Did you know that hemophilia caused the Russian Revolution?
That it was official FDA policy for decades to NOT test medicines on women?
Or that, as recently as 1920, the recommended treatment for diabetes was … starvation?
Or that Adderall is the most effective drug in the history of psychiatry?
These are just a few of the nuggets of curiosity and wonder that we are tapping into with Season 2 of Drug Story. As they say, if you liked Season 1, you will love Season 2.
We have been blown away by the reception to Drug Story. We put this little podcast into the world back in January 2026, and it struck a nerve. Apple Podcasts chose it as a Top New Show, and then as a Featured Show. For a spell it ranked as the #17 Top Show in Society & Culture, ahead of Oprah Winfrey and Malcolm Gladwell (not that we are comparing).
More importantly, you listened … and liked it. It’s gotten more than 600 ratings on Apple Podcasts with a 4.8 average ranking (which, considering the delicate subject of public health these days, we take as a big win). And it has averaged more than 75,000 downloads an episode. That’s up from, oh yeah, ZERO downloads before the season launched.
Which brought us to two decisions. First, we decided to do a Season 2 (that was an easy one.) And also: we decided to GO BIG.
Where Season 1 included 10 episodes (with a few extras), Season 2 promises at least 20 original episodes. We’re following our audience’s guidance and doing episodes on ADHD and Adderall, Insulin and diabetes, and another amazing episode on how GLP-1s are changing society. And we are doing an ambitous special 3-part episode on Food As Medicine that digs into the history of supplements, vitamins, and the industrialization of food. (Thank you, Kellogg’s?) Plus, gene therapies, failed vaccines, my own personal journey with Paxlovid… and a lot more.
And we continue to do this 100% independently. There’s no company or institution behind Drug Story. It’s just me, Thomas, and Rachel Swaby, our amazing executive producer, and a couple other essential folks. As our hero Roman Mars said, Drug Story is “an independent documentary journalism podcast, the kind of podcast you just don’t hear about anymore and one that deserves your full attention. It is so good.”
So we are sending this post out to let you know that there is pulse at Drug Story - indeed we are quietly working so hard to get these episodes ready to launch Season 2 before the end of 2026.
Which brings us to an ask: We’re still seeking two or three more Partners to sponsor this season of Drug Story. Know a company that would benefit from supporting Drug Story, send them our way: thomas@drugstory.co
And the second ask: Keep recommending the show to your friends! And if you haven’t rated Drug Story on Spotify or Apple, please do - it really, really does matter.
And the third ask: Stay tuned.
Thank you SO MUCH for you support.
Love your work, Thomas. Looking forward to season two!