Mar 04, 2026

Email 1:

Subject: Was Viagra the best heart drug we never had?

• A physician argues that sildenafil (Viagra) could have been a better heart drug than statins but was sidelined due to medicine’s focus on the cholesterol hypothesis.
• Eldest daughter syndrome leads to over-responsibility and burnout, especially in women physicians.
• A physician writes from federal prison about his conviction related to pain management standards of care.
• Financial wellness is crucial for physician well-being and burnout prevention.
• AI in healthcare: physicians must evaluate clinical workflow integration, data use, deployment expertise, reliability, and healthcare experience.
• Reflections on success, connection, and aging well.
• Rising respiratory illnesses in back-to-school season highlight the importance of rapid diagnostics.
• Managing medical school stress and identity outside medicine enhances resilience.
• Language barriers create safety crises in US healthcare.
• Aging well is a choice made in midlife supported by science.
• Pain control failures in fertility clinics due to systemic pressures.
• Subscribe to KevinMD’s daily medical podcast for more insights.

Email 2:

Subject: Inside the rise of the ‘Make Europe Healthy Again’ movements

• The US measles elimination status review postponed until after midterms.
• STAT Madness: annual bracket competition voting on top biomedical research; teams in cancer, gene editing, AI prevalent; infectious disease research teams fewer due to shifting priorities.
• FDA gave breakthrough designation to RecovryAI, an AI chatbot assisting joint replacement surgery recovery.
• In Europe, the Make Europe Healthy Again (MEHA) movement promotes health sovereignty but includes anti-vaccine activists and right-wing politicians.
• Teen sleep habits worsen, with more high schoolers reporting less than 5 hours of sleep nightly, especially among Black students and those with depressive symptoms.
• Ethical dilemmas emerge as human embryo models using stem cells become more realistic.
• Various health news: ivermectin use rises among cancer patients, states limit HIV treatment access, CMS halts enrollment in a Medicare plan, cost of being uninsured discussed.
• Download the STAT app for the latest health and science news.

Email 3:

Subject: ⚡️ Rare disease ruckus

• FDA has recently rejected several new rare disease drugs, alarming patient advocates and companies citing unrealistic standards.
• FDA official states they seek strong evidence and have not seen persuasive data.
• UniQure gene therapy for Huntington’s faces FDA demands for additional trials.
• Hospitals increasingly code patient care as more complex than delivered, driving spending up by millions.
• High coding intensity linked with increased reported postpartum anemia but no rise in transfusions.
• HHS bans Anthropic AI tools after the company refuses Pentagon demands; switches to other AI platforms like ChatGPT Enterprise.
• FDA’s AI tool “Elsa” assists reviewers but is transitioning away from Anthropic models.
• Trump administration blacklisted Anthropic citing supply chain risks.
• FDA approves a cloud-based AI tool predicting preterm births from ultrasound images, enabling proactive pregnancy care.
• Upcoming CDC director nomination, infant formula heavy metals found by Consumer Reports, and rising colorectal cancer in adults under 65.
• Medicare Advantage funding crucial for seniors; payment decisions impact costs and benefits.

Email 4:

Subject: Galileo’s notes discovered in the margins of an ancient books

• Evidence shows Earth’s tectonic plates started moving 3.3 billion years ago, earlier than thought, with higher ancient oxygen and possible water presence.
• Galileo Galilei’s margin notes in a copy of Ptolemy’s The Almagest rediscovered, shedding light on his revolutionary solar system views.
• Study finds nearly everyone over 40 has degenerated rotator cuffs, often without symptoms; advises clinical diagnosis over reliance on MRI scans.
• Fluorescent-protein labels can be used as quantum sensors, potentially revolutionizing disease molecule detection.
• Archaeologist David Stuart deciphers Maya hieroglyphs uncovering rich ancient Mayan history.
• Stanley Plotkin, a pioneer of vaccines, fears rising anti-vaccine misinformation may increase disease tolls.
• Impressive sinkholes in Turkey expanding rapidly due to drought and unsustainable farming.
• Astronomer Olena Kompaniiets laments Ukrainian loss of observatories after war.
• Nature Briefing invites feedback and acronyms from readers; provides list of other specialized newsletters.

Email 5:

Subject: Tune in live for AACR 2026: The STAT Recap on April 23

• STAT invites you to a live, interactive recap of AACR 2026 on April 23 to discuss major oncology news and studies.
• Event is free; RSVP needed to attend.
• Attendees at AACR in San Diego can join STAT@AACR event on April 21 for expert discussion on oncology research.
• STAT continues delivering updates and invites feedback.
• Unsubscribe options and preferences links provided.

Stay Well!