Public Health On Call
Accessible conversations with public-health experts about evidence, policy and current health challenges.
- Host
- Joshua Sharfstein & Stephanie Desmon
- Published by
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Topic
- Health & Wellbeing
- Format
- Interview
- Orientation
- Systems Change
- Themes
- Resilience, Just Transition
- Made for
- Professional / Practitioner, General Public, Policymaker / Public Sector
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Latest episodes
Newest first
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5 Oct 2026 · 34 min
From Saving Lives to Selling Supplements: A History of Vitamin A
About this episode: Vitamin A is essential for good vision, a healthy immune system, cell growth, and reproductive health, and it has proved to be a critical tool in fighting childhood mortality in parts of the world where access to nutrient-rich foods is limited. But while Vitamin A has saved many lives, supplementation isn't necessary for most people, despite what you may read online. In this episode: a slate of experts from the Johns Hopkins University join host Lindsay Smith Rogers to dive into the history of vitamin A supplementation, how it has shaped global health, and what this incredi
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1 Oct 2026 · 17 min
Will AI Generate New Biological Threats?
About this episode: Scientists, tech companies, and world leaders are sounding the alarm on potential threats to humanity as AI models grow more powerful. Is part of this threat related to the technology's biological capabilities? In this episode: Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, answers: yes. He provides an overview of what AI is capable of doing and what possible threats could be around the corner if policies don't intervene to control these developments. Guest: Dr. Tom Inglesby is a professor of Environmental Health and Engineering and the director of
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30 Sept 2026 · 16 min
An mRNA Flu Vaccine Hits the Market
About this episode: For the first time ever, mRNA flu shots are available this respiratory virus season for adults age 50 and older, offering an opportunity to create vaccines better tailored to certain strains of the virus. Moderna's mFLUSIVA was approved by the FDA this summer and is available in some pharmacies. In this episode: Vaccine expert Anna Durbin explains how the vaccine works, discusses the current data on its safety and efficacy, and reflects on the quest for a universal flu vaccine. Guest: Dr. Anna Durbin is a professor of International Health and the director of the Johns Hopki