STAT delivers fast, deep, and tough-minded journalism. We take you inside science labs and hospitals, biotech boardrooms, and political backrooms. We dissect crucial discoveries. We examine controversies and puncture hype. We hold individuals and institutions accountable. We introduce you to the power brokers and personalities who are driving a revolution in human health. These are the stories that matter to us all.
Neuroscientist Named MacArthur “Genius” Talks Creativity in Science
Vanessa Ruta, a former ballet dancer, now focuses her creative instincts on exploring how behavior changes as brain circuits are altered through evolution or experience
CDC Reports Another Surge in Number of Cases of Vaping-Related Illness
As of this week, there have been 805 confirmed cases and 12 deaths, across 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands
CEO of Juul Steps Down; Company to Drop Ads
The e-cigarette maker’s announcement comes in the wake of a controversy over the marketing of its products to youth
Consumer DNA Tests Negate Sperm-Bank-Donor Anonymity
Companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com have made it impossible for sperm banks to keep donors’ identities secret
Canine MRIs Sniff Out How Human Preferences Shaped Dogs’ Hallmark Traits
A new study explores the brain structure of various dog breeds and how it relates to their behavior
Hormone Therapy during Menopause Raises Breast Cancer Risk for Years
An analysis of dozens of studies found that women taking the therapy remain at a higher risk for more than a decade after stopping use
Being an Optimist May Help People Live Past 85
Individuals who scored higher on an optimism assessment were likely to live significantly longer lives, a new study finds
Can a New Lyme Disease Vaccine Overcome a History of Distrust and Failure?
Two new vaccines are in development, but it has taken researchers two decades to get this close
Top U.S. Medical Centers Roll Out DNA Sequencing Clinics for Healthy Clients
Patients can pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to screen for genetic health risks
Scientists Call for Do-Over for Rules on Creating “CRISPR Babies”
On Tuesday, an international commission will meet to develop less ambiguous guidelines for embryo editing
The Superbug Candida auris Is Giving Rise to Warnings—and Big Questions
Scientists ponder how the deadly fungus arose and became so resistant to treatment
The Role of Seizures in Alzheimer’s Disease Is Gaining Overdue Attention
Evidence suggests that such abnormal electrical activity may occur much earlier than signs of memory loss
The Psychedelics Evangelist: A German Financier Wants to Turn Magic Mushrooms into Modern Medicine
One company the entrepreneur invests in wants to develop psilocybin in a lab—so no need to extract it from mushrooms
Fed Up with Washington, ALS Advocates Consider ACT UP’s Take-No-Prisoners Approach
Patients want drugs fast-tracked through FDA approval process
Congress Revives Ban on Altering the DNA of Human Embryos Used for Pregnancies
Some scientists had called for lifting the ban to allow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to evaluate the new technologies
Is $2.1 Million Too Much for a Drug? For Affected Parents, There Is No Debate
Similarly effective drugs in the pipeline will also be gauged against their enormous price tags
At First-Ever Public Hearing on CBD, FDA and Advocates Try to Blaze Trail to Regulatory Compromise
Agency officials press sometimes confused stakeholders for more data. Is it possible to define a “more effective CBD cosmetic?”
U.S. Measles Cases Top 700 This Year as Health Officials Urge Vaccinations
The surge in cases has sent 66 children to the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Stanford Clears Three Faculty Members of “CRISPR Babies” Involvement
A review concluded that the scientists did not take part in a Chinese researcher’s experiment to edit the genomes of twin human embryos
The Case of a Woman Who Feels Almost No Pain Leads Scientists to a New Gene Mutation
The discovery may have implications for treating acute and chronic pain
Biogen Halts Studies of Closely Watched Alzheimer’s Drug, a Blow to Hopes for New Treatment
Trial failure raises doubts about amyloid as a target for drug development
FDA Approves First New Drug Developed for Women with Postpartum Depression
The new drug, Zulresso, can work in days, not the weeks it takes for current treatments
New Acting FDA Commissioner Named
Ned Sharpless, director of the National Cancer Institute, will take over the job when Scott Gottlieb leaves next month
FDA Approves Esketamine, the First Major Depression Treatment to Reach U.S. Market in Decades
Nasal spray related to the anesthetic/street drug ketamine targets treatment-resistant patients