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 1,059 episodes available.

Public Health On Call episodes:

October 15, 2025963 - Separating the MMR Vaccine?
About this episode:
Since 1971, combination mumps, measles, and rubella vaccines have protected American children against life-threatening infection. Recent calls to split the MMR vaccines into three separate injections could unravel decades of progress. In this episode: William Moss details the history of MMR vaccines and the public health dangers posed by changing immunization recommendations without scientific justification to do so.
Guests:
Dr. William 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:

Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots—STAT

What to Know About MMR and MMRV Vaccines—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The MMR vaccines has been combined for decades… and for good reason—@johnshopkinssph via Instagram

Vaccines 101: Understanding the Vaccines on the Childhood Vaccination Schedule—Public Health On Call (March 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

@‌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
October 13, 2025962 - Buprenorphine Can Save Lives—If You Can Get It
About this episode:
Buprenorphine is a highly effective medication used for treating opioid use disorder. But accessing this lifesaving prescription can be challenging. In this episode: Jeff Hom and Marlene Lira talk about the critical role of buprenorphine in reducing overdose deaths and the role pharmacies can play in improving access.
Guests:
Jeff Hom, MD, MPH, is the Medical Officer for Science and Policy in the Substance Use Services section of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He is also a DrPH student in Health Policy and Bloomberg Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Marlene C. Lira, MPH, is the Senior Director of Research at Workit Health, a multi-state telemedicine treatment provider for evidence-based addiction care, and a doctoral candidate in Health Policy & Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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:

Pharmacy Barriers to Receiving Buprenorphine Among Patients Undergoing Telemedicine Addiction Treatment—JAMA Network Open

Prescribing Buprenorphine By Telehealth: Lessons From San Francisco Amidst A Changing Regulatory Landscape—Health Affairs

The New Federal Regulations Aimed Making Methadone More Accessible—And Less Stigmatizing—Public Health On Call (April 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
19min
October 09, 2025961 - The Science Behind Home Remedies with The People’s Pharmacy
About this episode:
Can a spoonful of sugar really cure your hiccups? Can a dab of soy sauce soothe a burn? Is there any science behind home remedies? In this episode: Joe and Terry Graedon of The People’s Pharmacy discuss some of their favorite, evidence-backed home remedies and how they balance alternative medicine with scientific data to promote wellbeing.
Guests:
Joe Graedon, MS, and Terry Graedon, PhD, are the award-winning authors, newspaper columnists, and podcast hosts behind The People’s Pharmacy, an enterprise focused on sharing information on both medical and alternative health treatments.
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:

The People’s Pharmacy—http://peoplespharmacy.com

Soy Sauce to the Rescue to Cool a Burn—The People’s Pharmacy

Should You Pour Black Pepper on Your Cut?—The People’s Pharmacy

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
20min
October 08, 2025960 - How Pharmacists Improve Community Health
About this episode:
Pharmacies do a lot more than dispense medications. In this episode: Christina Madison, known online as the Public Health Pharmacist, explains how pharmacists and pharmacies are able to support critical health needs in communities across the country.
Guest:
Christina Madison, PharmD, FCCP, is a clinical pharmacist and the founder and CEO of The Public Health Pharmacist, PLLC.
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:

The Public Health Pharmacist—http://thepublichealthpharmacist.com

The Public Health Pharmacist—Instagram

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
October 07, 2025959 - The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life
About this episode:
Apprenticeships offer the unique opportunity to earn money while learning in-demand skills—and they can be a useful public health intervention, diverting young people away from violence and poor choices. In this episode: Maryland State Senator Cory McCray opens up about his own apprenticeship experience and how earn-while-you-learn opportunities can transform young people’s lives.
Guest:
Cory V. McCray is a state senator representing Maryland’s 45th District. He is also an electrician, an entrepreneur, and the author of “The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life: Guidebook to Navigating the Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunity of a Lifetime”.
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:

The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life: Guidebook to Navigating the Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunity of a Lifetime—Morgan James Publishing

