HCPLive Podcasts

The therapeutic framework for systemic sclerosis is undergoing a fundamental reorientation, moving away from managing visible fibrotic sequelae toward targeting the autoantibody-driven mechanisms believed to initiate and propagate disease.On a recent episode of Joint Ventures recorded live at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2026 Congress in London, host Jack Arnold, MBBS, PhD, of the University of Leeds, spoke with Vishal Kakkar, MD, also of the University of Leeds and a specialist in scleroderma, about the most consequential data emerging from the congress.Click here to watch the episode.

In this episode of Liver Lineup: Updates and Unfiltered Insights, hosts Kimberly Brown, MD, and Nancy Reau, MD, break down new research on liver transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the ongoing evolution of surveillance strategies in chronic liver disease. Drawing on their extensive experience as transplant hepatologists, Brown and Reau place new data into practical context, highlighting where evidence may meaningfully inform practice and where unanswered questions remain.Key episode timestamps:0:00:00 – Introduction0:00:19 – Frailty & Transplant Evaluation0:02:54 – How Centers Use Frailty Measures0:04:37 – Practicalities of the Six‑Minute Walk0:06:10 – MELD 3.0 and Sex/Size Disparities0:08:42 – Exception Points & Size Constraints0:10:05 – Need for a Dynamic MELD System0:10:19 – Immunotherapy as Bridge/Downstaging for HCC0:13:34 – Real‑World Use of IO Around Transplant0:15:22 – Managing Rejection Risk0:19:03 – MASLD Population & Surveillance Gaps0:20:21 – Adherence to HCC Surveillance0:22:42 – Practical Barriers: AFP, Ultrasound, Radiology Reports0:24:02 – Shift Toward Blood-Based Surveillance0:26:01 – How AFP-L3 and DCP Are Used in Practice0:27:39 – Rising AFP, Imaging Strategy & Broader Trend to Blood Tests0:28:27 – Guidelines vs Real-World Practice0:29:37 – Closing Thoughts on Guidelines & Early Detection

In this episode of Liver Lineup: Updates & Unfiltered Insights, hosts Nancy Reau, MD, and Kim Brown, MD, take on a recent consequential and controversial public health decision: the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) vote to remove the universal birth-dose hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for infants born to mothers who test negative for HBV.Key episode timestamps:0:00:00 – Introduction and initial reactions0:01:40 – Hep B as an anti‑cancer vaccine & global perspective0:03:59 – Transmission, testing gaps, and implementation problems0:07:48 – Infant risk, carrier status, and long‑term protection0:10:14 – Broader health and oncology implications0:11:48 – Personal stance and closing thoughts

In this episode of Liver Lineup: Updates and Unfiltered Insights, hosts Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, are joined by guest Jessica Mellinger, MD, to discuss rising prevalence, new care models, and evolving concepts in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).Key episode timestamps:0:00:00 – Introduction0:00:30 – Prevalence of alcohol use & ALD under-recognition0:04:22 – Origin and design of the integrated ALD clinic0:06:50 – Expansion and outcomes of integrated care0:10:33 – Workforce and access challenges0:12:21 – Metabolic ALD (MetALD) concept0:15:18 – GLP‑1 agonists for metabolic disease & AUD0:19:09 – “Food noise,” food addiction, and ultra‑processed foods0:22:38 – Liver transplantation in ALD & Dallas criteria0:27:27 – Outcomes after relapse & closing