Épisodes

  • 1001 - Vaccines 101: How FDA Regulates Vaccines
    Jan 26 2026
    About this episode: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for reviewing the safety and effectiveness of vaccines—a job that requires deep scientific understanding as well as thoughtful regulatory judgment. In this episode: Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former top vaccine regulator and chief scientist at the FDA, explains how the agency came to lead the world in vaccine oversight—and shares his concerns for the future. Guests: Dr. Jesse Goodman, MPH, is a professor and the director of Georgetown University's Center on Medical Product Access, Safety and Stewardship. He worked at the FDA from 1998 until 2014, including as chief scientist. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: How HHS, FDA, and CDC Can Influence U.S. Vaccine Policy—KFF Vaccines 101—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Recent "Expert Panels" Could Undermine the FDA's Credibility—Public Health On Call (September 2025) 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    21 min
  • 1000 - Celebrating 1,000 Episodes of Public Health On Call
    Jan 22 2026
    About this episode: It started as a time-limited series of interviews with public health experts at the start of a global pandemic. Over nearly six years, Public Health On Call expanded to a wide range of topics, including humanitarian health, aging, and vaccines, becoming a home for nuanced public health discussions and analysis. In this episode: Hosts Stephanie Desmon, Josh Sharfstein, and Lindsay Smith Rogers reflect on 1,000 episodes of the show, the challenges of covering complex health topics, and what issues they want to focus on next. Note: This episode is also available as a video on YouTube. Guests: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. 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. Episodes mentioned: 001 - Global Preparedness, Misinformation and Community Transmission—March 2020 060 - The Epidemic Within the Pandemic: Opioids and COVID-19—April 2020 064 - How COVID-19 Has Changed a Baltimore Public School—May 2020 132 - The Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen and Parallels to the COVID-19 Pandemic—August 2020 169 - Online Learning with Baltimore Public School Principal Matt Hornbeck—September 2020 285 - COVID-19 and the Arts Part 2: Performing Arts and the Pandemic with Marin Alsop—March 2021 311 - A Baltimore Public School Reopens—May 2021 401 - School in the Time of COVID: A Tour Of Hampstead Hill Academy—November 2021 465- A Special Mother's Day Episode—May 2022 653 - Back to School: How One K-8 School Is Getting Ready for the Fall—August 2023 751 - The New Federal Regulations Aimed Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—April 2024 823 - Special Episode—The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore—November 2024 862 - The Misinformation Around Seed Oils—March 2025 891 - B'More For Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—May 2025 953 - Interpreting the Data on Tylenol, Pregnancy, and Autism—September 2025 967 - An Update on Baltimore's Swimmable Harbor and the Pistachio Tide—October 2025 973 - Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—November 2025 979 - Why Are More People Choosing Not to Vaccinate Their Pets?—November 2025 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    29 min
  • 999 - Head Lice and Bed Bugs
    Jan 21 2026
    About this episode: Nothing can make your skin crawl quite like the mention of lice or bed bugs, especially if you're the parent of young children. The good news: though these blood-sucking pests are a nuisance, they pose limited risk to human health. In this episode: Parasitologist Conor McMeniman explains why infestations start, who's susceptible, and how to get these pests out of your hair—literally. Guest: Conor McMeniman, PhD, is an associate professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. 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-Panic Guide to Head Lice Treatment—Johns Hopkins Medicine Bed Bugs: Get Them Out and Keep Them Out—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    17 min
  • 998 - Marion Nestle on the New Dietary Guidelines
    Jan 20 2026
    About this episode: Renowned nutritionist Marion Nestle likes the federal recommendation to reduce ultra-processed foods and its emphasis on healthy school meals. But there are other things she finds muddled, contradictory, and incomplete about the nation's new dietary guidelines. In this episode: Nestle talks protein, whole grains, and expanding access to healthy foods. Guests: Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, is emeritus faculty at New York University. She is the author of the Food Politics blog and the book "What To Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters". Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: RealFood.gov—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The MAHA 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have arrived: Cheerful, Muddled, Contradictory, Ideological, Retro—Food Politics Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Guidelines—Public Health On Call (January 2026) The Misinformation Around Seed Oils—Public Health On Call (March 2025) Marion Nestle and Food Politics—Public Health On Call (February 2025) What to Eat Now: The Indispensable Guide to Good Food, How to Find It, and Why It Matters—Food Politics 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    16 min
  • 997 - The New Drug Igniting a Withdrawal Crisis
    Jan 15 2026
    About this episode: Medetomidine, a veterinary sedative similar to xylazine, is appearing more frequently in drug supplies in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania—and the withdrawal symptoms are debilitating. In this episode: Addiction medicine specialist Jordan Nahas-Vigon details the risks facing people who use drugs and why it's so difficult to quit. Guests: Dr. Jordan Nahas-Vigon is a primary care doctor with Johns Hopkins Medicine who specializes in addiction medicine. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: A Powerful New Drug Is Creating a 'Withdrawal Crisis' in Philadelphia—New York Times Why the animal sedative behind a Baltimore mass overdose is so hard to quit—The Baltimore Banner Sedative 'dex' is replacing 'tranq' in illegal drug supply and causing excruciating withdrawal—STAT The Xylazine Crisis—Public Health On Call (May 2023) 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    14 min
  • 996 - Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Guidelines
    Jan 14 2026
    About this episode: Citing updated research on the health risks of drinking alcohol, Canada changed consumption guidelines in 2023, making global headlines for its steep drop in what's viewed as "low risk" drinking. In this episode: One of the architects of those guidelines explains how these recommendations were developed, their efficacy as a public health intervention, and what to make of the U.S.'s new guidelines. Guests: Tim Stockwell, PhD, is a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Victoria. 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: US has new alcohol guidelines: How much is healthy to drink?—The Hill Is That Drink Worth It to You?—New York Times Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health—Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction What's behind Canada's drastic new alcohol guidance—BBC 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    15 min
  • 995 - A Record-Breaking Flu Season
    Jan 12 2026
    About this episode: Flu is surging in states across the country, breaking a 25-year record for flu-related doctor visits. In this episode: the new strain of influenza A that's driving cases, why getting a flu shot can still protect you, and how antivirals can help if you do get sick. Guest: Andrew Pekosz, PhD, 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. Show links and related content: Doctors still recommend flu shot despite sneaky new strain—Politifact US Flu Cases Show No Signs of Letting Up—Bloomberg Flu reaches highest level in the US in 25 years—CNN How Bad Will This Winter Be for Flu, COVID, RSV, and Measles?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    16 min
  • 994 - What "The Pitt" Reflects About Real-Life Hospitals
    Jan 8 2026
    About this episode: Emmy-award winning drama "The Pitt" returns for a second, thrilling season that follows 15 hours in an emergency department for doctors, nurses, residents, and administrators. In this episode: Dr. Emily Boss discusses what the show gets right about real-life hospitals, from the medicine to the stress to the systemic barriers that can make delivering quality health care difficult. You don't have to watch the show to enjoy this conversation! Guests: Dr. Emily Boss, MPH, is a pediatric otolaryngologist and a professor of Health Policy & Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: I'm a Surgeon. This Is the Messy Truth 'The Pitt' Exposes—Newsweek 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    13 min