May 15, 2026
This week, STAT published the first installments of our new series, "The Deadliest Drug." Alcohol kills more Americans each year than all other drugs combined. Isabella Cueto and Lev Facher explore a fundamental question: Why does the U.S. ignore its most harmful substance use crisis? Read the first parts of the series, and learn more about how it came together in Executive Editor Rick Berke's letter to readers. — Sarah Mupo, director of editorial operations.
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for UCLA

DOJ accuses Yale and UCLA medical schools of discriminating against white and Asian applicants

Trump administration, in its latest move against DEI initiatives, alleges the schools are discriminating against white and Asian applicants.

By Anil Oza


STAT+ | Top U.S. officials pressured Germany to pay more for prescription drugs

Trump officials, backed by threat of tariffs, want Germany and other nations to pay more for drugs as the U.S. seeks lower medicine prices at home.

By Daniel Payne


Opinion: First hantavirus, now Ebola: What two outbreaks reveal about global preparedness

Outbreaks like Ebola and hantavirus are becoming more frequent, more complex, and increasingly difficult to contain.

By Krutika Kuppalli



Pharmacy companies can update color, shape, and imprint of medications, as long as they adhere to the correct formula.
Adobe

Opinion: I’m 73. I wish my pills wouldn’t keep changing colors and shapes

The constant changing of pills’ shapes and colors — often caused by switching generic manufacturers — leads to confusion, especially for seniors.

By Barbara Wolf


Why isn’t alcohol seen as a public health emergency?

Alcohol kills more Americans than all other drugs combined. STATus Report host Alex Hogan takes a deep dive into the new STAT series 'The Deadliest Drug.'

By Alex Hogan


Opinion: Telehealth abortion with mifepristone continues, with backup plans still in place

Regardless of the mifepristone case’s ultimate outcome, safe and effective medication abortion, including via telehealth, isn’t going away.

By Christine Henneberg


Craig Venter, then-President Bill Clinton, and Francis Collins of the National Institutes of Health talk about mapping the human genetic code on June 26, 2000, at the White House.
Mark Wilson/Newsmakers via Getty Images

Opinion: Tributes to Craig Venter and the genomics race are missing something important

Honoring Craig Venter’s legacy as a genomics legend doesn’t require flattening the story of decoding the human genome.

By Zachary Utz


STAT+ | Takeda will pay $13.6 million to settle allegations it paid kickbacks to doctors

The settlement is only the latest in a long line of such agreements that resolved allegations a drugmaker used kickbacks to woo doctors.

By Ed Silverman


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