Fixing Healthcare Podcast

Four months after President Trump announced a “state of emergency,” Americans are still as confused as ever about the true state of the pandemic. Our confusion starts with the news: Every morning, TV anchors around the country list off the latest numbers of newly confirmed cases. Podcast co-host Dr. Robert Pearl says, “We pretend the number of positive tests per day has significance. Don’t get me wrong, most likely, the number of cases is going up. But 60,000 per day isn’t anywhere close to the actual number of infections.” That’s just one of three big points of confusion for the general public, all of which have major consequence on American health. In episode 16 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy look at the latest news surrounding COVID-19, providing answers and analysis for the following questions: [00:51] What should listeners know about the week that was in COVID-19 news? [05:03] Any news on sports returning this summer and fall? [07:15] What was with the bruhaha between physicians and the World Health Organization over coronavirus being transmitted in small, aerosolized particles? [10:08] What are Americans still getting wrong about COVID-19 today? [14:51] Dr. Pearl was quoted recently saying, “If I had to pick a word for where we are today, it would be floundering.” What did he mean?    [20:16] All politics aside, what do we know about the Trump-touted drug hydroxychloroquine? What about other treatments? [22:45] With positive cases skyrocketing, why are death rates declining? [26:03] Thousands of small businesses have closed while several big retailers have filed for bankruptcy, yet the stock market is soaring. What’s going on? [31:42] What kinds of healthcare changes will come from changes in the economy? [33:08] How would co-host Jeremy Corr alter his day to day decisions if he knew (for certain) that a vaccine wasn’t coming for at least another two years? [37:27] At what point would it be safe to receive a Covid-19 vaccine? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #16: What are Americans still getting wrong about COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Exactly what went wrong? Exactly when? Exactly how did we fail and exactly what could have been done to prevent it? Exactly which errors did U.S. healthcare officials make between the first known cases in China and the first recorded coronavirus death on U.S. soil? And, exactly what can we do to minimize the damage going forward?  This month’s episode of Fixing Healthcare offers the most thorough review of COVID-19 errors and events ever to be packed in a 45-minute podcast. Jeremy Corr, who also co-hosts Coronavirus: The Truth, joins Dr. Robert Pearl, a medical expert and former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, to discuss the following topics in vivid, fact-based detail:  The five key mistakes that kept the U.S. from containing the virus in January and February 2020Why the U.S. got bested by smaller, less-wealthy countries in testing and control measures.   The most overlooked measure of success (or failure) when it comes to containing the virus. Why the U.S. response to the virus is best described as “one-size-fits-none.” The possibility of resuming sports, school or large events safely in the near future. Which minimally invasive steps will have the greatest impact on American health and safety. How the U.S. response has produced a major mental health crisis. The actual vaccine timeline and the likelihood of an effective medical treatment. How American businesses should approach the risky process of reopening.How the economic consequences of the virus will reshape American healthcare.  READ: Full transcript of this episode * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.  The post Episode 23: How the U.S. coronavirus response went wrong and how to make it right appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

“One step forward, two steps back,” is how Dr. Robert Pearl describes the recent rise in coronavirus cases throughout the country. He notes that further attempts to hurry the nation’s reopening along will produce similar setbacks. Take pro sports, for example. Major League Baseball is moving closer to locking in a 60-game schedule to start in July, despite dozens of players already testing positive. “I fear that pro sports will follow the pattern that we have seen in so many areas of society. One step forward, then two back.” In episode 15 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy look at the latest news surrounding COVID-19, providing answers and analysis for the following questions: [00:50] What should listeners know about the past week in COVID-19 news, including plans to move forward with pro sports? [08:00] As deaths passed 110,000, nearly half were patients from nursing homes. Can we protect this vulnerable population? [09:05] How are elected official prioritizing the two biggest coronavirus threats their constituents face: the health risks and the economic threats? [10:57] Dr. Robert Pearl will address the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, June 30. What message do CEOs need to hear? [16:45] How are businesses are planning for the post-coronavirus era? [18:33] What’s the latest news on COVID-19 testing and contract tracing? [20:44] What should Americans learn from the Broadstreet cholera epidemic in 1854 and other historical events that threatened human existence? [24:49] If we are at a tipping point with coronavirus, what might happen next? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #15: Is it too soon for sports? