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....
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An Early Start to West Nile Virus Season?
Public Health On Call
About this episode: West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S., and while most people who contract it won’t even know they’re infected, it can be debilitating for older adults and the immunocompromised. In this episode: an expert in insect-borne diseases gives listeners the essential information on West Nile, offers a forecast on this year’s disease season, and answers the most important question: can we just get rid of mosquitoes? Guest: , PhD, is a professor of who studies vector-borne diseases. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the...
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Immigration Crossfire in Tennessee Threatens Children's Health
Public Health On Call
About this episode: Children in Tennessee who need ventilators, chemotherapy and other essential medical treatments—but who have no means to pay for them—turn to the Children’s Special Services program. But as a result of a new state law, hundreds of children and their families were told to withdraw from the program or risk being reported to immigration officials. In this episode: Dr. Morgan McDonald explains what happened—and how a lawsuit is aiming to preserve lifesaving care. Guest: Dr. Morgan McDonald is a pediatrician, a public health physician, and a ...
info_outlineAbout this episode:
Vaccines for the Zaire ebolavirus have been licensed since 2019, but no such treatment exists for the current outbreak of Bundibugyo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this episode: Anna Durbin, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research, introduces listeners to three candidate vaccines and discusses the hurdles to deploying new treatments.
Guest:
Dr. Anna Durbin is a professor of International Health and the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research.
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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Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears—BBC
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USAID’s closure led to ‘entirely preventable’ deaths, latest Ebola outbreak: House Dem report—The Hill
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HHS confirms Americans with high-risk Ebola exposures will have access to experimental therapy—STAT
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What Will It Take to Contain the Central Africa Ebola Outbreak?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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The Use of Investigational Drugs in an Outbreak: Separating Science and Politics With Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19—Public Health On Call (May 2020)
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