The Present Illness
Society’s running a fever, and two sharp-witted physicians are on the case. Surgeon-scientist Arghavan Salles dives into social media’s wildest trends, while anesthesiologist-bioethicist Alyssa Burgart follows news and legal cases for their ethical twists. Together, they examine the cultural, political, and public health symptoms of our time with scalpel-sharp analysis, unflinching questions, and enough humor to keep us all going.
Episodes
41 episodes
Rigor Tortoise? Mitch McConnell’s Health and Bye-bye Graham Platner
Is Mitch McConnell dead or alive? Let's talk about out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and critical illness in older folks. Graham Platner drops out of Maine race in wake of credible sexual assault allegations. There were plenty of red flags. <...
Supremely Bad Birthday Gifts for America
The Supreme Court let America keep birthright citizenship for it’s birthday. Trump’s 250th Independence Day celebration is a flop. Surprise!Pew:
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Aliens, Propaganda & Lessons from New York Primaries
Dem Establishment hell bent to learn nothing from Mamdani and NY Primaries; Trump Admin’s dirty propaganda comparing immigrants to alien creatures; Join Team Algae in the Reflecting Pool drama; Hegseth can’t even lift; Alyssa makes a mixtape
Pride Under Trump 2026
It’s the second Pride Month of this Trump administration, and things are rough. San Francisco Giants’ pitchers anti-Pride stunt; gender as a weapon; Rainbow washing and corporate backstabbing.Note: Dana White is the president and CEO of ...
Birth Autonomy with Dr. Jen Lincoln
The Birth Book with OB-GYN Dr Jennifer Lincoln. Pro-autonomy! Pro-Consent! Pro- vitamin K for babies! Anti-shame and coercion! She hopes folks name their babies "OG" Anunoby.The Birth BookGet your copy of
Flesh Eating Flies and Project 2025 "Efficiency" Destroys Science
Flesh eating flies (disgusting!); Project 2025 budget cuts (despicable!); sterile flies; non-standard healing crystals from a crystal scientist; Hunter Biden is a natural posterNote:
Pope Leo takes on AI; Ashley St. Clair Spills Hot MAGA Tea
Pope Leo takes on AI in first encyclical; Ashley St. Clair spills hot MAGA tea; UFC fight at the White House; Ronnie Chieng commencement speechRFK Jr and snakes
Replay: The Professor Will See You Now (If they still have a job)
Replay: Academic freedom under attack; viral case of an Oklahoma pre-med student's targets her transgender professor; Erika Kirk's terrible NYT interview; Our hosts investigate the alarming trend of politically-motivated complaints ...
Rich Folks Complain About Helicopters Carrying Sick Kids and Shingles Vaccine May Prevent Dementia
Seattle’s Laurelhurst community vs. Seattle Children’s Hospital; Shingles Vaccine may reduce dementia; Hantavirus scare; American dialects; Zaffron Bloom restaurantNEJM a...
Telehealth Abortion under Attack, plus Bedside Betrayal in Canada Court’s Sloka Case
5th Circuit Mifepristone chaos heads to Supreme Court; Canadian judge let’s off doctor for SA; Clit art; Golden Tempo; and bee huts!Hunter Peterson tries to ...
Surgeon Takes Out Liver by "Accident"?!
Surgeons need to know anatomy; Voting is good; SCOTUS conflicts of interest; pediatric society hosts unscientific panel on trans kids
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Everybody Pees + Abuse Academy
Where’s the bathroom?; digital sexual violence; Buck v. Bell turns 99; RFK Jr’s hearings; Bhattacharya is
Shut Down Dilley Detention Center with Dr. Lara Jones
Pediatrician Dr. Lara Jones discusses advocating to free children from ICE detention facilities. Follow her @AskLaDoctora.Kids in ICE DetentionThe 19th:
We're Overwhelmed Too, But We'll Take the Cool Moonshots
Crossing our fingers to avoid nuclear war; Pentagon goes after the pope; Artemis sends back dope pictures of the moon and earthIran
Forced Sex Testing and Forced C-sections
IOC resumes harmful sex gene testing; forced c-sections with zoom court rooms; The Lancet profiles our host!; A woman goes to the moon; Alyssa recommends bioethics books
Mayo Med Student + ICE at the Airport
Mayo medical student’s videos go viral in the bad way; medical misogyny; Match Day memories; ICE at the airports; husbands learn about pelvic examsMayo Medical Student:Dr. Chloe Nazra Lee on
A Testosterone Filled Nothing Burger (Plus Rare Good News!)
RFK loses ACIP lawsuit; Pediatricians fight ICE; Boy Boss Documentary disappoints us (Review of Inside the Manosphere); WNBA players get a raiseMarch madness: Women’s tournament, ...
Pro-Iran Hackers Attack US Healthcare Giant Stryker
Stryker cyber attack by Handala Hackers; Iran’s new supreme leader - is he even alive?; DOGE dummy Justin Fox can’t explain DEI; Timmy Chalamet messes with the wrong opera houseDOGE & DEI:
Persian Politeness with Dr. Kaveh Hoda
Our first guest is Dr. Kaveh Hoda of The House of Pod! Persian Tarof culture; a new supreme leader in Iran; the US can't decide on its war messaging; a disagreement over favorite Persian foods.Iran episode on
New War with Iran and Bad Energy with Casey Means
Overnight war with Iran; Casey Means’ confirmation hearings; Newsom sucksHillary & Bill ClintonNewsom d...
Men's Hockey Goes From Hero to Zero
State of the Union bingo card; US Mens Hockey squanders the good vibes; RFK Jr’s HHS gets sued yet again for illegally messing with vaccination; Punch updates; Angry Quilters; Gen Z slangMen’s Hockey Squanders Good WillSome o...
ICE's Dystopian Daycare (+ Gisèle Pelicot)
Go Team USA! Weird Workout with RFK Jr; ICE harming kids in detention; Gisele Pelicot speaks out about her husband's abuse
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Epstein's Dirty Medical Money (plus Space Babies!)
Epstein dirty money in Medical Education; Should we make babies in outer space?; Olympian’s relationship fumble; Knitting the resistance; Possum cake (yeah you read that right)Epstein’s Ties to Medical EducationFact check! ...
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