Vital Health Podcast
MSD Early Bird Podcast: Changing Demographics and the Case for Renewed Investment in Health
Across Europe and around the world, demographic change is reshaping our societies. Longer life expectancy, aging populations, and evolving workforce dynamics are creating both new opportunities and growing pressure on healthcare systems, economies, and public policy. Against this backdrop, health …
25:07
Bill Smith: How 340B Became A Hospital Profit Center
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Bill Smith (Senior Fellow and Director, Life Sciences Initiative at The Pioneer Institute) to discuss how the 340B program has evolved from a safety net drug discount program into a major source of hospital revenue, what…
23:18
Steve Potts: Policy Headwinds Are Reshaping Biotech Financing
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Steve Potts, CEO of Breakthru Medicine, to discuss how biotech financing, drug pricing policy, scientific infrastructure, and public trust are reshaping oncology innovation and U.S. biopharma leadership. Key Topics: Bio…
23:32
Patrick Kelly & John Murphy: Generic Shortages and Supply Chain Risk
In this best-of edition of the Vital Health Podcast, we revisit two conversations Duane Schulthess has with experts on the future of generic medicines, drug shortages, and supply chain risk in the United States. Patrick Kelly: Chief Advocacy Officer, Healthcare Distribution Alliance John Murphy: Pr…
31:58
Christopher Locher: Why Vaccine Innovation Matters More Than Ever
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Christopher Locher, Chief Executive Officer at Versatope Therapeutics, about the current landscape for vaccine manufacturers and innovators. Their conversation covers vaccine platform development, financing challenges fo…
29:04
Melanie Whittington: Why Are Drugs So Expensive?
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Melanie Whittington, Managing Director and Head of the Leerink Center for Pharmacoeconomics and Senior Fellow at the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health at Tufts Medical Center. They examine how health…
33:46
VT's Grumpies and Lady Discuss the U.S. Biotech Policy Landscape
Read our MFN preprint: https://vitaltransformation.com/2026/02/preprint-new-research-the-impact-of-mfn-on-oncology-and-hematology-treatments/ In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with two Vital Transformation colleagues on biopharma pricing policy, market acces…
33:52
Tim Scott: MFN Pricing, Venture Risk, and the Future of California Biotech
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Tim Scott, President & CEO of Biocom California, a biopharma executive with more than two decades of experience, including spinning out companies from UC San Diego and leading firms acquired by BioMarin and Novartis, to …
38:21
Mark Rohrbaugh & Gwen O’Loughlin: Drug Patents, March-In Rights, and NIH Technology Transfer
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess examines how NIH-funded research fits into the U.S. innovation and IP ecosystem, and why today’s political rhetoric about “government-developed drugs” often misses how commercialization actually happens. Featuring expert perspective…
31:02
Oriana Ciani & Denis Lacombe: Overall Survival and Surrogate Endpoints in Early Oncology Approvals
In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with two experts on evidence standards for early oncology access at ISPOR Europe 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland: Oriana Ciani:Associate Professor of Practice at SDA Bocconi School of Management Denis Lacombe: Director General …
28:52