STAT

This year, as in past years, we’ve found inspiring stories and innovative research. All are blazing new trails as they attempt to answer some of the biggest questions in science and medicine. Meet the 2026 #STATWunderkinds! https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/

"I am a family nurse practitioner who works in both primary care and emergency medicine, and I now have this conversation with patients on a regular basis." https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/26/how-bad-should-a-healthy-person-feel/

Meet STAT Wunderkind Claire Gao — she's figuring out how GLP-1 drugs work in the brain. Read more about her work: https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/claire-gao/ #STATWunderkinds

“'You Can See Everything' is a hilarious, thrilling, fascinating, beautiful piece of art. What it certainly is not is a documentary, and it’s dangerous to pretend that it is,” writes Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz. https://bit.ly/4Bk2nDJ

Meet STAT Wunderkind Chirag Vasavda — he is working on changing how science understands itch and pain. Read more about his work: https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/chirag-vasavda/ #STATWunderkinds

A type of targeted chemotherapy developed by Merck and China’s Kelun-Biotech cut by one-third the risk of death in patients with advanced endometrial cancer. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/26/merck-kelun-sac-tmt-endometrial-cancer-study-esmo-2026/

A targeted drug from Incyte, when used in combination with chemotherapy, induced lasting tumor responses in certain patients with pancreatic cancer. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/26/incyte-esmo-pancreatic-cancer-incb161734-results/

New approach to women's heart health focuses on four stages of life https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/26/heart-health-women-four-life-stages-qa-sadiya-khan/

Moderna's CEO Stéphane Bancel on what's next after the recent success in cancer vaccine, and how that impacts the company's research and business strategies. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/26/moderna-ceo-stephane-bancel-interview-cancer-vaccine-intismeran/

STAT reporters react to the 'emotional' scenes of Elizabeth Holmes in the ‘You Can See Everything’ documentary.

After a cancer vaccine’s first success, the race is on to expand the impact https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/25/mrna-cancer-vaccine-merck-moderna-esmo-intismeran-next-applications/

A special episode of "The Readout LOUD" podcast: Remembering Helen Branswell Listen: https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/23/readout-loud-podcast-remembering-helen-branswell-infectious-disease/

At last week’s #STATSummit, Dana Senaha told the story of her husband’s experience participating in the clinical trial for daraxonrasib. Watch: One family’s story of a life-extending medicine for pancreatic cancer https://bit.ly/4zVbNnP

The combination of an experimental drug from Tango Therapeutics and Revolution Medicines’ Rasonque led to tumor responses in 82% of patients with a certain type of advanced pancreatic cancer. https://bit.ly/4jyj7Rh

Bristol Myers Squibb on Friday reported that one patient died after receiving its investigational CAR-T therapy in an early autoimmune trial, adding to safety concerns about a growing field of research. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/23/bristol-myers-squibb-car-t-therapy-autoimmune-trial-death/

A personalized mRNA cancer vaccine reduced the risk of disease recurrence in patients with melanoma by 42% compared to a standard treatment. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/esmo-moderna-merck-cancer-vaccine-intismeran-data-released/

People can't stop talking about 'You Can See Everything' — our staffers share their take. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/23/explain-appeal-elizabeth-holmes-doc-status-report/

Meet STAT Wunderkind Divya Shanmugam. She's using AI to improve pregnancy care. Read more about her work: https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/divya-shanmugam/ #STATWunderkinds

#Breaking: Detailed data confirm Moderna and Merck cancer vaccine met key endpoints in melanoma trial https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/esmo-moderna-merck-cancer-vaccine-intismeran-data-released/

More than 80 nutrition researchers and experts are calling on the White House to release the federal government’s proposed definition of ultra-processed foods. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/ultra-processed-food-definition-maha-white-house/

Meet STAT Wunderkind, Neil Carleton. He's working on improving breast cancer treatment for older women. Read more about his work: https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/neil-carleton/ #STATWunderkinds

#Breaking: Top MAHA adviser Calley Means resigns from White House days ahead of midterms https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/calley-means-resigns-white-house-adviser-maha-movement/

For the popular diabetes and obesity medications known as GLP-1s, addiction medicine is one of many possible promising next acts. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/glp-1-drugs-substance-use-disorder-telehealth-off-label-prescription/

"I wish I could have told director Nathan Fielder what I told John Carreyrou when he started investigating her: Do not underestimate Elizabeth Holmes," Tyler Shultz writes. https://bit.ly/4Bk2nDJ

"Three generations of women in my family — my grandmother, my mother, my sister — carried the same condition through the same blood before any of us had a clinical word for it." https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/22/rare-disease-family-name-fenib-personal-essay/

Just one week after being granted the authority to kick providers off of federal health care programs, U.S. health officials are using it on adult day care centers in New York City they say are committing fraud. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/21/cms-medicaid-fraud-nyc-adult-daycare-operators/

"How knocking on doors can help beat measles — again. America pushed back on diseases by building trust door by door. Let’s go back to that model." https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/21/measles-public-health-door-to-door-initiatives/

Meet STAT Wunderkind Nandini Raghuraman from the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She is studying how pain is molded by our environment. Read more about her work: https://www.statnews.com/wunderkinds/nandini-raghuraman/ #STATWunderkinds

Meet STAT Wunderkind Mohamed El-Brolosy, who's unraveling how organisms cope with disruptions in their DNA. Read more about his work: https://bit.ly/3VVM93v #STATWunderkinds

A counterintuitive way to build trust in measles vaccines and public health. Acknowledging that most children recover could build credibility, experts say. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/21/measles-vaccination-uptake-experts-suggest-messaging-change/

After a quarter century of work, the German biotech Immatics is facing a pivotal moment as it awaits Phase 3 results for its lead candidate in melanoma. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/21/immatics-cancer-cell-therapy-targets-prame-protein/

"'You Can See Everything' is a hilarious, thrilling, fascinating, beautiful piece of art. What it certainly is not is a documentary, and it’s dangerous to pretend that it is," Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz writes. https://bit.ly/4Bk2nDJ

"I am here today to uncover my pathway to a successful outcome after a high-risk melanoma diagnosis in 2019." After a melanoma diagnosis, mRNA cancer vaccine delivered a patient hope — and a path forward https://bit.ly/4Bnre9O

Exploring Elizabeth Holmes' uncanny power to persuade, a reporter who saw it firsthand dissects why society confuses authenticity, honesty, and truth. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/20/elizabeth-holmes-superpower-authenticity-vs-truth-matt-herper-take/

The key health care ballot measures we’re watching in the midterms. Voters will decide on questions of abortion, trans health care, Medicaid expansion, and more. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/20/what-health-policy-battles-reveal-about-america-midterms-2026/ #Midterms2026

"'You Can See Everything' is a hilarious, thrilling, fascinating, beautiful piece of art. What it certainly is not is a documentary, and it’s dangerous to pretend that it is," Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz writes.

A new division in the National Institutes of Health and a new task force within the White House will advance the cause of women’s health, an executive order signed by President Trump promises. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/19/executive-order-melania-trump-nih-division-on-womens-health/

A more accurate name would be “You Can See Everything That We Chose To Point The Camera At,” Theranos whistleblower Tyler Shultz writes. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/19/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-whistleblower-tyler-shultz-insider-review/

The Department of Justice has a warning for health care executives: Don’t be another Theranos. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/15/healthcare-fraud-new-doj-policy-rewards-self-disclosure/ #STATSummit

Internal emails obtained by STAT show that the American Association of Immunologists, the field’s leading scientific society, is divided over California’s Proposition 38, even though it would provide $8.4 billion in taxpayer dollars for the type of research its members do. https://bit.ly/4yTOWbV

"I wish that medical aid in dying had been an option for her. At the very least, it would have offered her a more comfortable death — and my brothers and me a less complicated grief. And maybe, just maybe, it could have saved her. " https://bit.ly/3U6LMTa

I've done a bit of personal writing over the years. Today I published by far the most difficult essay I've written. On @statnews.com today, I share the story of my mother, Regina Bosch. She was brilliant--three Ivy degrees--and funny and charismatic. She was also seriously mentally ill.

A STAT investigation found that several nonprofits are raking in massive sums by acting as arbitrators in a program that helps protect patients from surprise medical bills. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/19/no-surprises-act-billing-arbitration-profits-stat-investigation/

Merck and Moderna have ‘lot of exploring to do’ after initial cancer vaccine success. The companies are now looking to prove the vaccine isn’t just a powerful tool for certain melanoma patients. #STATSummit https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/15/moderna-merck-keytruda-mrna-cancer-vaccine-strategy/

At the #STATSummit, former FDA chief Rob Califf shares his thoughts on DOGE.

Health agency workers, wary after DOGE-era layoffs, raise concerns over mandatory self-assessments and a cap on how many staffers are eligible for bonuses. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/16/federal-performance-reviews-health-agency-employees-wary-after-doge/

A schoolteacher diagnosed with melanoma provides an inside look at what it was like to be treated with a cancer vaccine developed by Merck and Moderna. https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/15/melanoma-diagnosis-mrna-cancer-vaccine-stat-summit-boston-2026/ #STATSummit

At the #STATSummit, Adam Feuerstein asks Kailera CEO Ron Renaud about what it’s like to buy drug candidates from China, where Kailera got its portfolio:

Is the market for obesity drugs saturated with Lilly and Novo offerings? Kailera CEO Ron Renaud, speaking at the #STATSummit, thinks not: