Building a Legacy of Health Equity with Kathleen M. Neuzil, MD, MPH

What does it take to eradicate a disease like polio, and why does vaccine equity matter as much as scientific innovation? In this episode of the Infectious IDeas podcast, NFID CEO Rebecca Alvania, PhD, MA, MPH, and NFID Medical Director Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, welcome Kathleen M. Neuzil, MD, MPH, of the Gates Foundation and recipient of the 2026 NFID John P. Utz Leadership Award, for a lively discussion on global immunization policy, disease surveillance, and the effort to eradicate polio. 

Neuzil reflects on the people who shaped her career, advances in vaccine science, the funding and communication challenges facing public health today, and why health equity must be central to any eradication effort. She also shares why she remains optimistic that the next generation can build a healthier, more equitable future. 

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