Threats to Women and Children's Health in America

Summary

Bloomberg Businessweek

Episode: Threats to Women and Children's Health in America

Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Carol Massar & Tim Stenovac
Guest: Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal – Retired Rear Admiral, former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health, Visiting Professor at MIT Media Lab

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Overview

This episode of Bloomberg Businessweek delves into the urgent issues facing women and children's health in America. Tim Stenovac and Carol Massar interview Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal, a pioneering leader in public health and women’s health policy. The discussion covers chronic underinvestment in women’s health research, maternal mortality, the role of new technologies, the impact of vaccine policy changes, and the importance of public service in a turbulent era.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The State of Women’s Health Investment

• Recent Philanthropy Initiatives:

  • The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 for women's health R&D.
  • Melinda Gates’ new partnership pledging $100 million, targeting areas with the highest rates of mortality: autoimmune disease, mental health, and cardiovascular health.
    • "Women represent 51% of the population. They make 80% of the health care decisions. But their health has been traditionally, you know, underfunded and under innovated."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 02:49)

• Is It Enough?

  • Dr. Blumenthal welcomes these investments, but says much more is needed to address longstanding inequities.
  • Historical perspective: Women were often excluded from major research studies well into the late 20th century.

Historical Perspective and Structural Change

• Legacy of Exclusion:
  • Dr. Blumenthal shares her own journey, inspired by her mother’s cancer experience, toward becoming a physician and reforming women’s health policy.
  • She helped expose inequities at the NIH, noting women were left out of studies on heart disease, AIDS, lung cancer, and more.
    • "We wove a focus on women's health into the fabric of NIH, CDC, FDA... There were no women's health conferences, reports, fellowships, or centers. The study of women's health and sex differences became a forefront issue in the 90s... but the innovation needed to continue."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 03:37)

Maternal Mortality in the U.S.

• Alarming Statistics:

  • The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among industrialized countries.
    • "It is shocking that in the United States, we have the highest maternal mortality rates in the industrialized world."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 05:32)

• Root Causes:

  • Disparities in healthcare access
  • Lack of education for patients and providers on signs and symptoms
  • Underreporting and lack of personalized, targeted educational outreach

• Potential Solutions:

  • Utilize new technologies for better outreach and care—including portable ultrasounds for underserved communities and telehealth solutions.
  • Innovative diagnostics, like pinprick blood tests for preeclampsia.
    • "We need to do much better education and targeted education...With technology, we'll be able to access care in more rural or underserved areas."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 05:43)

Changes to Vaccine Guidelines and Public Health Risks

• CDC's Vaccine Policy Reconsideration:

  • Ongoing CDC discussions about changing Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for newborns and universal screening for mothers.

• Vaccine Advocacy and Historical Impact:

  • Dr. Blumenthal stresses how public health interventions, especially vaccines, have doubled life expectancy and eliminated diseases like polio, smallpox, and diphtheria.
    • "Vaccines and other public health interventions were major contributors, landmark contributors to this extended lifespan."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 07:22)

• Risks of Policy Changes:

  • Concern that changing guidelines could reduce vaccination rates, lead to increased incidence of preventable diseases like measles, and introduce cost barriers to vaccines.
    • "If we don't have our major public health agencies consistent in their guidelines, then it's up to the states to create their own recommendations... This may change if the guidelines change, means that vaccines will cost people money and that will be an obstacle to getting you or your child vaccinated."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 08:28–09:58)

The Challenge and Honor of Public Service

• Personal Reflection:

  • Dr. Blumenthal, whose husband Senator Ed Markey remains in public service, reflects on the challenges facing public servants today amid attacks from various groups.
    • "It's an honor to serve and sadly, I think, you know, it's a challenging time. But to be able to give back to your country is extremely meaningful."
      (Dr. Blumenthal, 10:26)

• Women’s Health as a Foundation for Society:

  • "Improving women's health means improving the health of families, of communities and of countries."
    (Dr. Blumenthal, 10:43)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Their health has been traditionally, you know, underfunded and under innovated. And so we hope to turn the page here in the 21st century."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 02:49)

• "I was very honored to work at the National Institutes of Health for 12 years and there helped to expose the inequities that existed that women had been excluded from research studies..."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 03:37)

