Latest Interviews
Showing 1–10 of 10 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute23 min
Conversation with CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz & HHS Chief Counselor Chris Klomp | Global Conference
Mehmet Oz, Chris Klomp, Esther Krofah
Under the strategic mandate "Making America Healthy Again," CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and HHS leadership are overhauling the U.S. healthcare system by shifting from fee-for-service to value-based models that target upstream chronic disease prevention and address the nation's 27% unfilled prescription rate. The administration is enforcing strict integrity measures to eliminate $100 billion in annual fraud while simultaneously deploying AI to modernize legacy infrastructure and accelerate FDA drug approvals from 15 years to under five. These initiatives aim to align U.S. drug pricing with global "Most Favored Nation" standards and restore public trust in federal health agencies to counter competitive gaps with international rivals like China.
- Milken Institute21 min
US Department of Health & Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill | Future of Health Summit 2025
The "Make America Healthy Again" agenda reorients the HHS from reactive sick care to preventive health by restoring the CDC's 1946 mission, recruiting AI and scientific specialists, and prioritizing radical transparency to rebuild public trust. This strategy integrates internal AI deployment and voluntary drug price negotiations to accelerate innovation while shifting federal cooperation with states toward data-driven surveillance and SNAP-funded nutrition improvements. Although government shutdowns have impacted staff morale, the administration targets a revitalized healthcare infrastructure through updated dietary guidelines and sustainable partnerships with industry and academia to combat chronic disease and pandemic risks.
- Milken Institute28 min
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz | Global Conference 2025
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz has launched a strategic overhaul targeting an $80 billion annual savings by combating fraud, consolidating fragmented IT systems, and addressing lifestyle-driven chronic illness through the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. The administration is restructuring federal incentives to support governors, deploying AI for real-time health notifications, and terminating wasteful contractors to fix systemic inefficiencies that currently cost the nation billions in duplicate payments and fraud. Oz warns that without these immediate structural interventions and a shift toward individual health responsibility, the Medicare and Medicaid system faces the risk of catastrophic collapse.
- Milken Institute21 min
A Conversation with Former First Lady of the United States Jill Biden | Global Conference 2025
At the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference, Dr. Jill Biden and Esther Kroffa outlined the Women's Health Network's strategy to address historical data gaps and the $1 trillion global economic opportunity by shifting funding reliance to the private sector. The initiative targets critical breakthroughs in areas like endometriosis diagnostics and Alzheimer's care while deploying a digital platform and pooled investment fund to dismantle data silos and accelerate inclusive innovation. By reframing women's health as a universal business imperative rather than a niche category, the network aims to impact millions of lives globally by 2025 through enhanced research inclusion and strategic capital allocation.
- Milken Institute20 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Robert Califf | Future of Health Summit 2024
Commissioner Califf reflects on his tenure managing the Abbott infant formula recall and reorganizing the FDA Food Program, emphasizing that the agency faces a healthcare delivery crisis rather than an innovation deficit despite the U.S. global leadership in scientific advancement. He advocates for shifting regulatory focus from pre-approval trials to post-market pragmatic studies and new frameworks for AI decision support to address systemic biases and monitor uncontrolled algorithmic drift in clinical environments. Califf concludes by defining essential traits for future leadership, prioritizing executive listening skills and a commitment to high-quality evidence generation while maintaining a strict separation between science-based product decisions and politically influenced policy mandates.
- Milken Institute22 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Robert Califf | Future of Health Summit 2023
Robert Califf, Conrad Kiechel, Esther Krofah
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf highlighted a critical gap in U.S. health outcomes, noting that despite high spending, life expectancy has fallen to 76.4 years while fragmented post-market evidence systems fail to answer key treatment questions. To address this, Califf proposed a unified ecosystem involving the CMS, NIH, and FDA to leverage real-world data and AI for generating rigorous post-approval evidence while incentivizing clinicians to participate in large-scale research. Additionally, the agency plans to combat persistent public distrust and medical misinformation through plain-language communication and a broad coalition of academic, industry, and community partners.
- Milken Institute47 min
Health Innovations to Solve Global Changes | Asia Summit 2023
Esther Krofah, Laurence Lien, Kathryn North, Caroline Riady, Budi Sadikin
No event summary can be generated because the provided text consists of fragmented, corrupted, and incoherent fragments lacking verifiable facts or a logical narrative. The source material oscillates disjointedly between unrelated topics such as healthcare, prison reform, and global politics without establishing substantive connections or clear outcomes. Consequently, the content fails to meet the requirements for a neutral, information-dense description due to its total absence of structural integrity.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
In Search for a Cure: Are We Nearing a Treatment for COVID-19?
Dr Anthony Fauci, Albert Bourla, Esther Krofah, Meg Tirrell
Dr. Anthony Fauci and Pfizer executives outlined the current U.S. pandemic crisis, characterized by rising infections among young demographics and projected second-wave risks in the fall due to premature reopening and asymptomatic spread. While addressing safety protocols like sample pooling for testing and the inclusion of vulnerable populations in trials, Pfizer anticipates initiating Phase 3 trials in July with a potential vaccine rollout by late 2020 or early 2021. Simultaneously, clinical guidelines have been updated to include dexamethasone for severe cases, though experts emphasize that continued public health measures remain essential until herd immunity is achieved.
- Milken Institute27 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn
Dr. Hahn and the FDA are managing an unprecedented 250-treatment pipeline and 170 vaccine candidates while maintaining regulatory independence amid a surge in applications. The agency has authorized specific therapies like remdesivir and dexamethasone based on robust data analysis and is implementing clinical trial flexibilities to ensure diverse demographic inclusion. Despite the high stakes, FDA officials emphasize that safety and evidence-based decision-making remain paramount as they navigate supply chain logistics and monitor real-world outcomes for public health.
- Milken Institute35 min
How COVID-19 Tests Will Help Reopen America - Conference Call Series
Esther Krofah, Gina Raimondo, Adam Schechter
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo outlined a strategic "SOS" testing framework and a phased economic reopening plan designed to expand daily testing capacity from 3,000 to 20,000 while prioritizing equity for vulnerable populations. LabCorp CEO Adam Schechter detailed the company's rapid scaling of PCR and antibody testing capabilities to 150,000 and 300,000 daily tests respectively, emphasizing high accuracy rates while noting that antibody presence does not yet guarantee immunity. Together, the state officials and industry leaders highlighted the critical role of contact tracing and continued safety protocols in preventing a combined flu and coronavirus surge in the fall.