Category: Donald Trump
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STAT+: Fed-up and demoralized, FDA staff are leaving.
STAT+: Fed-up and demoralized, FDA staff are leaving. You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Between innings of the July 4 Chesapeake Baysox game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels there was…
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STAT+: Dr. Oz tries to seal the deal on Trump’s tax-cut bill
STAT+: Dr. Oz tries to seal the deal on Trump’s tax-cut bill WASHINGTON — As GOP leadership pushes to pass President Trump’s tax megabill this week, one administration official has been working hard behind the scenes to close the deal: Mehmet Oz, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid. House Republicans, including those on the fence about…
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STAT+: How the tax-cut bill that just passed the Senate would upend health care
STAT+: How the tax-cut bill that just passed the Senate would upend health care WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans passed President Trump’s landmark tax bill Tuesday morning, putting transformational health provisions a major step closer to enactment. The bill slashes health care spending by more than $1 trillion over a decade, cuts that would affect patients,…
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STAT+: NIH halts grant terminations ‘effective immediately,’ email says
STAT+: NIH halts grant terminations ‘effective immediately,’ email says Days after a federal judge ordered the restoration of more than 1,000 biomedical research grants, the National Institutes of Health is halting further terminations of grants, an internal email shows. Since President Trump’s inauguration in January, the nation’s largest biomedical research funder has terminated an unprecedented…
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STAT+: Republicans lean in to new Medicaid cuts
STAT+: Republicans lean in to new Medicaid cuts You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s a short, busy week on Capitol Hill. I hope you have Juneteenth off, but I…
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STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding
STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding WASHINGTON — To help pay for President Trump’s tax cuts, the Senate is clamping down on tactics that states use to boost federal Medicaid funding, according to legislation released by the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. The text includes harsher restrictions on…
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STAT+: Trump administration demands pharma companies begin drug price negotiations, a day after key deadline
STAT+: Trump administration demands pharma companies begin drug price negotiations, a day after key deadline WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pushing pharmaceutical companies to begin negotiations to bring their drug prices in line with what other countries pay — usually far less than Americans. “Under President Trump’s direction, HHS is demanding that pharmaceutical companies…
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STAT+: Senators push back on Trump’s proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut
STAT+: Senators push back on Trump’s proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya faced sharp questions on Tuesday from Republican and Democratic members of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee about the agency’s 2026 budget, with lawmakers struggling to reconcile his stated commitment to biomedical research with recent grant terminations, funding…
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STAT+: GOP senators zero in on Medicaid policy in Trump’s tax bill that has little impact on enrollment
STAT+: GOP senators zero in on Medicaid policy in Trump’s tax bill that has little impact on enrollment WASHINGTON — A handful of Republican senators want to dial back federal funding cuts to Medicaid in President Trump’s tax cut package, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. But the changes that most of them are…
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STAT+: NIH details how Trump budget would cut support for grants, training, and research centers
STAT+: NIH details how Trump budget would cut support for grants, training, and research centers WASHINGTON — President Trump’s 2026 budget proposes slashing the National Institutes of Health’s central function, supporting research by awarding grants to universities, academic medical centers, and other institutions, by 43% compared to 2025 levels. New documents released by the agency…
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STAT+: Lawmakers lobby doctors to keep quiet — or speak up — on Medicaid cuts in Trump’s tax bill
STAT+: Lawmakers lobby doctors to keep quiet — or speak up — on Medicaid cuts in Trump’s tax bill WASHINGTON — With millions of people at risk of losing health insurance under President Trump’s tax bill, lawmakers have begun lobbying the lobbyists: asking health care interests to keep quiet — or speak up — about…
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10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects
10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects WASHINGTON — House Republicans’ tax bill would lead to nearly 11 million people losing health insurance, providing a key source of savings to help finance President Trump’s tax cuts, according to projections that nonpartisan congressional scorekeepers published Wednesday. Another 5.1 million…
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Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions
Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would revoke guidance to the nation’s hospitals that directed them to provide emergency abortions for women when they are necessary to stabilize their medical condition. That guidance was issued to hospitals in 2022, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court…
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STAT+: New HHS document details deep NIH cuts as part of Trump budget request
STAT+: New HHS document details deep NIH cuts as part of Trump budget request The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday released a summary of President Trump’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year that provides the most detailed look yet at how his administration hopes to reshape the National Institutes of Health…
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Opinion: Former FDA commissioner: ‘Cost-cutting’ may undo one of Trump’s best drug pricing achievements
Opinion: Former FDA commissioner: ‘Cost-cutting’ may undo one of Trump’s best drug pricing achievements President Trump often touted during his first term that his administration had “approved more affordable generic drugs than any administration in history.” He had good reason to highlight these accomplishments. Over the first two years of his presidency, the Food and…
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STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs
STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Summer holiday weekends are a challenge. Do I seek a “relaxing” long weekend sitting in traffic…
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STAT+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’
STAT+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’ The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is headed for a major reorganization as it tries to reduce its overhead amid big losses in funding from the federal government. Facing a shortfall of roughly $40 million in terminated contracts,…
