Oh my god, we're back again. (Sorry, I can never resist a Backstreet Boys quote.)
On Wednesday, the new season of the First Opinion Podcast debuted, and the first episode features the perfect conversation to kick us off. I spoke with Alison Block, who is a family medicine doctor, abortion provider, writer, and the co-creator and host of the podcast "The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America," and Nikki Zite, an OB/GYN in Tennessee. Even before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs, Tennessee had some of the strongest abortion restrictions in the U.S. Now, the procedure is illegal under all but a very small number of circumstances, leading even routine medical care to technically be a felony.
In a moment I found particularly poignant, Nikki told me, "Most of [the abortion care I provided] was kind of siloed and protected within a hospital setting. So it's a lot of the, quote, 'good' abortion, right? The stuff that people don't necessarily label or talk about as abortion, when you're ending a pregnancy because the woman is actually close to death or the pregnancy is not survivable." Now, some people are "trying to say it's not abortion and obviously it is," she said. It's something I've been thinking about since we recorded the conversation.
I confess I was nervous to don the headphones of the First Opinion Podcast earlier this year. But thanks in huge part to producer Theresa Gaffney and STAT multimedia director Alissa Ambrose, making the leap from obsessive podcast listener to host hasn't been as terrifying as I had anticipated. In fact, it's a joy, as it gives me an excuse to be a little nosy with fascinating people.
Now, with the second season upon us, I want to hear from you. What do you like about the podcast? What should we change? Traditionally, the show is deeply connected to the column — the guests are authors of recent First Opinion essays, sometimes with the addition of another person. (We have a great episode coming up soon about the Wegovy shortage in which I speak with Jody Dushay, a weight management physician who recently wrote a First Opinion piece, and one of her patients.)
But I'm open to mixing that up! What might make you more inclined to hit that subscribe or play button, or maybe even leave us a five-star review? What are your favorite health, medicine, and life sciences podcasts? Anything else I should know? Share your thoughts here. (Just please think twice before complaining about the sound of my voice, thanks.)
On First Opinion this week: Were you surprised to hear the FDA say that the common decongestant phenylephrine doesn't work? Michael H. Bernstein (co-editor of the forthcoming book "The Nocebo Effect: When Words Make You Sick") and Grayson L. Baird write about the role of the placebo effect in unclogging your nose. Geriatrician Anna Chodos explains why age limits for politicians, an idea that has recently gained traction, is ageist, ableist, and not good for the U.S. Wayne C. Koff, Eric E. Schmidt (yes, that Eric Schmidt), and Peter C. Doherty write, "We are at an unprecedented moment in history as recent technological advances now offer the unique opportunity to decode the human immune system."
Plus: How hospitals can set doctor-chief medical officers up for success. Why IVG is not (yet) the new IVF. Some headlines about the new RSV antibody injection might be confusing parents. And the enormous potential of payer-participating trials.
Recommendation of the week: The term "spooky season" grates at me, but I do love this time of year. If you haven't watched "Midnight Mass" on Netflix, now is the perfect time. Set on a small New England fishing island, the miniseries' exploration of faith, eternal life, and the inescapable presence of the past is deeply compelling.
Thought on First Opinion? Ideas for pieces? Email me.
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