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.

Selwyn Rogers: Bearing Witness to Violence 04/02/2026

Selwyn Rogers: Bearing Witness to Violence Howie and Harlan are joined by trauma surgeon Selwyn Rogers, who reflects on caring for victims of gun violence and speaking with families in their darkest moments—and explains why the problem must be understood as a shared societal responsibility. Harlan examines new evidence suggesting U.S. healthcare spending has grown more slowly than expected; Howie discusses a retracted Lancet article that highlights the risks of undisclosed conflicts of interest. Show notes: Healthcare Costs Selwyn Rogers Conflicts of Interest In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40709840

Arya Singh: Beyond Accessibility 03/26/2026

Arya Singh: Beyond Accessibility Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale College and Yale School of Public Health graduate Arya Singh, who reflects on growing up with spinal muscular atrophy, what it takes to build a full life with a disability, and how family support and institutional culture shape what inclusion looks like in practice. Harlan reports on the rapid rise of AI as a front door to health information; Howie responds to the withdrawal of a proposed federal ban on indoor tanning for minors. Show notes: AI Health Advice Arya Singh Howie reflects on Arya Singh’s graduation from Yale. A Stanford Business profile of Loren Eng, Singh’s mother. A Forbes article on Singh’s parents. Singh’s speech to her classmates. A New York Times “Vows” column on Singh’s wedding. Tanning Beds In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40630150

Vaccines, Cholesterol, and Other News 03/19/2026

Vaccines, Cholesterol, and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss the end of flu season, vaccine effectiveness, and the challenge of rebuilding public confidence in immunization. Also: new cholesterol guidelines that push earlier treatment, measles outbreaks and the erosion of herd immunity, a court ruling pausing changes to vaccine guidelines, signs of stabilization at the NIH, new evidence on football and brain injury, and a MedPAC report suggesting Medicare Advantage plans are overpaid. Show notes: Looking Back at the Flu Season New Cholesterol Guidelines Measles Update What’s Happening at the NIH? New Mexico’s Measles Success Football, Brain Health, and the Biology of Repetitive Hits ACIP Lawsuit Medicare Advantage Under the Microscope In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40542315

Kevin Billingsley: The Making of the Modern Surgeon 03/12/2026

Kevin Billingsley: The Making of the Modern Surgeon Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine surgical oncologist Kevin Billingsley, who discusses how robotics and advanced imaging are reshaping what it means to be a surgeon and offers guidance for those facing a cancer diagnosis. Harlan reports on a company testing AI-based prescription renewals and raises concerns about safety and oversight; Howie reflects on new survey data showing declining public trust in health institutions. Show notes: Unsupervised AI Harlan discusses ARPA-H. Kevin Billingsley Atul Gawande compares surgeons to athletes. Jerome Groopman on the relationship between oncologists and patients. Who do you trust? In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40412090

Kevin Sheth: Innovation Toward a Healthier Brain 03/05/2026

Kevin Sheth: Innovation Toward a Healthier Brain Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine neurologist Kevin Sheth to discuss how collaboration helps drive breakthroughs in brain health, including advances in detecting stroke and other neurological diseases earlier and more precisely. Harlan reflects on lessons from his family’s recent experience navigating the healthcare system; Howie examines the expanding marketplace for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and the challenges of ensuring safe and appropriate use. Show notes: The Family Perspective Kevin Sheth Cheaper Obesity Drugs In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40326255

Janet Currie: Investing in Kids 02/26/2026

Janet Currie: Investing in Kids Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale economist Janet Currie to discuss how early-life investments in health, education, and environmental protection shape children’s lifelong well-being and economic opportunity. Harlan highlights a new Medicare payment model that would reward measurable improvements in chronic disease outcomes; Howie reflects on the spread of medical misinformation and a new effort to push back. Show notes: The ACCESS Payment Model Janet Currie “ “ Misinformation In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40240805

