Going anti-Viral

In episode 89 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Andrew Racine joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the federal government’s recent update to the childhood vaccine schedule. Dr Racine is President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the System Senior Vice-President of the Montefiore Health System and Executive Director of the Montefiore Medical Group. Dr Racine is also a Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has served on the AAP’s National Committee on Child Health Financing and Chaired the National Task Force of Poverty and Child Health. Dr Saag and Dr Racine discuss the history and importance of vaccines in child health and the rigorous process behind vaccine approval. They also discuss the challenges posed by vaccine skepticism and policy changes. Dr Racine emphasizes the critical role of trust and evidence-based practices by pediatricians and organizations like the AAP in maintaining public health.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:28 – History of childhood diseases before vaccines 

7:23 – The rigorous process of vaccine evaluation and approval

12:21 – The quality and safety data behind vaccine approval

15:06 – Vaccine skepticism: origins and amplification in modern times

17:38 – The importance of vaccine mandates for school entry

21:28 – Addressing myths: vaccines and autism

23:40 – The role of trusted pediatrician relationships in vaccine communication

28:34 – The value of vaccine advocacy by AAP and other professional organizations

Resources

healthychildren.org

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 88 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Elaine Abrams joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss her career of research into vertical transmission of HIV and care for pregnant women, children, adolescents, and families. Dr Abrams is a Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center and Senior Director of Research at ICAP at Columbia University in New York. An internationally recognized pediatrician, epidemiologist, and global health leader, she has more than 35 years of experience as a clinician, researcher, and public health practitioner in the prevention and treatment of HIV infection and associated infectious diseases. Dr Abrams and Dr Saag discuss the history and progress of preventing vertical HIV transmission and the impact of early studies like PACTG 076. They also discuss Dr Abrams’s early work in Africa on HIV transmission and review the current understanding of breastfeeding and HIV transmission. They address the impact of the dismantling of USAID on global HIV prevention efforts and provide an outlook to the future for HIV elimination and global efforts.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:31 – First cases of vertical transmission of HIV and rates of transmission

4:00 – Challenges faced during the early HIV epidemic in New York

 9:16 – The landmark PACTG 076 study and its significance

12:30 – Global expansion of HIV prevention efforts and treatment

17: 03 – Engagement with HIV programs in Africa and lessons learned

20:12 – Impact of program disruptions due to dismantling of USAID and future challenges

24:47 – Current understanding of breastfeeding and HIV transmission

28:44 – Future outlook for HIV elimination and global efforts

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 87 of Going anti-Viral, we represent a panel discussion from September 3, 2026, as part of the IAS–USA Dialogue series Emerging Infections and Health Threats. This Dialogue is a must listen as our distinguished panel of infectious disease experts dives deep into some of the most pressing public health challenges facing the world today. Moderated by Carlos del Rio, MD, a Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, this Dialogue brings together world-class experts Yvonne Maldonado, MD, and Peter Chin-Hong, MD. The panel addresses the following pressing topics: 

-- Upcoming respiratory virus season: have we learned any lessons from Australia?

-- New FDA-approved vaccines: updated COVID-19 vaccine and the first mRNA flu vaccine for the fall season

-- Vaccination controversies: the politicization of the vaccination schedule, the resurgence of measles, and declining vaccine confidence

-- Global outbreaks: Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda; cholera outbreaks in Sudan, Chad, and other African nations

-- Emerging US health threats: chikungunya, Chagas, leishmaniasis, malaria, Dengue fever, and other diseases that were once considered nonendemic in the US are occurring with increasing frequency

0:00 – Introduction 

1:48– Reaction to recent measles deaths and update on status of the outbreak in the US

11:15 – Update on the changes to the vaccination schedule 

15:03 – The role of medical groups in making updated vaccine recommendations 

26:20 – The mRNA influenza vaccine and research into the use of mRNA vaccines for cancer treatments

30:01 – Update on summer foodborne outbreaks and surveillance

36:17 – Audience questions on COVID-19, influenza, and mpox vaccination

43:41 – Overview of alpha-gal syndrome

48:21 – Impact of climate change and global travel on spread of mosquito and tick-borne diseases

53:28 – Impact of cuts to public health on response to health threats like Ebola 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

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In episode 86 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Brenda Crabtree-Ramírez joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss women and HIV in Latin America. Dr Crabtree-Ramírez is a Professor of the HIV Program at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She has participated in Phase I to IV clinical trials evaluating therapies for HIV/AIDS and opportunistic infections and is the Principal Investigator in Mexico for the Caribbean, Central, and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet). She has contributed to studies focused on sociodemographic factors, HIV-related comorbidities, women with HIV, aging with HIV, and advanced HIV disease. Dr Crabtree-Ramírez discusses the HIV epidemic in Latin America, focusing on women’s unique challenges, access to care, and prevention strategies including PrEP and HPV vaccination. 

