Listen: Health equity ‘tourism,’ an $11B biopharma acquisition, & a bony Covid protest

An $11 billion biopharma acquisition. Health equity “tourism.” And, where can you buy a 12-foot pyramid of bones?

We cover all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, we welcome STAT reporter Usha Lee McFarling onto the podcast to discuss her investigation into health equity tourism — how white scholars are colonizing research on health disparities. Then, we “chatty Cathy” a blizzard of biotech news from this week, including Merck’s $11 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma, a theatrical street protest about the Covid vaccine equity dive, a debate about gene therapy’s future, and, finally, why Scott Gottlieb is looking up at Elvira.

For more on what we cover, here’s Usha Lee McFarling’s investigation into health equity tourism; here’s a story on Merck’s acquisition of Acceleron; here’s an FAQ on Covid vaccine boosters; here’s where you can subscribe to the First Opinion Podcast; and here’s our complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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].