S8, Ep 43- 2025 Year-End Public Health Recap

In this special year-end episode of The Health Advocates, host Steven Newmark takes a step back to review several of the most significant public health developments of 2025. The episode covers major leadership changes at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, key meetings and votes of t…

S8, Ep 42- ACIP Meeting Recap: What Happened and What It Means for Patients

In this episode of The Health Advocates, we break down one of the most pivotal and controversial ACIP meetings in recent history. The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee voted to roll back the universal hepatitis B birth dose — a policy that has protected newborns from chronic liver disease for more t…

S8, Ep 41- Building Trust in Health: A Texas Lawmaker’s View on Prevention, Access, and Equity

How can lawmakers rebuild public trust in health, and make prevention a shared priority? In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark speaks with Texas State Representative Nicole Collier, a leading voice on health equity, women’s health, and preventive care. From her work on the Select…

S8, Ep 40- Turkey Day Conversations: How to Talk About Vaccines With Your Family

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Steven helps our community prepare for the conversations that matter most. Every year, GHLF shares its “Turkey Day Talking Points” to support people living with chronic illness or who are immunocompromised as they navigate discussions about vaccines with family…

S8, Ep 39- Government Shutdowns & IgG4-RD: What Patients Need to Know

In this episode of The Health Advocates, host Steven Newmark breaks down what the recent federal government shutdown means for health care access and vulnerable patients. Then, he’s joined by Mahsa Pazokifard, a passionate patient advocate living with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a rare and ofte…

S8, Ep 38- What Pandemics Reveal: Dr. Tyler Evans on Poverty, Politics, and Public Health

Pandemics aren’t only about pathogens, they’re about people, politics, and the deep inequities in our health systems. In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark speaks with Dr. Tyler Evans, an infectious disease and public health leader whose career has spanned the front lines of globa…

S8, Ep 37- Open Enrollment 2026: What Patients Need to Know

Open enrollment for 2026 is underway — and for millions of Americans managing chronic or rare diseases, understanding your health insurance options is essential. In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark breaks down what open enrollment is, what’s new this year, and how to navigate ch…

S8, Ep 36- Raising Awareness on GCA Awareness Day: Kathi Lopez's Story

In this special episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark speaks with Kathi Lopez, who shares her journey of being diagnosed with Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA). Kathi talks about the challenges of getting a proper diagnosis, navigating treatment, and managing life with a rare autoimmune conditio…

S8, Ep 35- How Nobel-Winning Science is Bringing Hope to People With Autoimmune Diseases

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognized groundbreaking advances in understanding immune regulation — but what do they mean for people living with autoimmune disease? In this episode, Dr. Shilpa Venkatachalam, Chief Patient-Centered Research and Ethical Oversight Officer at GHLF, j…

S8, Ep 34- When the Lights Go Off — Public Health in a Shutdown

What happens to America’s health when Washington grinds to a halt? In this episode of The Health Advocates, we break down the latest federal government shutdown and what it means for public health agencies across the country. We explain what a shutdown actually is, drawing from past shutdowns over …