America Dissected

Talking Public Health LIVE from Denver with Dr. John Douglas and Anat Shenker-Osorio

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Coming to you LIVE from the American Public Health Association’s annual conference in Denver, Colorado, we’re talking about how even talk about pu...

Is life about to get CRISPR? with Carl Zimmer

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

CRISPR is one of those bio-scientific breakthroughs that has the potential to change society. Abdul talks about what makes CRISPR so important and spe...

Health in Concrete with Katrina Forrest & Chrissie Juliano

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Getting PrEP’d with James Krellenstein

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

Texas v. Roe with Alexis McGill Johnson

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abortion bans don’t stop abortions, they just make them less safe. Not only does Texas’s Draconian new abortion ban violate the reproductive right...

Food, Drugs, and Rock & Roll

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 app...

Rights & Responsibilities on the Res with Rebecca Nagle

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The 20 Year War with Zarlasht Halaimzai

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11. The securitization at home and the “war on terror” that followed fundamentally res...

A Labor of Love with Randi Weingarten

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

Football on the Brain with Dr. Kathleen Bachynski

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

A Second Opinion with Dr. Anthony Fauci

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Delta, Delta, Delta with Dr. Angie Rasmussen

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 sp...

The Green New Heal with Rhiana Gunn-Wright

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We can’t talk about infrastructure without centering climate—and we can’t talk about climate without centering structural racism. Abdul dissects...

Big Pharma’s big fraud with Dr. Aaron Kesselheim

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the FDA’s disastrous decision to approve the new Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab despite the evidence that it fails to improve symptoms...

Pandemic Olympics with Peter Vanderkaay

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul breaks down the risks--and rewards--inherent in holding an international athletic competition in the middle of a pandemic. He speaks with four-t...

Whose problem is it anyway? with Wayne Brady

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 abou...

Mental health is a social justice issue with Dr. Ashwin Vasan

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the various ways that people with mental illness are stigmatized, marginalized, and oppressed in our society. Then he talks to Dr. Ashw...

A Tale of Two Crises: Opiates vs. Crack (from Season 1)

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We bring back an episode from Season 1 that remains relevant today: The Opioid Crisis has wreaked havoc across America, taking lives and devastating f...

Preventable with Andy Slavitt

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the critical role of trust in public health--and how the pandemic challenged it. He interviews Andy Slavitt, a former Obama health offi...

A Global Vaccine for a Global Pandemic?

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the incentives that drive Big Pharma and how they tend to get in the way of getting medications to those who need them most. Then he in...

Pro-politics but anti-life in Texas with Nancy Northup

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the politics underneath Texas’s new anti-choice bill. Then he speaks with Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproduc...

Antiracist healthcare? with Prof Ibram X. Kendi

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects health inequities to understand why America’s focus on healthcare rather than public health is part of the problem. Then he speaks wi...

Talking Science with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul cuts into how the climate of misinformation and politicization forced us to change the way we talk about science. Then he sits down with Dr. San...

From the bedside to the bullhorn for Black Lives with Rep. Cori Bush

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects how Black Lives Matter in healthcare. He talks to Rep. Cori Bush, the former nurse turned Black Lives Matter Activist turned Congresswo...

The next one.

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul shares how he found his passion for public health. He lays out why we have to pay attention to the space where science, culture, and politics me...

America Dissected: Season 3

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From celebrities who hate vaccines to politicians who hate Obamacare - the mistrust fake news, sensationalism, and social media firestorms that we see...

Season Finale: The beginning of the end

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the pandemic and what it’s taught us about ourselves and our societies. Then Abdul shares his own vaccine experience and talks to ...

Frontline fatigue with Jenny Gold & Dr. Paloma Marin-Nevarez

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul salutes the frontline healthcare providers. Then he talks to Jenny Gold, Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News, and Dr. Paloma Marin-Nevare...

Dining in...a pandemic with Corby Kummer and Chef Amanda Cohen

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks reflects on the little joys the pandemic robbed from us--and the big impact they have on the businesses that provide them. Then he talks t...

Ready or Not with John Auerbach

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul breaks down why we were so ill-prepared for COVID-19. Then he talks to John Auerbach, former Associate Director of the CDC and President and CEO...

Forward to normal with Rep. Pramila Jayapal

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on how our healthcare system got here. Then he talks to Rep. Pramila Jayapal about the new Medicare for All bill in the House, and what...

The lessons we (haven’t yet) learned with Dr. Julie Morita

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the increase in violence against the Asian-American community. He then talks to Dr. Julie Morita, Former Chicago City Health Commiss...

A ray of hope in a year of misery with Dr. Joia Mukherjee

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on a year of COVID-19 and discusses what’s in the COVID-19 relief package. He then talks to Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Chief Medical Officer...

Polling the Pandemic with Chris Jackson

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on how important public opinion—and its shapers—have been to the pandemic. He then talks to Chris Jackson, a pollster and Vice Pres...

