In this episode, co-hosts Lance Price and Jay Graham interview Erta Kalanxhi of the One Health Trust to discuss her new paper, The Value of Vaccines to Mitigate Antimicrobial Resistance -- Evidence from Low- and Middle-Income Countries . Together, they discuss how vaccines can save lives while lowering the risk of antibiotic resistance. A win-win for everyone! Read the report . Visit the One Health Trust's website and check out their blogs !...
Oct 31, 2023•33 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode, we introduce our new co-host Dr. Jay Graham, Associate Professor in Residence of Environmental Health Sciences, at the University of California, Berkley School of Public Health. Together, with Dr. Lance Price, they discuss a new study that suggests that Escherichia coli and other disease-causing microbes are passing easily between humans and animals in Cambodia, a country where clean water, sanitation and hygienic controls are lacking in many regions. The continuous exchange, al...
Sep 29, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 11
We'll see you next month with a brand new episode and co-host. Enjoy listening to this episode from 2021 on the fascinating and terrifying world of fungal infections. We spend a lot of time talking about antibiotic resistance, but lately, something else has caught our attention -- antifungal resistance! Thanks to the changing climate and increased fungicide use, a couple of nasty fungi have begun developing resistance genes that could make fungal infections in people untreatable. When did this h...
Aug 23, 2023•48 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This episode first aired on March 25, 2020. We are re-airing it during our summer hiatus. We hope you enjoy listening. In this episode, co-host, Dr. Lance B. Price interviews longtime friend, colleague, and microbiologist, Jay Graham, who is an assistant professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Dr. Graham is an expert in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and has been working to improve WASH in underdeveloped communities for more than 20 years. Today, you'll learn about Dr. Graha...
Jul 20, 2023•34 min
This episode first aired in January 2021. We are taking the summer off as we search for a new podcast co-host. We’re re-airing some of our most listened to episodes. Enjoy! Consumption, the Captain of all these Men of Death, the White Plague, the King’s Evil -- all names for the bacterial infection known today as Tuberculosis or TB. In the early nineteenth century, TB was one of the most common killers American adults, but since entering the antibiotic era, this once deadly disease has faded int...
Jun 26, 2023•32 min•Season 3Ep. 8
This was a sad episode for our co-hosts Dr. Lance B. Price and Matt Wellington as well as our producer, Laura Rogers. In this episode we bade farewell to Matt who is leaving U.S. PIRG after 10 years to serve as the Associate Director for the Maine Public Health Association(his home state). In addition to saying goodbye, we reminisced about some of his favorite episodes including “ CDC on the Fungal Kingdom: Full of Friends and Enemies ” and “ Designing the Perfect Predator: Phage Therapy. ” Fear...
May 15, 2023•21 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this episode, hosts Dr. Lance B. Price and Matthew Wellington discuss an op ed they co-authored that was published in STAT News. The piece is titled " The window is closing to stop deadly drug-resistant fungi like Candida auris " and discusses just what you think it does. The co-hosts discuss other fungal and bacterial infections and the need for better surveillance systems in the US so we better prepared for the next public health emergency. Read the op ed ....
Apr 27, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In our March 2023 episode, Matt Wellington interviews his co-host, Dr. Lance B. Price, about a new study he co-authored that establishes a link between E. coli in raw meat and urinary tract infections in people. First, we hear about how these infections occur in people and some steps we can take to mitigate our risk. Next, Dr. Price addresses the “shared responsibility” of reducing the spread of E. coli and other foodborne pathogens and describes how government agencies can do their part through...
Mar 30, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 5
For our February episode, you'll hear the recording of a recent PIRG webinar, "How States can Protect Life-saving Antibiotics". First, each panelist, listed below, shares his/her perspective on the antibiotic resistance crisis. Next, the group explores the connection between antibiotic resistance and animal agriculture through moderator and audience questions. Finally, the panel turns to state action, including the Transparent and Responsible Antibiotic Use Act, which has recently been introduce...
Feb 27, 2023•58 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In our January episode of Superbugs Unplugged, co-hosts Matt Wellington and Louis Sokolow chat with Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and Director of the Yale Collaboration for Regulatory Rigor, Integrity, and Transparency (CRRIT). First, we hear about Dr. Ramanchandran’s work with CRRIT to ensure that FDA-approved medical products are sufficiently safe and accessible. Next, we do a deep dive into the PASTEUR Act, a piece of legislation that ...
Jan 26, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode of Superbugs Unplugged, our guest, Dr. Erin Duffy, discusses the global health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and why and how her non-profit, CARB-X, is investing in diverse products to help overcome common challenges faced in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Dr. Duffy is the Chief of R&D at CARB-X, a global biopharmaceutical accelerator for the discovery and early development of products to prevent, diagnose and treat resistant bacterial infections. Prior...
Dec 19, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 2
In this episode we talk with Kevin Outterson the Executive Director and Principal Investigator of CARB-X about our need for the development of antibiotics. He is Professor of Law and N. Neil Pike Scholar of Health and Disability Law at Boston University School of Law, where he leads multi-disciplinary teams to solve global health issues.
Nov 02, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Our guest this month is patient advocate Ella Balasa who was born with the rare and chronic lung disease cystic fibrosis (CF). She shares how important antibiotics are for people living with CF to be able to fight off dangerous lung infections. She also shares how she became a patient advocate. It’s a really great discussion that you won't want to miss.
Oct 20, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this month's episode, co-hosts Dr. Lance Price and Matthew Wellington interview award-winning chef, cookbook author, activist, and media personality Mary Sue Milliken. She's best known for her modern Mexican concept, Border Grill restaurants, trucks, and catering, which she runs with her business partner Susan Feniger. Mary Sue Milliken was one of the first chefs to join the Supermoms Against Superbugs movement, an advocacy program run by ARAC's deputy director, Laura Rogers, when she was at ...
