Public Health On Call

About this episode: In 1979, the town of Woburn, MA, raised the alarm as unusual numbers of children fell ill with leukemia. An investigation determined that this cancer cluster was likely caused by contaminated drinking water from two of the town's wells. In this episode: Suzanne Condon, who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health at the time, and Megan Latshaw, an expert in disease clusters, explain what the Woburn investigation highlights about unusual patterns of cancer and how they are studied. Guests: Suzanne Condon, MSM, is an environmental health expert who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health from 1980 to 2015. Megan Latshaw, PhD, MHS, is a professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also the co-instructor of an online course on disease clusters. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: How The Post found growing rates of cancer in America's Corn Belt—Washington Post Disease Clusters—Coursera LEUKEMIA STRIKES A SMALL TOWN—New York Times Childhood Leukemia in Woburn, Massachusetts—Public Health Reports Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: After recovering from an illness like the flu or mononucleosis, most of us will return to our normal lives without complications. But for some, viruses can linger in the body—sometimes for years—and reemerge, wreaking new havoc on the immune system and even triggering chronic diseases. In this episode: Virologist Maggie Bartlett explains how viruses—many of which are vaccine-preventable—can cause post-acute infection syndrome and what's needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. Watch the video version of this episode. Guests: Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, is an assistant research professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the co-host of "Why Should I Trust You?". Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Vaccines Do More Than Prevent Disease—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The Virus That Never Leaves—Dr. Maggie's Substack What We Know—And Still Don't Know—About Long COVID—Public Health On Call (October 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Whether it's a social media post claiming that CBD oil can cure cancer or a very convincing AI video of a dog driving a semi-truck, falsehoods abound in our lives. But why do we believe misinformation, even when presented with evidence that debunks it? In this episode: Matthew Facciani, an expert on the topic, details the psychological identities and biases that make us vulnerable to false information and explains how good information can break through. Guests: Matthew Facciani, PhD, is an interdisciplinary social scientist and the author of "Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It". Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Book TV – Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It—C-SPAN Misguided: Where Misinformation Starts, How It Spreads, and What to Do About It—Columbia University Press Misguided: The Newsletter—Substack Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Injury prevention—a field focused on preventing injuries from falls, choking, homicides, car crashes, and other incidents—saves lives and money. Now, the United States' leading injury prevention unit, the CDC Injury Center, is grappling with cuts to funding and personnel that debilitate critical work. In this episode: Natalie Draisin, an injury prevention expert, details the lifesaving work at risk in extended funding battles. Guests: Natalie Draisin, MPH, MBA, is the director of the North America Office and United Nations representative for the FIA Foundation, an organization promoting road safety. She also serves as an advisor on road safety to WHO and the International Transport Forum. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Injury prevention is in danger from federal cuts—Baltimore Sun With CDC injury prevention team gutted, 'we will not know what is killing us'—NPR Dr. Debra Houry on Her Decision to Leave the CDC—Public Health On Call (September 2025) Women's History Month: A Conversation With Sue Baker, the "Mother of Injury Prevention"—Public Health On Call (March 2024) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: For over two years, the city of Bangor, ME, has been in the throes of a serious HIV outbreak, exacerbated by a combination of local political battles and negative perceptions of drug users and unhoused people. In this episode: Aneri Pattani, who has been reporting on this outbreak, discusses the challenges of tracking transmission and treating those infected, and how harm reduction measures might finally turn the tide. Guests: Aneri Pattani, MPH, is a senior correspondent at KFF Health News, where she focuses on mental health and substance use disorders. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: An HIV Outbreak in Maine Shows the Risk of Trump's Crackdown on Homelessness and Drug Use—KFF Health News Penobscot County HIV Outbreak—Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention Rapid Assessment Amid an Injection Drug Use-Driven HIV Outbreak in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley: Highlights from a Case Study—AIDS and Behavior Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Since 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that parents and caregivers introduce peanuts to children's diets at around four to six months old to avoid the onset of a peanut allergy. In this episode: Pediatric allergist David Hill explains why early allergen introduction is safe and effective and how these recommendations have led to a significant reduction in peanut allergies in children. Guests: Dr. David Hill, PhD, is an allergist, immunologist, and an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is also an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food Allergy—Pediatrics Peanut Allergies Have Plummeted in Children, Study Shows—New York Times Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy—New England Journal of Medicine Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: As hesitancy about human vaccines rises, so too does skepticism of routine pet immunizations. In this episode: Veterinarians Meghan Davis and Kaitlin Waite explain what's behind growing anti-vaccine sentiment among pet owners, how veterinarians are navigating this divide, and why an understanding of the human-animal bond can yield better public health outcomes for all. Guests: Meghan Davis, PhD, MPH, DVM, is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the School of Medicine. Kaitlin Waite, MPH, DVM, is a veterinarian and a postdoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she also serves as the Deputy Director of Outreach Core at the POE Center. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Here's Why Fewer People Are Vaccinating Their Pets—TIME Vaccine Skepticism Comes for Pet Owners, Too—New York Times The importance of vaccinating your pet—Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine Could One Health Prevent the Next Pandemic?