort and cost billions of dollars and it's just not what they want to have to do. Particularly if it's going to change from administration to administration. And that is not a world they want to live in. From the first and second MAHA report where they wanted to go back to the status quo away from all the radical ideas. It'll be interesting to see what happens with dietary guidelines because we've seen reports that RFK Jr. and his people want to make shifts in policies. Saying that they want to go back to the Pyramid somehow. There's a cartoon on TV, South Park, I thought it was produced to be funny. But they talked about what we need to do is we need to flip the Pyramid upside down and we need to go back to the old Pyramid and make saturated fat the sort of the core of the diet. I thought it meant to be a joke but apparently that's become a belief of some people in the MAHA movement. RFK. And so, they want to add saturated fat back to our diets. They want to get rid of plant oils from our diets. There is a lot of areas of nutrition where the science isn't settled. But that's one where it is, indeed. Again, you go back only 1950s, 1960s, you look today, heart disease, heart attacks, they're down 90%. Most of that had to do with the drugs and getting rid of smoking. But a substantial contribution was made by nutrition. Lowering saturated fat in our diets and replacing it with plant oils that they're now called seed oils. If they take that step and the dietary guidelines come out next month and say that saturated fat is now good for us it is going to be just enormously disruptive. I don't think companies are going to change that much. They'll wait it out because they'll ask themselves the question, what's it going to be in two years? Because that's how long it takes them to get a product to market. Jerry, let me ask you this. You painted this picture where every once in a while, there'll be a glimmer of hope. Along comes MAHA. They're critical of the food industry and say that the diet's making us sick and therefore we should focus on different things like ultra-processed foods. In report number one, it's mentioned 40 times. Report number two comes out and it's mentioned only once for the political reasons you said. Are there any signs that lead you to be hopeful that this sort of history doesn't just keep repeating itself? Where people have good ideas, there's science that suggests you go down one road, but the food industry says, no, we're going to go down another and government obeys. Are there any signs out there that lead you to be more hopeful for the future? There are signs to be hopeful for the future. And number one, we talked earlier, is the success we had regulating tobacco. And I know you've done an outstanding job over the years drawing the parallels between what happened in tobacco and food. And there are good reasons to do that. Not the least of which is that in the 1980s, the tobacco companies bought all the big food companies and imparted on them a lot of their lessons, expertise, and playbook about how to do these things. And so that there is a tight link there. And we did succeed. We took youth smoking, which was around a 30 percent, a third, when we began work on this in the early 1990s when I was at FDA. And today it's less than 2%. It's one area with the United States leads the world in terms of what we've achieved in public health. And there's a great benefit that's going to come to that over the next generation as all of those deaths are prevented that we're not quite seeing yet. But we will. And that's regardless of what happens with vaping, which is a whole different story about nicotine. But this idea success and tobacco. The food industry has a tobacco playbook about how to addict so many people and make so much money and use their political power. We have a playbook of how to win the public health fight. So, tell us about that. What you're saying is music to my ears and I'm a big believer in exactly what you're saying. So, what is it? What does that playbook look like and what did we learn from the tobacco experience that you think could apply into the food area? There are a couple of areas. One is going to be leadership and we'll have to come back to that. Because the reason we succeeded in tobacco was the good fortune of having a David Kessler at FDA and Al Gore as Vice President. Nothing was, became more important to them than winning this fight against a big tobacco. Al Gore because his sister died at a young age of smoking. And David Kessler became convinced that this was the most important thing for public health that he could do. And keep in mind, when he came to FDA, it was the furthest thing from his mind. So, one of it is getting these kinds of leaders. Did does RFK Jr. and Marty McCarey match up to Al Gore? And we'll see. But the early signs aren't that great. But we'll see. There's still plenty of time for them to do this and get it right. The other thing is having a good strategy and policy about how to do it. And here, with tobacco, it was a complete stretch, right? There was no where did the FDA get authority over tobacco? And indeed, we eventually needed the Congress to reaffirm that authority to have the success we did. As we talked earlier, there's no question FDA was created to make sure processed food and the additives and processed food don't make us sick. So, it is