Healthcare Unfiltered

Last week, Chadi and researchers explored the KETO-CTA study, which investigated the effects of the ketogenic diet on coronary plaque formation in Lean Mass Hyper-Responders (LMHR), or individuals who experience significant LDL cholesterol elevations on low-carb diets. This week, the other side of the conversation is presented. A leading cardiologist joins the show to critically examine the KETO-CTA study findings, questioning their clinical significance and broader applicability. What do these results really mean for cardiovascular risk in the general population? Should elevated LDL in the context of good metabolic health be treated the same as traditional hyperlipidemia? This episode dives into the nuances of lipidology, the role of LDL in atherosclerosis, and the complexity of applying study findings to real-world patients. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or just interested in the science behind diet and heart health, this conversation is essential listening. View the KETO-CTA study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25001036 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

The ketogenic (keto) diet has surged in popularity, with many touting its weight loss and metabolic benefits. However, some individuals—particularly those following a low-carb, high-fat regimen—experience a significant rise in LDL cholesterol, a phenomenon now known as the Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR) phenotype. What does this mean for cardiovascular risk? In this episode, Chadi is joined by three of the lead investigators of the KETO-CTA study, recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. They break down their findings on how the keto diet affects coronary plaque formation and what it could mean for LMHR individuals. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Next week, Chadi brings in a contrasting perspective on the study’s conclusions. A must-listen series for anyone interested in the intersection of diet, cholesterol, and cardiovascular health. View the KETO-CTA study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772963X25001036 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Cardiologists Andrew Foy and Anish Koka return to the show for a deep and often contentious debate on one of the most pressing healthcare policy issues of our time: should the government negotiate drug prices? Using the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a springboard, the conversation explores the underlying causes of inflated drug prices in the US, including the role of third-party payers, lack of transparency, and market distortions. The discussion also examines the global landscape—how other countries manage drug pricing—and whether those models offer lessons or cautionary tales. What impact will the IRA have on patients, access, and innovation? Can payers do more to control costs without sacrificing care? This episode dives into the complexities of healthcare economics, the free market, and the question of whether government intervention helps or hinders progress. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

With over 513,000 licensed advanced practice providers (APPs) in the U.S.—including 355,000 nurse practitioners and 158,470 physician assistants—and a projected 31% growth in the next five years, APPs are playing an increasingly vital role in oncology care. In this episode, Chadi is joined by Mary DiLorenzo and Clare Stone, two seasoned APPs practicing in North Carolina, for an in-depth conversation about how the field has evolved over the past 10–15 years. Together, they explore the nuances of APP scope of practice, how responsibilities vary across institutions and physician teams, and the ways in which APPs are integrated across inpatient and outpatient settings. The discussion also dives into critical questions: Are APPs seeing new patients as well as follow-ups? Could they eventually replace oncologists in some roles? What happens when clinical opinions diverge between APPs and physicians? Why do some patients feel more comfortable opening up to their APP than their oncologist? This episode offers a timely look at how APPs are shaping the future of cancer care delivery. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Drs. Emil Lou and Shruti Patel join Chadi on the podcast to unpack the alarming rise of gastrointestinal cancers in younger patients. They explore a range of possible environmental contributors—from plastic exposure and processed meats to alcohol and tobacco use—and discuss how these factors might be investigated through laboratory science. The conversation also highlights the promise of genomic profiling in shedding light on these trends, and reviews key findings from ASCO GI that could help steer future research and prevention efforts. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Drs. Sanam Loghavi and Amer Zeidan delve into the history behind the recent classification split between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Consensus Classification (ICC) for myeloid and lymphoid malignancies, and how a few years of minor disagreement have culminated in a unified system. They explore the critical differences in how myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms are now categorized, what this alignment means for pathologists, oncologists, regulators, and patients, when the new classification will take effect, and how it is expected to influence research, diagnosis, and clinical care. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Where does AI truly fit into the future of biomedicine and healthcare, beyond the usual headlines in radiology and pathology? Jonathan Carlson, Managing Director of Research Health Futures at Microsoft, joins the show to explore the evolution of AI in medicine, from the early days to cutting-edge innovations like ambient clinical intelligence. Together, he and Chadi unpack how pretrained models and machine learning are transforming care delivery, as well as the ethical and practical questions we need to be asking now. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

