America Dissected (Incision Media LLC)

The pandemic reminds us that when it comes to health, there’s so much more out there to understand. Every week, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and former city health commissioner, is joined by leading doctors, scientists, culturemakers, and policy leaders, to dissect the trends shaping our health. New episodes out every Tuesday, starting Tuesday 5/4. Subscribe now.

Public Health was on the ballot in the 2022 midterm elections — and public health won! Abdul reflects on the politics of public health. He sits down with de Beaumont Foundation President & CEO and former Georgia State Health Director Dr. Brian Castrucci to break down the biggest public health victories — and challenges — coming out of the midterms.

 Tuberculosis is one of the worst murderers in the history of the world. It remains that way today — even though we have diagnostics and treatments that should have helped to decimate it. The challenge? The greed of the corporations that hold those technologies hostage to fees that low-income people and countries can’t afford. Abdul reflects on the disease of poverty. He interviews bestselling author and YouTuber John Green about his quest to mobilize his platform to hold those corporations accountable.  

America’s healthcare system is broken — not because someone broke it, but because it was built haphazardly to begin with. But why was it built that way? A recent episode of NPR’s “Throughline” podcast, which “goes back in time to understand the present” explored how a series of choices throughout the 20th century doomed us to our current system. Abdul sits down with their hosts, Ramtin Arabloui and Rund Abdelfattah to explore those choices and the system they’ve left us with now.

People of color, and particularly Black folks, suffer higher rates of disease in America. That has less to do with anything about personal characteristics — like genetics or behaviors — and more to do with the way society treats people because of the color of their skin. In her new book “Under the Skin,” health journalist Linda Villarosa explores how racism gets under the skin. She sat down with Abdul to talk about that — and what we do about it.

In less than four months, more than 25,000 people have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of devastation. Abdul reflects on how the way we talk about this will shape how the international community values human life. Then he interviews Dr. Tanya Haj-Hasan, a pediatric intensive care doctor with Doctors without Borders and creator of the social medial channel “Gaza Medic Voices.”

Recently, the FDA approved a genetic test for opioid use disorder despite clear opposition from scientists and the FDA advisory panel that had reviewed the evidence. The case demonstrates the space where Pharma’s incentive may drive innovation that may not help–or worse, cause harm. Abdul reflects on how genetic essentialism and the wrong incentives can reinforce each other. Than he speaks with Dr. Elizabeth Joniak-Grant, a sociologist and patient advocate who voted against the genetic test. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation invites you to sign up for their new Summer School program at caseygrants.org/summerschool. Henson Shaving invites you to find the razor that will last you a lifetime. Go to https://hensonshaving.com and enter AD at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase. (Note: you must add both the 100-blade pack and the razor for the discount to apply.) Blueland invites you to celebrate Plastic Free July with up to 25% off your Blueland order. Go to Blueland.com/america now for your special limited time offer.

The anti-abortion movement notched a terrible win six weeks ago. But reasserting the right to a safe, legal abortion nationwide forces us to go back in time and understand the opposition. Abdul sits down with Prof. Karissa Haugeberg, a historian of the anti-abortion movement, to understand how it formed–and what it will take to fight back.

The pandemic didn’t change everything–it just made everything weird. From declining trust in institutions to the growing power of Big Tech on our lives, we are struggling to deal with the world as it’s become. Abdul reflects on the long tail of the pandemic. Then he sits down with New York TImes columnist David Wallace-Wells to talk about post-pandemic “medical libertarianism,” social media and teen mental health, and the impact of the pandemic on the foundations of our lives. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their new Summer School program at caseygrants.org/summerschool.

For more than half of the adults alive, pelvic exams are among the most dreaded parts of getting healthcare. That’s not to mention the troublesome history of how they came to be a part of standard medical practice. Abdul reflects on the gender imbalance in medical innovation. Then he speaks with author and historian Prof. Wendy Kline, author of the new book “Exposed: The Hidden History of the Pelvic Exam” about the procedure’s history, present use, and future. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation: Sign up for their new Summer School program at CaseyGrants.org/SummerSchool. Blueland: Reinvent cleaning essentials to be better for you and the planet, with the same powerful clean you’re used to. Right now, get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/america.

Another school shooting, more thoughts and prayers. But maybe this time its different. Abdul talks about the way that school shootings have shaped the lives, fears, and anxieties of a whole generation of young people. Then he sits down with John Woodrow Cox, author of “Children under Fire,” to talk about the blast radius of gun violence among children.

