Public Health On Call

About this episode: World Malaria Day is April 25.  In this episode: guest host Thomas Locke takes us to Capitol Hill where we meet malaria champions, scientists, and leaders who gather in Washington, DC, as part of the ‘United to Beat Malaria’ campaign urging Congress to continue supporting global malaria efforts. Show links and related content: The Malaria Minute Podcast—The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute United to Beat Malaria Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: In honor of Earth Day, we bring you a special episode of Public Health On Call: an essay read by Sam Myers, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. In his essay, he explores the incredible human evolution and technological innovation that has brought us to a moment in time where our own ascendance is threatening our future well-being on this planet. It’s time to face a crucial question: Can we change? Guest: Sam Myers is the founding director of the Planetary Health Alliance and the faculty director at the brand new Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. Show links and related content: The Case for Planetary Health (essay)—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine The Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: News about HKU5, a new bat coronavirus with the ability to spread to humans, was met with concerns in the scientific community—mostly because of how the research was done. In this episode: Johns Hopkins virologist Andy Pekosz talks about the different levels of biosecurity in laboratories where scientists study some of the world’s most dangerous viruses, how these standards vary worldwide, and what that could mean for studying future viruses with pandemic potential. Guest: Dr. Andy Pekosz is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Environmental Health and Engineering. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Recent Virus Research Should Raise the Alarm—The New York Times (Opinion) Chinese researchers find bat virus enters human cells via same pathway as COVID—Reuters The virus hunters who search bat caves to predict the next pandemic—CNN Health (2020) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

Innocent Grant, a passionate family planning advocate from Tanzania and an MSPH student at Johns Hopkins, shares his journey in empowering women and girls. He addresses the looming threats of U.S. funding cuts on global family planning efforts and their potential impact on maternal mortality rates. Grant discusses tackling mis- and disinformation regarding sexual health in his community, advocating for safe abortions, and fostering economic empowerment for young families. His insights underscore the importance of evidence-based advocacy in these challenging times.

About this episode: In the early months of the new administration, several thousand CDC employees were dismissed, were asked to leave, or resigned. In this episode: what we know about these personnel losses, a look at some critical programs that may no longer exist, and concerns about what this means for America’s health. Guest: Dr. David Fleming served as Deputy Director for Science and Public Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2000-2003 and has had a long career in global and public health strategies. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: ‘No guidance and no leadership’: chaos and confusion at CDC after mass firings—The Guardian Fact Sheet: HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Consumer products from auto makers to housing developers to streaming and food delivery services all have impacts on our health. In this episode: A look at the Building H Index, which calculates a health score for these products and services and makes recommendations to companies about how to make their products healthier. Note: Building H is a program of the nonprofit Public Health Institute and the Index does not receive any funds from the companies that are rated. Guest: Steve Downs is a cofounder of the Building H Index. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: Building H Index Public Health Institute Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly fired around 10,000 employees, 3,500 of which were within the FDA alone—an organization of around 18,000 total employees as of January 2025. In this episode: A look at the work of the FDA and how it may be hampered by such significant cuts, and how patients may be among those most impacted. Guest: Dr. Robert Califf served as the FDA Commissioner under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: Dr. Peter Marks’s Resignation Letter (PDF)—The New York Times Widespread firings start at federal health agencies including many in leadership—NPR Shots The U.S. Food Safety System—Public Health On Call (June 2022) FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines, Combating Misinformation, and Building Trust—Public Health On Call (August 2022) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

About this episode: The Department of Health and Human Services’s abrupt termination of $11 billion in health funding to states has interrupted projects across the country. In this episode, a look at one state—Connecticut—where the state with federal approval had been using the funding to upgrade aging technology and respond to urgent threats like measles. Note: This conversation was recorded prior to a federal judge’s issuing of a temporary restraining order blocking the cuts—for now. Guest: Dr. Manisha Juthani is the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: U.S. Judge blocks $11 billion Trump administration health funding cut for now—Reuters CT has 69 public health contracts canceled after Trump funding cuts, issues stop work orders—CT Insider Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

Arianna Campbell, an emergency department and addiction medicine physician assistant at Marshall Medical Center, shares insights on treating opioid use disorder in emergency settings. She discusses how rural hospitals are adopting buprenorphine prescriptions to better assist patients seeking urgent care. The conversation highlights the importance of reducing stigma and implementing evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes. With the right approach, emergency departments can play a crucial role in addressing this crisis.

Dr. Seth Berkley, former CEO of Gavi and public health expert, dives deep into Gavi’s impactful model that has provided vaccines to over 1.1 billion children, saving approximately 19 million lives. He passionately discusses the potential fallout from proposed U.S. funding cuts, emphasizing the risks to global health and the grim reality for millions of unvaccinated children. Berkley also highlights the remarkable return on investment of vaccination initiatives, underlining the necessity of sustained support for health systems in low-income countries.