Tag: statnews
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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+: Researchers push back on ‘sloppy’ botched citation in MAHA report
STAT+: Researchers push back on ‘sloppy’ botched citation in MAHA report Good morning and happy Friday! It’s Lev Facher, STAT’s addiction reporter. Let’s get to today’s news. Why MAHA wants you drinking whole milk Sarah Todd, my STAT colleague and fellow Brooklynite, noticed during a recent coffee run that the usual panoply of milk options…
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STAT+: FDA’s gene therapy turmoil unpacked
STAT+: FDA’s gene therapy turmoil unpacked Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Hello from the Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver! A fascinating ideological clash underway here, if I do say so myself — counterculture meets corporate science. Today, we talk…
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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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FDA’s gene therapy turmoil, and an alternative model for funding research
FDA’s gene therapy turmoil, and an alternative model for funding research Why did the Food and Drug Administration suddenly oust one of its top gene therapy regulators? Is the agency growing too political? And should private firms fund academic research? We chat about all that and more on this on this week’s episode of “The…
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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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Opinion: Following second patient death, Duchenne muscular dystrophy families deserve answers about Elevidys
Opinion: Following second patient death, Duchenne muscular dystrophy families deserve answers about Elevidys On Sunday at 1 a.m. Eastern time, an announcement went out from the first-generation gene therapy company for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A second patient who had been treated with Elevidys has died. This second family said yes to hope, yes to science,…
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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+: 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+: 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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Opinion: Bill Gates: I lost my father to Alzheimer’s. But I’m more optimistic than ever about fighting the disease
Opinion: Bill Gates: I lost my father to Alzheimer’s. But I’m more optimistic than ever about fighting the disease Father’s Day without my dad never gets easier. Although he is on my mind every day, I always find myself thinking about him even more often this time of year. My dad was a giant in…
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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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Medicaid cuts could result in more than 16,000 preventable deaths annually
Medicaid cuts could result in more than 16,000 preventable deaths annually Key health care provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, especially the proposed Medicaid cuts and Affordable Care Act marketplace reforms, would lead to 16,642 preventable deaths every year if implemented, according to a new analysis published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine. …
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Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’
Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’ NEW YORK — All 17 experts recently dismissed from a government vaccine advisory panel published an essay Monday decrying “destabilizing decisions” made by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that could lead to more preventable disease spread. Kennedy last week announced he would “retire” the entire panel that…
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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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CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired
CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired The staff of two world-class laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were slated to be closed in a round of cuts announced in April have been informed that their terminations have been canceled. The CDC’s sexually transmitted disease laboratory and its…
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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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Opinion: STAT readers on animal models, sexual assault kits, and more
Opinion: STAT readers on animal models, sexual assault kits, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
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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+: HHS tries pushing pharma to the negotiating table
STAT+: HHS tries pushing pharma to the negotiating table Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Good morning. Today, we’re hearing more about President Trump’s “most-favored nation” plan for drug pricing, Recursion’s case for why the company laid off 20% of…
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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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The upheaval of CDC’s vaccine panel, and drug pricing confusion
The upheaval of CDC’s vaccine panel, and drug pricing confusion Why did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly fire all members of the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines? Who are the new members that Kennedy named? And what does that all mean for the future of public health?…
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Opinion: I study conflicts of interest. Here’s why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire
Opinion: I study conflicts of interest. Here’s why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire If Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to “clean up the corruption and conflicts” at HHS, he is going about it the wrong way. I study conflicts of interest at federal agencies. While…
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Systematic reviews cited retracted articles, new study finds
Systematic reviews cited retracted articles, new study finds Systematic reviews, which involve pooling data from multiple studies and analyzing them together, are increasingly popular as a way to produce more authoritative conclusions than can be derived from the individual smaller papers. In recent weeks, systematic reviews have been used to justify policy around gender affirming…
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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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RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel
RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday unveiled the names of the eight new members who will sit on the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, and said they would review the current…
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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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HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings
HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has reversed the firings of hundreds of staffers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including those who work in divisions that handle cruise ship safety, sexually transmitted infection prevention, and global health. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services,…
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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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Firing of CDC’s vaccine advisers puts spotlight on RFK Jr.’s promises to Cassidy
Firing of CDC’s vaccine advisers puts spotlight on RFK Jr.’s promises to Cassidy WASHINGTON — On Monday, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gutted the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines. That’s put the spotlight on a key Senate Republican health leader who sharply criticized Kennedy’s views…
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Exclusive: Coalition for Health AI will help The Joint Commission write responsible AI ‘playbooks’
Exclusive: Coalition for Health AI will help The Joint Commission write responsible AI ‘playbooks’ The Joint Commission is forming a partnership with the Coalition for Health AI to develop responsible AI “playbooks,” tools, and a new certification program for health AI, STAT has learned. The partnership brings together the expertise of the health AI trade…
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Merck’s RSV antibody treatment for infants is approved by FDA
Merck’s RSV antibody treatment for infants is approved by FDA A third monoclonal antibody product to protect babies against respiratory syncytial virus was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Monday, a development public health experts hope may eventually help to bring down the price of this effective but costly way of reducing the…
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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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NIH walks back ban on new grants for universities with DEI programs or Israel boycotts
NIH walks back ban on new grants for universities with DEI programs or Israel boycotts The National Institutes of Health has, for now, walked back a policy requiring universities and other research institutes to certify that they do not have unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or boycotts of Israel in order to receive research…
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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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Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel
Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken the extraordinary step of firing the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on immunizations, saying the action is needed to restore faith in vaccines. “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public…
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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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STAT+: As Omada goes public, executives reflect on why profits are elusive in digital health
STAT+: As Omada goes public, executives reflect on why profits are elusive in digital health Fourteen years after launching to help make a dent in the United States’ swelling chronic disease problem, Omada Health went public on Friday, raising $150 million at just over a $1 billion valuation. Before going public, Omada raised $450 million…
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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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GLP-1 drugs may be linked to elevated risk of serious eye disease, study finds
GLP-1 drugs may be linked to elevated risk of serious eye disease, study finds People with diabetes who were taking GLP-1 drugs had a low but elevated risk of an age-related eye disease that can sometimes lead to blindness, a new observational study concludes, adding to a short list of concerns about eye health in…
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Massive NIH study challenges use of race as a proxy for genetic ancestry in research
Massive NIH study challenges use of race as a proxy for genetic ancestry in research A large government study published Thursday shows more definitively than ever before that Americans’ self-reported race is a poor proxy for their genetic ancestry. Researchers said the findings have major implications for the way health disparities are studied, and how…
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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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An AI experiment at the FDA & Novo trailing in the obesity drug race
An AI experiment at the FDA & Novo trailing in the obesity drug race On this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD”: The Food and Drug Administration’s AI adventure, a deep look inside Novo Nordisk’s obesity stumble, and finally, another big M&A deal in biotech. The FDA has rolled out an internal AI tool called…
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After groundbreaking CRISPR therapy, a homecoming
After groundbreaking CRISPR therapy, a homecoming Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Hello! Baby KJ is back home! Also, we discuss the questionable efficacy of ctDNA blood tests, see what Vinay Prasad has to say at NORD, and more. Read…
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10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects
10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects WASHINGTON — House Republicans’ tax bill would lead to nearly 11 million people losing health insurance, providing a key source of savings to help finance President Trump’s tax cuts, according to projections that nonpartisan congressional scorekeepers published Wednesday. Another 5.1 million…
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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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How incarceration affects mortality — for people both inside and out
How incarceration affects mortality — for people both inside and out Get your daily dose of health and medicine every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. Good morning. If you’re based in New York, consider spending tomorrow evening at a free happy hour, on STAT. Read the rest… Theresa Gaffney Go to…
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Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions
Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would revoke guidance to the nation’s hospitals that directed them to provide emergency abortions for women when they are necessary to stabilize their medical condition. That guidance was issued to hospitals in 2022, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court…
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STAT+: 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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Anti-LGBTQ+ incidents related to health care have increased
Anti-LGBTQ+ incidents related to health care have increased Get your daily dose of health and medicine every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. Good morning! It’s June 3 — a significant day in the fictional “Gilmore Girls” town of Stars Hollow, and just another day of June/late spring/Pride for those of us…
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Pluvicto pushes earlier in prostate cancer play
Pluvicto pushes earlier in prostate cancer play Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Morning! Today, STAT’s Matthew Herper chats with J&J’s R&D chief, we see the radiopharmaceutical Pluvicto being considered earlier for prostate cancer, and more. Read the rest… Meghana…
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Opinion: RFK Jr.’s stance on Covid vaccines for pregnant women is profoundly unethical
Opinion: RFK Jr.’s stance on Covid vaccines for pregnant women is profoundly unethical Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy’s proposal to end the government’s existing Covid vaccine recommendation for healthy pregnant women, if enacted, will be a major setback to decades’ worth of efforts to advance the health of pregnant people and their babies.…
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Ingredient up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar lurks in vapes popular with teens, study shows
Ingredient up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar lurks in vapes popular with teens, study shows Ice cream, lip gloss, and sparkling water are just a few of the products that can contain neotame — an artificial sweetener that’s 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Now researchers have found it’s also in many flavored disposable e-cigarettes,…
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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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Opinion: MAHA kids’ health report misinforms about tonsillectomies and ear tubes
Opinion: MAHA kids’ health report misinforms about tonsillectomies and ear tubes The Make America Healthy Again commission’s recent report on children’s health has received a lot of attention for its citation errors and focus on ultra-processed foods, smartphones, and stimulant use. But the less-discussed part on “overmedicalization” of American children stood out to us. While…
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STAT+: On ASCO Day 4, J&J bets on Rybrevant and airs ‘innovation ecosystem’ concerns
STAT+: On ASCO Day 4, J&J bets on Rybrevant and airs ‘innovation ecosystem’ concerns 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 ends tomorrow, but alas, dear readers,…
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STAT+: At ASCO Day 3, AstraZeneca dominates, Takeda reveals experimental drug data, Eli Lilly serves salad
STAT+: At ASCO Day 3, AstraZeneca dominates, Takeda reveals experimental drug data, Eli Lilly serves salad 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. We’re going to get to…
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Study finds exercise can keep colon cancer from recurring
Study finds exercise can keep colon cancer from recurring CHICAGO — An exercise program can reduce the risk that colorectal cancer will return after surgery and chemotherapy, according to a new study. The benefit from the study’s exercise program was about as large as what researchers might expect from a new drug, experts said, and…
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FDA commissioner evades questions on Covid shot, calls CDC panel a ‘kangaroo court’
FDA commissioner evades questions on Covid shot, calls CDC panel a ‘kangaroo court’ In an interview meant to clarify the federal government’s position on Covid-19 vaccines, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary had few answers. Instead, he urged Americans to consult with their doctors. In a Sunday appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,”…
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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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FDA approves a next-generation Covid vaccine from Moderna, with restrictions
FDA approves a next-generation Covid vaccine from Moderna, with restrictions The Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s new Covid-19 vaccine late Friday, though it placed restrictions on its use that the company’s existing Covid shot, Spikevax, does not currently face. The new vaccine, which will be marketed under the name mNexspike, will not immediately replace…
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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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At ASCO 2025, attendees see reason for hope, despite worries
At ASCO 2025, attendees see reason for hope, despite worries For more updates on the latest in cancer news, sign up for our Cancer Briefing newsletter here. The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology is now in session. As always, STAT has your appetite for cancer news covered. Reporters Matt Herper, Adam…
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Illumina’s PromoterAI unlocks rare disease clues in noncoding genome
Illumina’s PromoterAI unlocks rare disease clues in noncoding genome Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Good morning. Today, we discuss how one Brown contrarian and cancer researcher wants $50 billion for the NCI, we see a UniQure case study that…
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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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25 million cavities and $9.8 billion: Study estimates the costs of removing fluoride from water
25 million cavities and $9.8 billion: Study estimates the costs of removing fluoride from water Even before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took office as health secretary, he promised to take action on water fluoridation. He would provide “good information” to municipalities, which regulate the water supply, and “fluoride will disappear,” he said in November. In…
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Moderna’s vaccine hit, the MAHA report, and an ASCO preview
Moderna’s vaccine hit, the MAHA report, and an ASCO preview What does the MAHA Commission have planned for the drug industry? Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. targeting mRNA vaccines? And what are Adam and Elaine getting up to in Chicago? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,”…
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White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s MAHA report
White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s MAHA report WASHINGTON — The White House will fix errors in a much-anticipated federal government report spearheaded by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which decried America’s food supply, pesticides and prescription drugs. Kennedy’s wide-ranging “Make America Healthy Again” report, released last week, cited hundreds of…
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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…