Sharing an episode of the podcast Reclaimed. It centers on a group of Americans who’ve been denied a basic human right: water. I’m talking about the Navajo people. More than one-third of households in the Navajo Nation do not have access to clean water. Right now, there’s a landmark bill in front of Congress that could change this — but it took more than 150 years to get here. “Reclaimed” takes you back to the very beginning when the Navajo reservation was first created. And it reveals the history of oppression and exclusion that led the Navajo to this point — and why their future is still uncertain. You can listen to more episodes of Reclaimed at https://abcaudio.com/podcasts/reclaimed-navajo-nation/

Abdul introduces America Dissected’s new co-host: Dr. Katelyn Jetelina. He and Katelyn break down “Make America Healthy Again,” Project 2025, and what it will take to protect the institutions of public health and healthcare over the next 4 years. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation: Join the MCF Book Club at CaseyGrants.org/BookClub. Lumen: If you want to stay on track with your health this holiday season, head to http://lumen.me/AD for 15% off your purchase.

Decades of public health efforts turned America’s young people against smoking. And then JUUL made it cool again. Abdul speaks with Lauren Etter, author of “The Devil’s Playbook,” about how a tool designed to help people quit hooked a whole new generation to nicotine. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Were we set up to fail? And how does our failure affect the most vulnerable people in society? Abdul reflects on the nature of prevention itself. He speaks with Prof. Sandro Galea, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health and author of the new book “The Contagion Next Time.” For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Our health is inevitably tied to the health of our planet. At COP26, the world’s leaders tried to save it—but did they do enough? We speak to Prof. Jisung Park, an environmental economist, about how climate change is shaping inequality, and about what we hoped for and what we got from COP26. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

The movement to legalize cannabis has marked some major wins, helping us better understand its benefits and addressing the way it's been used to systematically over-police and incarcerate Black and brown people. And yet cannabis is big business, as venture-backed companies have swooped in to monetize newly legal cannabis, putting their bottom line ahead of public health concerns. Abdul talks to Prof. David Jernigan, author of a new book on the public health implications of cannabis. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Because of an accident of history, we think of our teeth as being wholly separate from the rest of our bodies. They even have different doctors. But teeth really are the entryway to the body, and the state of oral health in America says a lot about our inequities in general. Abdul talks to Mary Otto, journalist and author of Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America. Abdul also offers his perspective on the current COVID-19 surge and the new Omicron variant. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Omicron has now made landfall in the US. We are learning more about the variant every day—good, bad, and ugly. We turn to Dr. Angie Rasmussen, America Dissected’s resident virologist to get into the nitty-gritty and help us understand what it means for us and the future of the pandemic. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Imagine someone could patent your arm, or your mouth. Well, for a long time, someone could patent a part of the human body, a DNA sequence. That all ended in 2013 with a landmark supreme court case. But it illustrates how science, business, and law intersect—in ways that shape our health today. Abdul speaks with Prof. Jose Contreras, Law Professor and Author of the new book, The Genome Defense. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has promised action on President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, a sweeping package of legislation that would transform the American social experience. Along with critically important investments like universal childcare and paid family leave, the version that passed the House includes a slew of healthcare reforms. Abdul speaks to Jonathan Cohn, National Correspondent at HuffPost, and author of The Ten Year War, about the fight over protecting the Affordable Care Act, about the potential impact of the legislation. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Abdul and Guest Host Tre’vell Anderson answer everything you wanted to know (and maybe didn’t know you wanted to know) about public health, COVID-19, and the year ahead. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Marginalized communities–including low-income and Black and brown folks, and women and LGBT people–are less likely to have reliable healthcare access in America. But it’s not just that, they’re less likely to have treatments tailored to the health challenges they’re more likely to face. That innovation gap, that’s a function of the way we fund research and the process by which innovations go to market, namely patents. Abdul reflects on the innovation gap and speaks w/ Professor Shobita Parthasarathy, an expert on science and technology policy about how to solve it. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

The CDC is the nation–perhaps the world’s–most preeminent public health agency. But it’s taken quite the beating throughout this pandemic. From flawed tests to unclear guidance to political tampering, the agency’s mistakes continue to mount. How did this happen, and how do we make sure it doesn’t happen again? Abdul talks about how public health mistakes happen and speaks with Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC Director under President Obama about the past, present, and future of the once-storied agency.  For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

President Biden ran on the idea of offering Americans a “public option” for health insurance — a government managed healthcare plan that would operate in parallel to private insurance. But what if we extended “public options” beyond health insurance to, say, pharmaceuticals or increased public investment in clinics and hospitals? Dana Brown is the Director of Health and Economy at the Democracy Collaborative and has been writing about just that. She joins Abdul to talk about it. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Your right to swing your first ends where my face starts. That principle captures the limits of our freedoms in this country. And the Supreme Court has long held the precedent that people could be required to be vaccinated to protect the public from disease. But a recent ruling against workplace vaccine mandates may upend that. We speak with Prof. Melissa Murray, NYU Law professor and host of “Strict Scrutiny,” a podcast about the supreme court, about that, the retirement of Justice Breyer, and more. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

One of the most galling examples of inequity in America continues to be the stunningly high rate at which Black mothers die in pregnancy and childbirth and Black babies die before during their first year of life. Abdul reflects on how structural inequity continues to take mothers’ and babies’ lives. Then he talks to Rep. Lauren Underwood, Chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and sponsor of the “Momnibus” package to eliminate these disparities. Baby 2 Baby: https://baby2baby.org/ Star Legacy Foundation: https://starlegacyfoundation.org/ BabyQuest Foundation: https://babyquestfoundation.org/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Public health requires us to believe that there is “a public” above and beyond ourselves as individuals. But who belongs to that public may matter even more for what we’re willing to do provide that public. In her book “The Sum of Us,” author and organizer Heather McGhee shows how racism has destroyed collective efforts–from swimming pools to insurance pools–in America. She joins Abdul to talk about what that means for public health and the pandemic. You can find "The Sum of Us," now in paperback, wherever you shop for books. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Too often, we focus on the disease that affect people rather than the people those diseases are affecting. That failure to pay attention to people lets the disease take more than their health, it lets it take their identities. But we can stop it. Prof. Celeste Watkins-Hayes studies the ways that women with HIV negotiate their illness and how it shapes their lives. She joins Abdul to talk about her work, her book “Remaking a Life,” and about what it can teach us about rethinking how we respond in times of health crises like COVID-19.  For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Menstruation is a fundamental part of the physiology of nearly half of the people on Earth. But we don’t talk about it that way–it’s taboo, unspoken, and ignored. Period stigma has left state governments across the country taxing period products as “luxury” items, failing to provide access to period products as the necessities they are for low-income menstruators. In this episode, Abdul talks about how period stigma leaves people without the products they need to live their lives–and speaks with Lynette Medley, an inspiring activist working to solve that problem. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Online sports betting has exploded over the past few years as 18 states have legalized it. Already a $70 Billion market, it’s projected to double in the next five years. But what does the rise of online sports betting mean for people with gambling disorder? We speak with Prof. Tim Fong, a gambling addiction expert, about the consequences of online sports betting–and how we can protect vulnerable people. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Spring forward has taken all the spring out of my step. It’s even worse from my four year old who’s super confused about why she has to wake up an hour earlier every day. But beyond the annoyance and the lack of sleep, what are the long term health consequences of Daylight Savings Time? We speak with Dr. Adeel Rishi, lead author of a position paper from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on Daylight Savings Time.  For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

COVID really is over this time, right? Abdul reflects on the fact that public health is about what we do in the background when no one is paying attention–and how now is not the time for public health leaders to take a breather, but to get ahead of the next variant. Abdul sits down with Dr. Don Burke, a global infectious disease expert, to walk through various scenarios for where we go from here. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Semaglutide — sold as Ozempic or Wegovy – offers nothing short of a revolution for changing body weight with a medication. With A-list celebrities racing to get their hands on them, these new treatments pose critical questions about the very nature of body weight, obesity, and their relationship to health. On the one hand, it and similar drugs offer a relatively safe, very effective way to drop body fat. On the other, to what end? Abdul sits down with Dr. Shauna Levy, an obesity medicine doctor, to talk about how semaglutide works, what it means for the patients she treats, and what it means for how we ought to think about body weight.

Who knew “take a hike” was really powerful health advice? Abdul reflects on the power of one of the most basic things humans can do. Then he speaks with Neuroscientist and author Shane O’Mara about his book “In Praise of Walking,” about the power of a walk, and why so many of us rediscovered it during the pandemic. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Nearly four million people have left Ukraine since Putin invaded their country. They need housing, food, and work. But so do the million who’ve fled war in countries like Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Abdul breaks down the public health consequences of forced migration. He then speaks with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee about the refugee crisis in Ukraine and what drives our double standard for refugees. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Food insecurity affects millions of Americans — a disproportionate number of them are Black. What are the consequences of the way we produce food in our society — and how do they shape who gets healthy, accessible, affordable food, and who doesn’t? Abdul reflects on our food system and speaks with Malik Yakini, co-founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Millions of Americans live with chronic pain. But we have yet to fully contend with the impact pain has on people–and our ability to treat pain remains limited. In fact, our failure to engage with the complexity of pain is, in part, what led to the opioid crisis, which took over 100,000 lives last year. One of those people living with chronic pain is Dr. Haider Warraich, a physician who’s written a book exploring pain as a biological and sociocultural phenomenon. He joins Abdul to talk about pain–what it is, how it shapes our society, and how people and their providers need to have a better conversation about it. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Millions of Americans work inside our homes–as carers and cleaners–taking care of the people and places we value most. Though they do the most important work in our lives, work that we would only entrust to few others, they are some of the most marginalized workers in our economy–and the work they do continues to be undervalued and underappreciated. Abdul breaks down the consequences of that for our society. Then he speaks with Ai-Jen Poo, co-founder and Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Millions of people with diabetes simply can’t live without insulin. Discovered over a century ago, it’s patent was sold for $1. But today, pharmaceutical corporations have arbitrarily raised insulin prices, leaving those who can’t afford it having to ration it–or worse, go without it. Abdul breaks down why insulin has become the epitome of pharmaceutical company greed. Then he talks to the leaders of T1International, a non-profit dedicated to insulin access, about how to ensure access. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected

We’ve all lived through a pandemic now. But did you know that so much of our pre-pandemic lives was the result of … pandemics? Abdul reflects on the marvel that for so many of us, the risk of dying of an infectious disease is so low — and why we’re at risk of losing that. Then he sits down with Prof. Jon Kennedy, Co-Director of the Center for Public Health and Policy at Queen Mary University in London and author of the new book “Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues.”

Chronic illness is debilitating. But it’s not just the pain and dysfunction it causes, but the anxiety of not really knowing when it’ll strike — or get worse. Abdul reflects on the ways that science has been diverted by the goals of the healthcare industrial complex away from answering questions at the edge of chronic illness. Then he sits down with author Megan O’Rourke, author of Invisible Kingdom, a book about the experience of living with a chronic autoimmune disorder, about her experience, how it changed her, and what she wishes more people understood about it.

Sharing an episode of To See Each Other, a show that complicates the narrative about small town Americans in our most misunderstood, and often abandoned, communities. This season, host George Goehl travels to Lincoln County, Wisconsin to follow a small town battle for the last remaining public nursing home in the community. A conservative county board is hell bent on selling off this 5-star facility, but senior citizens are not having it, showing up to county board meetings, marching in the Labor Day Parade, and fighting with their very last breath. George goes deep into questions of aging in America, public vs. private long-term care, and the nuts and bolts of good old-fashioned organizing. This show will make you want to keep up the fight and think differently about aging. You can listen to more episodes of To See Each Other at https://link.chtbl.com/toseeeachother?sid=americadissected

Mental health among young people is worse than it’s ever been. Millennials and Generation Z are the first generation whose financial outlook looks worse than the generations before it. But that’s not even what weighs heaviest on many young peoples’ minds — the notion that the very Earth on which we are building is in crisis causes a unique kind of existential dread. Abdul sits down with the Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement, Varshini Prakash to understand how climate anxiety may be affecting mental health among America’s young people.

America Dissected comes to you LIVE from Atlanta at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Abdul reflects on the ways that the internet is fundamentally reshaping the way we think about place–and its impact on public health. Then he sits down with Ian Bogost, professor, video game designer, and contributing writer at the Atlantic.

Nobody quite represents the seedy underbelly of American medicine like Dr. Oz. His career is a living description of what happens when ego and greed get an “MD,” and then use it to pump quack treatments in search of fame and fortune. Now he’s running for Senate in Pennsylvania — despite being from New Jersey. Abdul breaks down the cautionary tale that is Mehmet Oz. Then he speaks with Trip Gabriel of the New York Times as well as Gisele Fetterman.

You’ve probably heard all about Project 2025, the conservative plan to remake America … for 1950. Abdul reflects on the power of the federal government when it comes to health. Then he sits down with Sulma Arias and Aija Nemer-Aanerud with People’s Action Institute to dig into what Project 2025 would mean for health in America. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation: Join the MCF Book Club at CaseyGrants.org/BookClub. Blueland: Reinvent cleaning essentials to be better for you and the planet, with the same powerful clean you’re used to. Right now, get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/america. To See Each Other: A podcast that complicates the narrative about small town Americans in our most misunderstood communities. You can listen to more episodes of To See Each Other at https://link.chtbl.com/toseeeachother?sid=americadissected.

In a time when AI is creating new realities faster than we can make sense of them, we need to imagine possible future scenarios to prepare. Which is why a new novel by Marschall Runge, Dean of the University of Michigan Medical School, is so prescient. In his book “Coded to Kill,” Runge helps us imagine what could go wrong, even if so much can go right. Abdul reflects on the critical role of imagination in science. Then he sits down with Dean Runge to talk about what his book can teach us about how we prepare for a future of artificial intelligence in medicine.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is a lot of things…including a healthcare reform bill. Along with extending healthcare subsidies for 13 million people, it also, for the first time, allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Abdul lays out what the Inflation Reduction Act means for prescription drug prices and sits down with Prof. Aaron Kesselheim, a physician, attorney, and prescription drug policy expert, to understand what this will mean for America.