—Public Health On Call (September 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Robotic telesurgery allows providers to conduct minimally invasive surgeries across long distances, reaching remote communities. In this episode: Binita Ashar, a surgeon with a background in policy, discusses the revolutionary role this technology can play in medicine and what issues need to be addressed—from cost to cybersecurity—in order to greenlight more procedures in the United States. Guests: Binita Ashar, MD, MBA, is a general surgeon who previously served as the Director of the FDA's Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices. She also serves on the board of the Society of Robotic Surgery. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Exclusive look at groundbreaking remote robotic surgery: Patient was in Africa; doctor was in Florida—ABC News WHO and Society of Robotic Surgery launch health innovation initiative to expand access to virtual care and telesurgery—WHO Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Long-cited research has promoted potential health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. But updated information disproves these claims and links drinking at any amount with increased cancer risk. In this episode: Professor Johannes Thrul, whose research covers substance use and addiction, details recent research on this topic and shares how to communicate these findings to help people make their own decisions around drinking. Guests: Johannes Thrul, PhD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Why Alcohol Needs a Cancer Warning Label—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine Alcohol Causes Cancer. We Should Be Drinking Less.—MedPage Today Preventing Alcohol Misuse, Use Disorders, and Deaths—Public Health On Call (February 2024) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: A single court case in North Carolina is holding skilled nursing facilities accountable to adopt anti-discrimination policies for those with a history of substance use. In this episode: Sally Friedman, part of the team behind this lawsuit, explains the case and why it could set a national precedent for the just treatment of people who use substances in health care. Guests: Sally Friedman, JD, is the Senior Vice President of Legal Advocacy at the Legal Action Center, where she leads a team of attorneys and paralegals that help over 1,500 clients annually to access jobs, housing, health care, and other basic rights. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: Nursing facilities can't blanket ban people with addiction history, per N.C. settlement—STAT Q&A with Disability Rights North Carolina's Sara Harrington and Dane Mullis—Legal Action Center Disability Rights North Carolina—http://disabilityrightsnc.org Discrimination Against Patients With Substance Use Disorder in Health Care Settings—Public Health On Call (January 2024) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Between lawsuits, layoffs, and lags in funding, NIH has undergone significant changes in how it reviews and approves grant proposals for critical research. In this episode: Jeremy Berg, a former NIH leader, talks about what's changed and what's to come for indirect cost reimbursements, funding approvals, and the scientific research ecosystem as a whole. Guests: Jeremy M. Berg, PhD, is a professor of computational and systems biology at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is also the Associate Senior Vice Chancellor of Science Strategy and Planning. He previously served as the Director of the National Institute for General Medical Sciences at NIH. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Appeals court judges seem skeptical of Trump administration's defense of capping NIH overhead payments—STAT Trump order gives political appointees vast powers over research grants—Nature Life-saving medicines begin in the basic research DOGE wants to stop funding—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: As the conflict in Ukraine nears its fourth year, what help is available for vulnerable children caught in the crossfire? In this episode: Irwin Redlener, co-founder of the Ukraine Children's Action Project, discusses how he's operationalizing care for children's medical, psychological, and educational needs, and urges for an end to the conflict. Guests: Dr. Iriwin Redlener is a pediatrician and the co-founder of the Ukraine Children's Action Project. A longtime humanitarian activist, he is also the co-founder of the Children's Health Fund and the founder of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: UCAP Report: October 2025—Ukraine Children's Action Project Dr. Redlener: Firsthand Report from Ukraine—MSNBC Zelensky, 2022—Joan Baez Art Ukraine's Humanitarian Crisis—Public Health On Call (March 2022) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Since taking office in 2020, Mayor Brandon Scott and his administration have embraced a public health approach to reducing gun violence. The results include an unprecedented reduction in the number of homicides and other violent crimes. Baltimore's homicide rate is now the lowest that it has been in decades. In this episode: Mayor Scott shares what is behind the city's progress and what comes next. Guests: Brandon M. Scott is the 52nd mayor of Baltimore, serving his second term. A lifelong Baltimorean, he previously served as President of the Baltimore City Council. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: Baltimore homicides down 31% from 2024, Mayor Brandon Scott says—Baltimore Sun How Baltimore's violent crime rate hit an all-time low: 'This is not magic. It's hard work'—The Guardian Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS)—City of Baltimore A Sharp Decline in Homicides—Public Health On Call (June 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies are setting higher premiums and pushing coverage out of reach for many Americans. In this episode: the yearslong political battle behind elevating insurance costs, ripple effects across health care providers, and what it will take to build a healthy insurance system. Guests: Gerard Anderson, PhD, is an expert in health policy and a professor in Health Policy and Management and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: 'A lifeline' - Americans fear spike in healthcare costs, making some Republicans nervy—BBC How Affordable Care Act subsidies became a sticking point in the government shutdown—ABC News The New Reality Facing Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA—Public Health On Call (August 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Last spring, Dr. Meghan Curry O'Connell joined Public Health On Call from ground zero of a syphilis outbreak among American Indian and Alaskan Native people in the Great Plains Region. In this episode: She provides an update on the situation, explaining how a collaborative team has been able to overcome obstacles and make progress. Guests: Dr. Meghan Curry O'Connell, MPH, is the chief public health officer at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board and a member of the Cherokee Nation. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Efforts to curb SD's syphilis outbreak yield results, but public health advocate says work remains—South Dakota Searchlight How a fight over data made South Dakota's bad syphilis outbreak worse—Vox A Public Health Emergency: Syphilis Surges in the Great Plains Region—Public Health On Call (May 2024) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. 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.