Healthcare Unfiltered

Latest Episodes:

Episode 219: Major Progress in Adjuvant Renal Cell Carcinoma Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Drs. David Braun and Toni Choueiri join to discuss a groundbreaking Nature study on a personalized neoantigen vaccine for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma. They explore the inspiration behind the trial, how the vaccine was developed and administered, and its safety profile. The conversation also covers patient outcomes after 3-4 years, including immune responses and disease recurrence, as well as the rapid enrollment of this innovative study and what it means for the future of kidney cancer treatment.Read the publication in Nature.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08507-5Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 218: NIH Funding Cuts and the Indirect Funding Fiasco With Jay Giri Mar 10, 2025

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Dr. Jay Giri, Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, joins the show to break down the recent NIH funding cuts and their impact on the medical research ecosystem. Together, he and Chadi explore the distinction between direct and indirect funding, the federal government's decision to reduce direct research funding to 15%, and how this shift affects researchers, institutions, and scientific progress. With growing concerns across the medical community and social media, they consider whether the backlash is justified and what the future holds for federally funded research.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 217: Smoldering Myeloma: The Epic Debate Feb 24, 2025

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Returning to the show, Drs. Vincent Rajkumar and Aaron Goodman engage in a dynamic debate over the evolving landscape of smoldering multiple myeloma, focusing on the highly anticipated study recently co-authored by Dr. Rajkumar and published in The New England Journal of Medicine after being presented at ASH 2024. They dissect the study’s findings, which highlight the impact of early intervention with daratumumab in delaying disease progression for patients classified as high-risk. The discussion explores the nuances of smoldering myeloma classification, the controversy surrounding risk stratification, and the historical context of prior studies that failed to change clinical practice. With their expert insights, Drs. Rajkumar and Goodman break down the implications of this research, questioning whether it truly shifts the standard of care and what it means for future treatment approaches.View the NEJM publication.https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2409029Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 216: What is AI: A Primer Feb 17, 2025

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Dr. Sakhr (Sam) Youness, a Syrian entrepreneur and engineer, provides a comprehensive primer on artificial intelligence (AI), tracing its origins from WWII-era innovations to the breakthroughs of the 1990s that shaped modern AI capabilities. He demystifies key concepts like machine learning, large language models, and the role of labeled data in training AI systems, offering insights into how AI interprets and processes human language. Dr. Youness also examines the rise of generative AI, the development of ChatGPT, and the ethical concerns surrounding AI’s proper use. Looking ahead, he discusses the next frontier—artificial general intelligence—and its implications for society, addressing the pressing question of whether AI and robotics will replace human workers. Finally, he explores AI’s evolving role in healthcare, weighing its potential to revolutionize medical advancements against the risks of misuse.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 215: Highlander Health: Data-Driven Innovation in Medicine Feb 09, 2025

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Amy Abernethy and Brad Hirsch, co-founders of Highlander Health, delve into their mission to transform healthcare through innovative, data-driven strategies. They discuss their firm's unique approach to investing in companies and technologies that advance personalized care, the creation of the Evidence Accelerator to streamline high-quality real-world data, and their efforts to solve critical challenges in building faster, more reliable demonstration projects. Furthermore, they share how they ensure credibility and quality in real-world evidence, and their vision for reshaping the future of medical innovation.Learn more about Highlander Health.https://www.highlanderhealth.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 214: VersaWare: The Story of a Diet Startup Company Feb 03, 2025

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Chadi sits down with Creed McKinnon, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of VersaWare, to explore how this cutting-edge startup is redefining the intersection of technology and nutrition. VersaWare’s AI-powered platform integrates voice assistants and real-time chatbot support from expert nutritionists to simplify meal building, enhance recipe discovery, and streamline pantry management. Creed shares insights into the challenges of developing a solution for users who often abandon traditional nutrition tracking apps, the innovative revenue streams behind the brand—including a consumer-friendly app—and the company’s ambitious vision for the next 6 months as it seeks to empower individuals with smarter, more personalized approaches to health and nutrition.Learn more about VersaWare.https://versaware.io/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 213: Physicians and COIs With Andrew Foy Jan 27, 2025

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Dr. Andrew Foy, a cardiologist at Penn State Health, returns to the show to unpack the findings of his JAMA publication exploring industry payments in medicine and their influence on clinical practice. He examines how financial relationships with the industry may shape guideline recommendations, alter quality-of-care metrics, and contribute to potentially inappropriate prescribing practices, particularly in cases of expanded indications. Together, Chadi and Dr. Foy consider critical questions about whether medical societies should face the same scrutiny as individual physicians and whether backlash against industry involvement in healthcare is disproportionate compared to other sectors.Read the JAMA research letter on COIs.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2816900#google_vignetteCheck out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 212: The Myths and Facts of Early Lung Cancer Detection Jan 20, 2025

Show notes

Dr. Lecia Sequist, an expert in lung cancer and early detection, and Dr. Jeff Yang, a renowned thoracic surgeon, join Chadi to unravel the complexities of early lung cancer detection. Together, they explore the nuances of lung cancer screening, including the challenges of overdiagnosis and managing false-negative and false-positive results. The discussion delves into cutting-edge advancements like multi-cancer early detection tests, current patient screening eligibility criteria, and the critical factors contributing to low screening rates, such as accessibility barriers. They end on a note to raise awareness about the importance of lung cancer screening, emphasizing its safety, simplicity, and potential to save lives.Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 211: Caring for the Caregiver With Maz Jobrani Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Maz Jobrani, star standup comedian and actor, joins the show to share his career journey and his beginning as an immigrant turned comedian and celebrity. Maz shares his sister's journey when diagnosed with breast cancer at a very young age. He opens up with details on challenges of being one of her caregivers and how he balanced comedy with tragedy. His sister catalogued her journey in a documentary available on Amazon Prime, titled "Everything Must Change," that is a must-watch. Maz and Chadi celebrate his sister's life and highlight how "The Cancer Journey" addresses all elements pertaining to the unfortunate journey patients and families must undertake.Find out more about Maz Jobrani.https://www.mazjobrani.com/Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Episode 210: CLL Updates and the Venetoclax Story With Matt Davids Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

Chadi sits down with Dr. Matt Davids, Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Lymphoma at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to unpack the latest breakthroughs in leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) from the ASH annual meeting. A pioneer in CLL treatment, Dr. Davids recounts the development of venetoclax, a transformative therapy he helped bring to clinical use over a decade ago, setting the stage for discussions on emerging updates. Together, they explore advancements in BTK inhibitors across three distinct classes, the potential of novel targeted therapies, innovative combination regimens, and the shifting paradigms in treating blood cancers, including a nod to the latest clinical trials of high potential. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

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