Category: Pharmaceuticals
-
STAT+: The FDA, urged to avoid controversy, creates a new headache with attack against UniQure
STAT+: The FDA, urged to avoid controversy, creates a new headache with attack against UniQure There was a telling exchange during a Thursday media call set up by the Food and Drug Administration to enable a “senior FDA official” — he could only be quoted anonymously — to attack UniQure and its experimental treatment for…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic shots could be made for as little as $3 a month, analysis finds
STAT+: Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic shots could be made for as little as $3 a month, analysis finds Generic versions of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster Wegovy and Ozempic medications could be mass produced for about $3 per person per month, a cost that could greatly widen access in low- and middle-income countries, according to a…
-
STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start
STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start 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. Mary Talley Bowden, who spent years in an expensive court battle with the Texas Medical Board over her license for…
-
STAT+: Virginia lawmakers push a new approach to a prescription drug affordability board
STAT+: Virginia lawmakers push a new approach to a prescription drug affordability board As more states look to contain the cost of prescription drugs, Virginia lawmakers are pushing an affordability board that they believe will go further than similar efforts attempted by other states. At the heart of the approach is a plan to use…
-
STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics
STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics 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. And you may find yourself climbing a StairMaster next to RFK Jr. Send news tips and vague Talking…
-
Henrietta Lacks’ estate settles with Novartis over the ‘stolen cells’ that advanced science
Henrietta Lacks’ estate settles with Novartis over the ‘stolen cells’ that advanced science Novartis has settled a lawsuit by the estate of Henrietta Lacks that alleged the pharmaceutical giant unjustly profited off her cells, which were taken from her tumor without her knowledge in 1951 and reproduced in labs to enable major medical advancements, including…
-
STAT+: Trump most-favored nation drug pricing deals end after three years for some companies
STAT+: Trump most-favored nation drug pricing deals end after three years for some companies WASHINGTON — President Trump often brags that the “most-favored nation” deals he struck with drugmakers have set the country on a new path to no longer paying more than its fair share for prescription drug costs. But many details of the…
-
STAT+: Minnesota report shows large hospitals continue to dominate the 340B drug discount program
STAT+: Minnesota report shows large hospitals continue to dominate the 340B drug discount program Minnesota hospitals and clinics participating in a controversial U.S. drug discount program reaped at least $1.34 billion in revenue in 2024, and the largest institutions were the biggest beneficiaries, according to a report from the state Department of Health. Specifically, hospitals…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Justice Department backs AbbVie in its bid to overturn a Colorado law guiding a drug discount program
STAT+: Justice Department backs AbbVie in its bid to overturn a Colorado law guiding a drug discount program The Department of Justice is backing AbbVie in its battle to overturn a Colorado law that prohibits pharmaceutical companies from placing restrictions on a controversial federal drug discount program. Created more than 30 years ago, the 340B…
-
STAT+: A rare disease drug was approvable, then it wasn’t. Inside a surprise rejection by the FDA
STAT+: A rare disease drug was approvable, then it wasn’t. Inside a surprise rejection by the FDA An experimental therapy for a rare blood cancer was on the path toward approval by the Food and Drug Administration last year — with internal reviewers recommending it be cleared — before the agency rejected the drug last…
-
STAT+: Will Novo Nordisk’s slashing of obesity drug prices save patients’ money? It depends
STAT+: Will Novo Nordisk’s slashing of obesity drug prices save patients’ money? It depends Novo Nordisk made headlines Tuesday by announcing it would slash the list prices of its GLP-1 drugs and arguing that doing so would expand access. For insured patients who have to pay coinsurance — a certain percentage of the list price…
-
STAT+: Drugmakers lay out their legal arguments against Trump’s drug pricing experiments
STAT+: Drugmakers lay out their legal arguments against Trump’s drug pricing experiments WASHINGTON — The pharmaceutical and biotech industries are pushing back against two Trump administration proposals that would test plans to lower drug prices in Medicare by aligning them with the prices paid in other rich countries. Their comments preview arguments that they might…
-
STAT+: Bayer sues J&J over ‘false and misleading claims’ about competing prostate cancer treatments