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
October 06, 2025958 - The Executive Order on Homelessness
About this episode:
This summer, President Trump issued an executive order aimed at “ending crime and disorder on America’s streets.” In this episode: Ann Oliva of the National Alliance to End Homelessness discusses her concerns about what this executive order means for unhoused people. She also discusses proven strategies for reducing homelessness and the renewed role of states and localities in addressing the nation's housing crisis.
Guest:
Ann Oliva is the CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education, advocacy, and capacity-building organization dedicated to ending homelessness in the United States.
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:

Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets—The White House

National Alliance to End Homelessness Statement on Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Homelessness—National Alliance to End Homelessness

What Would It Take to End Homelessness in America?—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
October 03, 2025957 - The Formula for Better Health
About this episode:
For centuries, public health has seen invisible killers, believed in the power of community interventions, and created better health outcomes across the globe. In this episode: Former CDC director Tom Frieden explains how to tackle today’s biggest health challenges and previews his new book, “The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own”.
Guest:
Dr. Tom Frieden, MPH, is the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. He previously served as the director of the CDC and is the author of “The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own”.
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:

The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own—Penguin Random House

A former CDC director’s guide to seeing and stopping threats to America’s health—STAT

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
October 02, 2025956 - Medical Care in Immigration Detention
About this episode:
How do people in ICE custody, many of whom have chronic diseases or rely on daily medication, receive medical care? In this episode: Dr. Katherine Peeler, a medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights, talks about the standards of care for detainees, challenges emerging at overcrowded detention centers, and high rates of burnout among providers.
Guest:
Dr. Katherine Peeler, MA, is a pediatric critical care physician and a medical adviser at Physicians for Human Rights. She leads the Peeler Immigration Lab where she researches the health and health rights of immigrants and, in particular, asylum seekers.
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:

Medical Care Standards in Immigrant Detention Facilities—Congress.gov

Consequences of Fear: How the Trump Administration’s Immigration Policies and Rhetoric Block Access to Health Care—Physicians for Human Rights

An ICE detention center wants a doctor who will follow orders. That’s unethical.—Washington Post

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
October 01, 2025955 - Mental Health Care in ICE Custody
About this episode:
How well do ICE detention centers provide mental health care? In this episode: We first hear from Dr. Solomiya Tsymbalyuk from the University of Maryland about an emergency department interaction that presented legal and ethical questions around treating individuals in ICE custody. Then, Dr. Katherine Peeler of Physicians for Human Rights offers a look at how mental health care should be offered in immigration detention centers and why those protocols are becoming more difficult to follow.
Guest:
Dr. Katherine Peeler, MA, is a pediatric critical care physician and a medical adviser at Physicians for Human Rights. She leads the Peeler Immigration Lab where she researches the health and health rights of immigrants and, in particular, asylum seekers.

Dr. Solomiya Tsymbalyuk is a fourth-year psychiatric resident at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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:

Psychiatrists and Other Physicians Interfacing With ICE: Legal and Ethical Challenges—Psychiatric Services

‘People Are Losing Hope’ Inside ICE Detention Centers—New York Times

California sent investigators to ICE facilities. They found more detainees, and health care gaps—CalMatters

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
September 30, 2025954 - Preventing Suicide
About this episode:
Social media and AI chatbots are changing the landscape of suicide prevention, requiring a multidisciplinary care model. In this episode: Walker Tisdale, Johns Hopkins’ Director of Outreach for Suicide Prevention Initiatives, discusses how these developing technologies are changing care models and how to help loved ones who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Guest:
Walker R. Tisdale III, MPH, DSW, is a leading subject-matter expert and national speaker on suicide prevention, crisis intervention, health equity and the social determinants of health. He serves as the Director of Outreach for Suicide Prevention Initiatives at Johns Hopkins University.
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:

What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life—New York Times

September is National Suicide Prevention Month—The Hub

Behavioral Health Crisis Support Team—Johns Hopkins University

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

FAQs about Public Health On Call:

How many episodes does Public Health On Call have?

The podcast currently has 1,059 episodes available.

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