Public Health On Call

Epizodai

• A New School of Public Health is Coming to Detroit 02.07.2026 15min

  About this episode:   Established in 1868 as a medical school, Wayne State University has championed decades of community-engaged research and interventions in the Detroit community and throughout the state of Michigan. That work will soon take center stage with a new school of public health. In this episode: Bernard Costello, who oversees the institution's health sciences enterprise, explains why now is the right time for a devoted public health curriculum and how a university goes about starting a new school. Guest:  Bernard Costello, MD, DMD, is senior vice president for health affairs at Wayne State University, where he oversees the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and development of the emerging school of public health. 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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  New public health school emerging at Wayne State University—WDET How Karmanos is Partnering with Communities Against Cancer and How You Can Get Involved—Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Healthcare Occupations—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Right-Sizing Traffic Enforcement for Safer Roadways 01.07.2026 19min

  About this episode:   The U.S. stands out among peer countries for having the worst rate of traffic deaths. Approaching this issue from a public health angle can help to make roadways safer by focusing on population-level interventions rather than directing resources towards policing "bad apple" individuals. In this episode: Tiffany Joyce Smith, lead author of a new report on the role of enforcement in road safety, explains the value of a proactive approach to preventing crashes versus a reactive one. Guest:  Tiffany Joyce Smith, MPH, is a public health and mobility expert and program advisor with the Vision Zero Network. 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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  Right-Sizing the Role of Traffic Enforcement: Prioritizing Effective, Cost-Efficient and Equitable Improvements to Road Safety—Vision Zero Network Money Drove Criminal Justice System In Ferguson, DOJ Report Says—NPR The Surprising Benefits of Narrower Traffic Lanes—Public Health On Call (November 2023) Why Are So Many Pedestrians Getting Struck and Killed By Cars, and Why Aren't We Doing More To Stop It?—Public Health On Call (July 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Find Organ Donors 29.06.2026 16min

  About this episode:   Individuals awaiting organ transplants are often encouraged to reach out to family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to ask if they will consider becoming a living organ donor. As social media expands our reach beyond our immediate communities, it could become a powerful tool in connecting recipients with donors. In this episode: Macey Levan, a kidney donor and researcher, explains why social media can be so useful in forging life-saving connections and what to consider when making the ask of an online community.  Guest:  Macey Levan, PhD, JD, is an associate professor of surgery and population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She also serves as director of policy and external affairs for the Transplant Institute and director of the qualitative core in the Center for Surgical and Transplant Applied Research.  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:  Social Media in the Identification of Living Kidney Donors: Platforms, Tools, and Strategies—Current Transplantation Reports  Social media and organ donation: Ethically navigating the next frontier—American Journal of Transplantation  Kidney Donation: How to Make the Ask—National Kidney Foundation  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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Animal Diseases and Human Health: The Sloth and Screwworm Episode 25.06.2026 21min

  About this episode:   Headlines about sick sloths in Florida and the reemergence of the New World screwworm in the southwest are raising concerns about potential animal-to-human spillover of certain diseases. In this episode: an update on gammaherpesvirus at Sloth World, why experts are concerned about new screwworm cases, and what both of these situations may mean for human health. Guest:  Dr. Meghan Davis, PhD, MPH, is a veterinarian and chair of the Master of Public Health program 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:  Mass Sloth Deaths in Florida Are a Warning About Wildlife Trade and Pandemic Risk, Scientists Say—Inside Climate News USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States—USDA Could One Health Prevent the Next Pandemic?—Public Health On Call (September 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• The Ethics of Including Pregnant People in Clinical Trials 24.06.2026 16min

  About this episode:   Research on the potential impacts of certain medications, vaccines, and interventions on pregnant people and their fetuses is lacking. Much of this is due to culturally perceived risks associated with pregnancy and fears of litigation. In this episode: Ruth Faden, an expert in bioethics, explains how this gap in data can fuel other risks and how to ethically and responsibly include pregnant people in clinical trials. Note: This conversation builds on a recent episode of playing god?, the podcast from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Listen to that episode here. Guest:  Ruth Faden, PhD, MPH, is the Philip Franklin Wagley Professor of Biomedical Ethics and the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.  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:  Two Bodies, One Prescription—playing god? COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The second wave: Toward responsible inclusion of pregnant women in research—International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Medication Use During Pregnancy—Public Health On Call (October 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Two Federal Changes to Support Children and Families in the Foster Care System 22.06.2026 14min