STAT+: Bayer sues J&J over ‘false and misleading claims’ about competing prostate cancer treatments Underscoring the high-stakes market for prostate cancer medicines, Bayer filed a lawsuit accusing Johnson & Johnson of launching a “false advertising campaign” that uses flawed data to wrongfully promote its rival drug as a more effective treatment. At issue are claims…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: In first speech to her FDA staff, Høeg says she’ll scrutinize RSV shots and SSRIs in pregnancy
STAT+: In first speech to her FDA staff, Høeg says she’ll scrutinize RSV shots and SSRIs in pregnancy WASHINGTON — Tracy Beth Høeg, the top drug regulator at the Food and Drug Administration, indicated in her first address to staff that she’ll scrutinize antidepressants and the shots used to protect babies from RSV. Høeg told…
-
STAT+: New FDA guidance for antibiotic use in food-producing animals prompts criticism over antibiotic resistance
STAT+: New FDA guidance for antibiotic use in food-producing animals prompts criticism over antibiotic resistance In a bid to mitigate antibiotic resistance, the Food and Drug Administration has released guidance for drugmakers to define how long medically important antibiotics should be used in food-producing animals. But critics argue the effort fails to consider the impact…
-
STAT+: FDA rejects rare disease therapy from Disc Medicine, early recipient of commissioner’s voucher
STAT+: FDA rejects rare disease therapy from Disc Medicine, early recipient of commissioner’s voucher WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday rejected bitopertin, a therapy developed by Disc Medicine to treat the rare blood disorder porphyria, which makes patients extremely sensitive to sunlight. It’s the first experimental drug to go through FDA Commissioner…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Trump administration is urged to use a federal law to authorize generic versions of GLP-1 drugs
STAT+: Trump administration is urged to use a federal law to authorize generic versions of GLP-1 drugs Public Citizen petitioned the Trump administration to use a federal law to authorize generic competitors for GLP-1 drugs for treating obesity and diabetes, arguing that prices are “unjustifiably high” for too many Americans. In arguing its case, the…
-
STAT+: NIH redefines ‘clinical trials,’ dividing researchers
STAT+: NIH redefines ‘clinical trials,’ dividing researchers In a long-debated move, the National Institutes of Health will no longer characterize basic experimental studies involving humans as clinical trials, a step that was cheered by many researchers, but is also raising transparency concerns because the work will no longer have to be registered with — or…
-
STAT+: The messaging war over Medicaid cuts
STAT+: The messaging war over 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. Dr. Oz seems to have invited Jeffrey Epstein to a Valentine’s Day party in 2016, about eight…
-
STAT+: Merck is urged by patient groups to ensure widespread access to an HIV prevention pill being tested
STAT+: Merck is urged by patient groups to ensure widespread access to an HIV prevention pill being tested In a preemptive move, more than 170 patient advocacy groups from 30 countries are urging Merck to create a global access strategy for an HIV prevention pill, which is still being studied in clinical trials. A key,…
-
STAT+: TrumpRx: Hype or real savings?
STAT+: TrumpRx: Hype or real savings? 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. Did you snack on HHS-approved MAHA-mole while shaking to Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language celebration of Puerto Rican and Latin…
-
STAT+: FDA warned a Hims & Hers compounder after finding bugs and failing to report a serious side effect
STAT+: FDA warned a Hims & Hers compounder after finding bugs and failing to report a serious side effect The Food and Drug Administration late last year issued a warning letter to MedisourceRx, a compounding pharmacy owned by Hims & Hers, six months after a facility was cited for troubling problems during an inspection. One…
-
STAT+: Hims & Hers will stop selling compounded version of Novo’s obesity pill
STAT+: Hims & Hers will stop selling compounded version of Novo’s obesity pill Hims & Hers said Saturday it will stop selling what it claims to be a cheaper, compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s obesity pill on its telehealth platform, after health officials called for an investigation of the company for potentially violating federal law.…
-
STAT+: HHS asks Justice Department to probe Hims & Hers over its cheaper compounded version of Wegovy
STAT+: HHS asks Justice Department to probe Hims & Hers over its cheaper compounded version of Wegovy The Department of Health and Human Services asked the Department of Justice to investigate Hims & Hers for potentially violating federal law over its plan to make a compounded version of a low-cost weight loss pill widely available…
-
STAT+: TrumpRx claims to offer the lowest prices. But many drugs have cheaper generics
STAT+: TrumpRx claims to offer the lowest prices. But many drugs have cheaper generics WASHINGTON — President Trump said the administration’s new TrumpRx website will offer the cheapest prices in the world for 43 brand-name drugs, and counting. But about half of them are already available as generics, usually for much less. The website is…
