In this episode of Healthcare Matters, hosts Dr. Robert Popovian and Ben Blanc are joined by Peter Pitts, former FDA Associate Commissioner and President of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. Together, they unpack the sweeping personnel cuts at HHS, ongoing instability at the FDA, and how it all may threaten the future of drug innovation in the U.S. With delays in leadership appointments, policy misalignment across agencies, and increased uncertainty from pricing reforms like the Inflation Reduction Act, pharmaceutical companies may hit pause—and patients may pay the price.

Tune in for a timely discussion on how chaos in science policy reverberates through clinical innovation and patient access.

Among the highlights in this episode:

03:09: Peter Pitts shares his FDA background and warns against viewing staff consolidation through a purely numerical lens—emphasizing the nuance of function and legal responsibility

04:07: Peter breaks down FDA’s structure, clarifying that the majority of its 18,000 staff are non-political, career public health officials—not industry influenced

06:33: Peter explains that gutting senior leadership slows down innovation and drug approvals, as regulatory coordination is weakened

07:42: Peter details ongoing leadership instability across FDA’s key centers (drugs, biologics, devices), and notes the loss of progressive voices like Dr. Peter Marks and Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni

08:32: Dr. Popovian adds that short- and long-term uncertainty in biopharma is significant, especially in oncology—a therapeutic area critical to innovation and patient survival

09:53: Peter warns that chaos and unpredictability undercut investor confidence, which could delay development in oncology, gene therapy, and rare diseases

11:10: Dr. Popovian reinforces that cancer care is now chronic care, and disruptions in FDA operations could rob patients of critical time and treatment options

11:42: Peter highlights misalignment between FDA and CMS, especially when CMS questions the validity of FDA-approved data—jeopardizing reimbursement

12:43: Dr. Popovian and Peter urge alignment between FDA and CDC guidance, citing conflicting vaccine messaging as a source of confusion for patients and providers

13:37: Peter underscores the need for improved communication and coordination between public health agencies to rebuild trust

15:06: Dr. Popovian raises concerns that instability and underappreciation will deter top scientists from public service roles at agencies like the FDA

17:21: Dr. Popovian explains that pharmaceutical companies are delaying R&D and trial investments due to regulatory uncertainty

18:35: Peter adds that companies may also pause research into new uses for existing drugs—despite their public health value—due to unclear FDA pathways

19:21: Dr. Popovian discusses how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) further complicates investment decisions, creating a “perfect storm” with FDA uncertainty

23:19: Ben emphasizes that policy uncertainty delays hope for patients awaiting new treatments—and that public accountability is more important than ever

24:03: Dr. Popovian shares some final thoughts

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Ben Blanc, Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF: bblanc@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Ben Blanc.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are well-intentioned vaccine policies making access harder instead of easier? In this episode of Healthcare Matters, hosts Dr. Robert Popovian and Ben Blanc unpack a new report from the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) on how Shared Clinical Decision Making (SCDM) and risk-based recommendations may unintentionally reduce adult vaccination rates—particularly in underserved communities. From real-world data showing a 10 percent drop in pneumococcal vaccine uptake to sharp disparities in meningitis coverage, the findings are hard to ignore.

Tune in as we explore how these policies may create confusion, widen health inequities, and hinder access—and what can be done to fix it.

Among the highlights in this episode:

03:00: Dr. Popovian explains what Shared Clinical Decision Making (SCDM) is and the role of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), noting the challenges of expecting time-strapped physicians to hold complex conversations with patients

06:00: Dr. Popovian expresses concern that SCDM can lead to decreased immunization rates due to misaligned expectations and informational imbalance

07:15: Dr. Popovian cites a 10 percent drop in pneumococcal vaccine uptake after its recommendation changed from “routine” to SCDM, and notes a striking difference in coverage between the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (60.8%) and MenB (11.9%) meningitis vaccines, the latter being subject to SCDM

10:03: Dr. Popovian explains that pharmacists and clinic-based providers often lack access to patients’ full medical records—making risk-based decisions difficult in practice

13:47: Dr. Popovian explains that patients in underserved areas often rely on pharmacies or federally qualified health clinics, where continuity of care is lacking and risk assessments are harder to verify—exacerbating health inequities

15:59: Dr. Popovian predicts the administration will double down on SCDM and patient-led decisions—likely leading to lower vaccination rates and reduced herd immunity

17:58: Dr. Popovian warns that some states (like Louisiana) are banning public health messaging about vaccines, making the role of advocacy organizations even more critical in providing accurate information

19:00: Ben emphasizes the importance of education, outreach, and advocacy to bridge the gap between policy and real-world vaccination practices

19:00: Dr. Popovian calls for aligning ACIP recommendations with FDA labels and tracking the public health consequences of recent policy changes

20:02: Dr. Popovian shares some final thoughts

For more information about “Enhancing Adult Vaccine Uptake: Challenges in Shared Clinical Decision Making and Risk-Based Recommendations,” and to access the full report, visit: https://ghlf.org/issues/vaccines/enhancing_adult_vaccine_uptake/

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Ben Blanc, Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF: bblanc@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Ben Blanc.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that millions of adults may have missed crucial vaccines due to restrictive state policies on pharmacist vaccination authority? In this episode of Healthcare Matters, hosts Dr. Robert Popovian and Ben Blanc sit down with Vibhu Tewary and Conrad Bhamani from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science to discuss new research conducted by the IQVIA Institute and GHLF on how these restrictions impact vaccination rates. They break down key findings from the report, revealing that states with tighter regulations see significantly lower vaccine uptake — by as much as 14% for RSV vaccines.

Tune in as they explore real-world consequences for underserved communities, why pharmacists are essential to public health, and what policy changes could help expand vaccine access.

Among the highlights in this episode:

01:17: Ben introduces the key topic of the episode: how state restrictions on pharmacists’ vaccination authority may be preventing millions of adults from accessing crucial vaccines

02:56: Dr. Popovian explains that pharmacists are the most accessible health care professionals, particularly in underserved communities, and cites data showing that many patients prefer to receive vaccines at pharmacies

05:27: Conrad highlights key statistics from the report, including that states requiring a physician’s prescription for RSV vaccines see a 14% lower vaccination rate, while states requiring a physician protocol see a 9% lower rate

07:41: Vibhu explains how pharmacy access is critical for people in low-income and minority communities, who often face additional barriers to seeing a physician during regular office hours

09:56: Dr. Popovian outlines policy recommendations, including eliminating physician prescription requirements and protocol restrictions, to make vaccinations more accessible

12:39: Dr. Popovian emphasizes the importance of collaboration between pharmacists and physicians and urges pharmacists to advocate for policy changes

14:10: Vibhu discusses how states that grant pharmacists independent vaccination authority tend to have higher immunization rates and how data should drive policy decisions

16:14: Dr. Popovian shares some final thoughts

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Ben Blanc, Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF: bblanc@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Ben Blanc.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.