Fixing Healthcare Podcast

As head of the Food and Drug Administration from 1990 to 1997, Dr. David A. Kessler went to war with cigarette companies, approved life-saving HIV/AIDS medications, and introduced consumers to Nutrition Facts. He is the author of several books, including his latest, “Fast Carbs, Slow Carbs: The Simple Truth About Food, Weight, and Disease.” In this interview, Kessler comments on what it will take to end COVID-19, how he handled the pressures of the FDA, and why we shouldn’t overlook the dangers of marijuana or bagels. Here are some of Dr. Kessler’s highlights from Episode 22: On the most promising COVID-19 medications   Without a vaccine, you certainly have the hope for an antiviral before a vaccine. And then the question is what type of antiviral? Is it going to be an antiviral to treat this disease or prevent infection? It would be great to have a prophylactic antiviral. And there are certainly a lot of clinical trials underway. There’s anecdotal information right now. There’s reason to hope that there … may be an existing antiviral or a new antiviral will be able to demonstrate efficacy. On slowing the spread of COVID-19 without a vaccine  I’ve been thinking very hard about this question and the only answer that I can come up with of how to allow people to come out of their homes, out of the sheltering in place, is widespread testing. And the basics of public health, contact tracing, but either serological or virological, we’ll see where we are …  in the absence of a way to treat this virus or prevent this virus, the only thing we have is that we identify those who are infected, and we do that through widespread testing. So I think the answer is testing, testing, testing, and to do what China and South Korea and several other communities have done, identify those who are spreading the virus and protect others from that spread. On the CDC’s COVID-19 testing delays We’re still very much in the midst of this crisis. I think at certain point we will look back and try to sort that out. I certainly have questions about what happened and I don’t think we have the whole story yet, why we lost a number of crucial weeks, if not months, in fighting this virus. I don’t know the whole story, and I don’t think anybody does. I think that’s for some time in the future, once this is behind us. We have to make sure that it doesn’t occur again. On approving new drugs The way the law is written, a drug has to be both safe and effective. It doesn’t have to, under the law, be better than something on the market, right? So. you have to show that your drug works. You have to show your drug works, for example, compared to a placebo. And you have to show that the drug is safe … but generally we don’t require, Congress has never required, relative efficacy to be shown. On his advice for current FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn The job is white heat. There are thousands and thousands and thousands of people who try to influence the agency’s decisions and today, or you could see it play out at the highest levels of government. The administration trying to influence, get this drug to the market, approve this drug, do it immediately. And what you have to do is be willing to put your body on the line and allow the people of the agency to look at the data and to focus on the science and make the best decisions they know how to do. And your job is to protect that decision-making process. On handling the pressures of the FDA In the same breath, reporters can write that the agency is either acting too fast and not taking safety into consideration or too slow and holding up important drugs. I think we’ve developed probably the most sophisticated drug regulatory system in the world. I think we are as fast as any country in the world and yet I have tried to maintain rigorous standards. That doesn’t mean FDA doesn’t a mess up. It does do that sometimes. READ: Full transcript of our discussion with David A. Kessler * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn.  The post Episode 22: Former FDA commissioner on ending the COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

For prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals, the retraction of an article is an incredibly rare event. Last week, it happened twice: in The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. Both articles examined the effects of potential COVID-19 treatments and, following publication, had both an immediate and a significant influence on healthcare delivery in the United States. The data, it turned out, was suspect at best and fraudulent at worst. With egg on their face, the editors of these journals faced a barrage of questions. Chief among them: How did this happen? In episode 13 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the contentious debate over the research of possible COVID-19 cures, along with the following subjects: [00:48] What are the most important coronavirus news highlights from last week?    [06:24] Why did two of the most prestigious medical journals to retract articles tied to coronavirus treatments? [10:51] What does it mean that reports of child abuse are down during the pandemic? Will schools give in to pressures to reopen this fall? [12:12] Will protesters, many marching in close proximity without masks, suffer higher rates of  coronavirus infections? [15:08] With air travel picking up, what are risks for those choosing to fly? What’s the safest seat on an airplane? [16:32] How optimistic should we be about an effective coronavirus treatment coming soon? What do “promising findings” really mean?   [18:47] As the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gains momentum, what is the nation learning about the populations most affected by the coronavirus? [20:55] Few people in America’s heartland are wearing masks or social distancing. Why? [23:38] As co-host of a podcast on the coronavirus, how’s Jeremy feeling about his son returning to daycare this week? [25:16] Listener question: “What do we know now about how the coronavirus is transmitted and has the risk been overrated?” [27:00] Listener question: “I can’t stand my kids not seeing their grandfather for another month. How can I minimize the risk of harming dad?” This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.   *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #13: Can we trust scientific research in the era of COVID-19? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Recent demonstrations and violence sparked by the death of George Floyd are “like a river,” as Dr. Robert Pearl puts it, with many streams coming together to form a powerful current. Floyd’s preventable death at the hands of Minneapolis police is the most recent stream. Others go back much farther. They include systemic racism and generations of unfair treatment by law enforcement. There is yet another source to this river, which is health-related. Though the coronavirus does not see color, it does reveal the disastrous health consequences of racial, social and economic inequality in the United States. Currently, the mortality rate for people of color is more than double that of America’s white population. Meanwhile, research has found that poverty and inequality can exacerbate rates of transmission and mortality. In episode 12 of Coronavirus: The Truth, co-hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine the difficult truths of racial and income inequality during the coronavirus pandemic: [00:55] What coronavirus news popped up in the past week? [07:24] Why does the coronavirus hit African-American and low-income households hardest? [13:07] Will the protests and riots result in spikes of coronavirus cases? [14:29] What’s the latest on the Moderna vaccine and Remdesivir treatment? [17:18] How can church congregants reduce the risks of worshiping together? [23:22] What might school (elementary, high school and universities) like in the fall? [26:18] What do we know about the possibility of getting re-infected after recovering from the coronavirus? [27:32] Will Americans tolerate daily testing/monitoring as a condition of coming back to work? And will employers be held accountable for public safety? [28:55] Should the public be concerned about mutations of the coronavirus? [31:50] How is the “middle game” of the U.S. coronavirus response going? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. If you have coronavirus questions for the hosts, please visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest.   The post #12: How does racial inequality fuel the coronavirus crisis? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

The past week brought promising news from Moderna, a biotech company that announced the results of its early vaccine trials—an announcement that sent the firm’s stock price up 30%. However, it didn’t take long for the company to receive intense backlash from the scientific community for refusing to release all its testing data. Is Moderna simply trying to maintain an advantage over its competitors or are the company’s results less promising than indicated during its massive media event? And what about drug maker Gilead Sciences, which U.S. doctors and scientists say is withholding data about the antiviral drug remdesivir and its use in treating COVID-19. In episode 11 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr separate reality from hype in the development of coronavirus vaccines and medications.  [00:58] What are the most recent and relevant facts concerning the coronavirus pandemic? [03:50] The CDC reported one-third of people infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). What does that mean for our hopes of corralling the virus? [07:45] What were the results of Moderna’s initial COVID-19 vaccine trials?  [16:32] Is it possible Americans could have a mass produced vaccine ready as early as October? [18:56] What are the two biggest threats facing businesses right now?   [20:28] How are doctors and hospitals faring during the COVID-19 pandemic? [22:51] A company in Iowa is manufacturing face shields as an alternative to masks. Good idea? Bad idea? [24:43] Will patients continue to seek virtual medical care once the pandemic ends?   [25:55] Why are some store owners opting to remaining closed when states are urging them to reopen? [27:27] Is it true that the coronavirus mortality rate varies by race and socioeconomics? If you enjoyed last week’s “practical survival guide to COVID-19” tune in next week for part two, when Robert and Jeremy will answer the rest of the listener questions they received. If you have coronavirus questions you’d like the hosts to discuss next week, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn.   This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #11: Is a COVID-19 vaccine almost ready? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Looking over the horizon of the current coronavirus pandemic, it’s hard to get a clear picture of the “new normal” everyone seems to be talking about. As Dr. Robert Pearl wrote in his latest Forbes column, health experts continue to debate the timeline for an effective coronavirus vaccine while financial experts continue to debate the best course for reopening the nation’s economy. In episode 10 of Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and his co-host Jeremy Corr examine the possibilities for a “new normal” in the near future. To do so, they look at successes and failures of other nations’ recovery efforts so far, break down the biggest opportunities and threats facing American patients and businesses, and dive into the latest on congressional stimulus efforts: [00:59] What major coronavirus updates emerge from the past week? [03:31] What’s the difference between isolation and quarantine? [04:29] Sweden imposed only minimal restrictions on businesses and kept its schools open. What were the results and what can the U.S. learn? [06:56] South Korea responded quickly and aggressively early on to contain the virus. So why did the country close down businesses again last week? [08:35] Based on current facts, what will the “new normal” look like in spring 2021? [10:00] How big is the mental health threat of sheltering in place? [12:06] What were the three biggest failures of the U.S. coronavirus response? [14:52] Why isn’t saliva-based (oral) testing getting more attention on a national level? [17:23] When will we have all of the answers about the coronavirus? [22:59] From a sales and marketing perspective, will the majority of small businesses need shift to an eCommerce strategy? [24:56] The House just passed a $3 trillion bailout bill: What’s its fate and what difference would it make If you have questions you’d like the hosts to discuss on a future episode, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #10: What will the ‘new normal’ look like next year based on current facts? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Each week, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr receive dozens of questions from friends, colleagues and listeners. Most questions are about practical, everyday concerns. “Can my son visit his girlfriend?” “Should I (finally) get a professional haircut?” “Do I need to wear a mask every time I step outside?” “Will my favorite restaurants bounce back from this?” With so much disinformation and opinion causing so much confusion in the United States, this episode is dedicated to the practical realities of the coronavirus and what the facts mean for our daily lives going forward. In episode 9 of ‘Coronavirus: The Truth, Robert and Jeremy offer listeners a medical and financial survival guide to COVID-19, with answers to these questions and more: [01:14] Could a healthy 20- or 30-something person safely go to a bar now? [03:47] Should I be wearing a mask everywhere I go? At the park? The grocery store? [06:04] When can my kids safely go back to the playground or daycare? [08:49] What about haircuts? When and how can I get back to the barbershop or salon? [11:38] Will restaurants rebound and survive the phased reopening strategies in most states? [15:42] Is it a good sign that so many “emergency field hospitals” are shutting down? [18:34] Will there be a second wave and how bad will it be? [21:05] Aren’t we likelier to die from driving our cars to work than from COVID-19? [26:25] Will more Americans take vaccines more seriously going forward? [27:32] How should we decide the order of who gets a COVID-19 vaccine? [29:11] Will it take 10-12 years to return the U.S. economy to its pre-coronavirus state as some financial experts predict? Have we made the cure worse than the disease? If you have any practical, medical or economical coronavirus questions you’d like the hosts to discuss, visit the contact page or send us a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #9: A practical survival guide to COVID-19 appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

