Category: Policy
-
STAT+: After years of close mentorship, Harvard’s president and Jay Bhattacharya enter dramatic new territory
STAT+: After years of close mentorship, Harvard’s president and Jay Bhattacharya enter dramatic new territory In early May, Harvard president Dr. Alan Garber received a letter from the National Institutes of Health notifying him that hundreds of scientific grants had been rescinded, as the next step in the escalating battle between Harvard and the Trump…
-
STAT+: Advocates urge South Africa to reopen antitrust probe into Vertex Pharmaceuticals
STAT+: Advocates urge South Africa to reopen antitrust probe into Vertex Pharmaceuticals Patient advocacy groups are urging the South African government to reopen an antitrust investigation into Vertex Pharmaceuticals over allegations the company misled authorities into closing a high-profile case last year over access to a cystic fibrosis treatment. Last December, the Competition Commission ruled…
-
HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts
HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are citing an extensive list of studies purported to document harms caused by messenger RNA vaccines as scientific justification for canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in the technology. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy…
-
In internal FDA town hall, employees raise concerns about staffing, impromptu expert meetings
In internal FDA town hall, employees raise concerns about staffing, impromptu expert meetings WASHINGTON — Top drug regulator George Tidmarsh assured Food and Drug Administration staff this week that he and other leaders are trying to bring operations back to normal. “I know that I’m coming in here at a challenging time,” Tidmarsh said at…
-
STAT+: Unpacking Trump’s approach to health care oversight
STAT+: Unpacking Trump’s approach to health care oversight 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. I was reminded recently of why I dig mass transit upon overhearing the train conductor and…
-
STAT+: Sarepta hired a Trump-connected firm to lobby on Duchenne treatment
STAT+: Sarepta hired a Trump-connected firm to lobby on Duchenne treatment WASHINGTON — Sarepta Therapeutics, which has come under regulatory pressure over its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, hired a Trump-connected lobbying firm after the death of a teenage boy treated with the drug, according to lobbying disclosure reports. Continue to STAT+ to read…
-
STAT+: MAGA social media influencers meet dark money
STAT+: MAGA social media influencers meet dark money 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 was on Martha Stewart’s podcast to discuss Medicare’s 60th anniversary. She baked a birthday…
-
STAT+: Health secretary RFK Jr. shuts door on U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine research
STAT+: Health secretary RFK Jr. shuts door on U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine research This is a developing story. It will be updated. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that the government’s emergency preparedness agency will no longer fund work on messenger RNA vaccines, delivering a crippling blow to the country’s capacity…
-
Opinion: STAT readers debate involuntary commitment, Sarepta, and more
Opinion: STAT readers debate involuntary commitment, Sarepta, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to the Editor…
-
STAT+: In health insurers’ race to offload unprofitable members, winners begin to emerge
STAT+: In health insurers’ race to offload unprofitable members, winners begin to emerge If you’ve followed health insurance earnings over the past few weeks, you might be experiencing some whiplash. Four of the biggest players — top names like UnitedHealth Group and Elevance — lowered their profit expectations for the year, while two others —…
-
STAT+: Senators leave RFK Jr.’s MAHA agency out of 2026 budget in apparent snub
STAT+: Senators leave RFK Jr.’s MAHA agency out of 2026 budget in apparent snub WASHINGTON — Senate appropriators seemingly snubbed an effort by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reorganize certain primary care and chronic health programs into a new agency known as the Administration for a Healthy America. Instead, a fiscal 2026 budget…
-
Trump escalates demands that pharma companies lower their drug prices
Trump escalates demands that pharma companies lower their drug prices President Trump escalated his demands that pharma companies lower U.S. drug prices in line with what other countries pay, sending letters to 17 major drug companies Thursday that called on them to take actions by Sept. 29. He specifically asked the firms to: provide their…
-
STAT+: Health care and tech companies promise CMS they’ll make patient data more accessible
STAT+: Health care and tech companies promise CMS they’ll make patient data more accessible On Wednesday, over 60 health tech companies signed a pledge orchestrated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to make health data-sharing easier and to build apps for patients to access and act on their health data. CMS Administrator Mehmet…
-
STAT+: Inside the fall of Vinay Prasad at the FDA
STAT+: Inside the fall of Vinay Prasad at the FDA Vinay Prasad had a problem. Several, actually. His staff at the Food and Drug Administration kept leaking to the press. He was under attack by President Trump’s allies after moving to pull a gene therapy off the market. Democrats were not happy with his Covid…
-
STAT+: Preventive care panel could be restructured ‘imminently’ as RFK Jr. vets new members
STAT+: Preventive care panel could be restructured ‘imminently’ as RFK Jr. vets new members WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could “imminently” overhaul a key federal advisory panel that recommends which preventive services insurers must pay for, according to a person familiar with the plans. The person said that federal health officials are…
-
STAT+: UC San Diego Health’s Karandeep Singh on how Trump’s ‘woke AI’ executive order weaponizes DEI
STAT+: UC San Diego Health’s Karandeep Singh on how Trump’s ‘woke AI’ executive order weaponizes DEI In late July, President Trump signed three executive orders relating to artificial intelligence as part of the administration’s push to deregulate AI and promote its use. One of those executive orders, titled “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government,”…
-
STAT+: U.S. judge blocks first-in-the-nation law barring companies from owning PBMs and pharmacies in Arkansas
STAT+: U.S. judge blocks first-in-the-nation law barring companies from owning PBMs and pharmacies in Arkansas In a closely watched case, a U.S. federal court judge has temporarily blocked a first-in-the-nation law that would prohibit companies that own pharmacy benefit managers from also operating both retail and mail-order pharmacies in Arkansas. The state law is designed…
-
STAT+: Pharma firms will face 15% tariffs in Trump’s E.U. trade deal
STAT+: Pharma firms will face 15% tariffs in Trump’s E.U. trade deal WASHINGTON — President Trump’s tariffs on pharmaceuticals coming from the European Union will be set at 15% and will not go into effect until a national security investigation has been completed, according to a White House official familiar with the plans. Once the…
-
Kennedy, disability advocates paint very different realities as ADA turns 35
Kennedy, disability advocates paint very different realities as ADA turns 35 Stirring speeches filled the tall, fluorescent room on Monday morning as members of the disability community and federal officials celebrated the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. They spoke at length about how the landmark law birthed critical protections…
-
STAT+: HHS orders thimerosal out of all flu vaccines
STAT+: HHS orders thimerosal out of all flu vaccines 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. Alex Hogan did yeoman’s work of taste testing beef-tallow-fried chicken wings and fries, soda pop…
-
Opinion: The U.S. must reconsider its decision to reject amendments to a global health treaty
Opinion: The U.S. must reconsider its decision to reject amendments to a global health treaty Last week, the Trump administration rejected the 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) — a global treaty that the United States has been a part of since 2007. The rejection cited concerns about sovereignty, scientific freedom, and World…
-
STAT+: After explosive federal report, Congress fears plummeting trust in organ donation
STAT+: After explosive federal report, Congress fears plummeting trust in organ donation WASHINGTON — Members of a congressional oversight committee said Tuesday that they fear public trust in organ donation has been fractured after a federal report found that an organ procurement organization ignored signs of life in patients when authorizing attempted organ removals. The…
-
STAT+: FDA’s new top drug regulator hails from industry
STAT+: FDA’s new top drug regulator hails from industry 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. I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream without artificial dyes! Tell us…
-
STAT+: 10 million expected to lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut law, CBO says
STAT+: 10 million expected to lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut law, CBO says WASHINGTON — President Trump’s major domestic policy law will result in nearly 10 million more people going without health insurance by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate on the final law. The law, which included significant cuts in…
-
Opinion: A sloppy report on mifepristone is being used to undermine the FDA — and the biotech industry
Opinion: A sloppy report on mifepristone is being used to undermine the FDA — and the biotech industry For decades, the Food and Drug Administration has partnered with clinicians and industry to deliver evidence-based medical innovations using a gold-standard framework for drug development and oversight. The agency has the authority to review any approved drug,…
-
STAT+: What the GOP’s cuts to public broadcasting have to do with health care policy
STAT+: What the GOP’s cuts to public broadcasting have to do with health care policy WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans early on Friday morning passed legislation to take back money they had already appropriated for this year, enacting steep cuts to foreign aid and to public broadcasting. And while none of the funding was for domestic…
-
STAT+: Kennedy dismisses two top HHS aides
STAT+: Kennedy dismisses two top HHS aides WASHINGTON — Two top aides to Health and Human Services Department Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were dismissed from their roles this week after just months on the job. Both Heather Flick Melanson, chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, deputy chief of staff for policy, were let go,…
-
STAT+: A troubled Sun Pharma plant fails yet another FDA inspection
STAT+: A troubled Sun Pharma plant fails yet another FDA inspection A Sun Pharmaceutical plant in India that has been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for serious quality control issues failed another inspection last month over concerns the company was not doing enough to prevent medicines from becoming contaminated. The problems…
-
STAT+: RFK Jr. gives vaccine skeptics plum HHS posts
STAT+: RFK Jr. gives vaccine skeptics plum HHS posts 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. Mr. Medicare Dr. Oz suggests 10 minutes of yoga straight out of bed, preferably with…
-
U.S. drops charges against doctor accused of throwing away Covid shots, selling fake vaccine cards
U.S. drops charges against doctor accused of throwing away Covid shots, selling fake vaccine cards The federal government on Saturday dismissed charges against a Utah plastic surgeon accused of throwing away COVID-19 vaccines, giving children saline shots instead of the vaccine and selling faked vaccination cards. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on the social…
-
Opinion: Ending the federal LGBTQ+ suicide prevention line is a public health failure
Opinion: Ending the federal LGBTQ+ suicide prevention line is a public health failure Last month, the federal government announced it would eliminate the national suicide prevention hotline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ callers — a decision that pulls vital support away from some of the most at-risk young people in America. The end of the service…
-
Trump administration cuts undocumented immigrants’ access to range of federally funded programs
Trump administration cuts undocumented immigrants’ access to range of federally funded programs WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday announced it would further curtail undocumented immigrants’ access to federally funded programs, including health care clinics, early childhood education, and nutritional support. The decision reverses a federal practice that has been in place for decades, and is…
-
STAT+: FDA won’t pay 2024 bonuses to workers who are getting laid off
STAT+: FDA won’t pay 2024 bonuses to workers who are getting laid off 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. I thought the news would slow down after Republicans passed their…
-
STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest
STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is sitting on information about new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest, and seemingly backtracking on its vow to make key disclosure documents public. Agency officials previously said they would release ethics forms for…
-
STAT+: How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts
STAT+: How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts WASHINGTON — Republicans swiftly approved President Trump’s tax cut bill last week, despite a full-court press from doctors, hospitals, and patients to beat back some of the largest health care cuts in American history — more than $1 trillion in all…
-
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…
-
Opinion: The U.S. government is failing on vaccine policy. The Vaccine Integrity Project is here to help
Opinion: The U.S. government is failing on vaccine policy. The Vaccine Integrity Project is here to help Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services floated new standards for vaccine approvals, rescinded longstanding Covid-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, and fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s…
-
Opinion: Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on
Opinion: Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on There’s been much discussion and debate about the cuts to Medicaid eligibility that Congress just passed and, in particular, what they may mean for current Medicaid recipients. A key piece of evidence in this debate has been results from the Oregon Health Insurance…
-
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,…
-
Why this activist is putting her body on the line for Americans with disabilities
Why this activist is putting her body on the line for Americans with disabilities Flanked by her friends as lawmakers debated the future of a 60-year-old health care plan, Latoya Maddox raised her voice, shouting, “No cuts to Medicaid! No cuts to Medicaid!” The chanting, during a meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee…
-
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…
-
Senate passes Trump’s tax-cut bill that would slash Medicaid spending
Senate passes Trump’s tax-cut bill that would slash Medicaid spending WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a $4.5 trillion tax-cut bill after last-minute changes to its health care provisions, as Republicans scrambled to get their party on board. The legislation that passed on Tuesday includes major federal funding cuts to Medicaid that were opposed by hospitals and…
-
STAT+: Supreme Court declines to review Oklahoma law regulating PBMs
STAT+: Supreme Court declines to review Oklahoma law regulating PBMs The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review an appeals court ruling that struck down key parts of an Oklahoma law regulating the retail networks created by pharmacy benefit managers, a victory for the controversial middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain that may create uncertainty…
-
STAT+: 11.8 million to lose health insurance under Senate Republican tax bill, CBO projects
STAT+: 11.8 million to lose health insurance under Senate Republican tax bill, CBO projects WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans’ version of President Trump’s tax bill would lead to 11.8 million people losing health insurance over the next decade, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office released Saturday night. That projection suggests the Senate’s…
-
STAT+: Senate GOP tweaks health care measures in tax bill to win holdouts, please parliamentarian
STAT+: Senate GOP tweaks health care measures in tax bill to win holdouts, please parliamentarian Senate Republicans unveiled late Friday changes to health care policies in tax legislation that they made to win over holdouts in their party and pass muster with budget rules. The changes were made public around midnight, and the long voting…
-
STAT+: J&J suffers a loss over 340B drug discount program
STAT+: J&J suffers a loss over 340B drug discount program In a setback to Johnson & Johnson, a federal judge ruled that a U.S. government agency did not violate the law when it required the company to seek approval before offering rebates to hospitals and clinics that participate in a drug discount program. The decision…
-
Opinion: Proposed cuts could have ‘catastrophic effect,’ 110 biomedical, health sciences industry leaders tell Congress
Opinion: Proposed cuts could have ‘catastrophic effect,’ 110 biomedical, health sciences industry leaders tell Congress As leaders of United States companies positioned in the biomedical/health sciences landscape, we are well aware that our companies are but one component of an expansive and interconnected scientific ecosystem requiring federal, industry, and academic partnership. Government funding of research…
-
Opinion: We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations
Opinion: We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations Let us introduce ourselves. We are the doctors you trust with your health and the health of your family across every stage of life, from the first checkups in infancy and childhood, to health care during pregnancy and adulthood,…
-
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers meet, Monarez gets grilled
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers meet, Monarez gets grilled 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. After making a brief visit to the hospital due to feeling lightheaded, Senate Minority Leader…
-
STAT+: As Trump’s deadline nears, Republicans face substantial disagreement on Medicaid cuts
STAT+: As Trump’s deadline nears, Republicans face substantial disagreement on Medicaid cuts WASHINGTON — With days to go before Congress is set to leave town, lawmakers are still at odds over key Medicaid provisions in the tax bill touted by President Trump. Republicans across the House and Senate are still working out significant disagreements on…
-
STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers
STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers The decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove and replace all members of the government’s independent vaccine advisory committee doesn’t just change how the nation will approach vaccine policy. It could also take money…
-
STAT+: Regeneron seeks to revamp the controversial relationships between pharma and patient charities
STAT+: Regeneron seeks to revamp the controversial relationships between pharma and patient charities In a bid to rework the controversial relationship between drugmakers and patient charities, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has announced a new program in which it will match up to $200 million in donations this year to a leading foundation called Good Days. The move…
-
STAT+: Top FDA drug regulator tells staff much is still in flux, as she prepares to retire
STAT+: Top FDA drug regulator tells staff much is still in flux, as she prepares to retire WASHINGTON — Outgoing Food and Drug Administration regulator Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay acknowledged to staff that much is still in flux at the agency, weeks before she retires. “We are leaner and therefore we have to find ways to be…
-
Opinion: The Senate’s version of Trump’s tax-cut bill threatens safety-net hospitals like ours
Opinion: The Senate’s version of Trump’s tax-cut bill threatens safety-net hospitals like ours We appreciate President Trump’s steadfast commitment to protecting Medicare and Medicaid and his leadership in standing with America’s working families, seniors, and veterans. As leaders of urban health systems that serve our nation’s most vulnerable — low-income workers, children, and the elderly…
-
STAT+: Health insurers promise to reduce barriers to care under pressure from Trump administration
STAT+: Health insurers promise to reduce barriers to care under pressure from Trump administration WASHINGTON — Last week’s pledge from more than 40 health insurers to cut down on prior authorizations came after some behind-the-scenes convincing from the Trump administration. The administration pushed insurers to sign a voluntary pledge to cut back on prior authorizations…
-
STAT+: Disagreements over Duchenne therapy, management style may have led to ouster of key FDA official
STAT+: Disagreements over Duchenne therapy, management style may have led to ouster of key FDA official The ouster of the Food and Drug Administration’s chief regulator of cell and gene therapies earlier this week came immediately after a disagreement with her boss over the review of a cell therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, STAT has…
-
STAT+: Gilead’s CEO on the approval of a powerful new drug to prevent HIV
STAT+: Gilead’s CEO on the approval of a powerful new drug to prevent HIV On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new medicine, lenacapavir (brand name: Yeztugo) that could be the closest thing so far to an HIV vaccine: a long-acting antiviral that, given twice a year, can prevent people from contracting the…
-
FDA’s gene therapy turmoil, and an alternative model for funding research
FDA’s gene therapy turmoil, and an alternative model for funding research Why did the Food and Drug Administration suddenly oust one of its top gene therapy regulators? Is the agency growing too political? And should private firms fund academic research? We chat about all that and more on this on this week’s episode of “The…
-
STAT+: U.K. decision blocks a pair of Alzheimer’s drugs from access through its national health service
STAT+: U.K. decision blocks a pair of Alzheimer’s drugs from access through its national health service LONDON — A U.K. health agency reiterated on Thursday that the limited benefits of a pair of new Alzheimer’s drugs do not justify their high prices, meaning the medicines won’t be made available through the National Health Service. The…
-
STAT+: FDA announces a new priority review program in bid to further administration goals
STAT+: FDA announces a new priority review program in bid to further administration goals WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is launching a program to reward companies with accelerated drug review and speedy agency feedback, if their actions align with the agency’s national health priorities. Those priorities include addressing unmet public health needs or health…
-
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…
-
Medicaid cuts could result in more than 16,000 preventable deaths annually
Medicaid cuts could result in more than 16,000 preventable deaths annually Key health care provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, especially the proposed Medicaid cuts and Affordable Care Act marketplace reforms, would lead to 16,642 preventable deaths every year if implemented, according to a new analysis published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine. …
-
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…
-
Opinion: STAT readers on animal models, sexual assault kits, and more
Opinion: STAT readers on animal models, sexual assault kits, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
-
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…
-
STAT+: Pharma wins a victory over a Minnesota law designed to provide transparency into drug pricing
STAT+: Pharma wins a victory over a Minnesota law designed to provide transparency into drug pricing In a victory for the pharmaceutical industry, a U.S. appeals court upheld a lower court decision to halt a controversial Minnesota law that is designed to provide transparency into prescription drug pricing. The decision was issued as the result…
-
RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel
RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday unveiled the names of the eight new members who will sit on the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, and said they would review the current…
-
STAT+: Cassidy is circulating a proposed law to push down U.S. drug prices, backing a key Trump ambition
STAT+: Cassidy is circulating a proposed law to push down U.S. drug prices, backing a key Trump ambition WASHINGTON — Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (La.) is the latest Republican to take an interest in legislation that would tie U.S. brand drug prices to lower prices in other wealthy countries, according to seven people…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
STAT+: UnitedHealth conducting ‘comprehensive review’ of Medicare practices that are facing federal scrutiny, new CEO says
STAT+: UnitedHealth conducting ‘comprehensive review’ of Medicare practices that are facing federal scrutiny, new CEO says UnitedHealth Group’s new CEO told investors that the company is reevaluating how it tallies Medicare Advantage patients’ diagnoses for reimbursement purposes, an issue currently under investigation by the Justice Department. Stephen Hemsley’s remarks during the company’s annual shareholder meeting…
-
Opinion: MAHA kids’ health report misinforms about tonsillectomies and ear tubes
Opinion: MAHA kids’ health report misinforms about tonsillectomies and ear tubes The Make America Healthy Again commission’s recent report on children’s health has received a lot of attention for its citation errors and focus on ultra-processed foods, smartphones, and stimulant use. But the less-discussed part on “overmedicalization” of American children stood out to us. While…
-
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…
-
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s latest moves on vaccines
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s latest moves on vaccines 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. NIH is terminating research grants left and right, impeding early career paths and leading some young scientists…
-
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…
-
STAT+: Young scientists say they may abandon research as their career options shrink amid Trump cuts
STAT+: Young scientists say they may abandon research as their career options shrink amid Trump cuts Becks Padrusch‘s fondest memories growing up were of trips to Boston’s Museum of Science, where the Arlington native got to touch animal organs and watch with fascination as chickens hatched in incubators. As a toddler, Padrusch, who uses they/them pronouns,…
-
STAT+: Lawmaker wants to know how FDA can police drug ads after cutting its oversight workforce
STAT+: Lawmaker wants to know how FDA can police drug ads after cutting its oversight workforce Amid ongoing controversy over pharmaceutical advertising, one lawmaker wants to know how the U.S. government will enforce regulations after the Food and Drug Administration let go of numerous employees from the office that oversees prescription drug promotions. In a…
-
STAT+: How Trump’s tax cut bill would reshape health care
STAT+: How Trump’s tax cut bill would reshape health care WASHINGTON — The House passed President Trump’s tax-cutting plan early Thursday morning with the attendant health care measures to partially pay for it. Relative to earlier drafts, GOP lawmakers revised the bill to further cut government spending, discourage Medicaid expansion, and potentially restrict coverage of…
-
STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework
STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary promised stakeholders last week that the agency’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework would answer all of their questions. But the framework has perhaps created as much confusion as clarity. Broadly, the FDA said it will limit approval…
-
STAT+: Trump, building on Biden policy, to speed up audits of Medicare Advantage insurers
STAT+: Trump, building on Biden policy, to speed up audits of Medicare Advantage insurers President Trump’s federal Medicare agency will expedite audits of Medicare Advantage insurers, a move that could claw back nearly $500 million a year for taxpayers, according to previous federal estimates. However, the audits remain mired in a two-year-old lawsuit initiated by…
-
STAT+: Maryland governor signs law to expand powers of the state’s prescription drug affordability board
STAT+: Maryland governor signs law to expand powers of the state’s prescription drug affordability board In a notable development, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill that will allow a state board to extend its mandate for lowering prescription drug costs to all residents, not just those employed by government agencies. The move was hailed…
-
STAT+: Novavax wins narrowed approval for its Covid-19 shot after delay
STAT+: Novavax wins narrowed approval for its Covid-19 shot after delay The Food and Drug Administration has finally approved Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine, but in doing so has placed restrictions on it that its two competitors in the U.S. market do not face. The long-awaited license limits use of the vaccine to people 65 and older…
-
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,…
-
STAT+: UnitedHealth’s Optum working on Medicare risk scoring system that would use AI
STAT+: UnitedHealth’s Optum working on Medicare risk scoring system that would use AI SAN DIEGO — Optum, the health data and care provider division of UnitedHealth Group, is developing a way to calculate how sick Medicare patients are through artificial intelligence, instead of relying solely on diagnosis codes submitted by physicians. Ken Cohen, a physician…
-
STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening
STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening The Make America Healthy Again movement is coalescing around a new effort to turn its goals into federal policy. The Trump administration is listening. The MAHA Institute, a policy center launched Thursday, is pushing to change the American health and food systems: from…
-
STAT+: Trump order on drug pricing appears to issue subtle threat to pharma
STAT+: Trump order on drug pricing appears to issue subtle threat to pharma File this under “Lower your price — or else!” Tucked inside the executive order on drug pricing from President Trump is a sentence that appears to threaten pharmaceutical companies that their medicines may be withdrawn if they do not lower prices. Specifically,…
-
STAT+: State AI laws would be banned under clause buried in House budget bill
STAT+: State AI laws would be banned under clause buried in House budget bill A small but powerful nugget is buried in the text of the House budget reconciliation bill released this week: a clause that would ban state and local governments from enforcing any laws on AI, even ones that have already been put…
-
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…
-
STAT+: 5 burning questions about FDA’s ‘aggressive’ deployment of AI for scientific review
STAT+: 5 burning questions about FDA’s ‘aggressive’ deployment of AI for scientific review The Food and Drug Administration said it will rapidly roll out a generative artificial intelligence model to assist scientific reviews across the agency, setting up a high-stakes test of the technology’s use in vetting products used in the care of millions of…
-
STAT+: The state of antibiotic development: ‘Deplorable comes to mind’
STAT+: The state of antibiotic development: ‘Deplorable comes to mind’ Four years ago, an ambitious pharmaceutical industry venture to tackle antibiotic resistance launched to invest in small companies that can develop two to four novel antibiotics by 2030 — and replenish the global supply chain with needed treatments. The effort began with $1 billion in backing…