Daniel Payne
@danielpayne.bsky.social
Washington Correspondent @statnews.com daniel.payne (at) statnews (dot) com Signal: danielp.100 @politico.com / Ole Miss alum
Cassidy gets convinced, again via @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/07/30/s...
Key Senate panel backs Trump’s picks for CDC, pandemic preparedness
In win for RFK Jr., Senate committee sends nominations of Erica Schwartz for CDC director and Sean Kaufman for ASPR to full Senate.
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Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment in declining to answer questions before Senate panel www.statnews.com/2026/07/29/f...
Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment in declining to answer questions before Senate panel
At a highly anticipated Senate hearing, Anthony Fauci evoked his Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer questions about the Covid-19 pandemic and its origins.
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The key issues that could come up in Anthony Fauci's testimony on the Hill tomorrow w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @helenbranswell.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/07/28/a...
Six key issues we're watching at Fauci's hearing
Sen. Rand Paul is forcing Fauci to appear before his Senate panel.
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How pharma giants are trying to change Washington's view of China www.statnews.com/2026/07/22/b...
Pharma tries to tamp down broad China restrictions
AI-focused VC firm raises $800M, Merck's new cholesterol pill, and more biotech news from The Readout
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Our series, "The Deadliest Drug," captured the American drinking problem. Today we turn to solutions. Here are a dozen ways the U.S. can start addressing excessive drinking and its many harms. (No paywall!) www.statnews.com/2026/07/14/a...
12 ideas for tackling the U.S. alcohol epidemic
The U.S. can save lives from excess alcohol use without taking drastic measures. Here are 12 steps that can help.
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News: The White House is reviewing the list of finalists to lead the FDA www.statnews.com/2026/07/08/n...
White House reviewing top contenders to lead FDA
The White House is reviewing finalists for FDA commissioner, suggesting the highly anticipated decision may come soon.
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News: In a private meeting, top admin officials pushed industry leaders to bring the supply chains of 86 essential medicines under tighter U.S. control. www.statnews.com/2026/07/08/t...
In private meeting, Trump officials push to onshore generic drugmaking
Marco Rubio, RFK Jr., and Chris Klomp are urging industry leaders to make more medicines in the U.S.
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At BIO's San Diego conference this week, Washington and AI loomed large w/ @brittanytrang.com www.statnews.com/2026/06/25/b...
At BIO 2026, industry wrestled with Washington politics, and making AI work better
Biotech executives reveal concerns over Chinese biotech, the profitability of AI, and the durability of Trump's drug price moves.
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Vaccine makers have had a brutal run — but some are still seeing hopeful signs in their sector www.statnews.com/2026/06/25/v...
Facing a brutal run, battered vaccine makers still see cause for hope
It's an unusual time to be in the vaccine business. But in the view of those gathered at the BIO conference this week, it’s not altogether a bleak one.
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EXCLUSIVE: Eli Lilly gave compassionate use access to retatrutide, their unapproved powerful obesity drug, to a 79-year-old man in April. The application was arranged by a top doctor at NIH, and cleared by the FDA. www.statnews.com/2026/06/23/e...
Eli Lilly gave extraordinary obesity drug access to a 79-year-old patient. Who was it?
Exclusive: STAT has learned that Eli Lilly and the FDA allowed a 79-year-old to gain extraordinary access to an experimental obesity drug through the agency’s “compassionate use” program.
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Who is the "well connected," 79-year-old patient getting special access to a new obesity drug? @lizzylawrence.bsky.social with quite the scoop www.statnews.com/2026/06/23/e...
Eli Lilly gave extraordinary obesity drug access to a 79-year-old patient. Who was it?
Exclusive: STAT has learned that Eli Lilly and the FDA allowed a 79-year-old to gain extraordinary access to an experimental obesity drug through the agency’s “compassionate use” program.
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After secret drug pricing deals with Trump, some drugmakers are mapping out how they could respond to Democrats' oversight efforts, should they take control of Congress. www.statnews.com/signup/dc/
News: Senate Democrats are demanding the Trump admin provide records on their vaccine reforms. The move signals where future oversight efforts could focus, should Dems win Congress in the midterms. www.statnews.com/2026/06/18/r...
Senate Democrats demand HHS provide records on federal vaccine policy
Senate Democrats open an inquiry into the Trump administration’s remaking of U.S. vaccine policy, demanding officials produce records by next week.
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RFK Jr. claimed his calendar, including meeting details, is public. But those records have not been released — despite more than a year of FOIA requests from @statnews.com reporters. More on the state of transparency at HHS, w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/06/11/r...
RFK Jr. claims his calendar is publicly available. We've been trying to get it for a year
None of STAT's requests for Kennedy's schedule have been completed, and some haven't even been acknowledged.
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A study on alcohol's health risks that was paid for by taxpayers but never released is now out – in a scientific journal. New: www.statnews.com/2026/06/09/s...
Alcohol study discarded by Trump officials is published in scientific journal
A government-commissioned study had been meant to inform new dietary guidelines, and found risks associated with even light drinking.
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The unwelcome surprise for some states and patients in Republicans' Medicaid work requirements: w/ @tarabannow.bsky.social @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/06/03/m...
