Lison Joseph

FDA grants 'breakthrough' status to generative AI chatbot for surgical patients The FDA's decision on a chatbot for patients recovering from surgery could offer clues on how the agency plans to regulate generative AI tools.

What FDA's consideration of a generative AI chatbot says about how the agency's regulation of generative AI based devices

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2026 STAT Madness 2026 bracket Welcome to STAT Madness, a bracket-style contest to find the best innovation in science and medicine. Explore groundbreaking innovations from

It's time to VOTE!
#STATMadness is back! Our bracket-style contest to find the best innovation in science and medicine.
Help us crown a new champ! Vote now: www.statnews.com/feature/stat...

How can HHS drive clinical AI adoption? The industry wish list is starting to take shape What leading health tech firms and AI startups want HHS to do to speed up clinical AI adoption.

How can HHS drive clinical AI adoption? The industry wish list is starting to take shape www.statnews.com/2026/03/02/h... via @statnews.com

Digital twins, the holy grail of preventative health, are still only a ‘Frankensteinian proof of principle’ AI advances and new data on genomics, patient outcomes, and drug performance have pushed the idea of “digital twins” closer to reality than ever before.

“Digital twins” can transform preventative medicine, making health care less reactive. But, it still remains a concept rather than a solution for the health care sector, @ravindranize.bsky.social reports:

www.statnews.com/2026/02/24/d... via @statnews.com

A provocative proposal asks the FDA to let some AI devices on the market without review A provocative new proposal has offered the FDA a way to let a broad swath of potentially risky AI devices flood the market.

An interesting industry petition could shift the burden of evidence to post-market monitoring for six AI product types

www.statnews.com/2026/02/23/h... via @statnews.com

Key study of Grail’s cancer detection test fails in setback for company Grail's blood test for detecting cancer early failed to meet its main goal in a giant study being conducted with England’s NHS, the company said.

ICYMI: Key study of Grail’s cancer detection test fails in setback for company www.statnews.com/2026/02/19/g... via @statnews.com

FDA taps AI executive to lead digital health center FDA has tapped a former executive from a health AI company to lead its digital health center.

Breaking: FDA taps AI executive to lead digital health center www.statnews.com/2026/02/19/f... via @statnews.com

AI Prognosis: Who's keeping tabs on how health insurers are using AI? In this edition, AI Prognosis talks to STAT's Casey Ross, a Pulitzer finalist laser-focused on health insurers' use of AI, and more.

In today's AI Prognosis, a conversation with Casey Ross about the new frontier in health insurer AI, and why I think the ACCESS pricing wasn't surprising:

"I will go out of my way to destroy that CPT code if that’s what you do," Medicare head Chris Klomp said at CES.

More @statnews.com:
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STAT wins fourth Polk Award for reporting on impact of Trump on health STAT has won its fourth Polk Award in five years for documenting the Trump administration’s shakeup of the FDA, scientific research, and public health.

STAT wins fourth Polk Award for reporting on impact of Trump on health www.statnews.com/2026/02/18/s... via @statnews.com

FDA reverses course, agrees to review Moderna’s flu vaccine The FDA reversed course and told Moderna it would review its application for a new flu vaccine, the company announced Wednesday.

FDA reverses course, agrees to review Moderna’s flu vaccine www.statnews.com/2026/02/18/f... via @statnews.com

In a financial pinch, major health insurers are turning to AI for help Facing shrinking profits and higher costs, health insurers are accelerating adoption of AI throughout their sprawling operations.

In a financial pinch, major health insurers are turning to AI for help. Their broadening efforts to cut costs and boost efficiency raise thorny questions about trust and oversight, @caseyross.bsky.social reports:

www.statnews.com/2026/02/17/h... via @statnews.com

Prasad overruled FDA staff to reject Moderna's flu vaccine application The rejection is the latest instance of Vinay Prasad overruling career FDA scientists to place vaccines under harsher scrutiny.

Prasad overruled FDA staff to reject Moderna's flu vaccine application www.statnews.com/2026/02/11/m... via @statnews.com

Hims is in the crosshairs. Is a crackdown coming for compounding? A federal regulatory crackdown on Hims could impact a broader network of compounding pharmacies and telehealth companies.

Hims & Hers’ is one of the most visible telehealth brands. A crackdown on Hims could have implications for a broad national network of companies that market and prescribe compounded drugs, @katiepalmer.bsky.social reports:

www.statnews.com/2026/02/11/h... via @statnews.com

National Cancer Institute studying ivermectin’s ‘ability to kill cancer cells,’ alarming career scientists The National Cancer Institute is studying ivermectin as a potential cancer treatment, according to its top official, alarming career scientists.

The National Cancer Institute is studying ivermectin as a potential cancer treatment, according to its top official, alarming career scientists. www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/i...

Abridge CTO talks Epic, Microsoft, and rebranding as ‘more than an AI scribe’ Abridge CTO Zack Lipton talks about how he sees the market for AI scribes evolving.

Abridge CTO talks Epic, Microsoft, and rebranding as ‘more than an AI scribe’ www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/a... via @statnews.com

Hims, other telehealth platforms push multi-cancer detection tests before evidence of benefit Test makers and telehealth providers say they want to give people a chance to catch cancers early and seek treatment.

Hims, other telehealth platforms push multi-cancer detection tests before evidence of benefit www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t... via @statnews.com

Fearing ICE crackdown, immigrants nationally are avoiding treatment, sometimes with dire consequences Doctors nationally are describing harrowing consequences for patients who put off medical care because of fears of ICE.

Doctors nationwide are seeing patients avoid care amid ICE crackdowns, sometimes with dire consequences.

Health providers are now employing pandemic-era tactics to keep care accessible.

How immigration policy is changing American health care:

www.statnews.com/2026/02/03/i...

AI could soon renew prescriptions without clinician help. Should the FDA make sure it's safe? In a pilot, Utah is testing use of AI for renewing drug prescriptions. Experts ask if it should be regulated as a medical device.

AI could soon renew prescriptions without clinician help. Should the FDA make sure it’s safe? www.statnews.com/2026/02/03/u... via @statnews.com

New data shows how HHS is implementing Trump AI mandates The federal health department is rapidly acquiring and deploying AI tools, according to data from the agency’s technology office.

New data shows how HHS is implementing Trump AI mandates www.statnews.com/2026/02/03/n... via @statnews.com

Tenuous biomedical funding has put first-year Ph.D. students in a bind First-year biomedical graduate students across the country said labs have been hesitant to take them in due to a tenuous funding environment

Tenuous funding for biomedical research has some first-year Ph.D. students struggling to find labs -- and questioning their future career plans. My latest for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2026/01/30/f...

How direct-to-consumer health tests could impact insurance, mortgages, and employment As more consumers order up lab tests and genetic screenings, experts say it could impact insurance, loans, and employment decisions.

Could results from a health test that you ordered online — blood panels, genetic tests you name it — impact your application for a new mortgage or a life insurance policy? @ravindranize.bsky.social takes a closer look at the privacy protections

www.statnews.com/2026/01/30/d... via @statnews.com

Chaotic and politicized: Inside the FDA under Trump Layoffs, leadership chaos, and politicized science have destabilized the FDA under Trump. This STAT Special Report explains what happened, why it matters, and what comes next.

NEW: You can now access all of STAT's most important FDA reporting from last year in one place. Check out our special report documenting the agency's inner turmoil.
reports.statnews.com/products/ins...

The main thing that these 21 (not 19, sorry typo) new members have in common? Most of them have publicly expressed or belong to groups that have publicly expressed a belief in the debunked claim that vaccines can cause autism.

www.statnews.com/2026/01/28/k...

AI biotech founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt is raising $150 million Hologen, a secretive AI startup co-founded by former Google CEO is looking to raise $150 million.

AI biotech founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt is raising $150 million www.statnews.com/2026/01/28/h... via @statnews.com

Why some hospitals are making their own ChatGPTs for patient records Some large health systems are building their own AI-powered chatbots to make it easier for their clinicians to query patients' health records.

Why some hospitals are making their own ChatGPTs for patient records www.statnews.com/2026/01/28/s... via @statnews.com

You can buy a whole host of sketchy drugs at many gas stations. I wondered why gas stations, of all places, were the premier destination for people seeking quasi-legal recreational (or knockoff pharmaceutical) drugs. I dig into why in this week's @statnews.com STATus Report. youtu.be/4QsVjgIWVZs

Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear Researchers and advocates fear a key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda.

News: HHS is stacking a key federal committee on autism with members who align with health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claim that childhood vaccines can cause autism.

The group met Thursday, despite no prior public notice about the gathering.

www.statnews.com/2026/01/23/k...

Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear Researchers and advocates fear a key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy's vaccine agenda.

Key autism committee is being reshaped to support Kennedy’s vaccine agenda, researchers and advocates fear www.statnews.com/2026/01/23/k... via @statnews.com

FDA clears Aidoc tool to detect 14 different conditions from a CT scan FDA cleared an AI tool from Aidoc that can detect multiple conditions from a single CT scan.

FDA clears Aidoc's tool that can detect 14 different conditions from a CT scan

www.statnews.com/2026/01/21/f... via @statnews.com

Is 'shared decision-making' being hijacked by U.S. health officials to sow doubt about vaccines? Experts worry that health officials' use of 'shared decision-making' in new vaccine guidance distorts the concept's meaning and disregards the importance of evidence.

Shared clinical decision making was devised to help patients & their doctors make choices when the answer isn't clear cut. People who devised the approach fear it's being hijacked to undermine decades of study supporting #vaccines, @ericboodman.bsky.social writes. www.statnews.com/2026/01/20/s...