Evangelos Oikonomou: Decoding the Hidden Signals of Heart Disease 02/19/2026

Evangelos Oikonomou: Decoding the Hidden Signals of Heart Disease Howie and Harlan are joined by Evangelos Oikonomou, a cardiologist and data scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, to discuss how AI can extract overlooked signs of heart disease from routine ECGs, imaging studies, and electronic health records—and how to deploy these AI tools responsibly at scale. Harlan explains whether a widely covered study suggesting that coffee may lower the risk of dementia should change your daily brew; Howie grapples with the ethical questions surrounding a proposed hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau. Show notes: Coffee and Dementia Evangelos Oikonomou Vaccine Trial Ethics In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40163330

Joel Hirschhorn: How Genes Add Up 02/12/2026

Joel Hirschhorn: How Genes Add Up Howie and Harlan are joined by geneticist and endocrinologist Joel Hirschhorn to discuss how thousands of genetic variants collectively shape disease and traits like height and obesity. Harlan reviews new research on diet soda and dementia; Howie surveys recent market swings, including the rise of Solace Health and the decline of Hims & Hers. Show notes: Diet Soda and Dementia Joel Hirschhorn Ups and Downs In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40086470

Measles Outbreaks, Preventative Cardiology, and Other News 02/05/2026

Measles Outbreaks, Preventative Cardiology, and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss an escalating measles outbreak in the U.S. and a project piloted by Yale School of Medicine professor Erica Spatz to deliver preventative care in barbershops and beauty salons. Also examined: flu season, nipah virus, and the perils of focusing on healthcare business models. Show notes: Measles Value-Based Care Preventative Cardiology Marketplace Health Insurance Respiratory Illness Nipah Virus In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale’s offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/40006055

Robert Wachter: AI Is Already Remaking Healthcare 02/03/2026

Robert Wachter: AI Is Already Remaking Healthcare Howie and Harlan are joined by internist and author Robert Wachter to discuss his new book, which explores how AI is already changing day-to-day medical practice and argues that it can improve care, reduce burnout, and even help repair a broken healthcare system. Show notes: In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39887720

Mary-Ann Etiebet: Confronting Preventable Disease 01/29/2026

Mary-Ann Etiebet: Confronting Preventable Disease Howie and Harlan are joined by Mary-Ann Etiebet of the public health organization Vital Strategies to discuss how policy, prevention, and stronger public-health systems can reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other preventable conditions. Harlan reports on the federal push toward fully autonomous clinical care for heart failure; Howie looks at proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage payments and what they mean for beneficiaries, plans, and taxpayers. Show notes: Autonomous Care Mary-Ann Etiebet Medicare Advantage In the Yale School of Management's , you'll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39922575

Jonathan Cohn: Health Policy in the Age of MAHA 01/22/2026

Jonathan Cohn: Health Policy in the Age of MAHA Howie and Harlan are joined by health policy writer Jonathan Cohn to discuss the RFK Jr. food agenda, the barriers to universal healthcare in the U.S., and working alongside former political adversaries at The Bulwark. Harlan reports on a lawsuit exposing gaps in the privacy of medical-records systems; Howie highlights new research suggesting that a sharp drop in opioid overdose deaths may be temporary. Show notes: Data Privacy Jonathan Cohn Opioid Deaths In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39824495

Sara Rosenbaum: Expanding Coverage, One Step at a Time 01/15/2026

Sara Rosenbaum: Expanding Coverage, One Step at a Time Howie and Harlan are joined by health law and policy expert Sara Rosenbaum to discuss how incremental reform expanded healthcare access—and the urgent work now underway to prevent those gains from being undone. Harlan explores how AI is quietly filling gaps in the healthcare system; Howie highlights a milestone in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission. Show notes: AI as a Healthcare Tool Sara Rosenbaum Preventing Mother-to-Child Infection In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39741355

Ania Jastreboff: Treating Obesity Without Shame 01/14/2026

Ania Jastreboff: Treating Obesity Without Shame In this bonus episode, Howie and Harlan are joined by Ania Jastreboff, a Yale School of Medicine endocrinologist and an expert on the science of obesity. They discuss her new book, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, which reframes obesity as a treatable disease rooted in biology—not a failure of willpower. Show notes: In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39614310

