Category: STAT+
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STAT+: Dr. Oz tries to seal the deal on Trump’s tax-cut bill
STAT+: Dr. Oz tries to seal the deal on Trump’s tax-cut bill WASHINGTON — As GOP leadership pushes to pass President Trump’s tax megabill this week, one administration official has been working hard behind the scenes to close the deal: Mehmet Oz, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid. House Republicans, including those on the fence about…
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STAT+: What’s on your 2025 health AI bingo card?
STAT+: What’s on your 2025 health AI bingo card? You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s AI Prognosis newsletter, our subscriber-exclusive guide to artificial intelligence in health care and medicine. Sign up to get it delivered in your inbox every Wednesday. I had a lot of fun putting together this week’s edition. There’s a lot to chew…
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STAT+: Centene’s stock plummets as health insurance giant scraps 2025 financial outlook
STAT+: Centene’s stock plummets as health insurance giant scraps 2025 financial outlook Centene has withdrawn its financial guidance for the rest of the year after receiving data that showed its health insurance members in Affordable Care Act plans are getting a lot more care than the company had anticipated. The company is also seeing a…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Novo’s Wegovy launch gaffes, a former Pfizer exec’s subpoena, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Novo’s Wegovy launch gaffes, a former Pfizer exec’s subpoena, and more Top of the morning to you. And a steamy one, it is. In fact, there is more steam rising from the grounds of the Pharmalot campus than from our ritual cup of stimulation; our choice today is marshmallow magic,…
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STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty
STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will renew funding to states for cancer prevention and tracking efforts, alleviating anxieties among local officials about the future of their work. Over 50 notices had gone out as of Monday, an HHS spokesperson…
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STAT+: Sage Therapeutics cuts most of its workforce following acquisition
STAT+: Sage Therapeutics cuts most of its workforce following acquisition Sage Therapeutics is laying off most of its employees after announcing its planned acquisition earlier this month. The Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech firm will cut 338 jobs effective Aug. 22, according to state filings. In February, the company reported employing 353 full-time staff, including 122 working in research…
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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…
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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…
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STAT+: Senator launches investigation into GSK’s asthma inhaler maneuvers
STAT+: Senator launches investigation into GSK’s asthma inhaler maneuvers Amid ongoing controversy, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) is investigating GSK for replacing a popular asthma inhaler with a so-called authorized generic at a much higher price in order to avoid paying Medicaid rebates. In a letter sent to the company, the lawmaker maintained that the…
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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…
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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+: 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…
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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…
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STAT+: NIH halts grant terminations ‘effective immediately,’ email says
STAT+: NIH halts grant terminations ‘effective immediately,’ email says Days after a federal judge ordered the restoration of more than 1,000 biomedical research grants, the National Institutes of Health is halting further terminations of grants, an internal email shows. Since President Trump’s inauguration in January, the nation’s largest biomedical research funder has terminated an unprecedented…
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STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing
STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing WASHINGTON — There seemed to be one question on the minds of many senators grilling Susan Monarez, President Trump’s pick to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a hearing on Wednesday: If confirmed, would she…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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STAT+: Device that uses biodegradable polymers to repair peripheral nerves gets FDA clearance
