The Liminal MD en Virion Media, LLC The Liminal MD is a podcast about medicine in the middle of a structural rewrite. Hosted by physician Bryan Vartabedian, it explores the technological, cultural, and economic forces reshaping clinical work—and what they mean for doctors living inside the transition. A production of Virion Media, LLC. (The Liminal MD was formally Freerange MD) https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f8aaadd4-d748-11ef-a9b5-e3925fbc9433/image/8f44de89efa389b2c16ca3e9e37138da.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress The Liminal MD yes episodic Exploring the edges of healthcare Bryan Vartabedian, MD The Liminal MD is a podcast about medicine in the middle of a structural rewrite. Hosted by physician Bryan Vartabedian, it explores the technological, cultural, and economic forces reshaping clinical work—and what they mean for doctors living inside the transition. A production of Virion Media, LLC. (The Liminal MD was formally Freerange MD) The Liminal MD is a podcast about medicine in the middle of a structural rewrite. Hosted by physician Bryan Vartabedian, it explores the technological, cultural, and economic forces reshaping clinical work—and what they mean for doctors living inside the transition.

A production of Virion Media, LLC.

(The Liminal MD was formally Freerange MD)

]]> Bryan Vartabedian, MD fox42@me.com The Diagnosis Crisis In this episode I’m joined by Alexandra Sifferlin of The New York Times, author of The Elusive Body. We talk about the hidden crisis of misdiagnosis, why we still struggle with uncertainty despite our technology, and what patients get wrong about how diagnosis actually works. This is a big conversation about the limits of medicine, the mythology of the doctor, and what may remain stubbornly human as AI moves into the clinic. Subscribe to the LiminalMD newsletter. Alexandra Sifferlin's website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:04:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD Alexandra Sifferlin on uncertainty, error, and The Elusive Body In this episode I’m joined by Alexandra Sifferlin of The New York Times, author of The Elusive Body. We talk about the hidden crisis of misdiagnosis, why we still struggle with uncertainty despite our technology, and what patients get wrong about how diagnosis actually works. This is a big conversation about the limits of medicine, the mythology of the doctor, and what may remain stubbornly human as AI moves into the clinic. Subscribe to the LiminalMD newsletter. Alexandra Sifferlin's website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode I’m joined by Alexandra Sifferlin of The New York Times, author of The Elusive Body. We talk about the hidden crisis of misdiagnosis, why we still struggle with uncertainty despite our technology, and what patients get wrong about how diagnosis actually works. This is a big conversation about the limits of medicine, the mythology of the doctor, and what may remain stubbornly human as AI moves into the clinic.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2612 no Rethinking the Medical Record Every physician knows the feeling of opening the electronic health record and finding a note that's beautifully structured with every box checked but somehow says almost nothing about what's actually wrong with the patient. This is not an accident. It's the result of decades of design choices, most of them not made by doctors but rather billing departments and compliance offices. In this episode I talk with Dr. Craig Joseph, an informaticist and consultant at Nordic Global Consulting, about the chart — what it was supposed to be, what it became, and whether the arrival of ambient AI gives us a genuine second chance to finally make the clinical note right. Relevant links: Dr. Joseph's LinkedIn essay. Designing for Health, Dr. Joseph's podcast. Nordic Global Consulting. Subscribe to the Liminal MD newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD Dr. Craig Joseph on what clinical documentation is actually for Every physician knows the feeling of opening the electronic health record and finding a note that's beautifully structured with every box checked but somehow says almost nothing about what's actually wrong with the patient. This is not an accident. It's the result of decades of design choices, most of them not made by doctors but rather billing departments and compliance offices. In this episode I talk with Dr. Craig Joseph, an informaticist and consultant at Nordic Global Consulting, about the chart — what it was supposed to be, what it became, and whether the arrival of ambient AI gives us a genuine second chance to finally make the clinical note right. Relevant links: Dr. Joseph's LinkedIn essay. Designing for Health, Dr. Joseph's podcast. Nordic Global Consulting. Subscribe to the Liminal MD newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Every physician knows the feeling of opening the electronic health record and finding a note that's beautifully structured with every box checked but somehow says almost nothing about what's actually wrong with the patient.

