Western pharmaceutical companies are urging the Trump administration to allow them to keep doing deals with Chinese companies for drug candidates trib.al/CqArBYx

RFK Jr. has installed John Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist, as the new chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, which helps the federal government decide how to allocate roughly $2 billion… trib.al/IqpomlH

The new chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee — which helps the government decide how to allocate ~$2B in autism research — founded a startup to help autistic kids access leucovorin, a drug that lacks evidence for use as autism treatment. trib.al/z3JDT48

“Researchers must seize this opportunity to examine how social media — and its regulation — impacts teenagers,” writes Wellcome’s Camilla Iannone. trib.al/3gE8V6A

The race between Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy could be the election’s most direct test of where the heartland stands on health care and the pandemic. trib.al/93Ocg3X

Why an influential GOP health policy expert still backs $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts — and which policy target is next. trib.al/JGLxI2b

Research shows that integrative therapies reduce cancer-related pain, fatigue, anxiety, and nausea. Why won't insurance pay? trib.al/O13iidy

Several members of Congress voiced strong opposition about a reported plan to create a panel of political appointees to sign off on NIH grants trib.al/m4Jwbpa

Can RFK Jr. help Republicans win in November? To answer that question, STAT’s Chelsea Cirruzzo trained her gaze on Iowa, where the health secretary campaigned with gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn. Lahn, who is running behind in the polls, has been touting Kennedy’s recent visit, saying “RFK Jr.’s story is one that I have long admired.” Kennedy has stopped in other states too. It makes sense, Chelsea explains, because Kennedy is one of Trump’s most popular cabinet secretaries, and his Make America Healthy Again agenda could cut through voters’ dissatisfaction about the economy and the war in Iran. “Kennedy has made clear that his mission could be threatened by the upcoming elections, and he has been trying to bring his message to voters,” Chelsea writes. Could it work? statnews.com/2026/09/21/heal…

The FDA approved Eli Lilly’s Inluriyo in combination with its cancer drug Verzenio for patients with an advanced form of breast cancer. A Phase 3 study showed the combination cut the risk of progression or death by 47% compared with imlunestrant alone. trib.al/0e5ugCm

The FDA just approved a new combination drug treatment for patients with an advanced form of breast cancer. trib.al/n6MM9k2

Shares in Grail, the company developing a blood test for cancer, surged Monday after the FDA posted documents ahead of an advisory committee meeting. trib.al/frQWsi5

STAT's Alex Hogan sits down for an in-depth conversation with our new trust-in-science reporter, Nicholas Florko, on the latest episode of STATus Report. trib.al/AbLgndY

"I know what it means to be searching for an explanation to what ails you, and a way to fix it," writes STAT's new trust-in-science reporter, Nicholas Florko. trib.al/W1bYQ9R