Healthcare Unfiltered

Where does AI truly fit into the future of biomedicine and healthcare, beyond the usual headlines in radiology and pathology? Jonathan Carlson, Managing Director of Research Health Futures at Microsoft, joins the show to explore the evolution of AI in medicine, from the early days to cutting-edge innovations like ambient clinical intelligence. Together, he and Chadi unpack how pretrained models and machine learning are transforming care delivery, as well as the ethical and practical questions we need to be asking now. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

A Georgia court recently awarded over $2 billion to a plaintiff who developed lymphoma due to Monsanto’s Roundup exposure, but a new bill could prevent future victims from suing the company. Patient advocate Kelly Ryerson unpacks the legal maneuvering behind this legislation, its potential impact on consumer rights, and what it means for the future of environmental and food safety. Don’t miss this critical discussion on the intersection of law, public health, and corporate accountability. For more on this, check out this article. https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_2065b5e4-1052-433d-9af8-d840389e722d.html View Kelly’s website. https://glyphosatefacts.com/about/ Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Mohammad Jahanzeb, a renowned oncologist specializing in lung and breast cancer who opened his own virtual second opinion clinic, joins the podcast to explore the growing need for second opinion clinics and the challenges patients face in accessing them, from financial barriers to lingering stigmas. He delves into how often second opinions lead to changes in patient management, which disease settings benefit most, and how virtual second opinion models provide expert guidance while overcoming traditional obstacles. Additionally, Dr. Jahanzeb shares his serendipitous, “Forrest Gump-like” career path, the vital role of mentorship in shaping careers, and his philosophy on avoiding “professional stagnation.” Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Simrit Parmar, founder of Cellenkos, joins the show to discuss her journey from the lab to the biotech startup world, detailing the inspiration behind launching her company, the challenges of securing funding, and the resilience required to overcome rejections. She shares insights into Cellenkos’ lead product, its progress toward market approval, and the rigorous process of demonstrating safety and efficacy to the FDA. Additionally, she provides a glimpse into the company’s pipeline of innovative cellular therapies aimed at addressing unmet medical needs. Find out more about Cellenkos. https://cellenkosinc.com/about/index.html Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Carol Rausch—a healthcare professional, cancer researcher, and former patient with lymphoma—shares how her journey from researcher to patient transformed her understanding of medical language. She discusses the impact of word choice on patients, why certain battle and war metaphors can be harmful, and how language used in clinical settings differs from what resonates with those facing a diagnosis. Carol also explores the consequences of unfiltered language on social media and her efforts to promote more thoughtful, patient-centered communication both within and beyond the healthcare community. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Drs. David Braun and Toni Choueiri join to discuss a groundbreaking Nature study on a personalized neoantigen vaccine for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma. They explore the inspiration behind the trial, how the vaccine was developed and administered, and its safety profile. The conversation also covers patient outcomes after 3-4 years, including immune responses and disease recurrence, as well as the rapid enrollment of this innovative study and what it means for the future of kidney cancer treatment. Read the publication in Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08507-5 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Jay Giri, Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, joins the show to break down the recent NIH funding cuts and their impact on the medical research ecosystem. Together, he and Chadi explore the distinction between direct and indirect funding, the federal government's decision to reduce direct research funding to 15%, and how this shift affects researchers, institutions, and scientific progress. With growing concerns across the medical community and social media, they consider whether the backlash is justified and what the future holds for federally funded research. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Returning to the show, Drs. Vincent Rajkumar and Aaron Goodman engage in a dynamic debate over the evolving landscape of smoldering multiple myeloma, focusing on the highly anticipated study recently co-authored by Dr. Rajkumar and published in The New England Journal of Medicine after being presented at ASH 2024. They dissect the study’s findings, which highlight the impact of early intervention with daratumumab in delaying disease progression for patients classified as high-risk. The discussion explores the nuances of smoldering myeloma classification, the controversy surrounding risk stratification, and the historical context of prior studies that failed to change clinical practice. With their expert insights, Drs. Rajkumar and Goodman break down the implications of this research, questioning whether it truly shifts the standard of care and what it means for future treatment approaches. View the NEJM publication. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2409029 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Sakhr (Sam) Youness, a Syrian entrepreneur and engineer, provides a comprehensive primer on artificial intelligence (AI), tracing its origins from WWII-era innovations to the breakthroughs of the 1990s that shaped modern AI capabilities. He demystifies key concepts like machine learning, large language models, and the role of labeled data in training AI systems, offering insights into how AI interprets and processes human language. Dr. Youness also examines the rise of generative AI, the development of ChatGPT, and the ethical concerns surrounding AI’s proper use. Looking ahead, he discusses the next frontier—artificial general intelligence—and its implications for society, addressing the pressing question of whether AI and robotics will replace human workers. Finally, he explores AI’s evolving role in healthcare, weighing its potential to revolutionize medical advancements against the risks of misuse. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Amy Abernethy and Brad Hirsch, co-founders of Highlander Health, share their journey from distinguished positions in healthcare to revolutionizing the industry with data-driven innovation. They discuss the creation of the Evidence Accelerator to improve real-world data quality and tackle the challenges of clinical trials. Exploring personalized care, they highlight their collaborative investment strategies aimed at enhancing credibility in healthcare solutions. Their vision is a future where data transforms research and care, making healthcare more efficient and effective.