0:00 – Introduction 

1:36 – Challenges in HIV research and healthcare access in Latin America

4:08 – Access to antiretroviral therapy and diagnosis gaps

5:15 – Unique challenges faced by women with HIV and testing during pregnancy 

8:11– Research on women and HIV in Latin America

11:50 – CCASAnet and IeDEA network: data collection and insights

13:46 – Barriers to care for women: transportation, stigma, and violence

17:18 – Strategies to improve diagnosis and engagement in care

20:57 – Prevention strategies: PrEP and community programs

24:06 – Role of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention

26:44 – Future directions and women’s leadership in HIV research and call for continued advocacy

Resources:

CCASAnet: https://www.ccasanet.org/

IeDEA: https://www.iedea.org/ 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 85 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Andrea Gramatica joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the work of amfAR and how HIV research drives breakthroughs for other diseases. Dr Gramatica is Vice President of Research at amfAR and an expert in immunology and HIV virology with a research focus on viral persistence and immune modulation. Dr Gramatica is responsible for shaping the strategic direction of amfAR’s research programs, including building upon existing research into HIV and other viral diseases, as well as addressing emerging public health challenges. Dr Gramatica discusses the history and impact of amfAR in HIV research, highlighting how philanthropic funding accelerated scientific breakthroughs. Dr Saag and Dr Gramatica also discuss amfAR’s expanding research interest into cancer immunology and other diseases and discuss the outlook for the future and the use of AI in discovering new therapies.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:27 – What is amfAR and its role in the early response to HIV 

4:28 – Key early grants and their impact on HIV treatment

8:29 – amfAR’s role in supporting early investigators 

11:42 – amfAR’s expanding research interest into cancer immunology and other diseases 

16:38 – The next five to ten years in HIV research and the role in advancing research using AI

21:52 – How to apply for grants at amfAR 

Resources:

amfAR  – https://www.amfar.org/ 

amfAR on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@amfAR 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 84 of Going anti-Viral, Nicholas Enrich joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss his book Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID. Mr Enrich is a former civil servant who worked at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under 4 administrations. He served as the Bureau of Global Health director of policy, programs, and planning until January 2025, when he was designated as the USAID acting assistant administrator for global health. On March 2, 2025, he was placed on administrative leave for addressing the Trump administration dismantling of USAID. Mr Enrich provides an overview of the history and work of USAID prior to 2025 including the success of programs like the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and nutrition and food security programs. He then shares his firsthand account of the dismantling of USAID under the Trump administration including the actions by political appointees and staff from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Mr Enrich and Dr Saag explore the impact of the Administration’s policy on global health, development, and international partnerships and discuss the long-term consequences of the dismantling of USAID.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:17 – What was USAID and its global impact before 2025

3:00 – USAID work in global health and food security

5:10 – The inception and impact of PEPFAR

8:07 – US politics and the continuity of USAID during the first Trump Administration

13:29 – The executive order to freeze foreign aid and its implications

15:37 – Legal questions around the executive order and appropriations law

18:24 – Experience with DOGE and the management style of Elon Musk 

21:30 – Stories of chaos by the DOGE team and destruction within USAID

 26:17 – How the political leadership of USAID was unaware of the work of the agency and implications on current health outbreaks like Ebola 

32:10 – The long-term consequences of dismantling USAID and rebuilding trust 

40:33 – Nicholas Enrich's current work and future plans

Resources:

Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Into-the-Wood-Chipper/Nicholas-Enrich/9781668226957

Cast of Hair perform Let The Sunshine In on The Ed Sullivan Show, March 30, 1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCXSA_biSw4&t=200s 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 83 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Steven Grinspoon joins host Dr Michael Saag to provide an update on guidelines for statin use in people with HIV based on results from the REPRIEVE trial. Dr Grinspoon is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a clinician in the Neuroendocrine and Pituitary Tumor Clinical Center and faculty member at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a clinical researcher who studies hypothalamic control of body weight and fat distribution in obesity and lipodystrophy with a focus on the metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of visceral fat accumulation. Dr Grinspoon is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and serves as the chief of the Massachusetts General Metabolism Unit and the director of the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard. Dr Grinspoon and Dr Saag discuss the latest findings from the REPRIEVE trial and provide updates on statin guidelines for people with HIV as well as providing insights into cardiovascular risk management. They discuss the safety and efficacy of statins and the role of cardiovascular risk calculators in clinical practice in addition to discussing the impact of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and inflammation on cardiovascular risk. Dr Grinspoon also offers his outlook for where further research is needed based on the outcomes of the REPRIEVE trial.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:33 – Overview of the REPRIEVE trial findings

