Since becoming available over the counter, Naloxone has saved countless lives. In this episode, we explore how expanded access is helping communities confront the opioid crisis, the real-world impact on individuals, and the work that still lies ahead. Experts point to broader availability as a key factor in recent declines in overdose deaths, but the crisis is far from over. Many rural and marginalized communities continue to face devastating losses.

We look at how easier access to Naloxone is shaping outcomes, supporting harm-reduction efforts, and offering hope where it’s needed most.

Guests:

• Zac Clark, Founder and CEO of Release Recovery
• Olivia Sugarman, PhD, MPH, Assistant Scientist at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
• Amy Sweet, Activist and Co-Founder of Chance for Recovery

From bird flu to COVID-19, the threat of diseases jumping from animals to humans, zoonotic spillover, is a significant challenge to global health. We explore how scientists, health professionals, and communities are working to detect outbreaks before they spread, and what it will take to build a world prepared for the next pandemic.

Featuring leading experts in infectious disease and health security, we dive into the systems keeping watch at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.

Guests:

• Dr. Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
• Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, Director, Pandemic Center at Brown University
• Lindsey Shields, Deputy Director, Epidemic Preparedness and Response Initiative, PATH

Thank you for listening to this season of Countermeasures so far. We will be back on December 3rd with more conversations with leading public health experts.