• "It is shocking that in the United States, we have the highest maternal mortality rates in the industrialized world."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 05:32)

• "Vaccines...have saved 20,000 babies and so I think it's very, you know, very irresponsible to be changing these guidelines when we know that vaccines save lives."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 07:22)

• "Right now there's been a study that showed that one out of six parents is questioning whether to follow the vaccination schedule. So again, disinformation is circulating and people are getting very confused."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 08:28)

• "Improving women's health means improving the health of families, of communities and of countries."
  (Dr. Blumenthal, 10:43)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:24 Introduction of Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal and first question on adequacy of current investment
• 03:37 Dr. Blumenthal's personal story and history of women's health research
• 05:04 Focus shifts to maternal mortality and U.S. maternal health crisis
• 07:02 Discussion about CDC's vaccine policy meeting and potential implications
• 08:28 Consequences of changing vaccination guidelines, impact of disinformation
• 09:58 Closing reflections on public service and the societal impact of women's health policy

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Summary

This episode spotlights significant, persistent gaps in women’s and children’s health policy and research in the U.S. Dr. Blumenthal outlines systemic underinvestment, the need for continued innovation, and public health challenges like maternal mortality and vaccine skepticism. She emphasizes the impact of new investments and technologies, while warning against any weakening of vaccination programs. The episode closes on the vital role of public service and reiterates that advancing women’s health uplifts entire communities and nations.

Transcript

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[Boston Children's Hospital Announcer]

Bloomberg.

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Audio Studios Podcasts Radio news.

[Carol Massar]

You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Massar and Tim Stanvak on Bloomberg Radio.

[Tim Stanvak]

It is time now for the Bloomberg businessweek Women's Health segment where we focus on key issues in developing technologies that are impacting the present and future of women's health around the world. On that over the summer, we saw the Gates foundation announce a 2 and a half billion dollar commitment through 2030 to accelerate R and D focused exclusively on women's health.

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And then earlier this month, Melinda Gates announced a new partnership that will commit.

[Tim Stanvak]

$100 million to accelerate women's health research. She's focusing on areas of women's health with the highest rates of mortality. That includes autoimmune disease, mental health, and cardiovascular health. So we've got a great guest to talk about all of this.

[Carol Massar]

We've got Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal joining us. She's retired REAR Admiral, former U.S. assistant Surgeon General, and the first ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's health. She's also visiting professor with the MIT Media Lab. She joins us from Washington, D.C. this afternoon, Dr. Blumenthal, Carol just mentioned some of the money that's going to women's health issues around the globe. I think I know the answer to this question before I even ask it. Is it enough?

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, no, but it's. It's excellent that new investments and innovations are coming to bear on women's health. Women represent 51% of the population. They make 80% of the health care decisions. But their health has been traditionally, you know, underfunded and under innovated. And so we hope to turn the page here in the 21st century.

[Tim Stanvak]

Are you hopeful that that actually happens? Because I feel like this is. I right. We laugh, but it's not even, I think about it. Not funny. Like we. Women's issues have been underfunded, undercovered. I have doctors in the family, both women. We talk about this. They see it, we see it. I see it. I have a daughter. It just when it comes to women's health issues, it just feels like they have been ignored for a long time.

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, let's kind of backtrack. Let me tell you a story about how we got involved with women's health. I mean, when I was a child, my mother had cancer and I decided to become a doctor. No other woman should have to suffer the way she did. I was very honored to work at the National Institutes of health for 12 years and there helped to expose the inequities that existed that women had been excluded from research studies on heart disease, on aids, on lung cancer, sex matters. We all know that. But in the conduct of research and the delivery of healthcare services, women had been excluded as a target, as a focus. So as the first deputy assistant secretary for women's health, we really shone a spotlight on these issues. We wove a focus on women's health into the fabric of nih, cdc, fda, because then there were no women's health conferences, there were no reports, there were no fellowships, and there were no centers. And so the study of women's health and sex differences became a forefront issue in the 90s, but then got mainstreamed. And I think there were still so many other issues that needed to be addressed. We built the infrastructure, but the innovation needed to continue. And that's what I hope is happening now here in the 21st century because we're bringing a whole new toolbox to the fight for better women's health.

