ATS Breathe Easy

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed the dollar value of a statistical life in January 2026, essentially dropping it to zero. What does that mean for the average American? As Anthony Gerber, MD, PhD, University of Kentucky, explains to Air Health Our Health host Erika Moseson, MD, MA, this means the agency will no longer account for the healthcare costs of air pollution and lost lives when determining how account how clean air policies and other key legislation affect communities. In this conclusion of a two-part series on the EPA’s dollar value of a statistical life, Dr. Gerber explains what this change means and why is it significant.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed the dollar value of a statistical life in January 2026, essentially dropping it to zero. What does that mean for the average American? As Anthony Gerber, MD, PhD, University of Kentucky, explains to Air Health Our Health host Erika Moseson, MD, MA, this means the agency will no longer account for the healthcare costs of air pollution and lost lives when determining how account how clean air policies and other key legislation affect communities. In this first part of a two-part series on the EPA’s dollar value of a statistical life, Dr. Gerber explains what this change means and why is it significant.

How can peers help those in their field entering mid-career? Through the sharing of their successes and struggles. This was the solution Joshua Lee Denson, MD, MS, Tulane University, and colleagues came up with when asked for event ideas for the ATS International Conference. The ATS Storytelling Series has been a huge success, giving mid-career professionals a space to highlight wins, discuss issues, and connect with a community of professionals looking to advance and expand. Dr. Denson and host Amy Attaway, MD, Cleveland Clinic, talk about how this series was developed, how it has helped others in the past, and what to look forward to at ATS 2026. 
Be sure to register for ATS 2026: https://registration.experientevent.com/ShowATS261/Flow/ATT?atslogin=1&marketingcode=YOUTUBE

Immigrants make up a significant portion of the medical and scientific community at all levels, from students all the way to senior faculty. But the Trump administration’s new policies will make it hard for institutions to bring in new international talent and possibly retain the key contributors. 
Host Patti Tripathi talks with medical historian Eram Alam, PhD, Harvard University, and ATS Past-President Lynn Schnapp, MD, ATSF, University of Wisconsin, about how the fields of respiratory medicine and research are losing the best and the brightest, and what that means for public health. 
Learn more about the Hart-Celler Act: https://dissentmagazine.org/article/how-the-hart-celler-act-changed-america/

This is the second episode of our discussions on the experiences and challenges of transitioning into being a mid-career professional. 
For many, mid-career brings a wave of financial and personal pressure, leaving them working out how to handle new milestones and systems while managing their careers. Last Zebra Podcast creator Ugo Ezema, MD, of Tulane University hosts this episode. He speaks with fellow Tulane University colleague Joshua Lee Denson, MD, MS, and Kristina Montemayor, MD, MHS, Johns Hopkins University, about financial education, negotiation skills, retirement planning, leadership boundaries, and more.
Be sure to register for ATS 2026 for some of the great mid-career programs, including the ATS Storytelling series, the Mid-Career Roadmap and Toolkit, Scientific Symposium: Breathing New Life Into Your Career.