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Looking back on the coronavirus pandemic and the national response, Dr. Robert Pearl says, “I believe that historians will judge the American people well and nearly all of our leaders poorly.” Robert’s co-host and fellow history buff Jeremy Corr notes that past outbreaks led to significant social and political shakeups: “Epidemics are the kinds of events in history that set off a chain reaction of other events that often have very serious consequences that change things forever.” In episode 14 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy examine the available facts and historical trends to imagine what historians will see when they look back on the year 2020. Also, in this podcast, the hosts answer your coronavirus questions relating to masks, sexual transmission and more: [00:51] What were the biggest coronavirus news updates from the past week? [04:12] What can be done about the uptick in new cases as states reopen?   [08:56] The World Health Organization (WHO) caused mass confusion last week concerning asymptomatic transmission of the virus. What happened and what’s the truth? [16:02] As political debate rages over the use of masks, how can people make sense of what will or won’t keep them safe? [17:58] Listener question: Can the coronavirus spread through sexual transmission? [20:23] Are we at the beginning of another surge or a “second wave” of the pandemic? [22:03] In hindsight, did we shut down too hard for too long? [25:28] Many have compared the coronavirus to war. What are the biggest parallels and differences? [29:34] How might historians talk about our current response to this viral pandemic 25 years from now? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.   *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #14: How will historians look back on our nation’s handling of the coronavirus? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

As head of the Food and Drug Administration from 1990 to 1997, Dr. David A. Kessler went to war with cigarette companies, approved life-saving HIV/AIDS medications, and introduced consumers to Nutrition Facts. He is the author of several books, including his latest, “Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs: The Simple Truth About Food, Weight, and Disease.” In this interview, Kessler comments on what it will take to end COVID-19, how he handled the pressures of the FDA, and why we shouldn’t overlook the dangers of marijuana or bagels. Here are some of Dr. Kessler’s highlights from Episode 22: On the most promising COVID-19 medications   Without a vaccine, you certainly have the hope for an antiviral before a vaccine. And then the question is what type of antiviral? Is it going to be an antiviral to treat this disease or prevent infection? It would be great to have a prophylactic antiviral. And there are certainly a lot of clinical trials underway. There’s anecdotal information right now. There’s reason to hope that there … may be an existing antiviral or a new antiviral will be able to demonstrate efficacy. On slowing the spread of COVID-19 without a vaccine  I’ve been thinking very hard about this question and the only answer that I can come up with of how to allow people to come out of their homes, out of the sheltering in place, is widespread testing. And the basics of public health, contact tracing, but either serological or virological, we’ll see where we are …  in the absence of a way to treat this virus or prevent this virus, the only thing we have is that we identify those who are infected, and we do that through widespread testing. So I think the answer is testing, testing, testing, and to do what China and South Korea and several other communities have done, identify those who are spreading the virus and protect others from that spread. On the CDC’s COVID-19 testing delays We’re still very much in the midst of this crisis. I think at certain point we will look back and try to sort that out. I certainly have questions about what happened and I don’t think we have the whole story yet, why we lost a number of crucial weeks, if not months, in fighting this virus. I don’t know the whole story, and I don’t think anybody does. I think that’s for some time in the future, once this is behind us. We have to make sure that it doesn’t occur again. On approving new drugs The way the law is written, a drug has to be both safe and effective. It doesn’t have to, under the law, be better than something on the market, right? So. you have to show that your drug works. You have to show your drug works, for example, compared to a placebo. And you have to show that the drug is safe … but generally we don’t require, Congress has never required, relative efficacy to be shown. On his advice for current FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn The job is white heat. There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people who try to influence the agency’s decisions and today, or you could see it play out at the highest levels of government. The administration trying to influence, get this drug to the market, approve this drug, do it immediately. And what you have to do is be willing to put your body on the line and allow the people of the agency to look at the data and to focus on the science and make the best decisions they know how to do. And your job is to protect that decision-making process. On handling the pressures of the FDA In the same breath, reporters can write that the agency is either acting too fast and not taking safety into consideration or too slow and holding up important drugs. I think we’ve developed probably the most sophisticated drug regulatory system in the world. I think we are as fast as any country in the world and yet I have tried to maintain rigorous standards. That doesn’t mean FDA doesn’t a mess up. It does do that sometimes. READ: Full transcript of our discussion with David A. Kessler * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.  The post Episode 22: Former FDA commissioner on ending the COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

For prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals, the retraction of an article is an incredibly rare event. Last week, it happened twice: in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. Both articles examined the effects of potential COVID-19 treatments and, following publication, had both an immediate and a significant influence on healthcare delivery in the United States. The data, it turned out, was suspect at best and fraudulent at worst. With egg on their face, the editors of these journals faced a barrage of questions. Chief among them: How did this happen? In episode 13 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the contentious debate over the research of possible COVID-19 cures, along with the following subjects: [00:48] What are the most important coronavirus news highlights from last week?    [06:24] Why did two of the most prestigious medical journals to retract articles tied to coronavirus treatments? [10:51] What does it mean that reports of child abuse are down during the pandemic? Will schools give in to pressures to reopen this fall? [12:12] Will protesters, many marching in close proximity without masks, suffer higher rates of  coronavirus infections? [15:08] With air travel picking up, what are risks for those choosing to fly? What’s the safest seat on an airplane? [16:32] How optimistic should we be about an effective coronavirus treatment coming soon? What do “promising findings” really mean?   [18:47] As the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gains momentum, what is the nation learning about the populations most affected by the coronavirus? [20:55] Few people in America’s heartland are wearing masks or social distancing. Why? [23:38] As co-host of a podcast on the coronavirus, how’s Jeremy feeling about his son returning to daycare this week? [25:16] Listener question: “What do we know now about how the coronavirus is transmitted and has the risk been overrated?” [27:00] Listener question: “I can’t stand my kids not seeing their grandfather for another month. How can I minimize the risk of harming dad?” This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.   *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #13: Can we trust scientific research in the era of COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Recent demonstrations and violence sparked by the death of George Floyd are “like a river,” as Dr. Robert Pearl puts it, with many streams coming together to form a powerful current. Floyd’s preventable death at the hands of Minneapolis police is the most recent stream. Others go back much farther. They include systemic racism and generations of unfair treatment by law enforcement. There is yet another source to this river, which is health-related. Though the coronavirus does not see color, it does reveal the disastrous health consequences of racial, social and economic inequality in the United States. Currently, the mortality rate for people of color is more than double that of America’s white population. Meanwhile, research has found that poverty and inequality can exacerbate rates of transmission and mortality. In episode 12 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the difficult truths of racial and income inequality during the coronavirus pandemic: [00:55] What coronavirus news popped up in the past week? [07:24] Why does the coronavirus hit African-American and low-income households hardest? [13:07] Will the protests and riots result in spikes of coronavirus cases? [14:29] What’s the latest on the Moderna vaccine and Remdesivir treatment? [17:18] How can church congregants reduce the risks of worshiping together? [23:22] What might school (elementary, high school and universities) like in the fall? [26:18] What do we know about the possibility of getting re-infected after recovering from the coronavirus? [27:32] Will Americans tolerate daily testing/monitoring as a condition of coming back to work? And will employers be held accountable for public safety? [28:55] Should the public be concerned about mutations of the coronavirus? [31:50] How is the “middle game” of the U.S. coronavirus response going? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.   The post #12: How does racial inequality fuel the coronavirus crisis? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