Abdul reflects on the meaning of a second Trump term.

To the untrained eye, public health and healthcare are–if not the same thing–then two sides of the same coin. But to those of us who work in public health, healthcare is too often a giant vacuum of health dollars focused more on the bottom line than public wellbeing. Abdul reflects on the tradeoffs between health and healthcare. Then he sits down with Dr. Dave Chokshi, the former New York City Health Commissioner and current Chair of the Common Health Coalition, which is attempting to bridge the divide. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their new Summer School program at caseygrants.org/summerschool. Article who invites you to check out their spring and summer home collection at article.com/AD. Make sure to use promo code AD at checkout to save $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. Lumen who invites you to unlock your metabolism. Visit go.lumen.me/AD for 15% off your purchase.

The H5N1 Bird Flu has been circulating in cows for 5 months, spreading faster and farther than we had previously expected. Abdul reflects on the wake-up call it poses for the public health community. Then he interviews Dr. Kimberly Dodd, a veterinarian and former USDA official, about the risk of spread, whether or not the current regulations are enough to protect humans, and where this goes from here. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their book club at caseygrants.org/bookclub Lumen who invites you to unlock your metabolism. Visit go.lumen.me/AD for $100 off at checkout.

What is gender-affirming care — and why is the far right trying to ban it? Abdul reflects on the way misinformation intended to flatten and decontextualize gender-affirming care has been critical to driving a cycle of hatred against trans people. Then he talks to Dr. Kellan Baker, the Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Institute and an expert on gender-affirming care about what it is, the impact of bans, and what everyone who believes in freedom can do to push back.  

The rightwing ecosystem went up in flames a couple of weeks ago over gas stoves. Beyond the fact that burning stuff into our lungs is probably bad for us, this opposition to government action in the name of health may signal something broader–that emerging out of pandemic-era opposition to lockdowns, masks, and vaccines, the rightwing culture war is taking aim at public health more broadly. Abdul sits down with Vox journalist Rebecca Leber to understand what all the hot air is about, and what it means for the broader effort to protect folks in America.

Drowning is an epidemic in America. And like so many other public health challenges, it’s what happens when we over-privatize a public good. Abdul reflects on the human right of water. Then he speaks with New York Times journalist Mara Gay, author of a recent series on drowning in America.

Abdul dissects the various ways that people with mental illness are stigmatized, marginalized, and oppressed in our society. Then he talks to Dr. Ashwin Vasan, President and CEO of Fountain House, a nonprofit organization focused on creating safe and welcoming spaces for people with serious mental illness, about their work to make mental health the next social justice issue. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Abdul dissects why our society makes it so hard for people with mental illness to get care. Then he interviews comedian and performer Wayne Brady about his experience with mental health and what he thinks it will take to end the stigma around mental illness. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Abdul breaks down the risks--and rewards--inherent in holding an international athletic competition in the middle of a pandemic. He speaks with four-time US Olympic swimmer and gold medalist Peter Vanderkaay about the Olympic experience and how this summer’s Olympics might be different.

Abdul dissects the FDA’s disastrous decision to approve the new Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab despite the evidence that it fails to improve symptoms—and its aftermath and implications for the future of Big Pharma. He speaks with Professor Aaron Kesselheim, a prescription drug policy expert and a former member of the FDA Advisory Panel, who resigned at the FDA ignored the panel’s overwhelming opposition to approve it the drug.  Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

We can’t talk about infrastructure without centering climate—and we can’t talk about climate without centering structural racism. Abdul dissects the indelible link between infrastructure, climate, and health. He interviews Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Climate Policy Director at the Roosevelt Institute (and a long time friend!) about that link, and what this moment should teach us about where our public policy should go from here. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://crooked.com/podcast-series/america-dissected/ .

Why is the delta variant a game-changer? Abdul dissects how the delta variant has changed our approach to COVID-19—and what could be in store. He speaks with America Dissected’s resident virologist Dr. Angie Rasmussen about why the delta variant is so transmissible and how it should change our approach to COVID-19 in general. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Nobody has come to represent the role of science in taking on this pandemic quite like Dr. Anthony Fauci. He joins Abdul for their second conversation about where we’ve been, where we are now, and how to face down anti-science trolls, even when they come in the shape of US Senators. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

As football season approaches, Abdul talks about his years on the field and his growing ambivalence to the sport in the face of new research about its health consequences.He interviews Prof. Kathleen Bachynski, author of “No Game for Boys to Play” about the public health impact of football.  Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

As children head back to school, masks should be on the shopping list. But, despite CDC recommendations, in many states they won’t be. Abdul talks about the critical work of protecting children in schools and speaks with Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, one of America’s most powerful teacher’s unions about worker safety in the pandemic and in our schools. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Episode Description: Mosquitoes are responsible for upwards of half of all deaths in human history. Beyond being a simple nuisance, the diseases they spread are a menace to humanity. A decade ago, we thought we’d had them beaten. We didn’t — and they’re winning. Abdul reflects on the simple tradeoff inherent in mosquito containment. Then he interviews New York Times Global Health Reporter Stephanie Nolen about her recent reporting on the resurgence of mosquitoes and the illnesses they spread.

