1057 - Five Baltimore Health Commissioners Walk into an Auditorium
Release Date: 05/22/2026
The Workplace Hazard of Radiation—For Flight Crews
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Long flights at high altitudes can expose pilots and flight attendants to dangerous levels of cosmic radiation over their careers, potentially increasing their risk for a variety of cancers and posing special dangers to pregnant crewmembers. In this episode: a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine urges action on in-flight radiation exposure, including mandating airline safety programs and developing new ways to measure hazards. Guest: , PhD, MPH, is an emeritus professor at Johns Hopkins and a former top official...
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Child Sexual Abuse is Preventable, Not Inevitable
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Millions of children will experience sexual abuse before they turn 18, either in-person or online and often at the hands of people they know. The mental, behavioral, and physical health consequences can linger into adulthood. In this episode: Elizabeth Letourneau, director of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, explains why child sexual abuse is one of the nation’s most pressing public health crises and what can be done to prevent it. Guest: , PhD, MA, is a professor of mental health and the director of the . She is also the...
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A Settlement in the Gardasil Lawsuits
Public Health On Call
About this episode: This summer, Merck & Co. settled more than 200 lawsuits alleging that the company's HPV vaccine, Gardasil, caused cases of autoimmune conditions and fertility issues in young women. But that $50 million settlement is not an admission of fault on the part of the company or the vaccine. In this episode: Vaccine law expert Dorit Reiss details the lawsuits, including why evidence isn’t stacking up for plaintiffs and how headlines about the dollar amount can misconstrue the facts of the case. Guest: , PhD, is an expert on vaccine policy and a...
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The Executive Order on Childhood Vaccines
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In the latest move to alter the childhood vaccine schedule, the president has signed an executive order seeking to scale back and restructure routine immunizations. In this episode: what's in the executive order, what it means, and what comes next. Guest: is distinguished professor of the practice in , a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of...
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Building a Better World with Prevention Thinking
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Could applying a public health approach to issues like education, crime, and the environment help tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges? That’s what one researcher argues in a new book titled “Imagine Doing Better: Why Policies Backfire and How Prevention Thinking Can Change Everything.” In this episode: Author and professor Paul Fleming discusses his new book, a generational approach to policymaking, and the power of collective action. Guest: , PhD, MPH, is an associate professor of health behavior and health equity at the and...
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Senator Andy Kim on the MediKids Act
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Over four million children in the United States are uninsured, while many more lack health insurance that adequately meets their care needs. A proposed bill aims to fix that by providing universal health coverage for everyone aged zero to 26. In this episode: Senator Andy Kim, sponsor of the MediKids Act, on why now is the right time for this bill to become law and how it can be implemented by building on the existing Medicaid framework. Guest: , PhD, is a U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He previously held roles at the Pentagon, State Department, and White...
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Are Humans Hot Enough to Survive a Fungal Apocalypse?
Public Health On Call
About this episode: New research has identified massive fungal blooms in North America in the Cretaceous period, suggesting significant ecological upheaval before and after the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs. In this episode: Arturo Casadevall, senior author of the study, explains why these findings are so significant and his hypothesis that fungi gave mammals an evolutionary leg-up over reptiles. Guest: , PhD, MS, is chair of the department of at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a global expert in host defense mechanisms, fungi, and antibody-based...
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The HPV Vaccine, 20 Years Later
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In the two decades since the HPV vaccine was approved, women’s risk of developing cervical cancer has dropped by 80% for those vaccinated before age 16 and 66% in those vaccinated after age 16. It has also lowered the risk of other HPV-related cancers in men. In this episode: Journalist Liz Szabo recounts the incredible successes of this intervention in preventing cancer and discusses the existing misinformation surrounding the vaccine, still considered by some to be too “new.” Guest: , MA, is an investigative health reporter with CIDRAP News....
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Prescription Denials Are on the Rise
Public Health On Call
About this episode: If you’ve ever been prescribed a new medication from your doctor only to be told by the pharmacy that your insurance won’t cover it, you’re not alone. In fact, new research shows that denials and requirements for prior authorizations are happening more frequently and that, in half of these cases, patients are subsequently forgoing their prescriptions. In this episode: Joseph Levy, lead author of the study, explains why this is the case and discusses the tradeoffs between controlling drug spending and ensuring access to necessary treatments. ...
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The Peptide Episode
Public Health On Call
About this episode: In June, the FDA convened an advisory committee to discuss whether seven selected peptides should be permitted for legal sale under pharmacy compounding laws despite little research into safety and efficacy. Agency scientists oppose the decision while some committee members with ties to the growing industry support it. In this episode: Dr. Josh Sharfstein, who previously served as the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the FDA, explains what is happening and what it may mean for consumers and patients. Note: That this episode was updated on August 5, 2026....
info_outlineAbout this episode:
In the city of Baltimore, the health department works to prevent overdose, reduce violence, provide vaccinations, inspect restaurants, and so much more. In this episode: Host Stephanie Desmon leads a panel discussion with five Baltimore City Commissioners of Health who collectively served over three decades. They swap stories and speak candidly about the challenges and opportunities of the role.
Guests:
Dr. Peter Beilenson, MPH, is a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Kreiger School of Arts & Sciences. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 1992 to 2005.
Dr. Letitia Dzirasa is the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services with the City of Baltimore. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2019 to 2023.
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.
Dr. Michelle Taylor, DrPH, MPA, is the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health. She also serves in the Tennessee Air National Guard, and she previously led operations at the Shelby County Health Department.
Dr. Leana S. Wen, MSc, is a physician and professor of health policy and management at George Washington University. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2014 to 2018.
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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Health Commissioner Michelle Taylor is Betting on Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 2026)
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Baltimore’s Record Low in Homicides—Public Health On Call (November 2025)
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Baltimore’s Back-to-Back Mass Overdoses—Public Health On Call (September 2025)
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B’More for Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 2025)
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