Latest Interviews
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Clear all filters- Milken Institute57 min
Making Influenza History: The Quest for a Universal Vaccine
Michael Specter, Rick Bright, Anthony Fauci, Bruce Gellin, Margaret Hamburg, Casey Wright
Annual seasonal influenza causes approximately 650,000 global deaths and imposes a $36.1 billion economic burden in the United States alone, yet current egg-based production methods and fragmented research efforts hinder the development of a universal vaccine. Although advances in structure-based design and synthetic mRNA technologies offer pathways to stabilize conserved viral targets and eliminate annual vaccination, commercial disincentives and outdated regulatory frameworks continue to stall progress. To overcome these systemic barriers, experts advocate for a dedicated global entity and sustained funding initiatives, such as a proposed $1 billion legislative package, to coordinate interdisciplinary collaboration and de-risk the shift toward rapid-response, long-lasting immunization platforms.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Flipping the Script: Designing the System to Deliver for Patients
Annie Kennedy, Gigi Hirsch, Marcus Schabacker, Andy Schmeltz, Jeffrey Shuren, Marcus Wilson
Leaders from patient advocacy groups, regulators, and industry convened to address critical misalignments between regulatory data standards, payer requirements, and patient outcomes, driving a shift toward patient-led research and value-based care models. Through collaborative frameworks like FDA's Patient and Caregiver Connection and MIT's learning health systems, stakeholders are overcoming data fragmentation by integrating real-world evidence into device approvals and reimbursement decisions. This collective effort establishes a new paradigm where patient preferences directly influence benefit-risk assessments, ensuring medical innovations effectively reach the right patients at the right time while promoting equitable access.
- Milken Institute44 min
The Future of Brain Health
Meg Tirrell, Ruth Benca, Marie Bernard, Rod Hochman, Nora Super, Rudy Tanzi
The Milken Institute released a 2023 report highlighting the disproportionate burden of dementia on women alongside scientific breakthroughs in early detection and the re-evaluation of amyloid-targeting therapies like aducanumab. Experts are advocating for a multifactorial shift toward affordable oral medications, preventive sleep strategies, and age-friendly care systems that reduce reliance on hospital settings. While a total cure by 2025 remains unlikely, the field is converging on combining pharmacological interventions with lifestyle modifications to manage risk and improve outcomes for diverse populations.
- Milken Institute47 min
Wednesday Lunch: Walking the Drug-Pricing Tightrope
Dan Diamond, Dan Leonard, Seema Verma, Matt Iles, Mark McClellan
Moderated by Dan Diamond, the Milken Institute's Future of Health Summit panel "Walking the Drug Pricing Tightrope" featured Seema Verma, Matt Iles, and Mark McClellan debating the tension between innovation and affordability amidst record-breaking drug costs. While the group reached consensus on shifting to value-based payment models to address unsustainable spending in Part B and high-cost curative therapies, they diverged on whether government negotiation or private sector competition offers the most effective solution for lowering prices without stifling future research. With Nancy Pelosi absent, the panelists emphasized that any viable legislative path must satisfy strict bipartisanship requirements to avoid jeopardizing patient access or long-term drug development pipelines.
- Milken Institute57 min
Sexual, Reproductive, and Maternal Health in America
Christy Turlington Burns, Dr. Michael Liu, Dr. Lena Nguyen, Representative Lauren Underwood
In a session featuring Dr. Michael Liu, Christy Turlington Burns, Dr. Lena Nguyen, and Rep. Lauren Underwood, experts addressed the 50% rise in U.S. maternal mortality and the threefold racial disparity that leaves over 700 women dead annually. The panel detailed recent legislative victories by the Black Maternal Health Caucus, including $50 million in funding and a push for 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage, while emphasizing that half of these deaths are preventable through safety bundles and bias training. Despite concerns about technology exacerbating inequities, the speakers advocated for high-touch care models and systemic reforms targeting social determinants to secure bipartisan support for maternal survival.
