Public Health Group Chat

Latest Episodes:

Ozempinomics Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Ariel breaks down how GLP-1s are reshaping the U.S. economy, inspired by a talk she attended at Aspen Ideas Health. After a quick history (yes, there’s a Gila monster involved), she covers who’s using GLP-1s, what they cost, and the ripple effects: smaller grocery bills, fewer food trucks on the road, potential airline fuel savings, a clothing-spending boom, and changes in how people work out. Mattie and Olivia share their own GLP-1 experiences along the way.

This episode’s good news is that the CDC-funded hepatitis B birth dose study in Guinea-Bissau is officially dead, after the country’s leaders rejected it. Also, stick around to hear Mattie talk about Spooky Lake Month ~ Happy Halloween!

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Mentioned in this episode:

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The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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VAmpiERS Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

It’s SpOokY season, and Olivia and Ariel are digging into VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, where one doctor reported turning into the Hulk after his flu shot (and the report was accepted). Olivia explains VAERS as a smoke detector that beeps at both fires (proven vaccine injuries) and burnt toast (lots of unverified reports). She covers where VAERS came from, the real safety signals it has caught, and why raw reports are so easy to misread and easily fearmongered. Then they unpack HHS’s new push to pay doctors for reports, add a VAERS app and QR code, and expand the vaccine injury table, and what all that could set up. Olivia closes with what you should do the next time a scary VAERS number shows up in your group chat.

This episode’s good news is Philly Joy Bank, a no-strings-attached cash program for pregnant mothers in Philadelphia. Also, stick around for Ariel on the HYROX athlete who kept competing through a GI emergency (ew), plus a good ol' list of recalls.

Other Links for This Episode:

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! Find your local polling place.
Measles Counts (thx RFK Jr.)
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
Snag some PHGC merch
Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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fELON Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Ariel and Mattie discuss Elon Musk, wealth inequality, and his disastrous influence on public health. Earlier this year, Musk became the world’s first trillionaire after already existing as the wealthiest individual on planet Earth. Billionaires should not exist, and trillionaires are even worse. Wealth inequality is bad for health, and the US ranks high in wealth inequity.

In addition to wealth inequality, we cover the elimination of dog to human rabies transmission in Chile and Taylor Swift. Because why not, when we’re already talking about excessive wealth?

See the most recent recalls here: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Support the show

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Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
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Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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Ronald Reagan Ruined Everything: Part II Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Part two of our Reagan deep-dive picks up where we left off, with Mattie walking us through more of the Reagan Administration decisions that are still shaping public health today: the War on Drugs and the punitive framework it built that we're still dismantling, the roots of the modern homelessness crisis, and the mental health policy choices that gutted the safety net for people who needed it most. If you loved Part One, you're going to love this one too.

Also this week: Colorado's extended public health order making the COVID-19 shot available to everyone 6 months and up without a prescription, and new polling showing just how far trust in government information has fallen — and not just on public health.

Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
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Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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Ronald Reagan Ruined Everything: Part I Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Part one of our Reagan deep-dive has Mattie leading the charge with Ariel along for the ride, digging into the economic and public health legacy of the Reagan era: Reaganomics and the trickle-down promise that never quite trickled, the AIDS epidemic and the years of federal silence while a generation was dying, and the "welfare queen" myth Reagan built a political career on — where that story actually came from, who it was designed to target, and how it's still doing damage in policy debates today. Part two picks up the thread with Reagan's War on Drugs and the roots of the homelessness and mental health crisis. Heavy history, but the kind that explains a lot about where we are now. And because apparently everything is being recalled lately, we close out with a rundown of the latest round of recalls — because 2026 said no product shall be safe.

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
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Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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#CyclosporaSummer: Part II Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Part two of our cyclospora deep-dive brings in Dr. Alex Sundermann, DrPH, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, to get into the outbreak detection and surveillance side of things: why cyclospora is so much harder to catch than bacteria, the wild week the Taylor Farms lettuce sample flipped from positive to false positive to epidemiologically linked, and what's lost when institutional knowledge and federal tracking systems get gutted. Also...a rare bipartisan bright spot in the FDA's approval of Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine for adults 50+, and a reminder that behind every outbreak number is a person. We're skipping pop culture and recalls this week, but you can still find those linked below.

Find Dr. Sundermann:
Instagram, TikTok & Facebook: @DrAlexSundermann
Bluesky & Threads: he's also on there, if you want to doomscroll together.

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Referenced Article (if you wanna be a nerd and read it):
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cyclospora/cidrap-op-ed-cyclospora-outbreak-was-and-still-communications-failure

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
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Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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#CyclosporaSummer: Part I Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Cyclospora is having a moment...and not because the parasite got scarier, but because the systems meant to catch it didn't. In this episode, Olivia breaks down what Cyclospora cayetanensis actually is, the history of outbreaks in the US, and the timeline of federal missteps (hi, FDA and CDC) that let this one spiral, including news of the first two deaths tied to the outbreak. This is part one of a two-part series, and part two brings in Dr. Alex Sundermann, DrPH, to dig into the outbreak detection and surveillance side. Also on the agenda: a rare bipartisan bright spot with the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, and a truly unhinged recall roundup (steel in injections, plastic in baby food, and eggs everywhere).