Aug 26, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Our latest episode features distinguished Indian environmentalist, political activist, and writer Sunita Narain, who discusses antibiotic resistance as it relates to environmentalism and human health. She's based in New Delhi in India and is a force of nature. You won't want to miss this episode!
Jul 29, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Tune into the latest episode of our podcast to hear public health researcher and advocate, Dr. Everly Macario, discuss her personal connection to antibiotic resistance, and its impact on the medical system as we know it.
Jun 30, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Tune into the latest episode of our podcast to hear ARAC's deputy director, Laura Rogers, discuss the Center's new paper in Science Magazine that calls into question the integrity of the 'Raised without Antibiotics' label claim.
Apr 29, 2022•25 min•Season 2Ep. 15
On this episode, Co-Host Matthew Wellington talks with experts from World Animal Protection. Topics addressed include antibiotic over use on industrial farms, animal welfare issues related to these huge farms and the need for a moratorium on additional factory farms in the United States and globally.
Mar 31, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 14
This month’s episode focuses on a recent AMR study published in the Lancet: Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Our guest this month is co-author Dr. Kevin Ikuta, Infectious Disease Physician, Assistant Professor at UCLA in the Division of Infectious Diseases, and Hospital Epidemiologist at the Greater Los Angeles VA. We dive into the details and methods of the report, which areas are most impacted by AMR, and how to tackle this global health crisi...
Feb 28, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Dr. Jesper Larsen and Anders R. Larsen, Ph.D. join us to discuss their exciting new report “ Emergence of methicillin resistance predates the clinical use of antibiotics ”. This study reveals that some strains of MRSA were around far before the era of human antibiotic use. It was discovered in the most unlikely of places – on the backs of hedgehogs. Co-hosts Matt and Lance unpack this discovery and discuss how it relates to the importance of reducing antibiotic use in human and animal settings t...
Jan 19, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Join Lance and Matt as they sit down with Dr. Laura Huber and Dr. Thomas Van Boeckle to discuss the findings of their recent paper, which looks at reductions in antibiotics in chickens in Canada and the impact on resistance in Salmonella, Campy and E coli.
Dec 10, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 12
In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Lance B. Price and Lydia Palumbo sit down with Louise Francois Watkins from the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the CDC. They discuss antibiotic resistant campylobacter, and how it makes its way into our lives through our food and pets.
Nov 18, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 11
In this month's episode, co-host Dr. Lance B. Price talks with his former colleague and current friend, Dave Wagner, a plague expert at the Northern Arizona University. The two discuss plague, why it's still around. and the critical role antibiotics play in protecting the public .
Oct 25, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Join Lance and Matt in this month’s episode, as they meet with Dr. Jeffery Klausner, a Clinical Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences and Professor of Medicine at the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. We’ll explore the threat of drug-resistant gonorrhea, how it came to be, and how the flaws in our health system make it a daunting issue to solve.
Sep 27, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this episode, Maria Lettini, executive director of FAIRR, talks about their latest report: Feeding Resistance: Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Animal Health Industry. It's the first report to assess the animal health industry through the lens of antibiotic resistance and highlights the role that the sector can play in tackling the growing risk of resistance. Co-host Matt Wellington and Maria Lettini also discuss how this investor network raises awareness of the environmental, social and gove...
Aug 30, 2021•44 min•Season 2Ep. 8
This month’s episode focuses on the work of the Peggy Lillis Foundation established in 2010 by Christian and Liam Lillis after the untimely death of their mother to a C. diff (Clostridioides difficile) infection. Hosts Dr. Lance B. Price and Matthew Wellington interview Christian Lillis who serves as the foundation’s executive director. In this moving episode, you will hear about the loving and giving life of Peggy Lillis, her battle with the infection neither sibling had ever heard of, and how ...
Jul 26, 2021•48 min•Season 2Ep. 7
In March of 2020, the world's attention turned to one public health threat --- COVID-19. As we battled this horrific pandemic, rumors began circulating about the high rates of prescribing “just in case” antibiotics by health providers . These fears were confirmed in a recent study from The Pew Charitable Trusts that reviewed antibiotic use among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The findings strongly suggest significant overprescribing during the first six months of the pandemic. Dr. David Hyun, a...
Jun 28, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 6
We spend a lot of time talking about antibiotic resistance, but lately, something else has caught our attention -- antifungal resistance! Thanks to the changing climate and increased fungicide use, a couple of nasty fungi have begun developing resistance genes that could make fungal infections in people untreatable. When did this happen? How bad is the threat? What are the solutions? As always, co-hosts Matt and Lance have lots of questions. Fortunately, Dr. Tom Chiller, Chief of the Mycotic Dis...
May 24, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This month on the podcast, two all-stars from Niman Ranch join Lance and Matt for a fantastic discussion on raising animals without the use of antibiotics. Chris Oliviero, the General Manager of Niman Ranch, and Ron Mardensen, an Iowa-based hog farmer and field agent for Niman Ranch, detail the benefits of a farming system that doesn’t overuse antibiotics. Meat production is the single largest purchaser of medically important antibiotics in the United States. Often these antibiotics are used to ...
Apr 26, 2021•46 min•Season 2Ep. 4
You have heard of antibiotic overuse in food animal production, but wait until you get a load of spraying antibiotics on citrus trees. In the United States, the use of medically important antibiotics on crops has more than quadrupled from 2000 to 2017 and the problem is only getting worse. The EPA recently greenlighted the potential spraying of more than 650,000 pounds of streptomycin, a critically important antibiotic, on citrus crops in Florida and California. This is bad news for antibiotic r...
Mar 29, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 3