- Milken Institute58 min
Poised to Break the Bank: Paying for Chronic Disease
Allison, Anand, Tom, Nancy, Paul Davis, Eric, Michael Golinkoff, John Rother, Megan Golden, Jess Leifer, Stephanie Cousins
A multi-sector consensus addresses the $2.4 trillion annual burden of chronic U.S. diseases by implementing interventions like Geisinger's Food Pharmacy, which reduces healthcare costs by aligning patient acuity with intensive lifestyle support. While capitated payment models and digital innovations such as Omada Health improve scalability and outcomes, structural barriers including payer misalignment and low screening rates for prediabetes necessitate policy shifts toward sugar taxes and multi-payer funding. Concurrently, the medical landscape is pivoting from opioid reliance to holistic pain management and gene therapies, with academic institutions like Kaiser Permanente adapting curricula to prioritize prevention and address the mental health needs of 74% of employees.
- Milken Institute58 min
Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis
Ed, Dan Diamond, Dr. Megan Ranney, Dr. Babak Sarani, Lina Wen, Dr. Mallory Williams, Maya, Chris Corey, Kenyatta Hazelwood, Josh, Bob
A panel of medical professionals and public health experts advocates for a public health approach to gun violence, emphasizing that current political narratives often overlook evidence-based solutions like high-capacity magazine restrictions in favor of ineffective symbolic measures. The discussion highlights a severe research drought caused by federal inaction since 1996, while profiling successful local interventions such as Baltimore's Safe Streets program and urging the integration of trauma centers into long-term community conflict resolution. Despite broad optimism for shifting discourse, the panelists warn that sustained progress remains contingent on overcoming funding gaps and addressing the social determinants of health that disproportionately impact minority communities.
- Milken Institute1h 16m
Reducing the Cost and Risk of Dementia
Nora Super, Michael Belleville, Jennie Chin Hansen, Kevin Crain, Jeff Huber, Shari Ling, Sarah Locke, Ian Cramer, Orion, Alan Stevens, Jill Lesser
The Milken Institute's new report on reducing dementia costs sparked a multi-sector dialogue involving CMS officials, patient advocates, and industry leaders to address critical gaps in workforce preparedness and community support. Key initiatives highlighted include CMS's expanded billing codes for cognitive screening, the rapid growth of accredited Geriatric Emergency Departments that reduce hospitalizations, and innovative financial strategies to protect caregivers from retirement disparities. Panelists emphasized that effective intervention requires moving beyond isolated medical treatment to holistic models that integrate home care, fraud detection, and policy changes aimed at improving long-term quality of life.
- Milken Institute59 min
Age-Forward 2030: The Intersection of Housing and Health Care
Susan Donley, Gretchen Alkema, Bechara Choucair, Tama Duffy Day, Christopher Herbert, Susan Donnelly
Driven by the urgent reality that half of middle-income seniors cannot afford both housing and care, this event convenes policymakers, healthcare leaders, and urban planners to address the rising demographic of adults over 80 who face severe social isolation and financial insecurity. The discussion highlights successful cross-sector initiatives, such as California's "Master Plan for Aging" and intergenerational housing models, which integrate affordable housing with health services to reduce costly hospitalizations and extend life expectancy. Participants outline a 2030 vision requiring federal and local governments to dismantle policy silos, reform zoning laws, and invest $200 million or more to create stable, age-friendly communities that leverage older adults as active societal contributors.
