Episodes

Find out why you shouldn't kiss your chinchillas. 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 author and addiction physician Carl Erik Fisher. Carl is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, where he works in the Division of Law, Ethics, and Psychiatry. He also maintains a private psychiatry practice focusing on complementary and integrative approaches to treating addiction. He is the author of a new book – The Urge: Our History of Addiction, which is out now on Penguin Press. He is the host of the amazing podcast “Flourishing After Addiction.” And last but not least, Carl Erik Fisher is a recovering high school marching band geek.  Find out more about Carl’s book and podcast at carlerikfisher.com. 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos discuss the Supreme Court’s COVID-19 precautions during Tuesday’s oral arguments. They also discuss a nationwide COVID-19 testing shortage and NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ questionable remarks about the city’s workforce. 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 Kasey Altman, an intrepid 25-year-old living with late-stage cancer. Before her diagnosis, Kasey landed her dream job working as an Account Executive for Google. She crisscrossed the country. She was an athlete with an active fitstagram. Then in October 2020, at age 24, Kasey was diagnosed with a rare cancer - stage IV pediatric soft tissue sarcoma, fusion positive alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Since then, Kasey started her own podcast, Reroute, about life’s unexpected detours. She launched a hackathon to help develop a cure for her type of cancer. And she’s now roadtripping across the U.S. enrolling in different clinical trials. She’s wise beyond her years and has an infectious laugh and lust for life.  Follow Kasey on Instagram @kasey.altman. 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.c…

Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from 2021 featuring Glen DeVries, Co-CEO at Medidata, the most used platform for clinical trials worldwide. Tragically, Glen died in a plane crash in November. We remember him for his great work, including his book, "The Patient Equation: The Precision Medicine Revolution in the Age of COVID-19." Glen was unique in the annals of woke brainiacs who lived in the hyper multi-syllable world of science, data, and related semantic geekery AND YET he was hyperaware that average Jane's and Joe's like you and me prefer to actually understand the words emanating from the mouths of "science people" that may or may not be critical in helping us make life-altering medical decisions. Enjoy our conversation about Moore's Law and how it applies to the intersection of biology and technology, how we might need to reframe the concept of an impending robot apocalypse, and whether HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey could be our future gatekeeper to a clinical tri…

Today, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from 2021 featuring Michele Rhee, young adult cancer survivor of thyroid cancer, whose ordeal left her having over a dozen major surgeries, including open-heart surgery for a related underlying rare disease. Michele received both her MBA and MPH in three years and, because she’s such an underachiever, went on to pursue a storied career representing the voice of the patient at every company she’s worked for including The National Brain Tumor Society, Takeda Oncology, Bluebird Bio, and now as the VP of Patient Affairs at X4 Pharma. She’s also traversed all seven continents in a quest to find herself, make sense of the madness, and live her life on her terms.  For more information on us, visit https://OffScrip.com and follow @MZOutofPatients, @MatthewZachary, @VaxOnPod, and @OffScripMedia on Twitter.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As 2021 draws to a close, we reflect on important moments in patient advocacy, listenership growth, and new additions to our OffScrip family. Thank you for listening! We'll see you in 2022 with lots of new and exciting content. Excelsior! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matthew Zachary talks with writer, influencer, and breast cancer survivor extraordinaire Megan-Claire Chase. When her health and future were thrown off by a cancer diagnosis in 2015, Megan-Claire began documenting her journey on her hit blog, Life on the Cancer Train, where through her online persona Warrior Megsie, she still shares her emotional, physical, and spiritual experience of surviving cancer.

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos get ready for another holiday season with Covid in everyone’s vision. They talk about school woes, cruise ship outbreaks, and toxic influencers. They also discuss the latest Sermo poll! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A cancer diagnosis sucks no matter what — but factors like income, education, racism, geography, housing, and access to health care, known as "social determinants of health," can worsen the burden. When researchers zoom out from individual experiences and survey cancer survivors, they see patterns called social determinants of health. Individual circumstances such as economic stability, physical environment, racial bias, proximity to a provider, or fluency in that provider's language can influence a survivor's health outcome before any cancer treatment begins. In this episode, we share stories of cancer mavericks who rebelled against the foreshadowing of health disparities. 23-year survivor Mary P. Lovato started a support group at her pueblo in New Mexico that expanded to reach American Indian and Alaska Native tribes across the United States. After learning she had breast cancer at 31, Maimah Karmo made it her mission to advocate for young women, Black women, and those with metastat…

In this episode of Vax On: Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos discuss New York’s COVID-19 surge and how some schools are taking steps to reduce the number of cases among students and staff. They also walk through what society has learned from the second year of a global pandemic.

