Listen: Democratizing CRISPR, drugging the undruggable, and reading pharma’s fine print

Who gets to “play God”? Can old technologies learn new tricks? And what does “drug price” even mean?

We discuss all that and more on the latest episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, STAT’s Sharon Begley joins us to discuss a fascinating debate in genome editing: The scientific establishment says CRISPR’ing embryos is an ethical nonstarter, but patients with serious inherited diseases see things differently. Then, biotech entrepreneur Michael Gilman dials in to talk about his company’s efforts to craft pills that can do what has thus far proved impossible. Finally, STAT D.C. correspondent Nicholas Florko joins us to break down the murky details of the drug industry’s new transparency initiative.

For more on what we cover, here’s the story on prenatal CRISPR; here’s the news on Gilman’s startup; and here’s more on drug pricing disclosures.

We’ll be back next Thursday evening — and every Thursday evening — so be sure to sign up on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you have any feedback for us — topics to cover, guests to invite, vocal tics to cease — you can email [email protected].

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