Episodes

Tik Tok, immunity, misinformation, and more! SHOW NOTES: Check out "The Heart of Healthcare" from OffScrip Health Visit offscrip.com/shows for more podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I welcome Dr. Maulik Majmudar, a cardiologist, Chief Medical Officer, and Co-Founder at Biofourmis, a rapidly growing virtual care delivery and digital therapeutics company. He dropped by the studio to bond over fathering boy/girl twins like me and to dive further down the rabbit hole of the modern-day train wreck that is America's fabulous healthcare system. Before his current position, Maulik was Medical Officer for a small, relatively unknown company named Amazon, where he led the development and launch of Amazon's first health membership service. As an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, he was responsible for the identification, validation, and implementation of digital health solutions to improve care delivery and the patient and provider experience. That sounds like mumbo-jumbo, but we really do get into what this means in our conversation. Follow Maulik on Twitter @mdmajmudar and enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California …

Novavax delays, Ramsay Hunt syndrome 101, and unexpected Covid excuses. Visit offscrip.com/shows for more podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remember that time I was on the cover of Newsweek? Great. If not, well, you do. Several people were responsible for taking the risk of bringing the young adult cancer movement's cause to the national spotlight, and Jessica Firger sits on that "Mount Rushmore." At the time, Jess was a senior health writer at Newsweek, but this award-winning health journalist has a storied career, having held posts at CBS News, CNN, Everyday Health, and others. On today's show, Jess joins me live in-studio for a g...

Florida's COVID data audit, long COVID disabilities, and overstocked shelves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a belated episode channeling March being Autoimmune Awareness Month, my dear friend Erin Moriarty Wade drops by the show today to talk about channeling her inner parental beast mode as a caregiver to her incredible daughter Ansley who lives with a rare autoimmune disease. Erin is also a long-standing freelance healthcare writer, journalist, on-air reporter, and weekend anchor. Our conversations break down the insanity of healthcare communications, how stupid they can be, what works, what's broken, and what you can do about it. Follow Erin on Twitter at @EMoriartyWade and Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So my buddy Marty Keiser happened to be in NYC and dropped by OffScrip Health Studios, and we decided to turn on the mics and bromance out since we hadn't seen each other in person in over a year. #ThanksPandemic. Consider this "Very Special Episode of Family Ties" a mental exercise in friendship, camaraderie, purpose, frustration, intent, and belief that the good in the world far outweighs the bad in the world. Yogi Bera said, "If life were easy, we'd all do it." Truer words were never spoken. So that about sums up the episode. I hope you enjoy it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From dysgeusia to Y10K... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today I chat with Annie Brewster, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a practicing internist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. She’s also a patient, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001 at age 32. In response to the problems she experienced in healthcare, both as a patient and a provider, Dr. Brewster founded Health Story Collaborative in 2013. It’s a nonprofit organization committed to empowering patients and their loved ones, building community, strengthening patient-provider connections, and transforming healthcare through storytelling. Dr. Brewster recently published The Healing Power of Storytelling: Using Personal Narrative to Navigate Illness, Trauma, and Loss, which tells her own story as a physician and MS patient, the science behind narrative medicine, and tips on how to heal and manage health issues through storytelling.  For more information, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.…

Bar Mitzvahs, Death penalties, and monkeypox. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's ad-free episode of Out Of Patients is made possible by our friends at Exact Sciences, changing lives together through earlier detection and smarter answers. You know, I always love being the dumbest guy in the room because it bodes well that our discussions will be of the highest caliber of authenticity, trust, and the occasional 80s reference. I am grateful to welcome two genius humans who have uniquely accomplished insanely great things that have changed the world for the better. Dr. Paul Limburg is the Chief Medical Officer at Exact Sciences, and Dr. Nickolas Papadopoulos is a Professor of Oncology and Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Our conversation ranges from "meditainment" and a poor Sean Connery impression to a future where it may be possible for there to be something called MCED, or "Multi-Cancer Early Detection." We've been talking about cancer prevention for decades, but soon it may be possible to nip it in the bud before it gets awful—…

