Health & Veritas

Howard Forman and Harlan Krumholz, two Yale physician-professors, discuss the latest news and ideas in healthcare and seek out the truth amid the noise. Produced with the Yale School of Management and the Yale School of Public Health. New episodes are available every Thursday.

Azita Emami: Educating Nurse-Leaders 07/10/2025

Azita Emami: Educating Nurse-Leaders Howie and Harlan are joined by Azita Emami, dean of the Yale School of Nursing, to discuss the school’s approach to training nurses who can have a seat at the table of healthcare decision-making. Harlan reports on his new study showing the low levels of evidence required for medical devices in the FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program; Howie provides some good news about infectious diseases including malaria and HIV. Links: Breakthrough devices? Azita Emami Infectious diseases . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/37359560

America’s Healthcare Paradox and Other News 07/03/2025

America’s Healthcare Paradox and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss the alarming healthcare cuts proposed in the budget bill currently moving through Congress, recent breakthroughs in HIV prevention and diabetes treatment, and the stark contrast between scientific progress and the deep structural flaws in the U.S. healthcare system. Links: The Budget Bill The Budget Bill and Universities The 340B Drug Program A Stem Cell Treatment for Diabetes Medicare Advantage and the VA A New HIV Drug Kennedy v. Braidwood The Big Picture for U.S. Healthcare Exercise and Cancer . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/37272305

Stephen Waxman: Easing the Horrors of Chronic Pain 06/26/2025

Stephen Waxman: Easing the Horrors of Chronic Pain Howie and Harlan are joined by Stephen Waxman, a leading neurology researcher, to discuss the promise of new methods developed by his lab to treat the ravages of pain. Harlan talks about the importance of ratings for Medicare Advantage plans; Howie assesses two sobering new reports on the solvency of Medicare. Links: Harlan’s Section Interview with Dr. Waxman Howie’s Section . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/37160080

The ‘Big Beautiful BIll’ and Other News 06/19/2025

The ‘Big Beautiful BIll’ and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare issues making headlines, including public attitudes toward the Medicaid cuts in the budget bill making its way through Congress, a one-time gene therapy that could cure high cholesterol, “ambient” AI in the exam room, and the replacement of the the CDC’s entire vaccine advisory board. Links: Remembering Atul Butte The Budget Bill Vinay Prasad Medicaid Cuts Gene Therapy to Prevent Heart Disease Anti-Vaxxers at the CDC Ambient AI /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/37075790

Sarah DeSilvey: Creating Space for Healing 06/12/2025

Sarah DeSilvey: Creating Space for Healing Howie and Harlan are joined by Sarah DeSilvey to talk about her career as a rural nurse practitioner and her work to create a shared vocabulary for tracking social determinants of health. Harlan unpacks the research implications of the “big beautiful bill” in Congress, and reports on his new research about the link between state gun laws and deaths among children; Howie discusses the simple steps that can prevent syphilis from being passed from mothers to babies in utero. Links: Budget Cuts Guns and Kids Sarah DeSilvey Congenital Syphilis /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36971620

Dave Chokshi: Lessons from the Front Lines of the Pandemic 06/05/2025

Dave Chokshi: Lessons from the Front Lines of the Pandemic Howie and Harlan are joined by Dave Chokshi, who led New York City’s response to COVID-19 as health commissioner and serves as chair of the Common Health Coalition, which is working to prepare for future crises by strengthening partnerships between healthcare and public health. Harlan reports on a trip to China; Howie says it’s time for a global effort to expand rubella vaccination. Links: Harlan in China Dave Chokshi Rubella . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36863755

Live at the Yale Innovation Summit 2025 05/30/2025

Live at the Yale Innovation Summit 2025 In a special episode recorded at Connecticut’s largest entrepreneurship event, Howie and guest host Megan Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health, welcome four Yale innovators: entrepreneur and YSPH lecturer Kaakpema “KP” Yelpaala; Basmah Safdar, incoming director of Women’s Health Research at Yale; Kayla Wooley, a YSPH graduate and the founder of two nursing home staffing companies; and Yale College student Laurie Jimenez, founder of FulcrumCare, a value-based dental provider for Medicaid and Medicare patients. Links: The Yale Innovation Summit Kaakpema “KP” Yelpaala Basmah Safdar Kayla Wooley Laurie Jimenez . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36794640

Rebekah Gee: Improving Health, One Family at a Time 05/22/2025

Rebekah Gee: Improving Health, One Family at a Time Howie and Harlan are joined by Rebekah Gee, founder and CEO of Nest Health, which provides in-home care to kids on Medicaid and their families. Harlan reports on the first personalized CRISPR gene therapy for a rare genetic disease; Howie untangles the FDA’s restrictions on the COVID-19 booster and what it will mean for your ability to get a shot this fall. Links: A Breakthrough CRISPR Treatment Nest Health Rebekah Gee on LinkedIn on Nest Health A New COVID Booster Policy . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36669605

James Dodington: Protecting Kids from Gun Violence 05/15/2025

James Dodington: Protecting Kids from Gun Violence Howie and Harlan are joined by James Dodington, a Yale pediatric emergency medicine physician and an expert in community-based violence prevention. Harlan reports on the remarkable financial results and sometimes questionable science of Hims & Hers Health; Howie discusses UnitedHealthcare’s faltering stock price in the face of anger over aggressive care denial and a lawsuit from shareholders. Links: Oscar Health and Hims & Hers James Dodington UnitedHealthcare /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36578170

Thomas Gill: The Secrets to an Active Old Age 05/08/2025

Thomas Gill: The Secrets to an Active Old Age Howie and Harlan are joined by Thomas Gill, a Yale geriatrician whose research tracks the factors that contribute to disability in older adults—and those that support continued independence. And they discuss the contrarian tapped to evaluate vaccines at the FDA, allegations of kickbacks against insurers, and the potential end of a loophole that has allowed states to collect additional Medicaid funding. Links: Vinay Prasad at the FDA Insurance News Thomas Gill Medicaid Cuts . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36484430

Joel Bervell: The Healthcare Communicator 05/01/2025

Joel Bervell: The Healthcare Communicator Howie and Harlan are joined by Joel Bervell, a recent medical school graduate who uses social media platforms to combat misinformation and explain racial biases in healthcare. Harlan discusses his new Wall Street Journal commentary highlighting the link between viral infections and chronic diseases; Howie reports on powerful new evidence for the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and warns of the dangers of a vaccine-skeptical presidential administration. Links: Viral Infection and Chronic Disease Joel Bervell Vaccines and the Federal Healthcare Agencies . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36389185

Afib, AI Agents, and Other News 04/24/2025

Afib, AI Agents, and Other News Howie reflects on his decades-long experience with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the procedure that has changed his life. Howie and Harlan report on healthcare issues in the news, including the measles outbreak and a vision for a team of personal healthcare AI agents. And student research assistants Inès Gilles and Sophia Stumpf visit for a farewell interview. Links: Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation AI Agents Measles Food as Medicine Bird Flu Exercise and Brain Waste . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36294025

Deepak D’Souza: Perils of Cannabis and Promise of Psychedelics 04/17/2025

Deepak D’Souza: Perils of Cannabis and Promise of Psychedelics Deepak D'Souza, the Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of Psychiatry at Yale, explains risks from highly potent cannabinoids and research on treating mental health conditions with psychedelics. Harlan reports on efforts to understand the neuroscience around artificial sweeteners. Howie highlights insights from a physician pay survey. Links: Artificial Sweeteners Cannabis Dr. D’Souza Physician Pay . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36205480

Evan Sussman: Expanding Access to Fertility Drugs 04/10/2025

Evan Sussman: Expanding Access to Fertility Drugs Howie and Harlan welcome Evan Sussman, the CEO of Granata Bio, which aims to bring IVF and fertility drugs that have been proven in other markets to the United States. Harlan reports on Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which will test a technology to restore rudimentary sight to the blind; Howie tries to reconcile conflicting reports about the viability of the Medicare trust fund. Links: Neuralink Granata Bio The Medicare Trust Fund . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/36082640