the core reason the agency exists is to make sure that if there's a thing called ultra-processed food, man-made food, that is fine, but we have to thrive when we eat it. We certainly can't be made sick when we eat it. Now, David Kessler, I mentioned, he's put forward a petition, a citizens' petition to FDA. Careful work by him, he put months of effort into this, and he wrote basically a detailed roadmap for RFK and his team to use if they want to regulate ultra-processed stuff food. And I think we've gotten some, initially good feedback from the MAHA RFK people that they're interested in this petition and may take action on it. So, the basic thrust of the Kessler petition from my understanding is that we need to reconsider what's considered Generally Recognized as Safe. And that these ultra-processed foods may not be considered safe any longer because they produce all this disease down the road. And if MAHA responds positively initially to the concept, that's great. And maybe that'll have legs, and something will actually happen. But is there any reason to believe the industry won't just come in and quash this like they have other things? This idea of starting with a petition in the agency, beginning an investigation and using its authority is the blueprint we used with tobacco. There was a petition we responded, we said, gee, you raised some good points. There are other things we put forward. And so, what we hope to see here with the Kessler petition is that the FDA would put out what's called an advanced notice of a proposed rulemaking with the petition. This moves it from just being a petition to something the agency is saying, we're taking this seriously. We're putting it on the record ourselves and we want industry and others now to start weighing in. Now here's the thing, you have this category of ultra-processed food that because of the North Star I talked about before, because the industry, the marketplace has failed and gives them no incentive to make sure that we thrive, that keeps us from getting sick. They've just forgotten about that and put in place profits instead. The question is how do you get at ultra-processed food? What's the way to do it? How do you start holding the industry accountable? Now what RFK and the MAHA people started with was synthetic color additives. That wasn't what I would pick but, it wasn't a terrible choice. Because if you talk to Carlos Monteiro who coined the phrase ultra-processed food, and you ask him, what is an ultra-processed food, many people say it's this industrial creation. You can't find the ingredients in your kitchen. He agrees with all that, but he thinks the thing that really sets ultra-processed food, the harmful food, is the cosmetics that make them edible when they otherwise won't I've seen inside the plants where they make the old fashioned minimally processed food versus today's ultra-processed. In the minimally processed plants, I recognize the ingredients as food. In today's plants, you don't recognize anything. There are powders, there's sludges, there's nothing that you would really recognize as food going into it. And to make that edible, they use the cosmetics and colors as a key piece of that. But here's the problem. It doesn't matter if the color is synthetic or natural. And a fruit loop made with natural colors is just as bad for you as one made with synthetics. And indeed, it's been alarming that the agency has fast tracked these natural colors and as replacements because, cyanide is natural. We don't want to use that. And the whole approach has been off and it like how is this going to get us there? How is this focus on color additives going to get us there. And it won't. Yeah, I agree. I agree with your interpretation of that. But the thing with Kessler you got part of it right but the main thing he did is say you don't have to really define ultra-processed food, which is another industry ploy to delay action. Let's focus on the thing that's making us sick today. And that's the refined carbohydrates. The refined grains in food. That's what's most closely linked to the obesity, the diabetes we're seeing today. Now in the 1980s, the FDA granted, let's set aside sugar and white flour, for example, but they approved a whole slew of additives that the companies came forward with to see what we can add to the white flour and sugar to make it shelf stable, to meet all the taste, cost, and convenience considerations we have. And profit-making considerations we have. Back then, heart disease was the driving health problem. And so, it was easy to overlook why you didn't think that the these additives were really harmful. That then you could conclude whether Generally Recognized as Safe, which is what the agency did back then. What Kessler is saying is that what he's laid out in his petition is self-executing. It's not something that the agency grants that this is GRAS or not GRAS. They were just saying things that have historical safe use that scientists generally recognize it as safe. It's not something the agency decides. It's the universe of all of us scientists generally accept. And it's true in the '80s when we didn't face the obesity and diabetes epidemic, people didn't really focus on the refined carbohydrates. But if you look at today's food environment. And I hope you agree with this, that what is the leading driver in the food environment