This is not an accident. It's the result of decades of design choices, most of them not made by doctors but rather billing departments and compliance offices.

In this episode I talk with Dr. Craig Joseph, an informaticist and consultant at Nordic Global Consulting, about the chart — what it was supposed to be, what it became, and whether the arrival of ambient AI gives us a genuine second chance to finally make the clinical note right.

Relevant links:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2355 The Lost Aura of the Physician What happens to the physician's authority when artificial intelligence can do what only doctors once could? Bioethicist and pediatrician John Lantos has written one of the more provocative pieces in recent medical literature — a JAMA editorial arguing that AI isn't the beginning of medicine's identity crisis. It's the culmination of one that started two centuries ago. Drawing on philosopher Walter Benjamin's concept of "aura," Lantos traces how medicine's mystique has been quietly eroding since Foucault described the clinical gaze, through the rise of hospital medicine, evidence-based practice, and the electronic health record. By the time AI arrived, he argues, we had already trained physicians to think like machines. In this episode of Liminal MD, I sit down with Dr. Lantos to unpack that argument — and push on it. We talk about what the physician's aura actually was, whether it was ever fully earned or partly manufactured, and what forces have accelerated its dissolution: the transactionalization of care, the fragmentation of the therapeutic relationship, the democratization of medical information, and the transparency movement that put complication rates on public dashboards. But the more interesting question is what comes next. If the old aura was built on monopoly, mystique, and distance, what replaces it? And who bears the responsibility for that reinvention — the profession, institutions, or individual physicians? This is a conversation about identity, technology, and what it means to be a physician when the things that made the role singular are becoming reproducible at scale. Dr. Lantos' JAMA editorial Subscribe to the Liminal MD newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:20:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD Bioethicist John Lantos on medicine's identity crisis and what comes next What happens to the physician's authority when artificial intelligence can do what only doctors once could? Bioethicist and pediatrician John Lantos has written one of the more provocative pieces in recent medical literature — a JAMA editorial arguing that AI isn't the beginning of medicine's identity crisis. It's the culmination of one that started two centuries ago. Drawing on philosopher Walter Benjamin's concept of "aura," Lantos traces how medicine's mystique has been quietly eroding since Foucault described the clinical gaze, through the rise of hospital medicine, evidence-based practice, and the electronic health record. By the time AI arrived, he argues, we had already trained physicians to think like machines. In this episode of Liminal MD, I sit down with Dr. Lantos to unpack that argument — and push on it. We talk about what the physician's aura actually was, whether it was ever fully earned or partly manufactured, and what forces have accelerated its dissolution: the transactionalization of care, the fragmentation of the therapeutic relationship, the democratization of medical information, and the transparency movement that put complication rates on public dashboards. But the more interesting question is what comes next. If the old aura was built on monopoly, mystique, and distance, what replaces it? And who bears the responsibility for that reinvention — the profession, institutions, or individual physicians? This is a conversation about identity, technology, and what it means to be a physician when the things that made the role singular are becoming reproducible at scale. Dr. Lantos' JAMA editorial Subscribe to the Liminal MD newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices What happens to the physician's authority when artificial intelligence can do what only doctors once could?

Bioethicist and pediatrician John Lantos has written one of the more provocative pieces in recent medical literature — a JAMA editorial arguing that AI isn't the beginning of medicine's identity crisis. It's the culmination of one that started two centuries ago. Drawing on philosopher Walter Benjamin's concept of "aura," Lantos traces how medicine's mystique has been quietly eroding since Foucault described the clinical gaze, through the rise of hospital medicine, evidence-based practice, and the electronic health record. By the time AI arrived, he argues, we had already trained physicians to think like machines.

In this episode of Liminal MD, I sit down with Dr. Lantos to unpack that argument — and push on it. We talk about what the physician's aura actually was, whether it was ever fully earned or partly manufactured, and what forces have accelerated its dissolution: the transactionalization of care, the fragmentation of the therapeutic relationship, the democratization of medical information, and the transparency movement that put complication rates on public dashboards.

