Freakonomics, M.D.

78. Do Kids Cause Divorce? Mar 31, 2023

Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show.

77. They Make Minimum Wage. They Could Save Your Life. Mar 24, 2023

Doctors and nurses get most of the attention — but a new study suggests we can improve health care by raising wages for a group of workers who are often overlooked.

76. Is a Spoonful of Sunlight the Best Medicine? Mar 17, 2023

In hospitals, a softer pillow or a nicer room might be more than just amenities — they could improve outcomes for patients.

75. What Is Sugar Really Doing to You? Mar 10, 2023

Americans eat a lot of sugar — and it’s hard to determine how it affects our health. Bapu explains how a new study uses data from the 1950s to help solve the mystery.

74. How Does Playing Football Affect Your Health? Mar 03, 2023

It’s not a new question, but it’s a tricky one to study. Bapu explains why, and talks about how an N.F.L. labor dispute helped him get some answers.

73. Who Pays for Multimillion-Dollar Miracle Cures? Feb 17, 2023

The most expensive drugs in the world are treatments for genetic diseases. And more of these cures are on the horizon. How will anyone be able to afford them?

72. What’s Stopping Us From Curing Rare Diseases? Feb 10, 2023

Breakthroughs in biotech that seem like science fiction are becoming reality. Why aren’t more patients benefiting from them?

71. What Do COVID-19 and Cancer Have in Common? Feb 03, 2023

mRNA vaccines helped bring the pandemic under control. Could they also train the immune system to fight cancer?

70. Why Are There Still So Few Female Surgeons? Jan 27, 2023

Success and failure are hard to measure in medicine. Bapu looks at how surgeons are judged after a bad outcome — and whether men and women are treated the same.

69. Home Sweet … Hospital? Jan 20, 2023

We take it for granted that, when people are acutely ill, they should be in the hospital. Is there a better way?

68. The E.R. Doctor’s Dilemma Jan 13, 2023

Figuring out which patients to hospitalize and which to safely send home can be tricky. Is there a way to make this decision easier for doctors — and get better outcomes, too?

What Can We Do About the Hardest Patients? (Ep. 51 Replay) Jan 06, 2023

A small number of patients with multiple chronic conditions use a lot of resources. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner found a way to identify and treat them. Could it reduce health-care spending too?

67. Why Did This 60-Year-Old Man Collapse at the Supermarket? Dec 30, 2022

Bapu tries to stump master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal with a medical mystery.

66. Does Health Insurance Make You Healthier? Dec 23, 2022

It’s a surprisingly hard question to answer. Bapu talks with a health economist about a natural experiment that led to some unexpected findings.

65. How Do Pandemics Change Health Care? Dec 16, 2022

At the start of the 20th century, there weren’t many hospitals in the U.S. That changed in 1918, thanks to the Great Influenza pandemic. Its effects on health care are still being felt today. Which makes us wonder: will the impact of Covid-19 also be felt 100 years from now?

64. Is Facebook Bad for Your Mental Health? Dec 09, 2022

Half the world's population uses social media — and a new study suggests that it causes anxiety and depression. Can anything be done, or is it too late?

63. What Medicine Gets Wrong About Race Dec 02, 2022

Some diagnostic tests give distorted results for Black patients. How are doctors trying to change that?

Why Don’t We Have a Cure for Alzheimer’s? (Ep. 49 Update) Nov 25, 2022

Promising drugs keep failing in trials. Allegations of fraud have cast a shadow over the field. An expert explains why Alzheimer’s treatments have been so hard to find — and why one clue may lie in the Andes Mountains.

62. Dr. Ashish Jha Anticipated a Pandemic. He Didn’t Think It Would Look Like This. Nov 18, 2022

Bapu talks to White House Covid Czar Dr. Ashish Jha about becoming a household name, studying pandemics, and the frustrations of politics. Also, when will he be out of a job?

61. Should You Bother Getting a Colonoscopy? Nov 11, 2022

Colonoscopy is strongly recommended for Americans over 45. But a new study suggests its benefits have been overstated. Should we change how we screen for colorectal cancer?

60. The Doctor Is Out. The Physician Assistant Is In. Nov 04, 2022

Chances are, at some point you’ll be treated by a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant instead of a doctor. Will your care suffer?