  About this episode:   Data from 2025 shows that over 300,000 children are living in foster care in the United States. The Administration for Children and Families—the federal agency that oversees child welfare programs—aims to keep more children out of the system and with their families. In this episode: a conversation with Assistant Secretary Alex Adams about recent changes to grants and policies that seek to support families affected by substance use and reform practices around survivor benefits for children who have lost their parents.  Guest:  Alex Adams, PharmD, MPH, is the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, leading the Administration for Children and Families. 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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Prevention—The Imprint Former Idaho official ended state taking foster kid's Social Security money. Are other states next?—Idaho Capital Sun A Home for Every Child—Administration for Children and Families The AFCARS Dashboard—Administration for Children and Families 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Juneteenth: Celebration, Reflection, and Recommitment with Janice Bowie 18.06.2026 10min

  About this episode:   Juneteenth is a holiday that asks Americans to balance celebration with the continued pursuit of freedom and equality. In this classic episode from 2022: Professor Janice Bowie talks about the meaning of Juneteenth and issues a call to reflect and recommit to championing progress within our own communities.   Guest:  Janice Bowie, PhD, MPH, is professor emeritus in Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.   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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  Juneteeth: Sun, Sounds and the Spirit of Freedom—Smithsonian Institution  Juneteenth National Independence Day Act—Congress.gov  Where Research Meets the Street—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine  The Concepts Behind the Language of Equity—Public Health On Call (February 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• A New Test for Lyme Disease, Developed by High Schoolers 17.06.2026 11min

  About this episode:   A group of students from suburban Atlanta has developed a new method for detecting Lyme disease using the gene-editing tool CRISPR. In this episode: why there's such a desperate need for a new diagnostic, how the students' model works, and why it's so promising for the treatment of Lyme and other diseases.  Guest:  Nicole Baumgarth, PhD, DVM, is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and the director of the Lyme and Tickborne Disease Research and Education Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Sankalp Yeleti is a recent graduate of Lambert High School and a rising freshman at New York University, where he plans to study biomolecular science.  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:  Teens may have come up with a new way to detect, treat Lyme disease using CRISPR gene editing—CBS News  Lancet—Lambert iGEM 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• The Rise of "Big Wellness" 15.06.2026 15min

  About this episode:   The wellness industry covers everything from fitness to biohacking, yoga to peptides, and it's backed by culturally and financially powerful players. In this episode: a new paper in the Milbank Quarterly covers how social media fuels the industry's proliferation, the growing skepticism of traditional medicine that allows it to thrive, and the tension between the concepts of wellness and public health. Guest:  Nancy Karreman, PhD, is a researcher of public health interventions at the University of Cambridge.  Nason Maani, PhD, MPH, is a senior lecturer in inequalities and global health policy at the University of Edinburgh.  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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  The Political Economy of Wellness: Commercial Determinants of a Burgeoning Industry—Millbank Quarterly  The Outlook on Direct-to-Consumer Health Care—Public Health On Call (February 2026)  Dietitian Influencers On Social Media Are Being Paid By the Food Industry to Promote Products and Messages—Public Health On Call (October 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• The Race for a Bundibugyo Ebolavirus Vaccine 11.06.2026 16min

  About this episode:   Vaccines for the Zaire ebolavirus have been licensed since 2019, but no such treatment exists for the current outbreak of Bundibugyo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this episode: Anna Durbin, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research, introduces listeners to three candidate vaccines and discusses the hurdles to deploying new treatments.  Guest:  Dr. Anna Durbin is a professor of International Health and the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research.  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:  Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears—BBC  USAID's closure led to 'entirely preventable' deaths, latest Ebola outbreak: House Dem report—The Hill  HHS confirms Americans with high-risk Ebola exposures will have access to experimental therapy—STAT  Regeneron's Ebola Antibody Recommended by World Health Organization for Investigational Use in Response to Current Bundibugyo Ebolavirus Outbreak—Regeneron  What Will It Take to Contain the Central Africa Ebola Outbreak?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health  The Use of Investigational Drugs in an Outbreak: Separating Science and Politics With Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19—Public Health On Call (May 2020) 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• An Unlikely Alliance to Lower Healthcare Costs 10.06.2026 17min

