From Revolution Medicines, more strong data on KRAS drug and a glimpse of a 'novel class' beyond it A company that is changing the outlook on pancreatic cancer has more promising data for treatments near-term and for a generation beyond.

NEW: From Revolution Medicines, more strong data on pancreatic cancer drug and a glimpse of a ‘novel class’ beyond it. Via @angusrohan.bsky.social @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2026/04/21/a...

Key GOP senators push back on Trump’s plan to cut NIH, reorganize HHS Lawmakers seem poised to reject cuts to biomedical research and public health spending for a second straight year.

One area where there is bipartisan pushback: Trump’s proposed NIH cuts

@chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social reports from the RFK Jr. hearing marathon

www.statnews.com/2026/04/21/s...

What happens when a chief executive loses executive functions? When a CEO develops acquired executive dysfunction yet remains in their role, the challenges are significant.

What happens when a chief executive loses executive functions?

www.statnews.com/2026/04/21/e...

Trump order to advance psychedelic treatments generates excitement — and worries President Trump’s executive order on was largely applauded by advocates. But some also quietly worried the White House’s role risks politicizing their field and undermining its credibility.

When President Trump uses the Oval Office to talk about the potential of psychedelic treatments, it can generate excitement. It can also generate worry about the potential for political meddling in approving such treatments.

Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/20/t...

New: I've spent months getting to know Indigo, a 25yo trans guy who loves musicals & BTS. Even though gender-affirming care is completely legal for adults, he had to make appointments with four different surgeons over two years before he was able to get top surgery.

Optimism for Trump’s CDC pick is tempered by questions about RFK Jr.’s role As one CDC employee, who asked not to be named, put it on Friday, among staff “the general vibe is guarded but hopeful.”

Trump's CDC pick is raising questions about the future of public health policy in this administration — and the power of the MAHA movement

w/ @helenbranswell.bsky.social @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/18/e...

How Trump is pushing psychedelics reform through the health agencies Trump directed the federal government to rush access to psychedelic treatments and reevaluate their status as controlled substances.

New: How Trump is pushing psychedelics reform through the health agencies. Via @danielpayne.bsky.social @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2026/04/18/p...

New PEPFAR Data Show Worrying Declines in Testing and Treatment for H.I.V.

Among other trends in the aftermath of the U.S. upending of PEPFAR, new data show "a worrying drop in treatment of infants with H.I.V., who tend to become ill rapidly and die."

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/h...

Researchers behind GLP-1 obesity drugs advance new approach: Drop GLP-1 as a target Scientists are raising a provocative hypothesis about GLP-1 drugs for obesity: Perhaps targeting the GLP-1 hormone isn't actually necessary to achieve effective weight loss.

New: The scientists whose work spurred the development of GLP-1 drugs are raising a provocative theory: Perhaps new drugs, without targeting the GLP-1 hormone, can deliver weight loss just as effectively, without the side effects. Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/16/g...

For Ben Sasse, Revolution Medicines’ pancreatic cancer trial felt like his best, only option Former Sen. Ben Sasse gives a glimpse of what it's like to be a participant in an tough but promising new drug for pancreatic cancer.

NEW: For Ben Sasse, Revolution Medicines’ pancreatic cancer trial felt like his best, only option.

www.statnews.com/2026/04/14/b...

Revolution Medicines touts ‘unprecedented’ data for pancreatic cancer pill In a trial, metastatic pancreatic cancer patients on the medicine lived twice as long as those on chemotherapy.

The experimental pancreatic cancer drug that Ben Sasse is taking just posted extraordinary results in a clinical trial. It's far from a cure, but any hopeful news in this notoriously deadly, intractable disease is good news.

Via @jasonmast.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/13/r...

Curated by the superb @thekibosch.bsky.social.

Today in @statnews.com:

What public health can learn from the MAHA movement.
www.statnews.com/2026/04/10/p...

And what MAHA can learn from public health.
www.statnews.com/2026/04/10/m...

New rules for CDC vaccine panel aim to address lawsuit, empower Kennedy’s allies The panel has become a flashpoint as RFK Jr.'s health department worked to limit the number of recommended childhood shots.

New: Among other things, the new charter for the ACIP, the CDC vaccine advisory panel, adds new "liaison" organizations, including those more aligned with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Via @helenbranswell.bsky.social @aniloza.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/09/n...

5 years after lupus breakthrough, CAR-T is still surprising autoimmunity researchers CAR-T therapy is toting up more remissions in autoimmune disease, and generating a flood of experimentation and investment.

New: 5 years after lupus breakthrough, CAR-T is still surprising autoimmunity researchers.

Via @isabellacueto.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/09/a...

Trump promised to clamp down on health insurers. His policies are enriching them In December, Trump said he would summon health insurance execs to the White House. It doesn't seem a meeting ever happened.

