Life

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

A star scientist showed that better genetics lessons could reduce racism. It was the death knell for his career

Strategic angle: Brian Donovan had persuaded high school teachers and education researchers that prejudice might be ended by changing how genetics is taught.

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

FDA backs proposals to entice pharma companies to test, make drugs domestically

Strategic angle: From tariffs to incentives, the administration wants to push companies to manufacture drugs in the U.S.

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

Opinion: How the insurance system quietly undoes recovery from addiction

Strategic angle: People who have been stable for years are suddenly re-exposed to risk — not because their disease worsened, but because their coverage did.

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

Opinion: STAT+: Former Geisinger CEO: U.S. health systems must replace huge numbers of people with AI

Strategic angle: “Health care will become autonomous because the survival of health systems depends upon it,” writes former Geisinger CEO Glenn Steele.

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

Research Revealing How the Brain Flushes Waste Named STAT Madness Editors’ Pick

Strategic angle: For researcher Maiken Nedergaard, ‘diseases of aging are basically all about dirty brains’

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

University of Michigan wins 2026 STAT Madness for new insights into abdominal aortic aneurysms

Strategic angle: The researchers identified a driving force behind the condition, opening up a potential target for new therapies.

editorial-staff Apr 7

Life

Pharma companies and patient groups seek to exempt orphan drugs from Colorado pricing limits

Strategic angle: A bill is moving through the Colorado legislature that would exempt orphan drugs from pricing caps that might be pursued by the state.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Global Health Funding in the FY 2027 President’s Budget Request

Strategic angle: This budget summary provides an analysis of global health funding amounts provided in the President's FY 2027 budget request.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

California's Medicaid Work Requirements Amid Budget Shortfalls

Strategic angle: Examining the state's plans to implement work requirements in Medicaid while facing significant budget challenges.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

STAT+: A key Medicare Advantage announcement is due today

Strategic angle: Today's announcement will set the tone for how the Trump administration wants to work with private Medicare insurers.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

How a four-month FDA delay forced a small biotech company to close its doors

A small biotech company faced a critical setback due to a delayed agreement with the FDA, leading to its closure.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Stealth biotech Stipple bets on secretive ADCs

Strategic angle: How thin science fuels peptide hype, blowback to proposed NIH cuts, and more biotech news from The Readout

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

UnitedHealth makes a bet on AI. What does it mean for us?

Strategic angle: A hep B trial raises ethical questions, the peptide hype, and more Morning Rounds news

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Neurocrine Biosciences to buy Soleno Therapeutics in $2.9B deal

Strategic angle: Neurocrine Biosciences is acquiring Soleno Therapeutics for $2.9 billion, gaining access to a treatment for a rare disease linked to insatiable hunger.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Opinion: ‘Medical nutrition’ helps keep my son, and many others, healthy. But insurance won’t cover it

Strategic angle: Lifelong disorders require lifelong treatments.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Opinion: When my child is in psychosis, the pediatric health care system can’t help us

Strategic angle: “There is no off switch when the crisis is your child,” writes Liz Koch.

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Briefing: UnitedHealth Group is making a $3 billion bet on AI. What does it mean for patients?

Strategic angle: UnitedHealth Group is rapidly deploying artificial intelligence tools across its operations. What does it mean for patients?

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

What the peptide craze reveals about Americans’ relationship with risk

Strategic angle: Why do RFK Jr. and other health influencers embrace unproven peptides while calling for more research into well-studied vaccines?

editorial-staff Apr 6

Life

Briefing: NIH Faces $5 Billion Cut in Trump's 2027 Budget Proposal

Strategic angle: Congress is expected to resist the proposed reduction in funding for the National Institutes of Health.

editorial-staff Apr 3

Life

Briefing: White House Proposes 12% Cut to Federal Health Agencies in 2027 Budget Request

Strategic angle: The proposal comes as Congress previously ignored similar cuts, opting instead to increase health spending.

editorial-staff Apr 3