The Readout Loud

Is peer review underrated? Can biotech stop an outbreak? And would you mind giving us a call? We're coming up on the 100th episode of this podcast, and we're using the occasion to actualize our long-held dream of running a call-in show. Dial us at 617-517-6130 and leave a message with any question you'd like us to answer on the podcast, and you may just hear it on air in the coming weeks.

Is it wise to lie to the feds? Is pharma taking Sen. Bernie Sanders seriously? And what constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern?"

Are we dealing with a SARS redux? Has the FDA lost its teeth? And what do billionaires talk to each other about?

Why weren't there any big deals announced this week? What does the word "equivalar" mean? And why is information about prognosis so hard to find?

Does pharma deserve more credit? Will history forgive He Jiankui? And how does a laboratory eureka become a lifesaving vaccine?

Which drug defined the decade? Who's the worst CEO in biopharma? And how does gene therapy actually work?

Has CAR-T lost its luster? Why is colorectal cancer on the rise? And did the FDA forever change in 2016?

How do you know if a "positive" study is positive? And how did one-eyed sheep lead to a drug for certain cancers?

Can Sen. Elizabeth Warren ever go home again? Is it ethical to make little people taller? And when will AI come up with a new drug?

Do you trust Google with your health data? Is "Gattaca" an outdated reference? And what's it like to get dunked on?

Why hope for China's new Alzheimer's drug turned into skepticism ? Is three a crowd in CAR-T? And what's a Bionomy?

When should a drug be pulled from shelves? How do you pronounce "HLTH?" And how does Ann Coulter decide what to tweet?

What exactly is Biogen doing? When is a press release worth $12 billion? And what should patients make of whiplashing news? We're devoting this entire episode to Biogen's stunning announcement that aducanumab, its once-discarded treatment for Alzheimer's disease, is getting a second life.

Should drug companies be free-speech advocates? Is your retirement dependent on CRISPR? And how useful is a glow-in-the-dark dog?

STAT's Matthew Herper joins us to dig into the history of the infamous pain drug Vioxx and a new effort to bring it back as a rare disease treatment. Then, we discuss how the synthetic biology industry is growing up and getting corporate. Finally, health care journalist Maggie Fox dials in to explain her deep dive on venture capital in biotech.

Does impeachment have a pharma angle? Who's to blame for drug shortages? And why is Wall Street down on biotech?

What do we talk about when we talk about "vape"? Are there limits to business of DNA testing? And how hard is it to get yourself CRISPR'd? STAT's Megan Thielking joins the gang to break down a major week of news in the world of vaping and STAT's Sharon Begley relates the story of a desperate patient seeking off-the-books genome editing and its implications for the future of medical research.

Who puts horns on unicorns? How do graying drug companies find green ideas? And what would mice tweet?

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing plan is aggressive, but is it viable? Can Moderna turn cells into tiny drug-making factories? What’s it like to cure your own rare disease?

What separates good drug companies from mediocre ones? Have biohackers sold out? And who's going to run the FDA?

What does Dr. Richard Sackler sound like? When is $500 million a small amount of money? And what will come of the drug companies at the heart of the opioid crisis?

How should you talk to friends about rejection? Can Facebook actually improve the lives of children? And how's biotech doing in China?

Is anything too weighty to be explained over the internet? Can a new spin on old technology outfox CAR-T? And does that controversial drug even work?

Why did Novartis (NVS) keep its scandal to itself? Who knew what and when? And is there such thing as too much Peloton time?

Will Canada run out of drugs? Should you ever read your partner's diary? And what does Pepe the Frog know about genomics?