Theresa Gaffney

In its campaign against gender-affirming care, Trump administration seeks to clear a big legal hurdle A federal appeals court will hear arguments Friday in the Trump administration's effort to subpoena patient records on gender-affirming care

Federal judges have consistently quashed DOJ subpoenas on gender-affirming care, often using strong language to call the investigations an overreach executed “in bad faith.” Today, the DOJ got its first shot at an appeal against a small telehealth clinic. The stakes: www.statnews.com/2026/03/06/t...

A titan of vaccine development sees his field’s achievements slip away Stanley Plotkin, the 93-year-old "godfather of vaccines," is watching his field’s achievements slip away.

Stanley Plotkin had a major hand in the development of a number of vaccines in use today; he designed the rubella vaccine. He remembers the world before widespread use of vaccines & knows what's coming as vaccine policy is rewritten & vaccine confidence is eroded. www.statnews.com/2026/03/02/s...

As transgender Kansans grapple with a challenging new reality today, and the rest of the nation watches what’s happening in the Sunflower State, here’s a thread of @kansasreflector.com stories and opinion pieces about SB 244. (1/15) #ksleg #trans #lgbtq

Jeffrey Epstein’s tissue samples ignited a furor in the Harvard lab of George Church Exclusive: Harvard geneticist George Church knew more about Jeffrey Epstein's activities than he has previously said, before accepting new donations from the sex offender.

Jeffrey Epstein’s tissue samples ignited a furor in the Harvard lab of George Church, reports @mmolteni.bsky.social in this @statnews.com exclusive. 13 years later, the whereabouts of the sex offender’s skin cells are a mystery
www.statnews.com/2026/02/24/e...

Did the AMA change its position on surgery for transgender minors? The statements largely echo existing practices, but come as political pressure on transgender care grows.

Reminder: www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/m...

ACOG released its first clinical guidance on diagnosing endometriosis Friday. Notably, the group recommended against any use of biomarker tests that analyze blood, urine, or other samples. More in today's newsletter: www.statnews.com/2026/02/23/h...

Pharma lobbyists focus on a surprising new target: the FDA Lobbyists told STAT they believe the odds of approval go up if a decision can be spun as a win for the Trump administration.

NEW: Pharma lobbyists are working to influence an agency once thought largely off-limits — the FDA.

How Trump-era politics are being injected into the agency tasked with regulating U.S. medicines:

w/ @lizzylawrence.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2026/02/23/f...

‘They better take away duct tape’: Trans men say they’ll keep binding despite FDA crackdown Chest binders are a common first step to explore gender identity. Restricting them could push people back to unsafe DIY methods.

This story was fun to write bc it’s mostly older trans guys being like “we used to bind uphill both ways in the snow”

But in all seriousness, binding used to be the wild west. Duct tape, electrical tape, ACE bandages. Now we have good products. But the FDA is cracking down on those. Read more:

‘I’m crushed’: Transgender patients left in limbo after UMass Memorial canceled their surgeries Some people had waited nearly a year for their appointments with a preeminent surgeon. Now, they don’t know what to do.

UMass abruptly canceled bottom surgery appointments for hundreds of patients with no explanation. Some had surgery dates booked a year in advance, others were scheduled to get revisions done.

www.wgbh.org/news/health/...

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.

Scoop: Top FDA official Vinay Prasad overruled the agency’s reviewers when he refused to accept Moderna’s application for a new influenza vaccine, STAT has learned.
www.statnews.com/2026/02/11/m...

Landmark settlement could create new protections for harm reduction under disability law A Christian group announces a potentially landmark legal settlement that the ACLU says could establish new federal protections for harm reduction services.

A Christian group announces a potentially landmark legal settlement that the ACLU says could establish new federal protections for harm reduction services. www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/n...

also, some interesting and helpful historical context in this thread: bsky.app/profile/evan...

Did the AMA change its position on surgery for transgender minors? The statements largely echo existing practices, but come as political pressure on transgender care grows.

“I don’t know that this is going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in any one scenario,” one expert told me re: the latest ASPS and AMA statements on gender-affirming surgery. “The pressure [medical institutions] are already facing is substantial.” www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/m...

The push to turn Big Food into the new Big Tobacco Can the anti-tobacco playbook work against ultra-processed food?

"So you’re a bear in the forest, and you’re hungry." www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/m...

Amid federal pressure, more hospitals stop gender-affirming care for minors A STAT analysis found more than 40 hospitals have paused or ceased to offer some gender-affirming care to young people since President Trump took office

I tallied all the hospitals and health systems that have stopped providing gender-affirming care to young people in the last year (so you don't have to)

This includes nine that have stopped providing hormones and puberty blockers since the beginning of the year. www.statnews.com/2026/02/05/h...

