The Readout Loud

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

How do you sell lefty ideas to righty politicians? What’s going on at Gilead Sciences? And why are biotech investors freaking out?

What if pharma just charged less for drugs? Can speaking three syllables reveal whether you're depressed? And why is Snoop Dogg selling erectile dysfunction pills on TV?

Why can't investors think for themselves? How do parents cope with inexplicable tragedy? And is tech prepared for the toughest parts of health care?

Should Alzheimer's researchers just give up on amyloid plaques? What will a new drug mean for new moms with postpartum depression? And which coastal region of Long Island is superior?

Who deserves credit for a new gene therapy? How do you push stop on a startup? And what does MC Hammer have to do with Theranos?

Why is Scott Gottlieb quitting the FDA? Who will replace him? And what's the proper elastane content of a skinny jean?

Is this the age of the big biotech buyout? Is cold brew a business expense? And how do you pronounce "Gonzalez"?

What did an opioid patriarch say under oath? Why did everyone want to know so badly? And how might it shape the conversation around the opioid crisis?

Is pharma about to have its Big Tobacco moment? Are we overestimating human genetics? And can sales reps rap? We discuss all that and more on the latest episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, Boston Globe reporter Jonathan Saltzman joins us to discuss the case against Insys Therapeutics, the maker of a powerful painkiller now accused of running a nationwide racketeering scheme. Then Dr. Laura Esserman of the University of California, San Francisco, comes on to break down the debate over genetic testing for cancer risk. And then we give you the need-to-know on an upcoming Senate hearing that will see seven pharma executives get grilled on the rising cost of medicines in the U.S.

When will AI replace your radiologist? What can pharma learn from ketamine? And is liver disease more complicated than anyone thought?

Are we underestimating biology? Will Hot 97 decide the presidency? And who owns the scientific means of production?

Is the drug industry wrong about Alzheimer's disease? Can cryptocurrency fund actual science? And should you feel sorry for Big Pharma?

Is genome editing harder than anyone thought? Will no one weep for Celgene? And is it time to sequence your dog?

Is the FDA going broke? Can video games be drugs? And when did "Flashdance" come out?

Do drug developers tip well? Is biotech safe for 6-year-olds? And what's a Cable Car Cosmo?

Are megamergers bad for business? Is it time for biotech's biggest gathering to find a new home? And can a "need" be anything but "unmet"?

What will become of biotech in 2019? What's the legacy of Sarepta Therapeutics? And how do you say "overhyped" in Mandarin?

Is Gilead Sciences entering a bold new era? What even happened in 2018? And how useful is a genetic credit score?

Can gene therapy cure sickle cell disease? Is an expensive drug better than a free one? And will biotech see its shadow in 2019?

What does it mean to edit a person? Has science run afoul of basic ethics? And what's the time difference to Hong Kong?

Can unicorns float? Is a hot dog a sandwich? And how are drug companies like gas stations?

Is pharma in for a swarm of subpoenas? Are we running out of ideas in oncology? And can a drug possibly be worth $4 million a dose?

Why are biotech stocks in the dumps? Is the latest in cancer care overhyped? And what does "folie à deux" mean?

Can pharma-shaming get someone re-elected? How rare is too rare when it comes to biotech research? And what does "positive" even mean, really?

Are prescription drugs like new cars? Is pharma's grand bargain a sham? And who keeps your DNA safe?

Is the next big idea in oncology a bust? What does "successful" mean exactly? And why does Wall Street hate biotech all of a sudden?

Did the Nobel Prizes go to the right scientists? Why is there so much disdain for biotech's millenial entrepreneurs? And do journalists have a good taste in '80s music?

Was everyone wrong about fish oil? Is venture capital a cartel? And what's with all those ketamine clinics?

Is a biotech bubble inflating in China? Do the feds coddle CEOs? And why don't clinical trials look like America?

Is biotech too founder-friendly? Is honesty overrated? And how do you tell a good beep from a bad one?

Should genome editors be worried? Has 2018 been a bummer? And are voters ready to love Big Pharma? We discuss this and more on a special live episode from the BioPharm America conference in Boston.

Is the FDA as lenient as everyone thinks? Can fish oil be a multibillion-dollar drug? And why aren't there better treatments for brain cancer?

Can genome-editing work in actual people? Are CEOs oversharing? And how do you sniff out a bad bet before it happens?

How much is a shot at curing cancer worth? Where are all the drugs for late-stage Alzheimer's disease? And what on Earth is an "oversubscribed Series A round"?

Can insider trading charges derail political campaigns? Should you trust a fund manager over a doctor? And how many rats would you trade for a cow?

What juicy perks do biotech startups offer to lure increasingly hard-to-find talent? How does Sanofi plan to make up for lost time in the lucrative field of oncology? And veteran biotech journalist Luke Timmerman talks about what it's like to climb Mt. Everest.

What qualifies as "robust" when it comes to data? Is digital health a bubble? And can Gilead Sciences survive without men named John?

Can drug prices swing an election? Is every quarter a “great quarter“? And why is everyone freaking out about CRISPR? Listen, and all will be explained.

Can phone calls bring down drug prices? Do mom-and-pop investors have a prayer against hedge funds? And how do you know whether an Alzheimer's drug actually works?

Adam and Damian recap the past six months in biotech. Investor and philanthropist, Sheff Station, stops by and gives tips on how to become a day trader, and analysts questioning their very existence.

How did the FDA become so friendly to the drug industry? The thorny issue of using 23andMe to unite families separated at the border, and Rebecca explains how drugs are priced in China.

Is Sarepta Therapeutics worth $10 billion? Will Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes go behind bars? And how does AI fit into biotech?

The problem with the topless dancers at PABNAB. Are investors overestimating the market for fatty liver drugs? And how many lives do biotech entrepreneurs get?

Why is Twitter so mean to Axovant? Adam teaches a crash course on biostatistics. And will sci-fi gene and cell therapies ever go mainstream.

Is the drug industry spending millions on a made-up disease? Have the latest cancer drugs been overhyped? And why does anyone go to BIO?

How worried should you be about Ebola? Can the government lower drug prices without hurting the drug industry? And is socceromics a thing? Listen this week to find out.

What do you call a unicorn without a horn? Is your colleague wearing a wire? And is Jentadueto a drug name or a complicated espresso drink?

On today's show, we dig into the no good, very bad day Novartis had when the world got wind of its ties to President Trump's personal attorney, a discussion of how the world's biggest cancer conference used to be the Wild West for investors, and an exploration of one health system's plan to bring genomics to the masses. Also STAT's Eric Boodman joins us to talk about how a pricey new gene therapy has created a fascinating situation in Amish country.

We talk to Bill Gates about the flu that could kill millions. Is China too enamored with biotech startups? And how do you find a cold case killer? Genetics.