Questions People Ask

Dr. Nancy Dunbar and Dr. Richard Kaufman join Dr. Commins to discuss the recent JAMA Internal Medicine paper that reports higher rates of transfusion reactions in U.S. medical centers located within lone star tick territory. They talk through the basics of blood type, transfusion reactions and end with the surprising findings of the appropriately named UPTICK study.

Dr. Eleanor Saunders, MD, MPH joins Dr. Commins to discuss the recent MMWR paper that reports results from surveillance testing of blood donors from 10 states for alpha-gal IgE. They talk through the surprising findings, as well as Dr. Saunders' insights from screening a unique cohort from the US Army (unpublished data).

Dr. Scott Commins is joined by Lea Hamner, an epidemiologist with the Martha's Vineyard Tick Program, and Aubrey Ryan, an emergency medicine physician assistant and clinician at Tick Wise MV, to discuss the rise of Alpha-gal Syndrome and lone star ticks on Martha's Vineyard. They also share key takeaways from the recent Alpha-gal Syndrome Scientific Meeting and what they mean for patients, clinicians, and ongoing research.

In this episode of Questions People Ask, Dr. Scott Commins is joined by registered dietitian Julie Kennedy, who specializes in helping people navigate life after complex food-related diagnoses, including Alpha-Gal Syndrome. Together they discuss what happens after the doctor's appointment, when patients are left to rebuild their relationship with food.Julie shares practical advice for managing nutrition without unnecessary restrictions, avoiding common mistakes, finding safe sources of protein and key nutrients, and learning how to separate fear from facts. They also explore why food is about much more than nutrition, touching on grief, anxiety, quality of life, and the emotional impact of losing foods that are tied to family, traditions, and identity. How can the right support system help people regain confidence around eating?

Dr. Commins sits down with Dr. Sachin Shah, a pharmacist and co-founder/CEO of Pill Clarity, to talk about how hard it can be to figure out what’s actually in your medications. They get into the hidden ingredients in drugs and supplements, and why that matters for people with allergies or specific dietary needs. Pill Clarity works to make this process easier by helping both patients and healthcare providers identify products that are free from animal-derived ingredients and common allergens. Learn more: https://www.pillclarity.org/