-
STAT+: White House looks for more drug pricing deals to add to TrumpRx
STAT+: White House looks for more drug pricing deals to add to TrumpRx WASHINGTON — After striking 16 deals with pharmaceutical giants and launching a direct-to-consumer drug purchasing platform, the Trump administration is looking to expand its efforts to lower drug prices to more companies. Federal officials on Thursday unveiled the administration’s TrumpRx drug purchasing…
-
Challenges for a crucial sickle cell treatment and the latest outlook for GLP-1s
Challenges for a crucial sickle cell treatment and the latest outlook for GLP-1s On this week’s episode of The Readout LOUD: two starkly different financial outlooks from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, a psychedelics drug from Compass Pathways encountered a roadblock with the Trump White House, and a closer look at why manufacturing problems have slowed…
-
What to know about TrumpRx, the Trump administration’s prescription drug platform
What to know about TrumpRx, the Trump administration’s prescription drug platform President Trump on Thursday night is planning to announce the launch of TrumpRx, the website that he and his aides have touted for months as a platform aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The website, which uses technology from health care company GoodRx, is…
-
STAT+: A rival goes after Ocular Therapeutix on eve of pivotal readout on eye treatment
STAT+: A rival goes after Ocular Therapeutix on eve of pivotal readout on eye treatment Ocular Therapeutix and Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals are developing competing treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of vision loss in older people. Their CEOs don’t particularly like each other. So, with Ocular in a self-imposed quiet period ahead of…
-
STAT+: Novo Nordisk accuses Hims & Hers of ‘illegal mass compounding’ over a cheaper version of Wegovy pill
STAT+: Novo Nordisk accuses Hims & Hers of ‘illegal mass compounding’ over a cheaper version of Wegovy pill In an unexpected move, Hims & Hers is making available a cheaper, compounded version of the Wegovy weight loss pill sold by Novo Nordisk, prompting the drugmaker to accuse the telehealth platform of “illegal mass compounding.” In…
-
New PBM law could open door to direct sales between employers, drugmakers
New PBM law could open door to direct sales between employers, drugmakers WASHINGTON — The pharmacy benefit manager reforms that President Trump signed into law on Tuesday could lead to employers buying drugs directly from drugmakers, just like the administration is encouraging individual consumers to do through its pending website TrumpRx. The PBM reforms are…
-
STAT+: FTC settles lawsuit with Express Scripts over charges it manipulated insulin prices, impeded access
STAT+: FTC settles lawsuit with Express Scripts over charges it manipulated insulin prices, impeded access The Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that it had settled a lawsuit against Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S., over allegations that the company artificially inflated the price of insulin and impeded access to…
-
STAT+: Novo Nordisk sees lower sales, profits as Wegovy faces growing competition
STAT+: Novo Nordisk sees lower sales, profits as Wegovy faces growing competition Novo Nordisk on Tuesday said it expects sales and profits to decline this year, as the maker of Wegovy faces growing competition in the obesity market. The Danish pharma giant said it expects sales to decrease in the range of 5% to 13%…
-
STAT+: FDA officials push for long-term monitoring of autoimmune patients receiving CAR-T therapy
STAT+: FDA officials push for long-term monitoring of autoimmune patients receiving CAR-T therapy Food and Drug Administration officials are advising drug developers to study the long-term effects of using CAR-T to treat patients with autoimmune conditions, out of concern the therapies could cause cancer or fertility issues. The recommendations were outlined in an op-ed published…
-
STAT+: New rule would force PBMs to disclose drug rebates and other fees
STAT+: New rule would force PBMs to disclose drug rebates and other fees Pharmacy benefit managers face new, sweeping requirements to disclose all the different ways they get money from providing drug coverage. The proposed rule from the Department of Labor published on Thursday would be a significant change for an industry that shields prescription…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Senators raise concerns about TrumpRx in letter to HHS watchdog
STAT+: Senators raise concerns about TrumpRx in letter to HHS watchdog The Trump administration soon plans to launch TrumpRx, a website it says will allow patients to buy prescription drugs directly from pharmaceutical companies at a discount. Over several months, the administration has made deals with more than a dozen pharmaceutical manufacturers to expand access…
-
STAT+: AI biotech founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt is raising $150 million
