STAT News

What steps should be taken to improve the response to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC?

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that the fight against the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo was showing “encouraging signs" but that the epidemic was "far from over". More than 7,000 cases have been reported across seven provinces as of September 11

How could changes to drug pricing for Medicaid programs affect patients and healthcare costs in our community?

Every state will participate in the GENEROUS program, but many of the details are unknown

What should our community do to keep people safe from diseases like measles?

The 40-year-old unvaccinated woman reportedly had underlying health conditions

What should the rules for using AI in healthcare look like, and how might they affect patients and doctors?

A U.K. commission has unveiled its recommendations for how the country should regulate artificial intelligence in medicine

What should our community do to prevent outbreaks like measles and protect the health of infants?

The two measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania last month involved infants, and the virus itself caused one of the deaths, a Pennsylvania coroner confirmed Wednesday

What are the possible effects of changing the childhood vaccine schedule on public health and families?

President Trump issued an executive order Monday calling for fewer childhood vaccinations, splitting the childhood MMR vaccine into three shots and delivering vaccines at separate medical visits. Why it matters: Controversial vaccine policy changes appear to be roaring back ahead of the midterms. The executive order states that "the combined MMR vaccine should be administered in three separate single-disease shots once such products are domestically available and that, to the maximum extent feasible, all childhood immunizations should be administered at separate medical visits." The big picture: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handpicked vaccine advisers last fall called for splitting up the MMR shot and overhauling a central component of childhood immunizations. But the White House urged Kennedy to back off of such contentious policymaking earlier this year. And yet, President Trump has recently questioned Kennedy about the lack of momentum on childhood vaccine policy, per the Wall Street Journal, signaling his continued strong personal interest in the topic. What he's saying: "You have the MMR. We want it in three separate vaccinations, given at separate times," Trump said at an Oval Office signing event. He suggested the MMR vaccine could be "quite lethal" when administered all at once, and likened the volume to "a bottle of soda." Reality check: The CDC says there's "no published scientific evidence [that] shows any benefit in separating the combination MMR vaccine into three individual shots." It says there can be a "very small risk" of febrile seizures and extremely rare cases of serious allergic reactions, but that getting the MMR vaccine "is much safer than getting measles, mumps, or rubella."In addition, vaccine safety experts at CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree the MMR shot is not responsible for recent increases in autism diagnoses. "I'm a doctor. This executive order is wrong. The President does not have the expertise to make the

How should government funding for health research be managed to keep it free from political influence?

The federal spending bill has an important provision for researchers, and Trump announced more MFN deals with pharma firms

What should be done to ensure safe and effective cancer treatments while keeping drug prices fair for patients?

Europe pulls Tavneos over trial integrity concerns, pricing concerns over AstraZeneca's hypertension drug, and more biotech news from The Readout

What are the possible effects of Heidi Overton becoming the FDA commissioner on public health and safety?

Heidi Overton, a doctor and White House adviser, is expected to be President Trump's pick to lead the FDA

What are the benefits and challenges of making the Ervebo vaccine available to the public during the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo?

WHO vaccine experts on Friday recommended a full-scale human trial of the only existing approved Ebola vaccine to see if it offers cross-protection against a deadly strain spreading in the DR Congo

What are the benefits and concerns of using new mRNA technology in vaccines like the one from Moderna?

The agency had initially refused to even review the application but reversed course after a public outcry

What should be done to protect people's health information from being shared without their permission?