Billionaire Michael Milken ON Shaping The FUTURE Of Healthcare

Added: Jul 24, 2023

Milken then talks about his unexpected entry into the financial service business and his efforts to democratize capital and change the financial system. He highlights the resistance he faced in revolutionizing the financial industry, but emphasizes the positive impact his work had on job creation and the modernization of financial markets. The conversation then shifts to the challenges and opportunities in healthcare. Milken discusses the declining birth rates in developed countries and the implications for the future. He emphasizes the need to understand the rate of change and adapt to the shifting demographics. Milken also shares his personal experience with being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer at a young age. He discusses the importance of focusing on reversible factors and making proactive decisions to address life-threatening diseases. He highlights the role of gut health and nutrition in overall health and the need to accelerate scientific research in this field. Milken then delves into the challenges he faced in the medical field and his efforts to galvanize large-scale change. He discusses the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and cross-sector ties in accelerating research and finding solutions. He also emphasizes the need to redirect government funds and increase investment in medical research. Milken discusses the progress and potential of healthcare advancements and the role of technology in shaping the future of medicine. Milken highlights two major successes in healthcare research: the development of antivirals for HIV/AIDS and the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines. Milken starts by discussing the progress made in HIV/AIDS treatment. He mentions Oprah Winfrey's announcement in 1987 that one in five Americans would die from AIDS in the next three years. While many people did die from the disease, the development of antivirals and cocktails has significantly reduced mortality rates. Milken points out that today, people with HIV and AIDS are living and not dying, and the chances of a woman passing AIDS onto her children have decreased from 95% to 2% in sub-Saharan Africa. Milken then shifts the focus to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid development of vaccines. He mentions the initial predictions in California that one in two Californians would contract the disease and that there would be a shortage of hospital beds. While the pandemic did cause significant loss of life, it was not as catastrophic as initially feared. Milken emphasizes that it took only 63 days from the sequencing of the virus to the development of the first vaccine, highlighting the power of technology in accelerating medical advancements. The conversation then turns to how individuals can support and get involved in healthcare efforts. Milken emphasizes the importance of a healthy human and a healthy planet. He discusses the potential of lab-grown food, which could eliminate the need for raising animals for consumption. Milken also mentions the market shift towards healthier food options, citing examples of companies like Kraft and Nestle adapting their strategies to meet consumer demand for healthier products. Milken acknowledges the challenges in promoting healthy eating habits, particularly in combating the influence of advertising and addictive foods. However, he believes that technology will play a crucial role in revolutionizing the food industry and creating a new food chain that is sustainable and healthy. Throughout the podcast, Milken emphasizes the role of technology in driving healthcare advancements. He mentions breakthroughs in immunology, such as checkpoint inhibitors and growing organs, as well as non-invasive surgery techniques. Milken believes that technology has the potential to solve many life-threatening diseases and highlights the need for continued research and adoption of new technologies. Milken wrote his book, "Faster Cures: Accelerating the Future of Health," to highlight the potential of technology in revolutionizing healthcare. He believes that with the right focus and continued efforts, there is a good chance to cure many diseases in our lifetime. Milken encourages individuals to stay informed, support healthcare initiatives, and make positive changes in their own lives to contribute to a healthier future.