STAT+: AI biotech founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt is raising $150 million Hologen, a secretive AI startup co-founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, is seeking to raise $150 million in a Series A fundraising round, STAT has learned. Hologen describes itself as a “frontier medical AI company, a drug development & diagnostics company,…
-
STAT+: Hospital group wants Trump administration to block a new Lilly policy on 340B claims data
STAT+: Hospital group wants Trump administration to block a new Lilly policy on 340B claims data The American Hospital Association is asking the Trump administration to stop Eli Lilly from enacting a new policy that would require all hospitals that participate in a federal drug discount program to submit comprehensive claims data, the first time…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: The number of new drug shortages in U.S. hits lowest level in 20 years, but myriad problems remain
STAT+: The number of new drug shortages in U.S. hits lowest level in 20 years, but myriad problems remain The number of ongoing prescription drug shortages rose slightly in the last quarter of 2025, but remained significantly lower than the all-time high reached in the beginning of 2024. Moreover, the number of new shortages identified…
-
Bariatric surgery beats GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes across income levels, study says
Bariatric surgery beats GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes across income levels, study says When endocrinologist Mary Elizabeth Patti looks at a patient with type 2 diabetes who could benefit from weight loss, she sees more than body mass index and blood glucose levels. She also recognizes the challenges of social vulnerability, understanding how low income,…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Supreme Court agrees to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access
STAT+: Supreme Court agrees to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access The Supreme Court has agreed to review a controversy over so-called skinny labels for medicines, a decision that will be closely watched for its implications for the availability of generic medicines. Skinny labeling refers to moves by generic companies that seek regulatory approval…
-
STAT+: Former Emergent BioSolutions CEO sued for insider trading, company reaches $900K settlement in N.Y.
STAT+: Former Emergent BioSolutions CEO sued for insider trading, company reaches $900K settlement in N.Y. The former chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions was accused of insider trading by the New York attorney general in connection with a contract the company had to manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine for AstraZeneca. Robert Kramer allegedly sold more than…
-
STAT+: Trump releases health care plan amid pressure over affordability
STAT+: Trump releases health care plan amid pressure over affordability WASHINGTON — President Trump on Thursday released a hodgepodge of health care policies that would create new price-control power over pharmaceutical companies, but that otherwise wouldn’t fundamentally overhaul America’s existing system, as he faces mounting pressure to address the cost of insurance and care. The…
-
STAT+: On Day 4 of JPM, a chat with Regeneron’s George Yancopoulos, an IPO forecast, and all eyes on J&J
STAT+: On Day 4 of JPM, a chat with Regeneron’s George Yancopoulos, an IPO forecast, and all eyes on J&J This is the online version of The Readout, STAT’s flagship biotech newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox. We have made it! And so have you. This is Adam, Elaine, Matt, and Allison preparing to sign…
-
STAT+: On Day 3 of JPM, pharma threads a needle with the White House, and Novo Nordisk has an eye on M&A
STAT+: On Day 3 of JPM, pharma threads a needle with the White House, and Novo Nordisk has an eye on M&A This is the online version of The Readout, STAT’s flagship biotech newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox. It’s Day 3 of JPM and all of us — Matt, Elaine, Adam, and Allison — are…
-
Live from JPM 2026, a sit-down with Novo Nordisk’s CEO and VC Bob Nelsen
Live from JPM 2026, a sit-down with Novo Nordisk’s CEO and VC Bob Nelsen How did an office clerk become CEO of a major pharmaceutical company? What’s “Project Prometheus”? And what’s next in drug R&D? Allison, Adam, and Elaine are asking those questions live from the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. Read the…
-
Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women
Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two new members to the main federal vaccine advisory board, his latest change to a group that has made a series of controversial recommendations and upended the usual processes for vaccine…
-
STAT+: Watch: At JPM, former drug regulator Richard Pazdur rings the alarm about politics at FDA
STAT+: Watch: At JPM, former drug regulator Richard Pazdur rings the alarm about politics at FDA Richard Pazdur, a veteran regulator at the Food and Drug Administration until last month, joined STAT in San Francisco on Monday evening to make his first public remarks about the circumstances leading up to his abrupt departure. At an…
-
STAT+: On Day 2 of JPM, Gilead lays outs it next test, a VC looks to raise funds, and one firm has FDA whiplash