[Carol Massar]

Well, Carol mentioned what Melinda Gates has announced. The idea of sending money toward the highest rates of mortality, autoimmune disease, mental health, and cardiovascular health. One area that we wanted to focus on this afternoon is mortality when it comes to pregnancy and when it comes to childbirth, maternal mortality. And the CDC said that improving maternal health care is one of its new priorities. They posted this document last night. What are the biggest areas for improvement there? How does the US Solve that?

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, I think maternal health, I mean, it is shocking that in the United States, we have the highest maternal mortality rates in the industrialized world.

[Carol Massar]

Why do we. Why is it that. Why is that in your view?

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, I think again, because there are. There are a number of issues that go underreported. There is diversity in communities. Women are not having the same access to care and are not, you know, there is not education for both the woman and her healthcare provider about the signs and symptoms to be looking for. So I hope that this will change. We need to do much better education and targeted education. We now have new communication methods that need to reach personalized information to individual women. And with technology, we'll be able to access care in more rural or underserved areas. For example, ultrasounds, small miniature ultrasounds that can be taken into communities in underserved areas and then with telehealth, wire it back to a physician to interpret it. And some of the breakthrough technologies that are underway are to, for example, do a pinprick to get some blood to look for preeclampsia, which is associated with hypertension, that can cause death in mothers. So I think there's a lot of work to do, but there's also a lot of innovation that can be brought to this space.

[Tim Stanvak]

Dr. Blumenthal, one thing I wanted to ask you. The CDC's vaccine meeting happening today and tomorrow. Just curious. One of the things that's being discussed is changing the hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for newborns and screening all women for hepatitis B. What do you think of this? I'm just curious about it.

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, I'm very concerned as public health doctor. I think that, you know, if you think about it, 150 years ago, average life expectancy was 38. We've doubled life expectancy in this century. In the year 1900, 18% of children died before their fifth birthday. Vaccines and other public health interventions were major contributors, were landmark contributors to this extended lifespan. A generation has grown up not seeing the devastation of polio, smallpox, diphtheria. And so disinformation is circulating. Hepatitis saves vaccines have saved 20,000 babies. And so I think it's very, you know, very irresponsible to be changing these guidelines when we know that vaccines save lives.

[Carol Massar]

What does this look like if the guidelines are changed, how does it manifest itself in public health? Do we see immediately a spirit spike in things in your view that that could be prevented through vaccines?

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, we've seen a spike in, for example, measles. We've seen some of the highest rates of measles that we've seen in decades. Measles can cause disability and can cause death. I think there have been, you know, two or three children that have already died. So I think in the past week. So yes, I mean, I think we will. And again, for measles, you need to have 95% of children vaccinated for herd immunity so that you're protecting everyone in the community. You know, right now there's been a study that showed that one out of six parents is questioning whether to follow the vaccination schedule. So again, disinformation is circulating and people are getting very confused. If we don't have our major public health agencies consistent in their guidelines, then it's up to the states to create their own recommendations. For example, in my state of Massachusetts, our governor has said that anybody who wants a vaccine will be able to get it and that insurance companies need to pay for those vaccines because again, under the Affordable Care act, in the preventive services guidelines, vaccines were covered under your insurance as a free of service. This may change if the guidelines change, means that vaccines will cost people money and that will be an obstacle to getting you or your child vaccinated.

[Tim Stanvak]

Dr. Blumenthal, before you go, that's life threatening and very important. Before you go, we've just got 30 seconds. Your family involved in public service. Your husband's still in it. Senator Ed Markey, of course, you were in it for a long time. What do you hear? What it's like to be in public service now, considering some of the attacks that we've seen, it feels like from various groups and entities and just got about 20 seconds.

[Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal]

Well, it's an honor to serve and sadly, I think, you know, it's a challenging time. But to be able to give back to your country is extremely meaningful. And just to end this with women's health, improving women's health means improving the health of families, of communities and of countries. Got it.

[Tim Stanvak]

Thank you so much.

[Boston Children's Hospital Announcer]

Pinpointing the genetic changes that predispose us to disease. Identifying the roots of mental illness. Treating congenital anomalies even before birth. At Boston Children's Hospital, we're investing in children's health today to ensure the well being of adults tomorrow. As home to the world's largest pediatric research, enterprise and more than 260 specialty programs. Boston Children's is where the world comes for answers.

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