The Trump administration is an international health emergency

The Trump administration is an international health emergency

Author: The BMJ April 17, 2026 Duration: 51:07
Covid 19 was the last Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Our guests in this podcast think that the Trump Administration should be declared the next one. Joining Kamran Abbasi are, Fatima Hassan,  human rights lawyer and Director of the Health Justice Initiative in South Africa, and Matthew Herder, Director of the Health Justice Institute at Dalhousie University in Canada explain why they think that the actions and consequences of the Whitehouse meet the bar for WHO to delcare an emergency We examine the global consequences of recent US policy shifts, including: The withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its implications for international health governance. Significant funding cuts to global health programs, including PEPFAR and the CDC, and how these disruptions affect life-saving HIV and TB treatments in the Global South. The rise of "unhinged nationalism" in health policy, from North American measles outbreaks to the extraction of trade concessions in exchange for medical aid. The role of US health leadership in fueling vaccine hesitancy and dismantling scientific research at the NIH.   Reading list: Trump and his administration as a public health emergency of international concern Why the expanded global gag rule is a deadly triple tripwire for recipients of US foreign aid The power of the markets: the scandal that keeps on taking

Produced by The BMJ, this weekly audio series delves into the pivotal research and urgent clinical debates shaping modern medicine. Each episode moves beyond the published page, bringing together the authors, critics, and practitioners directly involved to dissect a new study or a pressing health question. The conversation is rigorous and nuanced, designed for those who appreciate the complexity behind headlines. You’ll hear unscripted discussion about methodology, implications for practice, and the occasional healthy disagreement that drives science forward. This isn't just a summary of the latest findings; it's a critical appraisal in real time, offering listeners a front-row seat to the evolving discourse that defines evidence-based care. The Medicine and Science from The BMJ podcast serves as an essential audio companion for clinicians, academics, and anyone keen to understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind medical news. It transforms the latest evidence from the journal into an accessible, thought-provoking dialogue, ensuring that busy professionals can stay deeply informed. Tune in for a direct, intelligent, and often surprising take on the science that matters most.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

Medicine and Science from The BMJ
Podcast Episodes
Time to rethink GP's advice on weightloss, and ticagrelor data doubts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:38
Last December, The BMJ published an investigation into the 2009 PLATO trial - exposing serious problems with that study’s data analysis and reporting. Our follow up investigation has shown that those data problems extend…
Wellness industry lies, and preventative AI evaluation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:53
Devi Sridhar's new book “How Not to Die (Too Soon) - The Lies We’ve Been Sold, and the Policies That Could Save Us” is focussing on the way wellness culture ignores the societal context in which health is really created.…
Conflict in South Asia, and simplifying GRADE. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:15
Recent escalations in the ever simmering tension between India and Pakistan brought us closer to conflict - conflict between two nuclear powers. For a long time doctors have campaigned for nuclear disarmament, and Chris…
The problem of prognostication in assisted dying. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
The UK government is debating legislation to allow assisted dying in England and Wales, which puts doctors at the forefront of deciding if their patient will be eligible for a medically assisted death - the key criteria…