NEJM Interviews

In this NEJM Outbreaks Update, Editor-in-Chief Eric Rubin and Deputy Editor Lindsey Baden are joined by Indiana Commissioner of Public Health Lindsay Weaver to discuss the current state of avian influenza in Indiana. Eric Rubin is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal. Lindsey Baden is a Deputy Editor of the Journal. Lindsay Weaver is the Indiana Commissioner of Public Health. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. E.J. Rubin and Others. NEJM Outbreaks Updates — H5N1 in Indiana. N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2503583.

In this engaging discussion, Patricia Zettler, a law professor at The Ohio State University, delves into the proposed FDA rule aiming to lower nicotine levels in tobacco products. She highlights the rule's potential to transform public health by combating nicotine addiction. Zettler also tackles the likely legal challenges from tobacco companies, emphasizing the tension between regulation and industry pushback. She encourages advocacy for the rule, urging researchers to support this pivotal shift in tobacco regulation.

John Patrick Co is vice president of education at Mass General Brigham and an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. D.F. Weinstein, E. Olson, and J.P.T. Co. Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers to Residency Choice. N Engl J Med 2025;392:1353-1355.

Rochelle Walensky is the Bayer fellow in health and biotech at the American Academy in Berlin, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. R.P. Walensky and L.D. Walensky. Application Overload — A Call to Reduce the Burden of Applying to Medical School. N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2414572. D.B. Holt and E.A. Elster. Rethinking Shadowing for Aspiring Physicians. N Engl J Med 2025;392:1249-1251. A.A. Iyer, D.A. Hirsh, and R.M. Schwartzstein. Medical School Grading — Is “Good Enough” Good Enough? N Engl J Med 2025;392:1254-1257.

Erin Fuse Brown, a professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, discusses controversial partnerships between pharmaceutical firms and telehealth services. She reveals how these alliances can improve access to medications but may lead to inappropriate prescribing and increased healthcare costs. The conversation highlights the role of targeted advertising and the challenges posed by federal regulations. Brown emphasizes the need for greater transparency and stricter guidelines to protect patients in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Alex Keuroghlian is an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Division of Public and Community Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. D.R.A. Coelho, A.L. Chen, and A.S. Keuroghlian. Advancing Transgender Health amid Rising Policy Threats. N Engl J Med 2025;392:1041-1044.

In this audio interview, Editor-in-Chief Eric Rubin and Deputy Editor Lindsey Baden are joined by state public health leaders Robbie Goldstein and Jennifer Shuford to discuss action against H5N1 in Massachusetts and Texas and across the nation. Eric Rubin is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal. Lindsey Baden is a Deputy Editor of the Journal. Robert Goldstein is the Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health. Jennifer Shuford is the Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. E.J. Rubin and Others. NEJM Outbreaks Update — H5N1: A View from the States. N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2502863.

Sara Gerkeis an associate professor of law at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. S. Gerke, M.B. Jacoby, and I.G. Cohen. Bankruptcy, Genetic Information, and Privacy — Selling Personal Information. N Engl J Med 2025;392:937-939.

Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a renowned veterinarian and virologist, joins editors Eric Rubin and Lindsey Baden to discuss the critical issue of avian influenza. They explore how H5N1 spreads between chickens, cows, and even cats, raising concerns about potential human transmission. Kawaoka highlights the virus's mutations that may facilitate infections in humans and the economic impact of recent outbreaks, particularly on food supply and dairy production. The conversation underscores the urgent need for robust safety measures to mitigate these risks.

John Kelly is the director of the Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of psychiatry in addiction medicine at Harvard Medical School. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. J.F. Kelly, N.D. Volkow, and H.K. Koh. The Changing Approach to Addiction — From Incarceration to Treatment and Recovery Support. N Engl J Med 2025;392:833-836.