In the latest episode of the PSM podcast, host Shabbir Imber Safdar, Executive Director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, is joined by Dr. William H. Grover, Associate Professor of Bioengineering at UC Riverside. They talk about the motivations and innovations of The Grover Lab, and how their low-cost innovations are helping to combat the global crisis of falsified and substandard medicines.

Dr. Grover introduces us to two of the groundbreaking tools developed by his lab:

🔹 The Mbira Sensor: A $5 device inspired by a 3,000-year-old African instrument that can distinguish deadly chemical substitutions, such as diethylene glycol for glycerol. 🔹 CandyCodes: A sprinkle-based authentication system that turns medicine capsules into verifiable, tamper-evident products.

These tools aren’t just creative. They’re practical, scalable, and potentially life-saving.

In this episode, PSM Executive Director Shabbir Imber Safdar sits down with Dr. Kenneth McCall to explore his newly published study on the adverse events linked to compounded GLP-1 receptor agonists. Dr. McCall’s study, which analyzed data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, raises important safety questions about compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide. Tune in to learn about why compounded GLP-1s are so popular now, key findings from the FAERS data analysis, and future directions for safety and policy.

In this episode, hosts Crystal Weaver and Shabbir Imber Safdar dive into the rapidly evolving world of Prescription Drug Affordability Boards and upper payment limits—two key policy tools designed to tackle rising drug costs at the state level.

With special guests Emily Zadvorny, PharmD, BCPS, Executive Director of the Colorado Pharmacists Society, and Bridget Dandaraw-Seritt, patient advocate and Founder of Advocates for Compassionate Therapy Now, the conversation unpacks the real-world impacts of PDAB policies on pharmacies, health systems, and—most critically—patients.

From legal battles in Colorado to the concern over whether cost savings actually reach patients, this episode explores whether these efforts are targeting the right pain points or simply shifting the burden downstream.