But the more interesting question is what comes next. If the old aura was built on monopoly, mystique, and distance, what replaces it? And who bears the responsibility for that reinvention — the profession, institutions, or individual physicians?

This is a conversation about identity, technology, and what it means to be a physician when the things that made the role singular are becoming reproducible at scale.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2356 no Is Medicine Better Without Physicians? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Charlotte Blease, an informaticist and philosopher and the author of Dr. Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us and How AI Could Save Lives. The book has generated sharp reaction within medicine by advancing a simple, uncomfortable claim: that in some cases, continuing to rely on human clinicians may be ethically inferior to turning decisions over to machines. We discuss physician authority, resistance to technology, and the danger of empathy in clinical care. This conversation examines a future in which judgment, accountability, and moral responsibility may no longer reside primarily with the physician. Resistance to this idea is part of what we examine. You can learn more about Dr. Blease here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:10:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD The moral case for turning medicine over to machines In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Charlotte Blease, an informaticist and philosopher and the author of Dr. Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us and How AI Could Save Lives. The book has generated sharp reaction within medicine by advancing a simple, uncomfortable claim: that in some cases, continuing to rely on human clinicians may be ethically inferior to turning decisions over to machines. We discuss physician authority, resistance to technology, and the danger of empathy in clinical care. This conversation examines a future in which judgment, accountability, and moral responsibility may no longer reside primarily with the physician. Resistance to this idea is part of what we examine. You can learn more about Dr. Blease here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Charlotte Blease, an informaticist and philosopher and the author of Dr. Bot: Why Doctors Can Fail Us and How AI Could Save Lives. The book has generated sharp reaction within medicine by advancing a simple, uncomfortable claim: that in some cases, continuing to rely on human clinicians may be ethically inferior to turning decisions over to machines.

We discuss physician authority, resistance to technology, and the danger of empathy in clinical care. This conversation examines a future in which judgment, accountability, and moral responsibility may no longer reside primarily with the physician.

Resistance to this idea is part of what we examine.

You can learn more about Dr. Blease here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3541 no Bhargav Patel on the Future of AI Scribes In this short take episode, Dr. Bhargav Patel, Medical Director of Sully AI, joins Freerange MD to talk about the rapidly evolving world of AI in healthcare. With more than 120 companies in the AI scribe space, the market is crowded—but not sustainable. Dr. Patel shares his perspective on what’s coming next, how Sully AI is approaching the challenge, and why clinical efficiency is only the beginning of what’s possible. This focused conversation offers a sharp look at the shifting landscape of ambient AI and what it means for clinicians, companies, and the future of care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:42:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD Inside Sully AI and the Collapse of the Ambient AI Bubble In this short take episode, Dr. Bhargav Patel, Medical Director of Sully AI, joins Freerange MD to talk about the rapidly evolving world of AI in healthcare. With more than 120 companies in the AI scribe space, the market is crowded—but not sustainable. Dr. Patel shares his perspective on what’s coming next, how Sully AI is approaching the challenge, and why clinical efficiency is only the beginning of what’s possible. This focused conversation offers a sharp look at the shifting landscape of ambient AI and what it means for clinicians, companies, and the future of care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this short take episode, Dr. Bhargav Patel, Medical Director of Sully AI, joins Freerange MD to talk about the rapidly evolving world of AI in healthcare. With more than 120 companies in the AI scribe space, the market is crowded—but not sustainable. Dr. Patel shares his perspective on what’s coming next, how Sully AI is approaching the challenge, and why clinical efficiency is only the beginning of what’s possible.

