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Podchaser Healthcare at the Midterms, a CVS Divorce, and the NFL’s CTE Problem
Key Takeaways
- A new JAMA Network Open estimate reveals that 74.5 percent of deceased former NFL players had CTE after researchers corrected for brain bank selection bias.
- While researchers successfully modeled donation bias, the new findings still cannot accurately estimate the risk of CTE for living players.
- The recent 2026 midterm elections saw several physicians secure victories in their races, impacting healthcare representation in government.
- CVS Health announced plans to split up, marking a major structural shift for the healthcare giant.
- A significant French ICU dialysis trial was stopped early, prompting discussions on critical care protocols.
Friday, November 6, 2026
In today's episode, Dr. Will Flanary (@drglaucomflecken) & Adam Rose (@adjoro) cover a new JAMA Network Open estimate that 74.5 percent of deceased former NFL players had CTE after correcting for brain bank selection bias. They break down how researchers modeled donation bias and why the finding still cannot estimate risk for living players. They also dig into how the NFL and players association responded and what it means for counseling patients on head injury risk. Plus: they also discuss the 2026 midterm election results in which several doctors won their races, CVS splitting up, a major dialysis trial that stopped early, and more.
Coverage Timeline:
(00:00) Intro
(01:27) CTE Among Former NFL Players
(05:30) French ICU Dialysis Trial
(09:09) 2026 Midterm Result
(13:05) CVS Health Split
(14:30) Phone Location Data
Have a story, think we missed something, want to say hi, or curious to learn about the Medlines team? Visit www.medlinespod.com or email medlines@human-content.com.
Sources & Media Attributions for Today's Episode Available At: www.medlinespod.com/sources
Medlines is a Human Content Production
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the NFL CTE study find?
The JAMA Network Open study estimated that 74.5 percent of deceased former NFL players had CTE after researchers corrected for brain bank selection bias.
Can the NFL CTE study estimate risk for living players?
No, despite successfully modeling donation bias, the study's findings still cannot be used to estimate individual risk for living players.
What happened to CVS Health?
CVS Health announced a major corporate split, separating parts of its massive healthcare and retail business.
Who hosts Medlines?
Medlines is hosted by Dr. Will Flanary (Dr. Glaucomflecken), Dr. Alok Patel, Adam Rose, and Eva Johnson.