A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha

Latest Episodes:

Health Misinformation: How Did We Get Here? Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights the steep administrative costs of Medicaid work requirements and breaks down a new study estimating that U.S. foreign aid programs via USAID have saved 90 million lives in the past two decades, with an additional 14 million lives at stake by 2030 if funding cuts persist.

Professor of the Practice Stefanie Friedhoff joins to answer a timely question: How did we arrive at this moment of rampant public health misinformation? She explains how trust, online relationships, and unmet informational needs shape what people believe—and why traditional fact-based communication can fall short.

Dr. Jha discusses:

About the Guest

Stefanie Friedhoff is co-founder of the Information Futures Lab (IFL) and Professor of the Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health. She is a leading media, communications and global health strategist, and an expert at knowledge translation, information creation, and verification. From July 2022 to May 2023, Friedhoff served as a senior policy advisor on the White House Covid-19 Response Team, focusing on population information needs, health equity, community engagement, and medical countermeasure uptake. At Brown, Friedhoff studies information ecosystems and the relationships between information needs, information inequities, and health outcomes.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

What Happens to GAVI with America’s Withdrawal? Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha illustrates the economic benefits of health insurance coverage and a new study linking adjuvanted vaccines for shingles and RSV to a lower risk of dementia. Senior Adviser to the Pandemic Center and former Gavi CEO Dr. Seth Berkley joins to discuss the consequences of the recent U.S. withdrawal of funding for Gavi, noting the cost-effectiveness of vaccines and the loss of vaccinations for 75 million children.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Health insurance as a productive factor — Labour Economics
Lower risk of dementia with AS01-adjuvanted vaccination against shingles and respiratory syncytial virus infections — npj Vaccines

About the Guest

Dr. Seth Berkley is a Senior Advisor to the Brown University Pandemic Center and a serial entrepreneur and pioneer in global public health for more than 35 years. From 2011 to 2023, he served as CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. During his tenure at Gavi, Berkley led a team that worked toward broadening global immunization access, resulting in more than half of the world’s children being vaccinated annually.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

Does Medicaid Actually Improve Health? Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha discusses the effects of potential new rural hospital closures and a new study on an oral weight loss drug in patents with diabetes. Director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute Michael Cannon joins to examine whether expanding Medicaid actually improves health outcomes in the population — and why he believes the evidence is more uncertain than many might assume.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing — Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform
Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist, in Early Type 2 Diabetes — New England Journal of Medicine

About the Guest

Michael F. Cannon is the director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute in Washington, DC. His scholarship spans areas including public health, health insurance, international health systems, administrative law and political philosophy. Cannon was previously a domestic policy analyst for the US Senate Republican Policy Committee.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

What Role Should States Play in Providing Access to Vaccines? Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha analyzes new data on measles vaccination rates in U.S. counties and a new study evaluating the impact of air pollution on fetal brain development. Professor of the Practice and former Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees joins to discuss the role states should play in ensuring access to vaccines, noting the erosion of public trust in vaccination and warning against the politicization of public health measures.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Trends in County-Level MMR Vaccination Coverage in Children in the United States — JAMA
Air pollution and fetal brain morphological development: a prospective cohort study — The Lancet Planetary Health

About the Guest

Dr. Scott Rivkees is a Professor of Practice, Acting Associate Dean of Education, and Vice Chair of Health Service, Policy, and Practice in the School of Public Health. Dr. Rivkees is a pediatric endocrinologist and physician-scientist who served as Florida’s State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health from June 2019 to September 2021. As State Surgeon General, Dr. Rivkees also served as State Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

How Can We in Public Health Better Communicate Risk? Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha breaks down new data showing how many Miami-Dade County residents get their health insurance through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act and what proposed federal cuts could mean for them. He also discusses a new study on claim denials from Medicare Advantage patients. Behavioral scientist Dr. Sweta Chakraborty joins to explore how we can better communicate risk in public health—from pandemics to raw milk—and why who delivers a message can be just as important as the message itself.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Medicare Advantage Denies 17 Percent Of Initial Claims; Most Denials Are Reversed, But Provider Payouts Dip 7 Percent — Health Affairs

