1000 - Celebrating 1,000 Episodes of Public Health On Call
Release Date: 01/22/2026
1041 - World Malaria Day: Promising Tools for Elimination Amidst Research Cuts
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Exacerbated by cuts to research funding and on-the-ground interventions, malaria remains one of the deadliest and most burdensome health crises across the globe. In this episode: Jane Carlton of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute details the state of the disease in 2026 and how tools like improved vaccines and genetically modified mosquitoes can bring us closer to elimination. Guest: , PhD, is a Bloomberg distinguished professor and the director of the . Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and...
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1040 - Growing Demand for Menopausal Hormone Therapies Brings Excitement—and New Concerns
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Following the FDA’s removal of black box warnings for hormone therapy drugs, demand has skyrocketed for menopause treatments. In this episode: why this explosion in popularity marks a trend in the right direction for quality reproductive care while also raising concerns about “menowashed” products and blanket prescribing of hormonal interventions. Guests: , MPH, is a primary care doctor and associate professor with appointments at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine. is a primary care doctor and assistant professor at the...
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1039 - Spending Down Billions in Opioid Settlement Money: The Debatable, The Inventive, and The Innovative
Public Health On Call
About this episode: A collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, KFF Health News, and Shatterproof is tracking how communities across the country are spending opioid settlement funds. In this episode: Abigail Winiker of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative details the good, bad, and the ugly of the expenditures the team has tracked, from EMS-delivered harm reduction methods to punitive law enforcement investments to... D.A.R.E magicians? Guest: , PhD, MSPH, is an assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the program...
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1038 - Cannabis Use Disorder in Adolescents Linked to Other Psychiatric Conditions
Public Health On Call
About this episode: New findings suggest that, compared to adults with similar habits, teens with patterns of problematic cannabis use are at an elevated risk for developing other mental disorders like schizophrenia and depression. In this episode: Johannes Thrul breaks down a study on this potential link and outlines what it may mean for the growing field of cannabis research. Guest: , PhD, MS, is an associate professor of Mental Health 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...
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1037 - Chatbots, Mental Health, and Suicide
Public Health On Call
About this episode: People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for therapeutic purposes—but these platforms are built for engagement, not mental health care. In this episode: Laura Reiley, whose daughter took her own life after confiding in a chatbot, explains why this technology is ill-equipped to treat those struggling with their mental health and how a transparent regulatory system could establish responsible practices for AI companies. Note: This episode includes discussions of suicidality and suicide. If you or someone you know is...
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1036 - Geopolitics and Humanitarian Health in Iran, Cuba, and Ukraine
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Humanitarian crises don’t exist in a vacuum—they are shaped by geopolitical actions like blockades, sanctions, and armed conflicts between countries. In this episode: Stanford University scholar Ruth Gibson details how geopolitical decisions impact civilians on the ground and how this framing applies to current situations in Iran, Cuba, and Ukraine. Guest: , PhD, is a scholar at Stanford University where she holds appointments in at the and the . Host: is distinguished professor of the practice in , a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health...
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1035 - The Epic Struggle for Public Health
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Public health efforts have led to tremendous gains throughout history—and sparked backlash. That’s the argument made by Michelle A. Williams in her new book “The Cure for Everything The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving.” In this episode: why community interventions often go underappreciated, the economic benefits of a healthy society, and the tension between medicine and public health. Guest: , ScD, is a professor of epidemiology and population health at the Stanford University School of...
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1034 - An Update on Measles and the U.S.’s Elimination Status
Public Health On Call
About this episode: The U.S. is on track to surpass 2025’s alarming number of measles cases in 2026. At the same time, the nation’s measles elimination status remains under review as health entities use genome sequencing to better understand the state of transmission. In this episode: Infectious disease specialist William Moss explains what’s at stake with the verification of the U.S.’s elimination status and why this resurgence of measles is so concerning for immunization writ large. Guest: , MPH, is an infectious disease specialist and the executive director of the at the Johns...
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1033 - Chemical Contaminants and Fungal Fixes in Wastewater and Agriculture
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Biosolids created by the wastewater treatment process are useful fertilizers in agriculture, but they often contain chemical compounds from the pharmaceutical and personal care products we send down our drains. In this episode: Researcher Carsten Prasse details new findings that suggest that fungi could reduce our risk of exposure to these compounds in our drinking water and food. Guest: , PhD, MSc, is an associate professor of at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he studies organic contaminants in the urban water cycle and their impact on...
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1032 - A Judge Rules on Vaccines
Public Health On Call
About this episode: A federal judge has halted changes from the Department of Health and Human Services to the childhood immunization schedule and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice. In this episode: the impact of this decision and what comes next. Guest: , JD, is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience in public health policy and advocacy and is an expert on immunization policy. She served as counselor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021-2025. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of...
info_outlineAbout this episode:
It started as a time-limited series of interviews with public health experts at the start of a global pandemic. Over nearly six years, Public Health On Call expanded to a wide range of topics, including humanitarian health, aging, and vaccines, becoming a home for nuanced public health discussions and analysis. In this episode: Hosts Stephanie Desmon, Josh Sharfstein, and Lindsay Smith Rogers reflect on 1,000 episodes of the show, the challenges of covering complex health topics, and what issues they want to focus on next. Note: This episode is also available as a video on YouTube.
Guests:
Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
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.
Episodes mentioned:
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001 - Global Preparedness, Misinformation and Community Transmission—March 2020
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060 - The Epidemic Within the Pandemic: Opioids and COVID-19—April 2020
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064 - How COVID-19 Has Changed a Baltimore Public School—May 2020
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132 - The Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen and Parallels to the COVID-19 Pandemic—August 2020
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169 - Online Learning with Baltimore Public School Principal Matt Hornbeck—September 2020
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285 - COVID-19 and the Arts Part 2: Performing Arts and the Pandemic with Marin Alsop—March 2021
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401 - School in the Time of COVID: A Tour Of Hampstead Hill Academy—November 2021
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465- A Special Mother’s Day Episode—May 2022
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653 - Back to School: How One K-8 School Is Getting Ready for the Fall—August 2023
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751 - The New Federal Regulations Aimed Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—April 2024
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823 - Special Episode—The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore—November 2024
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862 - The Misinformation Around Seed Oils—March 2025
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891 - B’More For Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—May 2025
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953 - Interpreting the Data on Tylenol, Pregnancy, and Autism—September 2025
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967 - An Update on Baltimore’s Swimmable Harbor and the Pistachio Tide—October 2025
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973 - Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—November 2025
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979 - Why Are More People Choosing Not to Vaccinate Their Pets?—November 2025
Transcript information:
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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.