First Opinion Podcast

The rise of perimenopause misinformation

May 20, 2026

In recent years, people are increasingly blaming perimenopause for a constellation of symptoms: weight gain, hair loss, brain fog. But does the evidence support this point of view? Who’s profiting from it? And what does it mean for perimenopause to be such a hot topic? On this episode of the “First Opinion Podcast,” host Torie Bosch speaks with Patricia Bencivenga and Adriane Fugh-Berman of the Georgetown University Medical Center’s Pharmed Out project about their research on menopause and p...

What can ‘blue zones’ really teach us about aging?

May 13, 2026

In 2023, Netflix released a documentary titled “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones,” which looked at some small, geographically isolated places around the world in which, reportedly, residents regularly lived to 100 or beyond. It was just the most recent installment to a longevity franchise that began roughly 25 years ago. But how real are “blue zones”? And has the concept’s commercialization drowned out its scientific value? Medical journalist Shelley Wood, author of the novel “The Lea...

Dr. Glaucomflecken wants to make a stink

May 06, 2026

His real name is Will Flanary, but you probably know him as Dr. Glaucomflecken — the internet’s go-to doctor/comedian. On this episode of the “First Opinion Podcast,” we talked about how he mixes humor with some of the most pressing issues facing health care, from misinformation on social media to the corporate takeover of medicine. In particular, Flanary has been deeply involved with advocacy around PeaceHealth’s decision to use a corporate group to staff the emergency department in Eugene,...