Is AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine in jeopardy? Why can’t politicians and scientists in Washington get along? Did you miss STAT’s first-ever Health Tech Summit?
We discuss all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, we’ll break down the big news of the week: the global pause on AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 trials of its Covid-19 vaccine due to a suspected serious adverse reaction in a participant in the U.K. Then, STAT’s Lev Facher joins us for an update on the charged politics of the Covid-19 response. Lastly, we’ll highlight three top moments from STAT’s inaugural Health Tech Summit, which took place virtually this week.
For more on what we cover, here’s STAT’s scoop on the suspension of the AstraZeneca clinical trials, plus an exclusive follow-up on what AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told investors on a private conference call. Here’s STAT’s story on “The Pledge” made by Covid-19 vaccine developers to push back against political pressure, and some distressing polling on Americans distrust for the public health agencies battling the coronavirus pandemic.
We’ll be back next Thursday evening — and every Thursday evening — so be sure to sign up on Apple Podcasts, 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].
Interested in sponsoring a future episode of “The Readout LOUD”? Email us at [email protected].
Here at STAT, how can we make sure our readers don’t see we have a political agenda?
Can we take a strange, one-off problem in a Phase 3 trial with thousands of participants and try to get our readers breathless and in mental state that is a strange combination of semi-panic and semi-horror?
Can we figure out how to write our stories without the tired trope of setting up a narrative with idiotic and unanswerable questions?
Tune in to find out.
In related news, a trial participant in the UK had a severe vomiting episode following a large lunch of haggis and kidney pie. Diagnosis is pending.
News Update — even though the haggis and kidney pie was delicious, it will likely lead to a greater possibility of contracting the virus, experts say.
Trump praised the luncheon selection, anonymous sources have revealed, calling into doubt the President’s ability to adequately vet healthy menu choices.