Access to the abortion medication mifepristone is in question after a dubious ruling from an ideological judge in Texas. Abdul lays out the dangerous implications of the ruling. Then he talks to Ob/Gyn and family planning specialist Dr. Kristyn Brandi about the mifepristone, the case, and the implications for providers like her and their patients.

The murder of George Floyd three years ago set off an uprising at the very core of who we are as a country over the treatment of Black folks, particularly at the hands of the police. Abdul reflects on the legacy of that uprising two years on. Then he sits down with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the man responsible for bringing Floyd’s murderers to justice and author of a new book about the trial and police violence.

Over the past decade, Fentanyl, a cheap, hyper-potent, and synthetic opiate has accelerated the opioid pandemic already ravaging the country. Abdul reflects on the way that our atomized, lonely communities left us vulnerable to opioid addiction and fentanyl and sits down with Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of National Drug Control Policy to talk through the history of the opioid epidemic, fentanyl, and how the federal government is working with local communities to solve it.

Public health is really cool! Ok … maybe it’s cool to all of us who do it for a living. But to be honest, public health’s got a serious brand problem — a “rizz” gap. Abdul reflects on how the turn toward individualism left us wagging our fingers at people rather than taking on righteous fights. Then he talks to Prof. Jerel Ezell about how to address the public health swag gap.

Dying … is not a topic most of us like to talk about. But we probably should, considering that all of us are going to do it someday. But how do we have those conversations — and why don’t we when it matters most? Abdul reflects on our odd relationship with the one thing all of us will do. Then he speaks to Nurse Hadley Vlahos, a hospice nurse, and author of the new book “The In-Between.”

We almost eradicated measles in the U.S., but anti-vaxxers had to go and ruin it for everyone. WTF? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed walks us through the history and science of vaccines and the growing anti-vax movement. We meet the people affected, like Ethan Lindenberger, an 18-year-old who defied his anti-vax mom to get vaccinated. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Racism is among this country’s most persistent original sins. Not only does it pattern access to everything from education to housing to jobs — but infant mortality, cancer, and life expectancy. Abdul reflects on the stickiness of racism. Then he interviews author and journalist Dr. Layal Liverpool, author of the new book “Systemic,” about how racism gets under the skin, how that differs across countries, and what we can do about it.  Pick up your copy of “Systemic” here. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their new Summer School program at caseygrants.org/summerschool. Article who invites you to check out their spring and summer home collection at article.com/AD. Make sure to use promo code AD at checkout to save $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. Henson Shaving invites you to find the razor that will last you a lifetime. Go to https://hensonshaving.com and enter AD at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase. (Note: you must add both the 100-blade pack and the razor for the discount to apply.)

Traditional science-based medicine has some gaps—but what happens when grifters and scammers take advantage? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed leads us inside the underbelly of the cult of wellness. Dr. Jen Gunter, Twitter’s “Resident Gynecologist,” helps us understand modern quackery—and how we can apply scientific principles to make our best health decisions. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

We talk a lot more about mental health than we used to — and that’s served to destigmatize it and promote opportunities to improve it. But that conversation has yet to improve mental healthcare for those who need it most. Abdul reflects on why we still have so much further to go. Then he sits down with Dr. Alice Feller, a psychiatrist and author of American Madness about how politicians disassembled the US mental healthcare system and what we need to do to rebuild it. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their new Summer School program at caseygrants.org/summerschool Lumen if you want to take the next step in improving your health, go to https://lumen.me/AD to get 15% off your Lumen.

Caffeine is the most important drug that no one is willing to label. Across its forms–whether coffee, tea, coke, or energy drinks–93% of Americans report regular caffeine use. Abdul reflects on caffeine’s highs and lows. Then he sits down with Murray Carpenter, journalist and author of “Caffeinated: How our Daily Habit Helps, Hurts, and Hooks Us.” 

The pandemic drove major increases in depression, anxiety, and ADHD. But rates of ADHD–and its treatment–have been skyrocketing even before the pandemic. Abdul reflects on how our surroundings may be driving this. He sits down with Casey Schwartz, author of “Attention, a Love Story” to learn more about the history and future of ADHD.

