Tag: statnews
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Dana-Farber to pay $15 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over manipulated data
Dana-Farber to pay $15 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over manipulated data Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the nation’s premier cancer research and treatment centers, is paying $15 million to settle a lawsuit claiming that some of its top researchers authored papers containing manipulated data. In its settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice,…
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STAT+: House juggles options for extending ACA subsidies
STAT+: House juggles options for extending ACA subsidies 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. Since the election, Cheryl Hines hasn’t spoken to Larry David, her on-screen husband of 24 years…
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STAT+: Two rare diseases added to newborn screening recommendations
STAT+: Two rare diseases added to newborn screening recommendations Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday added two deadly rare diseases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), to the list of conditions the government recommends states screen newborns for. The announcement came eight months after Health and Human Services, under Kennedy, disbanded the…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about obesity drug lawsuits, Ramaswamy’s latest startup, and much more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about obesity drug lawsuits, Ramaswamy’s latest startup, and much more Rise and shine, another busy day is on the way. We can tell because the official mascots got an early start chasing down cats, squirrels, and other creatures darting about the Pharmalot campus. And then there is the noisy parade of…
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STAT+: FDA initiates priority voucher for J&J’s ‘Tec-Dara’ combo
STAT+: FDA initiates priority voucher for J&J’s ‘Tec-Dara’ combo 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. Apparently the drunk raccoon I mentioned a few weeks ago is a repeat offender. Onto the biotech news today. Continue to STAT+ to read the…
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Free pass or failing grade for saturated fats? Review sets off scientific and political debate
Free pass or failing grade for saturated fats? Review sets off scientific and political debate Saturated fats are having a moment, one that has ensnared researchers in a political debate they never intended to enter. A new systematic review of 17 randomized clinical trials found that reducing intake of saturated fats reduced the chance of serious cardiovascular…
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Experts assess Trump’s declaration of fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction
Experts assess Trump’s declaration of fentanyl as weapon of mass destruction There is no doubt that, in the wrong circumstances, fentanyl can be an agent of mass destruction. In the last decade, the ultra-potent synthetic opioid has caused hundreds of thousands of Americans to die by overdose, shattering families, shortening life expectancy, and destabilizing the…
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STAT+: NIH specifies how grant reviewers should ensure alignment with Trump priorities
STAT+: NIH specifies how grant reviewers should ensure alignment with Trump priorities Signaling a move toward the next phase of change, leaders at the National Institutes of Health have sent new guidance to its staff on how to further move its $39 billion portfolio in alignment with the Trump administration’s priorities. The seven-page guidance, sent…
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STAT+: Sobi bets big on next-gen gout drug
STAT+: Sobi bets big on next-gen gout drug 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, we discuss the implications of a child’s tragic death after receiving a brain-focused gene therapy, hear Siddhartha Mukherjee opine on why the next frontier in…
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Opinion: Everything is changing in dementia diagnosis and treatment
Opinion: Everything is changing in dementia diagnosis and treatment Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Jason Karlawish, who writes STAT’s Neurotransmissions column. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode…
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Opinion: STAT readers respond to essays on miracles, vaccines, and more
Opinion: STAT readers respond to essays on miracles, vaccines, 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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FDA approves first new kind of drug to target gonorrhea in decades
FDA approves first new kind of drug to target gonorrhea in decades A new kind of oral antibiotic to treat gonorrhea has secured Food and Drug Administration approval, the second time in two days that a new drug for the common sexually transmitted infection has come through licensure. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium that causes gonorrhea,…
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STAT+: Trump order blocking state AI laws could slow health AI adoption, leave patients vulnerable
STAT+: Trump order blocking state AI laws could slow health AI adoption, leave patients vulnerable President Donald Trump’s new executive order to block state laws governing artificial intelligence could help the tech industry but hurt health systems looking to adopt AI safely, and leave patients without protection. This order, aimed at maintaining U.S. dominance in…
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STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings
STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us, and we’ll share it with others. That’s right. Send us your changes, and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is…
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STAT+: Medicare routes $16 billion to insurers to offset high drug costs
