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STAT editors spotted someone yesterday wearing a T-shirt that said “I ❤️ Tylenol.” This sent several reporters down a rabbit hole of vintage pharmaceutical industry merchandise. My favorite was the Lexapro brand cocktail shaker.
(You can no longer buy drug products, but you can. Purchase STAT products. If you were curious.)
Speaker of the House supports EMTALA as Republicans target immigrant health care.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, a Republican, said yesterday that his party does not want to change the Emergency Medical Services and Labor Act, which requires hospitals to provide medical care to anyone experiencing an emergency, including immigrants without legal status. This is the latest comments from Republicans in a week focused on undocumented immigrants and health care.
One of the most consistent Republican arguments in the government shutdown debate is that Democrats’ government funding bill would spend hundreds of billions of dollars to provide “free health care for illegals.” (Note: Undocumented immigrants are already barred from receiving federally funded health insurance, including Medicaid.) STAT’s John Wilkerson has more on what’s happening.
Public reaction to Trump’s Tylenol claim
National leader comes one week after President Trump made baseless claim that Tylenol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy was linked to autism KFF poll Most adults were unsure about the facts and responded that the claim was “probably true” or “probably false.” “Most” means that 30% thought it was likely true and another 30% thought it was likely false. Which way people lean depends largely on whether they are a Republican or a Democrat. Here are some more interesting results:
- About 60% of respondents disapproved of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overall performance as health secretary, and 62% disapproved of how he handled vaccine policy specifically.
- Although trust in the CDC continues to decline, 64% of respondents said they trust the AMA’s information and 69% of parents said they trust the AAP.
- Seventy percent of parents who responded said they opposed eliminating vaccination requirements for public schools in their state.
And again, Matt Herper at STAT broke down all the evidence on Tylenol and the vaccine.
More psychiatric patients are using cannabis.
A study published yesterday in JAMA Psychiatry found that in states where cannabis has been legalized, people with mental illness are increasingly using the drug. Researchers analyzed data from 1,856 adults with a lifetime history of mental illness from a national longitudinal study conducted by the FDA and NIH. They found that five years after the state legalized recreational marijuana use, cannabis use increased nearly 10 percent.
Although the majority of people who use cannabis do not develop psychosis, many studies show a link between cannabis use and an increased risk of developing psychosis early in life and a worse prognosis. And as STAT’s O. Rose Broderick points out, the proliferation of legal cannabis is outpacing the regulation of related products. Learn more about the study and why medical experts are worried.
Report: First gene-edited pig liver transplanted into living person.
In a medical milestone, a Chinese research team has successfully transplanted a CRISPR gene-edited pig liver into a living person. The organ functioned well for a month before being removed. that case studyThe paper, published today in the Journal of Hepatology, is cause for cautious optimism about the resurgent field of xenotransplantation and a reminder of how far the technology still has to go.
The patient, a 71-year-old man with a history of liver failure, arrived at a hospital in Anhui province in May 2024, where doctors discovered a large tumor in his liver threatening to rupture. With few options and little time, he and his family turned to experimental xenotransplantation through the Compassionate Use Program.
Once connected to the patient’s circulatory system, the gene-edited pig liver began secreting bile and performing other essential functions. However, starting around day 31, tests showed a surge in inflammation and signs of dangerous damage to blood vessels, necessitating emergency organ removal. These injuries resolved, but the patient died 3 months later from sudden, uncontrollable bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Sun Beiching, the surgeon who led the study, said the experiment showed that xenografts could serve as a life-saving bridge for patients with inoperable liver cancer or incurable liver failure. His team is currently developing pigs with additional genetic modifications, which they hope will result in “more compatible” organs. — Megan Molteni
This year’s ‘genius’ is
MacArthur Foundation announces 22 new ‘geniuses’ pack Yesterday includes many researchers, including astrophysicists, composers, novelists, and several who have appeared in STAT’s journalism over the years. Here are some notable names:
- Navarun Dasgupta Epidemiologist and harm reduction advocate. He first spoke with STAT about the increased efficacy of naloxone overdose treatment in late 2021. And he spoke with STAT’s Lev Facher earlier this year about how policymakers should respond to the fact that a tranquilizer called “dex” is replacing “tranq” in the illicit drug supply.
- Jason MacLellanAs a structural biologist, he studies viral fusion proteins and develops new ways to prevent infectious diseases. He was part of the team that designed the spike protein target that several vaccine manufacturers are using to create coronavirus vaccines. STAT’s Helen Branswell notes these achievements in her 2022 story, “Why the Covid-19 Vaccine Is an Amazing Miracle.”
What we’re reading
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Starving children are screaming for food as U.S. aid brings devastation and death across Myanmar. AP
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Has Trump Always Opposed LGBTQ+ Rights? Everything in his past is saying no. 19th
- Parents of children with rare diseases ask: How long will it take for a CRISPR miracle to happen? statistics
- California’s nursing shortage is becoming increasingly serious. Front-line employees criticize management, KFF Health News
- First opinion: Pharmaceutical companies’ move away from infectious disease research could be disastrous for the world’s poorest people, says STAT