Too many politicians are too beholden to the healthcare industry to propose any meaningful change. That’s not true of the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders. Since 2016, his ideas have animated some of the most important changes in healthcare policy. Abdul reflects on the need for big ideas–and why we don’t get them that often. Then he interviews Senator Bernie Sanders on the 32-hour workweek, his Long COVID moonshot, and the price of GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic.  This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation who invites you to sign up for their book club at caseygrants.org/bookclub Article who invites you to check out their spring and summer home collection at article.com/AD. Make sure to use promo code AD at checkout to save $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more.

Hospitals can charge you however much they want for healthcare — without telling you. Rapper turned healthcare advocate Fat Joe thinks they need to lean back. Abdul reflects on the fight for price transparency in healthcare, then sits down with the entertainer to learn more about his fight for healthcare transparency. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation: Sign up for their new Summer School program at CaseyGrants.org/SummerSchool. Blueland: Reinvent cleaning essentials to be better for you and the planet, with the same powerful clean you’re used to. Right now, get 15% off your first order by going to Blueland.com/america.

Environmental injustice leaves too many Americans, mainly Black and brown, breathing air that has been poisoned by smokestacks too close to their homes and schools. Abdul reflects on the process that drives it. Then he sits down with Darren Riley, CEO of JustAir, a company working to build air monitoring networks across hard hit communities, about how to leverage tech for environmental justice. This show would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. America Dissected invites you to check them out. This episode was brought to you by: Marguerite Casey Foundation: Sign up for their new Summer School program at CaseyGrants.org/SummerSchool. Liquid I.V.: Turn your ordinary water into extraordinary hydration with Liquid I.V.® Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V.® when you go to liquidiv.com and use code DISSECT at checkout. Henson Shaving: Go to https://hensonshaving.com and enter AD at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase. (Note: you must add both the 100-blade pack and the razor for the discount to apply.) Article: Check out their spring and summer home collection at article.com/AD. Make sure to use promo code AD at checkout to save $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more.

This week, we commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11. The securitization at home and the “war on terror” that followed fundamentally reshaped our country and those in which our country made war. War is the antithesis of public health. We speak with Zarlasht Halaimzai, an Afghan woman who founded the Refugee Trauma Initiative, which takes on the human fallout of violence and displacement, about the lasting consequences of America’s war on terror.  Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Native American tribes were among the hardest hit by COVID-19, losing tribal elders to the virus—and with them irretrievable pieces of their culture and heritage. But no group in America has done more to assure their communities are vaccinated and protected. We speak to Rebecca Nagle, activist, journalist and host of Crooked Media’s This Land podcast about how Native American tribes took on the collective responsibility of vaccinating their communities and what our country can learn from them. Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Abortion bans don’t stop abortions, they just make them less safe. Not only does Texas’s Draconian new abortion ban violate the reproductive rights of millions of people in Texas, it empowers abortion bounty hunters to do what government should not. Abdul talks about the dangerous precedent Texas’s law sets, and speaks with Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood about what comes next.  Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

The COVID-19 vaccines have put the FDA front-and-center in our national COVID-19 response. Between the lag for full COVID-19 vaccine approval, the approval of a questionable new Alzheimer’s drug, and the booster it’s worth asking where the FDA goes from here. Abdul talks to Dr. Scott Gottleib, former FDA Commissioner and author of a new book about the pandemic.  Take Crooked's listener survey: crooked.com/survey For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

PrEP — or “pre-exposure prophylaxis” — has been a game changer in HIV prevention, that is, for people who can access it. But Big Pharma has, once again, put its profits over its patients. Abdul talks about the latest in HIV prevention and speaks with James Krellenstein an AIDS activist and co-founder of PrEP4All. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Densely-populated with lots of turn-over, cities are perhaps the worst place to be in a pandemic. And yet in the latter half of the COVID-19 pandemic, people living in cities have been safer than their rural and suburban counterparts. Abdul explores why cities matter when it comes to public health. Then he speaks with Katrina Forrest, co-Executive Director of the CityHealth initiative and Chrissie Juliano, Executive Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition, to discuss the threats and opportunities facing health in cities. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

CRISPR is one of those bio-scientific breakthroughs that has the potential to change society. Abdul talks about what makes CRISPR so important and speaks with Carl Zimmer, science journalist at the New York Times, about how this discovery is already changing society and about his new book “Life’s Edge: The Search for What it Means to Be Alive.” For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

It’s pride month – a moment when LGBTQ+ Americans ought to feel out and proud. And yet that is becoming harder to do in an America where politicians are attacking the community through discriminatory policies designed specifically to stigmatize and exclude. Abdul talks about the way that exclusionary policy shapes mental health and speaks with Heather Zayde, a mental health provider who specializes in LGBTQ+ mental health about the challenges the community is facing and what it will take to overcome them.

