CRANBURY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HCPLive®, in conjunction with the American Lung Association (ALA), has released an exclusive interview with Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on the latest episode of its pulmonary podcast series, Lungcast™, “Up Close & Personal with Dr. Anthony Fauci.”

In the podcast, hosted by ALA chief medical officer Alert Rizzo, M.D., FACP, Fauci discussed the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic, including modern vaccine development, serologic antibodies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, herd immunity, pandemic preparedness and political impact on response.

“As the country’s preeminent COVID-19 authority, Dr. Fauci remains a beacon of truth for health care providers looking for guidance as they navigate patient care during this complicated time,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, the parent company of HCPLive®. “There is still so much to learn about novel coronavirus, and we’re glad we have the reach and recognition to amplify Dr. Fauci’s insights to HCPs around the nation.”

In the podcast, Fauci noted the impact of political division in the United States on the response to the pandemic. “Putting the administration aside, I think that in this country, the degree of divisiveness is stunning. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Fauci said. “When you make a public health issue and convert it into political opposition—I mean, there should be no argument about wearing a mask or physical distancing. It becomes you’re on this side or that side. It’s unfortunate, but that’s happened, and I think that’s interfered with the quality of response in this country.”

Fauci also stressed the importance of diversity in vaccine trials. “We’ve got to get brown and black people, we’ve got to get Latinx and African Americans into the trial, so that when we show that we have a safe and effective trial — and a safe and effective product — that we can say to the minority communities which are at higher risk, ‘We’ve proven that we’ve got a good vaccine, but we also have proven it works in you and not just white people.’” To listen to the entire episode, click here.

Lungcast™ is a monthly pulmonary podcast series in collaboration with HCPLive® and the American Lung Association. Hosted by Rizzo, the series features interviews with world-leading researchers, clinicians and health care experts on the biggest topics in respiratory care.

Every episode is made available on HCPLive®, as well as on the ALA’s website. Listeners can also subscribe to Lungcast™ via Apple, Spotify and Audioboom.

For more information about the Lungcast™ podcast series, click here.

About HCPLive®

HCPLive® is a comprehensive clinical news and information portal that provides physicians and other health care professionals with up-to-date specialty- and disease-specific resources to help them deliver better care to patients. Readers have access to breaking news, video interviews with physician experts, in-depth conference coverage, finance and practice management updates, insights and analysis from physician contributors and other resources. HCPLive® is a brand of MJH Life Sciences™, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

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