It regulates 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and its commissioner has an aggressive agenda — faster drug approvals, healthier food, cures for diabetes and cancer. How much can he deliver? (Part two of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)

• SOURCES:
  • Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Clinical Trials Affected by Research Grant Terminations at the National Institutes of Health," by Vishal Patel, Michael Liu, and Anupam Jena (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2025).
  • "What the evidence tells us about Tylenol, leucovorin, and autism," by Matthew Herper (STAT, 2025).
  • "I Run the F.D.A. Pharma Ads Are Hurting Americans." by Marty Makary (New York Times, 2025).
  • Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health, by Marty Makary (2024).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin?" by Freakonomics Radio (2025).
  • "How to Fix the Hot Mess of U.S. Healthcare," by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
  • "Bad Medicine, Part 3: Death by Diagnosis," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

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We all want to stay sharp, and forestall the cognitive effects of aging. But do brain supplements actually work? Are they safe? And why doesn’t the F.D.A. even know what’s in them? (Part one of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)

• SOURCES:
  • Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
  • Peter Attia, physician, author, and host of The Peter Attia Drive.
  • Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead," by Paris Martineau (Consumer Reports, 2025).
  • "Accuracy of Labeling of Galantamine Generic Drugs and Dietary Supplements," by Pieter Cohen, Bram Jacobs, Koenraad Van Hoorde, and Céline Vanhee (JAMA, 2024).
  • Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health, by Marty Makary (2024).
  • Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, by Petter Attia (2023).
  • "Revealing the hidden dangers of dietary supplements," by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel (Science, 2015).

• EXTRAS:
  • "China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers." by Freakonomics Radio (2025).
  • "How to Fix the Hot Mess of U.S. Healthcare," by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

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One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better? We find out, in this update of a 2022 episode.

• SOURCES:
  • James Choi, professor of finance at the Yale School of Management.
  • Morgan Housel, personal finance author and partner at the Collaborative Fund.

• RESOURCES:
  • The Art of Spending Money: Simple Choices for a Richer Life, by Morgan Housel (2025).
  • “Popular Personal Financial Advice versus the Professors,” by James J. Choi (Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2022).
  • “Media Persuasion and Consumption: Evidence from the Dave Ramsey Show,” by Felix Chopra (SSRN, 2021).
  • The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness, by Morgan Housel (2020).
  • “In Bogle Family, It’s Either Passive or Aggressive,” by Liam Pleven (Wall Street Journal, 2013).

• EXTRAS:
  • “Harold Pollack on Why Managing Your Money Is as Easy as Taking Out the Garbage,” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • “People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard,” by Freakonomics Radio (2018).
  • “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Money (But Were Afraid to Ask),” by Freakonomics Radio (2017).
  • “The Stupidest Thing You Can Do With Your Money,” by Freakonomics Radio (2017).

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