  About this episode:   Two health policy experts could not disagree more about the Affordable Care Act. Yet they're working together to tackle what they see as a root cause of unaffordability. In this episode: A 1954 change to federal tax code made employer-provided health benefits tax-free, incentivizing employers to cover workers' health insurance—but this policy is one explanation for high healthcare costs for Americans today.  Guests:  Michael F. Cannon, JM, MA, is the director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute.  Elizabeth Fowler, PhD, JD, is a distinguished scholar in Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009.  Show links and related content:  This policy is at the root of unaffordable health care—Washington Post  The New Reality Facing Medicare, Medicaid, and the ACA—Public Health On Call (August 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• What We Must Learn From Ebola—A "Disease of Compassion" 08.06.2026 23min

  About this episode:   Dr. Craig Spencer became sick with Ebola while treating patients in West Africa in 2014. He ultimately recovered at a treatment center back in the United States before returning to Guinea to continue his work. In this episode: he talks about what scares him about the current Ebola outbreak, what it's like to treat the disease on the ground, and what lessons he fears we still haven't learned about this "disease of compassion."   Guest:  Dr. Craig Spencer, MPH, is an emergency medicine physician, public health researcher, and associate professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University 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:  I Survived Ebola. This Is What Scares Me Most About This Outbreak.—The New York Times  Is The U.S. Stepping Up In The Fight Against Ebola?—KFF  HHS confirms Americans with high-risk Ebola exposures will have access to experimental therapy—STAT  White House resisted letting doctor with Ebola return to U.S.—Washington Post  Guinea families transport bodies in public taxis—Associated Press  Protests against US Ebola facility in Kenya turn deadly—ABC News  An Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa—Public Health On Call (May 2026)  The Use of Investigational Drugs in an Outbreak: Separating Science and Politics With Hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19—Public Health On Call (May 2020)  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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• How College Campuses Can Support Students in Recovery 04.06.2026 16min

  About this episode:   Recovering from a substance use disorder while in college is a unique challenge mired by stigma and social pressures to drink or use drugs. But collegiate interventions for young adults can change the trajectory and even save lives. In this episode: Noel Vest, an addiction recovery researcher, explains what makes a good collegiate recovery program and why now is a great time for higher education institutions to expand support for students.   Guest:  Noel Vest, PhD, is an assistant professor of community health sciences at the Boston University 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:  Drug recovery is now US national policy. Campuses need to step up—Times Higher Education  ADDRESSING ADDICTION THROUGH THE GREAT AMERICAN RECOVERY INITIATIVE—The White House  Association of Recovery in Higher Education  What is SAFE Campuses?—SAFE Project  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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• Violence Against Healthcare in Conflict: 2025 Report 03.06.2026 14min

  About this episode: An annual report from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition assesses attacks on healthcare facilities and workers in conflict. In this episode: the implications for international humanitarian law as drone warfare surges, state forces increasingly perpetrate attacks, and cuts to foreign aid exacerbate healthcare gaps. Guest: Joe Amon, PhD, MSPH, is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights. 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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009. Show links and related content: Care in the Crosshairs: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025—Safeguarding Health in Conflict Rethinking Humanitarian Health—Public Health On Call (May 2026) Violence Against Health Care in Conflict: 2024 Report—Public Health On Call (June 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• The Legal Challenges Facing Mifepristone 01.06.2026 19min

  About this episode: In May, the Supreme Court issued an order preserving access to the abortion medication mifepristone by telemedicine—for now. In this episode: a breakdown of Louisiana v. FDA and other cases involving mifepristone as legal and political battles continue after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Guest: Joanne Rosen, JD, MA, is an expert in public health law and a co-director of the Center for Law and the Public's Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 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. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009. Show links and related content: Louisiana v. FDA: Access to Mifepristone Back at the Supreme Court—KFF What Is Mifepristone, aka "The Abortion Pill"?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health How the FDA Regulates Mifepristone, "the Abortion Pill"—Public Health On Call (February 2026) 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• 1057 - Five Baltimore Health Commissioners Walk into an Auditorium 22.05.2026 41min

