MedPod Today: the podcast series where MedPage Today reporters share deeper insight into the week's biggest healthcare stories. This week, MedPage Today reporters discuss how the <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/ " target="_blank">government shutdown</a> may affect healthcare, the debate on whether <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/117695 " target="_blank">physician paid expert witnesses</a> can ever be truly impartial, and what we know about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s CDC contact, <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/117626 " target="_blank">Dr. William Thompson</a>. Episode produced and hosted by <a href=" https://www.medpagetoday.com/people/rr5215/rachael-robertson " target="_blank">Rachael Robertson</a>. Sound engineering by <https://www.medpagetoday.com/people/gl1396/greg-laub " target="_blank">Greg Laub</a>. Theme music by Palomar. Reporting this week by are <a href=" https://www.medpagetoday.com/people/jf7378/joyce-frieden " target="_blank">Joyce Frieden</a>, <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/people/jm7987/joedy-mccreary " target="_blank">Joedy McCreary</a>, and <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/people/cc2652/cheryl-clark " target="_blank"> Cheryl Clark</a>.