about what is it about ultra-processed food that's making us so sick? It's these refined grains and the way they're used in our food. And so, if the agency takes up the Kessler petition and starts acting on it, they don't have to change the designation. Maybe at some point they have to say some of these additives are no longer GRAS. But what Kessler's saying is by default, they're no longer GRAS because if you ask the scientists today, can we have this level of refined grains? And they'd say, no, that's just not Generally Recognized as Safe. So, he's pointing out that status, they no longer hold that status. And if the agency would recognize that publicly and the burden shifts where Wiley really always meant it to be, on the industry to prove that there are foods or things that we would thrive on, but that wouldn't make us sick. And so that's the key point that you go back to when you said, and you're exactly right that if you let the industry use their political power to just ignore health altogether and substitute profits, then you're right. Their sort of fiduciary responsibility is just to maximize profits and they can ignore health. If you say you can maximize profits, of course you're a capitalist business, but one of the tests you have to clear is you have to prove to us that people can thrive when they eat that. Thrive as the standard, might require some congressional amplification because it's not in the statute. But what is in the statute is the food can't make you sick. If scientists would generally recognize, would say, if you eat this diet as they intend, if you eat this snack food, there's these ready to heat meals as they intend, you're going to get diabetes and obesity. If scientists generally believe that, then you can't sell that. That's just against the law and the agency needs them to enforce the law. Bio:   Jerold Mande is CEO of Nourish Science; Adjunct Professor of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University. Professor Mande has a wealth of expertise and experience in national public health and food policy. He served in senior policymaking positions for three presidents at USDA, FDA, and OSHA helping lead landmark public health initiatives. In 2009, he was appointed by President Obama as USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. In 2011, he moved to USDA's Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, where he spent six years working to improve the health outcomes of the nation's $100 billion investment in 15 nutrition programs. During President Clinton's administration, Mr. Mande was Senior Advisor to the FDA commissioner where he helped shape national policy on nutrition, food safety, and tobacco. He also served on the White House staff as a health policy advisor and was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Health at the Department of Labor. During the George H.W. Bush administration he led the graphic design of the iconic Nutrition Facts label at FDA, for which he received the Presidential Design Award. Mr. Mande began his career as a legislative assistant for Al Gore in the U.S. House and Senate, managing Gore's health and environment agenda, and helping Gore write the nation's organ donation and transplantation laws.  Mande earned a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science in nutritional science from the University of Connecticut. Prior to his current academic appointments, he served on the faculty at the Tufts, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Yale School of Medicine.

Global Health Matters is the monthly podcast from TDR, please subscribe.  GHMs brings you topical subjects and insightful discussions with health experts from across the globe, including a focus on low-to middle-income countries. Are you a professional looking to progress further or perhaps a global health student at the early stage of your career? There are so many routes to get into a career in global health, so this podcast episode discussion is with two career professionals sharing their knowledge of how they chose their path and giving clear guidance on ways to get the support needed to increase opportunities to make a difference in the ever pressing global health challenges.  Global Health Matters host Garry Aslanyan speaks with the following guests: Stephanie Topp: Associate Professor, Global Health and Development, College of Public Health, James Cook UniversityRenzo Guinto: Chief Planetary Health Scientist, Sunway Centre for Planetary Health and Director, Planetary and Global Health, St. Luke's Medical Center Stephanie Topp looks at how global health can support the next generation of thinkers and leaders, and suggests that networked capacity building and an emerging voices model is a critical example. Renzo Guinto wants to listen to different voices and challenge power structures to address the inequities that global health is trying to address.Related episode documents, transcripts and other information can be found on our website.Subscribe to the Global Health Matters podcast newsletter.  Follow us for updates:@TDRnews on XTDR on LinkedIn@ghm_podcast on Instagram@ghm-podcast.bsky.social on Bluesky Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Global Health Matters podcast series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of TDR or the World Health Organization.  All content © 2025 Global Health Matters.

RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark Health Departments and First Choice Healthcare Clinics joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about Public Health Thank You Week, Turkey Tactics, National Care At Home Month, the blood test food drive, and Thanksgiving office closures. Health services in Henry and Stark counties will pause for Thanksgiving, as all Health Department offices and First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee, Colona, and Toulon close on November 27th and 28th. Limited home services staff remain available for essential home care needs. Residents can call each clinic directly or visit henrystarkhealth.com for additional details and updates. Social media accounts also provide daily information. November is National Care at Home Month, shining a spotlight on caregivers and home care assistants across Henry, Stark, and Bureau Counties. The Henry and Stark Health Department's Home Services Division offers meal preparation, housekeeping, transportation, and personal care to support independence and comfort for those recovering from illness or needing extra help. For personalized care at home, call 309-852-0492 or visit henrystarkhealth.com. National Public Health Thank You Day is set for November 24th, 2025. This day recognizes the dedication of public health professionals, from nurses to preparedness planners, who work year-round to keep communities safe and healthy.

Dr Rob Davidson and I start at 40 minutes and My appearance on Dean's show starts at 1:10 Subscribe and Watch Interviews LIVE : On YOUTUBE.com/StandUpWithPete ON SubstackStandUpWithPete Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. This show is Ad free and fully supported by listeners like you! Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous soul The Committee to Protect Health Care, composed of over 36,000 doctors and advocates across the United States, drives lasting change in health care by using our tested and proven strategies across everything we do. Through our physician-led initiatives and targeted advocacy, we push for accessible, affordable, and equitable health care. Our programs reflect our commitment to advancing policies that put patients first and safeguard the health and freedom of every family. Nearly 25 years as an emergency medicine physician has provided Dr. Rob Davidson with a wealth of knowledge in practicing health care. Two years ago, however, he decided that he needed more. He began pursuing a Master of Public Health degree in the online Population and Health Sciences program at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.  "I've always been right at that point of health care where you meet people at significant moments in their life," said Davidson, a West Michigan-based physician. "The ER seems far removed from the goals of population health and public health, but you come to realize just how much people's wider world has an impact on what brought them to the ER at that point in time."  Davidson pondered earning his master's degree for a while, having seen colleagues who earned their MPH go on to impact local health outcomes. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he knew that pursuing an MPH was the right next step.  Join us Thursday's at 8EST for our Weekly Happy Hour Hangout!  Subscribe and Watch Interviews LIVE    On YOUTUBE.com/StandUpWithPete ON SubstackStandUpWithPete   Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

On this Public Health Thank You Day, ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us to share encouraging news from the front lines of public health. Thanks to increased partnerships with birthing hospitals and the rollout of monoclonal antibodies for infants and the maternal RSV vaccine, infant RSV hospitalizations dropped nearly 30–40% last season, one of the most significant improvements in years. Dr. Kansagra also discusses a major decline in overdose deaths, driven by expanded community partnerships, naloxone distribution, peer support specialists, and innovative response programs.  Looking ahead, she explains what's next with the new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Grant, how states plan to use this funding to strengthen workforce, behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, and health technology, and reflects on the collective hard work of the nation's public health workforce heading into the holiday season.

00:08 — John Feffer is Director of Foreign Policy in Focus. 00:33 — Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. The post Russia's War in Ukraine; Plus, Corona Calls appeared first on KPFA.

DML sits down with Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida's Surgeon General, Harvard-trained physician, and author of Transcend Fear: A Blueprint for Mindful Leadership in Public Health. In this focused and eye-opening interview, Dr. Ladapo breaks down the failures of fear-based public health, why lockdowns and mandates caused more harm than good, and how leaders lost their way during COVID-19. He explains why freedom, transparency, and clear thinking—not political pressure—must guide American health policy going forward. The discussion also covers his latest statement on the MAHA era under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the need for personal responsibility, and how removing fear and stress empowers people to reclaim their health and their freedom. BOOK: Transcend FearX Account: @FLSurgeonGen