A majority of Americans support early wealth-building policies like baby bonds.
@johnshopkinssph.bsky.social's Catherine Ettman discusses these policies and how they align with and differ from the new Trump Accounts program.
🔗 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1018-health-...
Promo graphic for episode 1018 of Public Health On Call titled Health and Wealth With Baby Bonds. Additional text reads: Professor Catherine Ettman on the growing excitement behind baby bonds and the state models that have already seen success.
Baby bonds programs are associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes for recipients and their families.
Professor Catherine Ettman discusses new research showing that a majority of Americans support early wealth-building tools.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1018-health-...
Promo graphic for episode 1019 of Public Health On Call, titled Medical Aid in Dying. Additional text reads: Often referred to as "physician-assisted suicide," medical aid in dying poses complex ethical, medical, and policy questions.
Despite being legal in 14 jurisdictions in the U.S., medical aid in dying remains controversial.
@jeffkahnbioethics.bsky.social and @amastroi.bsky.social discuss this tension between individual health choices and public policy.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1019-medical...
Understanding today’s health news can be challenging.
The Public Health On Call podcast from @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social is your resource for accessible, evidence-based conversations on the most important topics in public health.
Available wherever you get your podcasts 🎙️
What can a partnership between a MAHA Ohio organizer and a Yale epidemiologist teach us about public health?
@whyshoulditrustyou.bsky.social's Brinda Adhikari and Tom Johnson discuss a unique partnership in East Palestine, OH, that's balancing science with hard conversations.
tinyurl.com/43xd95nk
Promo graphic for episode 1017 of Public Health On Call titled Getting More Out of Health Care—by Paying for It. Additional text reads: An innovative approach to health care finance asks clinicians to measure success by tangible health outcomes.
A new approach to health care finance focuses on tangible health outcomes over appointment metrics.
Dr. Darshak Sanghavi details the early promise of this approach and how it’s empowering communities to focus on better health.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1017-getting...
Topics like food, environmental toxins, and trust could be areas of common ground for public health leaders and MAHA organizers.
@brindabee.bsky.social and Tom Johnson share the conversations they're hearing about the pursuit of better health.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1016-an-unli...
Promo graphic for episode 1016 of Public Health On Call titled An Unlikely but Promising Collaboration in Ohio. Additional text reads: Despite swirling controversy around public health policies, some experts and advocates are finding ways to work together.
Brinda Adhikari and Tom Johnson of @whyshoulditrustyou.bsky.social discuss what an unlikely research collaboration in East Palestine, OH, can teach us about finding common ground for the betterment of people’s health.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1016-an-unli...
Promo graphic for episode 1015 of Public Health On Call titled Unexplained Pauses in CDC Data. Additional text reads: The importance of real-time data in implementing public health solutions and the potential consequences of lapses in reporting.
In 2025, many routinely-updated, public CDC datasets inexplicably went dark.
@bulaw.bsky.social professor Janet Freilich talks the potential public health consequences of these lapses in reporting.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1015-unexpla...
How has the FDA regulated mifepristone? The FDA has taken a very careful approach to regulation. Mifepristone is included in the FDA’s REMS program, or Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies program. This program is reserved for several dozen products where there are particular safety concerns. The REMS program and whether it's necessary for mifepristone has been central to regulatory debate. The FDA has used a particularly restrictive type of REMS program for mifepristone. It requires specific prescriber certifications, dispenser certifications, and patient agreement forms. Historically, the FDA has required in-person prescribing of mifepristone, although that was waived during the pandemic.
What has regulation been guided by? According to Dr. Alexander;s recent study, the FDA has developed its current regulations based on consistent safety findings. The agency has monitored spontaneous adverse event reports, clinical studies, published literature, and information from professional organizations and advocacy groups, and it has repeatedly found that mifepristone safety is well characterized and that best practice guidelines suitably minimize risks. The study also found a lack of ideologic bias on the part of FDA staff, meaning that regulations were based in scientific evidence and not on larger societal debates about mifepristone. Similarly, the study found limited evidence of political interference.
What comes next for mifepristone regulation? Dr. Alexander’s study looked at the FDA’s regulatory practices around mifepristone between 2011 and 2023. Under a new review, the agency’s evidence-based approach to assessing safety and efficacy could differ from past precedent. “Maintaining integrity of this process will require commitment to scientific evidence and the avoidance of political interference,” Alexander says.
What is mifepristone? Mifepristone is a prescription progesterone receptor antagonist, meaning that it blocks the effect of progesterone—a sex hormone—on the body. When used with misoprostol, it's the most common medication abortion regimen in the United States, and it is widely used around the world. Mifepristone can be used to treat spontaneous but incomplete miscarriages. It can also be used to reduce high sugar levels in adults with Cushing's syndrome.