STAT+: On Day 2 of JPM, Gilead lays outs it next test, a VC looks to raise funds, and one firm has FDA whiplash This is the online version of The Readout, STAT’s flagship biotech newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox. You’re back. We’re sort of back. It’s Day 2 of JPM and we’re…
-
STAT+: With a grin — and tight lips — Revolution Medicines’ CEO faces questions about acquisition
STAT+: With a grin — and tight lips — Revolution Medicines’ CEO faces questions about acquisition SAN FRANCISCO — Investors attending the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference packed themselves into a hotel meeting room Monday to hear Revolution Medicines CEO Mark Goldsmith explain why Merck — or some other pharma buyer — should pay $30 billion…
-
STAT+: On Day 1 of JPM, no blockbuster headlines, but biotech newsmakers still move markets
STAT+: On Day 1 of JPM, no blockbuster headlines, but biotech newsmakers still move markets This is the online version of The Readout, STAT’s flagship biotech newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox. Hello from sunny San Francisco, where #BiotechVibeWatch2026 has begun. This is Allison DeAngelis, joined here by STAT’s Adam Feuerstein, Matthew Herper, and…
-
STAT+: Trump administration indicates it will drop appeal of a court order blocking a 340B pilot program
STAT+: Trump administration indicates it will drop appeal of a court order blocking a 340B pilot program The Trump administration has signaled plans to drop its appeal of a court order that blocked a pilot program from changing payment terms for a controversial federal drug discount program. In a Monday court document, the Department of…
-
STAT+: Alnylam charts ambitious five-year plan as sales of key drug miss expectations
STAT+: Alnylam charts ambitious five-year plan as sales of key drug miss expectations SAN FRANCISCO — On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth. At the same time, it announced…
-
STAT+: FDA puts off Stoke’s request for faster filing of severe epilepsy drug
STAT+: FDA puts off Stoke’s request for faster filing of severe epilepsy drug SAN FRANCISCO — Stoke Therapeutics and the Food and Drug Administration were unable to reach agreement on an expedited submission for the company’s severe epilepsy treatment, the company said Sunday. Following a meeting in December, the FDA did not shut the door…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
JPM to bring more deals and happy CEOs
JPM to bring more deals and happy CEOs What news happened over the holidays? Why will pharma CEOs be greeted warmly in San Francisco next week? And who will buy Revolution Medicines? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. We bring on former co-host…
-
STAT+: Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, on top of immunology drug, helped reduce psoriatic arthritis symptoms
STAT+: Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, on top of immunology drug, helped reduce psoriatic arthritis symptoms Eli Lilly said Thursday that adding its weight loss drug Zepbound on top of its immunology therapy Taltz helped obese patients with an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain more than Taltz did alone. The data suggest the GLP-1 drug Zepbound,…
-
STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations
STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations 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. We’re almost healthy again, according to RFK Jr., though I’m certainly not in top form after my holiday break.…
-
With political savvy and outrage over drug prices, advocate David Mitchell was ahead of his time
With political savvy and outrage over drug prices, advocate David Mitchell was ahead of his time About a dozen years ago, I was interviewing for a job at The Wall Street Journal when I was asked by an editor what I thought would be the most important story in the coming year for the pharmaceutical…
-
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are unilaterally reducing the number of recommended pediatric immunizations in response to an order from President Trump, the most significant reshaping of the vaccine schedule since Trump took office and empowered health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic…
-
STAT+: Three major health care policy issues to watch in 2026
STAT+: Three major health care policy issues to watch in 2026 WASHINGTON — Health care figured prominently in the first year of President Trump’s second term, and it’ll likely play an even bigger role leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. The shift back to health care politics has been somewhat surprising. Although Republicans were…
-
STAT+: With the Wegovy pill, Novo Nordisk undercuts Eli Lilly in direct-to-consumer market
STAT+: With the Wegovy pill, Novo Nordisk undercuts Eli Lilly in direct-to-consumer market Novo Nordisk plans to sell its newly approved obesity pill directly to patients at a lower price than a competing medicine from Eli Lilly, as the Danish drugmaker tries to seize market share among consumers paying cash for blockbuster GLP-1 therapies. Novo…
-
We wish we’d written that: STAT staffers share their favorite stories of 2025
