In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights the importance of community health centers in serving 1 in 10 Americans and a new study modeling the impact of declining vaccination rates on measles and other preventable diseases. 2025 Barnes Lecturer and Arnhold Distinguished Fellow at Conservation International Monica Medina joins to explore how connecting environmental action to human health can strengthen both movements and inspire broader public engagement.

Dr. Jha discusses:

• Modeling Reemergence of Vaccine-Eliminated Infectious Diseases Under Declining Vaccination in the US — JAMA

Monica Medina is an Arnhold Distinguished Fellow at Conservation International and most recently served as the first woman President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society. From 2021-2023, she was the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the first U.S. Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources at the U.S. State Department. 

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights the impact of the Affordable Care Act's preventive services provision and a 2020 study linking proximity to major roadways to higher asthma rates in children. Academic Dean and Professor of Epidemiology Francesca Beaudoin joins to assess national progress in fighting the opioid pandemic and discuss policy recommendations to support those suffering with addiction.

Dr. Jha discusses:

• Use of No-Cost Preventive Services Jeopardized by Kennedy v Braidwood — JAMA Health Forum
• Proximity to Major Roadways and Asthma Symptoms in the School Inner-City Asthma Study — Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Dr. Francesca L. Beaudoin is the academic dean of Brown's School of Public Health and a Professor of Epidemiology and Emergency Medicine. She is a board-certified practicing emergency physician and clinical epidemiologist with expertise in opioid use disorders and adverse post-traumatic health outcomes, particularly pain and substance use.

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

In the inaugural episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights two compelling public health studies: one showing that wealthy Americans have no survival advantage over poor Europeans, and another suggesting a link between shingles vaccination and reduced dementia risk. Distinguished Senior Fellow Stephanie Psaki joins to discuss how recent cuts to the U.S. health infrastructure threaten national security by weakening preparedness for biological threats.

Dr. Jha discusses:

• Association between Wealth and Mortality in the United States and Europe — New England Journal of Medicine
• A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia — Nature
• Dropping U.S. Biodefenses: Why Cuts to Federal Health Agencies Make Americans Less Safe — Just Security

Dr. Stephanie Psaki is a distinguished senior fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health and served as Special Assistant to the President and U.S. Coordinator for Global Health Security at the National Security Council.

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.