2:44 – Changes in statin guidelines for people with HIV 

6:51 – Safety and efficacy of statins

9:09 – Use of statins and diabetes risk

11:16 – Cardiovascular risk calculators

16:00 – Statin use and blood pressure

17:14 – Impact of LDL cholesterol and inflammation on cardiovascular risk

24:08 – Future directions in cardiovascular research for people with HIV 

 Resources:

Going anti-Viral: Episode 56 – Cardiovascular Health in People with HIV – Dr Steven Grinspoon

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-management-of-cardiovascular-health-in-patients/id1713226144?i=1000725697103 

YouTube:

https://youtu.be/297vweZ5bjQ 

REPRIEVE Trial: 

https://www.reprievetrial.org/ 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 82 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Tyler Evans joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda and the global response. Dr Evans is an infectious diseases and addiction medicine physician and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, a national organization advancing health equity in the US and globally. He is also an associate professor of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and the author of Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics, which examines how socially and politically determined inequalities, have consistently precipitated pandemics and public health emergencies. Dr Evans’ work spans street medicine, HIV/AIDS care, and humanitarian response in complex emergencies, including 2 Ebola response missions. Dr Evans and Dr Saag discuss the current Ebola outbreak, its transmission, challenges in containment, and the likelihood for a vaccine. They also explore the impact of public trust on care and provide an update on the response from US and international agencies including a discussion of the risk for the outbreak to spread globally.  

0:00 – Introduction 

1:33 – Understanding Ebola: transmission and symptoms

3:05 – Containment strategies for Ebola outbreaks

7:39 – Challenges in surveillance and response

11:09 – Urban spread of Ebola: risks and concerns

12:43 – Vaccination strategies and developments

15:58 – Conditions in treatment centers and the impact of public trust in the outbreak

21:04 – Update on the response from US and international agencies and risk of spread to the US and globally

Resources:

Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics: https://www.tylerevansmd.com/ 

Wellness Equity Alliance: https://www.wellnessequityalliance.com/ 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 81 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Steven Deeks joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss recent research demonstrating the promise of a single shot in a functional cure of HIV. Dr Deeks is a Professor of Medicine in Residence at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and is a faculty member in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. He is an internationally recognized expert on HIV pathogenesis and treatment and is the contact principal investigator of the Delaney AIDS Research Enterprise (DARE), an NIH-funded international collaboratory aimed at developing therapeutic interventions to cure HIV infection. Dr Deeks and Dr Saag discuss why a cure for HIV is needed given the effectiveness antiretroviral therapy. Dr Deeks then outlines areas of research demonstrating promise for single-shot functional cures: vector immunotherapy, the use of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells, and stem cell approaches. Finally, Dr Deeks provides insights into future prospects in HIV cure research including his perspective on the funding and drug development landscape. 

0:00 – Introduction 

1:21 – The need for a cure beyond antiretroviral therapy

5:37 – Overview of 1-shot cure research  

12:40 – The promise of vector immunotherapy

18:52 – Overview of the use of CAR-T cells 

25:01 – The role of C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) and stem cell approaches

26:36 – Prospects for the future of HIV cure research 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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In episode 80 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Jason Zucker joins host Dr Michael Saag to provide an update on the Trichophyton mentagrophytes genotype VII (TMVII) infection. Dr Zucker is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Assistant Medical Director of the New York City STD Prevention Training Center. Dr Zucker is an experienced HIV, HIV prevention, and sexual health care provider providing status-neutral care to patients of all ages in New York. His research focuses on the intersection of data science, behavioral science, and implementation science. Dr Zucker discusses the emerging dermatophyte infection TMVII, its transmission, clinical presentation, and diagnosis. Dr Zucker and Dr Saag also detail treatment strategies, emphasizing the significance in sexual health and STI management.

0:00 – Introduction 

1:21 – Background, epidemiology and transmission 

5:58 – Clinical presentation and diagnosis 

9:18 – Treatment protocols for TMVII

11:32 – Challenges and considerations in management of TMVII

15:38 – Future outlook and final thoughts 

Resources: 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) - Notes from the Field: Trichophyton mentagrophytes Genotype VII — New York City, April–July 2024

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7343a5.htm

Going anti-Viral: Episode 30 - Update on Mpox - a Public Health Emergency - Dr Jason Zucker

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/GTwXSvkcJ74 

Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-30-update-on-mpox-a-public-health-emergency/id1713226144?i=1000675771251 

__________________________________________________

Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections.

Going anti-Viral’s host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

Email [email protected] to send feedback, show suggestions, or questions to be answered on a later episode.

Follow Going anti-Viral on:
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...