Today I talk to Kara Goldin — health product entrepreneur, breast cancer advocate, and the Founder and CEO of HINT Inc. Kara calls herself an accidental entrepreneur because she invented a product that she wanted but couldn’t find: unsweetened, fruit-infused water. Now HINT is available everywhere as a healthy and natural alternative to diet drinks. Kara honed her chops working at AOL and Time magazine, and she even interned for John McCain way back when. Today Kara is expanding HINT to include a line of natural sunscreen and is out with a new book, Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters. Kara Goldin talks about overcoming her diet soda addiction, disrupting the beverage industry, and the importance of knowing what we put in and on our bodies. And for 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/privacy#do-not-…

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos talk COVID neologisms and reminisce about 80s TV. They also break down the latest travel restrictions due to the new Omicron variant and the latest Sermo poll. 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 health marketing and digital health strategist Amy West. Amy is the Head of US Digital Transformation and Innovation at Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company that specializes in diabetes medications and devices. At Novo Nordisk, Amy makes sure patient experiences drive medical innovation. Amy was listed as one of the Medical Marketing & Media Top 40 Healthcare Transformers in 2018. And she’s still the head of her class! Amy talks about innovation, empathy, and creative problem s...

In celebration of World AIDS Day 2021, Matthew Zachary and guest co-host Elura Nanos welcome Krishna Stone, director of community relations for Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and Damon Jacobs, New York-based licensed therapist and HIV/AIDS activist. They discuss early HIV/AIDS activism, the latest scientific advancements, and what we can all do to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The theme for the WAD 2021 observance is “Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice.” World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic, endeavor to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. For more about WAD, visit https://www.hiv.gov. 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 multimedia guru and patient influencer Kathy Reagan Young. She’s been blogging since before that was a word. She’s a video producer. And she hosts an amazing podcast called FUMS, an acronym for Fuck You Multiple Sclerosis. And yes swearing like a sailor is also in her toolkit. When Kathy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis she didn’t let that stop her from being the badass that she is. Instead, she took to the web and started an online MS support community. And she launched the FUMS podcast - a new addition to the OffScrip Health network. Kathy talks about all that as well as the psychedelic effects of Amazonian frog venom and the physics behind ’80s hair. For more on Kathy’s podcast, visit FUMSnow.com. And for 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Matthew Zachary, Elura Nanos, and guest Amanda Ferraro discuss what they are thankful for, what they’ll be eating on Thanksgiving day, and how to avoid contracting COVID-19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amanda Ferraro is the Iron Woman of cancer survivorship. She’s endured a WTF whirlwind — double pneumonia, seven brain surgeries to treat a cyst on her cerebellum, hydrocephalus, appendicitis, acute myeloid leukemia, and various complications related to those illnesses. But Amanda lived to tell the tale. She started a blog called Cancer is an Asshole, which she expanded into a podcast. Amanda continues to share her story, advocates for patients and runs a nonprofit, all while fighting chronic health problems and being a mom. And for 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos discuss an unexpected Twitter feud about the COVID-19 vaccine. They also discuss scientific evidence that SARS-CoV-2 has been spreading explosively among our woodland friends across the United States. 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 Melissa Boudreau, endometriosis advocate and the latest podcasting rockstar to join OffScrip Health. It took years of suffering the debilitating effects of endometriosis and a battery of unrelated tests before Melissa would finally get diagnosed with the disease. That’s because endometriosis isn’t talked about. Despite the fact that one in ten women have it, it takes an average of 7 to 10 years for most women to get diagnosed. Melissa is working to change that. She started the podcast "The Cycle" to get the conversation going and help endo patients share their stories. Listen to The Cycle. Endometriosis Podcast. And for 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/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, the portrayal of cancer in movies and television was grim. If a character was diagnosed with cancer, it was a near certainty they'd be dead by the credits. But, like cancer treatment itself, Hollywood evolved, and many storylines about cancer became stories of survival. In this episode, we ask the question, "Who influences us and why?" From musicians to television stars, film producers to televised cancer screenings, when celebrities lend their voices to raising awareness and fundraising, that kind of star power can move mountains. Join us as we hear from voices such as actor Patrick Dempsey, StandUp2Cancer Co-Founders Katie Couric, Pam Williams, the late Laura Ziskin. Also appearing in this episode: Steven Hoffman (Professor of Global Health Law and Political Science at York University in Toronto, Canada,) Dr. Larissa Nekhlyudov (Director of Internal Medicine for Cancer Survivors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute,) Kami Kosenko (Professor of Communication at North Caro…

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Andrew MacDowell discuss scientists' predictions on the COVID-19 pandemic. They also talk about the U.S. opening its borders for international travel and Sermo poll on an unexpected COVID-19 treatment.

Matthew Zachary talks with digital evangelist Ritesh Patel, Senior Partner, Global Digital Health at FINN Partners about the intersection of healthcare and digital strategy, tools, platforms, and ecosystems.

In this episode of Vax On, Matthew Zachary and Elura Nanos discuss the FDA’s authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for children 5 through 11. They also discuss some of China’s aggressive tactics used to eliminate COVID-19 in the country.