VacciNation

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Mirella Salvatore, MD From fears of getting the flu from the shot to concerns about ingredients like thimerosal, myths about the flu vaccine persist, underscoring the need for clinicians to effectively address misinformation and build vaccine confidence. So to help debunk some of the most common flu vaccine myths, Dr. Charles Turck speaks with Dr. Mi...

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Darvin Scott Smith, MD Guest: Robert Danoff DO, MS, FACOFP, FAAFP As of July 2025, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released new recommendations for influenza vaccination, stating that single-dose thimerosal-free formulations are now required for children up to 18, pregnant individuals, and all adults. While this new guidance m...

Guest: Paul Offit, MD Despite the rarity of diseases like polio and diphtheria in the U.S., recent cases underscore that these threats persist when immunization rates decline. Meanwhile, more common infections like pertussis and hepatitis B continue to pose serious risks to unprotected children. Here to talk about the importance of timely and routine childhood vaccination is Dr. Paul A. Offit, Dir...

Guest: Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN* In the post-COVID landscape, healthcare providers face a new communication challenge: countering misinformation while building trust in vaccine recommendations. To help combat this, Dr. Ruth Carrico joins us to share how her approach to patient engagement has shifted from simply informing to actively listening and collaborating. Dr. Carrico is a family nurse pr...

Guest: Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN* Despite high uptake of the quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY vaccine among adolescents, significant protection gaps remain, particularly against serogroup B. That’s why Dr. Ruth Carrico joins us to examine key challenges in adolescent vaccine delivery and how newer pentavalent vaccines covering all five major meningococcal serogroups—A, C, W, Y, and B—can streaml...

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: C. Buddy Creech, MD, MPH Guest: Wendy Wright, DNP, FNP-BC, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, FNAP Pediatric influenza vaccination rates are consistently lower than other childhood immunizations, a problem that’s often driven by parental hesitancy. Whether it's a lack of understanding of the possible severity of the flu or deeply held beliefs about the vaccine's s...

Guest: Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN* Vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and polio form the foundation of early childhood immunization, but gaps in coverage continue to put children and communities at risk. Fortunately, combination vaccines and coadministration strategies can help providers minimize missed opportunities while protecting children from preventable disease and l...

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Irene Hamrick, MD Older adults face higher risks from influenza due to age-related declines in immune function, making enhanced vaccines a critical preventive tool. However, vaccination in this population comes with some considerations, including vaccine hesitancy and access barriers. Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to discuss the role of enhanced influenza vaccines fo...

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP Guest: Danielle Wales, MD, MPH Recent research highlights the comparative effectiveness of cell-based versus egg-based influenza vaccines in pediatric populations. This data could help guide pediatric immunization, alongside strategies like comprehensive communication with parents and whole-family vaccine efforts. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the impor...

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Ravi Jhaveri, MD Pediatric influenza remains a serious threat, with the 2024-2025 season bringing one of the highest recorded pediatric mortality rates in over a decade. As a result, understanding barriers to vaccine uptake and implementing strategies to address them is critical. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to provide insights into the burden of pediat...

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: David Hamer, MD Cases of dengue have more than doubled since 2023, especially in endemic areas like Latin America, the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and the coastal areas of Africa. This increasingly prevalence underscores the importance of knowing how to protect patients traveling abroad to those areas, which is why Dr. Charles Turck speaks w...

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: David Hamer, MD Cases of chikungunya have risen significantly in recent years, but fortunately, there are several ways we can protect our patients traveling abroad, including with a novel vaccine and other anti-mosquito measures. Joining Dr. Charles Tuck to discuss key preventive strategies for the chikungunya virus is Dr. David Hamer, Professor of G...

Guest: Nic Garner, PharmD Travel vaccines are becoming increasingly common as they play a key role in protecting travelers abroad, but they’re only effective if patients actually receive them. That’s why Dr. Robert Walker speaks with Dr. Nic Garner, who shares best practices for counseling patients on travel vaccines. Dr. Garner is the District Support Pharmacist Leader at CVS Pharmacy in Texas wi...

Guest: Jason Goldman, MD How are standard versus adjuvanted influenza vaccines made? Here to break down the manufacturing process for these types of influenza vaccines is primary care physician Dr. Jason Goldman.

Guest: Amy Mgonja, PharmD, BCGP, CPPS Training pharmacists to administer vaccines can reduce barriers to immunizations and improve patient care. Here to discuss the ApHA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Program and the important role that pharmacists play in educating and vaccinating patients is Dr. Amy Mgonja, clinical consultant pharmacist at Dawa Rx Consulting.

Host: Hector O. Chapa, MD, FACOG Guest: Robert Owens Carpenter, MD, MPH, FACS, FASMBS Guest: Toni E. Keaton, MD, MPH Dr. Hector Chapa explores barriers in community health with Dr. Robert Carpenter, Director of Wellness at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, and Dr. Toni Keaton, Assistant Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine.

Host: Neilanjan Nandi, MD Guest: Freddy Caldera, DO Many IBD patients have received their COVID-19 vaccine, but many others still have reservations due to the abundance of myths and misconceptions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines. That’s why Dr. Neil Nandi welcomes Dr. Freddy Caldera to discuss these common fears and challenges as well as some of the very best answers to address the concerns of o...

Host: Neilanjan Nandi, MD Guest: David T. Rubin, MD With more data emerging on COVID-19 vaccines every day, what do our patients with inflammatory bowel disease need to know about the vaccine currently available? Dr. Neil Nandi will be discussing these updates and how we can keep our patients safe with Dr. David Rubin, Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: John Russell, MD As clinicians on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re among the first to hear about our patients’ fears of the vaccines’ validity and safety. So how can we help address their concerns? ReachMD hosts Dr. Jennifer Caudle and Dr. John Russell sit down together to talk about how we can counsel patients who may be hesitant to receive the COVID...

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Paul Jarris, MD, MBA Since the COVID-19 vaccines received an emergency use authorization, tracking possible adverse reactions in real time becomes even more important. But what are some of the limitations we’re facing in doing so, and how can we overcome them? To find out, Dr. Jennifer Caudle speaks with Dr. Paul Jarris, Chief Medical Advisor for MITRE Corporation.

Guest: John Russell, MD With so many COVID-19 vaccines in development, new medical ethical questions have been brought to the forefront of the healthcare field. With that in mind, Dr. John Russell takes us through the history of ethics and vaccinations throughout the world. Published January 4, 2021

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP As infectious diseases are becoming more prevalent around the world, it’s important that we provide the right travel vaccines for infants under the age of one. Join Dr. Jennifer Shu as she breaks down when children should receive the MMR vaccine and the HepA vaccine before traveling internationally, along with do’s and don’ts you can share with parents to help them kee...

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP The MMR vaccine offers protection from measles, mumps, and rubella, but why is it so important for children in particular to receive this vaccine? What are the proper doses for our patients who need protection, and who doesn’t need the MMR vaccine? These are just some of the FAQs Dr. Jennifer Shu answers amid our country’s measles outbreak.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Barbara Pahud, MD More patients are receiving conflicting information about vaccines, and after the rise of preventable outbreaks in 2019, Dr. Barbara Pahud joins Dr. Jennifer Caudle to debunk the most common myths surrounding vaccines and to share how we can better educate our patients.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Claudette Poole, MD There’s been a rising number of parents who delay or refuse vaccines for their child, causing the World Health Organization to list vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to global health. Joining Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss how and why we got to this point along with tips physicians can use to better inform parents about vaccinating thei...