The Readout Loud

STAT Washington correspondent Rachel Cohrs joins us to explain Merck's lawsuit against the federal government and why the company believes drug pricing negotiation is “tantamount to extortion." We also discuss the health effects of Canadian wildfires, the highlights of the year’s biggest cancer research conference, and what could be a watershed moment in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.

Our colleague Lizzy Lawrence joins us to explain the shocking story of a medical device company that sold fake implants and the warped system that made the scam lucrative. We’ll also preview the year’s biggest cancer research meeting and discuss a surprising twist with novel weight loss medicines.

As hospitals and health care companies are racing to implement large language models like ChatGPT into their businesses, STAT reporter Casey Ross joins us to explain what experts want the world to know before embracing generative AI. We also discuss the latest twist for Sarepta Therapeutics and the quest to develop more potent weight loss medicines.

Jared Holz, biotech strategist at Mizuho Securities, joins us to explain why federal regulators are suing to block Amgen's $28 billion merger with Horizon Therapeutics and what it means for the drug industry. We also discuss the latest on Sarepta Therapeutics and its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a turnaround story in the making at the Belgian drug maker Galapagos, and the effort to secure approval for a maternal RSV vaccine.

We discuss a Senate hearing that put major pharma CEOs in the same room with the middlemen they love to blame for rising drug prices, with mixed results. We also explain what is a massive week for Sarepta Therapeutics, the FDA, and the future of gene therapies for rare diseases, plus the latest news in the life sciences.

Eli Lilly’s investigational medicine for Alzheimer’s met its goals in an all-important clinical trial, and we explain the results, their implications, and the backstory of what could be a blockbuster drug. We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including a busy week of earnings, a long-awaited FDA approval, and the highlights from STAT’s Breakthrough Summit in San Francisco.

Andrew Joseph, STAT's Europe correspondent, joins us to explain the EU's sweeping proposal to overhaul how new drugs are regulated on the continent — and why the pharmaceutical industry is fighting it. We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including Lilly's surging business, a pair of new drug approvals, and a novel idea in Alzheimer's disease.

Our colleague Helen Branswell joins us to explain the latest news on Covid-19 boosters and the implications of a Marburg outbreak in Equatorial Guinea. Then we dive into the long history of a gene therapy from Sarepta Therapeutics, a polarizing medicine that promises to change the lives of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We also break down the rest of the week’s biggest news in biopharma, including some billion-dollar deals and the retirement of perhaps the most storied executive in the business.

Jeremy Levin, CEO of Ovid Therapeutics, joins us to discuss a judge’s decision to overturn the FDA approval of an abortion pill and why he believes it’s the biggest threat to the biopharma industry in 50 years. We also cover the biggest news in the week of biopharma, including an update from Moderna, dispatches from a trip to FDA headquarters, and who Sen. Bernie Sanders has in his sights next.

Our colleague Matthew Herper joins us for a deep dive into Illumina, explaining how the biggest company in genome sequencing lost the faith of shareholders and painted itself into a corner. We’ll also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including a look at what’s ahead in biotech for the second quarter of the year, and why Johnson & Johnson investors are happy the company is proposing to part with $9 billion.