About the Guest

Dr. Sweta Chakraborty is a behavioral scientist and expert on global risks ranging from climate change to COVID-19. She is a trusted authority on proactive preparedness to mitigate against the impacts of climate change and an advocate for clear, credible, evidence-based communication. She is also the CEO of We Don’t Have Time US and host of the Scientista podcast, which showcases the women and allies driving change across business, politics, and culture.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Why Are We Scaling Back Bird Flu Vaccine Development? Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha explores the global reach and safety of COVID-19 vaccines and reviews a new study on the consequences of removing fluoride from U.S. public water systems. He then answers a pressing question on why the U.S. should continue developing an mRNA bird flu vaccine, warning that abandoning such efforts may leave us dangerously unprepared for a future pandemic.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Projected Outcomes of Removing Fluoride From US Public Water Systems — JAMA Health Forum

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

How Do We Make Roads Safer? May 27, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha discusses the rapid growth of private equity ownership in U.S. hospitals and highlights a study on the promise of gene editing to treat a rare genetic disease. 2025 School of Public Health Commencement speaker and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation Piyush Tewari joins to underscore the need for multi-stakeholder coalitions, data-driven solutions and community engagement to reduce road fatalities.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Patient-Specific In Vivo Gene Editing to Treat a Rare Genetic Disease — New England Journal of Medicine

About the Guest

Piyush Tewari is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF), a nonprofit organization committed to saving lives on roads in India and beyond. SLF is best known for getting India a Good Samaritan Law and for developing an award-winning model for reducing fatalities on Indian highways.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

How Are You Feeling About Entering a Career in Public Health? May 20, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha discusses the role Medicaid plays in treating adults with opioid use disorder and a new study comparing GLP-1 drugs tirzepatideand semaglutide. Graduating student commencement speakers Aliza Kopans and Akashleena Mallick join to reflect on entering a career in public health, exploring the mix of excitement, responsibility and hope they feel at this pivotal moment.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity— NEJM

About the Guests

Aliza Kopans is a graduating Brown University senior from Arlington, Massachusetts. She will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in public health and a certificate in intercultural competency focused on Spanish. Kopans will speak directly to members of the Class of 2025 as one of two senior orators at the University Ceremony on Sunday, May 25.

Akashleena Mallick is a trained physician-researcher from Kolkata, India, who completed her postdoctoral training at Mass General Hospital. She will receive her Master of Public Health as part of Brown’s Accelerated MPH for Clinicians program. She has been selected by the Graduate Student Council to address the Class of 2025 at the Master’s Ceremony on Saturday, May 24.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

How Can We Rebuild Trust in Public Health? May 13, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha discusses the worst flu season for kids in 15 years and highlights a new study showing how Medicaid has saved lives. Professor of Epidemiology and director of the Pandemic Center Jennifer Nuzzo joins to explore how we can rebuild trust in health by putting the public back in public health — through listening and community engagement.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Saved by Medicaid: New Evidence on Health Insurance and Mortality from the Universe of Low-Income Adults — NBER

About the Guest

Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo is director of the Pandemic Center and professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. She is a nationally and globally recognized leader on global health security, public health preparedness and response, and health systems resilience.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

Why Do Europeans Live Longer than Americans? May 06, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha emphasizes the impact that Medicaid has on American children and discusses a new study detailing trends in maternal mortality. Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice Irene Papanicolas joins to explore the factors behind increased life expectancy in Europeans compared to Americans and the relationship between wealth and health.

Dr. Jha discusses:

Trends in Maternal, Fetal, and Infant Mortality in the US, 2000-2023 — JAMA Pediatrics

About the Guest

Dr. Irene Papanicolas is director of the Center for Health System Sustainability and professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health.

About the Host

Dr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

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A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha

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