Public Health On Call

By The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Evidence and experts to help you understand today’s public health news—and what it means for tomorrow.... more

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FAQs about Public Health On Call:

How many episodes does Public Health On Call have?

The podcast currently has 1,032 episodes available.

Public Health On Call episodes:

August 25, 2025937 - Meet the Future of Public Health
About this episode:
Since the fifth grade, high schooler Nayesha Diwan has been fascinated by the world of public health. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she has immersed herself in research and advocacy, delivering speeches at her state’s capitol and interning at an elite neurophysiology lab. In this episode: Nayesha explains how her mother’s cancer diagnosis drew her to public health and reminds us how complex and impactful the field can be.
Guest:
Nayesha Diwan is a rising high school junior with a passion for science, health care, and public health. She is a semifinalist for the USA Biology Olympiad exam and is currently researching the blood brain barrier and neurological disorders. Nayesha is the host of the Global Health Frontlines podcast.
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:

Global Health Frontlines—Spotify

Influence the Choice—www.influencethechoice.org

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

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@‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook

@‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube

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Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
...more
14min
August 21, 2025936 - The New Reality Facing Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA
About this episode:
The reconciliation bill passed by Congress in July is set to unravel key aspects of the Affordable Care Act that have expanded health coverage to millions of Americans. In this episode: One of the architects of the ACA, Liz Fowler, outlines how work requirements, truncated enrollment periods, and higher premiums will change health care for Americans on Medicaid and Medicare and for those buying coverage through their state’s marketplace.
Guest:
Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD, is a distinguished scholar in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and previously served as the director of the Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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:

How New Federal Legislation Will Affect Health Care Costs and Access for Americans—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

When Do the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Health Care Provisions Go Into Effect?—Center for American Progress

Health Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Law—KFF

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.
...more
13min
August 20, 2025935 - World Mosquito Day: Harnessing New Tools to Jumpstart the Fight Against Malaria
About this episode:
Progress in the global mission to eradicate malaria has stalled due to mosquito evolution, drug resistance, and underfunding. In this episode: Dr. Michael Adekunle Charles discusses what it will take to get this mission back on track, promising new tools recommended by WHO, and why a multisector approach to defeating malaria is crucial for achieving healthy outcomes.
Guest:
Dr. Michael Adekunle Charles, MPH, is the Chief Executive Officer of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria which brings together over 500 international partners dedicated to eliminating the disease.
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:

CCP Plays Role in WHO Recommendation of Spatial Repellents for Malaria Control—Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Anti-malarial drug resistance is making malaria normal again—African Arguments

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.
...more
16min
August 18, 2025934 - Sickle Cell Disease: Genetic Therapies and Treatment Hurdles
About this episode:
Sickle cell disease affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States. Recent advancements in gene therapies and medicines like hydroxyurea are diminishing extreme pain, reducing strokes, and extending survival times for those afflicted by the disease. In this episode: leading sickle cell disease expert Dr. Mark Gladwin explains how revolutionary new treatments work and discusses the challenges to accessing life-saving care.
Guest:
Dr. Mark Gladwin is a physician-scientist and the Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. His research focuses include sickle cell disease and hypertension.
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:

New sickle cell gene therapies are a breakthrough, but solving how to pay their high prices is a struggle—CNBC

Gene Therapy: What You Need to Know—Sickle Cell Disease Association of American

No More Pain: Breakthrough Sickle Cell Treatment from Johns Hopkins Offers Curative Potential—Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

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.
...more
26min
August 15, 2025933 - Fall Vaccine Confusion with Your Local Epidemiologist
About this episode:
Fall vaccines for flu, RSV, and—more recently—COVID have long followed a uniform rollout schedule allowing clinics and pharmacies ample time to order and administer shots. But that process looks different this year, raising concerns about access. In this episode: Katelyn Jetelina, publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist, explains how changes to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the FDA are pushing back the timeline and changing recommendations for routine vaccinations.
Guest:
Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist and scientific communicator. She is the co-founder of Health Trust Initiative, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health, and a Senior Scientific Advisor to several government and non-profit agencies, including the CDC. In addition, Jetelina is the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist.
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:

What’s the plan for fall vaccines? If you're confused, you're not alone—Your Local Epidemiologist

Covid cases rising in US as officials plan to restrict booster vaccines—The Guardian

Will New Vaccine Recommendations Affect Your Fall Flu Shot?—AARP

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.
...more
15min
August 13, 2025932 - Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Development
About this episode:
The Department of Health and Human Services has cancelled nearly $500 million in funding for the development of mRNA vaccines, including for vaccines against potential new pandemic threats. In this episode: Professor Bill Moss delves into the misinformation surrounding mRNA vaccines, explains their potential to treat diseases like cancer and HIV, and warns of the national security threats posed by cuts to development.
Guest:
Dr. Bill Moss, MPH, is an infectious disease specialist and the executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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:

