Jason Ukman

In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response After a gunman shot up CDC headquarters, employees had harrowing stories and questions about "disinformation that caused this issue."

New: In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response

Agency leaders say new security teams, monitoring, reviews planned

w/ @helenbranswell.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/08/09/c...

Former surgeon general: The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call “When influential figures amplify falsehoods, they legitimize the anger that leads to violence,” writes former Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

"The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call," by former surgeon general Jerome Adams.

"It’s time to reject the rhetoric that dehumanizes those trying to keep us safe and take real steps to protect them," Adams writes.

www.statnews.com/2025/08/09/c...

Trump executive order seeks to centralize control of grantmaking under political appointees A sweeping new executive order seeks to transform how the federal government awards billions of dollars in research grants

This is a big deal: Trump executive order seeks to centralize control of grantmaking under political appointees, fundamentally rewrite rules for awarding billions in research funding.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/08/08/t...

Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to discontinue funding for mRNA vaccines has alarmed scientists. But it is also a matter of national security, experts say.

Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say.

www.statnews.com/2025/08/07/k...

As mRNA falls out of favor for HHS, are cancer vaccines next? Cancer vaccines in development rely on mRNA technology under attack by RFK Jr. “I am concerned that this could bleed over," an oncologist says.

As mRNA falls out of favor for HHS, are cancer vaccines next?

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/08/07/m...

Exact Sciences acquires rights to rival Freenome’s blood-based colon cancer test Exact Sciences is paying $75 million for exclusive rights to a blood-based "liquid biopsy" screening test from rival firm Freenome

Exact Sciences has acquired exclusive rights to rival Freenome’s blood-based colon cancer test. The company disclosed that its own test did not quite meet the bar for Medicare coverage. News from me for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/08/06/e...

Rare disease patients caught in Trump crackdown on foreign grant awards Rare disease research has been caught up in a Trump administration crackdown on NIH grants being used to support international collaborations

Importance piece from @mmolteni.bsky.social: Rare disease patients have been caught up in Trump's crackdown on foreign grant awards. Research is now rejected over paperwork glitches.

www.statnews.com/2025/08/06/n...

Health secretary RFK Jr. shuts door on U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine research Vaccine experts and people steeped in pandemic preparedness expressed horror at the news that RFK Jr. has shut the door in U.S. investment in mRNA vaccine research.

Significant blow here for scientific efforts based on the technology that produced Covid vaccines. A few years ago, this scenario would have been difficult to imagine.

www.statnews.com/2025/08/05/m...

Get 50% off an annual STAT+ subscription Join the STAT+ community today and enjoy unlimited access to award-winning journalism, premium data tools, discounted event tickets, and much more.

Flagging a @statnews.com promo: 50% off annual subscriptions.

News subs can be pricey, but the team here works super hard to deliver value for the investment.

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“In short, HHS has offered no evidence that it did not withhold amounts from obligation or expenditure, and it has not shown that the delay was a permissible programmatic one,” GAO wrote.

Trump administration violated impoundment law by canceling NIH grants, slowing new awards, GAO finds The Government Accountability Office found that the Trump administration, by abruptly canceling NIH grants, had violated a 1974 federal law

New: Trump administration violated impoundment law by canceling NIH grants, slowing new awards, GAO finds.

Via @aniloza.bsky.social @mmolteni.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/08/05/g...

Screening guideline change led to more colorectal cancers being detected early in younger adults Two new studies show that colorectal cancer screening sharply increased for people ages 45 to 49 after the age recommendation changed in 2021.

The #USPSTF, which is under fire from the HHS secretary, lowered the age at which it recommended colorectal cancer screening to 45 from 50 in 2021, because more cases of advanced cancer were being seen in younger adults. New studies suggest the new policy is working. www.statnews.com/2025/08/04/c...

Gates Foundation pledges $2.5 billion to women’s health initiatives Breaking: The Gates Foundation said it would commit $2.5 billion through 2030 to support women’s health initiatives, its largest funding commitment ever to the issue.

Breaking: Gates Foundation pledges $2.5 billion to women’s health initiatives, the organization’s largest commitment ever to the issue.

Via @matthewherper.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/08/04/b...

Representatives of expert groups to be barred from work supporting CDC’s vaccine advisers The reshaping of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel has continued, with the apparent barring of reps of medical associations from ACIP work groups.

The dismantling of the science-driven #ACIP continues, with members of professional groups (pediatricians, family docs, obgyns, etc) that have liaison status on the panel that shapes #CDC's vaccination policy told they are biased, can't serve on ACIP work groups. www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/c...

MAGA influencers take a sudden interest in Medicare Advantage reforms, echoing a dark money group It's not clear why right wing influencers are suddenly pushing back against Medicare reforms.

MAGA influencers take a sudden interest in Medicare Advantage reforms, echoing a dark money group.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/08/01/m...

Excellent story, and have a look at that illustration.

Senate committee endorses NIH budget increase, rebuking Trump administration’s proposed 40% cut Senators from both parties endorsed a $400 million increase to the budget of the National Institutes of Health on Thursday

Senate Appropriations Committee signaling no interest in the Trump administration's plan to slash the NIH budget.

Via @jonathanwosen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/07/31/n...

The CDC usually draws attention to annual figures on vaccination rates/exemptions.

"This year, the agency quietly posted the data online and — when asked about it — emailed a statement."

www.statnews.com/2025/07/31/c...

Top White House pandemic preparedness official resigns, officials say, in sign of broader disarray Exclusive: A top White House pandemic preparedness official has resigned, officials tell STAT, in a sign of broader disarray.

In which @katherineeban.bsky.social scoops that a top White House pandemic preparedness official is out — and was never formally the head of its congressionally mandated office in the first place.

www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/w...

Trump nominee for top HHS post pushed to ban methadone treatment HHS general counsel nominee Mike Stuart’s position on methadone puts him far outside the mainstream in American politics.

Exclusive: Trump's nominee to serve as HHS general counsel has sponsored legislation that would ban methadone clinics outright.

Mike Stuart, a W.V. state lawmaker, has also advocated for banning syringe exchange.

(West Virginia's drug death rate is significantly higher than any other state)

Viral infections in the lung, like Covid-19, can reactivate dormant cancer cells Certain respiratory infections could trigger a reawakening of dormant cancer cells in the body, according to a new study.

More evidence (in mice) that viral infections can have serious health effects that reach far beyond feeling sick for a week or two — like waking up dormant cancer cells. Fascinating new study in Nature covered by Veronica Paulus for @statnews.com :

www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/f...

Kevin Hall, uncensored: Top nutrition scientist on clashing with MAHA and what he actually eats 'They’re not interested in the science': Former NIH nutrition scientist Kevin Hall on how his work with MAHA fell apart.

I really enjoyed chatting with @kevinh-phd.bsky.social about his new book, what happened after he left NIH, the problems with MAHA's approach to food dyes, and much more — including which ultra-processed foods he happily eats

www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/k...

Trump administration blocks NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts The order applies to the entirety of new and, possibly, ongoing research grant dollars that go to universities and academic medical centers.

🚨 The Trump administration has blocked the NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/t...

Major Alzheimer's group says some blood tests may be used in place of brain scans for diagnosis A major Alzheimer’s disease medical group is recommending that specialists may use certain blood tests to help diagnose patients with cognitive impairment.

Interesting, and with possibly wide implications: Major Alzheimer’s group says some blood tests may be used in place of brain scans for diagnosis.

Via @elaineywchen.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/a...

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.

By entirely funding more awards up front, the NIH is on track to fund just 1 in 25 applications

Such a payline “would chase a lot of people out of science” former NCI director Ned Sharpless told us 🧪🔬

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...

UnitedHealth CEO says some parts of business need ‘fundamental reorientation’ With health insurers under pressure, UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley said that some parts of the business need "fundamental reorientation."

UnitedHealth CEO says some parts of business need ‘fundamental reorientation’ www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/u... via @statnews.com

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.

NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy. At National Cancer Institute, grants will be awarded to only 1 in 25 applicants.

Via @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...

AMA pushes back as RFK Jr. reportedly plans to fire members of preventive care panel A major medical group is pushing back after a report that RFK Jr. plans to fire members of a key preventive care panel.

HHS still maintaining that "no final decision has been made" by RFK Jr. on USPSTF, @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social reports.

www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/r...

Did a drug prevent this man’s ALS? For over an hour, Jeff Vierstra lay still in Columbia University’s ALS clinic, as a doctor poked him ankle-to-throat with an electric needle. Sometimes,

Did a drug prevent this man’s ALS? Via @jasonmast.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/07/28/a...

NIH, FDA plan to reduce animal testing draws mixed reactions among scientists As the Trump administration reshapes biomedicine, it wants to change how scientists test drug safety: animal research.

FDA and NIH are moving away from animal testing. Scientists are split on whether that's a good idea, @marissa-russo.bsky.social and I report for @statnews.com after talking with 10+ researchers across academia and biotech.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/25/n...