59. The Most Valuable Resource in Medicine Oct 28, 2022

Time is precious. How can doctors and patients make the best use of it — especially when there isn’t much left?

58. How Important Is Breastfeeding, Really? Oct 21, 2022

Can a clever new study shed light on one of parenting’s most elusive and contentious questions?

57. Doctors Know They Prescribe Too Many Antibiotics. Why Don’t They Stop? Oct 14, 2022

Antibiotics save lives. But what happens when we use them too much? Bapu looks at how changing physician behavior could help prevent a major public health disaster.

56. Could Prison Be Good for Your Health? Oct 07, 2022

Incarceration has been linked to infectious diseases, mental illness, cancer, and violence. But new research suggests it can extend some people’s lifespans. Bapu investigates the paradox of prison time.

55. This Vaccine Lottery Seemed Like a Great Idea. Why Didn’t it Work? Sep 30, 2022

Behavioral economists say “regret lotteries” are powerful motivational tools. When Philadelphia tried one in 2021, the results were disappointing. Bapu looks at how incentives can backfire — and what we can learn from failures.

54. Will You Ever Go Back to Your Doctor’s Office? Sep 23, 2022

When COVID hit, telemedicine use in the U.S. exploded. But how are we using it now? Bapu Jena explores the consequences of this evolving technology.

53. Why Do Doctors Have to Play Defense? Sep 16, 2022

After the Supreme Court’s abortion decision, doctors in some states are concerned that delivering treatment could put them in legal jeopardy. Bapu Jena looks at how the practice of “defensive medicine” can compromise patient care.

52. Who Gets a Heart Disease Test? Sep 09, 2022

Medical tests can save lives. So how do doctors decide who gets tested, and when?

Why Fridays May Be Dangerous for Your Health (Ep. 9 Replay) Sep 02, 2022

When researchers analyzed which day of the week most F.D.A. drug-safety alerts are released — and what it means for public health — they were stunned. So, what can we do about the “Friday Effect?”

51. What Can We Do About the Hardest Patients? Aug 26, 2022

A small number of patients with multiple, chronic conditions use a lot of resources. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner found a way to identify and treat them. Could it reduce health care spending too?

50. What Happens When a Hospital Closes? Aug 19, 2022

When a hospital closes in a rural area, it’s a big deal. But are all patients affected equally? We look at new research on the unexpected outcomes of traveling farther for care.

49. Why Don’t We Have a Cure for Alzheimer’s? Aug 12, 2022

Promising drugs keep failing in trials. Allegations of fraud have cast a shadow over the field. An expert explains why Alzheimer’s treatments have been so hard to find — and why one clue may lie in the Andes Mountains.

48. The Hidden Consequences of School Shootings Aug 05, 2022

Beyond the immediate casualties, school shootings have costs — for survivors, and for the rest of us.

47. Should We Trust Hospital Rankings? Jul 29, 2022

Hospitals compete for prime spots on the U.S. News rankings — but could those lists be doing more harm than good?

How Does Retirement Affect Your Brain? (Ep. 17 Replay) Jul 22, 2022

Our cognitive health can change as we get older. So, does leaving the workforce make problems like memory loss and difficulty focusing worse? We investigate the research, and Bapu asks: is it time for his dad to retire?

46. Could Long Covid Help Treat Other Chronic Illnesses? Jul 15, 2022

Chronic fatigue syndrome looks remarkably similar to Long Covid, but has been ignored by the medical community. Could patients finally get some answers to their debilitating illness?

45. Why Is July a Bad Month to Visit the Hospital? Jul 08, 2022

Learning requires practice — and if you visit a teaching hospital in July, there’s a good chance your doctor hasn’t had much of it. So, will your care suffer? The dean of a medical school, an economist, and a hospital administrator help Bapu Jena find out.

44. Office Hours with Bapu Jul 01, 2022

Can you diagnose cancer too early? Do in-flight medical emergencies vary by location? We asked you to send Bapu your questions, and this week he tries to answer them. We’d love to get to the bottom of even more topics. Send your voice memos to bapu@freakonomics.com

43. The Comedian-Ophthalmologist Will See You Now Jun 24, 2022

Dr. Will Flanary, a.k.a Dr. Glaucomflecken, has always been a comedy fan. During the pandemic, he found an audience. But should doctors be funny with their patients? Bapu Jena asks when laughter is — and isn’t — the best medicine.