  About this episode: In the city of Baltimore, the health department works to prevent overdose, reduce violence, provide vaccinations, inspect restaurants, and so much more. In this episode: Host Stephanie Desmon leads a panel discussion with five Baltimore City Commissioners of Health who collectively served over three decades. They swap stories and speak candidly about the challenges and opportunities of the role. Guests: Dr. Peter Beilenson, MPH, is a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Kreiger School of Arts & Sciences. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 1992 to 2005. Dr. Letitia Dzirasa is the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services with the City of Baltimore. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2019 to 2023. Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. He served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2005 to 2009. Dr. Michelle Taylor, DrPH, MPA, is the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health. She also serves in the Tennessee Air National Guard, and she previously led operations at the Shelby County Health Department. Dr. Leana S. Wen, MSc, is a physician and professor of health policy and management at George Washington University. She served as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health from 2014 to 2018. 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: Health Commissioner Michelle Taylor is Betting on Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 2026) Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—Public Health On Call (November 2025) Baltimore's Back-to-Back Mass Overdoses—Public Health On Call (September 2025) B'More for Healthy Babies: A Look Back at 15 Years of Infant Mortality Reduction in Baltimore—Public Health On Call (May 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• 1056 - An Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa 21.05.2026 13min

  About this episode: A deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has been declared a global public health emergency by WHO. In this episode: infectious disease epidemiologist Emily Gurley explains why this outbreak is particularly concerning for a region managing existing crises and how public health systems are working to contain transmission and treat patients. Guest: Emily S. Gurley, PhD, MPH, is a professor in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she focuses on infectious disease and outbreak investigation. 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: WHO declares major outbreak of rare Ebola virus species an international emergency—Science US Imposes Ebola Travel Restrictions as CDC Says Risk Remains Low—Newsweek What else to know: The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa will be challenging to control, but decades of experience will help—The Uptake  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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• 1055 - Rethinking Humanitarian Health 19.05.2026 22min

  About this episode: A new report from the CHH-Lancet Commission on Health, Conflict, and Forced Displacement establishes a new blueprint for humanitarian health, including giving more agency to impacted communities. In this episode: Dr. Paul Spiegel, chair of the commission, details the fundamentals of the report and the dire need for a more effective approach to helping people in desperate need at a time of escalating conflict. Guest: Dr. Paul Spiegel is a physician, epidemiologist, and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Spiegel has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years. 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: Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health–Lancet Commission on health, conflict, and forced displacement: health in a world of crises and impunity—CHH-Lancet Commission on Health, Conflict, and Forced Displacement Humanitarian Health in Gaza and Beyond—Public Health On Call (June 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• 1054 - Interview With a Graduate: A Newly Minted DrPH in Louisiana 19.05.2026 15min

  About this episode: It's graduation time at the Bloomberg School! In this episode: New graduate Della Wright shares how a passion for community engagement and a drive to sharpen her skills steered her towards public health, and how a DrPH degree is supercharging her work bringing researchers and communities together to protect the environment. Guest: Della Wright, DrPH, MPH, is a Bloomberg Fellow and the director of evaluation at the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. 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: Get to Know Della Wright—Bloomberg American Health Initiative HBCU-CBO Gulf Equity Consortium—Deep South Center for Environmental Justice 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.
• 1053 - Health Commissioner Michelle Taylor is Betting on Baltimore 18.05.2026 17min

  About this episode: Not even a year into her job as the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health, Dr. Michelle Taylor is balancing leading a diverse team with tackling major public health issues. In this episode: She speaks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein, who served as commissioner from 2005 to 2009, about what drew her to Baltimore, her early priority initiatives, and how she applies her public health training to her new role. Guest: Dr. Michelle Taylor, DrPH, MPA, is the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health. She also serves in the Tennessee Air National Guard, and she previously led operations at the Shelby County Health Department. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former Baltimore health commissioner and secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: The Commissioner: A Q&A With Michelle Taylor—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine Baltimore's Record Low in Homicides—Public Health On Call (November 2025) Healing City Baltimore: How A City Is Responding to A Mental Health Crisis—Public Health On Call (February 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 @‌PublicHealthPod 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.