This focused conversation offers a sharp look at the shifting landscape of ambient AI and what it means for clinicians, companies, and the future of care.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 919 no A conversation with Spencer Dorn, MD In this episode Freerange MD is joined by Dr. Spencer Dorn, public intellectual in the realm of medicine and technology. This freewheeling conversation covers some of the more interesting developments in the modern clinical space — A drill down on AI, the future of the doctor's work and much more. I hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:13:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD Practicing medicine in an increasingly disrupted world In this episode Freerange MD is joined by Dr. Spencer Dorn, public intellectual in the realm of medicine and technology. This freewheeling conversation covers some of the more interesting developments in the modern clinical space — A drill down on AI, the future of the doctor's work and much more. I hope you enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode Freerange MD is joined by Dr. Spencer Dorn, public intellectual in the realm of medicine and technology. This freewheeling conversation covers some of the more interesting developments in the modern clinical space — A drill down on AI, the future of the doctor's work and much more. I hope you enjoy.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2912 no The Oura Ring - Operating System for the Human Body? In this episode we dive into the world of wearables — where personal health tech meets human behavior. My guest is Jason Oberfest, the Vice President of Healthcare at ŌURA, the company behind the sleek little ring that's quietly revolutionizing how we track sleep, recovery, and readiness. Jason has a fascinating vantage point—not only on the origins of the Oura Ring and how it evolved from a niche tool to a mainstream health companion, but also on where this space is headed. We talk about how behavior change actually happens, how wearables may begin to encroach on clinical territory, and what it means when your ring knows you're getting sick before you do. This is a conversation about data, agency, and what’s coming next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 01 Jul 2025 20:02:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD A conversation with Jason Oberfest, VP of Healthcare at Oura In this episode we dive into the world of wearables — where personal health tech meets human behavior. My guest is Jason Oberfest, the Vice President of Healthcare at ŌURA, the company behind the sleek little ring that's quietly revolutionizing how we track sleep, recovery, and readiness. Jason has a fascinating vantage point—not only on the origins of the Oura Ring and how it evolved from a niche tool to a mainstream health companion, but also on where this space is headed. We talk about how behavior change actually happens, how wearables may begin to encroach on clinical territory, and what it means when your ring knows you're getting sick before you do. This is a conversation about data, agency, and what’s coming next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode we dive into the world of wearables — where personal health tech meets human behavior. My guest is Jason Oberfest, the Vice President of Healthcare at ŌURA, the company behind the sleek little ring that's quietly revolutionizing how we track sleep, recovery, and readiness.

Jason has a fascinating vantage point—not only on the origins of the Oura Ring and how it evolved from a niche tool to a mainstream health companion, but also on where this space is headed.

We talk about how behavior change actually happens, how wearables may begin to encroach on clinical territory, and what it means when your ring knows you're getting sick before you do.

This is a conversation about data, agency, and what’s coming next.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2536 Super Agers | Eric Topol MD on the Future of Longevity In this episode of Freerange MD, I sit down with renowned physician-scientist Dr. Eric Topol to talk about his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. We unpack the science behind aging, longevity, and the surprising habits of people who age exceptionally well. From the role of exercise, sleep, and socialization, to emerging interventions and the limits of lifespan extension, this conversation explores what it really takes to defy the standard trajectory of aging. Whether you’re a clinician, a biohacker, or just someone thinking about your future, this is a wide-ranging look at the future of growing old. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 06 May 2025 16:17:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD What the Science Really Says About Aging Well In this episode of Freerange MD, I sit down with renowned physician-scientist Dr. Eric Topol to talk about his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. We unpack the science behind aging, longevity, and the surprising habits of people who age exceptionally well. From the role of exercise, sleep, and socialization, to emerging interventions and the limits of lifespan extension, this conversation explores what it really takes to defy the standard trajectory of aging. Whether you’re a clinician, a biohacker, or just someone thinking about your future, this is a wide-ranging look at the future of growing old. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode of Freerange MD, I sit down with renowned physician-scientist Dr. Eric Topol to talk about his new book, Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity. We unpack the science behind aging, longevity, and the surprising habits of people who age exceptionally well. From the role of exercise, sleep, and socialization, to emerging interventions and the limits of lifespan extension, this conversation explores what it really takes to defy the standard trajectory of aging. Whether you’re a clinician, a biohacker, or just someone thinking about your future, this is a wide-ranging look at the future of growing old.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2558 no AI Companions — The dark frontier of emotionally intelligent bots In February 2024, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer died by suicide. His mother, Megan Garcia, believes his death was driven by an intense, abusive relationship—not with a person, but with an AI companion. One that manipulated him emotionally and sexually. In this episode of Freerange MD, we welcome James O’Donnell from MIT Technology Review to explore the dark frontier of AI companions —emotionally intelligent bots designed to be your friend, lover, or confidant. But when these models learn too well, what happens? O'Donnell calls it the final stage of digital addiction. AI is no longer just shaping our behavior—it’s reshaping our most intimate connections. And sometimes, with deadly consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:43:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD A conversation with James O'Donnell of MIT Technology Review In February 2024, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer died by suicide. His mother, Megan Garcia, believes his death was driven by an intense, abusive relationship—not with a person, but with an AI companion. One that manipulated him emotionally and sexually. In this episode of Freerange MD, we welcome James O’Donnell from MIT Technology Review to explore the dark frontier of AI companions —emotionally intelligent bots designed to be your friend, lover, or confidant. But when these models learn too well, what happens? O'Donnell calls it the final stage of digital addiction. AI is no longer just shaping our behavior—it’s reshaping our most intimate connections. And sometimes, with deadly consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In February 2024, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer died by suicide. His mother, Megan Garcia, believes his death was driven by an intense, abusive relationship—not with a person, but with an AI companion. One that manipulated him emotionally and sexually.

