
Advertise on podcast: Primary Care Update
Rating
4.7from
This podcast has
218 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Mark EbellExplicit
No
Date created
2018/08/26
Latest episode
2026/10/20
Average duration
34 min.
Release period
14 days
Description
Four healthily skeptical primary care physicians discuss the latest in primary care medicine. Join Essential Evidence Editor Mark Ebell MD, Rush University's Kate Rowland MD, MSU Professor of Medicine Gary Ferenchick MD, and POEMs co-founder Henry Barry MD, MS for this fast-paced weekly update on evidence-based primary care.
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Check latest episodes from Primary Care Update podcast
Episode 218: multicancer early detection RCT, vit D for cancer, placebo for migraine, and anticoag for low risk AF,
2026/10/20
This week, primary care docs Gary Ferenchick, Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell and Henry Barry discuss 4 important new studies: Vitamin D for metastatic colon cancer, placebo effectiveness in adults with acute migraine, a huge RCT evaluation of Galleri multicancer early detection test, and a simpler approach to selecting which adults with AF to anticoagulate.
Episode 217: AI therapists, theta-bursts for depression, finerenone for CKD, and GLP-1s causing vision loss.
2026/10/07
This week, Henry, Kate, Gary and Mark talk about 4 great new studies: is using an AI chat therapist really that bad for youth, theta-burst stimulation for adults with major depressive disorder, finerenone in adults with CKD but not DM, and GLP-1 agonists and vision loss risk.
Episode 216: low back pain, nasal saline for URI, non-gated CTs for CAC, and statins after 70,
2026/09/22
Join our intrepid primary care experts Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick as they tell you about 4 new primary care relevant studies: self-management and manipulation for low back pain, nasal saline for treating adults with URIs, non-gated CT scans and coronary calcium measurement, and statins after age seventy.
Links:
Low back pain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42223934/
Nasal saline spray for URI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41136239/
Recipe for spray: https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/saline-sinus-rinse-recipe
Gated vs non-gated CT: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42507772/
Statins after 70: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42670961/
Permanent link to the John Hickner Scholarship Fund: https://give.msu.edu/?sid=17374
Episode 215: self collected HPV, AI skin cancer app, electroacupuncture for neuralgia, and asymptomatic cardiac plaque
2026/09/09
This week, primary care experts Drs. Kate Rowland, Gary Ferenchick, Mark Ebell and Henry Barry discuss 4 new studies: The post-Papanicolau era of HPV self collection, electroacupuncture for post-herpetic neuralgia, AI-based app for melanoma detection, and the onset age of silent atherosclerosis.
Links:
Self-collected HPV: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42509175/
Electroacupuncture: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42189557/
AI skin cancer app: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41701029/
Silent plaques: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42670946/
Episode 214: hyperemesis treatment, Ca++ and Vit D, oral PCSK-9, and semaglutide for dementia (?)
2026/08/27
Primary care physicians Kate, Mark, Henry and Gary discuss 4 new studies that could change your practice: treatments for hyperemesis gravidarum, calcium and vitamin D to prevent falls and fractures in older adults, the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor, and oral semaglutide to treat dementia .
The John Hickner Memorial fund at MSU: https://give.msu.edu/?sid=17374
Hyperemesis gravidarum treatments: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41478546/
Supplementing with calcium or vitamin D: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42161415/
Oral PCSK-9 enlicitide: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41879224/
Cochrane review of PCSK-9s: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011748.pub3/full
Semaglutide for dementia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41865758/
Episode 213: dementia risk factors, COVID-19 vaccines, and shoulder MRIs
2026/08/11
This week, Kate, Gary and Mark discuss 3 new studies: whether we can do anything about modifiable risk factors for dementia, whether COVID-19 vaccines are still useful, and how to interpret abnormal shoulder MRIs.
Episode 212: preventing multimorbidity, high dose vit D, skin cancer screening, and withdrawing a GLP-1
2026/08/03
Primary care docs Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick talk about 4 new studies: prevention of multimorbidity in people at high risk of diabetes, high-dose vitamin D in healthy older adults, whether screening for skin cancer reduces melanoma mortality, and tirzepatide withdrawal and weight maintenance .
Episode 211: semaglutide for AUD, preventing post-vax syncope, PCR panel for RTI, fluvoxamine for long-COVID
2026/07/15
Join primary care professors Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry as they discuss 4 new studies: semaglutide for alcohol use disorder, a vibrating cool pack to prevent post vaccination syncope, PCR for 23 respiratory pathogens in primary care to reduce antibiotic use, and fluvoxamine for Long-COVID Fatigue.
Links
Semaglutide for AUD: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42070571/
Vibrating cool pack for vaccine syncope: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41692229/
Point of care PCR for acute RTI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42149561/
Likelihood that pathogen is commensal vs pathogenic: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39864052/
Fluvoxamine and long COVID: Ann Intern Med. 2026;179(5):621-628 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41911553/
Episode 210: screen time, stopping levothyroxine, new mRNA flu vaccine, and NAS supplements.
2026/07/02
This week primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry discuss four new studies: screentime for children, discontinuing levothyroxine, a new mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) Supplementation for healthy aging.
