Whistleblower takes on health insurance and FDA commissioner candidates

PodcastThe Readout LOUD Whistleblower takes on health insurance and FDA commissioner candidates Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Allison DeAngelis, Elaine Chen, and Adam FeuersteinJuly 9, 2026 Allison DeAngelis[email protected]Allison covers what hot startups are getting up to, and who’s financing them. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, “The Readout Loud.” You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01.Elaine Chen[email protected]Elaine’s stories explore the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, the ways companies are affected by FDA changes, and the emerging psychedelics drug sector. She co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70.Adam Feuerstein[email protected]Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54. Why does getting family health insurance through a job cost as much as buying a new car? How did a whistleblower take on an insurance contractor? And who might be the new Food and Drug Administration commissioner? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. Advertisement STAT reporter Bob Herman joins us to discuss his new series, “Out of Pocket, Out of Reach,” which dives into how soaring costs for health insurance are hurting Americans and small business owners. We also speak with Chris Deacon, who filed a whistleblower lawsuit after spotting how an insurer may have violated contracts to provide health benefits for New Jersey’s state workers. We also discuss the latest news in life sciences, including Anthropic’s push into drug development and Vertex’s largest-ever acquisition. To read the “Out of Pocket, Out of Reach” series, go here; for more information on AstraZeneca and Ionis Pharma’s trial failure, go here; for more information on the FDA commissioner candidates, go here; to read about Vertex’s acquisition of Crinetics, go here; and to read about Claude Science, go here.Advertisement Be sure to sign up for “The Readout LOUD” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. AstraZeneca, biotechnology, FDA, health care costs, Health insurance, Vertex Submit a correction requestReprints Allison DeAngelis Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter Allison covers what hot startups are getting up to, and who’s financing them. She is also co-host of the weekly biotech podcast, “The Readout Loud.” You can reach Allison on Signal at AllisonDeAngelis.01. Elaine Chen National Biotech Reporter Elaine’s stories explore the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, the ways companies are affected by FDA changes, and the emerging psychedelics drug sector. She co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70. Adam Feuerstein Senior Writer, Biotech Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech podcast The Readout Loud and author of the newsletter Adam’s Biotech Scorecard. You can reach Adam on Signal at stataf.54. Newsletter Your morning rundown of the science, politics, and money driving biotech today Recommended The Readout LOUD June 25, 2026 The mysterious case of Eli Lilly’s obesity drug The Readout LOUD June 18, 2026 New hope in treating Huntington’s disease and a report card on RFK Jr.’s promises Advertisement The Readout LOUD June 11, 2026 STAT Plus: An obesity drug deep-dive, and peptides move mainstream The Readout LOUD June 4, 2026 What RevMed’s pancreatic cancer drug meant for one patient Biotech May 28, 2026 STAT Plus: Biotech veteran Jeremy Levin on why the industry’s future is secure, but American leadership is at risk Subscriber Picks