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Trump’s science adviser calls for return to ‘gold-standard’ research to kickstart stalled advances
Trump’s science adviser calls for return to ‘gold-standard’ research to kickstart stalled advances President Trump’s science adviser, Michael Kratsios, called for a return to reproducible and transparent research to kickstart what he characterized as years of stalled scientific progress, in his first detailed public remarks on science policy since taking office in March. Kratsios, who…
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STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard
STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard In yet another escalation of its fight against higher education, the Trump administration has moved to terminate hundreds of research grants at Harvard University and its medical school, imperiling dozens of research projects and potentially upending the futures of young scientists. Harvard researchers studying cancer,…
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‘What wouldn’t I be worried about?’: Research leaders discuss threats to U.S. science
‘What wouldn’t I be worried about?’: Research leaders discuss threats to U.S. science Attacks on efforts to diversify the sciences. Research grant terminations. Fear among scientists to speak out against the government. Cuts to international aid. These were some of a long list of concerns shared by three research leaders as they discussed the state…
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Trump’s drug-pricing plan and a potential Theranos 2.0
Trump’s drug-pricing plan and a potential Theranos 2.0 How likely is it for President Trump’s new drug-pricing plan to be implemented? Why have investors seemed unbothered by the proposal? And will we see a return of Elizabeth Holmes’ blood-testing ambitions? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s…
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STAT+: Our biggest burning questions on Trump’s order to bring down drug prices
STAT+: Our biggest burning questions on Trump’s order to bring down drug prices WASHINGTON — President Trump’s executive order to lower drug prices through sweeping, cross-agency action left leaders in the pharmaceutical industry scrambling Monday to make sense of what may be ahead — and how to respond. The announcement was long on messaging, but…
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White House withdraws nomination of a former Fox News contributor for U.S. surgeon general
White House withdraws nomination of a former Fox News contributor for U.S. surgeon general WASHINGTON — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from President Donald Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. The withdrawal was confirmed by two people…
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STAT+: Trump nominates Casey Means, entrepreneurial doctor and MAHA leader, for surgeon general
STAT+: Trump nominates Casey Means, entrepreneurial doctor and MAHA leader, for surgeon general The health entrepreneur and “Make America Healthy Again” leader Casey Means has been nominated to be the U.S. surgeon general after President Trump pulled his prior nominee suddenly on Wednesday. Means, an M.D. and author who runs a holistic wellness blog and…
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STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’
STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’ CHICAGO — In the first few weeks of President Trump’s second term, many leaders and top scientists in cancer research found themselves questioning if they could have communicated better to the public. After all, experts told STAT, maybe if people understood how…
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STAT+: Overseas grants could be ‘closed down’ by NIH under new policy, internal email suggests
STAT+: Overseas grants could be ‘closed down’ by NIH under new policy, internal email suggests A National Institutes of Health policy change on funding of foreign scientists is far more sweeping than described in a Thursday announcement, according to an internal email that indicates international clinical trials and other research will be strictly vetted going…
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STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC
STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday proposed massive cuts to the federal government’s health agencies in his 2026 budget request, arguing that Congress should reduce spending by tens of billions from current levels. The request would be a 26% cut to…
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STAT+: At Stanford conference, typically guarded biotech leaders share their concerns about Trump policies
STAT+: At Stanford conference, typically guarded biotech leaders share their concerns about Trump policies PALO ALTO, Calif. — At an annual meeting usually focused on the industry’s future, life science leaders couldn’t help but grapple — 100 days into President Trump’s second term — with a present clouded by uncertainty. At Stanford’s Drug Discovery Symposium, biotech…
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NIH cancels participation in Safe to Sleep campaign that decreased infant deaths
NIH cancels participation in Safe to Sleep campaign that decreased infant deaths WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has cancelled federal participation in Safe to Sleep, a 30-year campaign to prevent babies from dying in their sleep, STAT and the Medill News Service have learned. The elimination of the National Institutes of Health’s role in the…
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STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research
STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research WASHINGTON — There was broad bipartisan support at a Senate hearing Wednesday to reverse course on the Trump administration’s cuts to federally funded biomedical research. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, kicked off…
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STAT+: NIH announces six new acting institute directors, many of them filling posts of ousted predecessors
STAT+: NIH announces six new acting institute directors, many of them filling posts of ousted predecessors The National Institutes of Health on Friday announced six acting directors to run institutes, many to fill vacancies created by the ouster of predecessors as part of the Trump administration’s unprecedented reshaping of federal scientific agencies. In an email…
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Day by day, how Trump is roiling science and health
Day by day, how Trump is roiling science and health It’s hard to remember all the earthshaking decisions and events that have transpired with unprecedented speed in the first few months of the Trump administration. We’re tracking, day by day, what’s happened in the worlds of science and health. Key Legal action Covid DEI and…
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STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV
STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV WASHINGTON — The health official who helped convince President Trump during his first term that it’s possible to end the HIV epidemic in the United States is now imploring the president to stay the course, as funding cuts threaten…
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STAT+: Harvard sues Trump administration over funding freeze
STAT+: Harvard sues Trump administration over funding freeze Harvard University sued the Trump administration on Monday, alleging that the government’s campaign to alter the school’s policies while cutting off research funding is unconstitutional. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, the university’s lawyers argued that the government’s “attempt to coerce and control Harvard”…
