Fads, Outbreaks, and Health Policy
Howie and Harlan discuss health headlines including the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak; a recent FDA decision allowing pharmacies to compound certain peptides; and a concerning report from Medicare trustees on the program’s financial future. They also dive into the health habits they’re changing this year and a new feature from ChatGPT allowing users to connect medical records and health data to the platform.
Howie and Harlan discuss health headlines including the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak; a recent FDA decision allowing pharmacies to compound certain peptides; and a concerning report from Medicare trustees on the program’s financial future. They also dive into the health habits they’re changing this year and a new feature from ChatGPT allowing users to connect medical records and health data to the platform. Show Notes:Healthy HabitsHealth & Veritas: Ezekiel Emanuel“What’s Erythritol? And Is It Bad for You?”NIH: Aging and Alcohol“Low-plastic diet and urinary levels of plastic-associated phthalates and bisphenols: the randomized controlled PERTH Trial”Health & Veritas: Eric TopolCyclosporiasis OutbreakCDC: Surveillance of CyclosporiasisFDA: Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora Illnesses: Iceberg Lettuce (July 2026)“Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Iceberg Lettuce in 9 States”National Foundation for Infectious Diseases: NorovirusFDA: CyclosporaCDC: Clinical Overview of CyclosporiasisCDC: About FoodNetCDC: About PulseNetFDA: FSMA Final Rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain FoodsPeptides and the FDAHealth & Veritas: Trust, Truth, and Moral Distress“Peptides: What they are, potential benefits, and safety concerns”“FDA committee votes to make peptides more widely available”LinkedIn: Ezekiel EmanuelThe Future of MedicareOASDI: Trustees Report SummaryU. S. Department of the Treasury: Social Security and Medicare Trustees ReportsH. R. 1: An act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. IRS: Inflation Reduction Act of 2022ChatGPT Ventures into Health“Launching Health in ChatGPT”“OpenAI makes Health in ChatGPT widely available, moving deeper into consumer health”“ChatGPT Led to a Man’s Near-Fatal Health Crisis, Lawsuit Claims”LinkedIn: David RhewA Record Measles SeasonHealth & Veritas: Measles Outbreaks, Preventative Cardiology, and Other NewsCDC: Measles Cases and Outbreaks“Measles Cases in the U. S. Are at a 35-Year High”“What ProPublica Found in the Genetic Code of America’s Measles Outbreaks”Pan American Health OrganizationSenator Bill CassidyIn the Yale School of Management’sMBA for Executives program, you’ll get a full MBA education in 22 months while applying new skills to your organization in real time. Yale’sExecutive Master of Public Healthoffers a rigorous public health education for working professionals, with the flexibility of evening online classes alongside three on-campus trainings. Email Howie and Harlan comments or questions.