Trump’s Medicaid work requirements have an unwelcome surprise for some states and patients
Advocates were already dreading Medicaid's work requirements. New rules are worse than they feared.
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It's not just USAID and CDC cuts affecting outbreak responses: NIH cuts weakened network primed to respond to outbreaks like Ebola, by @aniloza.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/06/03/n...
NIH cuts weakened network primed to respond to outbreaks like Ebola
While NIH-funded centers weren’t on the front lines of virus responses like the CDC or USAID, some researchers involved in the network said the cuts have damaged relationships with experts in other co...
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The Biden admin developed hundreds of pages of federal disease response plans — including handling diseases like Ebola and getting exposed Americans back home for treatment. The Trump admin has largely ignored them. w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/05/30/t...
As Ebola outbreak grows, Trump administration veers from previous government playbook
Trump officials are disregarding the Biden administration's detailed pandemic plans in favor of their own strategy.
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NEW: Biden officials prepared extensive plans to be used in the case of disease outbreaks. With Ebola in DRC, the Trump admin has gone its own way, per former CDC officials who previously worked in the Trump admin. www.statnews.com/2026/05/30/t...
As Ebola outbreak grows, Trump administration veers from previous government playbook
Trump officials are disregarding the Biden administration's detailed pandemic plans in favor of their own strategy.
statnews.com
When the Trump administration came into office, it was presented with a playbook, 100s of pages long, detailing how to organize a multi-agency response to threats, including #Ebola. It's not being used, @danielpayne.bsky.social & @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social report. www.statnews.com/2026/05/30/t...
As Ebola outbreak grows, Trump administration veers from previous government playbook
Trump officials are disregarding the Biden administration's detailed pandemic plans in favor of their own strategy.
statnews.com
We are off to a hot start: Sen. Baldwin says that Jeffrey Taubenberger, head of NIAID (second largest institute) is out. (Bhattacharya did not respond to this) 15 of the 27 institutes currently have acting directors w/ @helenbranswell.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/05/21/n...
Acting head of NIH’s infectious disease institute reported to have stepped down
Jeffery Taubenberger, the acting head of the NIAID, the NIH’s infectious disease institute, is reported to have stepped down.
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anil oza@aniloza.bsky.social · 3mo agoJay Bhattacharya is testifying in front of the Senate appropriations committee this AM You can watch along here: www.statnews.com/2026/05/21/l...
Breaking from @helenbranswell.bsky.social @aniloza.bsky.social: The acting head of the NIH’s infectious disease institute, NIAID, is reported to have stepped down. www.statnews.com/2026/05/21/n...
Acting head of NIH’s infectious disease institute reported to have stepped down
Jeffery Taubenberger, the acting head of the NIAID, the NIH’s infectious disease institute, is reported to have stepped down.
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How the Democratic Republic of the Congo's health system — now at the center of the Ebola outbreak — changed after U.S. aid was cut, according to people who worked in the country:
STAT@statnews.com · 3mo agoSources say USAID cuts damaged epidemic preparedness and hampered the DRC's Ebola response, a perfect storm fueling third-largest outbreak in history. www.statnews.com/2026/05/19/u...
Sources say USAID cuts damaged epidemic preparedness and hampered the DRC's Ebola response, a perfect storm fueling third-largest outbreak in history. www.statnews.com/2026/05/19/u...
Trump’s cuts to foreign aid are undermining the Ebola response, insiders say
Trump's cuts to foreign aid likely hampered the detection of the Ebola outbreak and the response to it.
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NEW: The Trump admin's foreign aid cuts have hampered infection control in the DRC as the country's Ebola outbreak grows, people involved across the region tell me www.statnews.com/2026/05/19/u...
Trump’s cuts to foreign aid are undermining the Ebola response, insiders say
Trump's cuts to foreign aid likely hampered the detection of the Ebola outbreak and the response to it.
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White House taps Amazon, GoodRx, and Mark Cuban to bolster TrumpRx www.statnews.com/2026/05/18/t...
White House taps Amazon, GoodRx, and Mark Cuban to bolster TrumpRx
Trump's drug discount platform adds 600 generic medications via major online pharmacies.
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Over a recent breakfast, U.S. officials had a message for the German ambassador: pay more for prescription drugs — or potentially face new tariffs. Japan and Switzerland could be next. www.statnews.com/2026/05/15/t...
Top U.S. officials pressured Germany to pay more for prescription drugs
It's a key piece of Trump's effort to secure lower drug prices for U.S. patients.
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NEW: The wish list driving the Trump administration’s search for its next FDA chief w/ @lizzylawrence.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/05/13/m...
What the Trump administration wants in its next FDA leader
Leaders want the next FDA commissioner to be someone who can rebuild trust, focus on food policy, and drive drug-approval reforms.
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Sen. Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career. www.statnews.com/2026/05/13/b...
Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career
Sen. Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career.
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Bill Cassidy's difficult primary raises an important question: Does a lawmaker who thinks like a doctor still have a place in Washington? w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2026/05/13/b...
Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career
Sen. Bill Cassidy risked his legacy. It may not be enough to save his career.
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