That's Understandable

Everyone knows trees are incredibly important to a healthy planet, but do we really understand the spectacular impact trees have on human health? Brendan digs into the exceptional value of trees in everyday life with experts passionate about the good going on under the branches. 

Using plastics as prescription containers has been the standard for decades, but those empty pill bottles don’t biodegrade. Now, there are new, more sustainable solutions available! Brendan discusses with Dr. Melinda Su-En Lee, CEO and co-founder of Parcel Health, Inc., why the plastic pill bottle is still so ubiquitous for prescriptions, despite its harm to the planet.  

To learn more about the impact of plastic use in prescription pill bottles on the planet – and human health – check out these sources cited in today’s discussion:   

The Myth of Plastic Recycling (NPR) 
Circular Claims Fall Flat Again 2022 (Greenpeace Reports)  

Join us for this special episode, recorded onsite at Aspen Ideas: Health 2024, the opening segment of the Aspen Ideas Festival where more than 1,000 attendees from across the health industry gather to elevate and accelerate bold approaches to better health for all.  This episode immediately followed a roundtable discussion on the rising prevalence of cancer among young adults in the US. Brendan sat down with Mohit Manrao, Senior Vice President and Head of the US Oncology Business Unit at AstraZeneca, to discuss the crisis and the roles of innovation, sustainable impact and health equity play in it. Tune in to listen. 

The Smartest Pill You’ll Ever Swallow. 

There’s a breakthrough brewing in the world of medicine – smart pills. This time, Brendan will help make this mind-blowing micro technology “easier to swallow” with the help of Dr. Peyton Berookim of the Gastroenterology Clinic of Southern California. Smart pills help medical teams capture and unlock mountains of additional data about what’s going on in largely unexplored intestinal tracts. Listen in as Brendan and Dr. Berookim discuss the implications of the smart pill technology and how going from reactive to proactive & preventive care is key to the future health of all humans.

In this episode, Brendan speaks with Dr. Daniel Ackil, Director of Simulation Education and Assistant Professor to the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Vermont Health Network Larner College of Medicine, and Dr. Randy D’Amico, a neurosurgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital at Northwell Health, about the impact virtual reality is having on healthcare today. 

Welcome to Season 2 of ‘That’s Understandable’! In this episode, Brendan welcomes guests Dr. Cartier Esham of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Pam Traxel of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Diane, a cancer survivor in a conversation around drug pricing and medical innovation. 

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is a proactive voice of science and for science that is driving a “bio revolution” to cure patients, protect our climate and nourish humanity. 

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. ACS CAN advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. It engages volunteers throughout the US to advocate at every level of government. 

In the final episode of Season 1, Brendan is joined by Dr. Salvatore Alesci of the National Minority Quality Forum and Karla, a clinical trial participant, for a meaningful conversation on the critical need for diversity among clinical trial participants to ensure treatments are as effective as possible for all patients.


The National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is the largest minority healthcare research, education and advocacy organization in the United States. Its mission is to reduce patient risk of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, disabilities and death, while also improving high-quality, long lives – particularly for the most vulnerable. For more information, please visit nmqf.org.

For more information about clinical trials and your eligibility to participate, please visit clinicaltrials.gov. 

Brendan speaks with Dr. Joshua Thomas, CEO and Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Delaware and Lynett, who is living with lupus to discuss the connection between physical and mental health for people living with chronic conditions.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains mention of self-harm and suicide, which may be triggering to some individuals. If you are in crisis, or you know someone who may be, please contact the 988 Lifeline by dialing 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Everyone’s wellbeing matters. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the US, dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans impacted by mental illness. It is an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and 49 State Organizations working in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education to those in need. For more information or to access the resources referenced in this episode, please visit NAMI.org. 

Brendan has a conversation with AstraZeneca's very own Dr. Rachele Berria and Dr. Carlos Doti to talk about the importance of routine preventive medical screenings and the variety of factors that impact the rates at which individuals receive screenings. 

Brendan speaks with AstraZeneca's very own Chief Sustainability Officer, Pam Cheng, and President of National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Victor Dzau, to discuss the health implications of the climate crisis on the next episode of That’s Understandable. 

• At AstraZeneca, we believe our future depends on the interconnection of healthy people, a healthy society and a healthy planet. Click here to learn more about sustainability at AstraZeneca.
  • OR: To learn more about sustainability at AstraZeneca, visit: https://www.astrazeneca.com/sustainability.html. 
• AstraZeneca, in collaboration with the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and POLITICO Focus, convened a roundtable discussion in June 2023 to identify opportunities to scale public-private action to decarbonize the healthcare sector. 
• Click here to learn more about the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector.