All Episodes

December 11, 2024 20 mins

What if the key to treating chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis wasn't drugs but a tiny electrical device? That's the promise of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a groundbreaking therapy that holds the potential to transform how we approach conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even depression and other mental health issues. On this 20-Minute Health Talk, we explore the fascinating science and remarkable potential of VNS with two leading experts: Kevin Tracey, MD, president & CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and the founder of bioelectronic medicine; and Murthy Simhambhatla, PhD, president & CEO of SetPoint Medical, a company pioneering cutting-edge VNS devices.

Together, they discuss the history of VNS, its applications today and the potential to address a wide range of other inflammatory conditions, from multiple sclerosis to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They also dive into the early results of a SetPoint-led study using VNS to treat rheumatoid arthritis, which Dr. Tracey believes could be the tipping point in this over 30-year odyssey.

More on vagus nerve stimulation
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Cardiac Cowboys

Cardiac Cowboys

The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.