Free Associations Podcast

With a sense of humor and a healthy dose of skepticism the hosts talk us through popular health studies and hyperbolic news headlines while teaching us how to ask the right questions.

Free Associations Podcast | November 17th, 2020

Vaccine misinformation blues

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether social media micro-influencers can increase flu vaccine uptake, they discuss an alliance of western states to review COVID vaccine safety data, and Chris gets batty.

Free Associations Podcast | November 3rd, 2020

Should I stay or should I go? Resuscitation and transport

Matt, Chris, and Jess go over a study that looks at whether it is better to try to resuscitate people on site or transport them to hospital, they discuss whether there is a role for a precision approach in public health, and Chris tells us about his back yard.

Free Associations Podcast | October 20th, 2020

Will convalescent plasma cure COVID?

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study on whether plasma from those who have recovered from COVID can be used to treat people with COVID, they explore whether masks might actually help make people immune to SARS-CoV-2, and Jess has the solution to forgetting your mask at home (though maybe not for everyone).

Free Associations Podcast | October 6th, 2020

Does vaccinating moms against RSV protect babies?

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether vaccinating mothers against RSV prevents their babies from getting infected, they discuss attacks on health workers in the time of COVID, and Chris brings us all down with a new COVID study.

Free Associations Podcast | September 22nd, 2020

Is Vitamin D a magic cure-all or a bust?

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether vitamin D can prevent getting tuberculosis, they debate whether citation hacking is really a thing, and Don reminds us all that there is still amusement in the amazing and amusing.

Free Associations Podcast | September 8th, 2020

A treatment to prevent influenza?

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at using an influenza treatment for prevention in exposed contacts, they debate whether we should be using lotteries to decide who gets scarce coronavirus treatments, and Matt shows he really does read the reference section.

Free Associations Podcast | August 25th, 2020

The pro vs anti probiotics showdown

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at the effectiveness of probiotics in those in care homes, they discuss cognitive biases in relation to decisions about COVID policies, and Jess wows us with her first Amazing and Amusing.

Free Associations Podcast | August 11th, 2020

Gun ownership and suicide in California

Don, Chris, and Matt examine a study that looks at the impact of gun ownership and risk of suicide in California, they discuss whether we should be doing trials of coronavirus policies, and Matt proves he doesn’t know a thing about hens.

Free Associations Podcast | July 28th, 2020

Could vaccines for other infectious diseases help with COVID?

Don and Chris are back with Matt to go over a study that looks at the impact on survival in those who got tuberculosis and smallpox vaccination in Denmark, they discuss whether it is ethical to expose people to coronavirus in vaccine trials, and Chris gets snotty.

Free Associations Podcast | July 14th, 2020

Does one pregnancy complication predict another?

Matt welcomes guests Nedghie Adrien and Julie Petersen to discuss a study that looks at whether having a complication in a first pregnancy predicts having one in a second, they debate whether anyone should make clinical decisions based on non-significant trial results, and Nedghie updates us on the latest in toilet technology.

Free Associations Podcast | June 30th, 2020

Did Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why lead to suicides?

Matt welcomes guests Lisa Bodnar and Jaimie Gradus to discuss a study that looks at the impact of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why on suicides, they discuss whether epidemiologists should be called “Doctor”, and Lisa finally uses the word ‘twizpipe’ correctly.

Free Associations Podcast | June 16th, 2020

A new treatment for adolescent obesity?

Matt, Jen, and guest Hailey Banack from The University of Buffalo discuss a study that looks at the effect of a new drug to treat adolescent obesity, they discuss the rise of armchair epidemiologists, and Jen reminds us of a past public health success.