In this episode of Freerange MD, we welcome James O’Donnell from MIT Technology Review to explore the dark frontier of AI companions —emotionally intelligent bots designed to be your friend, lover, or confidant. But when these models learn too well, what happens? O'Donnell calls it the final stage of digital addiction.

AI is no longer just shaping our behavior—it’s reshaping our most intimate connections. And sometimes, with deadly consequences.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 1274 no The Silicon Shrink — How AI Made the World an Asylum In this episode, I’m joined by Daniel Oberhaus, author of The Silicon Shrink. AI and psychiatry are on a collision course — Therapeutic chatbots, surveillance psychiatry, and digital phenotypes are advancing faster than our understanding of mental illness. And as you’ll learn in this rapid-fire discussion, the hype of AI comes with some scary realities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Sat, 29 Mar 2025 16:30:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD A conversation with author Daniel Oberhaus In this episode, I’m joined by Daniel Oberhaus, author of The Silicon Shrink. AI and psychiatry are on a collision course — Therapeutic chatbots, surveillance psychiatry, and digital phenotypes are advancing faster than our understanding of mental illness. And as you’ll learn in this rapid-fire discussion, the hype of AI comes with some scary realities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode, I’m joined by Daniel Oberhaus, author of The Silicon Shrink. AI and psychiatry are on a collision course — Therapeutic chatbots, surveillance psychiatry, and digital phenotypes are advancing faster than our understanding of mental illness. And as you’ll learn in this rapid-fire discussion, the hype of AI comes with some scary realities.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2311 no Seven Deadly Sins - Unlocking the Neurology of Human Vices There are seven deadly sins that have defined human immorality. But do these sins represent moral failings or critical biological functions necessary for survival? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by Dr. Guy Leschziner, neurologist and author of Seven Deadly Sins — The Biology of Being Human. We explore the seven sins and unpack their neuroscientific and psychological basis. This is a great conversation loaded with provocative questions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 19 Mar 2025 20:58:00 -0000 full Bryan Vartabedian, MD There are seven deadly sins that have defined human immorality. But do these sins represent moral failings or critical biological functions necessary for survival? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by Dr. Guy Leschziner, neurologist and author of Seven Deadly Sins — The Biology of Being Human. We explore the seven sins and unpack their neuroscientific and psychological basis. This is a great conversation loaded with provocative questions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices There are seven deadly sins that have defined human immorality. But do these sins represent moral failings or critical biological functions necessary for survival?


