October 29, 2026
Elizabeth Holmes Film Enthrals — But Her Legacy Haunts Science | Nature
Transcript
Elizabeth McMahon
How lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks are providing aid and insights in Central Africa. Plus, public speaking with confidence. It doesn't just come naturally. The Engaged Leadership Academy will give you the skills. Welcome to CAP News for Thursday, October 29th. I'm Elizabeth McMahon of the College of American Pathologists. Here's what's making news in pathology and laboratory medicine. The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa is now the fastest growing on record, with more than 10,000 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. Though the headlines may feel discouraging, public health response teams are benefiting from lessons and innovations from previous outbreaks. Dr. Jana Broadhurst is the laboratory director for the U.S. Region 7 Special Pathogens Treatment Center and the National Quarantine Center in Nebraska. She served as a field diagnostics lead during the Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016. While the innovations at the time targeted the Ebola-Zaire strain, she says the infrastructure left behind was critical to responding to the current Bundibugyo strain.
Dr. Jana Broadhurst
As a global response community, we do have more robust structures than we've ever had before for rapidly developing and testing new diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. And so the frameworks are there and they are being utilized. And there are pipelines for research, innovation, and development in this space.
Elizabeth McMahon
The FDA-approved Ervebo vaccine against the Zaire strain is now in clinical trials to treat Bundibugyo patients. Dr. Broadhurst says that even though the vaccine isn't a match, the trials provide important insights.
Dr. Jana Broadhurst
What we can do is see whether the antibodies elicited by this vaccine cross-react with the glycoprotein of the Bundibugyo virus. And so in studies, again, across people, ferrets and non-human primates, consistently what's being seen is that those antibodies do cross-react, but at a lower degree.
Elizabeth McMahon
Though protection isn't complete, Dr. Broadhurst says the vaccine can help sick patients while trials for Bundibugyo advance, noting the trials can incorporate new vaccine candidates as they become available. The failed blood testing company Theranos is back in the headlines with the recent release of the documentary You Can See Everything. More than a decade ago, the company falsely claimed its device could run hundreds of tests on a few drops of blood. An article in Nature explores the legacy of those claims for health tech companies that are still aspiring to develop similar devices. Companies are attempting to engineer their way around problems that Theranos encountered, including contamination from finger blood samples. The firms also realize that transparency is key to their pursuit, says Dina Maranucci of Truvian Health in San Diego. Quote, trust in diagnostics has to be earned through evidence and not promises. Now is the time. From media interviews to advocacy skills to presenting with confidence, ELA is the place to learn how to communicate effectively. Dr. Roseann Wu has participated in ELA twice. She says the sessions are especially valuable for professionals who aren't used to being front and center.
Dr. Roseann Wu
We're so used to being behind the scenes and kind of working hard at our jobs and doing a great job, but not always being in the limelight or being interviewed by media or like again getting recorded on television. What we want to avoid is basically ticking off all the boxes of all the possible types of lab tests that could present in a patient with slightly abnormal bleeding factors and or a suspected bleeding history. So it's some it's an uncomfortable place to be, but I think getting pathologists out of their comfort zone to be a little bit more facile with their communication skills is going to be helpful to you as a lifelong skill.
Elizabeth McMahon
The ELA runs December 5th and 6th. Speaking of the spotlight, mark your calendar for November 11th, a day dedicated to CAP members. On Membership Appreciation Day, the CAP community will come together to celebrate the faces behind the diagnostics. Share your stories and your greetings on social media and watch your inbox for more information on discounts and other member opportunities. That's all for today. Be sure to check the show notes for the ELA registration link and information on today's stories. Got a story you'd like to hear on the podcast? Write to us at stories at CAP.org. We're back at 5 AM Eastern for another episode of CAP News. I'm Elizabeth McMahon. Have a great day.