Beyond Survival: Why Empathy Is the Missing Prescription in Pharma with Matthew Zachary

Episode Summary:

In this no-holds-barred conversation, Na-Ri Oh and Ian Wendt sit down with Matthew Zachary—brain cancer survivor, founder of Stupid Cancer, host of Out of Patients, and a relentless disruptor in patient advocacy.

At 21, Matthew was diagnosed with brain cancer and faced a life-altering decision: take chemotherapy and lose his identity as a musician, or reject treatment and risk everything. That decision became the first of many moments where he saw the cracks in the healthcare system—specifically, the glaring absence of empathy.

Now, nearly three decades later, Matthew shares how his experience transformed into a mission to fix what’s broken: in pharma, in media, in patient engagement—and in how we talk about what matters most.

This isn’t your typical Pharma Podcast. It’s a masterclass in calling out BS, rethinking metrics that matter, and re-centering real human lives in healthcare strategy.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• 🎹 The life-defining decision Matthew made at 21—and why he turned down chemo

• 💊 How a lack of empathy almost cost him everything

• 🧠 The problem with patient engagement that’s all talk and no trust

• 🎤 The rise of Stupid Cancer and the “Howard Stern of Healthcare” era

• 📺 Why DTC ads may be a $28 billion distraction

• 🧵 The missing link between pharma marketers and patient communities

• 🔥 How compliance is killing creativity—and what to do about it

• 🗳️ Why Matthew is building a voter movement out of patient voices

Memorable Quote:

“If there is no empathy, there is no conversation.” – Matthew Zachary

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Stupid Cancer

• Out of Patients Podcast

• Matthew’s upcoming book: We the Patients: How to Understand, Navigate, and Survive America’s Healthcare Nightmare

• WeThePatients.org

Guest:

• Matthew Zachary (@MatthewZachary)

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