Julie Rovner: On the Health Policy Beat 01/08/2026

Julie Rovner: On the Health Policy Beat Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, joins Howie and Harlan to make sense of the fight over ACA subsidies and reflect on her decades of health policy reporting. Harlan reports on a new wave of breakthroughs in obesity treatment; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a record-setting flu season. Show notes: Obesity treatments Julie Rovner Flu and Measles   In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39657930

Ezekiel Emanuel: Ice Cream and Other Keys to a Long Life 01/06/2026

Ezekiel Emanuel: Ice Cream and Other Keys to a Long Life In a bonus episode, Howie and Harlan welcome oncologist, bioethicist, and public health expert Ezekiel Emanuel to discuss his new book, which counters the wellness industry by offering simple, evidence-based guidelines for health. Show notes: . In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39614045

An Ongoing Conversation about Health and Healthcare 12/18/2025

An Ongoing Conversation about Health and Healthcare In the 200th episode of Health & Veritas, Harlan offers end-of-the-year reflections on medicine drawn from his editor’s notes in JACC (the Journal of the American College of Cardiology), and Howie provides updates on gun violence, flu, measles, and the health benefits of yoga. Show notes: Editor’s notes by Harlan Krumholz Gun violence, flu, and measles The benefits of yoga In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39454380

Basmah Safdar: Why Women Experience Illness Differently 12/11/2025

Basmah Safdar: Why Women Experience Illness Differently Howie and Harlan are joined by Basmah Safdar, a Yale School of Medicine emergency physician and an expert on sex-specific differences in cardiovascular and microvascular health, which have important implications for the understanding and treatment of heart attacks, long COVID, and other conditions. Harlan reports on Australia’s ban on social media for kids, and a Medicare pilot program that will pay providers based on improved outcomes in chronic conditions. Howie unpacks the consequences of the CDC’s change to its recommendations for newborn hepatitis B vaccination. Show notes: Social Media and Kids Medicare’s ACCESS Payment Model Basmah Safdar Note: Deadline is December 22. CDC and Hepatitis B In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39368670

Sudhakar Nuti: Bringing Healthcare to the Unhoused 12/04/2025

Sudhakar Nuti: Bringing Healthcare to the Unhoused Howie and Harlan are joined by Sudhakar Nuti to discuss his work improving healthcare for homeless New Yorkers, as a street-medicine doctor and a population-health leader at NYC Health + Hospitals. Harlan reports on a proposed law that would cut off funding for U.S. scientists who collaborate with colleagues in China; Howie provides updates on the measles outbreak and a leaked FDA memo claiming that COVID-19 vaccines have killed 10 children. Show notes: Science Across Borders Sudhakar Nuti Measles FDA Leak In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39267910

Peter Hotez: Mapping the Anti-Science Machine 11/27/2025

Peter Hotez: Mapping the Anti-Science Machine Howie and Harlan are joined by Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and an outspoken opponent of health misinformation, to discuss vaccine skepticism and the forces—from wellness influencers to HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—that amplify it. Harlan reports on research reinforcing the link between social media and mental illness; Howie highlights two potential areas of common ground with the administration’s health policy. Show notes: Social Media and Mental Health Peter Hotez ACA Subsidies Site-Neutral Payment In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39191425

The Cost Curve, Flu, and Other News 11/20/2025

The Cost Curve, Flu, and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss the outlook for U.S. healthcare spending over the next five years, the state of seasonal and avian flu, and an expensive AI-based cardiac test. Show notes: Life expectancy and expenditures ACOs and cost savings World Prematurity Day AI concerns Bird flu Cardiology and AI Free speech and drug promotion Medicare premiums In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39099595

Jerry Avorn: Countering the Drug Marketing Machine 11/13/2025

Jerry Avorn: Countering the Drug Marketing Machine Howie and Harlan are joined by Harvard internist Jerry Avorn to discuss his research on the pharmaceutical industry and his work promoting evidence-based prescribing. Harlan highlights new results from the American Heart Association meeting, including a one-time CRISPR-based therapy for high cholesterol; Howie reports on an outbreak of infant botulism. Show notes: Research from the American Heart Association Meeting Jerry Avorn Infant Botulism In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/39020780