Shortages of everything everywhere all at once! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I speak with board-certified patient advocate and thyroid cancer survivor Vanessa Steil. In 2014, Vanessa founded her company Living in Steil to help coach people through health crises and share what she learned during her experience with thyroid cancer at age 26. She also shares her perspective as a caregiver to someone living with cancer. Vanessa talks about the need to change how we talk about cancer, scan-xiety, antithyroglobulin levels, and other syllables. For more information, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pardon me for interrupting today's regularly scheduled episode of VAX ON here on the Out of Patients podcast feed. I promise it's for a good reason, namely, a rebroadcast — for those who may have missed it — of Episode One of The Cancer Mavericks: A History of Survivorship, our acclaimed 8-part narrative history series from 2021. Over 300,000 listeners can't be wrong, and it'd be a disservice not to ensure all of my incredible listeners were made aware of this highly ambitious passion project. 2021 was the 50th Anniversary of The National Cancer Act of 1971, passed by President Richard Nixon, that kicked off "The War on Cancer." What you're going to hear in this inaugural episode lays the fundamental groundwork for what has become the very idea of cancer advocacy in the modern era. This series has made a huge dent in society and culture, further demonstrating a most important key takeaway: Advocacy matters. Your voice matters, for it is the only thing that's ever changed anything. Enj…

Today I talk to Dr. Mark Lewis and Dr. Jean Luc Neptune, two brilliant physicians and hosts of the new Offscrip Health podcast, Is It Serious? Mark is also a patient living with a hereditary tumor syndrome and brings his unique point of view from both sides of the exam table. JL is an entrepreneur and practices addiction medicine at his own company Suntra Modern Recovery. Through their conversations, they pull back the curtain on the American Healthcare system and share their doctor knowledge without all the complex doctor talk. Today, JL and I realize that we may or may not have been on the same flight that had to make an emergency landing in Salt Lake City and Mark breaks into his Scottish brogue and recreates the opening scene from the movie Trainspotting. They’re smart. They’re funny. They’re passionate and they are coming to you weekly through their podcast, Is It Serious? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv…

Testing kit murals, boosters, and PPE. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I speak with Clare Matschullat, a self-described cancer sherpa. As someone who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a young person, Clare knows the emotional rollercoaster and logistical nightmares that come with a cancer diagnosis. That’s why she started her own business — Clare the Cancer Sherpa — to help guide patients through treatment, advocate on their behalf with providers, and walk them through the messy business of insurance reimbursements and other challenges. She wishes there wasn’t a need for her services, but until the broken healthcare system gets fixed, she’s here to help you navigate it.  For more information, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pandemic storytelling, China's constant lockdowns, and traveling sans masks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I speak with Dr. Ashani Weeraratna. She’s a leading cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins. Ashani was recently appointed by President Biden to the National Cancer Advisory Board. She's also a researcher at the National Cancer Institute AND the author of a new book called Is Cancer Inevitable? Her book takes us inside her research lab and reveals how new insights are leading to major breakthroughs, even for patients with Stage IV cancer. We talk about those breakthroughs, what it was like growing up in South Africa, and seeing Van Gogh in virtual reality, among other things.  For more information, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gail Zahtz is many things. Quiet isn't one of them. A fellow alum of 1990s SUNY Binghamton, her early career started in traditional old-school print, radio, and TV journalism. Basically, all things pre-Internet. And life went on its merry way for years, as it should, until a multi-year comedy of terrors befell her with a much-delayed diagnosis of Stage IV breast cancer. Hilarity definitely did not ensue as she faced innumerable and endless rabbit holes of shitness navigating her disease. Learn how she went to literal "cancer jail" and fought her way out, among other blitheringly insane experiences no one asks for. Now five years cancer-free, Gail's hill to die on is "value-based care," which is jargon for actually making healthcare suck less for millions. Enjoy the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, I talk to the brain trust behind Frunutta, a company that’s disrupting the vitamin market. Their dissolvable vitamins are ultra-absorbent and get nutrients into your bloodstream more efficiently than vitamins that go through your digestive system. Plus, Frunutta is made from simple, all-natural ingredients, so you aren’t consuming any bad stuff along with the good. Dr. Ali Alavi is a medical doctor who founded the company in order to help his son, who has major nutrient deficiencies related to autism.  Joining him is Tonya Skurzynski, Frunutta's Chief Revenue Officer, to answer questions like do multivitamins work? (the answer will surprise you), why do most vitamins have cancer-causing ingredients?, and how do I find out if I'm vitamin deficient? /// For more information on us, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com…

Dexellent, masks, and better ventilation... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today I talk to Gene Gurkoff, the founder and CEO of Charity Miles. It’s a fitness app that helps people raise money for their favorite charities through corporate sponsorships. Gene started running marathons to raise funds for Parkinson’s research after his grandfather was diagnosed with the disease, and he helped to found the Fox Foundation with Michael J. Fox. Later Gene founded Charity Miles to help employees convert their steps into money for places like the Fox Foundation and other charitable groups. Gene gives his tips for healthy living: eat right, exercise, and don’t make an app. He also recommends two of his favorite books: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Once a Runner by John Parker. For more information about us, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripHealth on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sel…

Baby variants and Scottish plays. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.