STAT+: Medicare routes $16 billion to insurers to offset high drug costs The federal government has sent a record $16 billion to health insurers that sell Medicare drug plans, a flashing red sign that prescription drug spending is blowing up far beyond what government officials and insurance experts had expected. The good news for Medicare…
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STAT+: As superbug fears grow, sales of antibiotics used in food-producing livestock rose dramatically last year
STAT+: As superbug fears grow, sales of antibiotics used in food-producing livestock rose dramatically last year Amid fears of superbugs, the sale of medically important antibiotics given to food-producing livestock rose by 16% overall in the U.S. in 2024 from the year before, an increase that prompted advocates to complain that not enough is being…
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The future of American science and a dispatch from ASH
The future of American science and a dispatch from ASH How did Terns Pharmaceuticals and its “hodgepodge” pipeline grab attention at the American Society of Hematology conference? Is Eli Lilly’s new drug making people lose too much weight? And what, exactly, is the Trump administration’s plan for reforming the National Institutes of Health? We discuss…
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STAT+: Acting head of beleaguered mental health agency to depart this week
STAT+: Acting head of beleaguered mental health agency to depart this week Art Kleinschmidt, the official serving as the de facto head of the federal agency overseeing mental health and addiction treatment, is leaving his post on Friday, according to an email reviewed by STAT. Kleinschmidt has led the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services…
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FDA approves first new gonorrhea drug in decades
FDA approves first new gonorrhea drug in decades The bacterium that causes gonorrhea has been steamrolling its way through all the antibiotics available to treat it, with a single drug, ceftriaxone, left struggling to quell infections. On Thursday, help arrived. Read the rest… Helen Branswell Go to statnews
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STAT+: Europe’s pharma policy shakeup moves forward toward enactment
STAT+: Europe’s pharma policy shakeup moves forward toward enactment LONDON — European policymakers on Thursday unveiled a compromise framework for the biggest shakeup to E.U. pharmaceutical policy in two decades, as they try to strike a balance between expanding faster access to drugs across the continent while encouraging drugmakers to invest. A key point of…
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STAT+: ACA premium spike looms as Senate votes fail, House bill faces long odds
STAT+: ACA premium spike looms as Senate votes fail, House bill faces long odds WASHINGTON — Senators on Thursday failed to pass legislation aimed at controlling health insurance costs for people with Affordable Care Act plans after dueling partisan bills were voted down mostly along party lines. Four Republicans voted for the Democratic bill, while…
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Myocarditis is a rare but real Covid vaccine side effect. A new study sheds light on what might cause it
Myocarditis is a rare but real Covid vaccine side effect. A new study sheds light on what might cause it While extensive studies have found Covid-19 vaccines to be safe, effective, and to have saved millions of lives during the pandemic, these shots come with a rare but real risk of inflamed heart muscle, or…
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STAT+: Major health insurers to skip J.P. Morgan conference, again
STAT+: Major health insurers to skip J.P. Morgan conference, again For a second straight year, the nation’s largest health insurance companies will not be formally presenting at January’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the industry’s premier investor event. Centene, Cigna, CVS Health, Humana, Molina Healthcare, and Oscar Health are not on the initial agenda for the…
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Botulism outbreak sickens more than 50 babies and expands to all ByHeart products
Botulism outbreak sickens more than 50 babies and expands to all ByHeart products Federal health officials on Wednesday expanded an outbreak of infant botulism tied to recalled ByHeart baby formula to include all illnesses reported since the company began production in March 2022. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said investigators “cannot rule out the possibility that…
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STAT+: Top HHS official evades discussing Trump plan to block state AI laws
STAT+: Top HHS official evades discussing Trump plan to block state AI laws WASHINGTON — During wide-ranging comments on technology Wednesday, deputy health secretary Jim O’Neill demurred when asked about a controversial proposal to prevent states from enforcing local artificial intelligence laws. “I’ll evade, if that’s alright,” said O’Neill. President Trump on Monday indicated in…
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STAT+: In a first, a nonprofit wins FDA approval for rare disease gene therapy
STAT+: In a first, a nonprofit wins FDA approval for rare disease gene therapy The Food and Drug Administration this week granted approval to a new gene therapy for a rare immune disorder, the maker of which is notably not a drug company, but an Italian charity. The authorization of Waskyra on Tuesday for Wiskott-Aldrich…
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STAT+: Solicitor general urges Supreme Court to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access
STAT+: Solicitor general urges Supreme Court to review ‘skinny labeling’ and generic drug access In a closely watched case, the U.S. solicitor general has urged the Supreme Court to review a controversy over so-called skinny labels for medicines, arguing that an appeals court finding threatens the availability of lower-cost generic drugs. Skinny labeling refers to…
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STAT+: J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma
STAT+: J&J’s two-drug combo blocked tumors in advanced multiple myeloma This is the web version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. And on the last day of ASH, the sun shone once again. Thanks for joining us on this hematology-oncology journey. We hope you’ve enjoyed our coverage.…
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STAT+: Biosecure Act advances, but extra ACA subsidies are still up in the air
STAT+: Biosecure Act advances, but extra ACA subsidies are still up in the air You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The only nice thing about airport downtime is that I…
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STAT+: Terns leukemia drug could succeed Novartis blockbuster
STAT+: Terns leukemia drug could succeed Novartis blockbuster Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Today we discuss why comparing U.S. vaccine policy to Europe’s is a red herring, why the revolving door at the FDA between government and industry needs modernized…
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Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring
Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring If any ambiguity remained about the ultimate goal of the current administration’s public health policy, last week shattered it. On Friday, following a disastrous two-day meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), President…
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STAT+: At ASH, Terns looks like rival to Novartis with drug for chronic myeloid leukemia
STAT+: At ASH, Terns looks like rival to Novartis with drug for chronic myeloid leukemia This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. It rains in Florida. A lot. This ASH meeting started sunny and wonderful, but quickly…
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STAT+: Early update shows Wave’s RNA drug cut visceral fat
STAT+: Early update shows Wave’s RNA drug cut visceral fat Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Morning! With STAT reporting from ASH this year, we have some stories in the blood space. Also, a potential Dupixent competitor is in the…
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STAT+: Results in Terns leukemia drug study suggest it could be a successor to Novartis blockbuster
STAT+: Results in Terns leukemia drug study suggest it could be a successor to Novartis blockbuster ORLANDO, Fla. — Terns Pharmaceuticals reported an update Monday on its targeted leukemia drug that maintained and even boosted molecular response rates in advanced-stage patients. The study results, while still early, are likely to draw even more positive attention…
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STAT+: New data from Gilead, Arcellx multiple myeloma CAR-T suggest benefit over rival treatment
STAT+: New data from Gilead, Arcellx multiple myeloma CAR-T suggest benefit over rival treatment ORLANDO, Fla. — With sales of its existing blood cancer CAR-T therapies weakening, Gilead Sciences needs anito-cel, its next CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma — to succeed more than ever. On Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Society of…
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STAT+: Fulcrum study suggests improved efficacy for higher dose sickle cell pill
STAT+: Fulcrum study suggests improved efficacy for higher dose sickle cell pill Fulcrum Therapeutics said Sunday that a higher dose of its experimental pill for sickle cell disease was more effective at inducing an alternative form of the oxygen-carrying molecule hemoglobin — boosting hopes it could one day provide a simple and effective treatment for…
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STAT+: Incyte study results suggest a new approach to treating myelofibrosis
STAT+: Incyte study results suggest a new approach to treating myelofibrosis ORLANDO, Fla — An experimental drug from Incyte achieved meaningful spleen response rates and improvements in disease symptoms in patients with advanced myelofibrosis, according to study results reported Sunday. The data, while preliminary, should bolster the company’s efforts to develop a new type of…
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STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis
STAT+: A promising sickle cell pill and a new way to treat myelofibrosis This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. It’s Day 2 of the ASH meeting. Let’s get straight into the news. Fulcrum study suggests…
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STAT+: Hengrui, BeOne top new analysis of Chinese drug development
STAT+: Hengrui, BeOne top new analysis of Chinese drug development A new report is peeling back the curtain on Chinese pharmaceutical innovation, assessing which companies are best at driving the drug development that’s captured the attention of pharmaceutical executives and investors worldwide. On Sunday, IDEA Pharma and parent company SAI MedPartners released their inaugural China…
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Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos
Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) meetings used to be a geek’s dream: hours of long, maybe dreary presentation of extensive data followed by lengthy discussions that drilled into details of vaccine safety, effectiveness, and the best way to balance…
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STAT+: ‘Remarkable’ drug results against an aggressive leukemia
STAT+: ‘Remarkable’ drug results against an aggressive leukemia This is the online version of ASH in 30 Seconds, STAT’s report from the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for the email version here. We hear most of the country is freezing. We wouldn’t know. We’re in Orlando, Fla. where the temps are in the…
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RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots WASHINGTON — Federal vaccine advisers, through a freewheeling, and at times combative two-day meeting, recommended a major change to childhood vaccinations that runs counter to the medical consensus — and began setting the stage for a larger rethink in the future. …
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STAT+: Cancer detection firm Freenome to go public via $330 million SPAC deal
STAT+: Cancer detection firm Freenome to go public via $330 million SPAC deal Freenome, a Bay Area biotech that is part of the increasingly competitive race to accurately detect cancer early through blood-based tests, announced Friday that it plans to go public to advance the development of tests that can spot individual cancers and several…
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STAT+: Boehringer Ingelheim prepares schizophrenia app for FDA submission after trial results
STAT+: Boehringer Ingelheim prepares schizophrenia app for FDA submission after trial results HANOVER, N.H. — Boehringer Ingelheim this week provided more details about a late stage clinical trial of an app designed to treat under-addressed symptoms of schizophrenia and revealed the company is preparing to submit the app to the Food and Drug Administration for…
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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+: In radiology, an early adopter of AI, technology is advancing faster than the field can keep up
STAT+: In radiology, an early adopter of AI, technology is advancing faster than the field can keep up In the massive demonstration arena of Chicago’s McCormick Place conference complex this week, hundreds of computer monitors lit up with every body part and radiological image: fractures in X-rays, breast cancer in mammograms, brain atrophy in MRIs,…
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CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine A panel that advises on U.S. vaccine policy voted on Friday to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, overturning a 30-year-old policy that has contributed to a massive decline in cases of the virus. The Advisory Committee…
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STAT+: Lawmakers are still far apart on a deal to extend ACA tax credits, and time is running out
STAT+: Lawmakers are still far apart on a deal to extend ACA tax credits, and time is running out WASHINGTON — There was a lot of talk among lawmakers on Thursday about extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits next year. But the prospects of passing legislation still seem dim. The focus on…
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STAT+: Ashish Jha to step down as Brown University public health dean
STAT+: Ashish Jha to step down as Brown University public health dean PROVIDENCE — Ashish K. Jha, one of the nation’s leading public health experts who became a household name during the Covid pandemic, is leaving his post as the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health at the end of this year. Jha, a practicing physician…
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STAT+: Vinay Prasad, FDA’s vaccine regulator, waves off criticism in closed-door remarks
STAT+: Vinay Prasad, FDA’s vaccine regulator, waves off criticism in closed-door remarks NEW YORK — Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccines regulator, blamed “misleading media narratives” for the escalating criticism of his leadership amid turmoil and plummeting morale at the agency. Prasad’s remarks, delivered Thursday at a New York investor conference closed…
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A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds
A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds WASHINGTON — A single HPV vaccination appears just as effective as two doses at preventing the viral infection that causes cervical cancer, researchers reported Wednesday. HPV, or human papillomavirus, is very common and spread through sex. Most HPV infections clear…
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A new top drug regulator and the future of psychedelics
A new top drug regulator and the future of psychedelics On this week’s episode of “The Readout Loud”: a look at an emerging class of psychedelic drugs that may treat depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions without the hallucinogenic “trip.” Plus, a dash through the week’s biotech news. The turmoil at the Food and Drug…
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A dozen former FDA commissioners decry Prasad memo on vaccine regulation
A dozen former FDA commissioners decry Prasad memo on vaccine regulation Changes to the ways in which the Food and Drug Administration plans to regulate vaccines represent a threat to effective and available vaccines and public health, 12 former commissioners wrote Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The changes, as described in a…
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STAT+: Why so many primary care doctors are switching between two Harvard-affiliated hospital systems
STAT+: Why so many primary care doctors are switching between two Harvard-affiliated hospital systems Six primary care providers at a single Mass General Brigham practice are moving to rival Beth Israel Lahey Health in January, raising to at least 18 the total number of such defections from the state’s largest health care system to the second largest…
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STAT+: Hair loss drug succeeds in Phase 3, but data underwhelms experts
STAT+: Hair loss drug succeeds in Phase 3, but data underwhelms experts A topical hair loss medication successfully built up hair in a Phase 3 trial, according to the results of two late-stage trials released Wednesday. Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Dublin, ran the studies on men with a common form of hair loss…
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STAT+: FDA removes longtime over-the-counter drugs regulator from her position
STAT+: FDA removes longtime over-the-counter drugs regulator from her position WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration removed the longtime director of the office of over-the-counter drugs from her position on Wednesday, six agency sources told STAT. Theresa Michele, director of the Office of Nonprescription Drugs, has worked at the FDA since at least 2015.…
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STAT+: AI scribe clinical trial results are here. What do they actually reveal?
STAT+: AI scribe clinical trial results are here. What do they actually reveal? 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. Two things of note: Submit your 2025 health AI bingo vote and…
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As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded
As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded WASHINGTON — The federal government’s vaccine advisory panel is scheduled to review the hepatitis B vaccine this week. But experts on the shot — both in and outside of the government — told STAT they’ve been shut out of the process. Makers…
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STAT+: Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur set to leave the FDA
STAT+: Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur set to leave the FDA WASHINGTON — Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur has filed papers to retire from the Food and Drug Administration at the end of this month, adding to the turmoil atop the agency. Pazdur informed leaders at the FDA’s drug center of his intention to leave…
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STAT+: ACA tax credits cool, while BIOSECURE heats up
STAT+: ACA tax credits cool, while BIOSECURE heats up 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. MAHA Action has a holiday shop for all your MAHA gift giving needs. Or you can click over…
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STAT+: A drug that was ‘engineered with AI’ enters Phase 3 testing
STAT+: A drug that was ‘engineered with AI’ enters Phase 3 testing 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. My colleagues will be in Orlando later this week for the American Society of Hematology meeting. Sign up for their newsletter…
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STAT+: FDA offers staff ‘agentic AI’ to support premarket reviews, administrative tasks
STAT+: FDA offers staff ‘agentic AI’ to support premarket reviews, administrative tasks The Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced plans to offer its employees a broader set of artificial intelligence tools to use in premarket reviews and for other purposes amid persistent concerns that the technology can behave unpredictably. The agency touts in a…
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Congo declares its latest Ebola outbreak over, after 43 deaths
Congo declares its latest Ebola outbreak over, after 43 deaths KINSHASA, Congo — Congo on Monday announced the end of an Ebola outbreak that killed 43 people in one of the country’s southern provinces, with authorities saying no new confirmed cases had been reported in the past 45 days. Health Minister Roger Kamba said the…
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STAT+: Top contributors to leading psychiatry journals fail to disclose industry payments, analysis finds
STAT+: Top contributors to leading psychiatry journals fail to disclose industry payments, analysis finds Amid ongoing concern over conflicts of interest that may affect medical practice, a new study found that 14% of the $4.5 million paid to authors in two leading psychiatry journals was undisclosed and nearly all of the payments were made to…
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Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job
Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job NEW YORK — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial vaccine advisory committee will be meeting later this week under a new chairperson, federal officials announced Monday. Martin Kulldorff is leaving the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to take a leadership role within the Department…
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Experts say top FDA official’s claim that Covid vaccines caused kids’ deaths requires more evidence
Experts say top FDA official’s claim that Covid vaccines caused kids’ deaths requires more evidence The Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator asserted in an email to staff sent Friday that the Covid-19 vaccine caused at least 10 deaths in children and called for changes to the way the agency regulates vaccines. But experts…
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Opinion: The U.S. government’s failure to acknowledge World AIDS Day takes us back to a troubling time
Opinion: The U.S. government’s failure to acknowledge World AIDS Day takes us back to a troubling time “Silence = Death.” That was the mantra of determined AIDS activists who quickly concluded the U.S. government was not doing enough to combat the then-emergent AIDS epidemic, which first hit the headlines in 1981. Read the rest… Gavin…
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Opinion: Public health should embrace GLP-1 drugs without abandoning obesity prevention
Opinion: Public health should embrace GLP-1 drugs without abandoning obesity prevention Following the White House’s recent announcement of price reductions and expanded coverage for GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound, many patients searching for obesity treatments are about to gain access to highly effective options. The implications for U.S. public health are vast. Read the…
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Opinion: Pharmacies will be the canary in the coal mine on the Medicare drug price negotiations
Opinion: Pharmacies will be the canary in the coal mine on the Medicare drug price negotiations The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced negotiated prices for 15 drugs, finalizing the second iteration of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The first set of negotiated drug prices will go into effect in January 2026.…
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Global measles vaccinations are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, WHO report finds
Global measles vaccinations are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, WHO report finds A new report suggests that the number of children vaccinated against measles globally — which declined during the Covid-19 pandemic — is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. But the number of cases of the highly infectious disease surpassed the pre-Covid tally in 2024, according…
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STAT+: Medicare Advantage plans to gain $13 billion under Trump changes to star ratings
STAT+: Medicare Advantage plans to gain $13 billion under Trump changes to star ratings Medicare Advantage insurers scored a Thanksgiving gift, as President Trump’s Medicare agency added back a bonus system that rewards health plans with consistently high marks. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also is proposing to eliminate a dozen star ratings…
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STAT+: Patients are already using AI. How can the health care system help?
STAT+: Patients are already using AI. How can the health care system help? 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. Happy Thanksgiving! This year, I’m grateful for all the cool things I…
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In Medicare drug negotiations, Trump administration embraces a policy the GOP once despised
In Medicare drug negotiations, Trump administration embraces a policy the GOP once despised WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the Trump administration celebrated drug price cuts it had secured through a Democrat-created program — despite Republicans’ longstanding antipathy toward the policy. The Inflation Reduction Act, a 2022 law supported solely by Democrats and signed into law by…
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Louisiana official is now No. 2 at the CDC
Louisiana official is now No. 2 at the CDC Get your daily dose of health and medicine every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. Good morning. The newsletter will be off tomorrow and Friday. I hope you can get some rest this holiday weekend. I’ll see you back here on Monday. Read…
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STAT+: Sarepta cleared to test new safety regimen for Duchenne drug
STAT+: Sarepta cleared to test new safety regimen for Duchenne drug 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. We discuss some big news that the Trump administration dropped last night. And we’ll be taking a break this Thursday and Friday. We’ll…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Medicare-negotiated drug prices, an FDA voucher program, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Medicare-negotiated drug prices, an FDA voucher program, and more Happy Thanksgiving Eve, Pharmalittle readers. This is Allison, filling in for Mr. Pharmalot. I recently hosted a mini Thanksgiving dinner for friends, and was stumped trying to pick music to play in the background. Why aren’t there any real Thanksgiving songs?…
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STAT+: Major health insurers like Humana, UnitedHealth are cutting broker commissions to avoid costly Medicare enrollees
STAT+: Major health insurers like Humana, UnitedHealth are cutting broker commissions to avoid costly Medicare enrollees Major health insurers are taking drastic steps to discourage older adults from signing up for their private Medicare plans as they seek to boost profits, drawing the ire of insurance brokers and state regulators. Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem, and Centene,…
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STAT+: FDA approves Otsuka kidney disease therapy
STAT+: FDA approves Otsuka kidney disease therapy The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the first drug from an emerging class of medicines for patients with chronic, autoimmune kidney disease, according to a notice on the agency’s website. The new drug, called Voyxact, is made by Otsuka, the Japanese pharmaceutical company. U.S. regulators cleared…
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Opinion: The hidden reason lung cancer screening is not working
Opinion: The hidden reason lung cancer screening is not working For years, federal policymakers have tweaked lung cancer screening guidelines as if the barrier to saving lives is a math problem. Add a few years to the eligibility age. Drop a few pack-years — a measure combining how much and how long someone has smoked.…
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Novo next-gen diabetes drug, a Novartis gene therapy, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Novo next-gen diabetes drug, a Novartis gene therapy, and more Hello there and happy Tuesday from STAT’s London outpost, with Andrew Joseph here filling in for Mr. Pharmalot for the day. While it feels like things are slowing down stateside ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, this place is busy…
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STAT+: Trump weighs plan to extend extra ACA subsidies for two years
STAT+: Trump weighs plan to extend extra ACA subsidies for two years WASHINGTON — In an about-face, the White House is weighing a proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies that Democrats have been clamoring for since last year. ACA health insurance enrollees face a spike in premium payments if Congress does not…
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STAT+: Medicare backs off plan for quicker clawback of $7.8 billion from hospitals
STAT+: Medicare backs off plan for quicker clawback of $7.8 billion from hospitals Hospitals scored a win in Medicare’s final outpatient payment rule for 2026, as they persuaded federal Medicare officials to back off a plan that would have clawed back $7.8 billion a decade sooner than originally planned. However, hospitals didn’t get everything they…
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STAT+: J&J’s novel Alzheimer’s drug fails in key trial, dimming hopes for a hot target
STAT+: J&J’s novel Alzheimer’s drug fails in key trial, dimming hopes for a hot target A promising Alzheimer’s disease treatment from Johnson & Johnson failed to slow the progress of the disease in a closely watched study, news that could dampen enthusiasm for a new class of potential medicines. J&J terminated its mid-stage study of…
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STAT+: Lilly hits trillion-dollar valuation as GLP-1 era peaks
STAT+: Lilly hits trillion-dollar valuation as GLP-1 era peaks Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Morning! We’re closing in on CMS’s deadline for 2027 Medicare-negotiated drug prices. Plus, we see a break from precedent in how the FDA selects priority review…
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STAT+: Kidney cancer cases spiked in this town. Will residents find out why?
STAT+: Kidney cancer cases spiked in this town. Will residents find out why? After the largest ground water contamination in New Hampshire history, a state-commissioned study released this fall found significantly elevated rates of kidney cancer in the town of Merrimack. Residents fear that toxic “forever chemicals” are to blame. But to pin down a…
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Opinion: Road-tripping through North Dakota to foster healthy conversation about vaccines
Opinion: Road-tripping through North Dakota to foster healthy conversation about vaccines Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Sandy Tibke and Josh Gryniewicz. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode…
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STAT+: CDC moves to end telework for employees, including those with medical needs
STAT+: CDC moves to end telework for employees, including those with medical needs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended full-time telework agreements for reasonable accommodations for many employees, according to multiple employees familiar with the policy. Supervisors in some centers have been told in recent days that they can no longer approve…
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RFK Jr. confirms he ordered CDC website changes on vaccines and autism
RFK Jr. confirms he ordered CDC website changes on vaccines and autism Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to alter language on a webpage that said vaccines do not cause autism, he told The New York Times in an interview Thursday. The updated CDC website now…
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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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Vaccines aren’t linked to autism, despite CDC website change
Vaccines aren’t linked to autism, despite CDC website change Get your daily dose of health and medicine every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. Lots of important CDC news in the last 48 hours. We’ve got you covered below. Read the rest… O. Rose Broderick Go to statnews
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STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Texas suit over Plavix labeling, Novo drugs and vision loss, and more
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Texas suit over Plavix labeling, Novo drugs and vision loss, 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…
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STAT+: Recursion seeks to deliver results, and a VC sees a wave of M&A coming
STAT+: Recursion seeks to deliver results, and a VC sees a wave of M&A coming 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. We’ve got some spicy comments from Mark Cuban, and a pair of biotech Q&As. Let’s get to…
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STAT+: FDA review staff was excluded from voting on whether to approve first priority voucher drug
STAT+: FDA review staff was excluded from voting on whether to approve first priority voucher drug WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration has promised companies that earn a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher a one- to two-month drug review, culminating in a one day “tumor board” style meeting where leaders decide whether to approve the drug. …