A Moment in Health with Dr. Ashish Jha

• What Will It Take to End the Opioid Epidemic?

  In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights that 66% of U.S. physicians now report using AI in their clinical practice, reflecting the technology’s rapid adoption across billing, documentation, and patient care. He reviews a new JAMA Network Open study showing that people with type 2 diabetes and opioid use disorder who took semaglutide (Ozempic) had roughly half the risk of opioid overdose compared to those on other diabetes medications, adding to growing evidence that GLP-1 drugs may help reduce addictive behaviors. Dr. Brendan Saloner, Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health, joins to outline three key policy priorities for curbing opioid overdose deaths.Dr. Jha discusses:Semaglutide and Opioid Overdose Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Opioid Use Disorder — JAMA Network OpenAbout the GuestDr. Brendan Saloner is the Donald G. Millar Professor of Alcohol and Addiction Studies in the Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University. One strand of his research focuses on access and quality of care for people with mental health and substance use disorders. A second strand of his research focuses specifically on health care for people in the criminal legal system. At Johns Hopkins University before joining Brown, he co-led the evaluation team for the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative, a $120 million investment in overdose reduction focused on seven states.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

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• Do Americans Really Get Access to New Drugs First?

  In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights that 70% of U.S. parents oppose removing public school immunization requirements, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation poll—even as Florida becomes the first state to end immunization requirements for public schools. He reviews a large French registry study published in JAMA Network Open finding no link between first-trimester COVID-19 vaccination and major congenital anomalies among more than 500,000 infants, reinforcing the safety of vaccination during pregnancy. Dr. Olivier Wouters, Assistant Professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, joins to unpack whether Americans truly gain faster access to new drugs—confirming that while the majority of medicines launch first in the U.S., complex barriers mean equitable access often comes much later than in other countries.Dr. Jha discusses:First-Trimester mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination and Risk of Major Congenital Anomalies — JAMA Network OpenAbout the GuestDr. Olivier J. Wouters is an Associate Professor at Brown University’s School of Public Health and a visiting faculty member at Harvard Medical School He was previously an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics. His research focuses on pharmaceutical economics and policy, particularly issues related to drug pricing and access to medicines in high- and middle-income countries.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

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• What Will It Take to Rebuild Gaza’s Health System?

  In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha spotlights a sobering data point: 40,000 estimated hepatitis A cases in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023. He reviews a JAMA Network Open study on chronic disease care in war-torn Tigray, Ethiopia, which found a dramatic decrease in the number of patients with conditions like diabetes who had access to treatment. Dr. Michael VanRooyen, Chair of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and founding director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, joins to outline what it takes to rebuild Gaza’s health system—beginning with stability and governance, clearing unsafe areas, sustaining emergency care, and gradually restoring long-term health infrastructure and workforce capacity.Dr. Jha discusses:War and Health Care Services Utilization for Chronic Diseases in Rural and Semiurban Areas of Tigray, Ethiopia — JAMA Network OpenAbout the GuestDr. Michael VanRooyen is the founding director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), an interfaculty initiative at Harvard University dedicated to advancing evidence and professional development in humanitarian assistance. He has led complex humanitarian operations with numerous relief organizations in more than thirty countries affected by conflict and disaster, including Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan–Darfur, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine, and Ukraine. Dr. VanRooyen is the Chair of Emergency Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as the Enterprise Chief of Emergency Medicine for the Mass General Brigham health system.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

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• How Do We Meaningfully Lower Healthcare Spending in the Next Decade?

  In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights that 51% of U.S. adults—about 125 million people—are overweight or obese with one or more chronic conditions. He reviews a new study examining the lifetime health effects and cost-effectiveness of GLP-1 drugs tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Ozempic). Dr. Andy Ryan, Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, joins to discuss how to meaningfully reduce U.S. healthcare spending, emphasizing the need for a national strategy that aligns coverage and pricing with value and ensures that Americans get the greatest health benefit for the dollars spent.Dr. Jha discusses:Lifetime Health Effects and Cost-Effectiveness of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide in US Adults — JAMA Health ForumAbout the GuestDr. Andrew Ryan is a professor in the Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University and Director of the Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research. His research focuses on understanding and evaluating the effects of health care payment reform.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

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• How Do We Curb the Harms of Private Equity in Healthcare?

  In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights that private equity firms have invested an estimated $1 trillion into U.S. healthcare acquisitions over the past decade. He then reviews a new Annals of Internal Medicine study showing that private equity hospital buyouts are linked to staffing cuts in ICUs and emergency departments, with a 13% rise in mortality among Medicare patients. Dr. Yashaswini Singh joins to outline policy strategies to curb harmful effects of private equity in healthcare — calling for stronger transparency, updated guardrails for patients and workers and targeted antitrust enforcement.Dr. Jha discusses:Hospital Staffing and Patient Outcomes After Private Equity Acquisition — Annals of Internal MedicineAbout the GuestDr. Yashaswini Singh is a health care economist and Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University. Her areas of interest and expertise include health care consolidation and corporatization, including by private equity firms, and the downstream effects on health care spending, access, quality, and the clinical workforce.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky

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