We wish we’d written that: STAT staffers share their favorite stories of 2025 This year saw upheaval in all corners of health, science, and biotech. While our staff was covering all of the twists and turns, they were also looking with admiration at stellar work from other journalists. Below is our annual list of stories…
-
Best of STAT 2025
Best of STAT 2025 What a year! Yes, it was our 10th anniversary, but it also brought an unprecedented blizzard of news, and while we weren’t added to a Signal chat on war plans, we did have a giant health insurer email us internal strategy documents by mistake. Our coverage featured everything from a piece…
-
STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026 WASHINGTON — Vaccine policy has become a key issue for the Trump administration, especially under the leadership of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who himself once led an anti-vaccine group. In less than a year, Kennedy has bulldozed vaccine policy precedent and…
-
STAT+: Trump moves to require lower drug prices in Medicare
STAT+: Trump moves to require lower drug prices in Medicare 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. The NIH director did the Pete & Bobby fitness challenge, but I didn’t see…
-
STAT+: Major pharma companies may avoid Medicare experiments’ forced price cuts
STAT+: Major pharma companies may avoid Medicare experiments’ forced price cuts Many of the largest drugmakers may be exempt from Medicare pilot programs intended to force them to lower some of their prices, potentially undermining the effort and depriving American patients of cheaper drugs. Several of the 14 pharmaceutical companies that have struck individual drug-pricing…
-
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling WASHINGTON — A possible Trump administration effort to change the childhood vaccine schedule has left hospital leaders, health policymakers, and pediatricians scrambling to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the American vaccine program in decades. The administration had planned to announce…
-
FDA approves pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, possibly widening access
FDA approves pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, possibly widening access The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the oral version of Novo Nordisk’s injectable weight loss drug Wegovy, making it the first GLP-1 pill to be cleared by regulators for obesity and possibly allowing many more Americans to get access to a highly…
-
STAT+: Trump administration proposes Medicare pilots to lower drug prices on par with peer countries
STAT+: Trump administration proposes Medicare pilots to lower drug prices on par with peer countries WASHINGTON — The Trump administration proposed two Medicare pilot programs to reduce prices for branded drugs bought at pharmacy counters and administered in doctor offices. If the administration moves forward, the programs could slash Medicare spending on prescription drugs by…
-
STAT+: Pharmaceutical industry evades drug price transparency, again
STAT+: Pharmaceutical industry evades drug price transparency, again Drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers received a holiday gift from President Trump on Friday: They still will not have to publicly post the actual prices of prescription drugs, more than five years after federal law required them to do so. Net drug prices — the amounts…
-
STAT+: Drugmakers promise to stockpile certain drugs as part of new drug pricing deals
STAT+: Drugmakers promise to stockpile certain drugs as part of new drug pricing deals WASHINGTON — Brand drugmakers have agreed to donate bulk ingredients to a national stockpile as part of deals with the Trump administration focused on lowering U.S. drug prices to levels available to other wealthy countries. The administration announced Friday that nine…
-
STAT+: Cytokinetics heart drug wins FDA approval, the biotech’s first
STAT+: Cytokinetics heart drug wins FDA approval, the biotech’s first It took 27 years, but Cytokinetics secured its first U.S. drug approval. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the new medicine, called Myqorzo, to treat patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart disorder. Cytokinetics said it will begin selling Myqorzo in late…
-
Biotech’s year in review
Biotech’s year in review Is the biotech industry truly out of its slump? Why are employers dropping coverage of weight loss drugs? And what will the hosts bake for the holidays? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” the last episode of the year. We bring on Bruce…
-
STAT+: FDA approves brain tumor warning on Depo-Provera label as court battle grows over side effects
STAT+: FDA approves brain tumor warning on Depo-Provera label as court battle grows over side effects The Food and Drug Administration has approved a change to the labeling for a Pfizer birth control shot that warns patients of the risk of meningioma, a tumor in the layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal…
-
STAT+: Meta is urged by state attorneys general to boost enforcement of weight loss drug advertising
STAT+: Meta is urged by state attorneys general to boost enforcement of weight loss drug advertising More than three dozen state attorneys general are urging Meta to better enforce its policies to thwart a “surge of misleading” pharmaceutical and wellness ads for weight loss drugs on Instagram and Facebook. And the state officials also want…
