Checkpoint NOW — Free Educational Resource on Immune Related Adverse Events

Since its launch in 2020, Checkpoint NOW has emerged as a go-to, expert-led podcast offering evidence-based guidance for clinicians and care teams managing immune-related toxicities from cancer therapies. The show is now delivered in close collaboration with the community ASPIRE, with the goal of broadening access to high-quality education on immune related adverse events.

With listeners in 40+ countries and a core audience largely from the United States (79%), the podcast is building a truly global community of oncology professionals and care providers/ physicians.

Most-Played Episodes: Listeners are gravitating toward episodes that deliver deep clinical insights or address the patient and caregiver experience:

Ep 3 – Breaking down the diagnosis and management of Immune Hypophysiti

Ep 19 – ICI in Special Populations

Ep 17 – Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes

Ep 23 – Emotional impact of side effects on patients and caregivers

Ep 11 – Onco-Nephrology and Immune-Mediated Nephrotoxicities

Audience Snapshot

Gender: 51% Female, 39% Male, 7% Non-binary, 2% Not specified

Age distribution: Strongest representation among 28–34 yrs (33%), with meaningful engagement across age groups 35–44, 45–59 (17.9%), and 60+ (17.7%).

Global reach: Listeners located across 40+ countries; after the U.S., top audiences include Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and Germany

This diverse demographic—and the international listener base—highlights the universal relevance and growing demand for expert guidance on immunotherapy-related toxicities.

Meet the Hosts

Afreen Shariff, MD — Host, Producer

Dr. Shariff is an endocrinologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. She co-founded Citrus Oncology and leads the Onco Endocrinology and Cancer Therapy Toxicity Program at Duke Cancer Institute. She is deeply committed to medical education, she launched Checkpoint NOW in 2020 to bring expert insight to a global audience of clinicians, patients, and caregivers.

Pauline Funchain, MD — Host

Dr. Funchain is a medical oncologist specializing in melanoma, high-risk skin cancers, immunotherapy toxicities, and hereditary cancer genetics. She previously served at the Cleveland Clinic as Director of Melanoma Oncology and Cancer Genomics, where she established the first irAE tumor board in the U.S. in 2017. In 2023 she joined Stanford Cancer Institute where she now codirects the Immunotherapy Toxicity (IOTOX) Working Group and the Skin Cancer Genomics Program. She joined Checkpoint NOW in 2024 to expand the podcast’s clinical reach and deepen conversations around immunotherapy-related toxicities.

Both Dr. Shariff and Dr. Funchain serve on the Executive Committee of ASPIRE.

Why should you listen to and share the podcast?

Clinically relevant & evidence-based: Episodes deliver up-to-date, peer-guided information on diagnosing and managing complex immune-mediated toxicities—vital for oncologists, endocrinologists, nephrologists, and other care providers/ physicians.

Global reach: Checkpoint NOW connects clinicians and caregivers across the world, democratizing access to expert guidance regardless of geography.

Broad appeal: From detailed clinical episodes to topics on patient experiences and caregiver burden, the podcast speaks to both providers/ physicians and those directly affected by immunotherapy.

Education & collaboration: By featuring thought-leaders from multiple specialties, it encourages multidisciplinary collaboration and shared decision-making.

If you would like to learn more visit Checkpoint NOW or access the podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other streaming platforms.

https://checkpointnow.org/