STAT+: Device that uses biodegradable polymers to repair peripheral nerves gets FDA clearance A sutureless device for peripheral nerve repair could be available on the market in the coming months. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a polymer-based device developed by medical technology company Tissium. The authorization, announced Tuesday, will give physicians a new…
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STAT+: GLP-1 drug helped type 1 diabetes patients keep healthy glucose levels and lose weight
STAT+: GLP-1 drug helped type 1 diabetes patients keep healthy glucose levels and lose weight Obesity drugs were first approved to treat type 2 diabetes, but there’s a growing movement to test them in type 1 diabetes, too. Research presented Monday at a large diabetes meeting showed some promise for this approach. Patients who took…
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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…
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STAT+: Amgen’s obesity drug led to high discontinuation rates in mid-stage trial, as company plans to adjust dosing
STAT+: Amgen’s obesity drug led to high discontinuation rates in mid-stage trial, as company plans to adjust dosing CHICAGO — Amgen’s monthly obesity candidate led to substantial weight loss but a high rate of side effects and discontinuations in a mid-stage trial, results that support the company’s decision to use a slower dosing schedule to…
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STAT+: Novo Nordisk’s amylin obesity drug keeps performing like Zepbound
STAT+: Novo Nordisk’s amylin obesity drug keeps performing like Zepbound CHICAGO — Late-stage results of Novo Nordisk’s obesity candidate CagriSema suggest the drug is comparable to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound on safety and efficacy, further data indicating that CagriSema may not be the standout treatment that investors had hoped for. Novo previously reported that patients on…
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STAT+: Full data on Novo Nordisk’s new amylin drug raise dosing questions
STAT+: Full data on Novo Nordisk’s new amylin drug raise dosing questions CHICAGO — Novo Nordisk’s next-generation obesity injection targeting the amylin hormone showed substantial weight loss in an early study, but similar efficacy across different doses and high rates of side effects raise questions about which dose Novo will pursue going forward. In the…
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STAT+: Off-the-shelf stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes continues to show positive results
STAT+: Off-the-shelf stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes continues to show positive results Twelve people with type 1 diabetes who received an investigational off-the-shelf stem cell therapy were able to produce their own insulin and keep healthy blood glucose levels for at least one year, Vertex Pharmaceuticals said Friday. After three months, none of…
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STAT+: GLP-1 reduced migraine frequency by nearly half, in a pilot study
STAT+: GLP-1 reduced migraine frequency by nearly half, in a pilot study GLP-1 drugs could treat more than just diabetes and obesity. They may also reduce migraine frequency. That is according to the findings of a study presented on Friday at the European Academy of Neurology congress. The pilot study found that GLP-1 agonists reduced…
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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…
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STAT+: Senate Republicans debate Medicaid options as hospitals move to shape legislation
STAT+: Senate Republicans debate Medicaid options as hospitals move to shape legislation WASHINGTON — The Senate returns next week with critical choices on Medicaid policies that could cost hospitals billions of dollars and lead to millions losing coverage. Hospitals are scrambling to control the damage. Last month, the House passed its version of the One Big…
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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…
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STAT+: Cogent Biosciences-Blueprint Medicines tiff turns spicy on eve of immune drug study readout
STAT+: Cogent Biosciences-Blueprint Medicines tiff turns spicy on eve of immune drug study readout This story is an excerpt from Adam’s Biotech Scorecard, a subscriber-only newsletter. STAT+ subscribers can sign up here to get it delivered to their inbox. Cogent Biosciences and Blueprint Medicines are direct competitors who hate each other. During a talk at the recent…
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STAT+: What’s next for Sarepta Therapeutics with gene therapy under fire?