Plastic surgeons society recommends delaying gender-affirming procedures until age 19 The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommended that gender-affirming surgeries be delayed until a patient is at least 19 years old

The plastic surgeons society now recommends delaying gender-affirming procedures until age 19. Daniel and I wrote about it, including how the group made ethical considerations for surgeries on cisgender vs. transgender adolescents. www.statnews.com/2026/02/03/g...

Alex Pretti remembered by health care workers at a Minneapolis vigil as a ‘standup guy’ Health care workers brought flowers and wreaths, lit candles, and draped stethoscopes over a wooden cross as a makeshift memorial to nurse Alex Pretti

STAT actually has a little bureau here in the Twin Cities. I’m glad my colleague @mmolteni.bsky.social was able to get out and cover this health care worker’s vigil www.statnews.com/2026/01/26/a...

Endometriosis often takes years to diagnose. Startups want to change that At least a dozen biotech companies are developing tools to diagnose endometriosis more easily.

Endometriosis can often take 5-10 painful years to diagnose. But recently, at least a dozen companies have begun working to make that process simpler. And there's hope their work could eventually lead to better treatment for the complicated, common disease: www.statnews.com/2026/01/26/e...

Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries The industry connections of an advisory panel for the new dietary guidelines are notable, especially in light Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s criticism of corporate influence.

Nearly half of Trump-appointed experts involved in shaping the new dietary guidelines have financial ties to meat and dairy industries.

Exclusive with @sarah-todd.bsky.social and @elizabethcooney.bsky.social -->

www.statnews.com/2026/01/07/n...

FDA announces sweeping changes to oversight of wearables, AI-enabled devices The FDA will ease regulation of digital health products, aiming to deregulate AI and promote its widespread use.

The FDA is easing regulation for wearable devices and AI-enabled clinical decision support tools. Commissioner Makary intro'd the news at #CES2026, telling attendees the FDA will "get out of the way" and "promote AI." Read our news analysis:
www.statnews.com/2026/01/06/f...

Nineteen states, D.C. sue HHS over gender-affirming care crackdown Democratic-led states and D.C. have sued HHS, calling an RFK Jr. declaration that rejected gender-affirming care an overreach of its authority.

19 states are suing HHS over last week's gender-affirming care crackdown — particularly Kennedy's declaration. Chelsea has the details: www.statnews.com/2025/12/24/g...

Democratic senators balk on vote against Marjorie Taylor Greene’s anti-trans bill The bill would need seven Democratic senators to join Republicans

NEW: Many Democratic Senators said they hadn't seen Marjorie Taylor Greene's anti-trans bill and didn't say if it would fail. The only one who gave a hard commitment? Greene's fellow Georgian Raphael Warnock.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

We updated this story with some insights from lawyers and policy experts on whether or not CMS has the legal authority to do this, what challenges to the rules may look like, and when those challenges can happen. Take a read:

In major effort to end gender-affirming care, Trump administration takes aim at hospitals The Trump administration intends to make its most forceful attempt yet at restricting gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the U.S.

BREAKING: Trump admin officially proposes new CMS rules to restrict trans health care for young people, including one that would change the conditions for hospitals to participate in Medicare/Medicaid by barring those that offer gender-affirming care to minors.
www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/t...

Marjorie Taylor Greene's bill prohibiting gender-affirming care for young trans people has passed the House. Story updated:

Health workers decry hasty House bills to ban gender-affirming care for children: ‘They hurt people’ Two bills mark the first time Congress has voted over national care bans and an escalation of anti-trans rhetoric

The House is planning to vote on two bills to ban gender-affirming health care for children. I followed a doctor and a nurse as they visited lawmakers yesterday to urge them to vote no:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

House set to vote on bills to ban gender-affirming care for young people It's the latest effort by GOP lawmakers and President Trump to restrict care for transgender youth.

Republicans in Congress are making a renewed push before the end of the year to pass major federal restrictions to gender-affirming care for trans minors. There will likely be one vote today, and more to come before the end of the week: www.statnews.com/2025/12/17/h...

Amid talk of a brain drain, some scientists leave U.S. behind “A large part of what we loved about the United States is no longer there”: Amid talk of a brain drain, some scientists leave the U.S. behind.

Amid talk of a brain drain, some scientists leave U.S. behind www.statnews.com/2025/12/17/r...

There’s a testosterone crisis, the FDA says — for cisgender men The government disapproves of the hormone for transgender people but is enthusiastic about what it could do for cisgender men.

The FDA is interested in changing testosterone’s label as a drug with a higher risk of abuse and physical dependence, to help cisgender men more easily access it.

What about trans men, you ask? Well, the FDA didn't, but we did!

Postscripts from the frontlines of Trump's attacks on science: no simple happy endings Stories from the frontlines of Trump's attack on science: Follow-ups from a year of struggles in Part 7 of our series "American Science, Shattered."

This week's installments to our American Science, Shattered series @statnews.com include a check-in with scientists, federal workers, policy experts, and patients whose stories we brought you earlier this year.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/11/a...