42. Your Doctor Has to Go Home. Now What? Jun 17, 2022

When a doctor’s shift ends, or a physician retires, are patients left in the lurch? Bapu Jena looks at the challenge of managing medical transitions.

41. Is Rainy Day Joint Pain All in Your Head? Jun 10, 2022

You’ve heard that the weather can make your joints hurt. Maybe you’ve even felt it yourself. But, is it true? Bapu Jena looks at why we think we know certain things in medicine, even when the data don’t agree.

40. How Will We Handle the Heat? Jun 03, 2022

The world is warmer than ever, and getting hotter. Bapu Jena looks at how heat affects our bodies and our behavior — and how we might adapt to rising temperatures.

A Shave, a Haircut, and a Blood Pressure Test (Ep. 6 Update) May 27, 2022

For Black men, the barbershop is a neighborhood hub. It could also be a place for them to get medical care. Plus: What happens to patients when affirmative action ends?

38. Pfizer’s CEO on the Big Gamble That Brought Us the COVID Vaccine May 20, 2022

Bapu Jena talks with Albert Bourla about his unusual path to the top, developing a life-saving vaccine in record time, and the second-hardest decision he made along the way.

37. Can Fear Be Good Medicine? May 13, 2022

Fear is a popular tool in public health campaigns. But is it an effective one? Bapu Jena discusses new research on whether we can — and should — scare people into being healthier.

36. Bad News — It’s Your Surgeon’s Birthday May 06, 2022

Distractions are everywhere — including in the operating room. So, what happens if a surgeon loses focus? A tap dancer, a health researcher, and a surgeon help Bapu Jena find out.

35. Are More Expensive Hospitals Better? Apr 29, 2022

For lots of things, price is an indicator of quality. But what about in health care? Bapu Jena gets some clues from Steve Levitt’s wine tasting experiment, and looks at why shopping for health care is so hard.

34. Should We Have to Pay for Our Sins? Apr 22, 2022

Taxes on alcohol and tobacco promise to make people healthier and raise public funds. But can they backfire? Bapu Jena looks at the complicated economics of sin taxes.

33. What Do a Full Moon, the Super Bowl, and Tax Day Have in Common? Apr 15, 2022

Tax deadlines can stress us out. But do they also influence our conscious — and subconscious — behavior? Bapu Jena looks at why, with our health, timing is often everything.

From Against the Rules with Michael Lewis: Six Levels Down Apr 12, 2022

We’re sharing a special preview of the new season of Against the Rules from Pushkin Industries. In this clip, bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the idea that, in any big company, the person who can actually solve a problem is often buried six levels deep in the organization. You can hear more episodes of Against the Rules at podcasts.pushkin.fm/atrmd.

32. What is a Good Death — and Why Do So Few of Us Get One? Apr 08, 2022

When it comes to end-of-life medical care, getting it right can be hard — even for doctors. Bapu Jena discusses surprising research on how we can live better - and maybe longer - before we die.

31. Should You Trust Angelina Jolie or Your Doctor? Apr 01, 2022

Celebrities influence the clothes we wear and the books we read. Do they also affect our health decisions? Bapu Jena looks at what happens when people take medical advice from movie stars.

30. How Do We Know if Alcohol Is Bad for Us? Mar 25, 2022

Getting solid answers in medicine can be hard — especially when the normal tools are off-limits. Dr. Bapu Jena discusses a research method that’s helping to solve some of science’s most challenging questions.

29. How to Save a Stranger’s Heart Mar 18, 2022

Cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death globally. What if it doesn’t have to be that way? Bapu Jena walks us through some solutions that can help save lives — and explores why change in medicine can be hard.

28. Is Daylight Saving Time Hazardous to Your Health? Mar 11, 2022

Changing the clocks has been linked to car accidents and heart attacks. This week, Bapu Jena sheds some light on the damage we might be doing by springing forward and falling back.

27. What Can Bin Laden Teach Us About Medicine? Mar 04, 2022

When trust in doctors or the healthcare system is lost, it’s really hard to get back. Bapu Jena explores the ripple effects of a C.I.A. operation to catch Osama bin Laden on medical distrust in Pakistan — and its parallels to distrust in the U.S.