- Milken Institute58 min
Gut Feeling: Food, Microbiome, and Disease Prevention
Julie DiBiase, Robynne Chutkan, Rob Knight, David Perlmutter, Karen Sandell Sfanos, Robin Chutkan, Mark Hyman
Leading experts in functional medicine and microbiome research convened to establish that diet and environmental exposure fundamentally dictate human health by shaping the trillions of symbiotic microbes governing metabolism and immunity. Their discussions highlighted critical interventions, ranging from plant-rich dietary protocols that promote beneficial bacteria like *Akkermansia* to germ-free animal studies proving that specific microbial strains can transmit diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. Ultimately, the panel advocates for a shift toward personalized medicine that utilizes longitudinal microbiome data and holistic lifestyle changes to prevent chronic illness rather than relying on transient pharmaceutical fixes.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Business Case for Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Joanne Kenen, Georges Benjamin, Thomas Moriarty, Ashley Perry, Lauren Shweder Biel, Emily Yu, Joanne Cannon, Lauren Schwader-Beal, Katherine Connelly, Michael Golinkoff
Moderated by Joanne Cannon, a panel of public health leaders and corporate strategists redefined the conversation around Social Determinants of Health by prioritizing the business case for intervention over traditional philanthropy. Speakers detailed scalable models such as DC Greens' produce prescription program and CVS's integrated health hubs, which leverage data-driven insights to prove cost savings through medication compliance and reduced emergency room visits. The group concluded that sustainable growth depends on transitioning funding from grants to payer reimbursement within value-based care systems, leveraging political and corporate influence to address root causes like housing instability.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Opioid Addiction: A Crisis Fueled by Stigma
Robert Redfield, Sarah Carlin-Smith, Dr. Kelly Clark, Gary Mendel, Dr. Andrei Ostrovsky, Jerome Adams, Ronnie Solomon, Michael Golinkoff
A collaborative panel led by Surgeon General officials and researchers from Shatterproof and McKinsey identifies stigma as the primary barrier in the opioid crisis, highlighting how it drives public misunderstanding, provider bias, and critical gaps in Medicaid and federal funding. The group outlines a strategic shift toward humanizing recovery narratives, integrating addiction care into chronic disease management frameworks, and utilizing settlement funds for evidence-based programs to reduce overdose mortality by 50%. By advocating for the removal of restrictive privacy laws like 42 CFR Part 2 and the elimination of the X-waiver, the initiative seeks to dismantle systemic prejudices that currently prevent 60% of treatment facilities from offering FDA-approved medications.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
The Future of Brain Health
Maxine Waters, Michael Clowden, Meg Terrell, Dr. Ruth Benka, Dr. Marie Bernard, Dr. Rod Hockman, Nora Super, Dr. Rudy Tanzi
Congresswoman Maxine Waters secured bipartisan backing from 130 legislators for a proposed $2.65 billion Alzheimer's research budget, aiming to meet the 2025 national goal of a cure while addressing the projected bankruptcy of the U.S. healthcare system. Parallel scientific advances, including Biogen's Aducanumab and new insights into viral links and sleep-based protein clearance, are being matched by systemic reforms to shift 50% of care to home settings and address the disproportionate burden on female caregivers. Despite these strides, experts emphasize that reducing reliance on acute hospitalization and mitigating risks through lifestyle interventions like blood pressure control and social engagement remain critical to curbing the disease's demographic and economic impact.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
AI: Rebooting the Future of Humanity
Ralph Simon, Tony Han, Ralph Haupter, Deven Parekh, Issei Takino
This event analyzes the third wave of artificial intelligence, where deep learning and IoT converge to drive a fivefold expansion in specialized job markets across Asian industries including healthcare, manufacturing, and finance. Experts examine critical sector-specific transformations, such as cloud-based factory digital twins and autonomous logistics, while debating the conflicting economic forecasts of net job growth versus significant workforce displacement. The discussion concludes by establishing new governance frameworks to address algorithmic bias and ethical deployment, emphasizing the urgent need for explainable AI standards and workforce retraining to manage the transition to a data-driven society.
- Milken Institute50 min
Redefining the Asian Dream
Michael Klowden, Haslinda Amin, Rt Hon. Helen Clark ONZ, Ho Kwon Ping, Kishore Mahbubani, Chatri Sityodtong, Helen Clark
Kishore Mahbubani, Ho Kwon Peng, Chhatri Siddharta, and Helen Clark explore the evolution of the "Asian Dream" from poverty alleviation to complex challenges in inequality, governance, and environmental sustainability. The panelists analyze how rapid economic growth has created distinct social stability risks in nations like Hong Kong and China while debating whether state capitalism or digital democratization offers the best path for future innovation. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the critical need to address corruption, the digital divide, and a cultural renaissance to ensure that Asia's aspirational goals extend beyond material wealth without triggering geopolitical conflict or social unrest.