Why is mifepristone in the news right now? Mifepristone has long been swept up in national debates about abortion access and reproductive rights. Some people argue that FDA regulation of the medication has been too restrictive, while others argue that it's not strict enough. In 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed a case against the FDA regarding mifepristone, but left open the door for future cases. In September of 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA announced that they would consider a new review of mifepristone’s safety and effectiveness following inquiries from 22 Republican attorneys general.
Are there risks associated with taking mifepristone? The FDA has consistently determined that mifepristone is safe and effective for its intended use. That being said, all drugs have risks, and most prescription drugs have rare but serious risks. Common risks and side effects of mifepristone are byproducts of the intended use of the drug: nausea, abdominal cramping, and vaginal bleeding. In rare instances, it can cause significant vaginal or uterine bleeding, severe infection, or sepsis.
Promo graphic for episode 1014 of Public Health On Call titled How the FDA Regulates Mifepristone, “the Abortion Pill”. Photo of a box of mifepristone.
The Department of Health and Human Services is weighing a new review of mifepristone that could alter the agency's record for evidence-based regulation.
Hear more about the regulatory history of mifepristone and what could happen under a new review 👇
podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1014-how-the...
Promo graphic for episode 1014 of Public Health On Call titled How the FDA Regulates Mifepristone, "the Abortion Pill". Additional text reads: FDA has historically regulated mifepristone based on available scientific evidence and without ideological bias.
A recent study shows that the FDA has historically regulated mifepristone based on available scientific evidence and without ideological bias.
@johnshopkinsepi.bsky.social's Caleb Alexander discusses the findings of this study and their implications 🎧
podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1014-how-the...
Thank you for sharing 🎧
Graphic titled Tips for Your Next Digital Detox Vocalize Your Goals: Solidify new tech habits by sharing your intentions with others. Embrace Play: Replace doomscrolling with games and activities with friends. Recognize Feelings: Unplugging can trigger all types of emotions—make note of how you feel.
A intentional break from your devices can help you assess the role technology plays in your life and the role you want it to play.
Get more insights on thoughtful technology use from psychologist @shreyahessler.bsky.social and student Emma Hester.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1013-a-colle...
This is a terrific podcast about what in the world is going on with that enormous sewage spill in the Potomac.
If you are interested in the Potomac, or sewage, highly recommend.
Promo graphic for episode 1013 of Public Health On Call, titled A College Course for Digital Detoxing. Additional text reads: The value of getting offline and how to spend less time on our devices.
A class at Loyola University Maryland has pushed students to think critically about their technology use.
Instructor @shreyahessler.bsky.social and student Emma Hester reflect on the value of getting offline and how to spend less time on our devices.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1013-a-colle...
Lots of poop talk today.
Video: WJLA / FOX 5 DC / NBC4 Washington
The Potomac River spill poses significant health risks to both people and the environment.
@nataliegexum.bsky.social of the Johns Hopkins University Water Institute joins Public Health On Call to detail the broad impacts of the spill.
🔗 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1012-a-giant...
Promo graphic for episode 1012 of Public Health On Call, titled A "Giant Geyser of Poop" Along the Potomac River. Additional text reads: A massive sewage spill, its health impacts, and whether it could have been prevented.
Frigid temperatures and long-term infrastructure problems are complicating the cleanup of a massive sewage spill into the Potomac River.
@nataliegexum.bsky.social talks about the spill, its health impacts, and whether it could have been prevented.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1012-a-giant...
Promo graphic for episode 433 of Public Health On Call, revisited from the archives. The episode is titled Recognizing W.E.B. Du Bois and His Seminal Work on Racism and Health.
Scholar and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois played a pivotal role in identifying the relationship between structural racism and health outcomes.
This Black History Month, revisit his influential contributions to public health 🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/433-recogniz...
Researchers from @hopkinspfrh.bsky.social have a new policy toolkit that advocates can use to see how their states measure up and assess model policies.
Learn more on Public Health On Call 🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1011-policie...
Promo graphic for episode 1011 of Public Health On Call, titled Policies for Play: School Recess and Public Health. Additional text reads: Researchers Rachel Deitch and Erin Hager on their toolkit for advancing state recess laws.
Despite proven health and academic benefits, few states have policies that protect dedicated recess time.
@hopkinspfrh.bsky.social researchers discuss the public health benefits of recess and their toolkit for advancing recess laws.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1011-policie...
Graphic with a picture of Joshua O’Neal. Graphic reads: Sexual education often focuses on risks like unplanned pregnancies and STIs. But an approach to sexual health that focuses on what feels good could yield better health outcomes. Joshua O’Neal is a sexual health educator and program director at the Southeast HIV/STI Prevention Training Center. He details the importance of reframing sexual health conversations to focus on enjoyment and comfort.
Graphic depicting candy hearts. Graphic reads: “Pleasure is often an effective entry point for building trust and rapport and relevance.” —Joshua O’Neal. The approach of emphasizing pleasure in sexual health turns attention away from the parts of sex that can feel shameful and scary. Instead, it focuses on what feels good and allows educators to have more open and effective conversations about having safe sex that is also pleasurable. O’Neal cites his own experiences as examples of how focusing on pleasure allows clients to approach their sexual health with more curiosity and engage with trusted educators in an honest way.
Graphic depicting three red roses used as bullet points. Graphic reads: O’Neal offers three pieces of advice for centering pleasure in sex education: Adjust language. Words like “intimacy”, “comfort”, and “confidence” highlight what’s enjoyable—but be mindful that while pleasure is something to strive for, not attaining it should not be shameful. Stay curious. Curiosity allows for transparent conversations about sexuality that address both enjoyment and promote positive sexual health interventions. Utilize tools. Clinical interventions like HIV medicine, PrEP, doxy PEP, and contraceptive can open up opportunities for safe sex.
![Graphic depicting four, red, heart-shaped balloons. Graphic reads: “The pleasure-centered approach doesn't detract from the STI prevention,” O’Neal says. “It strengthens it.”
He argues that focusing on what to avoid in sex can perpetuate stigma, particularly for queer people who are taught that sex for them is inherently “risky”. Instead, providers can strengthen relationships by centering satisfaction as the basis for health promotion.
A pleasure-centered approach isn’t specific to sexual health—drug use, diet, exercise, and other topics could all benefit from focusing on what feels good and why. “Pleasure is a powerful public health asset [and] a legitimate health outcome,” says O’Neal.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:oglq65w6pzowhe3cocpxaqv2/bafkreiemwtqxdtvh2pkn4slmf3vsmjpmrissgoh5frsr4gnkenbtgdlcea@jpeg)
Graphic depicting four, red, heart-shaped balloons. Graphic reads: “The pleasure-centered approach doesn't detract from the STI prevention,” O’Neal says. “It strengthens it.” He argues that focusing on what to avoid in sex can perpetuate stigma, particularly for queer people who are taught that sex for them is inherently “risky”. Instead, providers can strengthen relationships by centering satisfaction as the basis for health promotion. A pleasure-centered approach isn’t specific to sexual health—drug use, diet, exercise, and other topics could all benefit from focusing on what feels good and why. “Pleasure is a powerful public health asset [and] a legitimate health outcome,” says O’Neal.
Graphic for episode 1010 of Public Health On Call podcast, titled Centering Pleasure in Sexual Health. Adorned with hearts and condom packets, this slide reads “Please as Prevention” and includes logos for Public Health On Call podcast and the National Coalition of STD Directors.
A pleasure-centered approach to STI prevention starts with a focus on what feels good in order to promote honest communication and holistic sex education.
Listen to the latest episode from Public Health On Call and @ncsddc.bsky.social Real Talk
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1010-centeri...
Promo graphic for episode 1010 of Public Health On Call, titled Centering Pleasure in Sexual Health. Additional text reads: An approach to sexual health that includes frank discussions of what feels good could yield better health outcomes.
An approach to sexual health that includes frank discussions of what feels good could yield better health outcomes.
In today's episode—made with @ncsddc.bsky.social—sexual health educator Joshua O’Neal talks about the value of starting conversation with enjoyment.
🎧 tinyurl.com/ytw4jze9
Promo graphic for episode 1009 of Public Health On Call, titled What's Happening at SAMHSA? Additional text reads: The challenges facing the agency—and implications for efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths and improve mental health outcomes.
Last month’s abrupt cancellation and reinstatement of $2 billion in grants is just the most recent ordeal in SAMHSA’s long year of funding cuts and administrative upheaval.
Dr. Yngvild Olsen chronicles the challenges facing the agency.
🎧 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1009-whats-h...
Get your fill of health care ads on Sunday night? Advertisements for direct-to-consumer health care services are hard to escape.
Researcher Ashwini Nagappan talks about the advantages and drawbacks of this booming market.
🔗 podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1008-the-out...
“There are multiple factors that influence obesity that go beyond individual behavior.” Dr. Gracia, TFAH President & CEO discusses the State of Obesity with @publichealthpod.bsky.social. podcast.publichealth.jhu.edu/1004-the-sta...
