823 - Fluoride In The Water
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century. Yet for as long as there has been fluoride in the water, some have raised concerns about its safety. In this episode: the history of water fluoridation, its enormous benefits for preventing tooth decay, and the recent wave of interest in whether fluoridation policies should change. Guest: is a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s, a professor at UW Medicine, and an expert on infant and child nutrition and oral health. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist,...
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822 - Book Club: “Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice”
Public Health On Call
About this episode: For nearly 30 years, Judge David Tatel served on the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. But his rising legal career corresponded with his declining vision–a fact he tried to hide. Now, Tatel credits his blindness (and his guide dog Vixen) for helping him evolve as a judge and a person. In this episode: a look at Judge Tatel’s astonishing career, his take on how SCOTUS is blurring the lines between judging and policymaking, what science and the legal system have in common, and his experience learning to live with blindness. Guest: served nearly 30 years as...
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821 - Psychological First Aid: Processing Big Post-Election Emotions
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In the wake of the presidential election, many people are feeling big emotions like shock, disbelief, anger, and fear. Psychological first aid is a process that can help “take the sting out of injury” and chart a way forward after disruptive, upsetting events. In this episode: an explanation of the process and how people can use the framework to start to regain control and feel empowered to meet the moment and construct a better future. Note: If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call 988 for immediate emotional support. Guest: is a world-renowned expert in...
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820 - The Anti-Vaccine Movement Gets Its Close-Up
Public Health On Call
About this episode: A new documentary, “Shot in the Arm,” looks at the modern anti-vaccine movement from its opposition to the measles vaccine in 2019 through the pandemic and its opposition to COVID vaccination. Filmmaker Scott Kennedy joins the podcast to talk about about the five-year project of creating the film, including details from his hour-long interview with a leading voice in the movement, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Guest: is an Academy Award nominated writer, director, producer, and documentarian. He is known for films such as and . is his most recent film. Host: is vice dean...
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819 - A Second Trump Term: A Look At The Headlines
Public Health On Call
About this episode: There’s a lot of speculation in the media about what Trump’s second term might mean for health and health policy. In this episode: a look at some of the headlines from this week and what we might see in the next four years around vaccines, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, contraceptives, the federal workforce, immigration, and global health programs. Guest: served in a number of political roles in his career including as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of...
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818 - An Update On Measles, Pertussis, Mpox, and Other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In this episode: an update on the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis (whooping cough) in the U.S. Globally, a look at the mpox vaccine and exciting news about two brand new vaccines for malaria and TB in the pipeline. Guest: is the executive director of the at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —U.S. News & World...
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817 - What’s Behind All The Food Recalls
Public Health On Call
About this episode: From frozen waffles to deli meat and even fast food burgers, outbreaks of foodborne illnesses seem to be everywhere. But are they happening more often or is our surveillance system just getting better? And how do bacteria like listeria and E. coli survive the manufacturing process, and persist long enough to sicken and even kill consumers? In today’s episode: a look at foodborne pathogens and how they persist, the U.S. food safety system, and how you can take precautions at home and when you go out to eat. Guests: is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the...
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816 - Book Club: The Promise and Peril of CRISPR
Public Health On Call
About this episode: CRISPR technology can edit genetic codes, making it possible to cure people of terrible diseases, among other uses. But its power is not fully understood—even by the scientists and researchers who use it—and the technology far outpaces conversations about ethics and regulations. In this episode: that we know and don’t know about CRISPR, and why it’s critical for these conversations to happen everywhere from boardrooms to legislative assemblies to film and TV scripts. Guest: is a lecturer in global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School, , and editor...
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815 - How To Run For Congress As A Public Health Official (Even If You Lose)
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Dr. Jirair Ratevosian was a high level global health official in the State Department—a job he left to pursue a Congressional seat in California’s 30th district. In this episode, he details what it takes to run for Congress (including knocking on more than 30,000 doors) and how he talked about public health with voters. Spoiler alert: He didn’t win, but he did learn a lot and is hopeful that Congress can again be a place where people go to solve problems. Guests: is an associate research scientist at Yale, an infectious disease fellow at Duke, and a graduate of the...
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814 - Book Club—The Anatomy of Deception: Conspiracy Theories, Distrust, and Public Health in America
Public Health On Call
About this episode: The rise of misinformation and the appeal of “alternative medicine” is coupled with a decline in trust of the U.S. health care system. In a new book, Dr. Sara Gorman explains how an inaccessible health care system has fed the rise of misinformation and what policymakers and providers need to do to earn back some credibility. Guests: is a public health researcher and author of a new book called “.” Host: is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a...
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An outbreak of Marburg virus, one of the deadliest viruses in the world, has been reported in Rwanda. In this episode: an overview of the rare, hemorrhagic fever with an 88% mortality rate and how it's impacting Rwanda, and why we’re seeing more and more instances of zoonotic disease spillovers.
Guest:
Kari Debbink is a virologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host:
Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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