Ali Rahimi: A Cardiologist in Your Pocket 11/06/2025

Ali Rahimi: A Cardiologist in Your Pocket Howie and Harlan are joined by cardiologist Ali Rahimi, the founder of ALYKA Health, which uses a personalized mobile app to help patients manage their heart health between doctor's visits. Harlan discusses new developments in GLP-1 obesity drugs, including untested microdose treatments; Howie reviews a landmark study investigating whether broad prostate cancer screening saves lives. Show notes: GLP-1 Drugs Ali Rahimi New Evidence on Prostate Cancer Screening and Breast Cancer Treatment In the Yale School of Management’s , you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale's offers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38937150

Nate Wood: Cooking Lessons for Better Health 10/30/2025

Nate Wood: Cooking Lessons for Better Health Howie and Harlan are joined by Nate Wood, a Yale School of Medicine internist and trained chef, to discuss his work combining lifestyle guidance with hands-on training in making healthy, tasty food. Harlan shares new guidance on what counts as a healthy blood pressure; Howie provides an update on rising health insurance costs. Links: Blood Pressure Obesity Drugs Culinary Medicine Health Insurance Costs . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38842995

Akiko Iwasaki: What Have We Learned About Long COVID? 10/23/2025

Akiko Iwasaki: What Have We Learned About Long COVID? Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, a leading authority on vaccines and long COVID. Harlan reflects on America’s crisis of trust in federal agencies; Howie provides some good news about bird flu. Links: Losing Trust Akiko Iwasaki Bird Flu . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38754725

Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy: Coordinated Care, Better Care 10/16/2025

Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy: Coordinated Care, Better Care Howie and Harlan are joined by Rajlakshmi Krishnamurthy, the Yale School of Medicine's associate dean for population health, to discuss her work building holistic systems for care at multiple institutions. Harlan discusses healthcare headlines including the launch of "TrumpRX"; Howie reports on a new study taking a novel approach to understanding the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine. Links: Healthcare Headlines Population Health The COVID-19 Vaccine . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38604835

Crowded Emergency Rooms and Other News 10/09/2025

Crowded Emergency Rooms and Other News Howie and Harlan discuss the roots of the crisis in emergency departments, the lack of oversight for hydration spas, new approaches in blood pressure treatment, an ingenious method to prevent malaria, and the CDC’s backward steps on vaccines. Links: Emergency Departments The Revolving Door Hydration Spas New Developments in Blood Pressure Treatment AI in Medicine: Doximity, OpenEvidence, and UpToDate Congenital syphilis MMR Vaccine Nobel Prizes and Science at Yale . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38525200

Vanessa Cooper: The Science of Headaches 10/02/2025

Vanessa Cooper: The Science of Headaches Howie and Harlan are joined by Vanessa Cooper, a Yale School of Medicine neurologist, to discuss the causes of migraines and promising new treatments for the disorder. Harlan discusses his approach as a journal editor to the use of AI in academic writing; Howie reports on the premium tax credits for insurance purchased through Affordable Care Act exchanges that are at stake in the government shutdown. Links: The Government Shutdown Headaches ACA Tax Credits and the Government Shutdown . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38440345

Kate Heilpern: Jumping into the Deep End 09/25/2025

Kate Heilpern: Jumping into the Deep End Howie and Harlan are joined by Kate Heilpern, president of Yale New Haven Hospital, to discuss the innovation and adaption needed to lead NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Yale New Haven Health structures itself to provide quality care across five hospitals. Harlan reflects on the many biotech startups emerging from Yale; Howie responds to the Trump administration's assertion of a link between acetaminophen and autism. Links: Biotech at Yale and Beyond . Kate Heilpern Tylenol and Autism . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38354615

Barry Wu: The Questions to Ask the Elderly 09/18/2025

Barry Wu: The Questions to Ask the Elderly Howie and Harlan are joined by Yale School of Medicine geriatrician Barry Wu, who provides a framework for family caregivers and physicians to understand the needs of older adults. Harlan reports on Congress's shifting approach to funding research; Howie reflects on a survey showing that many college students believe that violence is an acceptable way to protest a campus speaker. Links: Congressional Directives on Funding Research Supporting Older Adults Violence and Speech ACA Subsidies . /episode/index/show/healthveritas/id/38266075

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