John Sculley, the former CEO of PepsiCo and Apple, now has his “head in the cloud” as chairman of the Boston-based health-tech company RxAdvance. In this, the fourth season of Fixing Healthcare, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr are focused on spotlighting big ideas and the people behind them. Sculley, who grew Apple’s sales from $800 million to $8 billion, believes the legacy players in today’s healthcare system will be disrupted by new entrants who will focus on empowering consumers to make better health decisions. In this episode, Sculley answers the following questions about his career, his passion for healthcare and the future of American medicine: How did Steve Jobs convince Sculley to take over as Apple’s CEO? How is Apple different today from the company they built in the ‘80s and ‘90s? Why haven’t any healthcare technologies been able to lower healthcare costs and improve patient health on a national level? What makes the culture special at companies like Apple? Which technology will have the single biggest impact on healthcare in the next five to 10 years? Why are prescription drugs so expensive and what’s the solution? What’s going to motivate Americans to lose weight and lower the risk of diabetes? What will become of Haven, the healthcare startup that combines Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase? Is it possible to get doctors to view the people they care for as consumers rather than patients? What’s holding back disruptive innovation in U.S. healthcare? How do consumers go about separating the hype from the reality of new healthcare technologies? Are tech companies scared by the major legal risks that exist in healthcare? READ: Full transcript of our discussion with John Sculley * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple Podcasts or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post Episode 21: Ex-Apple CEO talks tech and the rise of the healthcare consumer appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