Women out of the Workplace with Jane Oates

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the economic consequences of COVID-19. Abdul talks to Jane Oates, President of WorkingNation and former Labor Department Official un...

So, How Does This End? with John Barry

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul sets expectations on how our current pandemic will end. He then poses the question to John Barry, author of the definitive book about the last g...

The Variants Episode with Dr. Angela Rasmussen

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about how our failure to invest in public health is hurting our vaccine effort. He talks to Dr. Angie Rasmussen, America Dissected’s res...

The First 100 with Brian Beutler

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the power and responsibility of American leadership--and what it means for how the US must lead on COVID-19. He talks to Brian Beutl...

Racism is a Public Health Issue with Dr. Mary Bassett

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul explains the race between virus and vaccine. He reflects on how history’s racism is shaping the COVID-19 response today. He talks to Dr. Mary ...

We Need to Talk about Medicare for All with Dr. Micah Johnson

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects President Biden’s COVID19 executive orders and reflects on what COVID-19’s showed us about our healthcare system. He talks to Dr. M...

Fevers & Feuds with Dr. Paul Farmer

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the notion of American exceptionalism and COVID-19. He interviews Dr. Paul Farmer, renowned medical humanitarian, medical anthropolo...

The Infodemic with Dr. Seema Yasmin

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on how the role of disinformation has shaped both the pandemic and the attempted coup at the Capitol. He talks to Dr. Seema Yasmin, a h...

Black Scientists Matter with Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the lagging vaccine deployment and what it tells us about public health. He talks to Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, an immunologist and lead...

Mental health mailbag w/ Dr. Sarah Jukaku

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul and Sarah, a psychiatrist, answer your questions about mental health during a challenging time.

The transition

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about the critical role of trust for collective action and public health. He talks to reporter Helen Branswell about the opportunities and...

The vaccine episode

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the deployment of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. He talks to virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen about the biology of the vaccin...

The State of the States

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the role that states in this pandemic have had to play in the absence of federal leadership and what the implications might be for d...

Post-Thanksgiving mailbag with Dr. Syra Madad

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul and Dr. Syra Madad, who leads the special pathogens unit at New York City Health & Hospitals, answer your questions about COVID-19.

The long haul

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on Thanksgiving and the future of this surge in the pandemic. Then he interviews Fiona Lowenstein, co-founder of the Body Politic’s C...

Dying in a pandemic

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the COVID-19 surge we’re experiencing. Then he interviews Kristin Urquiza, co-founder of Marked by COVID whose father passed of CO...

Now for the work

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the outcome of the election in the context of the COVID19 pandemic. Then he interviews Kaiser Health News Journalists Sarah Jane Tri...

#46, insha’Allah

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about voting as a public health intervention. Then he interviews Rep. Rashida Tlaib about the consequences of this election in Detroit and...

The pandemic vote

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about how America’s precarious healthcare system isn’t ready for this next COVID-19 surge. Then he interviews Ben Wikler, Chair of Wis...

Organizing against pandemic fatigue

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about the COVID19 surge we’re facing right now. Then he interviews Shaniqua McClendon, Crooked Media’s Political Director, and Stephen...

The Stakes in November

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the absurdly high stakes of November’s election for the future of COVID19. Then he interviews Andrew Joseph, a reporter at STAT Ne...

Science always wins with Bill Nye (the Science Guy!)

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and its implications for the fight against the pandemic. Then he interviews Bill Nye about the p...

Hungry in a Pandemic

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on how policy making has to center the people we’re trying to support, and how sometimes it doesn’t. He also talks to Claire Babine...

200,000 and counting

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths to COVID19. He talks to Carmen Rojas, President & CEO of the Margarite Casey Foundation abo...

The Sound of COVID-19

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the way that COVID-19 has changed so much of the fabric of our lives, especially our relationship with music. He talks to Zola Jesus...

If we had a competent administration

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the way that the Trump administration has simply ceded public health to politics. He then interviews Dr. Howard Koh, a lead public h...

We’re number 31!

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul speaks with an American who just moved to New Zealand about the different approaches to COVID19 in both countries, and then interviews Allison C...

Going home to school?

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul considers the risks of going “back” to in-person learning at schools and colleges and interviews President M. Roy Wilson, of Wayne State Uni...

Epidemiology is hard to do

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about the challenges of doing science in real time during a pandemic and interviews Prof. Kerry Keyes, an epidemiology professor at Columb...

A shot in the arm?

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul walks through the state of a COVID-19 vaccine and speaks with pro-vaccine activist Ethan Lindenberger about how online anti-vaxxers are exploiti...

Environmental Justice & COVID19

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about how COVID19 interacts with the environment and discusses Environmental Justice with Catherine Flowers, a leading environmental justi...

The COVID Crystal Ball

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the critical need for legislation to support a country reeling from COVID19 and sits down with Prof. Michael Osterholm, one of the wor...

Playing through a pandemic

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks about the interplay between coronavirus and our culture and then talks to Michael Baumann, staff writer at The Ringer, about how sports le...

Dr. Fauci

14 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on the challenge of public messaging in a pandemic and then talks to Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s COVID-communicator-in-chief.

Coronavirus Containment Corps

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on how COVID19 is challenging us to meet our ideals as Americans. Then he chats with Congressman Andy Levin about his proposal for a Co...

WHO’s pandemic is it, anyway?

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the surging cases of COVID19 in several states and nationwide, as well as the startling increase in transmission globally. He chats wi...

The Virus in the Coronavirus

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the odd biology of viruses. He catches up with virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen about the biology of the coronavirus, and why exactly i...

The Covid Recession

16 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the economic consequences of COVID. He catches up with Dr. Tara Sinclair, a macroeconomist, about the future ahead of us. 

Protesting in a pandemic.

09 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the public health consequences of the #GeorgeFloyd protests. We speak with Cary Junior II, an audio producer at the Detroit Free Press...

Going Viral in a Pandemic

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul discusses the lynching of George Floyd in the context of COVID19 and reflects on the way that social media has changed our world--and the experi...

The meaning of 100,000

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul reflects on what it means that 100,000 Americans have now died of COVID19. He interviews Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, Reverend Jill Zundel and Im...

Is It Safe To Come Out?

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul breaks down the dangers of opening up too early for public health--and the economy. He talks to Commissioner Rita Nieves of the Boston Public He...

COVID in Indian Country

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks to Navajo National Council Delegate Carl Slater about why Navajo Nation faces one of the worst COVID19 outbreaks in America. He then talks...

Ebola should have prepared us

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul breaks down the similarities--and differences--between COVID19 and Ebola. He interviews Dr. Craig Spencer, an emergency doctor in New York on th...

COVID and the classroom

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks to a third-grader, who's currently attending school remotely, about what it’s like to do home school during the pandemic. Then he'll spe...

COVID without papers

12 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects how politics is a part of public health—and how our federal political leadership has gotten in the way of every step of our public he...

COVID without Borders

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects how COVID19 is forcing us to deal with how interconnected our world is, whether we like it or not. Then he speaks with Oussama Mezoui w...

Don’t declare victory just yet

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul looks at why stay home orders still matter. He'll talk with Dr. Jason Bae, who spent 10 days in the Queens at the peak of COVID19, and Zenei Cor...

Andrew Yang and the COVID Basic Income

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Listeners share what they’re doing with their $1200 checks and then Abdul dissects how a check can be a powerful anti-COVID19 public health tool and...

Homelessness, Incarceration, and COVID19

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul looks at recent studies on people infected with coronavirus, and then talks about people who are among those most at risk for the disease. He'll...

Medicare-for-COVID with Senator Bernie Sanders

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul talks with Senator Bernie Sanders about Congress’s most recent COVID19 relief package and how the country might have responded if we were cove...

Viruses don’t discriminate ... people do.

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Testing 1, 2, 3! Why we STILL need testing

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

COVID and Big Pharma

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The drug hydroxycholoroquine has been all over the news because President Trump and other claim, without scientific evidence, that its a cure for COVI...

Going the Distance: COVID-19 and Mental Health

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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’...

The economy after COVID-19

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 mac...

Open for Business: Toilet Paper and Disaster Capitalism

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects how hospitals are struggling under the surge of COVID patients, while writer Naomi Klein joins us to talk about the “shock doctrine”...

Emergency Room: A dispatch from the Front Lines

31 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Life Support: Congress and COVID (with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal)

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Senate passed a historic, $2 trillion stimulus bill aimed at easing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation, which is ex...

The Tweetment: Why Science Matters Now

24 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 disea...

Plandemic: How the World is Treating Coronavirus

20 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects the news of a vaccine, the concept of “flattening the curve,” and the notion of herd immunity. Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National S...

A Public/Private Health Emergency

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abdul dissects President Trump’s State of Emergency Declaration and the true number of cases in America. And we explore how the American public heal...

It's a Pandemic, Now What?

13 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Coronavirus is now a global pandemic. How did we get here? What went wrong? What do we do about it now? Twice a week, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physic...

Healthcare Dissected pt 1: "Nobody Knew Healthcare Could Be So Complicated"

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout this series, we’ve considered how the straining relationship between science and government has led to a variety of public health issues,...

Healthcare Dissected pt 2: Medicare-for-who?

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever go to a bakery and become utterly paralyzed by all the possibilities in the display case? A chocolate chip muffin sounds good, but so does...

Cradle And All

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today, many of us can take it for granted that our grandparents will live through our childhood— and that our children might get to meet them. Not t...