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Happy Friday. Watching Alex Hogan’s latest video (an amazing romp about the new semaglutide pill) felt like tumbling down a rabbit hole, ending with Monty Norman, who composed the James Bond theme song.
How did we get there? Watch the video.
Next steps in the Department of Justice’s fight against gender-affirming care
Oral arguments begin today in the Ninth Circuit, potentially determining whether the Justice Department can access patient records, including names, Social Security numbers and diagnoses, from the telemedicine company QueerDoc.
The case is part of a series of 20 subpoenas sent by the Justice Department to clinics and doctors who provide medication and surgery to young transgender people. Federal officials are appealing a district judge’s October ruling blocking a subpoena issued to QueerDoc. This is the latest development in the Trump administration’s crusade against pediatric gender reassignment treatment, which has led many hospitals to suspend or end this life-saving treatment.
Legal experts say this first case could influence the Justice Department’s strategy in other appeals that are likely to last until the end of the year. STAT’s Teresa Gaffney breaks down the incident, its likely outcome, and future implications.
Should patient health data be treated like a public utility?
Last year, HHS quietly proposed a revolutionary approach to public health. It’s patient data as a commodity that fuels innovation and progress, just as it powers our homes. Why not treat patient interactions with the health care system as a natural resource?
A group of researchers and companies endorsed the idea Thursday in an article published in the journal Science. If health data is to be treated like a more valuable commodity, they argue, individuals who control the data should have the ability to understand what is being done with that data and broker access. It must be managed and protected like a public utility so that it is not misused.
STAT’s Katie Palmer spoke with Alastair Thomson, one of the co-authors of the Science article and former chief data officer at ARPA-H. Where did this idea come from? How realistic is it? Read more.
Americans trust Fauci more than RFK Jr.
Americans have more trust and confidence in career scientists in professional health organizations and federal health agencies than in the political appointees who lead them, according to a new study from the Annenberg Center for Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.
The study was conducted in February among 1,650 U.S. adults and had some notable findings. Two-thirds of respondents said they trust career scientists working at U.S. federal health agencies, compared to 43% who said they trust agency leaders.
Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is viewed more favorably in the public eye than Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
There are a lot of interesting data points in this survey. You’ll have to find out for yourself.
approved for the pill
If you pick up Morning Rounds, you’ve probably read our many accounts of how semaglutide injections like Ozempic are revolutionizing obesity care. But pill versions of these drugs from companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly could revolutionize our weight-loss regimen even more. Another great STATus Report video with Alex Hogan, and perhaps his best title?
Alex also answers important questions. Is Novo Nordisk trolling Hims & Hers with its latest ad?
Impact of President Trump’s “Don’t Take Tylenol”
Acetaminophen use among pregnant women in the emergency room plummeted following a press conference last year in which President Trump and health officials warned against its use, according to new research released yesterday.
Health officials said taking painkillers increased the risk of having a child with autism, even though scientific consensus finds no link and untreated fever carries its own risks for the neurodevelopment of pregnant women and their fetuses. Researchers found that orders for painkillers decreased in the 12 weeks following the announcement. Just as outpatient prescriptions for leucovorin, a little-known cancer drug that has not been shown to have widespread efficacy in alleviating autism symptoms, have increased dramatically.
How significant were the declines and spikes? Read more from me.
Medical school updates approach to nutrition education
At the request of the Trump administration, more than 50 medical schools have agreed to revamp their nutrition education. The agreement announced Thursday is a testament to the movement’s ability to find common ground with health care organizations, its leaders say, even as they disagree on issues such as vaccine policy.
Each school agreed to conduct a curriculum evaluation, designate a “teacher champion” to promote nutrition education, and publish a public plan to earn 40 hours of nutrition education or equivalent starting in fall 2026.
While nutrition experts generally support increased education about the relationship between diet and health, some argue that the most important thing doctors can learn is to refer patients to registered dietitians and nutritionists with more specialized knowledge. Read more from STAT’s Sarah Todd.
