Causes or Cures

About Causes or Cures

For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots Causes or Cures is an independent health podcast hosted by "Dr. Eeks" (ErinKate Stair, MD, MPH). It is an offbeat, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a genuine love of making complicated health topics easier to understand. Dr. Eeks is a public health professional specializing in applied epidemiology & health communication. By day, she works on challenging public health issues. By choice, she spends some of her free time asking scientists, physicians, researchers, authors, clinicians, and other fascinating people questions she hopes everyone else is wondering too. Along the way, the podcast has wandered into everything from memory and longevity to self medicating animals, migraines, gene drive mosquitoes, strange public health history, the spiritual realm, and the occasional existential detour. If it has something to teach us about health or what it means to be human, it is probably fair game. Recurring segments include Public Health is Weird, which uncovers strange but true stories from public health history, WTF Health News, where Dr. Eeks breaks down bizarre or buzzworthy health headlines, and Eeks Speakeasy, a more personal corner of the podcast where curiosity occasionally spills over into life, philosophy, and whatever else deserves a drink and a discussion. A few housekeeping notes... This podcast is for information, curiosity, and conversation. It is not medical advice. Although Dr. Eeks has an MD, she does not practice medicine. She is a full time public health nerd and will never tell you what to do with your own health. If you have a medical question, your healthcare provider knows you far better than a podcast ever could. Guests are invited because they have something interesting to contribute, not because Dr. Eeks agrees with every opinion they hold. Likewise, she does not endorse miracle supplements, mysterious oils, magic socks, potions, or anything that promises to solve all of life's problems. If an episode is sponsored or underwritten by a company she genuinely enjoys working with, she will always tell you. Causes or Cures is also not a news site. It is a place for thoughtful conversations. Dr. Eeks believes people can disagree respectfully, ask difficult questions, change their minds, and occasionally laugh at themselves along the way. Some of the best conversations she has ever had happened in hole in the walls, on sidewalks, and in places where nobody was trying to win an argument. Sometimes Barnaby, her dog and unofficial executive producer, contributes his thoughts as well. Fortunately, he is a pretty smart dog. Above all, Dr. Eeks hopes this podcast encourages people to stay curious, compassionate, honest, open minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful, delightfully messy thing, and one worth protecting. The views expressed on this podcast are Dr. Eeks' own and do not reflect the views of any organization she contracts with or consults for. Want to help keep Causes or Cures independent and ad free? Click the Support button at the top of the page. Want to sponsor or underwrite an episode? Causes or Cures works with a limited number of sponsors and episode underwriters in health, science, and public health. Partnerships are kept separate from editorial content and guest selection. If your organization might be a fit, reach out at: erin@bloomingwellness.com Want more weird health news & public health oddities? Sign up for the Eeks Weekly newsletter (10,000 + subscribers) The Eeks Weekly (https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/e2SESgR)

Publisher

Dr. Eeks

Category

health & fitness · science · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Mar 2019

Latest episode

29 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

134 of 381 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Would You Want to Know? A Family’s 50% Chance of Inheriting Dementia, with Robert Kolker

   Dr. Eeks interviews #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Kolker about a family's generational struggle with inherited dementia and the quest to end it.

2. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Can Reddit Reveal GLP-1 Side Effects that Clinical Trials Miss? With Neil Sehgal

   Host Dr. Kavita Patel interviews researcher Neil K. R. Sehgal about his AI-driven study analyzing Reddit posts to uncover GLP-1 medication side effects missed by clinical trials.

3. 

   13 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   WTF Health News: Wait... How Did This Drug Cost $25 in India and $1,000 in the U.S.?

   Host [Host Name] interviews Victoria about the staggering price disparity of prescription drugs between the U.S. and other countries, revealing insights into healthcare costs.

Inside a recent episode

WTF Health News: Wait... How Did This Drug Cost $25 in India and $1,000 in the U.S.?

Published 13 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But let's zoom out for what I think is the most important issue. The United States spends more on health care per person than any other high income country. You guys know that. And that sounds impressive until you realize a We're talking about spending, not performance. And you guys who listen to my podcast regularly already know this because it's like a broken record on here. Compared with other wealthy nations, Americans often have lower life expectancy, higher rates of chronic disease, higher maternal mortality rates, and more deaths that could potentially be prevented with timely care. That's not exactly the return on investment most people are hoping for. […]

Who has been a guest on Causes or Cures

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Robert Kolker
• Neil K R Sehgal
• Brantley Hall
• Dr Nicola Segata
• Dr Frank Infurna

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

55 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

198 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 77 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

97

Social presence

97

YouTube

0

Engagement

93

Contact Causes or Cures

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Causes or Cures