Links to articles:
AAP screen time policy
Discontinuing levothyroxine study
mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna
NAD supplements
Quiz: Bixomania study
Episode 209: cocoa, best UTI antibiotic, LAA closure for AF, and evolocumab for primary (sort of) prevention
2026/06/18
Primary care docs Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick tackle 4 new studies: health benefits of cocoa supplements, the best antibiotic for managing uncomplicated UTIs in women, left atrial appendage closure for AF with high bleeding or stroke risk, and evolocumab for primary (sort-of) prevention of MACE in patients with diabetes.
Essential Evidence Plus: www.essentialevidenceplus.com
https://www.iafp.org/2026ac
Cocoa and health: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35294962/
Antibiotics for UTI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42026010/
Left atrial appendage closure and AF: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41849741/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41903215/
Episode 208: drinks with diabetes, new Paxlovid trial, antiplatelet agents in stroke, and dietary advice from the AHA
2026/06/02
This week, primary care doctors Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick discuss four new studies: whether water is better than diet drinks in diabetes, a new RCT of Paxlovid for COVID in contemporary patients, to switch or not to switch antiplatelet agents after a stroke, and the latest AHA 2026 dietary advice for heart health.
Drinks for diabetes: ttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41369640/
Antiplatelet agents after stroke on aspirin: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41347302/
New Paxlovid trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42019019/
AHA 2026 dietary guidance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41914202/
Episode 207: AI, singing for post-partum depression, and new AHA lipid guidelines
2026/05/20
This week Kate, Mark and Henry talk about empathetic robots, mother-baby singing groups for postpartum depression, and new American College of Cardiology lipid guidelines.
Indiana AFP POEMs course in French Link: https://www.iafp.org/2026ac
Empathetic robots: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41359230/
Weekly singing groups for postpartum depression: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41087020/
ACC/AHA/etc lipid guidelines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41824552/
A 2025 study in the journal Family Practice finding that the two most trustworthy lipid guidelines recommended against using CAC, while all five less trustworthy guidelines due to poor methods or COI recommended it. Go figure.
Smartphones in schools: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41489912/
Episode 206: biomarkers for dementia, toileting, bleeding risk, and diagnosing volume overload.
2026/05/06
Join primary care faculty Gary Ferenchick, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 important new studies: the value (?) Of biomarkers in cognitive impairment, toilet training, bleeding risk with apixaban versus rivaroxaban for VTE, and diagnosing volume overload in adults from the JAMA Rational Clinical Exam series.
Episode 205: inhaled steroid dose, titrating GLP-1s, zoster vaccine and dementia, and trusting AI
2026/04/29
This week, primary care doctors Kate, Gary, Mark and Henry discuss high vs low dose inhaled steroids for high risk patients with asthma, click based semaglutide titration to reduce GI problems, zoster vaccine and dementia risk, and whether we are trusting AI too much.
Episode 204: lowering triglycerides, cannabinoids for pain, managing AF + stent, and lower LDL targets for CAD
2026/04/14
This week primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry tackle 4 new POEM-worthy studies: new therapy for elevated triglycerides, cannabinoids for chronic pain in adults, the best antithrombotic for patients with AF + drug eluting cardiac stent, and lower versus standard LDL targets for patients with heart disease
Essential Evidence Plus: https://www.essentialevidenceplus.com/
Lower triglycerides: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41211918/
Cannabinoids for pain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41429020/
Antithrombotics for AF + stent: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41211917/
LDL target 55 vs 70 for CAD: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41910315/
Podcast reviews
Read Primary Care Update podcast reviews
HIVFM doc 2024/06/19
Good reminder of the persistent lack of diversity in higher levels of medical education.
While the hosts provide good summaries of key studies the episodes also contain numerous stories about German history, MLB history etc. But what’s not...
Gibi1010 2023/12/06
Love the show but…
I really like the content but sometimes I just have to stop listening because the background noise is too annoying. Just mute your mics when not talki...
LizV231 2023/08/22
Great perspectives, love the humor
I’m a new listener but already a huge fan. The hosts are fantastic and I appreciate the approach—very well informed but realistic and pragmatic as far...
Tolkienlover 2023/05/11
Great show
Love the dynamics between the hosts and the studies they present. The sound is very poor with sometimes a lot of background noise but still great sho...
MedPods 2023/05/11
So much background noise
I like the content but the fact that those who aren’t talking don’t mute their mics leads to so much background noise (paper rustling, throat clearing...
kphanmd 2022/12/08
The best medical podcast
Good vibe amongst the Podcasters. I have always really struggled with evidence-based medicine, how to really understand the results of the study.
lajemachcr 2022/09/30
The best
Very informative, practical, pertinent and concise.
PCP49 2022/09/02
Perfect Podcast for Primary Care
Perfect podcast. Right length, right topics, right balance of enthusiasm and skepticism. Keep up the good work!
Mobyashi 2022/01/06
Condescending doctors
Give all the facts. Don’t compare an injectable brand new vaccine mandate to wearing a seatbelt mandate. For medical professionals applying a one for ...
JbarMD 2021/06/15
Too many hosts now
Used to be a Quick way to be up to date on poems and ebm with this podcast. Now, multiple hosts, lots ofJabber compared to previous. Used to love this...
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