26. When is a ‘High-Risk’ Pregnancy a Good Thing? Feb 25, 2022

Giving birth in the United States can be dangerous for both moms and their kids. Sometimes, that's because of too little medical care — and sometimes, it’s the opposite.

25. Would You Rather See a Computer or a Doctor? Feb 18, 2022

Well, which is better at predicting your risk of having a heart attack? Bapu Jena explores the promise — and perils — of artificial intelligence in medicine.

24. How Can You Choose the Best Doctor? Feb 11, 2022

We often select doctors based on their reputations or on misconceptions about what really matters. But research shows that doctors’ experience and where they trained can significantly impact patient care.

23. Is the Placebo Effect for Real? Feb 04, 2022

In Latin, the word “placebo” means “I shall please.” In the medical world, placebos mean something … well, a little different. Bapu Jena walks us through the thorny world of placebo research and the implications the placebo effect can have for patients.

22. What If TV Isn't Bad for Us? Jan 28, 2022

We now have more access to TV, movies, and streaming entertainment than anytime in history. So what do we actually know about what all that screen time does to us? We look back at some compelling studies that show, actually, it may change us for the better.

21. Should We Pay People to Be Healthier? Jan 21, 2022

Each year, millions of people get sick or die from diseases caused by their own unhealthy behavior. Getting people to change their bad habits – to quit smoking, eat better, or exercise – can be extremely hard. But what if we paid them?

20. Do Our Politics Need a Doctor? Jan 14, 2022

Bill Frist was a transplant surgeon before serving in the Senate, where he drove controversial legislation on embryonic stem cells and end-of-life care. Did he change politics? Or did politics change him?

19. Do Your Doctor’s Political Views Affect Your Care? Jan 07, 2022

Since doctors are human, they bring their own beliefs and preferences into the examination room. But they’ve also taken an oath to act in the best interest of all patients. What happens when politics and medicine collide?

18. When Is a Natural Disaster Good for Your Health? Dec 31, 2021

A clever study tracking the survivors of Hurricane Katrina came to a bold conclusion: when it comes to your health, place is destiny. So how can the benefits of healthier places be spread to everyone?

17. How Does Retirement Affect Your Brain? Dec 24, 2021

Aging carries a risk of losing our memory, focus, and ability to take care of ourselves and others. Does leaving the workforce worsen that risk? We investigate the research. And…Bapu asks: is it time for dad to retire?

16. An Exit Interview with N.I.H. Director Dr. Francis Collins Dec 17, 2021

The National Institutes of Health is the backbone of health research in the U.S., and Collins has been in charge for more than a decade. Now that he’s stepping down, he ponders the arc of his history-making career, from his leadership of the Human Genome Project to the fight against Covid-19 (not to mention the absolute happiest moment of his life).

15. The Most “Unique, Excellent, and Promising” Episode Dec 10, 2021

Studies by men published in scientific journals are more likely to include glowing, hyperbolic terms. Bapu talks about this “groundbreaking” research (see what we did there?) in a wide-ranging discussion with physicians and an economist about the gender gap in medicine.

14. Is Uber Good (or Bad) for Your Health? Dec 03, 2021

When you need a ride to the hospital, who should you call? Bapu talks with economist David Slusky about how ridesharing services are increasingly replacing ambulances. Plus, an unexpected reason why rideshares may lead some people to unhealthy behaviors.

13. When Bapu Met Levitt Nov 26, 2021

Once upon a time, Bapu Jena was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. His most interesting teacher? The economist Steve Levitt. This week on Freakonomics, M.D., a replay of a conversation between Steve and Bapu from Steve’s podcast, People I (Mostly) Admire, where they cover everything from the ethics of human-challenge trials to why Bapu decided to start his own show.

12. Where Do All the Bad Ideas Go? Nov 19, 2021

Ideas are currency. This couldn't be more true in academia, where it's the job of researchers to think of questions and, hopefully, find answers. Bapu talks with economists Steve Levitt and Emily Oster about how they come up with ideas for studies, why most never make it off the ground, and what should be done with scrapped projects.

11. Why Do So Many Donated Kidneys End Up in the Trash? Nov 12, 2021

Every year, thousands of people in the U.S. die while they’re waiting for a new kidney, yet thousands of available organs get thrown away. Bapu talks to a kidney doctor and an economics Nobel laureate about why this happens and how the system could improve.

