How AI is Revolutionizing Medicine | The Doctor Who Saved Himself With AI | Dr. David Fajgenbaum

May 28, 2025

54:23

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There are defining moments that split your life into before and after. Moments when everything you thought you knew gets stripped away, leaving only what truly matters. For Dr. David Fajgenbaum, that moment came not once, but five times, each bringing him closer to death and, paradoxically, teaching him how to live.

This week's episode explores what happens when the system fails you and you refuse to accept failure. When David was diagnosed with Castleman disease at 25, a rare condition where your immune system turns against your own body, traditional medicine reached its limits. But David didn't. Instead of surrendering, he became both patient and researcher, ultimately discovering the treatment that would save not just his life, but potentially thousands of others.

In our conversation, David reveals the mindset shifts that kept him fighting when hope felt impossible, how AI is revolutionizing our approach to drug discovery, and why the cure for your condition might already exist in a pharmacy right now. His story challenges everything we think we know about medicine, healing, and what's possible when you refuse to take no for an answer.

What struck me most about our conversation wasn't just David's survival story, but how he turned personal crisis into a mission that's reshaping medicine. His ability to stay curious even when doctors said there was nothing left to try, and his belief that the answers we need might already exist, just waiting to be discovered. David showed me that breakthrough thinking isn't always about creating something new, but seeing what's already there differently.

About Dr. David Fajgenbaum:

Dr. David Fajgenbaum is a physician-scientist, bestselling author of Chasing My Cure, and co-founder of Every Cure, a nonprofit on a mission to unlock the full potential of every approved drug to treat every disease it possibly can. Recently named to TIME's 100 Health list for 2025, he's revolutionising medical research by repurposing existing drugs to treat rare diseases. His TED Talk has inspired millions, and his nonprofit work continues to unlock life-saving treatments hidden in plain sight.

Connect with Dr. David Fajgenbaum:

Website: https://everycure.org
Instagram: @dfajgenbaum
Facebook: David Fajgenbaum
Twitter: @DavidFajgenbaum
Book: Chasing My Cure – Available on Amazon

Love,

Sarah Ann 💛

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Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

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Highlights:Introduction (00:00)

David’s First Near-Death Experience (01:00)

The Search for a Cure (04:00)

Breathing Through Pain: Hope, Vision & Grit (07:00)

Why Drug Repurposing Could Change the World (10:00)

AI + Medicine: How Every Cure Finds New Hope (16:00)

The Autism–Folate Connection (23:00)

Building A New Kind of Medical Community (28:00)

Lidocaine & Breast Cancer: What No One’s Talking About (31:00)

From Book to Big Screen (36:00)

Living Life in Overtime (39:00)