Coming to you LIVE from the American Public Health Association’s annual conference in Denver, Colorado, we’re talking about how even talk about public health. We’ll talk to Dr. John Douglas, Director of Colorado’s largest health department about what he’s learned about how we talk about public health in a polarized moment and how it’s shaped his work and the future of his health department. Then we speak with messaging guru Anat Shenker-Osorio about what’s working—and what’s not—in messaging around masks and vaccines. For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/americadissected.

Think about your favorite place. Chances are you thought about how it looks — but not necessarily how it sounds. Sound is all around us, so constant that we often ignore it. But it turns out that sound can have serious implications for our health. Abdul breaks down the ways sound can shape our health. Then he sits down with Prof. Erica Walker, an epidemiologist who studies sound and health to understand more about sound’s health implications, and the inequities that so often shape the different sounds we’re exposed to. 

Imagine setting a New Year’s Resolution — and actually achieving it! Living healthier and losing weight accounts for more than 40% of all New Year’s resolutions. But actually achieving them? That’s a different story. To be sure, “personal fortitude” and “effort” pale in comparison to the role of place and resources when it comes to our health. But for so many of us, even when all the other variables line up, our goals feel a bit too daunting. Abdul reflects on what makes setting big goals so challenging — and why so many of us struggle with our health goals. Then he sits down with Professor Katy Milkman, a behavioral science professor at Penn’s Wharton School, and author of “How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be” to talk about the science of sticking to those New Year’s resolutions.

The pandemic took a major toll on the mental health of young people. But truth be told, mental illness had been rising among young people for the decade before that. Abdul reflects on the causes of mental illness in young people. Then he sits down with Leslie Campos, a youth organizer and entrepreneur and Dr. Anthony Iton, Senior Vice President at the California Endowment, to discuss the rise in teen mental illness and its causes.

Host Abdul El-Sayed dissects the claim of a possible cure for COVID-19, and then we talk to Dr. Alison Galvani, an epidemiologist and infectious diseases modeler at Yale, about how long the current outbreak could last.

This week the Senate passed a historic, $2 trillion stimulus bill aimed at easing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation, which is expected to pass the House of Representatives on Friday, will grant financial assistance to individuals and businesses - especially industries affected by the crisis, airlines and manufacturers, among others. But will it be enough? We’ll talk with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Washington’s 7th district, one of the hardest hit communities by COVID19. We’ll hear her perspective on what we can learn from Washington State’s experience.

As doctors, nurses, and hospital staff do battle on the front lines, how is the growing pandemic affecting these people and how are they coping? Abdul will talk with Dr. Aakash Shah, an emergency room doctor in New Jersey.

Abdul dissects how hospitals are struggling under the surge of COVID patients, while writer Naomi Klein joins us to talk about the “shock doctrine” of disaster capitalism. We'll find out what disaster capitalism means, how it's affected past disasters and how human behavior perceives everything from toilet paper to corporate bailouts.

Abdul talks to a local bookstore owner about going online after COVID and dissects how this will influence the economy. And Prof. Tara Sinclair, a macroeconomist joins us to talk about the economic forecast and what COVID-19 may mean for our economic outlook.

Abdul dissects the unequal burden of COVID-19 by race, chats with Dr. Sarah Jukaku, a psychiatrist, who also happens to be his wife, about what she’s hearing from her patients. Later he talks with Professor Sandro Galea, a psychiatric epidemiologist, about what COVID-19’s long-term consequences might be for our mental health. Activity

The drug hydroxycholoroquine has been all over the news because President Trump and other claim, without scientific evidence, that its a cure for COVID-19. But hydroxycholoroquine does have a lot of practical uses, and many people depend on it. Abdul speaks with a woman that relies on the drug to live, and is worried about its depletion. Then Abdul looks at the way that medications and vaccines are researched and developed with Zain Rizvi, a Law & Policy Researcher at Public Citizen and an expert on drug pricing.

Abdul dissects the scenarios we have for getting out of social distancing and why we still need COVID19 testing. Later he interviews Dr. Rishi Desai, a former CDC disease detective who recently went viral (the good kind!) for his recent appearance on Fox News.

Recently the CDC released a study that revealed that while African Americans make up only 13% of the population of the United States, they were 30% of the patients that were dealing with COVID-19. Abdul talks to LaMar Hasbrouck, a public health physician and former director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, about racial disparities in health. Later he connects with Corey McPherson, an old friend who shares his family's experience with the virus.