The past week brought promising news from Moderna, a biotech company that announced the results of its early vaccine trials—an announcement that sent the firm’s stock price up 30%. However, it didn’t take long for the company to receive intense backlash from the scientific community for refusing to release all its testing data. Is Moderna simply trying to maintain an advantage over its competitors or are the company’s results less promising than indicated during its massive media event? And what about drug maker Gilead Sciences, which U.S. doctors and scientists say is withholding data about the antiviral drug remdesivir and its use in treating COVID-19. In episode 11 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr separate reality from hype in the development of coronavirus vaccines and medications.  [00:58] What are the most recent and relevant facts concerning the coronavirus pandemic? [03:50] The CDC reported one-third of people infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). What does that mean for our hopes of corralling the virus? [07:45] What were the results of Moderna’s initial COVID-19 vaccine trials?  [16:32] Is it possible Americans could have a mass produced vaccine ready as early as October? [18:56] What are the two biggest threats facing businesses right now?   [20:28] How are doctors and hospitals faring during the COVID-19 pandemic? [22:51] A company in Iowa is manufacturing face shields as an alternative to masks. Good idea? Bad idea? [24:43] Will patients continue to seek virtual medical care once the pandemic ends?   [25:55] Why are some store owners opting to remaining closed when states are urging them to reopen? [27:27] Is it true that the coronavirus mortality rate varies by race and socioeconomics? If you enjoyed last week’s “practical survival guide to COVID-19” tune in next week for part two, when Robert and Jeremy will answer the rest of the listener questions they received. If you have coronavirus questions you’d like the hosts to discuss next week, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.   This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #11: Is a COVID-19 vaccine almost ready? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Looking over the horizon of the current coronavirus pandemic, it’s hard to get a clear picture of the “new normal” everyone seems to be talking about. As Dr. Robert Pearl wrote in his latest Forbes column, health experts continue to debate the timeline for an effective coronavirus vaccine while financial experts continue to debate the best course for reopening the nation’s economy. In episode 10 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and his co-host Jeremy Corr examine the possibilities for a “new normal” in the near future. To do so, they look at successes and failures of other nations’ recovery efforts so far, break down the biggest opportunities and threats facing American patients and businesses, and dive into the latest on congressional stimulus efforts: [00:59] What major coronavirus updates emerge from the past week? [03:31] What’s the difference between isolation and quarantine? [04:29] Sweden imposed only minimal restrictions on businesses and kept its schools open. What were the results and what can the U.S. learn? [06:56] South Korea responded quickly and aggressively early on to contain the virus. So why did the country close down businesses again last week? [08:35] Based on current facts, what will the “new normal” look like in spring 2021? [10:00] How big is the mental health threat of sheltering in place? [12:06] What were the three biggest failures of the U.S. coronavirus response? [14:52] Why isn’t saliva-based (oral) testing getting more attention on a national level? [17:23] When will we have all of the answers about the coronavirus? [22:59] From a sales and marketing perspective, will the majority of small businesses need shift to an eCommerce strategy? [24:56] The House just passed a $3 trillion bailout bill: What’s its fate and what difference would it make If you have questions you’d like the hosts to discuss on a future episode, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #10: What will the ‘new normal’ look like next year based on current facts? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Each week, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr receive dozens of questions from friends, colleagues and listeners. Most questions are about practical, everyday concerns. “Can my son visit his girlfriend?” “Should I (finally) get a professional haircut?” “Do I need to wear a mask every time I step outside?” “Will my favorite restaurants bounce back from this?” With so much disinformation and opinion causing so much confusion in the United States, this episode is dedicated to the practical realities of the coronavirus and what the facts mean for our daily lives going forward. In episode 9 of ‘Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy offer listeners a medical and financial survival guide to COVID-19, with answers to these questions and more: [01:14] Could a healthy 20- or 30-something person safely go to a bar now? [03:47] Should I be wearing a mask everywhere I go? At the park? The grocery store? [06:04] When can my kids safely go back to the playground or daycare? [08:49] What about haircuts? When and how can I get back to the barbershop or salon? [11:38] Will restaurants rebound and survive the phased reopening strategies in most states? [15:42] Is it a good sign that so many “emergency field hospitals” are shutting down? [18:34] Will there be a second wave and how bad will it be? [21:05] Aren’t we likelier to die from driving our cars to work than from COVID-19? [26:25] Will more Americans take vaccines more seriously going forward? [27:32] How should we decide the order of who gets a COVID-19 vaccine? [29:11] Will it take 10-12 years to return the U.S. economy to its pre-coronavirus state as some financial experts predict? Have we made the cure worse than the disease? If you have any practical, medical or economical coronavirus questions you’d like the hosts to discuss, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #9: A practical survival guide to COVID-19 appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.