-
STAT+: More drugmakers set to sign pricing deals with Trump on Friday
STAT+: More drugmakers set to sign pricing deals with Trump on Friday WASHINGTON — Several drugmakers are expected to sign pricing agreements with the Trump administration on Friday, according to four people familiar with the plans, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The agreements would be the latest in a series of deals in…
-
FDA approves first new kind of drug to target gonorrhea in decades
FDA approves first new kind of drug to target gonorrhea in decades A new kind of oral antibiotic to treat gonorrhea has secured Food and Drug Administration approval, the second time in two days that a new drug for the common sexually transmitted infection has come through licensure. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea,…
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
STAT+: Medicare routes $16 billion to insurers to offset high drug costs
STAT+: Medicare routes $16 billion to insurers to offset high drug costs The federal government has sent a record $16 billion to health insurers that sell Medicare drug plans, a flashing red sign that prescription drug spending is blowing up far beyond what government officials and insurance experts had expected. The good news for Medicare…
-
STAT+: As superbug fears grow, sales of antibiotics used in food-producing livestock rose dramatically last year
STAT+: As superbug fears grow, sales of antibiotics used in food-producing livestock rose dramatically last year Amid fears of superbugs, the sale of medically important antibiotics given to food-producing livestock rose by 16% overall in the U.S. in 2024 from the year before, an increase that prompted advocates to complain that not enough is being…
-
The future of American science and a dispatch from ASH
The future of American science and a dispatch from ASH How did Terns Pharmaceuticals and its “hodgepodge” pipeline grab attention at the American Society of Hematology conference? Is Eli Lilly’s new drug making people lose too much weight? And what, exactly, is the Trump administration’s plan for reforming the National Institutes of Health? We discuss…
-
FDA approves first new gonorrhea drug in decades
FDA approves first new gonorrhea drug in decades The bacterium that causes gonorrhea has been steamrolling its way through all the antibiotics available to treat it, with a single drug, ceftriaxone, left struggling to quell infections. On Thursday, help arrived. Read the rest… Helen Branswell Go to statnews
-
STAT+: Europe’s pharma policy shakeup moves forward toward enactment
STAT+: Europe’s pharma policy shakeup moves forward toward enactment LONDON — European policymakers on Thursday unveiled a compromise framework for the biggest shakeup to E.U. pharmaceutical policy in two decades, as they try to strike a balance between expanding faster access to drugs across the continent while encouraging drugmakers to invest. A key point of…
-
STAT+: Solicitor general urges Supreme Court to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access
STAT+: Solicitor general urges Supreme Court to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access In a closely watched case, the U.S. solicitor general has urged the Supreme Court to review a controversy over so-called skinny labels for medicines, arguing that an appeals court finding threatens the availability of lower-cost generic drugs. Skinny labeling refers to…
-
STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis
STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. It’s Day 2 of the ASH meeting. Let’s get straight into the news. Fulcrum study suggests…
-
STAT+: Hengrui, BeOne top new analysis of Chinese drug development
STAT+: Hengrui, BeOne top new analysis of Chinese drug development A new report is peeling back the curtain on Chinese pharmaceutical innovation, assessing which companies are best at driving the drug development that’s captured the attention of pharmaceutical executives and investors worldwide. On Sunday, IDEA Pharma and parent company SAI MedPartners released their inaugural China…
-
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots WASHINGTON — Federal vaccine advisers, through a freewheeling, and at times combative two-day meeting, recommended a major change to childhood vaccinations that runs counter to the medical consensus — and began setting the stage for a larger rethink in the future. …
-
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
-
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine A panel that advises on U.S. vaccine policy voted on Friday to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, overturning a 30-year-old policy that has contributed to a massive decline in cases of the virus. The Advisory Committee…
-
STAT+: Hair loss drug succeeds in Phase 3, but data underwhelms experts
STAT+: Hair loss drug succeeds in Phase 3, but data underwhelms experts A topical hair loss medication successfully built up hair in a Phase 3 trial, according to the results of two late-stage trials released Wednesday. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Dublin, ran the studies on men with a common form of hair loss…