- Social:
journalist and author
Journalist and author of America's Bitter Pill: Money, Politics, Back-Room Deals, and the Fight to Fix Our Broken Healthcare System
PROFILE
Steven Brill
Guest
FROM Steven Brill
To the Point
Are we safer than we were before 9/11? In the 15 years since the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, the US has spent no less than a trillion dollars to shore up the security measures that failed that day and in the aftermath. New protections have also been implemented. Photo by redjar But, veteran investigative reporter Steven Brill says much of the money's been wasted — in part because we've been preparing for the last attack instead of getting ready to deal with the next one. His cover story in next month's Atlantic Magazine asks the question, "Are We Any Safer?"
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Johnson & Johnson Under Fire In 1994, Johnson & Johnson started selling an anti-psychotic drug called Risperdal. The FDA approved it for adults with schizophrenia, but it expressly forbade Johnson & Johnson from marketing Risperdal to treat children and the elderly—there were too many dangerous side effects. Nevertheless, for more than a decade, that’s exactly what Johnson & Johnson did . And despite government sanctions for its behavior, and thousands of lawsuits, the company made billions in profits. Photo by Housed
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
“Bitter Pill” Last year, journalist Steven Brill was putting the finishing touches on his big book on America’s healthcare system. He was intimately familiar with its massive problems, which can be boiled down to this: it is by far the most expensive health care system in the world, and yet Americans’ health isn’t improving. Brill was just about finished when he found himself strapped to a gurney, about to have open heart surgery. He joins Madeleine to discuss what he learned from that experience and how it dovetailed with his reporting, which is chronicled in his new book.
Recommended
Bookworm
Claudio Magris: Blameless In Claudio Magris' Blameless, a museum of the implements of war and destruction is created to inspire peace. But this conversation is not just about war and peace.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Terrorism in London: Lessons for the US This weekend’s terrorist attack in London left seven people dead and almost 50 injured. London police fatally shot the attackers, and ISIS claimed responsibility.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How do Trump supporters feel about the Paris Accord? Globally and around the U.S., there are strong opinions whether or not the Paris Climate Accord is a good idea. The American exit is either a horrifying abdication of American leadership or a forceful and long overdue statement about U.S. sovereignty.