“I find this study to be one of the most encouraging since this pandemic began,” says Dr. Robert Pearl, referring to research out of Yale that confirms new saliva-based testing for COVID-19 is not only less painful and less intrusive than the widely used nasal swab, but also more consistently accurate in detecting the coronavirus. What’s more, these oral tests can be self-administered whereas nasal testing requires a clinical professional to insert six-inch swab deep into the nasal passage. At present, both must be completed at an approved, public testing site. However, scientists are determining whether saliva testing could be approved for in-home use. As politicians and health experts push for more testing in hopes of containing the pandemic, could a more convenient testing alternative prove to be a game-changer in the fight against coronavirus? In episode 8 of ‘Coronavirus: The Truth, Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss this and other recent developments: [00:50] What are the most important COVID-19 updates of the past week? [02:22] Are we reopening the country too quickly or not quickly enough? [03:34] What do the latest corporate-earnings reports say about the impact of COVID-19? [04:54] Remdesivir: boom or bust as an effective coronavirus medication? [06:48] A national thinktank predicts the pandemic will last another 12 to 24 months. True? [08:59] What should people make of the latest unemployment and GDP numbers? [11:25] Which COVID-19 symptoms just got added the CDC’s list? Are more to come? [12:53] Will saliva testing be a game-changer in our fight against the pandemic? [16:20] Why has Germany been so successful in containing the virus? [18:11] How will we protect seniors and people with chronic diseases going forward? [19:30] When and how can in-person church services safely resume? [23:54] Why aren’t businesses willing to bail out hospitals and health insurers? [26:52] Will healthcare undergo a much-needed technological overhaul after the pandemic? [29:00] Which parts of the country are reopening the right way? [30:48] Approximately 3 million people have read this coronavirus article. What’s the appeal? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. To submit a question or comment to the hosts, visit the contact page or send a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #8: Testing, testing: Which COVID-19 test is best? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

Dr. Robert Pearl, co-host of this show, struck a chord this week with his most recent Forbes column, “3 Coronavirus Facts Americans Must Know Before Returning To Work,” which quickly shot to No. 1 on the site’s “most popular” list, garnering more than 1 million views. His article offers a full-throated plea for politicians, business owners and workers to embrace the facts surrounding COVID-19 so that we can understand what will happen when our nation eases social-distancing restrictions. This episode examines the latest plans to reopen the country and the health implications of getting Americans back to work. In episode 7 of ‘Coronavirus: The Truth,’ Dr. Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss these pressing questions: [00:53] What are the most important COVID-19 updates? [01:52] Why are nursing homes so disproportionately affected by the virus? [04:04] In what way is U.S. healthcare still vulnerable in the fight against COVID-19? [05:53] Has anyone pitched a viable strategy available to end the pandemic? [09:06] Does Congress have plan to revive the economy and keep us safe? [11:26] VP Pence said the U.S. is prepared for a second wave. Are we? [12:21] What should Americans know and do before returning to work? [16:44] Who was the first COVID-19 fatality in the U.S. and what can she teach us? [18:52] With 43% of small businesses closed, how long can owners stay afloat? [21:28] Can public surveillance keep Americans safe from another outbreak? [23:39] What painful economic truths await us in the months ahead? [26:36] What healthcare improvements can we expect, post-pandemic? [28:15] Are people immune from future infection once recovered from COVID-19? [30:42] What has surprised physicians about the coronavirus? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. To submit a question or comment to the hosts, visit the contact page or send a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #7: Is it time to get back to work? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

It was a big week for science in our nation’s ongoing quest to better understand and combat the coronavirus pandemic. Researchers from Stanford University released findings from a study indicating that far more Americans may have already developed antibodies for COVID-19 than previous thought. What might this research reveal about the death rate of the virus and the potential to reopen our economy quickly? Also this past week, a mysterious video from the University of Chicago surfaced in which doctors discussed some promising (but not-yet-published) results from an anti-viral drug called remdesivir. It’s maker, Gilead, saw its stock price soar, but scientists are quick to call out the study’s red flags. What are Americans supposed to make of these scientific findings? In episode 6 of ‘Coronavirus: The Truth, hosts Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss these pressing questions and the following: [00:54] What are the most important COVID-19 updates from the past week? [02:12] What do scientists know now about the coronavirus that they didn’t a month ago? [05:45] The anti-viral drug remdesivir is getting a lot of attention. What’s the catch? [08:51] How would Trump’s plan for reopening the country work? What about local/regional plans? [12:22] Why do some people test positive for COVID-19 even after they’ve recovered? [13:49] Why aren’t grocery shelves fully restocked yet? What’s happening with the U.S. supply chain? [15:14] Is the media’s coverage of the virus scientifically accurate? [16:25] People have begun protesting coronavirus restrictions. Do they have a valid point? [20:03] How safely and swiftly can we reopen the country? [25:40] What has been most surprising about this pandemic? This episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms. To submit a question or comment to the hosts, visit the contact page or send a message on Twitter or LinkedIn. *To ensure the credibility of this program, Coronavirus: The Truth refuses to accept sponsorship, outside funding sources or guests with any financial or personal conflicts of interest. The post #6: What did scientists learn this week? appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.