What if we could vaccinate minds against misinformation before people encounter it? Dr. Stephen Barnard reveals the breakthrough science of "prebunking" - psychological inoculation that builds our resistance to manipulation tactics. Explore why traditional fact-checking fails and how rebuilding trust through relationships might be our most powerful defense against the post-truth era. References for Our Discussion ◼️ The new science of prebunking: how to inoculate against the spread of misi...

What's the difference between an honest mistake and a deliberate lie? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Stephen Barnard breaks down the spectrum of problematic information and the psychological vulnerabilities that make us susceptible to false information—from echo chambers and political identity to our eroding trust in institutions. This conversation episode examines how misinformation spreads accidentally while disinformation campaigns deliberately exploit our ...

While Twitter was still seen as a platform for users to provide seemingly trivial updates, sociology graduate student Stephen Barnard began a decade-long deep dive into how the platform was reshaping journalism and democracy itself. This episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast explores Dr. Barnard's unexpected path into pioneering digital media research and his reflections on citizen journalism during the Ferguson protests and the dismantling of information gatekeeping that gave us today...

In the thrilling conclusion to our mini‑series with Dr. Don Weiss, we crack open three of New York City’s most chilling public health case files. From the anthrax bioterrorism attacks that rattled a nation to a toddler’s X‑ray that revealed a murderous heavy‑metal plot, to a bacterial “serial killer” hiding in plain sight. All these stories from Dr. Weiss' new book illuminates the fascinating world of epidemiology. References for Our Discussion ◼️ [New Book] Disease Detectives: True Stori...

What does it take to track down an outbreak in one of the world’s busiest cities? Dr. Don Weiss reveals his step-by-step playbook for disease surveillance and investigation in New York City—a global crossroads where public health threats can escalate fast. From rapid detection to pinpointing sources, discover how Dr. Weiss and his team used science, strategy, and detective work to protect millions in a city where every second counts. References for Our Discussion ◼️ [New Book] Disease Detec...

A curious 8-year-old with a love for chemistry grows up to investigate some of America's most dangerous disease outbreaks—then risks his entire career to speak truth to power. Dr. Don Weiss spent more than two decades as an epidemiologist, investigating everything from post-9/11 anthrax letters to lead poisoning outbreaks. But one of his biggest challenges would come later in his career, when he decided to become a whistleblower. During the 2022 Mpox outbreak in New York City, Dr. Weiss belie...

The research that gave us COVID vaccines in record time, that's working on cancer cures, and that's preparing us for climate change is under unprecedented threat. Massive budget cuts are shutting down labs, halting breakthrough research, and dismantling America's scientific infrastructure. But scientists aren't sitting idle. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, host Gordon Thane speaks to one of such scientists, Dr. James Alwine, about how researchers are mobilizing to defend...

In 1970, a young man, from a paper mill town in Pennsylvania, borrowed his roommate's car and drove 11 miles to see a new medical school. That casual drive would lead to one of the most widely used techniques in molecular biology and biomedical research. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. James (Jim) Alwine reflects on the fortuitous moments behind his career, how science builds on centuries of knowledge, the power of NIH funding, why "silly science" saves lives, and th...

The Ottawa Charter offered a bold idea: that health isn't just shaped in hospitals or clinics, but in the everyday decisions we make about policy, environments, education, and empowerment. Nearly four decades later, that idea feels more urgent than ever. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, host Gordon Thane unpacks the story of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. From its origins in Ottawa, Ontario, to the movement it tried to spark, we’ll explore why the Charter felt r...

One morning in February 2025, EngenderHealth received the kind of email every global health leader dreads—three major USAID grants were gone. No warning. No appeal. Just: “not in the national interest.” In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we unpack the real-world consequences: canceled surgeries, programs being stretched to their limit, and the ripple effects that reach far beyond borders. EngenderHealth’s CEO, Traci Baird, returns to share how her team acted fast—redirectin...

The path to global reproductive rights often begins in the most local of places—a single clinic, a single conversation, a single patient. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, host Purva Mehta explores how Traci Baird’s career unfolded from counselling women in a North Carolina clinic to scaling abortion access across five continents. Along the way, she redefined what quality care looks like, led bold expansions into medication abortion, and championed inclusive sexual health ...

By 1981, the U.S. Surgeon General’s office was a shadow of its former self—no ships, no quarantine stations, barely a dozen staff, and one statutory duty: publish the annual smoking report. Yet the Reagan White House still saw an opportunity. They tapped Dr. C. Everett Koop, a pediatric surgery legend whose outspoken pro-life views looked perfect for them in shoring up the administration’s social-conservative base. In the final chapter of this three-part mini-series on the Public Health Insig...

Pediatric surgery as a specialty hasn’t been around for as long as you might think. Before 1946, it wasn’t even a line item in most hospitals—children simply waited for whichever general surgeon happened to be on call. In the second chapter of this three-part mini-series on the Public Health Insight Podcast, host Gordon Thane continues his conversation with biographer Nigel M. de S. Cameron to trace the journey of a young Dr. C. Everett Koop—from his first day at Children’s Hospital of Philad...

Dr. C. Everett Koop was one of the most iconic figures in U.S. public health—instantly recognizable by his beard and bow tie, but much less known for the deeper convictions that guided his work. Despite his groundbreaking contributions to pediatric surgery, tobacco control, and AIDS education, his full story has remained largely untold—until now. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we speak with Dr. Nigel S. Cameron, the author of the first full biography of Dr. Koop. Drawin...

It started with an eye condition, a laptop, and a growing sense that public health professionals deserved more support. What came next? A mentorship model shaking things up across Canada. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Carly La Berge shares the story behind the Canadian Public Health Hub, including its triad mentorship model, how she’s keeping it inclusive and burnout-free, and why she believes mentorship should be accessible, flexible, and community-driven. She also re...

Carly La Berge never planned to work in public health. After years of pursuing a career in medicine, rejection letters, and frustrations in healthcare clinics sent her down an unexpected path — one fueled by advocacy, system change, and a lot of detours. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Carly shares how working as a medical office assistant opened her eyes to deeper health inequities, why she pursued an MPH in Social Policy, and how policy writing became a tool for accoun...

When public health stories are told right, they don’t just inform—they move people. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast with Alexson Calahan, Founder of Small Adventures Communications, we dive deep into the ‘how’ of public relations in public health and explore tangible takeaways to do it better. From building trust with patients to crafting campaigns that change behavior, Alexson shares the tools, strategies, and lessons she’s learned across two decades in the field, includ...

What does public health have to gain from public relations? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we speak with Alexson Calahan—Founder of Small Adventures Communications and a seasoned public relations expert with nearly 20 years of experience about her unconventional journey from selling classified ads to how she turned a data inquiry from the Today Show into a $100K gift for congenital heart defect research. Whether you're in public health, comms, or curious about how stori...

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the world’s vulnerabilities—and reignited global conversations about how to prepare for the next one. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Garry Aslanyan returns to unpack the proposed WHO Pandemic Treaty and how it builds on existing tools like the International Health Regulations. We explore what makes this treaty different, the debates shaping its negotiation, and what it could mean for countries like Canada. From vaccine equity to intell...

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) might not make headlines today, but it was the first treaty negotiated under the World Health Organization—and it changed the global public health landscape forever. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Garry Aslanyan returns to unpack the story behind this groundbreaking treaty. We explore how the FCTC was negotiated in an era before Zoom calls and WhatsApp, the political and economic tensions that shaped its development...