Alexi Nazem: Building Healthcare Solutions 04/03/2025

Alexi Nazem: Building Healthcare Solutions Howie and Harlan are joined by Alexi Nazem, a Yale-trained internist who co-founded the healthcare staffing company Nomad Health and now leads healthcare investments at AlleyCorp. Harlan reports on new research from the American College of Cardiology meeting; Howie examines the consequences of vast staffing cuts in the federal healthcare infrastructure. Links: Research from the American College of Cardiology Meeting Alexi Nazem Turmoil at Federal Health Agencies . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35989625

Ryan Schwarz: Thinking Differently about the Primary Care Crisis 03/27/2025

Ryan Schwarz: Thinking Differently about the Primary Care Crisis Howie and Harlan are joined by Ryan Schwarz, a Yale-trained MD-MBA who oversees accountable care for the Massachusetts Medicaid program, to discuss new models for addressing the severe shortage of primary care doctors in the U.S. Harlan looks at the fallout from the bankruptcy of 23andMe; Howie reports on Match Day at Yale and medical schools around the country. Links: New Leadership 23andMe Ryan Schwarz Match Day . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35886590

Mark McClellan: An Economic Lens on Healthcare 03/20/2025

Mark McClellan: An Economic Lens on Healthcare Howie and Harlan are joined by Mark McLellan, a physician, economist, and longtime public servant, to discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 response and the successes and failures of the healthcare payment innovations he helped to create. Harlan reports on a wave of illness caused by slushy drinks; Howie considers the merits of accelerated training for doctors. Links: The Dangers of Slushies Mark McClellan Accelerating Med School . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35789110

Aging in Bursts and Other News 03/13/2025

Aging in Bursts and Other News Howie and Harlan check in on health issues in the news, including the big bet that went wrong for Walgreens, prohibited words at federal health agencies, the weaknesses of a much-discussed study suggesting that people age in bursts, and the long-term impact of the HPV vaccine. Links: Walgreens Cuts to the ACA Medicaid Prohibited Words Aging The HPV Vaccine Norovirus The Measles Outbreak . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35670505

Sarah Taylor: The Science of Breastfeeding 03/06/2025

Sarah Taylor: The Science of Breastfeeding Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale neonatologist Sarah Taylor to discuss our growing understanding of breastfeeding, including the active role that infants play in shaping the composition of breast milk. Harlan discusses the rapid growth of Hims & Hers Health, which provides treatment and medication over the internet; Howie reports on the promising initial results from a pilot program in North Carolina that seeks to reduce healthcare costs by providing support in non-medical areas like food security and housing. Links: Hims & Hers Breastfeeding The North Carolina Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35558855

Michael Dunne: Confronting the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis 02/27/2025

Michael Dunne: Confronting the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis Howie and Harlan are joined by infectious disease specialist Michael Dunne to discuss the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance and what’s needed to incentivize the development of new antibiotics. Harlan reflects on the controversy sparked by the release of his study on post-vaccination syndrome; Howie provides an update on the measles outbreak in Texas. Links: Post-Vaccine Syndrome Antimicrobial Resistance and New Antibiotics The Measles Outbreak . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35456890

Paul Lombardo: Reckoning with the Dark History of Eugenics 02/20/2025

Paul Lombardo: Reckoning with the Dark History of Eugenics Howie and Harlan are joined by legal historian Paul Lombardo to discuss his work exploring the role of the legal and medical establishments in eugenics and sterilization in the United States. Harlan reports on his new research on post-vaccination syndrome, a constellation of chronic symptoms experienced by some people after getting the COVID-19 vaccine; Howie discusses the science behind a measles outbreak in Texas. Links: Anxiety in Academia Post-Vaccination Syndrome Eugenics in America Measles and Herd Immunity . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35363565

Deborah Rhodes: A Breast-Cancer Screening Breakthrough 02/13/2025

Deborah Rhodes: A Breast-Cancer Screening Breakthrough Howie and Harlan are joined by Deborah Rhodes, a Yale internist and the chief quality officer for Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Health System. They discuss how she helped develop a better approach to scanning for breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue, and the obstacles to wide adoption. Harlan reports on the Trump administration’s plan to slash indirect support for research; Howie explains the potential consequences of cuts to Medicaid. Links: Flu and Research Cuts Breast-Cancer Screening Medicaid . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35270415

The AI in the Doctor’s Office and Other News 02/06/2025

The AI in the Doctor’s Office and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss a breakthrough pain medication, studies on AI-assisted medicine, the explosion of sports gambling, and the health consequences of the shutdown of USAID. Links: A First-in-Class Painkiller AI Screening . USAID and Foreign Aid The Super Bowl and Legalized Sports Gambling COVID and Flu . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35175605

Lisa Rosenbaum: Medicine, Well-Being, and Victimhood 01/30/2025

Lisa Rosenbaum: Medicine, Well-Being, and Victimhood Howie and Harlan are joined by Lisa Rosenbaum, a cardiologist and the national correspondent for the New England Journal of Medicine, to discuss her writing illuminating critical topics in medicine. Harlan reports on the companies claiming to prevent illness through a non-invasive full-body scan; Howie explains the healthcare impact of the Trump administration’s freeze of federal aid. Links: Body Scanning Lisa Rosenbaum The New Administration . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/35082150

Susan Mayne: Keeping Food Safe 01/23/2025

Susan Mayne: Keeping Food Safe Howie and Harlan are joined by Susan Mayne, a Yale epidemiologist and the former director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, to discuss what the agency can and can’t do to keep contaminants out of food and promote healthier eating habits. Harlan reports on the Trump administration’s cancellation of multiple scientific meetings; Howie explains the administration’s health-related executive orders. Links: Changes at the NIH Food Safety and the FDA Executive Orders . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34970420

Sachin Jain: Has Managed Care Lost Its Way? 01/16/2025

Sachin Jain: Has Managed Care Lost Its Way? Howie and Harlan are joined by Sachin Jain, CEO of the nonprofit Scan Health Plan, who argues that the managed care industry must dramatically reorient itself towards patient care. Harlan looks at the long-term health effects of the L.A. wildfires and an effort to replace the widely used body-mass index; Howie reflects on the growing mistrust of doctors and its connection to declining vaccination rates. Links: Wildfires and Health Redefining Obesity Toward a More Humane Managed Care Industry Trust and Vaccinations . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34879985

Perverse Incentives in Healthcare and Other News 01/09/2025

Perverse Incentives in Healthcare and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss health and healthcare headlines, including misaligned incentives keeping medicine from its mission, burdensome out-of-pockets costs, ultraprocessed foods, and serving the growing population of cancer survivors effectively. Links: Vivek Murthy’s parting letter to America Discontent with the Health System in the United States Bird Flu Alcohol and Cancer Cancer Survivorship Ultra-Processed Foods Lawsuits: "Bad Behavior" on the Physician side Jimmy Carter . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34788190

Dana Dunne: Learning to Learn 12/19/2024

Dana Dunne: Learning to Learn Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale physician Dana Dunne, who leads a new coaching program designed to help medical students develop a lifelong orientation toward growth and building knowledge. Harlan reports on a new generation of AI that can diagnose patients more consistently than human doctors; Howie explains how the state of Connecticut wiped out medical debt for thousands of low-income residents. Links: AI Diagnosis Coaching Medical Students Medical Debt . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34530445

Jaewon Ryu: The Power of Integrated Care 12/12/2024

Jaewon Ryu: The Power of Integrated Care Howie and Harlan are joined by Jaewon Ryu, CEO of Risant Health, a nonprofit company that brings together integrated health systems with the goal of spreading the adoption of value-based care. Harlan reports from the annual Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum on progress toward faster and more effective clinical trials; Howie reflects on the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Links: Clinical Trials Jaewon Ryu The Killing of Brian Thompson . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34411050

Aaron Kesselheim: Law, Policy, and Health 12/05/2024

Aaron Kesselheim: Law, Policy, and Health Howie and Harlan are joined by Aaron Kesselheim, a physician, attorney, and public health expert, to discuss the shifting legal landscape for healthcare regulation and his experiences serving on an FDA advisory committee. Harlan reports on the growing evidence of widespread health impacts from microplastics; Howie provides an update on the bird flu outbreak. Links: Microplastics Aaron Kesselheim Bird flu . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/34301400

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