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STAT+: NIH director calls Trump’s anti-DEI orders ‘misunderstood,’ downplays reorganization plans
STAT+: NIH director calls Trump’s anti-DEI orders ‘misunderstood,’ downplays reorganization plans National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya on Monday asserted that the agency remains committed to research that advances the health of minorities — despite the Trump administration’s sharp focus on rolling back programs dealing with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bhattacharya said that President…
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White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information
White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information A government website long used to provide the latest guidelines on managing Covid-19, as well as information on how to receive tests, vaccines and treatments has now been replaced with a page proclaiming the virus emerged from a lab…
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STAT+: Trump’s plans to lower drug prices have echoes of past efforts
STAT+: Trump’s plans to lower drug prices have echoes of past efforts WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has an expansive view for how it can lower drug prices for Americans. It has been here before. The question is whether this time will be different. During his first term, President Trump tried to tie U.S. drug…
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STAT+: Harvard scientist ordered to halt multicenter TB trial in funding freeze
STAT+: Harvard scientist ordered to halt multicenter TB trial in funding freeze A top scientist at Harvard who has spent years unraveling the mysteries of tuberculosis woke up Tuesday morning and discovered an order from the federal government telling her to halt her research. The stop-work order from the National Institutes of Health arrived hours…
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Trump is ‘fully fit’ to serve as commander in chief, his doctor says after recent physical
Trump is ‘fully fit’ to serve as commander in chief, his doctor says after recent physical WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump’s doctor says the oldest man elected president is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief as the White House released results Sunday of Trump’s recent physical exam. The 78-year-old Trump is 20 pounds…
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STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid
STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Thursday that it will no longer help states fund non-medical services that often are aimed at improving housing and nutrition for people in the Medicaid program. The change is a departure from the Biden administration’s efforts to…
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STAT+: Key NIH grant review panels resume meeting, but are not ‘back to normal’
STAT+: Key NIH grant review panels resume meeting, but are not ‘back to normal’ After being indefinitely suspended in the first days of the Trump administration, key National Institutes of Health committees that approve research grants resumed meeting this week. It appears to be a positive step toward restoring the flow of billions of dollars…
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RFK Jr. says HHS will determine the cause of autism by September
RFK Jr. says HHS will determine the cause of autism by September WASHINGTON — The nation’s top health agency will undertake a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic who has pushed a discredited theory that routine…
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Federal judge says she will temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states
Federal judge says she will temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states A federal judge will temporarily block President Donald Trump’s administration from cutting billions in federal dollars that support Covid-19 initiatives and public health projects throughout the country. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, appointed by Trump in 2019 but first nominated by former President…
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STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users
STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users The Trump administration vows to emphasize addiction treatment alongside an enforcement-first drug policy, according to a not-yet-public strategy document obtained by STAT. In an effort to reduce overdose deaths caused by fentanyl and other illicit substances, the administration plans to…
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STAT+: Five NIH institute directors and numerous lab heads ousted in unprecedented shake-up
STAT+: Five NIH institute directors and numerous lab heads ousted in unprecedented shake-up Directors of five National Institutes of Health institutes and at least two other members of senior leadership have been placed on administrative leave or offered new assignments since Monday, topping a list of hundreds of employees notified in the last 24 hours…
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Nearly 2,000 top researchers call on Trump administration to halt ‘assault’ on science
Nearly 2,000 top researchers call on Trump administration to halt ‘assault’ on science Since taking office, President Donald Trump has slashed biomedical research funding, fired thousands of federal agency scientists, canceled training programs for young researchers, temporarily removed access to public datasets, and pressured scientists to alter or abandon work ideologically opposed to the White…
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Opinion: STAT+: Peter Marks’ ouster is an ominous sign for biotech — and for public health
Opinion: STAT+: Peter Marks’ ouster is an ominous sign for biotech — and for public health Welcome to Lab Dish, a new First Opinion column on regenerative medicine from Paul Knoepfler. There are certain leaders who quietly make complex organizations operate well including in the toughest of times — leaders like Peter Marks, director of…
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STAT+: HHS emergency response unit given two days to figure out its fate
STAT+: HHS emergency response unit given two days to figure out its fate WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to reshape the federal health department has left its roughly 1,000 emergency response workers in limbo, and with a daunting order: Sort out how you break up — this weekend. The George W. Bush-founded Administration for…
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Trump chooses Fox News contributor Sara Carter as next drug czar
Trump chooses Fox News contributor Sara Carter as next drug czar President Trump has selected Sara Carter, a conservative journalist and Fox News contributor, as the nation’s next drug czar. Carter’s selection comes as a surprise: Her background is not in drug policy, public health, or law enforcement, and she has never served in government.…
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STAT+: FDA to staff: No need to work from pantries for now
STAT+: FDA to staff: No need to work from pantries for now Some Food and Drug Administration employees who were previously working in pantries and conference rooms can work from home for now, according to an email reviewed by STAT. FDA managers sent an email Friday granting some workers temporary work-from-home exceptions, either because their…