In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by Dr. Guy Leschziner, neurologist and author of Seven Deadly Sins — The Biology of Being Human. We explore the seven sins and unpack their neuroscientific and psychological basis. This is a great conversation loaded with provocative questions. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2165 Doctored - Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's Science is supposed to be about the pursuit of truth. But what happens when ambition, greed, and fraud infect that pursuit especially in a field as high-stakes as Alzheimer's research? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by investigative journalist Charles Pillar, author of the explosive new book Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's. His reporting uncovers a shocking story: one where careers, billions in funding, and the hopes of millions hinged on research that was, in part, built on lies. This isn't just about bad science. It's about how deeply entrenched systems of prestige and power can shake the very core of medical progress. And if you think scientific fraud is rare or harmless, think again. Or listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:00:00 -0000 Doctored - Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's full 2 Bryan Vartabedian, MD A conversation with investigative journalist and author, Charles Pillar Science is supposed to be about the pursuit of truth. But what happens when ambition, greed, and fraud infect that pursuit especially in a field as high-stakes as Alzheimer's research? In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by investigative journalist Charles Pillar, author of the explosive new book Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's. His reporting uncovers a shocking story: one where careers, billions in funding, and the hopes of millions hinged on research that was, in part, built on lies. This isn't just about bad science. It's about how deeply entrenched systems of prestige and power can shake the very core of medical progress. And if you think scientific fraud is rare or harmless, think again. Or listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Science is supposed to be about the pursuit of truth. But what happens when ambition, greed, and fraud infect that pursuit especially in a field as high-stakes as Alzheimer's research?

In this episode of Freerange MD, I'm joined by investigative journalist Charles Pillar, author of the explosive new book Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's. His reporting uncovers a shocking story: one where careers, billions in funding, and the hopes of millions hinged on research that was, in part, built on lies.

This isn't just about bad science. It's about how deeply entrenched systems of prestige and power can shake the very core of medical progress. And if you think scientific fraud is rare or harmless, think again. Or listen.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 3580 no On Being a Medical Conservative In this episode cardiologist John Mandrola joings Freerange MD for great discussion. We dig deep into the concept of the medical conservative, an idea popularized by Dr. Mandrola. Our conversation evolves to cover ‘citizen research’, the rising popularity of medical newsletters, and the growing pains physicians have experienced on sites like Twitter. If nothing else, Dr. Mandrola's contrarian perspective and thoughtful insights will leave you inspired to rethink traditional medical paradigms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:00:00 -0000 On Being a Medical Conservative full Bryan Vartabedian, MD A conversation with John Mandrola, MD In this episode cardiologist John Mandrola joings Freerange MD for great discussion. We dig deep into the concept of the medical conservative, an idea popularized by Dr. Mandrola. Our conversation evolves to cover ‘citizen research’, the rising popularity of medical newsletters, and the growing pains physicians have experienced on sites like Twitter. If nothing else, Dr. Mandrola's contrarian perspective and thoughtful insights will leave you inspired to rethink traditional medical paradigms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices In this episode cardiologist John Mandrola joings Freerange MD for great discussion. We dig deep into the concept of the medical conservative, an idea popularized by Dr. Mandrola. Our conversation evolves to cover ‘citizen research’, the rising popularity of medical newsletters, and the growing pains physicians have experienced on sites like Twitter. If nothing else, Dr. Mandrola's contrarian perspective and thoughtful insights will leave you inspired to rethink traditional medical paradigms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

]]> 2703 Introducing Freerange MD Introducing Freerange MD with Bryan Vartabedian. This new podcast brings you the most interesting voices in healthcare. From thought leaders to frontline innovators, we explore how technology is reshaping healthcare—and us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Wed, 12 Feb 2025 23:00:51 -0000 Introducing Freerange MD full Bryan Vartabedian, MD A new podcast bringing the most interesting voices in healthcare. Introducing Freerange MD with Bryan Vartabedian. This new podcast brings you the most interesting voices in healthcare. From thought leaders to frontline innovators, we explore how technology is reshaping healthcare—and us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Introducing Freerange MD with Bryan Vartabedian. This new podcast brings you the most interesting voices in healthcare. From thought leaders to frontline innovators, we explore how technology is reshaping healthcare—and us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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