10. The Mystery of the Man with Confusion and Back Pain Oct 29, 2021

Hear diagnostician Gurpreet Dhaliwal try to solve the case of a patient who came to the emergency room with an unusual combination of symptoms. Plus, we discuss how difficult it is to separate the signal from the noise when treating patients, and how cognitive biases factor into doctors’ decision-making.

9. Why Fridays May Be Dangerous for Your Health Oct 01, 2021

When researchers analyzed which day of the week most drug-safety alerts are released — and what it means for public health — they were stunned. So was Bapu Jena. He talks with them and a physician this week about the “Friday Effect,” a common problem with big repercussions for the safety of the medications.

8. A Playbook for Beating the Next Pandemic Sep 24, 2021

We dig into why Covid-19 caught us so unprepared and how we can make sure we’re ready for a future public-health crisis with former FDA director Scott Gottlieb.

7. What Happens to Patients When Thousands of Cardiologists Leave Town? Sep 17, 2021

This week, Bapu Jena presents some hot-off-the-presses research exploring the relationship between how many patients a doctor sees, and how well those patients do. Plus, the surprising impact of annual cardiology conferences that prompted Bapu’s first conversation with Stephen Dubner on Freakonomics Radio.

6. Are Barbershops the Cutting Edge of Healthcare Delivery? Sep 10, 2021

Bapu Jena talks with a barber and a pharmacist whose study brought healthcare to Black men in Los Angeles who were getting haircuts. They discuss its impact on high blood pressure among customers — and how unconventional approaches like this could help build trust.

5. How to Solve a Medical Mystery Sep 03, 2021

A woman comes to the emergency room with back pain. She’ll leave with an unexpected diagnosis. How does her doctor figure out what’s wrong? Listen as host Bapu Jena puts master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal on the spot to solve a real medical mystery. Along the way, you’ll learn how doctors think and the most important questions they ask.

4. What Do Grocery Store Prices and Heart Surgery Have in Common? Aug 27, 2021

Humans are hardwired to focus on the left digit in numbers. It’s why products are priced at $3.99 instead of $4.00. But does this left-digit bias also affect medical decisions? Host Bapu Jena is joined by a fellow researcher and a cardiologist to explain how left-digit bias shows up in one of the most important decisions a doctor can make, what it means for patients, and what we can do about it.

3. Why Are Kids With Summer Birthdays More Likely to Get the Flu? Aug 20, 2021

After struggling to schedule a flu shot for his own toddler, host Bapu Jena went down a research rabbit hole. He discovered that the time of year kids are born has an unexpected and dramatic effect on whether they and their families end up getting the flu. Bapu explains his findings and asks a pediatrician and public health expert what could be done about it.

2. Do As Docs Say, Not As They Do Aug 13, 2021

Does having more health information actually change behavior? To test this question, host Bapu Jena explores whether doctors make healthier choices than the rest of us (and he fesses up to an unhealthy habit of his own).

From the Freakonomics Radio Network: Exploring the hidden side of everything.

1. Covid and the “Birthday Effect” Aug 06, 2021

Host Bapu Jena is an economist and medical doctor whose latest research measures the link between birthdays and Covid. He explains his team’s findings, explores the role that kids’ parties may have played, reveals whether politics made a difference, and convinces a Zoom magician to reveal the secrets of making virtual parties awesome.

From the Freakonomics Radio Network: Exploring the hidden side of everything.

Introducing “Freakonomics, M.D.” Jul 21, 2021

How can a marathon be dangerous even if you don’t run the race? Does your doctor follow medical advice any better than you do? Just how dangerous was it to go to a birthday party at the height of the pandemic? These are the kinds of questions that intrigue Dr. Bapu Jena, a rare double threat — he’s both an M.D. and a Ph.D. economist. Each week on Freakonomics, M.D., Jena digs into fascinating research to discover the hidden side of healthcare.

Marathons Can Be Deadly — But Not For the Reasons You May Think Jun 10, 2021

In this pilot episode of a new “Freakonomics of Medicine” podcast, when host Dr. Bapu Jena misses his wife’s 5K run, he sets out to study how road closures and detours on big race days affect people with medical emergencies.

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