New: Trump promised to clamp down on health insurers. His policies are enriching them.

Via @bobjherman.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/09/m...

Trump administration drops court fight to cap NIH payments for research overhead costs The Trump administration will not be asking the Supreme Court to take up its fight to slash NIH support for research indirect costs

New: Trump administration drops court fight to cap rate of reimbursement for “indirect costs” on NIH grants.

Via @mmolteni.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/08/t...

A star scientist showed that better genetics lessons could reduce racism. It was the death knell for his career Brian Donovan had persuaded high school teachers and education researchers that prejudice might be ended by changing how genetics is taught.

Brian Donovan had persuaded high school teachers and education researchers that prejudice might be ended by changing how genetics is taught. www.statnews.com/2026/04/07/b...

Former Geisinger CEO: U.S. health systems must replace huge numbers of people with AI “Health care will become autonomous because the survival of health systems depends upon it,” writes former Geisinger CEO Glenn Steele.

A former health care CEO writes that U.S. health care "will become autonomous," and that in the next five years that may mean "replacing 35% to 40% of administrative, back-office revenue cycle jobs."

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2026/04/07/h...

Health insurers score major win with higher 2027 Medicare Advantage rates The stocks of major Medicare Advantage insurers surged on the announcement.

The Trump administration, which has talked tough on health insurers, delivers them a big win, @bobjherman.bsky.social reports.

www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/m...

UnitedHealth Group is making a $3 billion bet on AI. What does it mean for patients? UnitedHealth Group is rapidly deploying artificial intelligence tools across its operations. What does it mean for patients?

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

www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/u...

How a four-month FDA delay forced a small biotech company to close its doors In February, a small biotech company reached a breakthrough with the FDA, agreeing to a clinical trial plan. The problem: The agreement came four months too late.

How a four-month FDA delay forced a small biotech company to close its doors. Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/f...

My patient would rather take a peptide than a statin. That reveals an uncomfortable truth in medicine “The volume of evidence behind a therapy has become inversely correlated with public trust in it,” writes Vikas Patel.

A physician points to what he sees as a worrying pattern: the volume of evidence behind medicine has become inversely correlated with public trust in it.

Peptides are in, statins are out.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/p...

Eli Lilly’s obesity pill approved by FDA, setting up fierce competition with Novo Nordisk Eli Lilly’s obesity pill was approved by the FDA, setting it up for fierce competition against Novo Nordisk’s new Wegovy pill.

Breaking: Eli Lilly’s obesity pill approved by FDA, setting up fierce competition with Novo Nordisk. Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/04/01/e...

NIH director’s invocation of Vannevar Bush’s legacy to promote Trump science policies sparks pushback Jay Bhattacharya’s claim that the Trump administration is pursuing the vision articulated by scientific leader, Vannevar Bush, has provoked pushback — and outrage

Jay Bhattacharya suggested he's pursuing a vision laid out long ago by Vannevar Bush, an architect of the U.S. scientific enterprise. Bush's biographer tells @aniloza.bsky.social that's not how he sees it: “Jay is hijacking Bush’s legacy for his own purposes.”

www.statnews.com/2026/04/01/j...

Baby KJ scientists hit speed bump in quest to scale custom gene editor The scientists who treated Baby KJ say the FDA's strict standards will make it much harder to create bespoke gene editing for others.

Here's @jasonmast.bsky.social on what happens when the rubber meets the road in the FDA's efforts to speed individualized therapies to patients. Complexities ensue.

www.statnews.com/2026/03/31/b...

Over-the-top psychedelic promos could undermine the field’s drug development efforts How over-the-top social media videos about psychedelics could undermine the field’s efforts to get its drugs approved.

Over-the-top psychedelic promos could undermine the field’s drug development efforts. Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/03/31/p...

Health care jobs growth is stagnating at the biggest for-profit firms Major health insurers are trimming jobs, and Medicaid cuts could soon force hospitals to lay off workers.

“Health insurance is just designed for AI.... I have to think we’re going to see some serious job loss in that sector in the next three, four, five years.”

.... And other observations about the state of the health care industry. Via @bobjherman.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/03/30/h...

7 big challenges for the next CDC director Whoever takes over the CDC next will face immediate and enormous challenges. Here are a few.

7 big challenges for the next CDC director. Via @helenbranswell.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/03/30/c...

Trump administration says home care fraud is ‘rampant.’ What do the data show? The Trump administration claims there's widespread fraud in home-based care, but officials haven't offered any evidence.

In the first few months of 2026, the Trump administration has painted a dire picture: healthcare fraud is everywhere. Predators are swindling dollars out of the system and robbing vulnerable people of their care.

Is that true? Let's look at the data.

www.statnews.com/2026/03/27/m...