A Georgia court recently awarded over $2 billion to a plaintiff who developed lymphoma due to Monsanto’s Roundup exposure, but a new bill could prevent future victims from suing the company. Patient advocate Kelly Ryerson unpacks the legal maneuvering behind this legislation, its potential impact on consumer rights, and what it means for the future of environmental and food safety. Don’t miss this critical discussion on the intersection of law, public health, and corporate accountability. For more on this, check out this article. https://www.thecentersquare.com/georgia/article_2065b5e4-1052-433d-9af8-d840389e722d.html View Kelly’s website. https://glyphosatefacts.com/about/ Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Simrit Parmar, founder of Cellenkos, joins the show to discuss her journey from the lab to the biotech startup world, detailing the inspiration behind launching her company, the challenges of securing funding, and the resilience required to overcome rejections. She shares insights into Cellenkos’ lead product, its progress toward market approval, and the rigorous process of demonstrating safety and efficacy to the FDA. Additionally, she provides a glimpse into the company’s pipeline of innovative cellular therapies aimed at addressing unmet medical needs. Find out more about Cellenkos. https://cellenkosinc.com/about/index.html Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Carol Rausch—a healthcare professional, cancer researcher, and former patient with lymphoma—shares how her journey from researcher to patient transformed her understanding of medical language. She discusses the impact of word choice on patients, why certain battle and war metaphors can be harmful, and how language used in clinical settings differs from what resonates with those facing a diagnosis. Carol also explores the consequences of unfiltered language on social media and her efforts to promote more thoughtful, patient-centered communication both within and beyond the healthcare community. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Drs. David Braun and Toni Choueiri join to discuss a groundbreaking Nature study on a personalized neoantigen vaccine for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma. They explore the inspiration behind the trial, how the vaccine was developed and administered, and its safety profile. The conversation also covers patient outcomes after 3-4 years, including immune responses and disease recurrence, as well as the rapid enrollment of this innovative study and what it means for the future of kidney cancer treatment. Read the publication in Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08507-5 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Jay Giri, Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, joins the show to break down the recent NIH funding cuts and their impact on the medical research ecosystem. Together, he and Chadi explore the distinction between direct and indirect funding, the federal government's decision to reduce direct research funding to 15%, and how this shift affects researchers, institutions, and scientific progress. With growing concerns across the medical community and social media, they consider whether the backlash is justified and what the future holds for federally funded research. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Mohammad Jahanzeb, a renowned oncologist specializing in lung and breast cancer who opened his own virtual second opinion clinic, joins the podcast to explore the growing need for second opinion clinics and the challenges patients face in accessing them, from financial barriers to lingering stigmas. He delves into how often second opinions lead to changes in patient management, which disease settings benefit most, and how virtual second opinion models provide expert guidance while overcoming traditional obstacles. Additionally, Dr. Jahanzeb shares his serendipitous, “Forrest Gump-like” career path, the vital role of mentorship in shaping careers, and his philosophy on avoiding “professional stagnation.” Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Returning to the show, Drs. Vincent Rajkumar and Aaron Goodman engage in a dynamic debate over the evolving landscape of smoldering multiple myeloma, focusing on the highly anticipated study recently co-authored by Dr. Rajkumar and published in The New England Journal of Medicine after being presented at ASH 2024. They dissect the study’s findings, which highlight the impact of early intervention with daratumumab in delaying disease progression for patients classified as high-risk. The discussion explores the nuances of smoldering myeloma classification, the controversy surrounding risk stratification, and the historical context of prior studies that failed to change clinical practice. With their expert insights, Drs. Rajkumar and Goodman break down the implications of this research, questioning whether it truly shifts the standard of care and what it means for future treatment approaches. View the NEJM publication. https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2409029 Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Sakhr (Sam) Youness, a Syrian entrepreneur and engineer, provides a comprehensive primer on artificial intelligence (AI), tracing its origins from WWII-era innovations to the breakthroughs of the 1990s that shaped modern AI capabilities. He demystifies key concepts like machine learning, large language models, and the role of labeled data in training AI systems, offering insights into how AI interprets and processes human language. Dr. Youness also examines the rise of generative AI, the development of ChatGPT, and the ethical concerns surrounding AI’s proper use. Looking ahead, he discusses the next frontier—artificial general intelligence—and its implications for society, addressing the pressing question of whether AI and robotics will replace human workers. Finally, he explores AI’s evolving role in healthcare, weighing its potential to revolutionize medical advancements against the risks of misuse. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Amy Abernethy and Brad Hirsch, co-founders of Highlander Health, delve into their mission to transform healthcare through innovative, data-driven strategies. They discuss their firm's unique approach to investing in companies and technologies that advance personalized care, the creation of the Evidence Accelerator to streamline high-quality real-world data, and their efforts to solve critical challenges in building faster, more reliable demonstration projects. Furthermore, they share how they ensure credibility and quality in real-world evidence, and their vision for reshaping the future of medical innovation. Learn more about Highlander Health. https://www.highlanderhealth.com/ Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Chadi sits down with Creed McKinnon, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of VersaWare, to explore how this cutting-edge startup is redefining the intersection of technology and nutrition. VersaWare’s AI-powered platform integrates voice assistants and real-time chatbot support from expert nutritionists to simplify meal building, enhance recipe discovery, and streamline pantry management. Creed shares insights into the challenges of developing a solution for users who often abandon traditional nutrition tracking apps, the innovative revenue streams behind the brand—including a consumer-friendly app—and the company’s ambitious vision for the next 6 months as it seeks to empower individuals with smarter, more personalized approaches to health and nutrition. Learn more about VersaWare. https://versaware.io/ Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Andrew Foy, a cardiologist at Penn State Health, returns to the show to unpack the findings of his JAMA publication exploring industry payments in medicine and their influence on clinical practice. He examines how financial relationships with the industry may shape guideline recommendations, alter quality-of-care metrics, and contribute to potentially inappropriate prescribing practices, particularly in cases of expanded indications. Together, Chadi and Dr. Foy consider critical questions about whether medical societies should face the same scrutiny as individual physicians and whether backlash against industry involvement in healthcare is disproportionate compared to other sectors. Read the JAMA research letter on COIs. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2816900#google_vignette Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Lecia Sequist, an expert in lung cancer and early detection, and Dr. Jeff Yang, a renowned thoracic surgeon, join Chadi to unravel the complexities of early lung cancer detection. Together, they explore the nuances of lung cancer screening, including the challenges of overdiagnosis and managing false-negative and false-positive results. The discussion delves into cutting-edge advancements like multi-cancer early detection tests, current patient screening eligibility criteria, and the critical factors contributing to low screening rates, such as accessibility barriers. They end on a note to raise awareness about the importance of lung cancer screening, emphasizing its safety, simplicity, and potential to save lives. Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Maz Jobrani, star standup comedian and actor, joins the show to share his career journey and his beginning as an immigrant turned comedian and celebrity. Maz shares his sister's journey when diagnosed with breast cancer at a very young age. He opens up with details on challenges of being one of her caregivers and how he balanced comedy with tragedy. His sister catalogued her journey in a documentary available on Amazon Prime, titled "Everything Must Change," that is a must-watch. Maz and Chadi celebrate his sister's life and highlight how "The Cancer Journey" addresses all elements pertaining to the unfortunate journey patients and families must undertake. Find out more about Maz Jobrani. https://www.mazjobrani.com/ Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/ Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA