Life

Health, science, climate, and society-focused reporting.

Briefing: A brain-computer interface allowed people with paralysis to type with their mind

Strategic angle: Two people with paralysis were able to type using a brain-computer interface that decodes attempted finger movement, a new study showed.

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: STAT+: Two more drugmakers join TrumpRx

Strategic angle: Medicare delays stall breakthrough device access, ALS carriers fear research setbacks under Trump, and more biotech news

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Structure Therapeutics Reports Significant Weight Loss from Mid-Stage GLP-1 Pill

An experimental obesity pill from Structure Therapeutics helped patients lose significant weight in a mid-stage trial, with a Phase 3 study in the works.

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Disabled CDC staff still missing accommodations

Strategic angle: The transformation of organ transplantation, an age to start considering statins, and other health news

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: New technologies promise to transform organ transplantation. But when?

Strategic angle: Perfusion technology vastly improves organ quality in transplants, but high costs and coverage questions pose barriers in becoming the standard of care.

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Opinion: Congress must pass legislation to ensure Medicare covers breakthrough medical technologies

Strategic angle: Congress must pass bipartisan legislation to ensure Medicare coverage of breakthrough medical technologies, writes a physician and inventor.

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Opinion: I have a genetic mutation linked to ALS. The Trump administration terrifies me

Strategic angle: "Watching my mom die of ALS was one of the most awful things I’ve gone through. I don’t want my children to see me suffer like that."

editorial-staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: How STAT would cover ‘The Fugitive’ if its pharma scandal were real

Strategic angle: It's Oscar season, so we're bringing you a special STATus report on how we'd cover the drug scandal in 'The Fugitive' if it were real.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Major changes to cardiovascular guidelines suggest taking statins as young as 30

Strategic angle: Cardiology groups say adults as young as 30 should assess cholesterol risk and consider treatment to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: STAT+: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

Strategic angle: From new hires to departures, promotions and transfers, here are the latest comings and goings in the pharmaceutical industry.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Most Medicare Beneficiaries Affected by Plan Terminations in 2025 Have Robust Medicare Advantage Options in 2026

Strategic angle: Virtually all (98.9%) of the 2.6 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that terminated coverage at the end of 2025 have at least one MA-PD available in 2026.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Epstein’s pal attempts a biotech comeback, and Prasad exits the FDA

On this week's The Readout LOUD podcast: A friend of Jeffrey Epstein attempts a biotech comeback, and (another) Prasad FDA exit.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Trump's Influence on Drug Prices: A Closer Look

Strategic angle: Exploring the ongoing battle over drug pricing and the contrasting approaches of Trump and Biden.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Recent Trends in Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drugs and Spending

This issue brief describes recent trends in the number of Medicaid outpatient prescriptions and the spending on those drugs and examines the implications of recent federal actions on future trends.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Make next year’s flu shots, says FDA committee

Strategic angle: Vaccine skepticism, FDA-authorized vape flavors, and more health news from Morning Rounds

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Poll: Public Worries About Prescription Drug Costs Reach New High

Most Across Political Parties Want Government to Do More to Regulate Prices

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Trump is getting more credit than Biden for efforts to lower drug prices

Strategic angle: Trump is drawing more attention to his efforts to lower drug prices, like TrumpRx.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: FDA move on flavored vapes rattles public health experts

Strategic angle: New FDA guidance suggests mint, coffee, and spice vape flavors could be authorized, raising debate over toxic additives and youth vaping risks.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Leapfrog Group’s legal defeat underscores challenges of rating hospital quality

Strategic angle: The legal battle underscores the complicated questions surrounding how best to evaluate hospital safety.

editorial-staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: White House says it’s ‘done’ with vaccines. MAHA begs to differ

Strategic angle: As Trump political advisers try to move on from vaccine policy debates, MAHA movement insiders push back, calling RFK Jr. supporters vital to GOP's success.

editorial-staff Mar 13