1033 - Chemical Contaminants and Fungal Fixes in Wastewater and Agriculture
Release Date: 04/08/2026
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...
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1031 - What is Prediabetes?
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Prediabetes—a diagnosis characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that can progress to Type 2 diabetes—is embroiled in debate about whether the condition is clinically “real,” and, if so, what the threshold for diagnosis should be. In this episode: Epidemiologist and diabetes expert Elizabeth Selvin breaks down the controversy surrounding prediabetes and why she thinks the diagnosis offers an opportunity for intervention. Guest: , PhD, MPH, is a professor of at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,...
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1030 - An Endgame for the Tobacco Industry?
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Despite sizable decreases in tobacco use in high-income countries, 7 million people around the world die every year from tobacco-related causes. In this episode: an approach that seeks not to manage the $880 billion tobacco industry but to end it. Guest: Eline Goethals is a communications specialist and a fellow at the School of Moral Ambition. Host: is distinguished professor of the practice in , a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: —Action on Smoking and...
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1029 - What We Know About CTE
Public Health On Call
About this episode: A neurodegenerative disease that can only be diagnosed after death, CTE has made headlines for its prevalence in professional football players. But where does it stand as a public health issue? In this episode: Jesse Mez of the Boston University CTE Center gives an overview of what we know and don’t yet know about CTE, as well as tips for parents of children who play contact sports. Guest: , MD, MS, is the co-director of clinical research at the and associate professor of neurology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Host: Stephanie...
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1028 - Vaccine Policy in the States
Public Health On Call
About this episode: As policy has shifted at the federal level, state legislatures are considering a broad range of vaccine-related bills. In this episode: Jennifer Herricks and Northe Saunders of American Families for Vaccines talk about the landscape of vaccine policy, from "medical freedom" bills to those seeking shore up vaccine access. Guests: , PhD, is the founder of and the advocacy director of . is a grassroots organizer and the president of . Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for...
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1027 - The EPA’s Approval of Two New Pesticides
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In late 2025, the EPA approved two pesticides for agricultural use that opponents argue contain PFAS—“forever chemicals” that pose hazards to human health. In this episode: the debate around what constitutes PFAS and the EPA’s role in regulating these harmful chemicals. Guest: covers energy and environmental policy for The Hill and is the co-author of the book “. 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: ...
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1026 - A Mental Health Crisis for Adults with IDDs
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than those without IDDs. Barriers like cost, a lack of trained providers, and societal biases keep many from accessing the care they need. In this episode: what’s fueling this crisis hidden in plain sight and what needs to change in order to fix it. Guests: is a former Special Olympics Minnesota athlete, a founding member of the Athlete Leadership Program, and an Athlete Advisory Board member. , MPH, is the Chief Health Director for the Special Olympics and the...
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1025 - Advancing the Elimination of Schistosomiasis
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease transmitted to human hosts via freshwater snails. It can cause serious and debilitating chronic conditions, but the Pan American Health Organization is leading a charge to end transmission in the Americas. In this episode: PAHO Parasitologist Ronaldo Scholte details how locations like Puerto Rico are successfully working to eliminate schistosomiasis. Guest: Ronaldo Scholte, PhD, MS, is a technical officer at the Pan American Health Organization where he oversees efforts to treat and eliminate neglected tropical...
info_outlineAbout 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:
Carsten Prasse, PhD, MSc, is an associate professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he studies organic contaminants in the urban water cycle and their impact on environmental and human 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:
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White-Rot Fungi Show Promise for Reducing Pharmaceutical Residues in Biosolids—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Magic Mushrooms? White-Rot Fungal Degradation of Psychoactive Pharmaceuticals in Biosolids—ACS Environmental Au
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