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Referenced Article (if you wanna be a nerd and read it):

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cyclospora/cidrap-op-ed-cyclospora-outbreak-was-and-still-communications-failure

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
Snag some PHGC merch
Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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Don't Drink Your Sunscreen Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Ariel breaks down the science and history of sunscreen, covering UVA/UVB/UVC radiation, how SPF actually works, mineral vs. chemical filters, and the newly FDA-approved ingredient bemotrizinol — the first new sunscreen active ingredient approved in the U.S. since the 1990s. The group chat then myth-busts the biggest sunscreen claims making the rounds online: hormone disruption, "sunscreen causes cancer," reef damage, skin irritation, and the viral watermelon-smoothie trend claiming lycopene can protect you from the sun.

Olivia presents some good news: A Lancet study showing HPV and measles vaccines prevent more deaths per dose than any other vaccine funded through Gavi, giving global health leaders a clearer way to prioritize funding amid tighter budgets. Also, stick around to hear Mattie's takes on Meta's Muse Image AI feature and the backlash that got it pulled.

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Referenced Research Article (if you wanna be a nerd and read it):

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00555-6/fulltext

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
Snag some PHGC merch
Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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WICked Games: Congress Plays with Benefits Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Ariel breaks down the WIC program (Women, Infants, and Children) as Congress moves to cut its benefits. She covers what WIC provides — cash benefits for healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to other services — plus eligibility and its history dating back to the early 1970s. She shares the data on WIC's impact, including major health care savings and improved birth and child health outcomes, then unpacks a House-passed bill that would strip $141 million in produce benefits from over 5.4 million participants, even as the administration's own MAHA report praises the program. The bill now heads to the Senate, and Ariel shares how to make your voice heard before the vote.

This episode's good news is the reinstated flu vaccine mandate for U.S. service members after a major base outbreak. Also, stick around to hear Mattie talk about World Cup hospitality and what it says about public health.

Recalls:
Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

Clipped News & Media:

Forbes Breaking News: Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-CT) criticized cuts to WIC.
4 News Now: "WIC prepares for, pushes back against potential funding cuts".

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
Snag some PHGC merch
Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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This is an Ebola Episode Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Mattie walks us through Ebola as it returns to the headlines for the first time in years. She covers what the virus is, its history dating back to the 1976 outbreak near the Ebola River, how it spreads, and the treatments and vaccines in development. Then she gets into the current Bundibugyo outbreak in the DRC's Ituri province (now spilled into Uganda and declared a public health emergency), and why the response is not ideal, thanks to the dismantling of USAID, the US withdrawal from the WHO, and CDC cuts. She also unpacks the Trump administration's plan to build an Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya, a country that has never recorded a case.

This episode's good news revolves around 1) a judge overturning the cancellation of $82.1 million in clean energy grants, and 2) major health insurers committing to cover all vaccines at no cost through 2027. Also, stick around to hear Ariel discuss Ladies First on Netflix and how she connects it to public health.

Recalls:

Find all recent recalls at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts

6/13/2026: Nara Organics, Whole Milk Powdered Infant Formula, Botulism Risk.
6/12/26: Azuma Foods, Seasoned Octopus with Wasabi, may contain undeclared fish.
06/12/26: Beekeeper's Naturals, Saline Nasal Spray, may contain Aspergillus spp.
06/11/26: TNVitamins (VITA-MINS) and Doctor's Pride, possible Salmonella contamination
06/09/26: Clover Hill Dairy, Soft Ricotta/Requeson Cheese, potentially contaminated with Listeria
06/08/26: BD, ChloraPrep Clear, possible fungal contamination
06/08/26: Freeze Dried Chicken Recipe Cat & Dog Food, may contain low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1)
06/05/26: Requeson 1lb Clamshell packages, possible listeria contamination
06/05/26: Up & Up Fragrance Free Baby Wipes AND Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Baby Wipes, may be contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia and Burholderia gladioli
06/05/26: Pearl Milling Company, Mezcla Para Panqueques Y Waffles, Debido a la presencia no declarada de leche y soya
06/04/26: No brand, Dried Herring Fish, may harbor botulinum
06/04/26: Gas-X Extra Strength (softgels 120 & 72ct), potential chemical contamination
06/03/26: TNVita Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Capsules and Doctor's Pride, Salmonella
06/01/26: Motor City Pizza Cheese Bread Single, Salmonella

Support the show

Want to support PHGC?

Subscribe to our Patreon for monthly bonus episodes
Donate as a supporter
Snag some PHGC merch
Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with a friend!

---

The views expressed on this episode are our own.

We are available by email at publichealthgroupchat@gmail.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @publichealthgroupchat.

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