A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha

How Did the Pandemic Shape Your Public Health Path?

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha explains how 99% of new hepatitis B infections can be prevented with a universal newborn vaccine and critiques the recent ACIP decision to step away from that recommendation. He reviews a new New England Journal of Medicine study showing that one dose of the HPV vaccine is non-inferior to the traditional two-dose schedule, reducing barriers to protection. Dr. Jha is joined by Cate Ryan, Brown Class of 2021 and current Harvard public health student, who reflects on how reporting on science during the pandemic shaped her path in public health and how issues like housing stability continue to drive her work today. Dr. Jha discusses: * Universal Hepatitis В Vaccination at Birth [https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/searchable-download/Universal%20Hepatitis%20B%20Vaccination%20at%20Birth%202Dec2025.pdf] — CIDRAP * Noninferiority of One HPV Vaccine Dose to Two Doses [https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2506765] — New England Journal of Medicine ABOUT THE GUEST Cate Ryan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinejryan] is an MPH candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, focusing on the intersection of health and housing. She graduated from Brown in 2021 with a cell and molecular biology major and was the former senior science and research editor for the Brown Daily Herald, as well as the producer of the COVID Pod with Dr. Ashish Jha [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-covid-pod-with-dr-ashish-jha/id1536306840]. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Ashish K. Jha [https://x.com/ashishkjha] is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

What Should We Learn from an Anti-Vaccine Conference?

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a striking new statistic: 40% of fully subsidized ACA enrollees had no insurance claims last year — a number far higher than the 15–20% typically seen in employer-based plans. He then reviews a major New England Journal of Medicine trial showing that a modified mRNA influenza vaccine reduced lab-confirmed flu infections by 35% compared to traditional flu shots, producing stronger immune responses with slightly more short-term reactogenicity. Associate Professor of the Practice Dr. Craig Spencer, emergency physician and public health leader, joins to discuss his experience attending the Children's Health Defense conference in Austin — unpacking the movement’s growing cohesion, the small but vocal anti-vaccine contingent, and why many attendees feel unheard by the health system. Dr. Jha discusses: * Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of Modified mRNA Influenza Vaccine [https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2416779?query=featured_home] — New England Journal of Medicine * I’m a physician who went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. More of my colleagues should too [https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/childrens-health-defense-conference-pro-vaccine-doctor/] — STAT ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Craig Spencer is an emergency medicine physician and an Associate Professor of the Practice of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University School of Public Health. As a physician he focuses on frontline preparedness, both in the U.S. and globally, especially on the impact of COVID-19 on health systems. This includes the real world impact of pandemic preparedness – or lack of preparedness – for clinicians and patients, particularly from a humanitarian perspective. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Ashish K. Jha [https://x.com/ashishkjha] is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

Why Should We Care About Indoor Air Quality?

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a striking data point: 13.1% of U.S. adolescents and young adults report using AI tools for mental health advice, with 93% saying the guidance was helpful. He reviews a 2022 study from Italy’s Marche region showing that improving ventilation in more than 10,000 classrooms reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission by nearly 80%, underscoring the enormous impact of better indoor air quality on respiratory infections. Georgia Lagoudas, Senior Fellow at the Pandemic Center, joins to explain why indoor air quality standards in the U.S. are outdated, the benefits improving indoor air quality can have and the progress we have made. Dr. Jha discusses: * Use of Generative AI for Mental Health Advice Among US Adolescents and Young Adults [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2841067]— JAMA Network Open * Increasing ventilation reduces SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission in schools: A retrospective cohort study in Italy's Marche region [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1087087/full] — Frontiers in Public Health * The Effect of Air Purifiers in Schools [https://www.rff.org/publications/working-papers/the-effect-of-air-purifiers-in-schools/] — Resources for the Future ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Georgia Lagoudas [https://pandemics.sph.brown.edu/people/georgia-lagoudas-phd] is a Senior Fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health’s Pandemic Center. She recently served as Senior Advisor for Biotechnology and Bioeconomy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. During her time at the White House, she coordinated a variety of initiatives, including drafting and implementation of an Executive Order on Advancing the American Bioeconomy, as well as launching a White House Initiative to improve indoor air quality. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Ashish K. Jha [https://x.com/ashishkjha] is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

Why Is Declining Fertility a Problem?

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a 24% decline in telehealth visits for Medicare beneficiaries following the October 1 government shutdown, driven by the sudden expiration of Medicare’s authority to pay for telehealth. He reviews a new JAMA randomized controlled trial on caffeinated coffee and atrial fibrillation. Dr. Stephanie Psaki, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Brown School of Public Health, joins to explain why declining fertility rates around the world matter and why supporting people’s family planning choices should be a core public health and policy priority. Dr. Jha discusses: * Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities at Risk with Government Shutdown [https://cahpr.sph.brown.edu/sites/default/files/documents/Policy%20Briefs/2025/Research%20Brief_%20Medicare%20Telehealth%20Flexibilities%20at%20Risk%20of%20Expiration%20(1).pdf] — Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research * Caffeinated Coffee Consumption or Abstinence to Reduce Atrial Fibrillation [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2841253] — JAMA * The Real Way to Boost Birth Rates [https://time.com/7328698/women-work-career-parenting-jd-vance/] — TIME ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Stephanie Psaki [https://dr.stephaniepsaki/] is a distinguished senior fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health and served as Special Assistant to the President and U.S. Coordinator for Global Health Security at the National Security Council. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Ashish K. Jha [https://x.com/ashishkjha] is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

Where Should Americans Turn for Reliable Health Information?

In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a troubling new data point: premature mortality among Americans ages 18 to 64 rose by 27.2% between 2012 and 2022, driven largely by opioid overdoses, early cardiovascular disease, violence, and the early COVID-19 years. He reviews a new Nature study showing that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines may boost the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, finding that patients who received an mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting treatment were twice as likely to be alive three years later, likely due to broad immune activation. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory, joins to discuss where Americans can turn for reliable, evidence-based public health information at a time when federal guidance has become less consistent. Dr. Jha discusses: * Racial Disparities in Premature Mortality and Unrealized Medicare Benefits Across US States [https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2840803?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=110725]— JAMA Health Forum * SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09655-y] — Nature ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Demetre Daskalakis [https://x.com/dr_demetre] served as the director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) from 2023 to 2025. He also previously served as the director of the CDC's Division of HIV Prevention and Deputy Coordinator for the National Mpox Response at the White House. ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Ashish K. Jha [https://x.com/ashishkjha] is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky