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Ken Frazier and Matthew Herper on the STAT Summit stage.

Former Merck CEO: Democracy and the drug industry are both in danger

Nov. 28, 2022... “I think our democracy is in danger right now,” says Ken Frazier, the former CEO of Merck.

Pharmalittle: Italy probes Pfizer over profit transfers; FDA postpones meeting for OTC birth control pill

Oct. 27, 2022... The FDA indefinitely postponed an advisory committee that was scheduled for Nov. 18 to help decide whether to allow over-the-counter sales of birth control pills.

Addressing social drivers of health is a big opportunity for tech entrepreneurs

Aug. 4, 2022... Startups that address social drivers of health can shape the future of our collective health and wellness by bringing to bear the technologies and solutions that enable proactive, holistic care that is accessible to all.

STAT announces fourth annual 2022 STAT Summit

July 5, 2022... 2022 STAT Summit to feature Pfizer Chairman & CEO, Albert Bourla, Merck Executive Chairman, Ken Frazier, and Eli Lilly Chair & CEO, Dave Ricks BOSTON, MA – Today, STAT, the nation’s must-read health, science, and medicine publication, is proud to announce the 2022 STAT Summit. The two-day, in-person event will take place on November 15-16,…

The 2022 STAT Summit

June 22, 2022... A multi-year pandemic has brought no end of trials, but also plenty of triumphs. Come for two days of silo-breaking and solution-focused discussions on the most important topics in health care with some of the industry's greatest minds. Featured speakers include: Alondra Nelson, Ph.D., Performing the duties of the Director of the White House Office…

2022 STAT Summit

June 22, 2022... Nov 15 & 16Boston#STATSummit Get ticketsView Speakers The 2022 STAT Summit is now complete Thank you to the speakers and to all who tuned into our annual flagship Summit event. Be sure to catch up with coverage from the event, and learn more about all of our upcoming Summits. About From trials to triumph: healing…

ai brain

How to train a clinical AI to predict bad health outcomes

Feb. 22, 2022... In the latest edition of STAT Health Tech: how to train your AI to predict bad outcomes, the ripple effects of privacy laws, and digital health's notable leaders.

Kenneth Frazier

Feb. 16, 2022... Frazier, one of America’s most prominent Black executives, stepped down as CEO of Merck after a decade-long tenure during which he revitalized the drugmaker. He remains executive chairman. He took a major new role as the chairman of health assurance initiatives at General Catalyst, the venture capital firm known for its backing of companies like…

money pile

Some drug makers quietly resumed donations to lawmakers who denied Biden’s election victory

Jan. 4, 2022... A watchdog group argues some pharma companies were “quick to forgive and forget” lawmakers who voted against certifying the presidential election.

Yvonne Greenstreet

Alnylam’s new CEO hopes appointment inspires underrepresented groups

Nov. 29, 2021... At Alynlam, a new CEO "understands how to push the frontiers of medicine forward.”

Amazon sign plus tree

Hacking third-party apps, Amazon’s lobbying strategy, & FDA’s next steps on AI

Oct. 19, 2021... In the latest edition of STAT Health Tech: Hacking third-party health apps, Amazon's lobbying strategy, & FDA's next steps on AI.

Kenneth Frazier drug makers

‘I don’t know anybody who wants their health disrupted’: Ken Frazier steps out in new venture capital role

Oct. 18, 2021... Frazier, the former CEO of Merck, joined the venture capital firm General Catalyst this year to lead its “health assurance initiatives."

Rob Davis

With $11 billion Acceleron deal, new Merck CEO hopes to convince investors there is a lot more to the biopharma giant

Sept. 30, 2021... Biotechs be aware. Merck is on the hunt.

Pharmalittle: Remdesivir props up Gilead’s declining fortunes; U.K. fines drug maker for price hikes

July 30, 2021... Sales of Gilead Sciences' remdesivir beat analysts' expectations in the second quarter, totaling $829 million.

Pharmalot Coming/Going STILL

Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

July 23, 2021... From new hires to departures, promotions and transfers, here are the latest comings and goings in the pharmaceutical industry.

Scott Peters

Pharma CEOs, lobbyists showered Democrat with cash after his attempt to torpedo Pelosi’s drug pricing bill

July 20, 2021... Large drug makers and lobbyists have funneled $67,400 to Rep. Scott Peters after his attempt to torpedo Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing bill.

Sen. Bob Menendez

Pharma showers Menendez with rare, off-cycle burst of campaign cash as Democrats eye drug pricing reforms 

May 5, 2021... Sen. Bob Menendez isn’t up for reelection until 2024, but pharma execs are flooding his campaign with cash — a sign of the central role he’ll play on drug pricing reform. 

Pharmalittle: Europe isn’t ruling out waiving IP rights for Covid-19 shots; AstraZeneca defends vaccine production process

March 18, 2021... The European Commission president is “not ruling out” waiving intellectual property rights or seizing production of vaccines to get Europeans vaccinated.

Hires -- up and down the ladder

Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

Feb. 5, 2021... From new hires to departures, promotions and transfers, here are the latest comings and goings in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmalittle: J&J seeks emergency use for its coronavirus vaccine; Merck says parasite drug does not work on Covid-19

Feb. 5, 2021... Johnson & Johnson has applied to the FDA for an emergency use authorization for its one-dose Covid-19 vaccine, setting in motion a process all but sure to see a third such vaccine authorized.

Listen: 23andMe is going public, vaccine data abound, and Merck’s CEO is retiring

Feb. 4, 2021... Is consumer DNA testing a good business? Are Covid-19 vaccines interchangeable? And how do you IQ-test an artificial intelligence? Find out on the latest episode of "The Readout LOUD." Listen now:

Kenneth Frazier drug makers

Merck’s Kenneth Frazier, biopharma’s irreplaceable voice, to step down as CEO

Feb. 4, 2021... Kenneth Frazier is stepping down as the CEO of Merck, leaving a giant hole in the fabric of the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmalittle: Switzerland rejects AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine; McKinsey to pay $573 million over its role in opioid crisis

Feb. 4, 2021... Switzerland has become the first European country not to authorize the Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca and Oxford University, as its medical regulator deemed there was insufficient data to reach firm conclusions on its efficacy.

Pharmalittle: Russia registers a Covid-19 vaccine amid skepticism; can monoclonal antibodies combat the coronavirus?

Aug. 11, 2020... Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country registered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, marking a milestone but coming amid rising safety concerns in the West.

blue syringes vaccine Covid-19

Yes, we need a vaccine to control Covid-19. But we need new treatments, too

Aug. 5, 2020... Our economic model shows that a new treatment that can reduce Covid-19 hospitalizations by 50% would result in 285,000 fewer admissions for Covid-19 and up to 71,000 fewer deaths by the end of 2021.

syringes in plastic

6 burning questions Congress could push Covid-19 vaccine makers to answer today

July 20, 2020... Leaders from five drug companies leading the Covid-19 vaccine race will offer an update about their progress in a congressional hearing Tuesday. Here's what lawmakers should ask them about.

White pills on blue

Two dozen big drug makers launch a $1 billion fund to develop new antibiotics

July 9, 2020... “There is no viable market today for antibiotics and the pipeline is near collapse,” said Eli Lilly chief executive officer David Ricks.

stat_spacerace

What’s at stake for industry in the pharmaceutical Space Race for a Covid-19 vaccine

June 15, 2020... “Everybody knows about Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the first people to go to the moon,” said John LaMattina, the former head of research at Pfizer. “Who were the fourth and fifth people on the moon?”

Tony Coles-July2018

Longtime executive Tony Coles on biotech, racism, and opportunities for change

June 5, 2020... “What if we applied even half the effort that we have behind solving the Covid crisis to this topic of diversity and to social justice and economic opportunity?” — @TonyColesMD