STAT+: What’s next for Sarepta Therapeutics with gene therapy under fire? This story is an excerpt from Adam’s Biotech Scorecard, a subscriber-only newsletter. STAT+ subscribers can sign up here to get it delivered to their inbox. The Duchenne muscular dystrophy community is reeling following the second death of a patient from liver failure caused by Sarepta Therapeutics’…
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STAT+: Brain implant captures speech tone, pitch through analyzing activity
STAT+: Brain implant captures speech tone, pitch through analyzing activity Reliable communication for people with paralysis is nearing reality. Researchers have now demonstrated that a brain-computer interface can reliably translate thoughts into speech, including matching a person’s intended tone and pitch. It is the second study in as many months to validate the concept’s safety…
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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…
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STAT+: What David Baker’s AI biotech unicorn Xaira has been up to
STAT+: What David Baker’s AI biotech unicorn Xaira has been up to You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s AI Prognosis newsletter, our subscriber-exclusive guide to artificial intelligence in health care and medicine. Sign up to get it delivered in your inbox every Wednesday. We’re almost at the 20th issue of AI Prognosis; can you believe it?…
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STAT+: More universities open to private equity deals, and emerging companies turn to new targets
STAT+: More universities open to private equity deals, and emerging companies turn to new targets This is the online version of our BIO 2025 newsletter. Get more BIO updates directly to your inbox by signing up here, and sign up for our morning biotech news roundup newsletter here. Hello all, I have a fresh double…
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STAT+: Top gene therapy regulator forced out at FDA
STAT+: Top gene therapy regulator forced out at FDA Nicole Verdun, director of the office that reviews cell and gene therapies at the Food and Drug Administration, and her deputy Rachael Anatol have been placed on administrative leave and escorted out of the agency, according to a recording of a meeting obtained by STAT. Verdun…
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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…
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STAT+: Republicans lean in to new Medicaid cuts
STAT+: Republicans lean in to new Medicaid cuts You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s a short, busy week on Capitol Hill. I hope you have Juneteenth off, but I…
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STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’
STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’ In their first all-staff meeting since the start of the Trump administration, the interim leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attempted to sidestep controversy and rally troops at the storied but demoralized agency on Tuesday. Staff were told CDC…
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STAT+: George W. Bush drops by BIO, and so does the FDA commissioner
STAT+: George W. Bush drops by BIO, and so does the FDA commissioner This is the online version of our BIO 2025 newsletter. Get more BIO updates directly to your inbox by signing up here, and sign up for our morning biotech news roundup newsletter here. Happy Tuesday, folks! I have an exciting update for you: Friend…
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STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding
STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding WASHINGTON — To help pay for President Trump’s tax cuts, the Senate is clamping down on tactics that states use to boost federal Medicaid funding, according to legislation released by the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. The text includes harsher restrictions on…
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STAT+: What we’re hearing on Chinese NewCos, AI, and BIO’s executive ranks
STAT+: What we’re hearing on Chinese NewCos, AI, and BIO’s executive ranks This is the online version of our BIO 2025 newsletter. Get more BIO updates directly to your inbox by signing up here, and sign up for our morning biotech news roundup newsletter here. Hello everyone! Allison DeAngelis here, coming to you from Boston’s…
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STAT+: Sarepta reports second patient death after treatment with Duchenne gene therapy
STAT+: Sarepta reports second patient death after treatment with Duchenne gene therapy Sarepta Therapeutics said Sunday that it was halting shipments of its Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy for patients who can no longer walk, following the death of a second person who received the treatment. Sarepta disclosed the first patient death — a 16-year-old…
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STAT+: Hospitals would be hit hardest by Medicaid cuts in GOP tax bill, report finds
STAT+: Hospitals would be hit hardest by Medicaid cuts in GOP tax bill, report finds WASHINGTON — Hospitals would bear the brunt of federal health care funding cuts in the Republicans’ tax bill, and they’d be hurt hard in states with both predominantly Democratic- and Republican-led governments, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute…
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STAT+: Anne Wojcicki wins back 23andMe, this time as a nonprofit
STAT+: Anne Wojcicki wins back 23andMe, this time as a nonprofit A nonprofit led by Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and long-time CEO of genetic data firm 23andMe, won a last-minute bidding war to buy most of the company’s assets for a price of $305 million, the company said in a press release. The news, reported…
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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+: RFK Jr.’s new vaccine panel raises questions of how Kennedy defines conflicts of interest
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s new vaccine panel raises questions of how Kennedy defines conflicts of interest WASHINGTON — When health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the 17 members of the key panel that advises the federal government on vaccine recommendations, he claimed that their ties to the pharmaceutical industry had damaged public trust. However, new members…
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STAT+: HHS plans ‘bold, edgy’ campaign on ultra-processed foods and diabetes
STAT+: HHS plans ‘bold, edgy’ campaign on ultra-processed foods and diabetes The links between ultra-processed food and higher risk of diabetes will be the focus of the first wave of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s national “Take Back Your Health” campaign, according to a notice posted on a government site for contractors. The notice…
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STAT+: Trump administration demands pharma companies begin drug price negotiations, a day after key deadline
STAT+: Trump administration demands pharma companies begin drug price negotiations, a day after key deadline WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pushing pharmaceutical companies to begin negotiations to bring their drug prices in line with what other countries pay — usually far less than Americans. “Under President Trump’s direction, HHS is demanding that pharmaceutical companies…
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STAT+: 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…
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STAT+: Braced for details on Trump’s ‘most favored nation’ policy, pharma industry is still waiting
STAT+: Braced for details on Trump’s ‘most favored nation’ policy, pharma industry is still waiting WASHINGTON — Executives at pharmaceutical companies have been bracing for more information from the Trump administration this week about how it planned to lower drug prices. That information has not yet arrived, despite the administration’s self-imposed deadline to disclose by…
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STAT+: Coalition for Health AI is building the plane as it’s flying it
STAT+: Coalition for Health AI is building the plane as it’s flying it You’re reading the web edition of STAT’s AI Prognosis newsletter, our subscriber-exclusive guide to artificial intelligence in health care and medicine. Sign up to get it delivered in your inbox every Wednesday. I recently saw an inspirational Instagram post that said, “Been so worried…
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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…
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STAT+: Senators push back on Trump’s proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut
STAT+: Senators push back on Trump’s proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya faced sharp questions on Tuesday from Republican and Democratic members of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee about the agency’s 2026 budget, with lawmakers struggling to reconcile his stated commitment to biomedical research with recent grant terminations, funding…
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STAT+: 23andMe leaders grilled on genetic data risks by federal lawmakers
STAT+: 23andMe leaders grilled on genetic data risks by federal lawmakers Since 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March, 1.9 million of its 15 million DNA testing customers have asked the company to delete their data, interim CEO Joe Selsavage told federal lawmakers on Tuesday. The future of the company’s genetic hoard is uncertain as 23andMe…
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STAT+: GOP senators zero in on Medicaid policy in Trump’s tax bill that has little impact on enrollment
STAT+: GOP senators zero in on Medicaid policy in Trump’s tax bill that has little impact on enrollment WASHINGTON — A handful of Republican senators want to dial back federal funding cuts to Medicaid in President Trump’s tax cut package, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. But the changes that most of them are…
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STAT+: National Resilience, startup hoping to reinvent drug manufacturing, to ‘wind down’ many of its facilities
STAT+: National Resilience, startup hoping to reinvent drug manufacturing, to ‘wind down’ many of its facilities National Resilience, a startup that has raised over $2 billion by promising to transform drug manufacturing, said Monday that it would “wind down” many of its facilities. But what remains of the firm has raised an additional $250 million…
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STAT+: With U.S. vaccine policy in flux, four members of CDC advisory panel receive termination notices
STAT+: With U.S. vaccine policy in flux, four members of CDC advisory panel receive termination notices Four members of the 19-person expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccination policy have been informed that their status as special government employees has been terminated — a development that throws into question…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s chronic disease agency would eliminate or reduce funding for some prevention programs
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s chronic disease agency would eliminate or reduce funding for some prevention programs Budget documents released by the Trump administration Friday provide the first clear indication of the priorities of a proposed new agency focused on preventing chronic disease. The Administration for a Healthy America would absorb multiple federal agencies and existing programs,…
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STAT+: NIH details how Trump budget would cut support for grants, training, and research centers
STAT+: NIH details how Trump budget would cut support for grants, training, and research centers WASHINGTON — President Trump’s 2026 budget proposes slashing the National Institutes of Health’s central function, supporting research by awarding grants to universities, academic medical centers, and other institutions, by 43% compared to 2025 levels. New documents released by the agency…
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STAT+: 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 reassures rare disease advocates that ‘being flexible’ is plan for gene therapy
STAT+: FDA reassures rare disease advocates that ‘being flexible’ is plan for gene therapy What will the Trump administration mean for gene therapy? Researchers, advocates, and executives got a glimpse of the answer Thursday, as the Food and Drug Administration convened a “Cell and Gene Therapy Roundtable.” It was an unusual event. Multiple panelists told…
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Opinion: STAT+: RFK Jr. acknowledges receiving unproven stem cell treatment from an Antigua clinic
Opinion: STAT+: RFK Jr. acknowledges receiving unproven stem cell treatment from an Antigua clinic Welcome to Lab Dish, a First Opinion column on regenerative medicine from Paul Knoepfler. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently revealed on a health influencer podcast that he received unproven stem cells at a clinic in Antigua…
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STAT+: Taurine, a darling of longevity seekers, is found to be unreliable biomarker for aging
STAT+: Taurine, a darling of longevity seekers, is found to be unreliable biomarker for aging Vijay Yadav warned people not to start downing taurine — an amino acid abundant in plants, animals and some energy drinks — just because his mice and monkey study suggested it might be an elixir for long life. But that…
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STAT+: Lawmakers lobby doctors to keep quiet — or speak up — on Medicaid cuts in Trump’s tax bill
STAT+: Lawmakers lobby doctors to keep quiet — or speak up — on Medicaid cuts in Trump’s tax bill WASHINGTON — With millions of people at risk of losing health insurance under President Trump’s tax bill, lawmakers have begun lobbying the lobbyists: asking health care interests to keep quiet — or speak up — about…
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STAT+: Merck gets lift from U.S. patent office in battle over injectable form of Keytruda
STAT+: Merck gets lift from U.S. patent office in battle over injectable form of Keytruda In a boost for Merck, a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel agreed to reconsider a patent granted to another company that could affect plans to broaden use of its franchise product, the Keytruda cancer treatment. The dispute with Halozyme…
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STAT+: Internal document shows how UnitedHealth executives prepared to tamp down investor unrest
STAT+: Internal document shows how UnitedHealth executives prepared to tamp down investor unrest An internal document drafted in advance of UnitedHealth Group’s shareholder meeting this week reveals how the company’s leadership — facing an extraordinary series of financial and legal challenges — sought to downplay complaints about its business practices and assure jittery investors that…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a FDA AI tool, mRNA as a political reject, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a FDA AI tool, mRNA as a political reject, 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. This means…
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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…
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STAT+: AstraZeneca’s CEO balances cancer-fighting opportunities with political uncertainty
STAT+: AstraZeneca’s CEO balances cancer-fighting opportunities with political uncertainty CHICAGO — Each year, 40,000 cancer researchers, doctors, and industry executives gather here for the biggest meeting in oncology. And for seven years, it has been almost assumed that the medicines generating the most buzz will come from AstraZeneca. Perhaps that’s why, in a wood-paneled conference…
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STAT+: New HHS document details deep NIH cuts as part of Trump budget request
STAT+: New HHS document details deep NIH cuts as part of Trump budget request The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday released a summary of President Trump’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year that provides the most detailed look yet at how his administration hopes to reshape the National Institutes of Health…
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STAT+: Combination treatment reduces risk of tumor progression in aggressive form of breast cancer, study shows
STAT+: Combination treatment reduces risk of tumor progression in aggressive form of breast cancer, study shows CHICAGO — A treatment that combines two different types of cancer-fighting medicines — Gilead Sciences’ Trodelvy with Merck’s Keytruda — reduced the risk of tumor progression by more than one-third in women with an aggressive form of breast cancer. …
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STAT+: As Trump proposes NIH cuts, a top Merck executive sees fragility in a ‘super-highway for biomedicine’
STAT+: As Trump proposes NIH cuts, a top Merck executive sees fragility in a ‘super-highway for biomedicine’ CHICAGO — Amid ongoing uncertainty around funding for the National Institutes of Health, and what it could mean for U.S. innovation, a top Merck executive stressed that the agency is “an incredible super-highway for biomedicine,” and that it’s “a…
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STAT+: ASCO day 2: A tragic paradox, Gilead updates, and lots of Pfizer news
STAT+: ASCO day 2: A tragic paradox, Gilead updates, and lots of Pfizer news This is the web version of STAT’s special newsletter from the annual meeting of the American Society of Oncology. For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. ASCO is usually sweltering, but it’s…
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Opinion: STAT+: The World Health Assembly’s giant leap on rare diseases
Opinion: STAT+: The World Health Assembly’s giant leap on rare diseases On May 24, the World Health Assembly, the governing body of the WHO, ratified landmark legislation that, if implemented fully, will change the future for people living with rare diseases. It calls for concrete action plans that will have far-reaching impacts across health care…
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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+: 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…
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STAT+: HHS cancels nearly $600 million Moderna contract on vaccines for flu pandemics
STAT+: HHS cancels nearly $600 million Moderna contract on vaccines for flu pandemics This story will be updated The Department of Health and Human Services has notified Moderna that it is canceling a nearly $600 million contract with the company to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including…
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STAT+: PillPack founders’ new health care marketplace has deep roots with Amazon
STAT+: PillPack founders’ new health care marketplace has deep roots with Amazon A new digital health care marketplace, launched last week, has a good amount of Amazon in its DNA. General Medicine, with $32 million in funding, came out of stealth with three former Amazon employees as co-founders and investors, a business model that could…
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STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs
STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Summer holiday weekends are a challenge. Do I seek a “relaxing” long weekend sitting in traffic…
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STAT+: 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,…
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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…
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STAT+: What Baby KJ means for the CRISPR gene editing industry
STAT+: What Baby KJ means for the CRISPR gene editing industry For the ailing gene editing industry, hope came earlier this month in the tiny, smiling, fuzzy-headed form of KJ Muldoon. At just 6 months old, KJ received a gene editing treatment custom-built to correct his unique mutation. He’s not cured, researchers explained at the…
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STAT+: Harvard is the most celebrated university in the world. Will Trump’s international student ban derail that standing?
STAT+: Harvard is the most celebrated university in the world. Will Trump’s international student ban derail that standing? Harvard University has long stood on top of the academic world. Thousands from all over seek a coveted spot every year at the Ivy League school with a reputation for cultivating future leaders, from Nobel Prize recipients to…
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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+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’
STAT+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’ The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is headed for a major reorganization as it tries to reduce its overhead amid big losses in funding from the federal government. Facing a shortfall of roughly $40 million in terminated contracts,…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug-pricing claims, FDA’s Covid vaccine directive, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Trump’s drug-pricing claims, FDA’s Covid vaccine directive, 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 expect to manicure…
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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…
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STAT+: Merus drug, with immunotherapy, shows preliminary survival boost for patients with head and neck cancer
STAT+: Merus drug, with immunotherapy, shows preliminary survival boost for patients with head and neck cancer Merus said Thursday that a combination of its experimental drug petosemtamab with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda has kept 79% of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic head and cancer alive for at least one year, according to a new analysis…
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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…
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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…
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STAT+: ASCO and Google create ‘walled garden’ AI tool for doctors to query group’s guidelines
STAT+: ASCO and Google create ‘walled garden’ AI tool for doctors to query group’s guidelines The American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest professional organization in cancer care, announced Wednesday that it had partnered with Google Cloud to develop an AI-based tool to help physicians rapidly question the organization’s guidelines on best practices in diagnosing…
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STAT+: RFK Jr. meets with health tech startups, most backed by Andreessen Horowitz
STAT+: RFK Jr. meets with health tech startups, most backed by Andreessen Horowitz Of the seven health tech companies that met with the government’s most powerful health official on Monday, all but one had something in common: Financial backing from one of Silicon Valley’s top venture capital firms. In a post on the social media…
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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…
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STAT+: GOP works through unresolved issues on Medicaid work requirements
STAT+: GOP works through unresolved issues on Medicaid work requirements WASHINGTON — Over the weekend, House Republicans discussed squeezing additional savings from Medicaid to pay for President Trump’s tax cuts. Medicaid policy remains one of the main unresolved areas of House Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill. On late Sunday night, Republicans on the House Budget Committee…