Using Existing Drugs in New Ways to Treat & Cure Diseases of Brain & Body | Dr. David Fajgenbaum
Andrew Huberman interviews physician-scientist Dr. David Fagenbaum about how many existing FDA-approved drugs can be repurposed to effectively treat diseases beyond their original indications. Drawing on his near-fatal battle with Castleman disease and the work of his nonprofit Every Cure, Fagenbaum explains systemic blind spots in medicine, gives concrete examples of successful drug repurposing, and outlines how patients can better advocate for themselves and navigate disease-specific networks. They also discuss the role of AI in mapping drug-disease relationships at scale, the neuroscience of hope and tenacity, and how Fagenbaum's personal story shapes his mission to ensure that no one misses out on a helpful drug that already exists.
How do you turn hope into action? A doctor and a public health expert answer | David Fajgenbaum and Celina de Sola
Host Elise Hu introduces a TED Intersections conversation between public health expert Selena De Sola and immunology researcher David Fagenbaum on how they turn hope into concrete action in their respective fields. Fagenbaum shares how surviving Castleman disease led him to repurpose existing drugs and build the nonprofit EveryCure, now using AI to match old medicines to new diseases, while De Sola explains how her organization, founded in El Salvador, works to create trauma-informed public systems across schools, healthcare, and law enforcement. Together they discuss holding hope and grief simultaneously, navigating setbacks, scaling systemic change, and the leadership, teamwork, and vision required to sustain impact.