WASHINGTON — Health care figured prominently in the first year of President Trump’s second term, and it’ll likely play an even bigger role leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. The shift back to health care politics has been somewhat surprising. Although Republicans were expected to use Medicaid funding cuts to pay for their tax…
WASHINGTON — Vaccine policy has become a key issue for the Trump administration, especially under the leadership of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who himself once led an anti-vaccine group. In less than a year, Kennedy has bulldozed vaccine policy precedent and government personnel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food…
Many of the largest drugmakers may be exempt from Medicare pilot programs intended to force them to lower some of their prices, potentially undermining the effort and depriving American patients of cheaper drugs. Several of the 14 pharmaceutical companies that have struck individual drug-pricing deals with the White House said they are exempt from the…
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The NIH director did the Pete & Bobby fitness challenge, but I didn’t see Jay Bhattacharya do any pull-ups. And you can decide what…
WASHINGTON — A possible Trump administration effort to change the childhood vaccine schedule left hospital leaders, health policymakers, and pediatricians scrambling to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the American vaccine program in decades. The administration had planned to announce on Friday moves to pare down the number of shots on the…
Allison DeAngelis is the East Coast biotech and venture capital reporter at STAT, reporting where scientific ideas and money meet. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. Good morning, Pharmalittle readers. This is Allison DeAngelis, filling in for Mr. Pharmalot. Today’s newsletter…
Bob Herman covers health insurance, government programs, hospitals, physicians, and other providers — reporting on how money influences those businesses and shapes what we all pay for care. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09. Drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers received a…
Bob Herman covers health insurance, government programs, hospitals, physicians, and other providers — reporting on how money influences those businesses and shapes what we all pay for care. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09. This is the online version of STAT’s weekly…
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration proposed two Medicare pilot programs to reduce prices for branded drugs bought at pharmacy counters and administered in doctor offices. If the administration moves forward, the programs could slash Medicare spending on prescription drugs by billions of dollars and cut out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries. The pilots, called demonstrations, are part…
WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is in a precarious position as it heads toward 2026. The agency has been mired by high-profile departures, feuds between top leaders, accusations of politicization, and low morale. It has lost thousands of employees to layoffs and resignations and cannot seem to hold onto a director of the…