Katie Palmer, a Health Tech Correspondent for Stat News, teams up with Usha Lee McFarling, co-author of 'Embedded Bias', to tackle the tough issues surrounding racial disparities in medicine. They explore the drawn-out debates over using race in medical algorithms and diagnostic tools. Insights reveal how these biases lead to alarming underdiagnosis, particularly in Black children. The duo also discusses how the medical community can advocate for change, emphasizing the importance of individualized patient care over broad racial categories.

The COVID-19 has exposed longstanding and massive health disparities in the U.S., resulting in people of color dying at disproportionately higher rates than other races in this country. Today on the show, guest host Maria Godoy talks with Usha Lee McFarling about her reporting — how new funding and interest has led to increased attention to the topic of disparities in health care and health outcomes, but also left out or pushed aside some researchers in the field — many of them researchers of color. You can follow Maria on Twitter @MGodoyH. Email ShortWave@NPR.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy