Category: STAT+
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STAT+: Turkey antitrust regulator fines several big drugmakers for ‘no-poach’ agreements
STAT+: Turkey antitrust regulator fines several big drugmakers for ‘no-poach’ agreements Antitrust regulators in Turkey have fined more than a dozen large pharmaceutical companies — including global drugmakers such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Novartis — for agreeing not to poach employees from one another, a move that disrupted the domestic labor market. The Turkish Competition…
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STAT+: Grail says new data on multi-cancer screening test show improved performance
STAT+: Grail says new data on multi-cancer screening test show improved performance As part of its bid to transform the future of cancer screening and seize control of a potentially vast and increasingly competitive market, Grail announced fresh data on Friday from a large U.S. study of its flagship blood-based test for detecting dozens of…
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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…
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STAT+: FDA announces first nine recipients of priority drug review vouchers
STAT+: FDA announces first nine recipients of priority drug review vouchers WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced the first nine recipients of the Commissioner’s National Priority Review vouchers, a program offering an expedited drug review to companies with products that align with the agency’s national health priorities. President Trump highlighted one…
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STAT+: Biotech leaders say uncertainty at FDA threatens drug development
STAT+: Biotech leaders say uncertainty at FDA threatens drug development BOSTON — Replimune Group and Capricor Therapeutics both seemed on track to receive long-awaited drug approvals from the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. Then, amid tumult at the agency as the Trump administration took power, their applications were rejected. The companies’ CEOs talked…
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STAT+: Medicare payments to doctors paused as government shutdown drags on
STAT+: Medicare payments to doctors paused as government shutdown drags on The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is pausing Medicare payments to doctors, as negotiations tied to the government shutdown drag on. CMS announced the pause in a notice on its website but didn’t say when it would end. It’s happening because Congress needs…
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STAT+: CEO of GSK plays down its role in FDA effort to approve therapy for autism-related condition
STAT+: CEO of GSK plays down its role in FDA effort to approve therapy for autism-related condition BOSTON — The CEO of the drugmaker GSK on Wednesday said the company has had a minimal role in the Food and Drug Administration’s effort to update the prescribing information of a long-shelved drug so that it can…
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STAT+: Kailera Therapeutics, an obesity drug startup, raises $600 million
STAT+: Kailera Therapeutics, an obesity drug startup, raises $600 million Investors announced one of the biggest private financing rounds of the year for a biotech company Tuesday, pouring $600 million into obesity startup Kailera Therapeutics. Bain Capital’s private equity group led the financing, which also included Royalty Pharma, the sovereign wealth fund in Qatar, and the…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a troubled Novo plant, pressure on the Novavax board, and much more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a troubled Novo plant, pressure on the Novavax board, and much more Top of the morning to you. Gray skies are hovering overhead right now, but our spirits remain sunny, nonetheless. Why? We will trot out a bit of insight from the Morning Mayor, who would say, “Every new day…
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STAT+: Medicare Advantage insurers still in retreat as annual enrollment kicks off
STAT+: Medicare Advantage insurers still in retreat as annual enrollment kicks off Medicare Advantage has skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade, reeling in new members with zero-dollar premiums and generous benefits. But the rate of growth has slowed in recent years, and in 2026, there’s a decent chance enrollment will contract for the first…
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STAT+: FDA declares Novo Nordisk plant, key to drug manufacturing for some biotechs, out of compliance
STAT+: FDA declares Novo Nordisk plant, key to drug manufacturing for some biotechs, out of compliance A troubled Indiana contract manufacturing plant recently acquired by Novo Nordisk is considered to not be in compliance with the Food and Drug Administration standards, a serious designation that could further delay the approval of drugs made in the…
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Opinion: STAT+: Why this cardiologist is cautious about the Apple Watch’s blood pressure feature
Opinion: STAT+: Why this cardiologist is cautious about the Apple Watch’s blood pressure feature Welcome to The Workup, a First Opinion column from Vishal Khetpal. As a physician in the age of wearables, glancing at a patient’s wrist has become a natural, unspoken part of the physical exam. In most cases, finding an Apple Watch doesn’t…
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STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health
STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health WASHINGTON — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff behind the agency’s flagship publication have suffered deep cuts as part of the firings the Health and Human Services Department has blamed on the government shutdown, according to five people familiar with the situation. Almost the…
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STAT+: Canadian lawmakers urge the government to suspend imports of long-tailed macaques
STAT+: Canadian lawmakers urge the government to suspend imports of long-tailed macaques A half-dozen members of the Canadian parliament are urging the government to immediately suspend imports of long-tailed macaques into the country over concerns the monkeys may be infected with tuberculosis and pose a biosecurity risk. In their Oct. 1 letter, the lawmakers cite…
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STAT+: Sarepta to seek approval for gene therapy in rare form of muscular dystrophy
STAT+: Sarepta to seek approval for gene therapy in rare form of muscular dystrophy An experimental gene therapy from Sarepta Therapeutics increased levels of the gene missing in an ultra-rare form of muscular dystrophy, according to data the company presented Friday. The company has said it plans to file for approval in the disease, known…
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STAT+: AstraZeneca strikes drug pricing deal with Trump
STAT+: AstraZeneca strikes drug pricing deal with Trump WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday said he struck a drug pricing deal with AstraZeneca aimed at fulfilling his plan to bring U.S. drug prices in line with what other countries pay, the second agreement after Pfizer’s last week. Similar to Pfizer’s deal, the British pharma company…
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STAT+: HHS employees to be fired as White House enacts mass terminations it blames on shutdown
STAT+: HHS employees to be fired as White House enacts mass terminations it blames on shutdown WASHINGTON — Federal health employees on Friday were being fired as the White House followed through on its threat to terminate federal employees en masse as the second week of the government shutdown drags to a close. Between 1,100…
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STAT+: Roche suffers setback as court allows generic version of its rare disease drug to be sold in India
STAT+: Roche suffers setback as court allows generic version of its rare disease drug to be sold in India In the latest tussle over access to medicines, an Indian court has upheld a ruling that found it would be in the public interest to allow a generic company to sell a lower-cost version of a…
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STAT+: Blue Cross of Mass. offers buyouts to hundreds of employees amid financial struggles
STAT+: Blue Cross of Mass. offers buyouts to hundreds of employees amid financial struggles Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has offered buyouts to hundreds of employees as it seeks to cut its workforce amid soaring health care costs and steep losses. Blue Cross, the state’s largest health insurer, told employees of the voluntary buyouts…
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STAT+: Key GOP lawmaker tones down rhetoric on medical care for immigrants
STAT+: Key GOP lawmaker tones down rhetoric on medical care for immigrants 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. Three cheers for Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers, who spent her Saturday…
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STAT+: Top Democrat demands more detail from Medicare insurers about their use of AI
STAT+: Top Democrat demands more detail from Medicare insurers about their use of AI Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is pressing the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurers to provide more detail about their use of artificial intelligence tools amid reports that these companies are rapidly increasing their reliance on the technology to help make decisions about…
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STAT+: Coalition for Health AI faces escalating attacks by Trump officials, loss of founding member Amazon
STAT+: Coalition for Health AI faces escalating attacks by Trump officials, loss of founding member Amazon The Trump administration is escalating its efforts to weaken a tech industry-funded group seeking to help shape the nation’s use of artificial intelligence in health care. The Coalition for Health AI, or CHAI, is made up of some of…
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STAT+: House speaker backs emergency care law as GOP targets immigrant medical treatment in shutdown fight
STAT+: House speaker backs emergency care law as GOP targets immigrant medical treatment in shutdown fight WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that Republicans don’t want to change a law requiring hospitals to provide care to any individual experiencing a medical emergency, including immigrants without legal status. His remarks capped off more…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump and BlinkRx conflicts, a setback for Sarepta, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump and BlinkRx conflicts, a setback for Sarepta, and more Hello, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far. It is an accomplishment, after all. The next step is to forge ahead. And why not? Just consider the alternatives. On that optimistic note,…
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STAT+: Pharma companies scramble to make deals with Trump after Pfizer scored White House praise
STAT+: Pharma companies scramble to make deals with Trump after Pfizer scored White House praise WASHINGTON — The agreement between Pfizer and the Trump administration to lower drug prices has sent other companies scrambling to make a deal. Several major pharmaceutical firms that received letters from President Trump demanding lower prices have been hustling to…
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STAT+: Peter Marks, FDA vaccine regulator ousted by RFK Jr., joins Eli Lilly
STAT+: Peter Marks, FDA vaccine regulator ousted by RFK Jr., joins Eli Lilly WASHINGTON — Peter Marks, the former top vaccine regulator at the Food and Drug Administration, has joined Eli Lilly to oversee molecule discovery and infectious diseases — a move that quickly drew criticism for the revolving door between the agency and industry. Marks confirmed…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about the telehealth boom, EU pharma policy and much more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about the telehealth boom, EU pharma policy and much more Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you do? The world, such…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about another generic abortion pill, pharma layoffs, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about another generic abortion pill, pharma layoffs, and more And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up, but we plan to indulge in…
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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…
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STAT+: Colorado board makes first-in-the-nation move by setting a payment limit on an Amgen drug
STAT+: Colorado board makes first-in-the-nation move by setting a payment limit on an Amgen drug In a first-in-the-nation move, a Colorado panel has voted to limit what health plans in the state will pay for a costly arthritis treatment, a step that may encourage other states to pursue similar strategies to contain spending on prescription…
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STAT+: UnitedHealth taps Duke scientist to lead AI efforts
STAT+: UnitedHealth taps Duke scientist to lead AI efforts UnitedHealth Group has tapped a Duke University artificial intelligence expert to be its chief AI scientist as the health care giant ramps up the use of the technology across its sprawling network of businesses, according to a memo obtained by STAT. Michael Pencina, chief data scientist…
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STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what?
STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what? 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. Are you in a betting pool for how long the government shutdown will last? Send your…
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STAT+: U.K. is urged to probe drugmakers for conspiring to scrap or halt investments amid pricing disputes
STAT+: U.K. is urged to probe drugmakers for conspiring to scrap or halt investments amid pricing disputes The U.K.’s antitrust regulator has been asked by patient advocacy groups to investigate several large drugmakers and their U.K. lobbying organization for “suspected” and “coordinated” efforts to drive up the prices of medicines. The backdrop to the complaint…
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STAT+: Trump administration backs off 100% pharma tariffs threatened to start today
STAT+: Trump administration backs off 100% pharma tariffs threatened to start today WASHINGTON — President Trump told pharmaceutical companies last week that they should start building infrastructure in the U.S. — or face a 100% tariff, starting Wednesday. But a White House official told STAT on Wednesday that the tariffs have not gone into effect…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug-pricing plans, Medicare talks, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug-pricing plans, Medicare talks, and more Top of the morning to you. The middle of the week is upon us and, since you made it this far, why not forge ahead? After all, there is always light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. You never know what you…
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STAT+: Trump, Pfizer, and the art of a drug pricing deal
STAT+: Trump, Pfizer, and the art of a drug pricing deal Amid all the hand-shaking and back-patting, it was perhaps the word “friendship” that stood out the most when the CEO of Pfizer joined President Trump to address a drug pricing deal in the Oval Office. “But most of all, Mr. President, I want to…
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STAT+: Top FDA drug regulator’s unusual criticism of a therapy gets Wall Street wagging
STAT+: Top FDA drug regulator’s unusual criticism of a therapy gets Wall Street wagging Is George Tidmarsh, the Food and Drug Administration’s top regulator, trying to exact revenge on a prominent Wall Street investor after a run-in with him six years ago? It’s the question biotech investors were wagging about all Monday after Tidmarsh used…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a new GSK CEO, AstraZeneca’s stock listing, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a new GSK CEO, AstraZeneca’s stock listing, and more Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings, and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you do? The world, such…
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STAT+: Unsealed court documents reveal a whistleblower suit over UnitedHealth use of an artery disease test
STAT+: Unsealed court documents reveal a whistleblower suit over UnitedHealth use of an artery disease test A law firm representing health care fraud whistleblowers is suing UnitedHealth Group over its use of a peripheral artery disease test, called QuantaFlo, to increase payments it received from the government Medicare program, after the Department of Justice declined…
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STAT+: Patients set to lose hospital care at home if government funding isn’t extended
STAT+: Patients set to lose hospital care at home if government funding isn’t extended WASHINGTON — If Congress doesn’t fund the government by the end of the day on Tuesday, patients across the country who have been receiving hospital-level care at home will be placed back in hospitals. The Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug pricing plans, pharma tariffs, and much more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug pricing plans, pharma tariffs, and much more And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up, but we may rendezvous with…
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STAT+: Days before Trump deadline to lower prices, companies push a flurry of initiatives. Will it be enough?
STAT+: Days before Trump deadline to lower prices, companies push a flurry of initiatives. Will it be enough? Pharmaceutical companies are scrambling to make last-minute announcements ahead of a Trump administration deadline on Monday for the firms to lower U.S. drug prices. But it’s not clear if the initiatives — which include investments in the…
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STAT+: How the government establishes research grant overhead rates: ‘It’s not like buying a widget’
STAT+: How the government establishes research grant overhead rates: ‘It’s not like buying a widget’ For decades, the federal government has supported the infrastructure that makes biomedical breakthroughs possible at universities, academic hospitals, and other research institutions. But recent moves by the Trump administration and Congress reinforce that this system seems headed for a major…
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STAT+: Crinetics wins FDA approval for acromegaly drug, faces competition with Novartis and Ipsen
STAT+: Crinetics wins FDA approval for acromegaly drug, faces competition with Novartis and Ipsen SAN DIEGO — Crinetics Pharmaceuticals won Food and Drug Administration approval on Thursday for a drug for a rare and debilitating hormonal disorder — the company’s first approved product. But the treatment faces competition from pharma giants with blockbuster medicines already…
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STAT+: Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute
STAT+: Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute Anthony Letai, a cancer researcher and oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University, has emerged as a leading candidate to be the next director of the National Cancer Institute, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation. The NCI…
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STAT+: Pharmalitte: We’re reading about a Huntington’s gene therapy success, a low-cost HIV drug, and more
STAT+: Pharmalitte: We’re reading about a Huntington’s gene therapy success, a low-cost HIV drug, and more Good morning, this is Allison, substituting for Mr. Pharmalot. We may have three months left in the year, but I’m already starting to think about 2026, thanks to a handful of concert announcements and ticket sales opening up over…
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STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows
STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows WASHINGTON — President Trump’s anti-vaccine comments on Monday signal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s growing influence — and raise new questions about how far the pair may go to upend vaccine policy. Standing with Kennedy beside him at the White House, Trump called the childhood vaccine…
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STAT+: FDA’s leucovorin approval could be a boon for supplement makers
STAT+: FDA’s leucovorin approval could be a boon for supplement makers Parents may flock to a dietary supplement with the same key ingredient as leucovorin, which the FDA just approved for children with autism. But there are drawbacks. The Food and Drug Administration has reapproved GSK’s branded version of leucovorin to treat a neurological condition…
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STAT+: As medical AI use grows, industry payments to providers remain opaque
STAT+: As medical AI use grows, industry payments to providers remain opaque Artificial intelligence has danced around the fringes of prostate cancer for years, but in 2024, it got a profile-raising boost: An AI tool that could use biopsy images and clinical data to predict therapy benefits and a patient’s prognosis was recommended in a…
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STAT+: ACA tax credits still in limbo after stopgap government funding bill fails
STAT+: ACA tax credits still in limbo after stopgap government funding bill fails WASHINGTON — Congress failed to pass stopgap government funding Friday due in large part to differences between the parties over health care policies. The two parties blocked each other’s temporary funding measures, increasing the chances of a government shutdown when funding expires…
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STAT+: FDA approves ultra-rare disease drug that became a symbol of uncertainty over regulatory standards
STAT+: FDA approves ultra-rare disease drug that became a symbol of uncertainty over regulatory standards After months of uncertainty, the Food and Drug Administration offered accelerated approval for an ultra-rare disease drug that had become a symbol of the fraught balancing act between upholding regulatory standards and accommodating desperate patients and their families. The agency…
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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…
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STAT+: Democrats introduce bill to break up health care conglomerates like UnitedHealth Group
STAT+: Democrats introduce bill to break up health care conglomerates like UnitedHealth Group Democrats in Congress are proposing legislation that would bar health insurers from buying medical practices through their subsidiaries and require them to separate their insurance and provider businesses. Filed by Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), the bill is aimed at breaking up companies…
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STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts
STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts A meeting of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., anti-vaccine campaigner David Geier, and leaders of the country’s most robust vaccine safety database was abruptly canceled Wednesday, just hours before they were likely to discuss using the data to investigate whether…
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STAT+: Amid industry headwinds, Biogen breaks ground on new headquarters
STAT+: Amid industry headwinds, Biogen breaks ground on new headquarters CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Biogen on Tuesday held a ceremonial groundbreaking of its 16-story headquarters in Kendall Square, ushering in the latest phase of the neighborhood’s transformation from “Nowhere Square” to what its backers like to call “the most innovative square mile on the planet.” Nobel laureates Walter…
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STAT+: With Trump in the U.K., GSK touts $30 billion investment in U.S. over 5 years
STAT+: With Trump in the U.K., GSK touts $30 billion investment in U.S. over 5 years LONDON — The U.K.-based drugmaker GSK said early Wednesday that it planned to invest $30 billion in the U.S. over five years, an announcement timed to this week’s state visit here by President Trump. The company, which said the…
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STAT+: Surgeon general nominee Casey Means discloses financial ties to supplement industry
STAT+: Surgeon general nominee Casey Means discloses financial ties to supplement industry WASHINGTON — New financial disclosures from surgeon general nominee Casey Means show that she’s made hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting supplements and other health and wellness products, details likely to invite new scrutiny about potential conflicts of interest for the author and…
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STAT+: House GOP doesn’t include health insurance subsidies in stopgap government funding bill
STAT+: House GOP doesn’t include health insurance subsidies in stopgap government funding bill WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday introduced a bill to fund the government at current levels until Nov. 21. It would include extensions of several health programs, but not the enhanced tax credits that have significantly lowered premiums for Affordable Care Act…
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STAT+: Hill staff gets briefed on implications of Trump’s drug pricing plan
STAT+: Hill staff gets briefed on implications of Trump’s drug pricing plan WASHINGTON — Congress is again discussing the Trump administration’s plan to force drug companies to lower their U.S. prices, at least behind the scenes. Congressional staffers and health policy experts from major think tanks held a closed-door meeting to discuss policy options that…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA targeting Hims & Hers, AstraZeneca halting U.K. investment, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA targeting Hims & Hers, AstraZeneca halting U.K. investment, and more Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so-familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings, and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you do? The world,…
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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…
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STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link
STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday its intent to fund among the first Trump administration-solicited research on a debunked link between vaccines and autism. The contract — which supports research to “investigate the association between vaccination and autism prevalence”…
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STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market
STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market Consumers can now purchase Exact Sciences’ liquid biopsy early detection test, Cancerguard, and get an indication of whether they might have one of 50 different cancers included in the test’s analysis. The biotechnology company launched the test on Wednesday, and Tom…
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STAT+: Scientists who revolutionized cystic fibrosis treatment win prestigious Lasker Award
STAT+: Scientists who revolutionized cystic fibrosis treatment win prestigious Lasker Award Three scientists who revolutionized the treatment of cystic fibrosis and prolonged the lifespan of patients with the deadly disease have won the Lasker Award, one of the most prestigious awards in medicine. Vertex Pharmaceuticals researcher Paul Negulescu, former Vertex researcher Jesús (Tito) González, and…
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STAT+: FDA will convene an advisory committee to tackle AI mental health device regulation
STAT+: FDA will convene an advisory committee to tackle AI mental health device regulation The Food and Drug Administration will convene experts to discuss challenges around regulating mental health products that use artificial intelligence, as a growing number of companies release chatbots powered by large language models whose output can be unpredictable. The move suggests…
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STAT+: Harvard federal funding set to resume — at least for now
STAT+: Harvard federal funding set to resume — at least for now Federal agencies have begun to inform Harvard that it is in the process of restoring at least some of its previously canceled research funding. The notices come a week after a federal judge in Boston said the Trump administration illegally canceled nearly $3…
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STAT+: Merck halts U.K. research operations and bails on new facility in London
STAT+: Merck halts U.K. research operations and bails on new facility in London LONDON — In a blow to the U.K., Merck said Wednesday it was halting research operations in the country and bailing on a major London research center, in part to protest how the U.K. pays for medicines. The U.K. has been trying…
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STAT+: House appropriators snub Kennedy, include mRNA vaccine funding in spending bill
STAT+: House appropriators snub Kennedy, include mRNA vaccine funding in spending bill WASHINGTON — House appropriators have snubbed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by including an amendment in their 2026 spending bill that specifically funds continued messenger RNA vaccine research, despite his effort to roll it back. In August, Kennedy announced…
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STAT+: An API supplier in India wants you to know its metal detector is working just fine
STAT+: An API supplier in India wants you to know its metal detector is working just fine For those wondering about any metallic particles found in active pharmaceutical ingredients made by a supplier called Hikal, you can rest easy — the company says its metal detector is working again. Since 2020, nearly two dozen complaints…
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STAT+: Dozens of lawmakers urge HHS to abandon a pilot initiative for the controversial 340B program
STAT+: Dozens of lawmakers urge HHS to abandon a pilot initiative for the controversial 340B program More than 160 lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to abandon a newly announced pilot program that would allow pharmaceutical companies to offer rebates for a small number of therapies to hospitals that participate in a federal drug discount…
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STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel
STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are planning to add more members to a key panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of a meeting next week, a former government official with knowledge of the situation confirmed to STAT. The…
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STAT+: CMS delays rule requiring Medicare Advantage insurers to remind members of unused benefits
STAT+: CMS delays rule requiring Medicare Advantage insurers to remind members of unused benefits Medicare is delaying implementation of a Biden-era rule that would have made Medicare Advantage plans notify members about their unused supplemental benefits — services such as vision and dental. Even though taxpayers hand health insurers more than $80 billion each year…
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STAT+: Former top FDA digital leader lands at Mayo Clinic
STAT+: Former top FDA digital leader lands at Mayo Clinic Sonja Fulmer, who recently left her role as a top digital health official at the Food and Drug Administration, last week started a new position focused on health tech policy at the Mayo Clinic. She is the second top health regulator to land at the…
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STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump
STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive moves to change U.S. vaccine policy — adopted by leaders at other federal health agencies — may be putting him at odds with President Trump himself. Now Kennedy’s allies are rallying to support him, believing…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA and imported GLP-1 drugs, a race to develop sleep meds, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA and imported GLP-1 drugs, a race to develop sleep meds, and more Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings, and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you…
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STAT+: Summit Therapeutics hits possible snag on lung cancer drug seen as a blockbuster
STAT+: Summit Therapeutics hits possible snag on lung cancer drug seen as a blockbuster Summit Therapeutics may have a geography problem with its lung cancer drug ivonescimab. In a study update reported Sunday, patients from North America and Europe treated with the drug saw their lung cancer return and progress faster than patients from China…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s sister, nephew call for him to resign from HHS
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s sister, nephew call for him to resign from HHS Kerry Kennedy, sister of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has joined her nephew, former Massachusetts Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, calling on her brother to resign as President Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services. “Medical decisions belong in the hands of trained and…
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STAT+: Bipartisan bill to extend ACA tax credits offers hope for a deal
STAT+: Bipartisan bill to extend ACA tax credits offers hope for a deal WASHINGTON — Republicans in the House and Senate are showing interest in extending the extra subsidies that help make Affordable Care Act health insurance plans cheaper, and that are set to expire at the end of this year. This week, Reps. Jen…
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STAT+: Patient groups cheer as the WHO adds diabetes and cystic fibrosis drugs to its essential medicines list
STAT+: Patient groups cheer as the WHO adds diabetes and cystic fibrosis drugs to its essential medicines list For the first time, the World Health Organization has added various high-cost treatments for diabetes and cystic fibrosis to its list of essential medicines, a move that patient advocates hope will usher in a new era of…
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STAT+: Trump administration confirms plan for PEPFAR to distribute Gilead’s new HIV prevention drug
STAT+: Trump administration confirms plan for PEPFAR to distribute Gilead’s new HIV prevention drug After months of uncertainty, the Trump administration confirmed that it will work with Gilead Sciences and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to provide a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug to up to 2 million people in low- and…
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STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views
STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views WASHINGTON — For the first time since health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation in February, visible fractures emerged in Senate Republicans’ united front of support for him. At the heart of the conflict: His stance on vaccines, which some Republicans had determinedly…
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STAT+: After ousting CDC’s director, RFK Jr. mirrors her ideas to reform the agency
STAT+: After ousting CDC’s director, RFK Jr. mirrors her ideas to reform the agency WASHINGTON — In the days after health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed out the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he suggested sweeping changes were needed to reform the agency — and that the ouster was part…
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STAT+: Amneal Pharma is scolded by FDA for using contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug
STAT+: Amneal Pharma is scolded by FDA for using contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug In a startling failure of quality control, Amneal Pharmaceuticals relied on contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug even after identifying the risk and then lowered its standards so that the bags could continue to be used, according to…
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STAT+: Gilead wants state AIDS drug programs to pay significant price hikes for HIV meds
STAT+: Gilead wants state AIDS drug programs to pay significant price hikes for HIV meds Gilead Sciences, the largest maker of HIV medicines, is seeking to boost prices significantly for several treatments that are widely distributed by state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. And the move is adding to financial uncertainty for the programs on top…
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STAT+: House bill cuts HHS budget but excludes RFK Jr.’s reorganization, maintains NIH funding
STAT+: House bill cuts HHS budget but excludes RFK Jr.’s reorganization, maintains NIH funding WASHINGTON — House appropriators will mark up legislation on Tuesday that is a mixed bag for researchers. While the Republican bill rejects President Trump’s proposal to slash the National Institutes of Health budget, it proposes deep cuts to the Centers for…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s post on Covid data, a Merck cholesterol pill, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s post on Covid data, a Merck cholesterol pill, and more Good morning everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings, and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you do? The…
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STAT+: Cytokinetics drug yielded benefits over common therapy in patients with heart condition, study shows
STAT+: Cytokinetics drug yielded benefits over common therapy in patients with heart condition, study shows An experimental medicine from Cytokinetics improved exercise capacity more than a widely prescribed beta blocker in patients newly diagnosed with a common, inherited heart condition, study results reported Saturday showed. The Cytokinetics drug, called aficamten, is currently being reviewed by…
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STAT+: Alnylam’s hypertension treatment did not significantly lower blood pressure in mid-stage study
STAT+: Alnylam’s hypertension treatment did not significantly lower blood pressure in mid-stage study An investigational therapy from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals did not significantly lower blood pressure in a key Phase 2 trial, raising questions about the benefit of the twice-a-year treatment as it enters late-stage testing. Among high-risk patients already taking at least two common hypertension…
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STAT+: Trump administration restored funding for major diabetes study. The pause still set researchers back
STAT+: Trump administration restored funding for major diabetes study. The pause still set researchers back The Trump administration’s restoration of federal research funding to Columbia University has revived a landmark diabetes study that has tracked patients for nearly 30 years and vastly expanded understanding of the disease, its treatment, and its prevention. The study, which has been…
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STAT+: Abridge CEO downplays impact of Epic’s new AI on call with customers
STAT+: Abridge CEO downplays impact of Epic’s new AI on call with customers Artificial intelligence company Abridge held a meeting with hospital customers on Thursday to address “confusion” about how it may be impacted by new AI products coming to Epic Systems’ widely used electronic health record software. At its annual customer meeting last week,…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Lilly and a China tech giant, Cassidy and a CDC vaccine panel, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Lilly and a China tech giant, Cassidy and a CDC vaccine panel, and more And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up,…
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STAT+: Novo Nordisk links to telehealth providers for patients seeking Wegovy
STAT+: Novo Nordisk links to telehealth providers for patients seeking Wegovy Novo Nordisk has taken the next step in selling its drugs directly to patients by pointing them to telehealth providers that can write prescriptions for its popular obesity medication Wegovy. The company now links to select virtual providers on the NovoCare direct-to-patient pharmacy website…
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STAT+: New report details the state of the biotech industry in Mass. The results are grim
STAT+: New report details the state of the biotech industry in Mass. The results are grim The industry group MassBio has released its annual temperature check on the biotech industry in Massachusetts, and the results are grim. Both public and private funding have plummeted as federal policy changes have thrown the biotech sector into an…
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STAT+: Akeso says its closely watched drug improved patient survival in a lung cancer trial
STAT+: Akeso says its closely watched drug improved patient survival in a lung cancer trial Akeso, a Chinese biotech with a drug positioned to rival Merck’s megablockbuster Keytruda, has reported for the first time that the therapy can improve patient survival. The therapy, ivonescimab, showed a statistically significant survival benefit as a second-line treatment when…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about an AbbVie deal for a psychedelic, Lilly obesity pill trial results, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about an AbbVie deal for a psychedelic, Lilly obesity pill trial results, and more Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. Clear blue skies and pleasant breezes are wafting across the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are foraging for their breakfast and rousing the neighbors.…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA reporting side effects, pharma plants near disaster zones, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about FDA reporting side effects, pharma plants near disaster zones, and more Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was relaxing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, online meetings, and phone calls has predictably returned. But what can you do? The…