Johns Hopkins expert speaks on ripple effect of federal cuts to mRNA vaccine contracts—WBAL-TV 11

How Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Development Will Set the U.S. Back—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

What to know about mRNA vaccines as Trump admin pulls funding—Axios

For mRNA Vaccines, COVID-19 Is Just the Beginning—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

@‌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.
...more
17min
August 13, 2025931 - A Big Setback for Nutrition Education
About this episode:
Since 2010, the nonprofit ChopChop Family has published magazines, cookbooks, and other tools to help pediatricians and nutrition educators inform families about the positive health outcomes of cooking nutritious foods. But deep cuts to SNAP-Ed, the federally-funded nutrition education program, are placing programs like ChopChop Family in limbo. In this episode: ChopChop Family founder and president Sally Sampson explains how the rapid rollback of SNAP-Ed is crippling nutrition education.
Guest:
Sally Sampson is a cookbook author and the founder and president of ChopChop Family, a nonprofit publisher of cooking magazines, cookbooks, digital content, cooking curricula, and learning decks for children and families.
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:

Budget cuts knock down a ‘pillar of public health,’ ending nutrition education—STAT

ChopChop Podcast—Apple Podcasts

ChopChop Family Newsletter—Substack

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.
...more
16min
August 11, 2025930 - Peace Building in a Polarized Public Health Landscape
About this episode:
As the United States grows more polarized along regional, political, and ideological lines, it is critical to resolve conflict civilly—particularly when it comes to pressing public health concerns that implicate all of us. In this episode: Peace building experts David Addiss and John Paul Lederach draw on their careers in conflict resolution and public health to share strategies for building relationships, restoring trustworthiness, and fostering solutions-oriented conversations to bridge ideological gaps.
Guest:
Dr. David Addiss, MPH, is a public health doctor whose career has involved migrant health, mountain medicine, neglected tropical diseases, research, philanthropy, and global health. He is the Director of the Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics at the Task Force for Global Health.

John Paul Lederach, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and a Senior Fellow with Humanity United. He is widely known for the development of culturally-based approaches to conflict transformation and the design and implementation of integrative and strategic approaches to peace building.
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:

A Recipe for Cooling Down American Politics—Washington Post

Facing Down a Civil War—www.johnpaullederach.com

Here To Understand: How Braver Angels Is Orchestrating Tough Public Health Conversations—Public Health On Call (June 2025)

Peacebuilding to Help Mend A Broken World—Public Health On Call (December 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

@‌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.
...more
23min
August 06, 2025929 - How To Spot Unregulated Pharmacies and Falsified Medications
About this episode:
Trying to save money on antibiotics, GLP-1 antagonists, or other medications using online pharmacies can pose serious health risks. These sites are flush with substandard and falsified drugs, which can cause adverse side effects, leave serious conditions untreated, and, in some instances, lead to death. In this episode: Dr. Henry Michtalik shares how providers and patients can spot unregulated suppliers and report counterfeit drugs.
Guest:
Dr. Henry Michtalik, MHS, MPH, is a hospitalist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an assistant professor at both the School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is a co-principal investigator with the School of Public Health’s BESAFE initiative.
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:

Fake medication is a problem across the world—DW

Fake Drugs, Real Danger—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine

Verify Before You Buy—National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

Report a Counterfeit Drug—U.S. Food and Drug Administration

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.
...more
18min
August 04, 2025928 - When Pharmacists Prescribe Medication for Abortion
About this episode:
Following the rise of restrictive abortion laws around the country, a pilot program in Washington state is training pharmacists to screen for and prescribe medication abortion. In this episode: Dr. Beth Rivin talks about the Pharmacist Abortion Access Project and how it’s creating more options for safe, convenient, and effective care for women—especially those living in rural and low-income communities.
Guest:
Dr. Beth Rivin, MPH, is the President and CEO of Uplift International, an organization focused on improving health and human rights with a particular emphasis on family planning and reproductive rights.
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:

Abortion Pills Prescribed by Pharmacists Are Newest Effort in Abortion Fight—New York Times

In Washington state, pharmacists are prescribing abortion drugs—NPR

Mifepristone and EMTALA SCOTUS Rulings: A Holding Pattern—Public Health On Call (July 2024)

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.
...more
17min

FAQs about Public Health On Call:

How many episodes does Public Health On Call have?

The podcast currently has 1,032 episodes available.

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